Lea's voice pierced the air, sharp with urgency. "It's the wolf! Run!"
Without hesitation, Nanje, Lea, and Unaiaku darted in every direction, racing around the menacing figure of the wolf, their hearts pounding in their chests. But as they bolted for safety, Unaiaku suddenly skidded to a halt. He glanced back, his eyes narrowing as they fixed on Jusawi, who remained eerily still, standing directly in the wolf's path.
What is he doing? Unaiaku thought, confusion washing over him.
Jusawi was locked in a silent, unwavering stare, meeting the wolf's piercing eyes with an almost unnatural calm. There was no fear in his posture, no urgency in his movements—just the quiet stillness of a person caught in a moment of intense focus.
Lea and Nanje turned around, their eyes widening in disbelief at the sight of Jusawi standing there, unmoving.
Nanje's voice trembled. "He… m-must be frozen in fear!"
"No," Lea replied, her voice firm, though uncertainty lingered. "It's something else…"
The tension in the air thickened as Jusawi continued to stare into the wolf's glowing eyes. Slowly, he took a deliberate step back, edging closer to the shrine. The wolf growled low in its throat, a rumble of warning that vibrated through the ground.
"I see," Jusawi murmured softly, his voice barely more than a whisper.
Lea's concern sharpened. "Jusawi, what are you doing?!"
Jusawi didn't look at her, his gaze never leaving the wolf. "I'm getting this treasure, that's what!"
Lea's brow furrowed in confusion. "How?!"
Jusawi's lips curled into a determined smirk. "This shrine guardian has some sort of gimmick, where the closer you get to the treasure, the more aggressive it gets!"
Nanje's face twisted with anxiety. "So that should m-mean you should back away from the shrine!"
"I'm not backing down from this…" Jusawi's words were firm, resolute.
"You could get hurt!!!" Nanje cried out, his voice cracking with fear.
"Could doesn't mean will," Jusawi retorted, his stance unwavering.
Unaiaku let out a frustrated sigh, shaking his head. Tch, why is he so stubborn?
Without further thought, Unaiaku spun on his heel and sprinted towards the shrine, moving swiftly but cautiously. As he neared the chest, the wolf, which had been fixated on Jusawi, abruptly shifted its attention. With a chilling snarl, it charged directly at Unaiaku.
Unaiaku's heart raced as he stopped just inches from the treasure, freezing in place. The wolf, moving with terrifying speed, came to a halt right in front of him, its glowing eyes locking onto his with primal fury.
"Unaiaku!" Lea shouted, panic evident in her voice.
"I'm fine," Unaiaku responded, though his voice was tinged with tension.
In an instant, Jusawi was there. He moved like lightning, his branch cracking against the wolf's face with a sickening thud, sending the creature sprawling onto its back.
When did he get over here? Unaiaku wondered in disbelief, his thoughts racing.
Lea let out an approving cheer. "Nice hit, Jusawi!"
The wolf let out an enraged growl, its fur bristling and eyes glowing with renewed fury. It scrambled to its feet, now fully focused on Jusawi. Lea, instinctively, backed away, pressing herself into the cover of the bush where she had been hiding.
Jusawi, undeterred, smirked. "Cool, I can really hurt this thing! Unaiaku, if you can just get the shrine treasure—"
"Impossible," Unaiaku interrupted, his voice tight with frustration. "We don't know what would happen if we touched the treasure."
Jusawi's expression remained unfazed. "I'm sure we can find a way."
Without warning, Unaiaku reached out and touched the chest, his fingers brushing against the ancient relic. The moment his skin made contact, the wolf let out a spine-chilling roar and lunged at Unaiaku. But Jusawi was faster. In one fluid motion, he leaped in front of the beast, slamming his branch into its face with a brutal strike that sent the wolf crashing to the ground.
Unaiaku's eyes widened in shock. I knew Jusawi was an athletic kid, but this is just out of hand... Is he truly destined to get a divine frame?
"Unaiaku, open it!" Jusawi shouted, his voice full of urgency.
Unaiaku scrambled to open the chest, but his hands shook with strain.
"I can't… it's too heavy!" he grunted, struggling to lift the lid.
Jusawi's eyes widened in disbelief. "It's too heavy?!"
"I need help," Unaiaku admitted, his voice tight with frustration.
