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Inside of a lush forest, the chirping of birds echoed through the trees, harmonizing with the leaves swaying on the gentle breeze. Suddenly, the beautiful melody was interrupted by the caws of flocks of birds that took to the skies, their wings flapping rapidly.
From between the dense bushes, a magnificent beast leaped forth, a wolf, as tall as a human, with its dark blue fur waving as it run and the white end of its tail wagging slightly. Immediatly after, a female voice was heard from right behind it.
"Wait, Storm! Don't run ahead by yourself!"
The wolf halted, its pure white paws stomping the ground and it turned around to greet the blonde girl who emerged from the underbrush. Her azure eyes sparkled with mischief, and her golden-blonde hair danced in the slight wind, with a pair of leaves resting on them. She stood up straight and streched, her fair hands reaching for the sky, as she let out a breath.
Storm approached, lowering his head to nuzzle her. "Hehe, we made it to the outer layer! No more lessons for today, we can finally relax!" she exclaimed with a face full of relief. "Why do i have to practise so much anyway? It's because of that witch who doesn't even know what a smile is!" the girl's expression didn't show disdain, but rather a warm smile. She was just venting, there weren't any negative feelings in her heart.
The wolf let out a gentle growl, seemingly in agreement, as the girl started patting and pampering him from the side, treating him like a fluffy cushion.
But just then, Storm suddenly stiffened, his gaze fixed on a distant point in the forest, through the countless trees.
"Huh? Storm, is everything okay?" the girl asked, anxiety creeping into her voice. This wasn't the reaction of being found out by her teacher, the forementioned witch, this was completely different!
The wolf, now agitated, began to emit low, threatening growls, his gaze unwavering. The girl furrowed her brow, feeling the tension radiating from her companion.
Storm was not just any beast; he had once led his own pack in this forest, known as the [Forest of Disasters]. After a fierce battle with a more formidable foe, he had been gravely injured, only to be found and nursed back to health by the very girl who now played with him.
His senses surpassed the young girl's, and she was not naive enough to ignore her intelligent companion.
With a flicker of blue lightning crackling from his fur, Storm's whole body was ready to jump into action at any moment to protect the girl.
BOOM! A distant explosion echoed from the the deeper parts of the forest, slightly shaking the ground beneath them.
"What was that? Storm, let's go back! I think beast is escaping to the outer layer of the forest!" she urged, her heart racing as she seemed to recall some memories from the past. Her heart was racing, yet the large beast remained rooted, unwavering in the face of danger.
BOOM! The second explosion reverberated through the forest, louder than the previous one by many-fold, accompanied with the sound of glass breaking.
The girl's heart sunk, as this sound was all too familiar to her. Just a year ago, this noise was the point that marked her father's death, the breaking of a seal that surrounded the [Forest of Disasters].
She fell back, trauma washing over her beautiful blue eyes, her expression ugly as the memories she was trying her best to restrain flooded her mind.
Not even a moment had passed after the second explosion, when the sky began to darken ominously. Dark clouds gathered at an alarming speed, swirling together to form a vortex in the sky from deep in the forest. Through the opening between the trees, the girl looked up and could see the changes occuring in the sky from a distance.
There was no lightning in the sky, no rain, just an unsettling silence. The tension in the air grew thick, the very atmosphere seemed to be anticipating an unspeakable event.
The lightning around Storm gathered into long, jagged tendrils, brimming with anticipation.
"Is that... an eye?" the girl gasped, her heart pounding in her chest. Her eyes widened in fear as the clouds in the distance twisted and expanded, forming an oval shape in the sky.
A colossal eye emerged from the swirling darkness, staring down upon the forest with an intensity that felt like it could pierce through flesh and bone. The oppressive pressure it radiated made time seem to freeze, causing the girl to feel both awe and terror. The eye lingered for only a few heartbeats, but in that moment, it exuded a presence that silenced the entire forest around them.
The eye started to fade as quickly as it had formed, the girl could hardly comprehend what she had witnessed. From the explosions to the phenomenon in the sky, it had all taken but a few breaths. And yet, its felt like an eternity in her mind.
Storm growled and let his long sharp teeth show, as he twisted his body to shield the girl, when a voice broke the heavy silence.
"I apologise for the commotion, young miss" the voice reached her ears as her hair stood on end. From the shadows of the trees, a man about the same height as the girl stepped out , wearing a torn black robe, seemingly destroyed from the passage of time, resembling the clothing of a beggar.
