The days dragged into nearly a week of relentless travel as the group pressed forward, winding through rugged mountain trails, skirting the edges of tranquil lakes, and crossing patches of dense, mist-laden forests. They moved without pause, driven by purpose and a strange kind of urgency, neither stopping to rest nor to eat.
Finally, on the seventh day, they found themselves in a forest clearing, the canopy overhead shifting as a low growl emerged from the shadows. From between the trees, a massive beast appeared, muscles coiled and eyes gleaming with an unnatural hunger.
Jin didn't hesitate. His ki surged, and he called forth Forbidden Azure: Inferno Abyss. Black flames erupted, licking across the forest floor, encircling the creature in a searing blaze. Without a moment's pause, he followed it up with Forbidden Azure: Abyssal Chains, dark, black-tinted chains of fire erupting from the flames, lashing around the beast, pinning it down as the fire seemed to crave not only flesh but the very essence of its soul.
The beast thrashed wildly, but Jin's control was unyielding.
Just then, Luna leaped forward, her form a flash of light. "Eternal Elysian Surge: Light Flux!" She moved like a tempest, her strikes swift and precise, each blow with her fan driving deeper, piercing through the beast's defenses as it writhed against the fiery chains. Her expression was focused, almost serene, as she shifted into her next move.
"Eternal Elysian Surge: Stormcaller's Purity," she murmured, her voice barely audible above the crackling flames. The sky darkened overhead, clouds swirling in an ominous dance before a bright, singular flash struck down with staggering precision, lightning coursing through the creature with a silent, fatal finality. The beast stilled, its form smoking in the eerie, smoldering silence that followed.
As the adrenaline faded, the group was left standing, breathing heavily, surrounded by the lingering scent of charred earth and ash.
Hours passed. Their empty stomachs grew louder than any words spoken.
"I'll go hunt for something," Kael grunted, hauling himself up and grabbing his new great axe. He glanced at them, determination flaring in his eyes. "This axe needs to be broken in properly anyway." Without waiting for a reply, he disappeared into the trees.
The others exchanged glances, sighing in resignation as they began setting up a small camp, rigging tents beneath the cover of the thick forest canopy. It wasn't long before Kael returned, his expression smug, hauling an assortment of meat—wild fowl, wolf, and some mushrooms he recognized from the ki beast forest.
"I've got food," he said, his tone both proud and exhausted. "Who's cooking?"
Brom raised a hand. "I'll handle it," he offered, taking the provisions and settling near the fire, beginning the task of preparing their meal.
As they waited, Jin turned to Luna. His eyes were thoughtful, a question lingering there. "Luna, can I ask you something?"
She tilted her head, curious. "A question? Sure, go ahead."
"Can you… tell me more about yourself? We've been through so much together, but I still know so little about your past."
For a moment, Luna's face softened, a distant look crossing her features. She let out a quiet sigh, as if gathering her thoughts. "Alright… I'll tell you," she said softly, her voice carrying a note of vulnerability Jin hadn't heard before.
"I come from a clan called Frostvale," she began, her gaze fixed on the fire. "Our techniques, our traditions—all of it revolves around ice. My father led the clan, and as his daughter, expectations were… high. I had an older brother who was a prodigy, mastering nearly every technique before he was even fifteen. But the hunger for power consumed him. He sought out forbidden methods, pushing himself further, no matter the cost."
She paused, her voice faltering slightly. "I'll never forget the look on his face the day our father ordered his execution. He became a stranger to us all."
The silence stretched, Jin listening intently, allowing her the space to continue without interruption.
"After he was gone, I became the so-called 'Last Hope of Frostvale,'" she continued, bitterness slipping into her tone. "But unlike my brother, I… I couldn't connect with the ice techniques. No matter how hard I tried, nothing felt natural. The clan saw it as a weakness. I became the 'misfit,' the one who failed to carry on the legacy." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "The bullying was relentless. Fights… scars… they all became part of my daily life."
Her shoulders tensed, the pain of those memories clear in her eyes. "Eventually, I left. Or maybe I was thrown out—sometimes, I can't remember. I wandered until I met a teacher who wielded lightning. And with lightning… it was different. It came to me as naturally as breathing, as though the storm itself was a part of me."
A moment of silence followed, punctuated only by the gentle crackle of the fire. Jin's gaze softened, understanding her struggle in a way he couldn't put into words. He wanted to say something, to offer some comfort, but before he could, Brom's voice broke the silence.
"Dinner's ready," Brom announced, a faint smile on his face as he gestured to the steaming meal. "Eat up before it gets cold."
Luna looked at Jin, offering him a small, grateful smile. "Thank you for listening," she murmured. "I needed that."
They joined the others around the fire, the warmth and the simple comfort of the meal easing the weight of unspoken words. Jin ate in silence, his mind lingering on Luna's story, the pain that still lingered in her eyes. He felt a quiet resolve settle within him—a desire to be there for her, whatever the journey ahead held.
As the night deepened, everyone retired to their tents, the forest quieting as sleep overtook them.
Jin lay in his tent, replaying Luna's words in his mind, when he heard soft footsteps outside. He sat up, his heart beating a little faster as he opened the tent flap to find Luna standing there, her expression unreadable in the dim moonlight.
