The air grew colder as Adam and Seren trekked into the Shadowspire Mountains. The towering peaks loomed over them, their jagged, snow-capped tops veiled in mist. The farther they went, the quieter the world became.
No sounds of birds. No rustling of small animals in the underbrush.
Just the wind, howling through the rocks like a distant whisper of something ancient and waiting.
Seren tightened her cloak around her shoulders. "This place feels… wrong."
Adam walked ahead, his golden eyes scanning the uneven, treacherous path. "Wrong in what way?"
Seren frowned, stepping carefully over a loose stone. "Like the mountains themselves don't want us here."
Adam smirked. "Sounds paranoid."
"I'm serious," Seren muttered. "Every step feels like we're trespassing on something that wants to swallow us whole."
Adam's smirk faded. In truth, he felt it too. It wasn't just the absence of life, it was something deeper. A pressure in the air.
The same kind of pressure he had felt when facing overwhelming threats back on Earth.
His nuclear core hummed faintly inside him. A warning.
"Stay sharp," he muttered.
Hours later, the narrow path brought them to an abrupt stop, a deep gorge, carved into the mountain like a scar. The gap was too wide to cross by foot, and the only remnants of an old bridge hung in rotting planks and frayed ropes.
Seren whistled. "Well, that's inconvenient."
Adam measured the distance with his eyes, then cracked his knuckles. "I can make the jump."
Seren blinked. "You what?"
Before she could react, Adam scooped her up into his arms.
Seren froze. "H-Hey, I didn't agree to...!"
"Hold on tight," Adam said casually.
And then he jumped.
A surge of golden nuclear energy flared around his legs, and the ground cracked beneath his feet. They shot forward, air rushing past them, the abyss yawning below.
For a brief moment, Seren's arms tightened around Adam's neck.
Then, in a smooth landing, Adam touched down on the other side, setting her gently on her feet.
Seren stumbled back, eyes wide, cheeks slightly pink. "You could've given me a warning!"
Adam smirked. "Where's the fun in that?"
Seren huffed, crossing her arms. "Next time, I'm throwing you instead."
Adam grinned, continuing forward. "Looking forward to it."
---
The Cragbear Attack
The playful moment didn't last.
Adam's energy sense flared, a sudden, sharp pulse in his mind.
Danger. Near.
"Get down!" he shouted.
A boulder suddenly moved, no, not a boulder.
A massive Cragbear, its hide covered in jagged, stone-like plates, burst from the underbrush, roaring loud enough to make the ground tremble.
Adam barely had time to react before the beast swiped at him with a massive claw.
The force alone could've shattered bones.
But Adam caught it.
His golden energy flared as he gripped the beast's claw with one hand, holding it in place.
Seren moved instantly, her twin swords flashing as she aimed for its exposed flank. But the Cragbear was fast, unnaturally so. It reared back, dodging her strike, then slammed the ground with a quake-inducing stomp.
Adam released the beast's claw and shot forward, wrapping his fist in nuclear energy.
A single uppercut.
His punch connected and the massive Cragbear was launched into the air, crashing down several feet away.
But it wasn't down.
The beast rose with a guttural growl, its obsidian eyes burning with rage.
"Damn thing's tough," Adam muttered.
Seren rolled her shoulders. "Then we hit harder."
Adam nodded. "Seren, left flank."
They moved in sync, Adam drawing the beast's attention with a high-speed feint, while Seren darted behind it, her blades carving into its back.
The Cragbear roared, twisting around too late.
Adam channeled his energy, compressing it into a focused point—then unleashed a precise blast aimed at the beast's exposed underbelly.
The golden energy pierced through.
With a final, strangled roar, the Cragbear collapsed, lifeless.
Adam exhaled, catching his breath. He turned to Seren, who was wiping her blades clean.
"Starting to feel like a proper team, huh?" he said with a smirk.
Seren glanced at him, then to his surprise, smirked back.
"About time."
---
Later that night, they camped in a small alcove, the fire flickering between them.
Adam lay on his back, hands behind his head, staring at the star-filled sky.
Seren sat beside the fire, absentmindedly sharpening her sword.
After a long silence, she spoke.
"You ever think about… what comes next?"
Adam glanced at her. "Next?"
"After all this. The cult, the training, the fights." She turned the blade in her hand. "Do you ever stop and wonder… what after?"
Adam was silent for a moment.
Back on Earth, he had a purpose.
He was Nuclear Sentinel.
