Kael and Seraphina set off first thing in the morning, the early light filtering through the thick canopy above as they made their way deeper into the forest. The bond they had forged the previous night weighed heavily on Kael's mind, but he knew he couldn't reveal everything to her just yet. The fact that he possessed a darkness affinity, the Eyes of the Abyss, and had already formed a secret organization were secrets he kept close. He sensed that Seraphina was also holding back, and the mystery of why his Eyes of the Abyss didn't work on her was something he couldn't ignore.
As they trekked through the forest, the dense foliage around them was almost suffocating, with tall trees that seemed to reach endlessly into the sky. The air was thick with humidity, making each breath feel heavy, and the undergrowth was dense, with ferns and bushes growing in wild abundance. The forest floor was a tangle of roots and fallen leaves, making their path uneven and treacherous. Despite the challenging terrain, the duo moved with purpose, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of movement.
Eventually, they arrived at a clearing in the forest. The space was large, the ground littered with broken branches and trampled vegetation, as if a massive creature had been here recently. The trees surrounding the clearing were bent and splintered, their bark scarred with deep gouges. Large boulders were scattered across the area, some piled high in what looked like makeshift shelters, creating an environment that resembled a gorilla's habitat.
Their suspicions were confirmed when they stumbled across a giant gorilla, its massive form moving silently through the clearing. The creature was immense, with thick, black fur covering its powerful body. Its muscles bulged with every step, and its chest heaved with slow, deliberate breaths. The gorilla's eyes were small but sharp, scanning the surroundings with an intelligence that was almost unsettling. Its hands were the size of tree trunks, ending in long, sharp claws that could easily tear through flesh and bone. The most striking feature, however, was the glowing key embedded in its forehead, pulsing with a soft blue light as it wandered the forest.
Seraphina, eyes fixed on the gorilla, asked Kael, "What's the plan to get that key?"
Kael considered their options. "You can take it head-on, and I'll provide ranged support."
Seraphina raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you fight on the front line? You're skilled with a sword."
Kael shrugged, a small smile on his lips. "Because I've got you. You're clearly more skilled with the sword than I am. Your magic is also more suited for close-range combat, while I'm more versatile. The most efficient method is to have both ranged and close-range support."
Seraphina pouted slightly, a playful glint in her eyes. "That's a little boring. Sometimes it's more fun to just charge in and see what happens."
Kael chuckled. "Sometimes it pays to strategize."
Seraphina smirked and lightly smacked Kael's shoulder. "Come on! We can totally take that gorilla."
Kael hesitated. "Erm, well... I suppose..."
"That's the spirit!" Seraphina said with a grin. "You go and attack the gorilla first."
Kael blinked in surprise. "What?"
Before he could protest, Seraphina kicked him out of the bush, sending him stumbling into the clearing, fully exposed to the gorilla.
"Hey, Seraphina!" Kael called out, but it was too late—the commotion had already drawn the gorilla's attention.
The massive beast turned slowly, its eyes narrowing as it focused on Kael. It growled, the sound deep and rumbling, vibrating through the ground beneath Kael's feet. The gorilla's lips peeled back, revealing sharp, yellowed teeth as it fixed its gaze on him, its breath coming out in harsh, snorting huffs.
Kael sighed, realizing there was no turning back now. The gorilla launched itself at him with surprising speed, its massive fist swinging down in a powerful punch. Kael jumped out of the way just in time, the ground where he had been standing exploding into a crater as the gorilla's fist connected with the earth.
Kael landed gracefully and quickly transmuted twin swords into his hands, the blades gleaming in the faint light that filtered through the trees.
The gorilla roared in anger, charging at Kael with all its might. Kael met the charge head-on, his swords flashing as he struck at the beast. The first attack came with a downward slash, aiming for the gorilla's shoulder, but the creature raised its arm, blocking the blade with its thick hide. The impact sent a shockwave through Kael's arms, but he didn't relent. With a twist of his wrist, he followed up with a swift upward cut, aiming for the gorilla's side. The blade connected, drawing a shallow wound, but the gorilla barely flinched.