A sudden sound broke through the chaos—a sharp crack as a rock struck the wolf in the back of the head. The creature howled in pain and whipped around, its fiery gaze locking onto Lea and Nanje, who stood nearby, their hands clutching handfuls of rocks.
Nanje stammered nervously. "We can distac- disbrac- dylac-"
Lea quickly cut him off. "Distract this thing!"
The wolf bared its fangs in a deafening bark that echoed through the trees. Then, with a swiftness that left no time to react, it swiped its massive claws at the pair. The swipe was so forceful that it effortlessly cleaved through several trees in its path, sending them tumbling to the ground in a mess of broken wood. Nanje and Lea barely dodged, squatting low just in time to avoid being struck.
Nanje, wide-eyed with terror, gasped, "Lea, I have a bad feeling!"
Without warning, Jusawi threw his branch at Lea. She fumbled to catch it, dropping the rocks in her hands as she snatched the branch out of the air.
"Alright, I can do this," Lea said, her resolve hardening.
The wolf's eyes flickered back and forth, torn between the two pairs. Jusawi was already fumbling with the chest, and the wolf, seeing its target, began to growl, its eyes narrowing in anger. But just as the creature prepared to strike, Nanje threw a rock with pinpoint accuracy, hitting the wolf square in the eye.
With a roar of rage, the wolf spun on its heels and lunged towards Nanje, but Lea reacted instinctively, tackling Nanje to the ground and narrowly avoiding the wolf's deadly pounce.
Lea's eyes burned with determination as she gripped the branch in both hands, her voice sharp with resolve. "Alright! Now it's my turn!" She swung the branch hard at the wolf's head, but the impact barely fazed the creature. The wolf didn't flinch. In fact, Lea staggered back, wincing as pain shot through her hands. The branch dropped from her grip.
"Ow! My hands, how did Jusawi hurt that thing?!" she groaned, shaking out her sore fingers.
The wolf's claw rose into the air, and with a terrifying growl, it prepared to strike. Just as the slash came down to cleave both Lea and Nanje, the sound of metal rang out like a bell through the forest. The wolf's strike was halted mid-air by a blade—Jusawi, now wielding a katana, had stepped into the fray. The katana's hilt was wrapped in deep crimson leather, textured like rippling flames, the underlay glowing with the soft flicker of embers beneath the leather. The polished obsidian end cap featured a glowing blue gemstone at its center, emanating an icy aura. The guard was circular, adorned with flame-like patterns in dual tones—red and gold on one side, fading into blue on the other, blending fire and ice in a surreal, otherworldly effect. The blade itself glowed with molten red near the base, turning to a white-hot intensity along the edge, the temper line flickering like flames. Blue streaks ran along the spine, contrasting with the blade's fiery heat, and a symbol etched near the base appeared as a swirling firestorm, faintly glowing with a blue-white hue.
Lea's eyes went wide in astonishment. "Woah!!! JUSAWI, WHAT IS THAT?!"
Jusawi, his voice tinged with excitement despite the danger, replied, "Hey... this thing is pretty—"
But before he could finish his sentence, the wolf overpowered him with a violent strike, knocking him off his feet. Jusawi crashed to the ground, groaning, "Strong!"
The wolf, enraged, turned to see the chest of the shrine wide open, with Unaiaku standing protectively in front of it. Clutching the black sheath to Jusawi's katana, Unaiaku's eyes flickered with a thought.
The wolf let out a deafening howl, its power so immense that it sent shockwaves through the forest. Trees swayed violently, and the force of the sound slammed both Lea and Nanje back into nearby trees, while Jusawi was tossed into a bush. Unaiaku, however, managed to hang onto a part of the shrine, bracing himself against the force of the wind.
Unaiaku's thoughts raced. The one to wield that blade... He looked at the sheath, his mind wandering. That felt like a moment meant for me.
Lea, disoriented and pained from the force of the blast, groaned. "My back! I think I broke something!"
Nanje, equally shaken, winced. "Me too."
Jusawi slowly crawled out of the bush, groaning as he stood up. His eyes were full of determination, and despite the ache in his body, he refused to back down. Unaiaku, still holding the sheath, had his mind torn between admiration and doubt.
But, are we actually going to make it out of this alive? Will Jusawi be crowned some sort of legend? Is he going to be happier than me?
Lea, still shaken, glanced around. "I think we can still run!"
Jusawi tightened his grip on the katana, his resolve unwavering. "No, we can't let this thing get back to the village, it might destroy us all!"
