Time passed, and Kailen grew stronger. The core of his gift hungrily absorbed every fragment of magic, trying to fill the bottomless pit of its reserves.
His muscles expanded to their former fullness, restoring the breadth of his shoulders and massive musculature. Speed, reflexes, strength—all nearly returned to their previous levels. His body was once again becoming a lethal weapon. Who needs a sword when a palm can sever a neck as effectively as steel?
During one of his daytime training sessions, he faced a massive wooden post. Quick punches and kicks rained down on the wood, sending splinters flying in all directions. The spots most frequently struck began to thin the thick trunk, which was on the verge of collapsing. And so it did: with one final blow, he broke through, and the upper part tilted and fell to the ground.
Looking at his knuckles, he saw only minor abrasions, indicating that his skin's durability was at a decent level.
He decided to end his training session with meditation. Entering his inner world, he connected with his gift. The air around him began to cool rapidly. However, the further away the space was, the more effort it required and the less effective the temperature control became. Unlike in Freljord, where nature itself yielded to his touch, the local environment resisted his influence. But this didn't discourage him, as progress required overcoming new challenges, and this was one of the most difficult.
Sometimes, Kailen would break up his training with conversations with the abbot about their life, country, and people. He also asked more personal questions, such as why the abbot chose to help him and treated the pirate's companion.
The answer was quite simple: he saw people's intentions.
"And that's why I decided to help, despite past actions. I saw a genuine desire to help a friend," the abbot replied. To this, Kailen had an obvious question: how did he allow Buck to steal that valuable item, considering his intentions were clear? The abbot revealed the secret almost immediately. Kailen wasn't surprised by Buck's deceit, but he promised himself that he would avenge this betrayal.
"Everyone deserves a chance. Back then, I gave him his," the abbot answered.
Every evening, they would talk, and Kailen would gain knowledge about their world.
Ionia was a land of harmony; above all, they sought balance. Everything had to follow its course, and not interfering with the natural cycle was the main rule of many temples. Of course, there were exceptions when someone went against all traditions, like the case with the forest spirit. He began to disrupt the harmony, and in response, they wanted to kill him—thus interfering. First, by containing him, and then by completely destroying him.
Although conflicts were often resolved peacefully and balance was restored, the warriors of the Kinkou Order possessed special powers and could heal the wounds inflicted carelessly by the people of Ionia, thus appeasing the spirits. They were the link that firmly connected humans and spirits.
But there was another monastery, Hirana. It was quite different from its counterpart, although similar in some ways. They also honored harmony but focused more on personal attainment of peace. They despised violence and interference in the world, leading a secluded lifestyle.
Opening his eyes, he finished his meditation, and the surrounding atmosphere returned to normal. He wanted to continue, but he heard footsteps approaching him. At that moment, he was slightly away from the village to avoid disturbing the residents with his training. The guest who came to him was Elise, carrying a bucket of water.
"Master Sub-Zero, I brought you some water," she said.
"I am grateful to you; you are a lovely girl," Kailen replied, and Elise blushed at his words.
"It's no trouble," she answered, setting the bucket down before him.
Scooping up some water in his hands, he drank it, noticing a unique taste he hadn't encountered anywhere else. After quenching his thirst, he began to wash his face and body, refreshing himself after the exhausting training.
"You possess truly immense strength and skills. Even not all Kinkou warriors can achieve such feats," came Elise's voice as she looked at the shattered log.
"In my homeland, people naturally possess great strength," he replied, recalling how anyone there could lift such a log and carry it with ease—unlike the locals or inhabitants of other continents, where harsh life forces one to adapt.
"Really? It's hard to believe. Are all your warriors as mighty as you?" she asked.
"Not all, but I was not the least among them," Kailen replied. In fact, he was the strongest of all the living Freljordians.
"Incredible, but why do you need so many warriors?" Elise marveled. Kailen realized that they had never known war, never experienced hardship; their main concerns were only occasional pirates and malevolent spirits.
"To survive, we had to kill each other," Kailen said, and this was the bitter truth. He had seen nations that lived by completely different principles, seen several countries and continents, and now he understood. Freljordians wouldn't have survived if they had stopped fighting one another. They became stronger, fiercer in battles. Tribes divided territories with dangerous predators and fought for their existence under the sky. Without all that, they would be just as incapable of holding anything more than the handle of a pitchfork or plow.
