For two years of his life, Liam trained under the watchful eye of the fallen God of War, Theron. Every day became a battle against fear, exhaustion, and the very limits of his strength. This was the place once so isolated and remote; today, the harsh winds of that treacherous landscape became the perfect background on which Liam's growth was expected to take place.
Time to TrainTheron's methods were brutal, forged in a time where warriors were made through suffering. They began with hauling stones along the plateau and moving up cliffs with nothing but bare hands, culminating in sparring with the God of War, whose strikes would feel as though you were colliding with a mountain."War does not pity the weak," Theron growled, playing into the act as he threw Liam to the ground for a hundredth time. "It will tread on you unless you fight harder, strike faster, and rise no matter how many times you fall."Liam's body aches, his muscles scream each morning as he woke before dawn. He shall be with Nyx, leaping through rings of flame conjured by Theron and learning how to wield the powers of his own. With time, Nyx's once-small form matured into that of a fierce shadow-coated wolf with piercing silver eyes, his body lean and powerful.Stories Shared By CampfireThe Clouds grow dark, and the winds pick up , as they charge down into Campfire Stories shared by the Campfire at night. The cold winds blew above ground before such time came, when Theron and Liam sat by a fire.He told him about her travelling, about Clara, her friend-as well as ally-and about the loss that still carried in his heart. "She was strong," Liam said softly as he stared into the flames. "And brave. I... I couldn't save her. But I won't stop fighting."Then Theron paused before speaking, and his voice was heavy with the burden of so many words he'd left unspoken. "Loss is the price of war, Liam. I have paid the same for centuries." Telling Liam of his kingdom which, of course, was once glorious but now reduced to rubble, thanks to the destruction reaped by the Abyssal Wyrm-a dragon unmatched in power and might. "I was a god, but even gods can fall. That beast left me broken, thus now I am mere shadow of what I was."Then there came Theron regarding Liam and that thing which had not been seen or felt for centuries-hope.Years of GrowthTime moved forward and after two years, Liam's body was already becoming stronger, sharper in movements. He learned how to harness the sword and manipulate strategies while balancing out power and precision. Thrilling as it was, the bond with Nyx was also deepening, with the wolf now becoming his shadow in battle, darting like a specter in a cliff and striking at his enemies' weak points.At last, Theron believed that Liam was ready. "You are no longer a boy. You are now a warrior, but you shall face the test of the Abyssal Wyrm that even I failed."Liam and Nyx stood on the ledge of the plateau, looking at the blackened skies above where the storm awaited the dragon. Liam turned to Theron and bowed deeply. "Thank you, for everything."Theron nodded again, placing his massive hand on Liam's shoulder. "Show me that defeat is not eternal."The Battle versus the DragonThe battlefield was desolate-waste, blackened wasteland by fire. The dragon looms a silhouette of a behemoth shadow of flame falling down from the sky, roaring on the earth, shaking.LiLiamm, running to his blade tempered anew under Theron's eyes-now-shptionis, charged. The lash of the dragon's tail tore apart the earth, but Liam became faster than the beast. He dodged and struck on the scaled legs of the creature with precise, calculated blows. The ghost, Nyx, drew the dragon through his illusions and swift attacks."Strike its wings!" Theron's training echoed in Liam's mind. He leaped onto the dragon's back and plunged his blade into the base of its wing. The palace shrieked and its movements faltered, and Liam knew that this was the moment.Pouring the last of his might into the animal's heart, he sunk his sword there, bright explosions of light erupting as the beast collapsed. Battlefield went still and bloodied panting Liam would look at Nyx with the nod of victory.Caption of Recognition and FarewellThen when Theron had appeared after the dragons body turned to dust, he became faintly luminous with a golden glow and said, "You do what I could not do. You are worthy." The plateau trembled as a portal to the next level opened.Theron stepped forward, his once-solid face softening now. 'Before you go, remember this: in the Kingdom of the Elves lies the World Tree. Its power can restore life-even to those lost.Liam's heart skipped a beat as he remembered Clara. He tightened his grip on his sword and turned to Theron with a determined stare. "Thank you. I won't forget."The God of War nodded, his form fading into amber dreams of gold. "Go, warrior. Your journey is far from over."Liam and Nyx stepped into the portal, readying themselves for what lay ahead.To be continue...