The gorilla responded with a wild backhand swing, forcing Kael to duck low to avoid the blow. As he crouched, Kael transmuted the ground beneath the gorilla's feet into a slippery surface, causing the creature to lose its balance momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, Kael lunged forward, stabbing one of his swords into the gorilla's leg. The beast howled in pain, but its retaliation was swift—a powerful kick that sent Kael skidding back across the clearing.
Recovering quickly, Kael transmuted one of his swords into a whip, lashing out at the gorilla's arm. The whip coiled around the beast's limb, and with a sharp tug, Kael pulled the gorilla off balance again. He then transmuted the whip back into a sword, charging in to deliver a rapid series of strikes. Each slash found its mark, but the gorilla's thick hide absorbed much of the damage, and the creature's rage only seemed to grow.
The gorilla roared and pounded the ground, causing a shockwave that rippled through the clearing. Kael staggered but quickly regained his footing, transmuting one of his swords into a shield just in time to block the gorilla's next attack—a crushing blow aimed at his head. The impact dented the shield, but it held firm, allowing Kael to retaliate with a slash to the gorilla's arm. The beast howled again, swinging its other fist in a wide arc. Kael ducked, the punch whistling over his head, and countered with a low sweep aimed at the gorilla's knee. The blade bit deep, and the gorilla staggered, momentarily weakened.
Before the gorilla could recover, Seraphina leaped high into the air, her katana glowing with an intense light. With one swift, precise slash, she brought the blade down on the gorilla's neck, severing its head cleanly from its body. The massive beast collapsed with a final, shuddering groan, its lifeless form crashing to the ground.
Seraphina landed gracefully beside Kael, giving him a thumbs up. "Good job, Kael! You provided a great distraction."
Kael transmuted his weapons back into marbles, pocketing them with a wry smile. "You could have stepped in earlier, you know."
Seraphina shrugged, her expression playful. "Where's the fun in that?"
Suddenly, they heard clapping sounds coming from the shadows of the trees. Both of them turned to look, their senses on high alert.
From the dense foliage, several figures emerged, stepping out one by one. The first was a tall boy with a smirk on his face, followed by a group of students, each one armed and ready for a fight. They slowly revealed themselves, their expressions ranging from confident to eager, as they surrounded Kael and Seraphina.
The leader of the group stepped forward, clapping slowly and mockingly. "Congratulations on killing the gorilla. Now, if you'd be so kind as to surrender all your keys, it would be appreciated."
Seraphina narrowed her eyes, recognizing the boy. "You... I've seen you in our magic hand-to-hand combat class."
The boy smiled wider, clearly pleased. "I'm so glad you recognize me."
"Yes, your name is... Rocky!" Seraphina said confidently.
The boy's face twisted in irritation. "It's Adrian! How did you even get Rocky?"
The entire group of students snickered, trying and failing to suppress their laughter at the misnaming of their leader. Despite their best efforts to remain serious, the situation was undeniably hilarious.
Seraphina casually shrugged, her posture relaxed and nonchalant. "My bad," she said with a slight smile, clearly not too concerned about the mistake.
Kael stepped forward, his expression serious but with a hint of amusement. "So, what do you want, Rocky?"
Adrian's face turned red with frustration, his fists clenched at his sides. "It's Adrian! Adrian! How hard is it to remember that?" he snapped, his voice rising in pitch as his anger grew.
Kael raised an eyebrow, unfazed by Adrian's childish reaction. "What's the point in gathering such a large group? You need three keys per pair."
Adrian, still fuming, replied, "Yes, but after a day, the beasts were too strong, so we banded together to take one down. After that, due to the limited time, we decided to stick together and take down as many students as possible."
Kael sighed, rubbing his forehead with his palm. "I really don't understand your plan."
Seraphina smiled, drawing her katana with a smooth, practiced motion. "Well, we did say we'd only fight if they attacked us first."
Kael nodded, transmuting two swords into his hands, the blades gleaming in the sunlight. "Yes, we did say that."
The tension in the clearing was palpable as both sides stared each other down, weapons at the ready. The air was thick with anticipation, each student poised for the coming battle, their eyes locked on their opponents. The clearing, once filled with the sounds of the forest, was now silent, the only noise the steady breaths of those preparing to fight.
And then, all at once, everything seemed to freeze—each side waiting for the other to make the first move.
