The sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow across the garden as seven year old Dune raced through the overgrown grass. He was chasing his older brother, Ned, who, with his superhuman strength and agility, effortlessly outpaced him.
Ned glanced back, a playful grin spreading across his face as he teased Dune by slowing down just enough to let his younger brother think he had a chance.
Dune's laughter rang out as he pushed himself harder, determined to catch up.
But the fun took a sudden turn when Ned, in his playful haste, tripped over a protruding root and tumbled to the ground.
Dune saw his chance and leapt onto his brother. "Got ya!" he shouted, his small hands gripping Ned's shoulders. For a moment, they were both laughing.
It was a rare moment of carefree happiness in their lives.
But their laughter died away when they realized they had wandered too far from home. The towering trees of the forest loomed ahead.
Beyond the forest, the massive stone wall that encircled their city and protected them from outside world, a stark reminder of the dangers that lay beyond.
Dune's smile faded as he looked up at Ned with concern. "I think we should go back," he suggested, his voice tinged with unease.
Ned nodded, the playful glint in his eyes replaced by a wary caution. "Yeah, let's go. Mom will be worried if we're gone too long."
But before they could turn back, a chilling sound froze them in their tracks. It was a low, guttural growl, like the rumbling of distant thunder.
The brothers exchanged a frightened glance. Ned's eyes widened in horror as a monstrous creature emerged from the shadows of the forest.
It resembled a wolf, but it was far more terrifying than any beast they had ever seen. Its twisted form was grotesque, with six legs and six glowing red eyes that burned with malevolent intelligence.
The creature stood nearly three meters tall, its massive frame radiating an aura of Neba.
Fear gripped the boys, their hearts pounding in their chests. Dune could feel his legs trembling, but he refused to let panic take over.
Grabbing Ned's hand, he shouted, "Run!" Without a moment's hesitation, they bolted, their footsteps thundering against the ground as the creature lunged after them, its massive paws tearing through the earth with terrifying speed.
Dune's mind raced as they ran. He knew they couldn't outrun the creature forever. The gap between them was closing rapidly, the sound of its heavy breathing growing louder with each passing second.
"I'm gonna use zeten," Ned panted, glancing over his shoulder at the pursuing beast.
"No, Ned, it's too dangerous!" Dune cried, his voice laced with desperation.
He knew what the use of Zeten could mean, especially so close to the city where others might see. But Ned's expression was calm, his resolve unshakable.
"I know the risks, Dune," he said, his voice steady despite the situation. "But we can't just do nothing."
Dune gritted his teeth. "Alright, be careful," he whispered, his grip tightening on Ned's hand. "I'll try to distract it."
As they continued to run, Dune veered off to the side, trying to draw the creature's attention away from Ned.
He picked up a sharp rock and hurled it at the beast, hoping to divert its focus. But the creature ignored him, its six eyes locked onto Ned.
A chill ran down Dune's spine as he realized the creature had already chosen its target.
Ned skidded to a halt and turned to face the creature. As it barreled toward him, something flashed through the air, a green, ethereal wind that seemed to slice through the very fabric of reality.
The creature let out a pained howl as the wind struck its legs, severing two of them in a single, clean motion. It stumbled and crashed to the ground, its massive body skidding across the earth, but it wasn't defeated yet.
Ned stood amidst the chaos, his arm trembling from the effort, blood dripping from his fingers. His hand was shattered, the result of channeling his Zeten ability, a powerful green wind attack that was as dangerous to him as it was to his enemies.
The sheer force of the attack had taken a toll on his young body, leaving him gasping for breath, blood trickling from the corners of his mouth.
"Ned!" Dune shouted, fear for his brother overriding his own terror. He could see the pain etched across Ned's face.
But there was no time to worry, the wolf, though injured, was already rising again, its eyes now fixed on Dune.
Dune's heart pounded in his chest as the creature began to advance on him. He run as fast as he could and looked around desperately for a weapon, anything that could help him fight off the monstrous beast.
His eyes fell on something glinting in the dirt, a sword, partially buried beneath the underbrush. He didn't know how it had ended up there, but he didn't have time to question it.
He grabbed the hilt and pulled it free, the blade catching the last rays of the setting sun.
The sword felt heavy in his small hands, but he gripped it tightly, ready to defend himself. The creature lunged at him, its jaws snapping with terrifying force.
Dune swung the sword with all his strength, the blade clanging against the creature's thick hide. It barely made a dent, but Dune didn't stop.
He slashed and stabbed, each blow more desperate than the last as the creature closed in on him.
Ned watched in alarm, his heart breaking at the sight of his younger brother struggling against the monstrous wolf.
He knew he had to help, but his body was weak, his strength nearly spent. Summoning every ounce of his remaining energy, Ned pushed himself to his feet.