"Couldn't sleep?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
She shook her head, stepping into the tent. They talked quietly for a while, voices low as they shared small details, little stories, their laughter occasionally breaking the silence. Luna opened up more, each story pulling Jin closer, each glance sparking something within him that he didn't fully understand.
After a while, she fell silent, her gaze lingering on him in a way that made his heart race for a moment. She shifted closer, her eyes intense, and for a moment, time seemed to stop.
"What is it?" Jin asked, his voice soft, almost afraid to break the fragile quiet.
Luna leaned in, her face mere inches from his. And then, without a word, she kissed him—gentle, tentative, yet filled with a depth of feeling that took Jin by surprise. Her warmth washed over him, he felt something odd, his heart was racing quicker than it had in the past year. He slowly closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her before kissing her back.
A faint scent of flowers and blueberries filled his senses for just a moment.
Luna had broke the kiss after a few minutes, her cheeks flushed completely, "I-I don't know... why I did that." she said feeling her heart race for the first time in a while.
Jin smiled softly towards her, "It's fine… I think it was nice." He said in a quiet and comforting tone.
After a minute of silence, they had both felt the sudden urge of tiredness swept through them and decided to sleep. Before falling sleep, Luna turned towards Jin, and he wrapped his arms around her tightly.
"Goodnight…" Luna said barely above a whisper before closing her eyes and falling asleep.
The morning arrived in a blink, the faint glow of dawn spreading across the campsite as everyone busied themselves packing up to continue their journey west. The rustling of tents and the clinking of gear filled the crisp air, a quiet buzz of activity before the day's travel began.
Kade, however, had other ideas. With a mischievous grin, he sauntered over to Jin's tent and unceremoniously yanked the flap open from the outside.
"Oh my…" he drawled, his tone dripping with mockery. "Ahem, wake the hell up!" Kade bellowed, his voice cutting through the calm like a whip crack.
Across the clearing, Brom, Kael, and Riven paused in their packing to glance over. A unified sigh escaped them, the kind that spoke of exasperation and familiarity with Kade's antics.
Before anyone could warn him, a flash of searing black flame erupted from within the tent, slamming into Kade and launching him backward. He crashed into a nearby tree with a loud thud, groaning as he slid to the ground.
From the now-charred tent flap, Jin emerged, groggily rubbing his temples and wincing as if the light itself was too loud. His disheveled hair and the faint glow of fading flames around his hand gave him an almost spectral appearance.
"Damn, man," Jin muttered, his voice hoarse with sleep. "It's barely morning, and you're already screaming like a lunatic." He squinted at the others, who looked caught between scolding Kade and bursting into laughter.
"Not my fault you sleep like the dead," Kade grumbled, still sprawled against the tree as he dusted soot off his shirt. "Could've just said 'good morning' like a normal person."
"Could've knocked like one," Jin shot back dryly, stepping past him as if nothing had happened.
Jin stretched, muttering curses under his breath as he stepped fully out of the tent. Just as he did, another figure stirred within. A soft groan followed by the rustling of fabric made Kade, Brom, Kael, and Riven all freeze.
Luna emerged moments later, her silver hair slightly disheveled, her eyes half-lidded with exhaustion. She looked as if she'd been rudely dragged out of a dream, her usual sharp demeanor softened by the grogginess of morning. She squinted at the group, then yawned, stretching her arms above her head lazily.
"What the hell is all the noise about…?" she mumbled, clearly irritated by the commotion.
Kael and Riven exchanged wide-eyed glances, their faces betraying the shock of the situation. Brom raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching as though he were trying to hold back a smirk. None of them said a word, but the silence was deafening, the weight of their unspoken thoughts hanging heavy in the air.
Kade, now sitting up against the tree he'd collided with, noticed the shift in atmosphere and looked over at Luna before turning back to Jin. A wicked grin spread across his face, but for once, he decided to hold his tongue.
Brom cleared his throat, finally breaking the awkward stillness. "Alright, enough standing around. Pack up whatever's necessary—we're leaving the tents behind." His tone was brisk, cutting through the unspoken tension.
Jin raised an eyebrow, shooting Brom a questioning look. "Leaving the tents? What's the rush?"
Brom adjusted his cloak, his gaze sweeping over the group. "We're heading straight to Kingdom Solar," he explained, his voice steady. "It's famous for its fighting scene. People travel from all over to test their skills—sometimes even to the death—for money, reputation, and power. The fights are brutal, but there's no better place to hone your strength or make a name for yourself."
Luna's tired expression hardened, a flicker of interest crossing her face. "Sounds like my kind of place," she said, her voice laced with a hint of excitement.
Kael and Riven exchanged uneasy glances, while Kade perked up, his earlier annoyance forgotten. "Fighting to the death, huh? Now we're talking."
Jin said nothing, but his black flames flickered faintly across his fingers before dissipating, as if reflecting his own thoughts. His gaze shifted westward, already focused on the unknown challenges ahead.
"Let's move," Brom said firmly, turning on his heel and walking ahead. The others followed, before they all got on the caravan and Brom lead the caravan with his horse/weapon towards Kingdom Solar.