Continued chapter "Forest Test".
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Ihatra felt an overwhelming fear as the water dragon approached rapidly. In that critical moment, his mind flashed back to something in the inner pocket of his robe...
*
After the car stopped in the middle of the forest, just before Ihatra and his brother got out, Casugraha halted his younger brother who was about to open the door.
"What's the matter, Brother?" Ihatra asked.
Without looking at him, the man handed him something wrapped in a pouch made of woven plant fibers. On the outside, there was a kind of talisman written in ancient Hanacaraka script that Ihatra could neither read nor understand.
"What is this?" he asked again.
Casugraha replied, "You're too pitiful to enter that school alone. If something dangerous happens, just hope this thing can help a little."
"How do I use it?" Ihatra asked while looking at the object, feeling an uneasy sensation as if it were inhabited by many evil spirits. He almost wanted to throw it away, but he kept it in his robe pocket just in case something happened.
And then they both got out of the car.
*
Ihatra quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out the talisman. "I hope this works," he muttered, clutching it tightly.
The water dragon drew closer, causing the lake's water to ripple violently. Ihatra closed his eyes, focusing his thoughts on the talisman. "Brother Casugraha, help me," he whispered desperately. Suddenly, the talisman emitted a bright orange light, enveloping him and dispelling the surrounding darkness brought by the dragon's presence.
In an instant, Ihatra felt a powerful energy surge through his body. The light from the talisman formed a protective shield around him. The water dragon tried to attack, but every time its sharp teeth hit the shield, there was a loud clang, and the dragon retreated momentarily. KLANG KLANG KLANG!
"Ihatra, stay focused!" Casugraha's firm voice echoed in his mind, repeating the answer to his last question, "This talisman gives you power, but you must control it with calm and confidence."
With that memory, Ihatra opened his eyes and saw the water dragon attacking again. This time, he wasn't afraid. With the shield protecting him, Ihatra started swimming towards the small island in the middle of the lake. Every stroke of his arms and kick of his legs was filled with determination, even as the water dragon continued to try to block his path.
Slowly, Ihatra began to understand how to control the talisman's energy. He raised his hand and directed the shield's light straight at the water dragon. "HEAAAKKHH!!!" His attack sent the dragon flying backward, giving Ihatra more time to reach the island.
"Haaakkhh… haaakkhh… haaakkhh…" He gasped for breath as he finally emerged from the water and reached the land.
Stepping onto the island, Ihatra felt a heavy burden lift off his shoulders. The banyan tree on the island glowed brighter, as if celebrating his success. He stood before the tree, clutching the talisman tightly, feeling a sense of pride for overcoming his weakness.
Suddenly, the water dragon emerged from the lake again, this time with even greater fury. However, the Ihatra standing there was no longer the same as before; he was more prepared. With the newfound strength from the talisman and the unseen support from Casugraha, he faced the dragon with a courage and resolve he had never felt before.
The battle was intense. The water dragon unleashed powerful attacks with roaring dark energy blasts from its mouth and other magical assaults. But Ihatra kept defending with his shield and counterattacking with the talisman's light.
After several clashes, Ihatra finally found an opening and launched a final attack, channeling all the talisman's energy into the water dragon. A bright orange light burst forth, striking the dragon with full force. BWAAAARRR. The dragon shattered into splashes of water that dissipated in the air. CPYAAAAASSSHH.
With the water dragon defeated, Ihatra stood on the island with a triumphant smile. He was panting heavily but filled with victory. He looked at the now calm and beautiful lake. His feelings were mixed with pride and relief. He knew this was just the beginning of his journey at the Galsonmejer Academy of Radiant Exemplars, but he had proven that he was no longer the Ihatra of the past.
Taking a deep breath, "HWAAAAAHHH!!!" he felt the fresh morning air calming his heart. The morning sun filtering through the tree canopy illuminated his path forward. With firm steps, Ihatra continued his journey, ready to face the next challenges at the academy filled with mystery and absolute power.
Soaked and exhausted, but with an unyielding spirit, he walked deeper into the forest along the barely visible path due to dense vegetation, heading towards the island's center.
Finally, the miracle he had longed for since discovering he was a wizard appeared! At the location he believed to be the center of the island's energy rotation, with high magnetic power that had drawn him there despite the life-threatening risks, there was a stone altar with a floating purple light above it.
Ihatra stared at the purple light with wide eyes, filled with awe and terror, realizing he was truly no longer in his old world. With trembling hands, he reached out to touch the light.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAKKKKKKKHHHH!!!!!!"
A sudden excruciating pain gripped his wrist. No matter how hard he tried to pull his hand back, he failed. The unimaginable pain spread from his palm to his entire body.
"HELP ME!!!" he screamed, pleaded, hoping desperately. Was there no one left to save him?