The pain in his shattered hand was excruciating, but he ignored it, focusing only on protecting Dune.
Dune was tiring, his small frame no match for the monstrous wolf. The creature's jaws snapped inches from his face, and he could feel its hot breath on his skin.
The creature's jaws closed around Dune's arm, the force of the bite sending a shockwave of pain through his body.
"Agghhh" He gritted his teeth and drove the sword into the creature's throat with a scream of defiance. "NED, NOW!" he shouted, his voice hoarse with pain and desperation.
Ned didn't hesitate. With a thunderous clap, he unleashed his Zeten ability once more. But this time it was different, much stronger than previous attack.
The shockwave tore through the air, slamming into the creature with the force of a hurricane.
The wolf's body was shredded by the violent energy, its blood spraying across the battlefield. But the shockwave didn't stop there, it also struck Dune, the force slicing through his flesh and sending him crashing to the ground.
When the dust settled, the wolf was turned into a dust, its monstrous remains lying lifeless in the dirt.
Ned's Zeten had left him exhausted and bleeding, his body barely able to support his weight. He collapsed to his knees, his hands broken and covered in blood.
Dragging himself across the battlefield, Ned reached his fallen brother.
Dune lay motionless, his right hand mangled and his eye swollen and bleeding from the shockwave's impact.
Ned's heart ached as he looked at his brother's battered form, guilt gnawing at his insides. "I'm sorry, Dune, it's my fault."
But Dune, despite his injuries, managed to speak. His voice was quiet. "Don't blame yourself, Ned. We're alive, and that's what matters. We both made sacrifices."
Ned nodded, though the guilt still weighed heavily on him. He helped Dune to his feet, the two of them leaning on each other for support as they tried to make their way back home.
Before they could take more than a few steps, a tall figure emerged from the shadows.
The man had long bluish-white hair and icy blue eyes that glowed with a cold, almost ethereal light. His presence was commanding, exuding a power that made the brothers instinctively tense.
The green cross tattoo on Ned's chest was a mark of his Zeten ability, a power both feared and coveted.
The stranger's gaze swept over them, his expression unreadable. Dune and Ned braced themselves, knowing their fate hung in the balance.
The young man stepped forward, his voice calm and measured. "What happened here?" he asked, his tone more curious than accusatory.
Dune, still dazed from the battle, explained everything, Ned's green Zeten mark,that their mother had worked so hard to conceal…was already revealed. they didn't have a choice but to say truth.
The man listened closely, his icy blue eyes never leaving Dune's face. After a moment of silence, he chuckled softly, a sound that surprised the brothers
The chuckle took Dune by surprise, easing the tension in his chest. He had expected harsh judgment, maybe even anger, but the man's reaction was entirely different.
With a quick, fluid motion, Cadogan appeared before them, his icy aura radiating outward and instantly soothing the boys' injuries.
The pain in Dune's arm lessened, and the swelling around his eye began to diminish. Ned felt his strength slowly returning, the deep gashes on his hands starting to close.
"Well, well," Cadogan said with amusement in his voice. "You two had quite the adventure. Fighting off a creature like that takes real courage."
The man's smile widened. "I am Cadogan. You can call me Cad." His gaze flicked to the green Zeten mark on Ned's chest.
Ned's face paled slightly. "I… I had to protect my brother."
Cadogan's expression softened. "You did what you had to do. There's no shame in that." He turned his attention back to Dune, who was still clutching the sword he had found.
"And you, little warrior, where did you get that sword?"
Dune looked down at the weapon in his hand, its blade now dull from the fight. "I found it… in the dirt, right before the creature attacked. It was just there."
Cadogan's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied the sword. "You two have been through a lot, but I need you to keep this encounter to yourselves. No one must know about the creature or your Zeten.
If word gets out, it could cause panic
After boys left, Cadogan continued walking towards the forest in deep thoughts. Hmm… The wolf probably killed one of my knights before retreating into the forest.
The boys must have found the sword during their desperate struggle against the creature.
Cadogan sighed, his expression growing more serious. "The fact that this creature managed to bypass the barrier and infiltrate the forest is... It means something is wrong, very wrong.
He looked into the depths of the forest, his eyes narrowing as if trying to see something hidden in the darkness.
Neba, the mystical energy that flows through magical beasts and humans, is supposed to be contained by the barrier spell around our city.
The creatures within it are meant to be harmless, ordinary animals. But this wolf…"
How did the creature pass barrier…
The barrier, "is it failing?"
No, it's not failing. But something, or someone, has tampered with it. The presence of a creature with Neba energy inside the forest is not natural.
It suggests there's a breach in our defenses or something even more problematic..