The serene landscape of the vast plains stretched before Arin and Karya, the skies painted in hues of orange and pink as the sun slowly descended beyond the horizon. After the tumultuous events involving Enacra, Arin felt a strange emptiness, not just because Enacra had disappeared without warning, but also due to the realization of how far he had to go. Yet, this was not the time for self-pity. Arin knew there were still threats lurking, and more importantly, he had to improve his control over the elements he knew.
"Look on the bright side," Karya said, sensing Arin's contemplative mood. "At least no one's trying to kill us at the moment."
Arin smirked. "That's only because they're all running scared after seeing how I handled that last pack of Flagoyls."
Karya raised an eyebrow. "Handled? You mean the part where you almost set yourself on fire or when you tripped over a rock while trying to launch a wind strike?"
"Details," Arin said, waving a hand dismissively. "I won, didn't I?"
"You got lucky, that's all. The day your luck runs out, you'd better have some skill to back you up."
Arin groaned. He hated to admit it, but Karya was right. He was making progress in mastering the elements, but there were still moments where he fumbled, where his control slipped, and things went awry. He couldn't rely on luck forever.
The next few days were quiet, giving Arin time to focus on refining his abilities. He sat by a small stream, concentrating on controlling the flow of water. It seemed simple enough at first glance, but water had a deceptive nature. It flowed calmly, but it could be wild and uncontrollable when it wanted.
With a deep breath, Arin raised his hand, pulling the water into the air. A small stream of liquid hovered above his palm, swirling in a gentle spiral. Karya watched, amusement dancing in her eyes.
"Very impressive," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Can you do anything useful with it, though? Like, I don't know, defeat an enemy?"
"Patience," Arin muttered, focusing harder. He moved his hand slightly, intending to send the water flying toward a nearby boulder. Instead, the stream of water collapsed mid-air, splashing all over his face.
Karya burst out laughing. "I thought you were getting better!"
Arin wiped his face, frowning. "I am! This is just… a minor setback."
But as much as Karya teased him, Arin's training was starting to show results. His wind techniques were becoming sharper, more focused, and his understanding of the fire element had deepened as well. Though he still had moments of clumsiness, the gap between success and failure was narrowing.
One evening, while exploring the nearby forest for any relics or clues to enhance his abilities, Arin and Karya stumbled upon a group of bandits. They weren't particularly strong — a ragtag bunch of thieves, barely capable of handling elemental magic. However, their leader, a burly man with a jagged scar running down his face, seemed to have some skill with the earth element.
"You there! Hand over all your valuables, and we might let you leave with your lives," the bandit leader growled, cracking his knuckles.
Arin stepped forward confidently, but Karya grabbed his arm. "Are you sure about this? These guys look… well, not tough, but maybe tougher than you think."
Arin smirked. "Relax, I've got this."
He stepped forward, taking a deep breath, and summoned a gust of wind. The bandits were immediately knocked back, tumbling over each other in a chaotic heap.
The leader stood firm, however, stomping his foot on the ground to summon a pillar of earth, which deflected the wind. "You think you're clever, kid?"
Arin blinked. "Uh, yes?"
The bandit leader lunged forward, fists coated in rock. Arin dodged clumsily, tripping over a root and falling backward.
Karya facepalmed. "Of course."
The leader laughed, advancing on Arin. But before he could strike, Arin quickly gathered his bearings and launched a small fireball toward the leader's feet. The bandit yelped and leaped back, the fire singeing his boots.
"See, I told you!" Arin shouted, scrambling to his feet. He gathered wind around him and sent a powerful gust toward the bandits, sending them scattering once more.
Though it wasn't the most graceful of fights, Arin managed to send the bandits packing, their leader running with his tail between his legs.
"Okay, okay," Karya said, grinning. "That wasn't terrible."
"I told you I've got this," Arin said, dusting himself off with a proud smile. "I'm improving."
As Arin and Karya continued their journey, they stumbled across an ancient ruin nestled deep within the forest. The walls were overgrown with vines, and the air was thick with the scent of damp earth. But more than that, there was something else — a faint energy that Arin could feel. It was as if the very air was humming with power.
"What is this place?" Karya asked, her eyes scanning the ruins with curiosity.
"I don't know, but I can feel something here," Arin said, walking toward the center of the ruins. The closer he got, the more intense the energy felt.
Suddenly, the air around them shimmered, and a faint image appeared before them. It was the shape of a glove, floating within a strange, translucent sphere of energy. The glove pulsed with a fiery glow, and Arin could sense the immense power radiating from it.
"That's no ordinary relic," Karya said, her voice low.
Arin reached out instinctively, but the moment his hand touched the sphere, the image vanished, and a sharp, powerful gust of wind knocked him back.
"What the—?"
"It's locked in some kind of plane," Karya murmured. "We can't access it right now."
"Great, just when I thought I was getting the hang of this," Arin muttered.
But despite the setback, Arin couldn't shake the feeling that this relic was important. There was something familiar about the power it held, something that tugged at the back of his mind. Could this be connected to Max Thunder, the figure Enacra had once mentioned in passing?
"We'll come back for this," Arin said, determination in his voice. "Whatever this relic is, I'm going to figure it out."
As they left the ruins behind, Arin couldn't help but feel that his journey was just beginning. The relic had awakened something inside him, a drive to push further, to explore the limits of his elemental powers.
He didn't know when Enacra would return, but for now, Arin would rely on his own strength — and perhaps a bit of luck — as he forged ahead into the unknown.