The man looked very young yet his body was in shambles, skinny and sickly as if he had been starved for months and the parts of his skin that were exposed were filled with cracks, like shattered glass with a dark red glow behind them, save for his face and hands.
But from all the bizzare characteristics of his body, what drew the attention of the girl were his eyes. Silver white pupils, same as his long hair that reached his lower back. The man in front of her was blind, and yet his tranquil gaze was still fixated on her.
As the man took a few steps closer to the duo with his bare feet touching the grass , Storm seemed to calm down completely, his spiky fur settling down and the lighning around his body dissipating into the surroundings.
The man extended his hand and the wolf stepped forward as he lowered his head and rubbed against his palm affectionately, like a puppy meeting a friend and waiting to be praised.
The tense atmosphere settled completely, the actions of Storm took the girl completely by surprise, and she took the opportunity to stand up.
"I would advise against attacking. I assure you, i have no intention of harming your pupil."
His words held a peculiar weight, and the hot-blooded girl was quick to respond in retaliation after a short pause "Who ar-" Her words were cut short as a shadow slithered from her own, materializing into a strikingly beautiful woman and covering her mouth.
The girl felt an inexplicable sense of relief upon seeing her teacher appear by her side. The woman knelt gracefully, her long dark hair cascading down as she prompted her student as well, assuming a similar position, albeit a little clumsy.
"My apologies if i have offended you in any way, Great One. My name is Yselda Dawnblade, and this is my pupil, Aurelia Dawnblade. The wolf beside your grace is named Storm. Is there anything we can do for you?" she spoke as she kept her gaze lowered, wary of inciting any displeasure from the enigmatic man.
Aurelia, meanwhile, observed the beads of sweat forming on her mentor's brow, her confusion showing on her face. ("Great One? Who is this man?") is all she could think at that moment.
The stranger showed hints of a smile, as his eyes shifted their focus on the woman in front of him. He shook his head.
"I don't need such titles; they are merely wasted words. You may call me Kael. For a member of your race to know obedience and respect, times have truly changed. Stand up, theres no need for such actions for a strong individual like you."
Yselda's worry deepened in her heart as she and her pupil stood up, the meaning of the words sinking in. ("Member of you race?") He could see through her identity within a moment? Or was he here because he already knew? Doubts appeared in the womans head, yet her face remained calm.
She bowed, her alluring curves even more distinct as she smiled "Thank you for the compliment, sir Kael."
Storm walked over and stood next to the young girl who was looking dumbfounded at the scene. She unconsiously placed her hand on her furry friend's back and tried to speak but no words came out.
Her blue eyes were glued on Kael, she pressed her lips in determinatin and expressed her curiosity "Was that your doing earlier?"
"Aurelia!" The mature woman yelled upon hearing her unruly student speak without formalities.
"Its alright" Kael assured Yselda.
"Your teacher is just being wary of me because she cant sense any strength from me. As for the answer, the eye that you saw earlier was not my doing; it was an old friend coming to check up on me. Although your teacher might know her better than me."
The curious eyes of the girl immediately landed on her teacher, expecting an answer.
Yselda sighed as she had never won against the curiosity of the troublemaker. "I was further away but could feel the flow of magic filling the whole forest. That was definitely the presence of Queen Selene. We have only fought once during the Tournament of the Great 7, but the presence of her divine arts was rather unique. I eventually lost but was not greatly wounded; If we had kept fighting, the victor would be unclear. This win earned her a place among the Great 7, but i don't remember her strength being this great." She finished her words with a slightly puzzled look.
"Queen Selene? How interesting..." Kael's ghastly gaze fell on the floor, as his smile widened, leaving one wondering what his relation with her was.
He collected his thoughts after a while and smiled "Would the two of you ladies guide me back? It is fate that we met here today, i promise to repay the favor in the future."
Aurelia exchanged a glance with Yselda, both uncertain of his identity.
"Of course, it would be an honor." Yselda replied, her voice steady as she bowed once again.
Why was Yselda so respectful to this man? Aurelia could guess to a certain extent. He came from the inner layer of the [Forest of Disasters] and yet showed no strength and no unique aura. This could only mean that he was concealing his own power, and even Yselda was unable to sense it! Who is this girl's teacher? A formidable mage who stood just below the level of the Great 7, the seven most powerful characters in the middle continent.
As they turned to walk back outside of the forest, the weight of the encounter lingered in the air, filled with unspoken questions.
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