Fren stood opposite Jax, gripping his training sword with a nervous expression. Jax leaned lazily against Bruce, who was now propped up like a staff, the bear-faced halberd rolling its carved eyes.
"All right, Fren. Lesson one: you don't swing a sword like you're trying to swat a fly. It's an extension of your body, not a broomstick." Jax demonstrated with an exaggerated flourish, twirling Bruce like a baton.
Fren frowned, mimicking the motion. Instead of elegance, the wooden sword flopped awkwardly, almost hitting him in the knee.
Bruce snorted. "I've seen toddlers hold spoons better than that."
"Not helping," Fren muttered.
Jax chuckled. "Relax, kid. You'll get there… eventually. But you need more than practice. You need experience."
"Experience?" Fren asked, his voice cracking slightly.
Jax smirked and turned toward Ress, who was still lounging in the tree. "Hey, Ress! Got any low-level monsters around for this kid to try his hand at?"
Ress tilted his head, pretending to think. "Hmm… Lizy mentioned a monster near the South Glade. They're about as harmless as monsters get… unless you trip over their tails." He tossed a slip of paper with the coordinates, which Jax caught with ease.
"Perfect," Jax said, turning to Fren. "Congrats, kid. Field trip time."
Fren's face turned pale. "Field trip? To fight monsters? What if I get killed?!"
Jax patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Relax, you won't die. Not on my watch."
Bruce added with a grin, "And if you do, at least it'll be quick."
"Not funny!" Fren snapped.
Jax ignored him, turning back to Ress. "Where's Arem? She's the walking encyclopedia when it comes to monsters."
Ress pointed lazily toward the base. "In her room, as usual."
Jax grinned. "Figures. Thanks, Ress. Let's go, rookie."
Got it! Here's the updated continuation:
---
Fren trailed nervously behind Jax as they made their way to Arem's room. Jax kicked the door open without knocking, startling Arem, who was lounging in a pile of books and action figures.
"Jax! What the hell?!" Arem shouted, scrambling to protect a limited-edition figurine of a knight with glowing eyes.
"We've got a rookie who needs field experience," Jax said, nodding toward Fren. "And since you're the expert on monsters, you're coming with us."
Arem groaned dramatically, flopping back onto her chair. "No thanks. I'm busy. Ask Ress to babysit."
Jax crossed his arms, his smirk widening. "Oh, really? You sure about that? Because if you don't come…" He stepped over to her shelf, where a pristine collection of action figures was proudly displayed.
"Don't you dare," Arem warned, her tone sharp as she hugged her current figure protectively.
Jax reached out, picking up one of the figures—a dragon warrior in golden armor. "This one's nice. Real detailed. Shame if something happened to it."
Arem's eyes widened in horror. "Put it down! You monster!"
Jax raised the figure higher. "You've got three seconds to decide. Come with us, or Golden Boy here takes a nosedive."
"Okay! Okay! I'll come!" Arem shouted, scrambling to her feet. She snatched the figure from Jax's hand, cradling it like a baby. "You're pure evil, you know that?"
Jax grinned, unbothered. "Glad we're on the same page. Let's go."
As they left the room, Arem grumbled under her breath, glaring daggers at Jax. "First thing I'm doing when we get back is locking my door."
"Sure, sure," Jax replied casually, leading the way out of the base.
---
The three of them walked toward the South Glade, with Arem dragging her feet the entire way.
"So," Arem asked, breaking the silence, "what kind of monster are we dealing with? Something cool, I hope. Maybe a Shadow Wyvern or a Chaos Golem?"
Jax shrugged. "No clue. Ress just gave us the coordinates. Could be anything."
Arem froze mid-step. "Wait, what? You don't even know what we're up against?!"
Jax smirked. "That's why you're here. You're the expert, remember?"
"Oh, no, no, no. I did not sign up for this!" Arem protested. "What if it's something insane, like a Flesh Reaver? I don't have my gear! I'll die out there!"
"You're not gonna die," Jax said, rolling his eyes. "Besides, I'll protect you."
Arem snorted. "Yeah, right. The last time you said that, I ended up dangling from a tree while you fought a rock monster."
"That was one time," Jax replied.
"And I'm still traumatized!" Arem shot back.
Fren watched their bickering with growing unease. "Wait… what's a Flesh Reaver?"
Arem turned to him, grinning mischievously. "Oh, it's this massive, skinless beast with razor-sharp claws and a taste for human bones. Super fun!"
Fren paled. "Y-you're joking, right?"
"Maybe," Arem replied, her grin widening.
"Enough, you two," Jax said, waving them forward. "Let's get moving. We're almost there."
As they reached the forest, the air grew thicker, and the shadows seemed to stretch unnaturally. Fren gripped his wooden sword tightly, his knuckles white.
"So, what now?" Arem asked, crossing her arms. "Do we just wait for something to jump out and eat us?"
"Pretty much," Jax replied casually.
Arem groaned. "You're the worst leader ever."
Before Jax could reply, a rustling sound came from the bushes. All three froze as a low growl echoed through the clearing.
"Uh… that doesn't sound friendly," Fren whispered.
Jax smirked, readying Bruce. "Looks like the fun's about to start."
The bushes parted, and a massive creature emerged. It looked like a cross between a wolf and a lizard, with scales glinting in the faint light and glowing red eyes.
"Oh, great," Arem muttered. "A Razorback Stalker. These things are nasty."
"Details, Arem," Jax said, stepping forward.
Arem sighed, rolling her eyes. "Fine. Razorback Stalkers are fast, strong, and their tails are basically spiked whips. Avoid the claws, and aim for the underside—it's the only soft spot."
Fren stared at the creature, his heart pounding. "What if it—"
"Relax, rookie," Jax interrupted. "I've got your back. Arem, you're on support. Fren, try not to die."
"Very comforting," Fren muttered.
The creature roared, charging toward them.
"Here we go!" Jax shouted, rushing in with Bruce.
"Let the chaos begin," Arem said with a wicked grin,
And for Fren, it was trial by fire.
To be continued…