Deep in the verdant woods of Casteroll, a loud boom echoed, sending small animals scurrying for cover. In the aftermath, a recently destroyed clearing lay in chaos. The ground was littered with massive craters, uprooted trees, and scorched earth. Standing amidst the destruction was Totara, his dark hair now streaked with a single strand of orange. His hand glowed faintly with an orange aura, pulsing with raw energy.
"Finally, I've managed to bring this power out again," he thought, staring at the strange energy that had surged during his and his friends' battle with a monstrous beast. The power felt familiar, an echo of strength he hadn't accessed in years.
"Though... it's not as strong as it was back then."
Shrugging, he muttered aloud, "Eh, it'll probably get stronger with practice."
Letting out a sigh, he released the energy and began jogging back toward the town. The cool night air rushed past him, carrying with it the faint scent of smoke.
Frowning, Totara slowed to a stop at the forest's edge. Rising in the distance, dark smoke spiraled into the sky. His stomach sank. Picking up his pace, he broke into a full sprint, his instincts screaming danger. A roar cut through the air, confirming his fears.
"What's going on?" he muttered, forcing the orange energy to flare back to life.
"I really should think of a name for this power," he thought absently before refocusing.
When he reached the outskirts of the town, chaos greeted him: buildings reduced to rubble, carts overturned and burning, the streets eerily devoid of people. Then he spotted the source of the destruction—a massive beast thrashing wildly.
And there, in the heart of the battle, was Ashley, raining fire arrows and javelins down on the creature.
"ASHLEY!" Totara shouted as he closed the distance between them.
"TOTARA?" Ashley called back, her voice tinged with surprise. She barely managed to dodge a massive swing from the creature before glancing at her friend.
"KEEP IT BUSY! I'LL FINISH IT IN ONE SHOT!" he yelled, charging toward the beast.
"GOT IT!"
Ashley smirked and unleashed a flurry of flaming arrows, forcing the creature to shield itself with its massive arms. She darted in close, flames coiling around her fists, and delivered a powerful punch to the beast's stomach, sending it soaring into the air.
Totara leaped to meet the creature midair, his aura flaring brighter. With a loud cry, he shouted, "SAGE ART OF THE JADE DRAGON: DRAGON'S CLAW!"
His enhanced fist slammed into the beast, searing its hide and driving it back to the ground with a resounding crash. For a moment, all was still.
Breathing heavily, Totara landed beside Ashley, offering her a thumbs-up. She laughed, her fiery demeanor undiminished by the battle.
Before either could celebrate, the beast began to stir again. They tensed, only to see a massive spike of ice pierce through its chest, freezing it in place. Moments later, a green fireball smashed into the creature, shattering the ice and finally ending its life.
Totara and Ashley turned toward the source of the attack to see Akira and a young half-elf girl named Keeskey approaching, bags in hand.
"Nice work, you two. Little miss and I barely had to do anything," Akira said with a faint smile.
"Yeah, you guys were awesome!" Keeskey chimed in, her wide eyes full of admiration as she clutched her wand.
Ashley grinned warmly. "Thanks, Keeskey. That was some incredible fire magic."
The young elf preened under the praise, beaming at her mentor.
Totara, meanwhile, focused on Akira. "Where were you?"
"Got caught up with some errands," Akira replied nonchalantly. "Ran into this one on the way." He nodded toward Keeskey.
Totara's gaze shifted back to the fallen beast. "Any idea how this thing got loose?"
"If I knew that," Akira said, "we wouldn't be having this conversation."
"Fair enough," Totara muttered, though unease lingered.
As Akira turned away, Totara noted the thoughtful expression on his friend's face. Something wasn't sitting right with him, and Totara could feel it too.
Back at the tavern
The three sat around a table, nursing their drinks.
"So, how are you feeling, Ashley? Do any of your injuries still hurt?" Totara asked, his brow furrowed in concern.
Ashley waved him off with a chuckle. "I'm fine. My healing factor patched me up. Honestly, I should be asking if you two are okay."
"I'll live," Totara said with a grin. "A few scars here and there, but nothing serious."
Both turned to Akira, who looked up, startled. "I'm fine," he mumbled, taking a swig of his drink.
Ashley giggled at his awkwardness, and Totara smiled.
"Good," Totara said. "Since we're all healed and stocked up on supplies, I say we head out tomorrow afternoon."
Akira nodded. "I see no reason not to."
Ashley seemed deep in thought, then spoke. "Can I make a request?"
The two men exchanged glances before nodding.
Taking a breath, she said, "I want to bring Keeskey with us."
Akira frowned but stayed silent, waiting for Totara's response.
"I don't see why not," Totara said, though his tone was cautious. "Just know she's your responsibility."
"I think it's a bad idea," Akira said bluntly, meeting Ashley's gaze.
"If you're worried about her safety, we can handle it," Ashley replied, her tone firm.
"It's not just her safety," Akira said coolly. "Are you sure it's right to bring a child into this? What about her family?"
"She's an orphan. And she's not a child—she's fourteen," Ashley retorted, crossing her arms.
For a moment, Akira said nothing, then sighed. "Fine. But this is on you."
Ashley's face lit up like the sun, and Totara couldn't help but chuckle.
"Well, with that settled, I think it's time we all got some rest," Totara said, rising.
"You two go ahead. I need to tell Keeskey the good news," Ashley said, heading off.
Totara turned to Akira, only to find him halfway up the stairs. "Tomorrow's going to be a long day," Totara murmured, chuckling as he followed.