A New Morning
Avir, about 100 kilometers away from the Valley of Magical Beasts, had returned to the same Dark Valley where he had once subdued his curse. As he walked along the path, he greeted and interacted with the people passing by. By now, everyone in the area had come to recognize him.
Suddenly, a group of girls approached Avir and surrounded him. One of them said, "Master Avir, you're back! But this time, it's been ten days since you left!" Avir stood there, scratching the back of his head and smiling. Another girl chimed in, "Master Avir, your clothes are filthy. Did you fight some magical beast?" Before Avir could reply, another girl interjected enthusiastically, "What do you think? Just look at him—he must've given that beast a real thrashing!"
At that moment, a playful, teasing voice echoed in Avir's mind. It was the curse, laughing softly, saying, "Hahaha… Yes, yes, he thrashed it, but not before it gave him a good beating!"
Avir, frustrated like a child, replied mentally to the curse, "Shut up! I wasn't prepared then. Otherwise, I'd have beaten that donkey-in-elephant's-clothing to a pulp!" The curse only laughed harder, which annoyed him further.
Meanwhile, another girl took Avir's hand and said sweetly, "Master Avir, will you show us a new technique today?" Before Avir could answer, Shashi appeared and intervened, gently pulling the girl's hand away. "What are you all doing here? Shouldn't you be gathering herbs with Anupam?" she asked. The girls' faces fell at the reminder, but they had no choice but to leave. As they departed, they turned back to Avir and pleaded, "Don't leave until we're back!" Avir nodded in agreement.
Once they were gone, Shashi turned to Avir with concern in her eyes and asked, "Avir, are you alright? How did you get so many injuries? Come with me; I'll treat your wounds." Avir gave her a small smile and gently stopped her, saying, "Don't worry about me; I'm perfectly fine."
To demonstrate, he extended his hand, and the mark on it began to glow. Within seconds, two green pills materialized in his palm. These were known as Jeenprash—herbal pills used for healing injuries and restoring spiritual energy. Their effectiveness depended on the level of the alchemist who created them. The pills in Avir's hand were Level 2, which he had made himself. Avir was learning the art of alchemy from Vaid Sajeevan and had mastered the creation of Level 2 pills.
Popping the pills into his mouth, Avir said to Shashi, "See? I've taken my medicine. My wounds will heal in a few minutes." Shashi smiled warmly, nodded, and said lovingly, "Avir, come with me. There's something I want to show you."
Before Avir could respond, Shashi took his hand and gently tugged him along, leading him away.
On the Other Side
In the Valley of Magical Beasts, a young man stood atop a large rock. He wore an open black coat, revealing his well-defined six-pack abs and broad chest. A dark mark rested near his heart, with blackened veins extending from it, making it appear sinister. His gaze was fixed on the sky, where two powerful creatures were locked in a fierce battle. Their sheer strength caused the entire sky to tremble, sending waves of terror among the nearby beasts, who scattered in fear. The impact of their clash stirred massive whirlwinds, making the boy's hair, coat, and the cloth tied around his face flutter violently in the air.
This boy was none other than the masked figure who had been keeping an eye on Avir. His attention was drawn to a girl engaged in combat with a magical beast. The creature resembled a massive blue eagle with crystalline wings that shimmered like blue glass. The intensity of their battle made it impossible to predict who might emerge victorious.
The girl was the same one Avir had seen a short while ago. However, she had another identity—she was the closest warrior to the queen. The masked figure observed the sky intently when, suddenly, a ball of energy surged toward him. The orb was so powerful it could obliterate an entire group of warriors in one strike. Yet, the masked figure showed no fear. As the orb approached him, he calmly unsheathed a sword from his back—a weapon that appeared to be forged from an ancient black stone, etched with glowing inscriptions in an archaic language.
Just before the energy orb could collide with him, the masked figure swung his sword, absorbing the orb into it. The inscriptions on the blade lit up with a bright yellow glow as the energy was consumed. Once the sword had done its work, he sheathed it back onto his back, unfazed by the attack.
The magical beast battling the girl was a fifth-tier creature, a king of the valley. Such creatures were extremely rare and only dropped a Soul Gem once every fifty years. The beast in question possessed the legendary Blue Soul Gem, one of the rarest and most valuable.
