Chapter 11: The Echoes of Awakening
Three months had passed since Elias dreamt of the past—the memory of Serana's last stand still lingered like a ghost behind his eyes. In that time, the nameless boy, whose identity was lost even to himself, had grown at an astonishing rate.
His hair, once ragged and uneven, now swept back naturally, with strands falling across his forehead. His skin was tanned from the sun, and the subtle contours of muscle beneath his training garments were becoming more visible by the day. He wore a simple grey tunic tucked into fitted black trousers, with old leather boots that had seen better years. A thin cloth sash was tied around his waist—a small gift from Lina.
Lina, once the clear superior in battle, now found herself straining to keep pace with the boy's swift evolution. Her twin braids bounced with every movement, and her sleeveless vest, dark brown and reinforced with light padding, clung to her form as she danced across the sparring field. Her boots were newly patched, and a fingerless glove adorned her dominant hand, laced with a faint runic marking that shimmered under sunlight.
They had sparred daily, each session more intense than the last. But one morning, the boy attempted something different. A large rock, jagged and embedded in the dirt behind the cabin, had irritated him. He extended his hand, willing fire to destroy it. Yet instead of flames, the rock trembled—then flew straight into his open palm.
Elias, leaning by the cabin doorway with arms crossed, raised a brow. "That's not fire magic."
The boy blinked. "What is it then?"
"Push and pull," Elias murmured, stepping forward, eyes narrowed. "A rare affinity. Not elemental. Not tied to nature or flame. It's force magic. You manipulate direction, momentum, gravity—either pulling something to you or shoving it away. It's instinctual, but dangerous. Many who wield it lose control."
The boy tested it again. Small stones wobbled, then zipped toward him. He flinched. One nicked his cheek.
Lina snorted. "Work on your aim, genius."
They trained the entire day, surrounded by the scent of pine, the chirp of forest birds, and the warm rustle of wind passing through the trees. As evening painted the sky in soft crimsons and violets, the three shared dinner quietly.
Later that night, under the silver gaze of a full moon, Lina crept toward the door. Her vest was replaced with a long-sleeved cloak stitched with fur at the collar, her boots silent on the floorboards.
But as she opened the door, a voice made her freeze.
"Where are you going, Lina?"
The boy stood outside, arms crossed, eyes faintly glowing under the moon's reflection. His white tunic shimmered faintly in the soft light, and his expression was unreadable.
She didn't answer, stepping into the forest. He followed.
They wandered deeper. The trees here were older, gnarled roots twisting like serpents across the mossy ground. Silverlight from the moon filtered through the branches, creating lace-like shadows on the forest floor. Crickets sang, and the wind rustled like distant whispers.
"Elias told us not to come this far," he warned.
Lina ignored him.
He grabbed her wrist.
"Lina, wai—"
The ground cracked beneath them. The moss gave way to loose dirt. With a gasp, both of them plummeted into darkness.
They landed hard, rolling down a slope of jagged stone and broken roots until they came to rest in a hollow cavern beneath the mountain.
The boy groaned, pushing himself up.
Lina sat up, rubbing her shoulder. "Where… are we?"
Before either could answer, the air turned heavy. Thick. Poisonous.
A slithering noise echoed in the dark.
A shape slithered from the shadows.
The creature was enormous. Its scales shimmered with iridescent black and crimson patterns. Horns curled from either side of its serpentine skull, and glowing yellow eyes narrowed like burning coals. Its fangs dripped venom, and its body coiled around broken stone pillars covered in ancient script.
The demon's aura crushed the air. The cavern trembled. Even standing was difficult.
The boy gritted his teeth, grabbing a large branch from the ground, focusing his magic.
Lina raised her hands, fire swirling between her palms.
The battle began.
Lina shot bursts of flame, trying to blind the beast. The boy focused, pulling stones from behind the demon, trying to impale it through the back. The snake hissed, tail whipping out and slamming the walls. One strike flung Lina across the floor, scraping her shoulder against jagged rock.
The boy rushed forward, slamming a pillar into the serpent's side with a pull. It roared, striking him with its tail. He flew backward, coughing blood, but stood again.
