Kaleb trudged through the dense forest, his muscles aching but his resolve unshaken. The air felt heavy, electric, as if the world itself was holding its breath. He tightened his grip on the makeshift staff he'd carved from a fallen branch, his eyes scanning the horizon for danger.
The sound of thunder rumbled in the distance. Kaleb paused, his heart quickening as he noticed a faint, unnatural glow flickering beyond the trees. The hue shifted between brilliant gold and crackling blue, illuminating the underbrush with a rhythmic pulse.
"Floki," Kaleb muttered, his voice low. "What's that?"
Floki materialized out of nowhere, balancing on one foot atop a floating pebble. "Ah, you've stumbled across a treasure, my boy," he said, clapping his hands with mock reverence. "That glow? It's the Storm Lotus, a marvel of nature. Rare. Dangerous. Perfect for a reckless kid like you."
Kaleb arched a brow, skepticism etched on his face. "And you didn't think to mention this before?"
Floki shrugged dramatically. "Where's the fun in that? Besides, you weren't ready. But now…" He gestured theatrically. "Go claim it, oh mighty cultivator."
Kaleb rolled his eyes but felt a tug of curiosity. He pushed forward, the glow growing brighter with each step. The trees thinned, revealing a clearing surrounded by jagged rocks. At its center, the Storm Lotus bloomed—a radiant, otherworldly flower. Its petals shimmered with lightning, wind rippling through its delicate folds, as if it were alive.
The ground around it was scorched, littered with bones and shattered weapons. The air thrummed with power, making Kaleb's skin prickle. He swallowed hard, his Chi stirring in response to the lotus's energy.
"That's not ominous at all," he muttered.
Before Kaleb could step closer, a guttural snarl tore through the clearing. His head snapped toward the sound, his grip tightening on his staff. Emerging from the shadows was a hulking, wolf-like beast, its fur crackling with static.
"Great," Kaleb said, bracing himself. "A lightning beast. Because this wasn't dangerous enough."
The wolf's glowing eyes locked onto him, its lips curling back to reveal razor-sharp teeth. It lunged without warning, a blur of electric fury. Kaleb barely managed to sidestep, the beast's claws grazing his shoulder.
Pain flared, but Kaleb didn't falter. He spun, channeling fire Chi into his staff. The wood ignited, flames licking along its length as he swung it toward the wolf. The beast dodged, its movements unnervingly fluid, and retaliated with a burst of lightning from its maw.
Kaleb threw himself to the ground, the bolt searing past him and striking a nearby tree. Splinters rained down as the tree exploded, but Kaleb was already rolling to his feet.
"Need a hand?" Floki called from a safe distance, lounging atop a boulder with a wide grin.
Kaleb glared at him. "I've got this!"
The wolf charged again, its speed blinding. Kaleb called on the wind, propelling himself upward just as the beast's claws raked the ground where he'd stood. From above, he channeled fire into a concentrated burst.
"Blazing Fang Strike!" he shouted, sending the fiery attack spiraling toward the wolf. The flames engulfed the beast, but it emerged unscathed, its electric aura dissipating the fire.
Kaleb cursed under his breath. The wolf wasn't just fast—it was intelligent, adapting to his techniques. He shifted his stance, summoning water Chi to his hands. The cool energy flowed through him, steadying his racing heart.
As the wolf lunged again, Kaleb twisted, releasing a torrent of water. The liquid struck the beast's side, momentarily disrupting its balance. Kaleb seized the opportunity, following up with a powerful strike of earth Chi that sent shockwaves through the ground.
The wolf howled, its movements faltering. Kaleb adjusted his stance, his breathing steadying as he prepared for the next strike.
This is nothing like the first wolf I faced, Kaleb thought, his grip tightening. That one was raw strength and savagery. This one's power is calculated.
His mind flashed back to his exile, the desperate fight in the forest when his spiritual sea was shattered. Every step had felt like trudging through a storm, his body breaking under the weight of survival.
I barely survived then, clawing for every inch. Now... now I can fight. My Chi is mine again, and I won't waste it.
The wolf lunged, its electric aura crackling. Kaleb drew on his storm Chi, weaving wind and lightning together. The elements pulsed in his hands, raw power coursing through him.
"Gale Breaker Slash!" Kaleb roared, releasing a spiraling wave of energy. The attack struck the wolf dead-on, its electric aura shattering as it skidded across the clearing.
Kaleb didn't wait. He closed the distance, his movements fluid and precise. Fire ignited his strikes, earth rooted his footing, and water flowed through his defenses. The wolf tried to rise, but Kaleb's relentless assault overwhelmed it.
With a final, resounding strike, the wolf collapsed, its body disintegrating into sparks that scattered across the ground. Kaleb stood over the fading embers, his chest heaving.
Floki appeared beside him, clapping. "Bravo! A marked improvement from the last time you fought a wolf, wouldn't you say?"
Kaleb shot him a look, sweat dripping down his brow. "It wasn't just the wolf."
"No, no," Floki said, his grin widening. "It's you. You're finally getting it. The storm isn't just in you—it is you."
Kaleb turned his gaze back to the Storm Lotus, its glow undiminished. The trial wasn't over, as heard something else heading his way!
Kaleb spun, his heart hammering. Emerging from the shadows was another wolf—but this one was monstrous, its size dwarfing the first. Its fur shimmered with arcs of electricity, and its snarling maw glowed faintly with energy.
The beast's Chi flared, rippling through the clearing like a storm unbound. Kaleb's knees buckled slightly under the oppressive force, the air itself feeling thick and heavy.
"Ah," Floki said, hovering just above the chaos. "Now this is a fight worth watching."
The wolf lunged without warning, its massive frame a blur. Kaleb braced, summoning wind to propel himself sideways, but the beast's claws still clipped him, tearing through his sleeve and drawing blood.
He staggered, nearly falling. The wolf was faster—stronger—than anything he'd faced before. Its eyes gleamed with feral intelligence, and its movements were calculated, predatory.
Kaleb thrust his palm outward, fire roaring to life, but the beast dissipated the flames with a swipe of its paw, surging forward again. The impact sent Kaleb crashing into the ground, the breath knocked from his lungs.
As he scrambled to his feet, the wolf circled him, its growls reverberating through the clearing. It moved with eerie precision, herding him further from the Storm Lotus.
Kaleb's Chi flared as he launched a desperate counterattack, sending a spiral of wind and lightning toward the beast. The attack struck, but the wolf barely faltered, shaking off the energy as though it were nothing.
It leaped, its jaws wide and crackling with Chi, aimed directly at Kaleb's throat…