As the battle raged on, another beast suddenly attacked the girl from behind. However, she was vigilant and dodged just in time. Swiftly, she raised her white sword into the air, slashing down in one motion, instantly killing the newly arrived fourth-tier creature.
From a distance, the masked figure watched her skill and strength in awe. Just then, his attention shifted to the first beast, which took advantage of the moment. The creature opened its glowing blue eyes and unleashed a beam, shouting, "Soul Energy Suppression!"
The masked figure's expression hardened as he muttered to himself, "That's a soul energy-restricting attack."
Meanwhile
The attack struck the girl directly, causing her vision to blur. She was unable to use her soul energy until she recovered. Seizing the moment, the bird-like beast slashed at her chest with its talons, tearing a portion of her clothing and exposing the inner armor beneath. Even the armor was slightly damaged by the blow. As a result of the attack, the girl lost consciousness and began plummeting toward the ground.
Just before she could hit the ground, a pair of strong arms caught her. It was none other than the masked figure.
Holding the unconscious girl in his arms, the masked figure suddenly faced another "Soul Energy Suppression" attack from the beast. However, before the attack could reach him, he vanished and reappeared behind the beast. The creature was stunned; evading such an attack was no ordinary feat.
The beast turned around, glaring at the masked figure, and spoke in a deep, human-like voice:
"You look like an ordinary warrior. Seems like your luck saved you from my attack."
The masked figure didn't respond. Instead, his eyes began to glow an intense blue. Locking his gaze with the beast, he stared into its eyes. As soon as their eyes met, the beast froze in place, completely still, as if suspended in mid-air like a statue.
Moments Later
The masked figure had temporarily immobilized the beast and left the area, carrying the unconscious girl. However, as soon as the beast regained its senses, it roared in rage and began searching the valley furiously for them.
In the Cave
The masked figure brought the girl to a hidden cave behind a waterfall. She was still unconscious, murmuring faintly. The masked figure retrieved some medicine from his storage ring, observing her closely.
"These wounds aren't ordinary, and neither are their locations," he muttered to himself. "Should I treat her or not?"
His gaze shifted to her face, drawn to its innocent beauty. Leaning closer, he softly said, "You're lucky I was there. Otherwise, you'd have been done for by now."
Reaching out to examine the wounds on her chest, he hesitated. Just as his hand moved closer, the girl regained consciousness and opened her eyes, staring directly at him.
Caught in the act, the color drained from his face. Flustered, he stammered,
"I-I-I wasn't doing anything inappropriate! I was just trying to treat your wounds…"
Holding out a small vial of medicine toward her, he continued, forcing a nervous smile that was hidden by his mask,
"I had no bad intentions. You were unconscious, so I thought I'd apply the medicine. But now that you're awake, you can do it yourself."
As the girl tried to sit up, she groaned in pain, saying, "Ah! That beast... it has restricted my soul energy. It will take some time for me to recover. You go ahead and apply the medicine yourself, but first, remove that cloth from your face. At least let me see who to kill if you try anything wrong." Her expression was calm, almost devoid of emotion.
The masked figure hesitated for a moment but then removed the cloth from his face, revealing a strikingly handsome face with piercing blue eyes that seemed to add a unique charm. The girl, too, found herself momentarily captivated by his appearance but quickly snapped back, saying, "Hurry up and apply the medicine."
The man nodded and moved closer to her. Gently, he untied her attire from the back, revealing her flawless, milky-white skin, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders. She was wearing a small chest guard that covered only the essential areas. With great care, he removed the guard as well.
Now exposed, the girl clenched her fists and shut her eyes tightly, bracing herself for any impropriety. But instead, she felt something warm drape over her body. Opening her eyes slightly, she saw that the man had placed his black coat over her.
The man sat beside her, now bare-chested, his toned physique reflecting his strength. His act of kindness brought a faint, soft smile to her face, though pain was still evident in her expression.
"Lie down," he instructed gently, and she complied. As he examined her wounds, he began to apply the medicine. A sharp sting coursed through her body, and she let out a loud cry of pain.
Who is this masked man who seems to appear wherever he is needed? Why is he helping the girl? Is she a friend or a foe? To find out, stay tuned!