That morning, the sun had just pierced through the thick mist over the village of Lerend. The brave warriors were ready for their journey. Kaelan stood in the middle of the courtyard, gripping his sword tightly. His gaze was fixed on the path stretching toward the mountains.
"Ready?" Lyra's soft voice came from behind him.
Kaelan turned and gave a faint smile. "Honestly, I don't know. But I guess there's no other choice, right?"
Lyra nodded, her eyes full of determination. "We all have doubts, Kaelan. But what matters is that we take the step together."
Meanwhile, Gravin gave his final instructions to the group. With a commanding voice, he addressed everyone gathered.
"The road to Drakar will not be easy! The dark forest ahead is home to hunter Orcs. They won't hesitate to attack us if they sense our presence. Stay alert and don't act recklessly!"
Edrin, the young archer, raised his hand. "And if I see an Orc? Can I test my arrows on it?"
The tense atmosphere instantly lightened with Edrin's joke. Some laughed, including Gravin.
"You can try, Edrin," Gravin replied with a small grin. "But make sure it doesn't invite their entire pack toward us!"
Kaelan, overhearing the exchange, approached Edrin. "You really like stirring up trouble, don't you?"
Edrin grinned widely. "Hey, we need a little fun on this journey, don't we?"
Before long, they began moving. The path, which was initially wide and bright, gradually narrowed into a trail surrounded by towering trees. The forest felt eerily silent—too silent.
"This isn't normal," Lyra whispered, walking beside Kaelan.
Kaelan nodded, sharpening his senses. He could feel the blue crystal's aura within him pulsing faintly, as if giving a warning.
"Gravin," Kaelan called out in a low voice. "Something feels off here. It's like we're being watched."
Gravin halted and raised his hand, signaling the group to stop. He squinted his eyes, straining to hear the sounds around them.
"Everyone, be ready," he said quietly but firmly.
Lyra clasped her hands together, preparing to cast a barrier spell. Edrin drew his bow, scanning the shadows between the trees.
Suddenly, a rumbling noise echoed in the distance. Heavy footsteps were approaching.
"Orcs," Gravin whispered. "And they're not coming alone."
Kaelan gripped his sword, his heart pounding. He tried to control the flow of blue energy within him, as Gravin had taught him before.
"Lyra, protection!" Gravin commanded.
Lyra raised her hands, creating a transparent barrier that surrounded the group. Moments later, large figures emerged from the trees. Massive Orcs with dark green skin, wielding axes and spears, glared at them with hatred in their eyes.
Edrin didn't wait long. He quickly released the first arrow, striking one of the Orcs square in the chest.
"Just a warm-up!" Edrin shouted as he prepared another arrow.
However, the Orc that had been struck only flinched slightly before growling in anger. The group of Orcs began charging toward them.
"Prepare to fight!" Gravin shouted as he unsheathed his sword.
Kaelan stepped forward, standing beside Gravin. The blue energy began to envelop his sword, making it glow brightly.
"This is it, Kaelan," Gravin said, glancing at him.
Kaelan nodded. "Alright. Let's see what this sword can do."
The battle began.
---
The battle erupted swiftly. The Orcs charged with deafening roars, wielding axes and spears that seemed like extensions of their bodies. Kaelan stood at the front, the blue energy enveloping his sword pulsating more intensely.
"Kaelan, don't be reckless!" Gravin shouted as he deflected an Orc's spear strike.
Kaelan nodded, but his focus was on the massive Orc charging straight at him. With a quick leap, he swung his sword, creating a trail of blue light that cut through the air. The strike hit the Orc hard, forcing it back a few steps, but it still stood tall.
"They're tougher than I thought," Kaelan muttered, panting.
Elsewhere, Edrin was busy firing arrows at an extraordinary speed. Each of his shots hit its target, but the Orcs seemed unfazed.
"Ordinary arrows aren't enough for them!" Edrin yelled. "Got another plan?"
Lyra, positioned in the middle of the group, concentrated her magical energy. With a soft but firm voice, she began chanting a spell. A circle of light appeared on the ground, shielding the group from ranged attacks.
"I need time to finish this!" Lyra called out. "Hold them off as long as you can!"
Gravin, standing to Kaelan's right, drove back two Orcs with the sheer force of his blade. He glanced at Kaelan, who was still struggling to grasp the flow of his energy.
"Kaelan, focus! Let the power flow—don't rely just on your muscles!" Gravin urged.
Kaelan took a deep breath, trying to calm his mind. Slowly, he felt the blue energy start to merge with his body, like a gentle river flowing through him. As another massive Orc approached, he stepped forward confidently.
"Alright, let's try this," he murmured.
Kaelan swung his sword with a swift motion, and this time, the blue energy surged from its tip like a blazing wave. The attack struck the Orc with immense force, sending the creature flying into a large tree behind it.
"Ha! Finally! I'm starting to get the hang of this," Kaelan said with a satisfied grin.
"Good, but don't get overconfident," Gravin replied.
However, the Orcs didn't seem intimidated. Instead, they grew angrier and attacked with even more ferocity. One of them broke through Gravin's defense and leaped toward Lyra.
"Lyra, watch out!" Kaelan shouted.
In an instant, Kaelan sprinted with incredible speed. His body felt lighter, as if the blue energy inside him gave him an extra boost. With one powerful swing, he deflected the Orc's attack before it could reach Lyra.
"Thank you," Lyra said, still focused on her spell.
"No problem. But can you hurry up? They're only increasing in number!" Kaelan replied, retreating to his original position.
At the same time, a rumbling sound echoed from deep within the forest. Gravin glanced toward the source, his expression turning grim.
"We have a new problem," he said quietly but seriously.
From the shadows of the towering trees emerged a figure far more menacing than the other Orcs. It stood over twice the height of an average human, with a muscular body and pitch-black skin. It carried a massive sword radiating a dark aura.
"That's an Orc Captain," Gravin said in a hushed tone. "And he won't go down easily."
Kaelan swallowed hard, his eyes locked on the massive figure. The blue energy within him began to pulse faster, seemingly reacting to this new threat.
"In that case, let's see how far I can push this power," he said under his breath.
The Orc Captain stepped forward, his voice booming like thunder. "Weak humans! You will all become our prey!"