"How awful, wouldn't it be better to live in peace and prosper together?" Elise said. Seeing the genuine confusion in her eyes, Kailen realized that they had yet to experience the suffering of war. Their island was far from the mainland, but not far from the era when it would reach them. He had already seen the greed in the eyes of conquerors. There were so many resources, so many opportunities and riches here.
"People are cruel and greedy. If you have one piece of bread more than another, they'll want to take it for themselves," Kailen said. That's what happened with his village.
"Then you can split it in half, and you'll both have an equal share," she replied.
"Hmm, perhaps, but knowing your own thoughts, others' secrets remain hidden from you," he responded.
"I don't understand why anyone would wish harm on another. Our teachings say to help those in need and not to harbor ill will toward others," Elise said.
"That's the way of my home, as it is in many places I've seen. Yours is just different," Kailen said.
"So, Ionia must be the best place," Elise concluded, but then she paused, thinking for a moment. "Though I'm curious to hear about the places you've visited. I've never gone further than a few kilometers from the village."
"Then, have a seat; the story will be long," Kailen invited her, and he began to recount tales of his homeland, of Demacia and Noxus.
It wasn't until evening that the story ended, with Elise gasping and exclaiming throughout, her emotions flowing freely. After the pleasant conversation, they returned to the temple, where the worried abbot was already waiting. Upon seeing them, he immediately approached.
"Master Sub-Zero, the situation is dire. The spirit's wrath is growing, and it's already extending beyond its domain. A few travelers have been harmed. I beg for your help; we can't delay any longer," he said anxiously.
"Then I'll have to pacify it," Kailen said.
"Actually, about that. I'd like to try to calm it down. Would you be able to hold it off?" the abbot asked.
"Hold it off? Hmm, perhaps. But it depends on how strong it is and how you plan to calm it," Kailen asked.
"All we need to do is remove the cause of its anger. If I'm correct, someone cut down the tree that gave it life. I might be able to restore it and bring it back to life," the abbot said.
"So, all I need to do is keep it at bay?" Kailen asked.
"Yes, but it won't be easy. First, I need to find the right tree, and then begin the healing process. But if I can't heal it, we'll have to put an end to it," the abbot explained.
"Alright, I'll try to hold it off," Kailen replied.
"I'm grateful to you," said the abbot.
"Then I'll take some food and gather my strength for tomorrow's battle," Kailen said, concluding the conversation.
"Of course, the meal is ready. Rest well," the abbot responded.
Kailen made his way to the local kitchen, where he took his familiar meal. It was the same every day, unchanged during his entire stay here. It wasn't particularly flavorful, but it was nourishing. After finishing his meal, he returned to his room, opened the window, and took in the night sky. It had a unique charm here, though it didn't compare to his homeland, where colors of different hues danced across the celestial sea.
No matter how powerful you are, you're just a grain of sand in these vast expanses. After admiring the view, he lay down on his bed and closed his eyes.
The next morning, the abbot gathered a few warriors who knew how to wield spears, though they were merely shepherds. But they still decided to help in the fight. Together, in a small group, they set out on the forest road. The trees had the most incredible shapes and sizes, as if a child had drawn them. The trunks were massive and stretched high into the sky, while the lush foliage came in a variety of shades. Small animals, resembling squirrels but with entirely different forms, flitted around here and there.
However, as they approached the supposed location of the enemy, the scene changed dramatically. They no longer encountered small animals, and a stifling silence reigned around them.
"When an evil spirit appears, life gradually leaves this place," the abbot explained what was happening around them.
With each passing meter, this became more noticeable: the flowers no longer delighted the eyes with colors, the leaves were shriveled and slightly drooping, and the grass seemed dry.
"Ahhh!"—a scream came from the direction of their destination.
"Hurry, it seems someone is in trouble," the abbot said worriedly. This wasn't the first time someone had fallen victim to the spirit's wrath.
"Then let's not waste time," Kailen replied and quickened his pace.
He quickly picked up speed and soon outpaced the rest of the group; his legs carried him towards the source of the sounds. Finally, emerging onto a wide dirt road, he saw a family trying to hide among the trees, while a huge monster attempted to drag them out. Roots protruded from all over its body, and it was covered with intertwined leaves and earth; a red eye glowed on its face, and its maw snarled furiously.
