Chapter: 19
With Abeni minutes earlier
I laid down to sleep a little after Kael did but I couldn't sleep. I didn't know whether it was due to the fact that we had finally escaped that damn plantation or was it anxiety because we're in unknown territory by ourselves.
I looked up at the ceiling of the cave Kael and I made. I glanced at Kael. His sleeping face was one you would expect from someone who has killed at the age of four and has trained for nine years, and was in unknown enemy territory. He actually looked his age, a thirteen year old teen sleeping carelessly.
I was then pulled from my thoughts when the sound of something heavy landing in the sand. I sat up staring at the entrance of the cave. I got up and summoned my fire spear lighting up the cave. I stepped forward towards the cave entrance but stopped when a lanky figure appeared at the cave entrance. The figure was a tall humanoid figure, cloaked in shadows with red eyes and horns.
"What is that?" I muttered
The creature's eyes then snapped to me as it started to growl before vanishing. My eyes widened as my senses spiked as I raised my spear blocking a strike from the creature's long arms.
I swung my spear knocking it back before it could get up. I attacked it once more, knocking it farther back. I then released a pulse of Mana to wake Kael. The creature rushed at me once more forcing me to block once more as it growled. I released another pulse of Mana to wake Kael and that seemed to have done it as Kael shot up. Kael then stared at the creature with a look of surprise but I didn't have time for that.
"Kael! stop staring and help me!" I shouted
Kael snapped out of his stupidor and charged his legs with lightning appearing at the creature's left swinging a lightning sword at its side sending it out of the cave onto the beach.
"What the hell is that thing?" I asked panting as I backed up.
Kael kept his eyes on the Wendigo as it slowly rose, shaking off the blow. "I'll explain later. Right now, let's just survive this." He said
The creature hissed, its crimson eyes narrowing as it set its sights on us, crouching down, preparing to strike.
The creature's crimson eyes flashed with rage as it let out a guttural scream. Its muscles tensed, preparing to lunge.
Now - Kael's P.O.V
"Well, anything I should know about fighting this thing?" I asked, keeping my gaze locked on the creature as it lurched to its feet.
"My spear didn't pierce it," Abeni answered, her voice tense.
I narrowed my eyes, noticing how quickly it regenerated, the slashes on its body already closing. This would be tricky.
"Switch to a cutting element—wind, water, or lightning," I said just before the Wendigo disappeared again.
My instincts flared. I jumped back, Abeni mirroring the movement, just in time to avoid its elongated arms as they smashed into the sand, kicking up a cloud of grit and dust.
"So, it's fast *and* strong?" I muttered, glancing at Abeni.
"Yep," she replied, shifting her spear's element to wind.
"Alright, let's do this," I said, summoning a wind sword to accompany my lightning sword, then activating the Lightning Cloak.
Abeni grinned, sparking her own Lightning Cloak. "You took the words right out of my mouth."
The Wendigo let out a bone-chilling scream, its entire body shaking with rage. Before it could move, Abeni and I vanished in a streak of lightning, reaching it within seconds. My lightning sword sliced across its chest, leaving a faint, smoking line. It barely flinched, its elongated arms raising to strike me. But Abeni appeared, her wind spear slashing across its chest with a powerful gust, sending it stumbling backward.
"Is this thing even capable of feeling pain?" I asked, frustrated.
"If it does, it sure hides it well," she replied.
We watched as the Wendigo's wounds began to regenerate. I gritted my teeth, feeling the pressure mount. "We can't give it a chance to get up!"
"Don't have to tell me twice."
We closed the gap again, using its dazed state to strike. Abeni lunged first, her spear severing one of its legs, and the creature toppled forward. Seizing the opening, I aimed for its neck, hoping to end this by severing its head.
But I was too slow. Its arm swung around, slamming into my side and flinging me against the cliff wall. Pain exploded through my ribs as I collided with the hard rock, and the impact drove the breath out of me, leaving me coughing up blood.
"Kael!" I heard Abeni's shout, worry clear in her tone.
The Wendigo used her distraction to its advantage, slamming its arms into her side and sending her flying into the sand, the impact kicking up a small cloud.
"Damn…" I muttered, struggling to get my breath back. The Lightning Cloak worked fast, starting to heal my injuries, but I knew I'd broken something. I pulled myself up, watching as the creature's leg fully regenerated, and it turned its attention to me.
Not a second later, it lunged, its arms descending in a powerful strike. I barely had time to summon a barrier, the force of its blow rattling me even through the shield. But it worked; the Wendigo's attack was halted, if only for a moment.
Abeni appeared beside me, her spear slamming into the creature's side, sending it skidding across the sand. I straightened, breathing hard as I looked at her.
"Looks like it's time to stop holding back," I said, dispelling my wind sword.
She nodded. "Agreed."
The Wendigo snarled, readying for another attack. Abeni and I raised our hands, gathering our Mana as dozens of elemental spears—fire, water, wind, lightning, earth, and ice—materialized in the air around us. With a sharp command, we unleashed them, each spear striking the Wendigo and setting off a chain of explosions that lit up the dark sky.
Through the smoke and flame, we saw the Wendigo's silhouette rushing forward, unfazed. Abeni and I launched twin dragons of water and lightning, the water dragon slamming into the creature first, freezing around its body, followed by the lightning dragon that struck and caused a massive explosion.
For a moment, the creature was obscured by the blast. Abeni clapped her hands, creating a cyclone around it, and I exhaled a large stream of fire, igniting the vortex in flames. As a final attack, we channeled lightning into the flaming tornado, creating one last powerful explosion.
When the smoke cleared, the sand around the Wendigo had turned to glass from the intense heat. The creature stood in the middle, much of its body missing, its regeneration slowed but still working.
"It's still not dead," Abeni muttered, wide-eyed.
I didn't answer. Instead, I vanished in a streak of lightning, appearing beside the Wendigo and severing its head in one clean stroke. The body collapsed, the remaining tendrils of dark energy flickering before going still.
Finally, I let out a sigh of relief, dispelling my Lightning Cloak. Abeni walked over, dispelling hers as well.
"That was way too close," she said, breathing hard.
I couldn't help but let out a laugh, one part relief and one part disbelief. "You think?"
She glanced around, her eyes widening as she took in the aftermath. The ground was covered in deep gouges, scorched sand, patches of ice, and shards of glass. Small fires still burned where our attacks had landed.
"Um… did we overdo it?" she asked.
"What do you—" I started, glancing around and realizing the extent of the destruction. "Oh."
"Yeah," she said with a chuckle, shaking her head.
The tension finally broke, and we laughed, the sound carrying over the sand and shattered ground. As we looked out, we saw the first light of dawn breaking over the horizon, casting a soft glow over the chaos we'd left behind.
I nodded toward the sun. "Alright, let's pack up and get moving. The sun's coming up, and we don't want to be caught here."
"Agreed," Abeni said, a grin spreading across her face.
Together, we headed back to the cave, ready to continue our journey with the dawn at our backs.
Chapter 19: End