Nanje, glancing at Jusawi, asked in disbelief, "So Jusawi, you're saying we fight?"
Lea, her exhaustion showing, sighed heavily. "I'm sleepy and scared, I want to go home!"
Nanje echoed her sentiment, "I'm tired too."
Unaiaku, his gaze thoughtful, finally spoke, his voice calm but filled with purpose. "I believe that it will only be targeting the people holding the treasure. That would be Jusawi and I."
Jusawi nodded, his voice resolute. "Yes, you two run! I'll hold it off."
Nanje hesitated. "But Jusawi! You think you can beat this thing?"
Jusawi's voice grew firm. "I've trained my whole life to fight this thing!"
Lea blinked in confusion. "Your whole life is 9 years!"
"Just go!" Jusawi shouted, pushing them away.
With a final, reluctant glance at Jusawi, Nanje and Lea limped into the forest, disappearing into the trees.
Unaiaku stood, the sheath tight in his grip, as thoughts swirled in his mind. This emotion in me... what he's doing is heroic, but... what if that never happened?
His grip on the sheath tightened as he made his decision. What if I could do something?
Ignoring Jusawi's shout of his name, Unaiaku sprinted forward, determination in his steps.
Unaiaku's thoughts were heavy as he moved silently through the forest, closing the distance between himself and the others. Something not quite heroic, but something that will keep us equal.
He knew the truth of the shadows he walked in, the constant pull between light and dark, the sacrifice that often seemed necessary for balance.
Some seek to light the match, but only to watch the flames dance from afar, afraid that the fire will burn them first. Not all who were born from the light of kindness carry its warmth, and not every shadow cast by the flame is born of malice. The wind that fans the fire may not know it is feeding its own destruction, just as the hands that tie the noose might not realize they hold the rope to their own undoing.
Jusawi, watching Unaiaku's movements, couldn't help but be impressed, though a hint of unease flickered in his chest. I've never seen Unaiaku move that fast before!
Unaiaku moved like a shadow, too silent for Nanje and Lea to notice his presence. As they hurried through the forest, unaware, the wolf wasn't far behind. It had realized what Unaiaku had done—taking the sheath—and it was now hunting him down, determined to stop him.
Suddenly, Nanje tripped over a root, sprawling on the ground in a heap. He cursed under his breath as the forest floor scraped against him.
"Ah! Lea, I fell! Help me!" His voice cracked in panic.
Lea, a few paces ahead, turned back, but there was only a momentary hesitation before she called out, her voice breaking. "Nanje! I'm sorry, I can't carry you, just find somewhere to hide, Unai and Jusawi might find you!"
Tears welled up in Lea's eyes, but she didn't stop running. Nanje could barely process what had happened before she was out of sight. He sat there in shock, his own heart racing, torn between fear and desperation.
"But Lea!" Nanje's voice was frail as the tears began to fall. But it was too late. She had vanished into the distance.
Out of the shadows, Unaiaku emerged, a stark silhouette against the dimming forest. His presence was quiet, almost ghostly, as he approached Nanje. The sheath was still firmly in his hands, but his expression was unreadable.
"Nanje, you're here," Unaiaku said softly, though his eyes held nothing.
Nanje, though relieved to see him, was still overwhelmed with uncertainty. "Unai?" His voice quivered, not sure of what to make of this moment.
Unaiaku's movements were calm and deliberate. He bent down to Nanje's level, his presence looming over him. In the distance, the low growl of the wolf could be heard growing closer, its steps thunderous against the forest floor.
"Unai?!" Nanje's voice broke with anxiety. "What are you doing?"
Unaiaku's response was cryptic. He slipped the sheath inside Nanje's shirt, pressing it against his chest. It was then that he leaned in close, his voice barely a whisper in Nanje's ear.
"Casualty."
Nanje froze, unable to comprehend what Unaiaku meant. Before he could react, Unaiaku stepped back, disappearing behind a tree, his figure swallowed by the darkness of the forest.
The wolf's presence grew stronger, and Nanje's heart raced in panic. The monstrous creature was almost upon him, and the terrifying reality of his situation began to sink in. Alone, vulnerable, and with no time to understand Unaiaku's cryptic words, he felt the weight of everything pressing down on him.
In the distance, Unaiaku watched from behind the tree, silent and still. The forest held its breath as the wolf's growl drew nearer, and Nanje stood frozen, clutching the sheath against his chest, with no idea what was about to happen next.