Together, they kept fighting. Fire met fang. Stone clashed against scale. Their clothes tore. Blood trickled down their foreheads. Lina's cloak burned at the edges. The boy's tunic was now soaked red.
Then—the demon paused.
Its eyes locked on Lina.
"I know your father," it said, voice guttural and ancient. "He imprisoned me in this place… and now his spawn comes to gloat?"
It lunged.
"Lina!"
The boy yanked her away with a desperate pull, both of them crashing into the wall.
The demon laughed. "Oh, I didn't even notice you there."
Its gaze fell on the boy.
"How sad. You are nothing but trash."
"Shut up!" the boy shouted, stepping forward.
He gently set Lina behind a stone outcrop, smiling faintly. "Leave this to me."
The serpent hissed. "I'm going to eat you both. Why do you—"
"I said SHUT UP!"
The boy's voice echoed unnaturally. His pupils shrank. A crackle of energy burst around him.
The snake's eyes widened. Its body slithered back, uncertain.
"What is… he doing here? H-he's... no... impossible. You're not supposed to exist. You were erased. You were sealed. Wiped from this plane... how… how are you—"
The words tore at the boy's mind like claws.
He dropped to his knees.
His head pounded. Blood trickled from his nose.
"AHHH!" he screamed, clutching his chest, eyes wide with pain. The words echoed again and again. Something deep within him trembled, like a door rattling on rusted hinges.
The serpent snapped.
Its eyes rolled. Its body spasmed. Sanity shattered. It lunged in rage, its speed tripled, scales glowing with a demonic red. Its tail struck the cave floor—
CRACK!
Both Lina and the boy were slammed into the earth. Blood splattered. The boy's vision went dark.
And then—
A flash of silver.
The demon's head fell with a thunderous crash.
Above, descending from the forest canopy, stood Elias. His blade was coated in thick, black ichor. His cloak flared behind him, reflecting the first rays of sunrise that pierced through the cavern ceiling.
He sighed. "These children… what am I supposed to do with them?"
Two Days Later
The boy awoke to the scent of pine and the warmth of morning light. He sat up slowly, shirtless and bandaged. Outside, Lina had just finished eating and was headed to train again, her cloak fluttering behind her.
"Follow me," Elias said from the doorway.
They walked until the trees thickened, massive roots forming stairways and ridges. Elias leapt onto a branch with ease, sitting casually.
The boy joined him. The trees were wide enough for two to sit comfortably.
"I want to thank you for saving Lina," Elias said, his voice low. "But what you did was stupid. Reckless. You're like a son to me. I can't bear to watch you die senselessly."
He paused.
"Her mother's gone. We were betrayed. That's how Lina and I ended up in this place."
Silence settled. Birds chirped faintly. The sun shimmered across dew-laced leaves.
"…You're leaving soon, aren't you?" Elias asked.
The boy nodded. "I don't know who I am. But I want to find out."
Elias smiled.
"Then take Lina with you."
"Huh?"
"I want her to see the world. My wife would've wanted that. Please."
The boy shook his head. "Don't beg. You don't need to. You fed me. Sheltered me. Treated me like family. I'd die to protect you both. And Lina is my little sister. I'll protect her, always."
Elias chuckled. "Take care of her."
"You don't even have to ask."
Behind them, hidden in the bushes, Lina listened—tears welling in her eyes.
The sun shone brightly. Elias sat cross-legged near the cabin, eyes closed, soaking in the light.
Lina and the boy emerged with small, patched travel bags slung across their shoulders.
Elias turned. "Don't trust people too easily. Trust each other. And don't ever split up."
Lina hugged him tight. She trembled but didn't cry.
The boy smiled. "Take care, old man."
They turned, walking away from the place they had called home. With every step, the forest faded behind them.
"You're not gonna cry?" the boy teased.
"No," Lina muttered.
From afar, Elias called out, "When you return, I'll be right here. Tell me everything."
The boy couldn't hold back. Tears slid silently down his cheeks.
They turned, waved, and smiled.
Then the trees swallowed them whole, and their journey began.