The night was calm, with only the soft crackle of the dying campfire and the occasional rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze. Zenith lay sprawled near the fire, snoring lightly, his dreams filled with visions of his training successes—exaggerated, of course.
Nyra and Erya were positioned on either side of the camp, their weapons within arm's reach. Erya had insisted on keeping watch, but after hours of silence, even her vigilance had faltered.
Suddenly, the tranquility shattered.
A deep, guttural growl emerged from the forest, rolling over the camp like a warning bell. Zenith stirred but mumbled incoherently, turning over in his sleep.
Nyra's eyes snapped open, her body tensing. She reached for her sword, her gaze scanning the treeline.
"Did you hear that?" she whispered.
Erya sat up abruptly, already gripping her blade. "I hear it. And whatever it is, it's big."
Before they could rouse Zenith, the beast emerged from the shadows. It was enormous, its shoulders brushing low-hanging branches. Its fur was dark and matted, its eyes glowing an eerie green in the faint firelight. Claws like scythes and fangs as long as Zenith's forearm gleamed in the moonlight.
"Zenith! Get up!" Nyra shouted, kicking him awake.
"What—huh—why are you kicking me?" Zenith groaned, sitting up groggily. Then he saw the creature. "Oh. That's why."
The beast didn't wait for an introduction. It let out a deafening roar and lunged, its claws swiping at Nyra. She rolled to the side just in time, her sword slashing at its paw. The blade connected but barely left a scratch.
"Erya, flank it!" Nyra commanded.
Erya didn't need to be told twice. She darted to the beast's side, her blade glowing faintly as she struck at its ribs. The attack earned her a furious snarl but little else.
Meanwhile, Zenith scrambled to his feet, fumbling for anything remotely useful. "What do I do?"
"Don't get eaten!" Erya snapped, dodging a swipe.
"Great advice!" Zenith retorted, diving out of the way as the beast turned its attention to him.
The creature charged Zenith, its massive jaws snapping inches from his face. He stumbled backward, tripping over a log and landing flat on his back.
"Anytime now, Zenith!" Nyra called, driving her sword into the beast's shoulder. It roared, spinning to face her, and she barely managed to pull her blade free in time.
Zenith raised his hands, willing his powers to manifest. A flickering shield of light appeared just as the beast lunged again, its claws crashing into the barrier. The impact sent Zenith skidding backward across the dirt.
"Well, at least he's trying," Erya muttered, rolling under the beast's legs and slashing at its belly.
The fight devolved into pure chaos.
Nyra moved like a shadow, her strikes precise but often deflected by the beast's thick hide.
Erya, on the other hand, fought with brute force, taunting the creature between attacks. "Come on, you overgrown furball! Is that all you've got?"
Zenith alternated between panicked yelps and desperate attempts to use his powers. At one point, he accidentally blinded himself with a flash of light.
"Zenith, what was that?!" Erya shouted, covering her eyes.
"An accident!" Zenith yelled, scrambling behind a tree. "I think it worked, though?"
The beast turned on Erya, swiping at her with a claw that grazed her shoulder. She hissed in pain but managed to counter with a deep slash across its face.
Nyra took advantage of the distraction, leaping onto the beast's back and driving her sword into its neck. The creature howled, thrashing wildly.
"Erya! Now!" Nyra shouted.
Erya didn't hesitate. She charged forward, plunging her blade deep into the beast's chest. The creature let out one last, gurgling roar before collapsing with a thunderous crash.
Zenith peeked out from behind the tree, his face pale. "Is… is it dead?"
Erya wiped blood off her blade, glaring at him. "Yes, thanks to us. You were a huge help, by the way."
"I blinded it!" Zenith protested.
"You blinded us," Erya snapped.
Nyra jumped down from the beast, brushing dirt off her armor. "Enough. It's dead, and we're alive. Let's salvage what we can before it attracts more predators."
Hours later, the trio sat around the fire, the air filled with the aroma of roasting meat. Zenith stared at the cooking beast, a mix of guilt and hunger on his face.
"First time killing a monster?" Nyra asked, noticing his expression.
"First time seeing one," Zenith admitted.
Erya smirked. "You'll get used to it. Chaos like this was my daily routine during the war."
Zenith looked at her, intrigued. "You've mentioned the war before. What was it like?"
Erya's smirk faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression. "Bloody. Brutal. The kind of chaos that makes this look like a picnic. We fought beasts, raiders, and worse. Lost good people to it, too."
The firelight danced in her eyes, and for a moment, Zenith saw a vulnerability in her he hadn't noticed before.
Nyra placed a hand on Erya's shoulder. "We've all faced our share of chaos. What matters is how we rise from it."
Erya nodded, her usual sharpness softening. "And how we fight the next battle."
Zenith poked the fire, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Well, at least we've got food now. Even if it tried to eat me first."
Erya chuckled, Nyra allowed herself a rare smile, and for the first time that night, the group felt a sense of unity.
As they sat around the fire, Nyra glanced at Zenith. "You survived tonight. Tomorrow, we'll make sure you're ready for the next fight."
Zenith groaned. "Great. More training."
Erya smirked. "Think of it this way: if you get strong enough, maybe the next monster won't think you're the easiest snack."
Zenith rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help smiling. Despite the chaos, he felt like he was finally part of something bigger than himself.