Stanley,Trevor,Nick and Jacqueline has been on a secret quest to bring the Soul Raider to justice for three months. The entity has terrorized Miravalia kingdom for over a year draining souls and leaving the Royal Force baffled.
Stanley, not a mage-in-training like his friends, has always felt an inner drive to fight against injustice. His friend and cousin, still cadet,shared his determination. Each drawn to the other's passion for justice.
Their investigation led them to gather information from the sites of the Soul Raider's attacks. They scoured the land,talking to survivors and witnesses,piecing together the entity's pattern.
•••
Great Lee hasn't appeared for three days. Since the festival meeting between them,Stanley has not seen him. His head felt too silent,like...he felt somewhat emptiness in himself. He tried not to bother over it too much.
That evening,as they poured over their research in their hidden glade,Nick spoke up.
"We've got a lead," he said,his eyes scanning the maps. "A forest, near Moonbrook River...I think that's where the Soul Raider dwells."
"Are we ready though?" Jacqueline's brow furrowed,"You know...Royal Forces went and none came back. We don't know what we're about to face exactly." Her resolve to fight the Raider slowly melting.
Nick walked to her and held her hand reassuringly. "The Soul Raider hasn't attacked this week. I don't think we should ignore this chance."
"Jacqueline is right," Stanley said,his eyes locked on the spot on the map that showed the forest their target dwelled. "But we'll find a way and we'll survive whatever is in that forest." Stanley was unusually certain they'd survive even though he wasn't sure where that assurance was coming from.
Trevor has stayed silent trying to get himself together. "We'll do this. Together." It wasn't easy for either of them but their conviction was hardened by Stanley's determination. They would all be ashamed if Stanley,who had no power whatsoever,showed more bravery than they did,despite their own abilities.
Their quest led them to the heart of the forest,where twisted trees loomed like sentinels. The air reeked of decay and malevolence.
As they ventured deeper,the Soul Raider's presence grew stronger. Its power manipulated the forest,summoning thorns and vines to block their path.
The attack was so unexpected and fast. The fight begun faster than they anticipated.
"Nick,clear the way!" Trevor shouted. All of them instinctively looking for a cover to protect them from the assault.
Nick's Hit,weapon taming,awakened. He summoned a spectral axe,cutting through the undergrowth.
Suddenly, the Soul Raider emerged,its form shifting like moving shadow.
"Stanley,watch out!" Trevor warned as the Soul Raider unleashed a wave of dark energy,but Stanley dodged,his instinct guiding him.
As the battle raged on,they all attacked this entity at once—Stanley using one his father's swords,Jacqueline sat at a corner,enhancing her allies' strength and agility with her healing technique,Trevor attacking with his storm surge power,sending lightening from all sides of their opponent while Nick was attacking with his spectral axe. All of their movements like a coordinated dance move.
As they fought,Nick noticed the Soul Raider refused to pay Stanley any attention and in fact made sure Stanley was some distance away from himself (or itself). The Soul Raider avoided both Stanley and Stanley's attack. Nick suspected something was really off. He tried not to distract himself from the fight for he might blame himself afterwards.
The fight went on for about six minutes.
For some reason,Nick noticed something fishy in the Soul Raider's movement. The entity summoned a maelstrom of sharp branches and roots,but all of them evaded—Stanley went to Trevor and he summoned an electrical aura to protect them,while Nick moved to Jacqueline who made a shield to protect them. Their determination burning brighter.
Trevor and Stanley fought valiantly,his power,obviously having impact on the Soul Raider. Nick's axe bit deep into the entity's form,but it refused to yield.
It hasn't assumed any form since the battle began. But it might soon take it's real form...probably if it gets weakened or awakened. Nick thought. His thoughts almost distracting him. He knew something was tied to the fact that the Soul Raider wasn't attacking as he had expected. But,of course,now isn't the time to think about it.
Trevor charged forward,immediately sending a lightening to the Soul Raider. Before the lightening could reach his opponent,his opponent dissolved into thin air,paving way for the assault to clear that part of the forest smooth.
Suddenly,the Soul Raider reappeared. Its attack was neither expected nor predictable. A sharp root stabbed Trevor's thigh,deep.
"Arrrrgh!!!" Trevor screamed in terror. Extreme pain ran from the tip of his hair strands to his feet.
All of them moved to him in urgency. Stanley almost started regretting the fact that he had to put Trevor into this mess he initiated.
At once,the Soul Raider fled!
Jacqueline immediately started performing her healing technique. Nick and Stanley stood confused. They weren't sure if they should go after the Soul Raider or should end it all there for the night.
"Hello, gentle men!" Trevor shouted. "You'd better go after that bastard...because I am not getting sttabed for nothing!"
At once,Stanley and Nick looked at Trevor reddened face and then at each other. They both had a million years argument in that moment and concluded in that same moment...and all this with neither of them saying a word.
Stanley started pursuing,his heart pounding.
•••
She rode her majestic horse,Galen,with effortless grace,the moonlight casting ethereal glow on her determined face. The wind whispered secrets in her ear,carrying the faint scent of damp earth and decaying leaves.
