As the colossal wooden guardian roared in defiance, yacha sharp eyes caught sight of a faint, glowing core nestled within the creature's chest, pulsing with a vibrant energy that seemed to be the source of its strength. Realizing that this was our key to victory.
He shouted to them, "The core! We need to target the core !!!"
yacha surged forward, maneuvering his spear through the air as he conjured flames that danced along its length.
He launched himself towards the guardian, dodging its sweeping branches and striking at its legs to distract it while calling for the others to follow his lead. Speira swooped yacha into his back with her curved wind spell. He used thunder to temporarily paralyze the guardian, but it didn't work.
Ursang began channeling the earth's magic within him. With a fierce roar, he summoned jagged stone spikes that erupted from the ground, aiming to destabilize the guardian and create an opening for the others to strike at the core. "Keep it off balance!" he shouted, his voice steady despite the chaos.
Eline, seeing her opportunity, gathered water from the surrounding forest. She unleashed a torrent that swirled around the guardian's legs, creating a slippery surface that hindered its movement.
"Now, Yacha! Go for the core!" she urged, her heart racing as she dodged a swinging branch.
Speira, harnessing the wind, propelled herself into the air. With her twin swords, she performed a series of acrobatic maneuvers, drawing the guardian's attention and buying yacha precious seconds.
"I'll keep it distracted!" she yelled, darting through the air with agility, her blades striking at the branches to create openings.
With their providing support, yacha leaped into the fray, channeling all his fire and thunder magic into one concentrated thrust of his spear aimed directly at the glowing core. As he drew closer, he could feel the intense energy emanating from it, almost as if it were alive.
Yacha pushed himself harder, summoning the last remnants of his strength, ready to strike the decisive blow.
"Together!" Yacha called out.
Knowing that they would need to combine their efforts for the final attack. With the guardian momentarily distracted and unsteady, they surged forward, determined to shake the core and bring the guardian down once and for all.
With a fierce scream, yacha thrust his spear deep into the glowing core, unleashing a torrent of fire and thunder that erupted in a blinding explosion. The guardian convulsed, its wooden frame cracking and splintering as it collapsed, leaving behind only a shower of glowing embers. But it didn't end.
Yacha launched fire, letting it spread; Speira understood the assignment, and she took a sphere-shaped pocket from the bracelet. "Lock on," she said, pointing at the spies; the sphere absorbed them into itself. It's a dimensional pocket working as a captive device.
They started to run towards the way they came from, making their way through the trees and cutting the branches coming towards them. The moment they stepped outside Cedar Forest, the chaos stopped.
Mission complete. The group walked a few kilometers away from the forest and set up camp, deliberating on who would take the first watch, discussing their progress, and analyzing the recent battle. There was a collective dissatisfaction with their capabilities. As a few hours passed, Ursang sat, staring into the fire, lost in thought.
"We are full of ourselves," he remarked, breaking the silence.
"Uh-huh," Yacha replied.
"I felt a new attribute, you know," Ursang continued, a hint of excitement in his voice.
"Your aura is shaping, a new color within it," Yacha replied, a smile creeping onto his face.
Ursang leaned his head down, feeling a burn within him—a newly unlocked attribute—but he couldn't discern its nature yet, drained from their earlier encounter.
"I had a dream, Ursang. It's been torturing me lately."
Ursang's face lit up with curiosity.
Yacha paused for a moment before continuing, "A woman in my dreams, sometimes screaming at me to run away, other times blaming me for her death."
Ursang, weary but focused, struggled to comprehend. "Death? She's dead?"
Chuckling softly, Yacha raised his head, locking eyes with him.
"I watched one of the Seikens slash her head clean off. She's covered in her blood, Ursang. Yet her head looked at me and spoke. And… and… Broken frames from a village appear, other Seikens killing the villagers."
Ursang fell silent, grappling with the weight of Yacha's words. After a long pause, he finally spoke, a somber expression crossing his face. "I... I have nothing to say, Yacha." He tilted his head back, gazing at the stars.
"You know our memories aren't sealed; they are wiped out, erased by a spell so we don't recall where we came from. Yet I believe that's a memory you somehow managed to remember. But I will tell you this. It doesn't matter where we came from or how we got here. We will do the same to someone's parents. Focus on shaping yourself and securing your future." With that, he lay down, trying to find sleep.
Yacha remained silent, grappling with the implications of his dream. If that was indeed a memory, he couldn't simply forget it. While Ursang was content to chase Seiken glory, Yacha was driven by a desire for answers—not just about his past, but about the kingdom itself. He was aware of the nine races and their respective stories.
The fire crackled, and the night deepened around them. This was no longer just about survival or power; it was about understanding the darkness that loomed over Akkadia. The dreams that haunted him would guide him on a path to uncover the hidden truths that intertwined his fate with the mysteries of their world.
Before the sun rose, they reached the village where they kept their horse.
At headquarters. Ardran welcomed them with a straight face along with a woman. Speira handed over the sphere.
"The spies commander, they are within the sphere," Yacha said.
Yacha stayed at the headquarters to report about the mission since he was the formation captain. The authorities responsible for the interrogation proceeded to confirm the mission was a success, and they were just poisoned by a sleeping venom the cedar trees use to haunt their target for later feasting.
After what felt like forever, they sent yacha to another bureau. The same woman from the first mission handed him a folder.
Ardran is there negotiating with her to give the
A different mission, yet she refused, claiming the orders came from above.
Yacha took the folder, not opening it until he got to their new home. Ursang this time is the captain, as they agreed to pass the captain role to one another.
Going through the mission, this time it's against a human they specified as the governor of Skara Brae, a village on the far western side of the continent.
They've ordered to go through hallerbos forest, the longest way to there.
This time they got a special suit, not the usual armor.
After few weeks they reached the hallerbos forest. Jinns stood as guardians at the entry of the forest. They asked them for the reasons for their journey. Before they answered, a sneak attack from a bow shot directly next to the jinn's head, cutting off Speira's left ear.
Three other jinns showed themselves. Swords in their hands.
"Those bracelets assholes...?" The jinn in the lead said in a deep voice.
Another one added, "You will never make it out alive from here!!"