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To redirect the spirit's attention to himself, Kailen hurled a conjured icicle at it. It embedded in the creature but almost immediately shattered into pieces, yet it worked—the spirit turned its gaze towards him. With a menacing roar, it opened its mouth and charged at him. Assessing the spirit's strength and mass by the way it moved and crushed the ground beneath it, Kailen realized he couldn't defeat it alone, so he pinned his hopes on the method the abbot had mentioned.
The monster's enormous claws rose into the air, and a powerful blow descended directly at him, but he had already anticipated the slow spirit's actions and increased the distance. The claws hit the ground, creating a small earthquake, and the soil scattered in all directions.
Quickly creating a few more icicles, Kailen threw them at the eyes, but the monster swiftly covered them with its hand, and the icicles shattered harmlessly against it. It seemed the initial thought that the eye was its weak point was correct; it was carefully protecting it. Perhaps the core that the abbot had mentioned was located there. Humans have a shell in which their spirit, or soul, resides. These mystical beings are different—they don't have a physical shell and exist in the real world as formless spiritual energy, and to influence the physical world, they must acquire a shell, thus forming a core.
The spirit could no longer tolerate the attacks and charged aggressively. Its claw tore up layers of earth, and projectiles ripped through the air with great speed, heading straight for Kailen. Freezing ice onto his boots, he managed to slide to the side, barely avoiding the chunks of earth.
Realizing that in long-range attacks he was clearly outmatched by his opponent, he began sliding across the ground, closing the distance while dodging the earth projectiles.
Up close, he ducked between the monster's legs as its left fist slammed down behind him. Channeling magic into his foot, he conjured an ice pillar that launched him into the air. With a nimble backward flip, he landed on the monster's back, freezing his limbs to its body. The spirit tried to reach him with its hands but couldn't. With swift movements, Kailen climbed onto its head and, pouring as much energy as possible into his sword, began to slash at its head. The monster clearly didn't like this, as it started to thrash wildly, trying to shake Kailen off.
Just as he was about to reach the eye and stab the sword in, a wave suddenly rippled across the monster's body, and sharp earth spears began emerging in all directions. At the last moment, Kailen managed to push off, making a rough landing on the ground from a great height. Fortunately, his body withstood the impact.
"Abbot, if you've started the healing process, then hurry up," urged Kailen, watching his sword disintegrate into shards. The magic stopped sustaining the blade, and it lost its form. He had no strength left to create a new one.
For the first time, he encountered an enemy indifferent to physical attacks on its body, with only its core potentially vulnerable, but reaching it was another matter.
"I'm sorry, but I'm in a difficult position; it's not responding to my power," came the abbot's reply.
"I'm also in a rather difficult position," Kailen muttered to himself. Dodging another blow from the monster, he could only try to buy time, hoping the abbot would somehow manage.
His only chance was to create obstacles for the monster, and nothing was better for that than the thick trees. So he began luring it into dense vegetation. Everything was going well until the monster stopped, glaring at him with malice, and then turned its attention to others, specifically focusing on the abbot and a few village fighters.
"This is really bad," Kailen said and quickly rushed to intercept the spirit, knowing the others wouldn't stand a chance.
He tried to draw the monster's attention back to himself, but it ignored him completely, focusing all its rage on the abbot as it charged towards them. Realizing he had to take a risky approach, Kailen matched the monster's speed and, seizing the moment, leaped onto its paw. When it raised the paw, he pushed off and managed to jump onto its back. His only chance was to create a life-threatening situation for the monster, forcing it to focus on him. As he approached its head, he realized his mistake too late. The spirit suddenly stopped, and without finding any support, Kailen was thrown forward by inertia, just as a powerful fist struck him.
His body flew with terrifying speed, smashing through branches and trunks, breaking them apart. It only stopped after several dozen meters, plowing a trench into the ground. Blood flowed from his mouth, and many of his bones were broken. The monster slowly approached him, seemingly determined to finish off its main threat.
It stopped over him and slowly raised its paw, preparing to deliver the final blow. Kailen tried to get up but couldn't, and the blow was about to land when suddenly, from the sky, numerous dark orbs, shimmering with purple light, flew in. They possessed immense power, moving the massive body several meters and severely damaging it where they struck.
The monster turned its eye towards the one who launched the projectiles, while Kailen tried to find who had saved him. A girl with glowing purple eyes stepped forward from where the family had been hiding, with orbs swirling around her. The monster roared furiously and charged towards her.
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