This was the second chase the Soul Raider was experiencing this night. It was first by a young boy whose inner energy it feared. And now it was by a young lady on a horse. The lady started chasing it the moment it thought it shook off the young man.
With a fluid movement,the lady,Evelyn Ian,pulled out an arrow from her quiver,imbuing it with some maind energy,and released! The arrow's impact was negligible,but her resolve remained unwavering. She had lost count of the days spent tracking this monster. Her investigations revealed the Soul Raider's weakness in moonlit condition and this fact even increased her hope of victory.
Undeterred,she quickly drew two more arrows,her fingers moving in harmony with the bowstring. The chased continued,the Soul Raider's malicious presence echoing through the forest. Evelyn's focus never wavered.
As Galen galloped,Evelyn detected another set of footsteps,distinct from her horse's. Her calm mind picked up the subtle rhythm,despite their pounding hooves. A figure burst from the underbush,executing a flawless front flip.
Evelyn's gaze locked onto the newcomer — a young man,his face and features illuminated by the moon. His pace was breathtaking,rivaling Galen's speed. Intrigued,Evelyn wondered whose side he was on.
"Hey! You shouldn't be here!" Evelyn's voice pierced through the night as she tried warning Stanley,whom she didn't knew was also after the Soul Raider.
"Just pass in through!" Stanley's response was cryptic. The response was nothing near what he should have said.
He noticed me! Evelyn thought. She was surprised. With his speed,which was far from a normal human speed,he shouldn't have even heard her.
The Soul Raider attacked,its sharp tipped spear slicing through the air. Stanley yanked Evelyn off Galen,shielding her as they crashed to the ground. Galen bolted to safety.
Regaining their footing,the Soul Raider started attacking them. It knew it was doomed for the young man it feared has returned and the moonlight was at its prime that night.
They stood united,dodging the Soul Raider's relentless assault. The Soul Raider should have killed them both—probably — if not for the moonlight. Even so, the Soul Raider was still very strong to hinder their movement,allowing its own consecutive attacks.
Stanley quickly Evelyn to safety,and she swiftly fired two arrows. Seizing the narrow opening,Stanley front flipped,unleashing a powerful kick. A kick that was powerful enough to damage one of the four cores of the entity. The entity made a loud noise — or probably a groan — that filled the whole forest. Even Stanley had no idea how powerful his kick was but Evelyn could tell. Without wasting any time,Evelyn shot an arrow that was imbued with high maind energy to what seemed like the Raider's throat.
The Raider's pained roar echoed through the forest again. Stanley's hope surged.
The Soul Raider unleashed the Shadowdance Deception,scattering the forest path. A massive boulder,crafted from intertwined trees,hurlted towards them.
Evelyn,focused on capturing the Soul Raider,missed the threat. Stanley leapt,front-flipping in mid-air. A spark within him ignited,unleashing a torrent of energy from his core to his fist,and he punched the boulder with an incredible force.
As he landed,Stanley shielded Evelyn from the boulder's shattered remnants. A fragment pierced his shoulder.
They separated,avoiding awkwardness. Then they noticed their opponent has succeeded in fleeing. Disappointment stung both of them to their very bones.
Evelyn produced a sea shell whistle and blew it. Galen appeared from a corner and galloped towards them proudly. As she prepared to mount,Stanley grasped her wrist.
"Where are you going?" Stanley asked,hoping she wouldn't say she was going after the Soul Raider.
"I don't think that's any of your business." She replied almost immediately.
Her voice rang in his ear like something he couldn't describe. As for Stanley,his most pride was displayed whenever he's around ladies. He's most famous young man in his community — mainly because he was extremely handsome.
"Whatever!" He said back,maintaining his composure. " For whatever it might worth...I'll tell you this...that thing we just fought will kill you if you go any further into this forest. Yes! Because here,is its domain. And going after it again this night would show how unreasonable you might be!" He preached.
"Me going after it is my decision. And me not going...is also my decision. So why don't you just find your way back out!" She said immediately he ended his words.
Stanley started thinking she actually had answer to everything he might want to say.
"Actually...I don't know the way back." Stanley revealed.
She laughed condescendingly. Stanley's pride was crushed as she stopped laughing.
She materialized a greenish frog and gave it to him. He was shocked by the appearance of the animal.
"He'll take you home. Be careful with him though." She said as she mounted her horse. She looked back at him and said. "You'll give him back whenever next we meet."
This was the first time Stanley would see Evelyn's face properly since their encounter. His heart sunk. She was unexpectedly breathtakingly beautiful. He flushed with amusement. All of the pain he felt from the stab disappeared.
Evelyn slightly kicked Galen and the horse started bouncing away. Stanley was still frozen.
When he came around,before he lost his chance,he heard himself shout. "What's your name?"
"Evelyn!" Evelyn yelled back as she gallantly rode away.
As Evelyn disappeared into darkness,Stanley couldn't shake off the feeling that they'd cross path again.