by : BlackbeardtheBear
After a grueling journey and constant skirmishes with small monsters, Largas, Myla, and Astra finally arrived at the Forbidden Zone of Moonwood Forest. They set up camp amidst the dense trees, preparing for the exploration that would begin the following day. The night was filled with tension as they meticulously planned their next steps.
Myla reviewed a monster compendium she had borrowed from Astra's bag, her eyes scanning the pages. "We should be most wary of the Dryads. They have poisonous attacks and can be extremely dangerous."
Syrus, the seasoned teacher, nodded in agreement. "And don't forget, the terrain here changes rapidly. We must be vigilant to avoid getting lost."
As the night deepened, the sounds of the forest grew louder and more ominous. Suddenly, an unusual noise pierced the air. Syrus, sensing danger, readied his staff. "There's something moving nearby."
Out of the darkness, a massive shadow emerged, rushing towards them. Syrus conjured a defensive barrier of ash just in time to block the initial assault.
When the moonlight illuminated the creature, they saw it was a four-armed bear, a high-level monster known as the King of Moonwood.
Syrus, visibly shaken, muttered, "Of all the things, we've encountered one of the Moonwood's rulers right away!"
The bear roared loudly, shaking the very ground they stood on.
Seeing Syrus struggling to maintain his barrier, Largas acted quickly. He cast an ice spell, creating an additional ice wall for protection. Myla followed up with a water vortex to slow the bear's movements.
Astra stepped forward, her golden eyes gleaming with determination. "Ethereal Crown!" she chanted, channeling her mana into a shimmering crown above her head. This spell greatly enhanced her magical output and sharpened her senses. "We need to take it down before it destroys our camp!" She unleashed a powerful fireball, causing the bear to recoil in pain.
The intensity of Astra's fire magic, bolstered by the Ethereal Crown, was comparable to a third-year sorcerer's attack.
Syrus, regaining some strength, added his own assault with razor-sharp ash winds, striking the bear from multiple angles.
"Be careful!" Syrus warned, his face tense with sweat. "This beast won't go down easily."
Despite the relentless assault, the four-armed bear remained formidable and furious. It launched powerful attacks with its four limbs, targeting Largas and Myla. The two managed to evade the strikes just in time.
Largas shouted to Myla, "We need to immobilize it! Myla, use your water magic to create a dome around it!"
Myla quickly complied, summoning a water dome that surrounded the bear, making its movements cumbersome. Largas reinforced the dome with ice, forming an ice prison around the creature.
However, the bear's strength proved too much for the ice prison, and it broke free, charging towards Myla.
Astra seized the moment. "Myla, get out of the way! I'll finish it!" She conjured a massive fire lance and launched it at the bear with all her might.
The bear roared in agony as the fire engulfed it, but it refused to fall. It turned its rage towards Astra and lunged at her.
Seeing this, Syrus dashed forward, conjuring an ash sword to strike at the bear's head. His attack failed to decapitate it, and he cursed in frustration, "Damn it! The blade won't cut through!"
In a desperate move, Largas sprinted towards the bear with incredible speed, leaping onto its face. He conjured a ball of ice fire in his left hand, prying the bear's mouth open with his right hand, and shoved the ice fire into its maw.
The ice fire erupted inside the bear, freezing it solid. The explosion from the spell was so forceful that it sent Largas flying into the depths of the Forbidden Zone.
Astra and Syrus watched in horror as Largas was swept away by the blast. Myla cried out, "Largas! Largas!" Without hesitation, she ran after him, with Astra and Syrus following closely.
The darkness of the Forbidden Zone made it difficult to navigate, but Astra's light magic helped them track Largas. They soon found him lying on the ground, his face bruised and his body marked with wounds from the battle.
Myla quickly examined Largas. "He's still alive, but he needs urgent care."
Astra used her fire magic to cauterize Largas' larger wounds while Syrus kept watch for any approaching threats.
"We need to find a safer place," Syrus said, glancing around nervously. "This area isn't safe. We must find somewhere we can treat Largas without risking more attacks."
After the initial treatment, they carried Largas to a nearby small cabin hidden among the towering trees. The cabin appeared to have been abandoned for some time but was still in decent condition.
"We'll stay here for now and plan our next move," Astra said as they entered the cabin.
Inside, they discovered some usable supplies and tools. Astra continued to tend to Largas while Myla and Syrus prepared the interior for their stay.
Largas slowly regained consciousness, looking at his friends who were caring for him. "I'm sorry, everyone. I've become a burden."
"Don't say that," Myla reassured him. "We came here to support each other, and we'll get through this together." She held Largas' hand gently.
"Thank you," Largas murmured before drifting back to sleep.
Yet, Largas awoke once more, finding himself by the emerald lake. Confused but not alarmed, he recognized the place.
"It's been a while, hasn't it, human?" The voice of Fei Long echoed from behind Largas.