Chapter 97: Trials of the Forest

Yenna crashed through the dense underbrush, her breath coming in sharp, ragged gasps. Vell’s voice echoed in her memory, “Stay calm!” It was easy for him to say. He was not the one who was completely alone in a forest that felt like it was alive with hostility.

She clutched her gauntlets, her fingers trembling slightly as she tightened her grip. She had to find Vell. Being out here by herself was not an option. ’Focus, Yenna,’ she whispered to herself, trying to still the frantic pounding of her heart. ’You can do this.’

She forced a deep breath, steadying her nerves, and then broke into a run. Every step felt heavy, her fear making her movements clumsy and loud. She tried to summon the mana that Vell had taught her to use, the strange and powerful energy that was now a part of her, but it felt like trying to catch water with her bare hands. The panic made it impossible to concentrate, and every failed attempt made her feel more hopeless.

The writhing roots that had attacked them before now lay lifeless on the forest floor, but the silence they left behind was even worse. A strange, tense energy filled the air, like the quiet before a violent storm. Her foot caught on a gnarled root, and she stumbled, landing hard on the ground. She bit back a curse, her growing frustration pushing aside some of her fear.

She scrambled back to her feet, leaning against a tree to catch her breath. Her chest heaved as her thoughts spiraled. The forest was not actively attacking her anymore, but she could feel it watching her, waiting.

She clenched her jaw. “No more,” she muttered, wiping the sweat from her brow. ’I am not helpless. I told myself I have to be strong for him. I cannot look so pathetic.’

Closing her eyes, she forced herself to focus on the mana inside her once again. It felt strange, almost alive, a raw and potent energy that was still distant, as if it did not trust her yet. But her desperation forged a fragile connection, a spark of understanding between her will and the power that coursed through her veins.

When she opened her eyes again, they were glowing with a faint, ethereal light that pushed back some of the oppressive shadows. The forest seemed to still, its hostility replaced by a more watchful, curious energy.

This time, she did not run. She moved deliberately, her footsteps quiet, her breathing calm and even. She raised her hands, and the air around her shimmered faintly, responding to her command.

“Okay, enough hiding. Come out.”

Her blood ran cold as two glowing red eyes emerged from the shadows. A beast stepped into view, a massive creature covered in matted fur, its lips pulled back in a snarl that revealed rows of jagged, yellowed teeth. This was not just another corrupted beast. It was bigger, more monstrous than any she had faced before.

Her pulse spiked, but she held her ground. She planted her feet, her hands steady, and the faint glow around her gauntlets intensified. When the creature lunged, she moved, not out of panic, but with a clear purpose. Her body flowed like water, moving around the swipe of its claws with a grace that surprised even herself.

The beast roared in frustration, its attacks becoming wild and frenzied. But Yenna did not flinch. She flowed around its strikes, her movements precise and measured. Each dodge seemed to sharpen her focus, and with every beat of her heart, she could feel the mana within her stir, responding more and more readily to her will.

She raised a hand, and a surge of energy formed a shimmering shield in front of her, just in time to block the creature’s next lunge. The impact sent her skidding back a few feet, but the beast recoiled as well, its snarl faltering for a moment. It had not expected that. Neither had she.

Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she pressed her new advantage. She moved swiftly, striking with a power that did not feel entirely her own. Her blows were focused and decisive, and each one that landed made the massive beast stagger.

’Something is strange,’ she thought, a strange warmth spreading through her from her core. ’It is like I am using his power. Like he is here with me, guiding my next move. I feel… strong and confident.’

The beast lunged again, but this time, she did not wait for it. She met its charge head-on, releasing a burst of energy from her gauntlets that sent it reeling. It snarled, but its movements were slower now, its aggression faltering. Yenna did not stop. Each strike, each burst of mana, made her stronger and more sure of herself.

She circled the beast, her breaths deep and steady, her gauntlets glowing faintly. The creature snarled again, shaking its head as if to clear it, but she could see the hesitation in its eyes. It was wounded, and it was getting tired.

Her own movements began to shift, becoming more instinctive, more fluid. She felt her body responding in ways she had almost forgotten. Her muscles coiled, her steps became light and feline. The mana inside her was not just fueling her strength; it was sharpening her senses to a razor’s edge.

The beast lunged one last time, its claws swiping in a desperate arc. She leaped to the side, landing on her toes with a predator’s grace. Her gauntlets crackled with energy as she crouched low, her glowing eyes locked on the creature. It turned to face her, its heavy breathing matching her own.

She pounced.

Springing forward, she closed the distance in an instant. She drove her gauntleted fist upward, striking the beast under its jaw with a resounding crack. It howled in pain, stumbling back, but she did not let up. She darted under its guard, her strikes swift and deliberate. She moved like a hunting cat, her body weaving around the beast’s claws and fangs with an almost unnatural precision.

Her final blow was decisive. She vaulted over the creature’s back, and as she flipped through the air, her gauntlets slashed downward, leaving glowing trails of energy in their wake. The beast roared in agony as its massive form crashed to the ground with a thunderous impact. It lay still, its red eyes dimming as the corrupted energy drained from its body.

She landed gracefully, her chest heaving as she took in the scene. The forest was unnaturally quiet now. She had won, but her muscles trembled with the exertion, and her mind reeled from what she had just done. A moment of triumph flickered within her, before a new sound sent a shiver down her spine.

“Impressive,” a voice drawled from the shadows, each word dripping with a cold malice. “But you are far from done.”

She froze, her eyes darting toward the darkness. Her glowing gauntlets flared brighter as she raised them defensively, scanning the forest for the source of the voice. Before she could pinpoint it, the world around her warped, and she vanished from the clearing, reappearing in an entirely new place.

“Welcome to my domain. I choose you as my prey.”

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