Elian had been walking through thick jungle for hours, with leaves brushing his face and roots tripping him up every few steps. Tired and frustrated, he kept going, determined. The floating fragment beside him would sometimes give him vague encouragement, but mostly it stayed quiet, sensing his annoyance.
"How much longer till we get there?" Elian asked, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"No idea. Just keep walking," replied the fragment, sounding relaxed.
Elian's eye twitched in frustration. "This thing's the only way to find clues about the other fragments, but it's useless for finding the exact spot. First, I find a clue, then the fragment? What a hassle."
As he moved deeper, the jungle grew darker under the dense canopy. Suddenly, the narrow path vanished into a wall of thick bushes.
"No path, great," he muttered, turning to the fragment. "So, where to now?"
The fragment was silent for a moment, then replied, "Hmm… no idea."
Elian threw his hands up. "Are you kidding? How much more useless can you be?"
"I'm still more useful than *you*," it shot back, teasing but slightly defensive.
He sighed, sitting down on a mossy rock. Just then, he heard a faint rustling nearby. Moving some leaves aside, he saw a girl lying on the grass a few meters away. She looked around his age, dressed in elegant clothes that gave her a royal look. Surprised, he approached her carefully, trying to see if she was okay. But before he got too close, her eyes snapped open, and she attacked without hesitation.
Elian barely dodged her first strike, feeling a burst of agility – probably from the fragment's power boost. "Hey! Why are you attacking me?"
She ignored him, her eyes flashing as she lunged, shouting, "That thing is *mine*!"
Elian stumbled back, dodging her next strike, but he slipped and tumbled down a steep hillside.
"You piece of junk!" he shouted at the fragment as he slid. "Instead of leading me to a clue, you lead me off a cliff!" His voice faded as he fell, leaving the girl staring after him, confused and annoyed.
---
Hours later, Elian woke up, dangling from a tree branch. Somehow, he hadn't hit the ground, though his shirt was torn and his clothes covered in mud. Looking around, he spotted a village nearby.
"Finally, something useful," he muttered, fixing his clothes and dusting off. Talking to himself for motivation, he made his way toward the village, grumbling about the "crazy girl" he'd just met.
Upon arriving, he saw the village was in rough shape. The fields were barren, and the houses were damaged, with broken windows and deep scratches from repeated attacks. As he walked toward the center, the fragment led him to a small house. He knocked on the door.
An elderly man answered, his face wrinkled but his eyes sharp. Elian greeted him and asked, "Do you know anything about the Fragment of the Great Sky or something?"
"Come in, come in," the old man said warmly, and Elian stepped inside, feeling a bit uneasy. He froze when he saw the girl from the jungle sitting at the table. Their eyes met, and Elian made a goofy face to hide his irritation. She just rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.
The old man began, "I assume you both want to find the Fragment of the Sky."
Elian glanced at the girl, realizing she was after the same thing. *So that's why she attacked me,* he thought. *She must've known I had a fragment.*
The old man continued, "There's a creature that attacks this village every few months. He's strong, and he's the reason everything here is in ruins. I can tell you where to find the fragment... but only if you help us get rid of that monster."
Elian's face fell. "You want me to team up with this—" he pointed at the girl, "lunatic? Not happening."
The girl scowled, leaning forward. "Oh please, like I want to work with a *clumsy fool* who falls off cliffs."
The old man raised a hand to silence them. "It's up to you both. If you want the fragment's location, you'll have to team up."
After more arguing and insults, they reluctantly agreed. Even so, they kept bickering, each taunt more sarcastic than the last.
As they left, Elian muttered to the fragment, *Do we really need her help?*
The fragment replied, "In your current state, you can't use all my powers. We need her strength to succeed."
The girl, overhearing him, asked, "What's your big plan, genius?"
"Simple," he replied with a smirk. "We go in there and smash it."
She groaned. "Ugh, what a *pain*."
They soon reached the cave where the monster was hiding. She stopped him, looking serious. "Listen, the creature we're facing is an ogre. They can't see green. If we blend in, we can get close enough to attack."
The fragment spoke up, "I can create a green light to help us hide, but it'll drain some of Elian's energy."
After deciding on a plan, they entered the cave. A foul smell filled the air, and at the center of the cavern, they saw the ogre, a huge creature gnawing on meat. When it noticed them, it let out a furious roar, its eyes blazing.
The girl drew her sword, and Elian noticed it had a fragment embedded in the hilt.
"Oh, so *you* have one too?" he asked, dodging a powerful swing from the ogre.
"Less talking, more fighting!" she retorted, slashing at the ogre's arm but barely scratching its tough skin.
Elian dodged around, moving clumsily as the fragment boosted his agility just enough to keep him from being crushed.
The fight dragged on, and soon both were battered and exhausted. The ogre grew more enraged, swinging wildly. The girl was knocked down, and the ogre raised its arm to finish her.
Elian suddenly remembered his father's words: "Always Help Others Son"
Without thinking, he jumped in front of her, bracing himself. Just as the ogre swung down, his fragment glowed with a powerful green light, hiding them both. The ogre paused, confused and unable to see them.
"You idiot," she muttered, still lying there in surprise. But she softened as she noticed his sky-blue eyes and the fragment glowing in his hand.
To her surprise, the fragment on her sword detached and merged with Elian's fragment, releasing a powerful energy. His aura intensified, and a faint shimmer of invisible blades appeared around his hands.
He didn't hesitate, charging forward and swinging his hands through the air. Each swing sent an invisible blade at the ogre, cutting through its defenses. Finally, he dealt the last blow, chopping off its head.
Exhausted, he collapsed beside the girl, unconscious.
Hours later, Elian woke up back in the village, his wounds bandaged. The girl sat next to him, arms crossed, looking annoyed.
"Are you here to thank me?" he asked with a smirk. "I'm the one who saved you, after all."
Without warning, she punched his arm. "Thank you? You took my only fragment, idiot!"
He rubbed his arm, pretending to be hurt. "Hey, I didn't ask for it to join mine!"
She looked at him, a little softer this time. "Why did you risk yourself to save me?"
Elian shrugged. "Guess I didn't have much choice."
They continued bickering, but with a new sense of respect. He was curious about her knowledge of monsters and fragments.
The fragment whispered to him, "It wouldn't be the worst idea to work with her on this journey."
He said, "Whatttttttttttt?" The fragment told him that she already knew that you have a fragment and also she had quite the knowledge about monsters and also "I cannot use my knowledge at our current state"
After a moment, he asked, "How about it? Team up to collect the rest of the fragments?"
She first hesitated but then some thought cross through her mind and she said, "Sure"
As they set off, an uneasy alliance formed, one that would test them in ways they couldn't yet imagine.
TO BE CONTINUED...