He saved people. That was all he knew.
But here…
His golden eyes softened as he exhaled.
"…I don't know."
Seren frowned slightly.
"I guess I've never thought about 'after.'" Adam continued, watching the flames. "I just… keep moving forward. Stopping isn't an option."
Seren nodded, then smiled faintly. "That's a terrible plan."
Adam chuckled. "You got a better one?"
Seren poked at the fire with her sword.
"…Not yet."
The flames crackled between them.
And for a while, they just sat there.
Not as warriors.
Not as travelers.
But simply… as two people, sharing the same road.
...
Days passed since the battle with the Cragbear, the landscape shifting from dense forests to barren, rocky terrain, and with each passing moment, Adam and Seren ventured further into the Shadowspire Mountains. Their journey had been a test of endurance: the biting cold winds, the treacherous trails, and the constant looming feeling of something watching them, even when they couldn't see it. Adam's energy sense flared constantly, warning him of dangerous creatures that stalked them from afar, but nothing approached. Yet, that ominous feeling never left him.
By the fourth day, the air had grown noticeably thinner, and the path narrowed until it barely fit the width of a single person. Adam's thoughts turned inward as his nuclear core hummed steadily within him, its power still frustratingly untapped.
Their nights were spent in temporary shelters, huddled around small, smokeless fires, their bodies tense even in sleep. Adam's energy sense continued to warn him of creatures lurking in the shadows, but for some reason, nothing had attacked them since the Cragbear encounter. It was unnatural.
It was as if something… or someone had been keeping the predators away.
A Clearing in the Mountains
The next morning, after what felt like an eternity of traveling, they finally arrived at the clearing. The forest here opened up into a small yard, the ground covered with patches of thick, wild grass. A few low-hanging clouds drifted lazily in the sky, and the air was noticeably warmer. In the center of the yard, nestled between the towering peaks of the Shadowspire, stood a bungalow—a modest, stone structure, its walls weathered with time but sturdy.
It was… unexpectedly ordinary.
Adam's golden eyes darted to the trees surrounding the clearing, where a figure stood leaning against the trunk of a large tree, observing them.
Adam's energy sense did not detect his presence until that moment.
It was Kaelrik Stroud.
Leaning against a tree, his posture was relaxed, yet there was an undeniable presence about him, his silver-streaked hair fell just past his shoulders, tousled by the wind. His sharp, piercing blue eyes regarded them with the disinterest of a man who had seen far too much. A faint scar ran from his right cheekbone to his jaw, and despite his relaxed stance, Adam could feel it, an aura of absolute control.
This was no ordinary man.
This was a warrior. A master.
Kaelrik exhaled through his nose, shaking his head as if disappointed. "Took you long enough." His voice carried an edge of irritation.
Adam and Seren froze, exchanging looks of confusion.
"You knew we were coming?" Seren asked, her voice edged with irritation.
Kaelrik scoffed, pushing off the tree and stepping forward. "Of course, I did. I've known since the moment you entered these mountains." His eyes gleamed slightly, amusement flickering behind them. "Watching you stumble through my territory has been quite the spectacle."
Adam's jaw tightened at the casual dismissal. This man had known all along? He had let them struggle, let them freeze, let them think they were alone—while all the while, he had been watching.
Seren, less patient than Adam, crossed her arms. "Then why didn't you show yourself?"
Kaelrik's smirk deepened. "Because I don't care."
His voice was cold, detached.
Adam stepped forward, his golden eyes steady. "We came here for a reason."
Kaelrik tilted his head, feigning interest. "Oh? And what reason would that be?"
Adam took a deep breath. "We need your help."
For a moment, Kaelrik was silent. Then, he laughed, a short sharp bark of amusement. "My help? And why the hell would I waste my time on you?"
Adam clenched his fists. "Because I need to get stronger."
Kaelrik's expression darkened, the amusement fading instantly. "Strength? You think strength is the answer?" He took another step forward, his presence suddenly overwhelming. "Let me tell you something, boy. Strength is a curse."
His voice was sharp, like a blade cutting through the cold air.
Seren stiffened at his words. Adam, however, held his ground.
"I don't have time for philosophy," Adam said, his voice unwavering. "People are dying. The cult..."
"The cult," Kaelrik interrupted, his lips curling into a sneer. "Ah, yes. The Crimson Veil. The same bastards that wiped out my family."
Seren's eyes widened slightly at the revelation, but Adam remained focused.
"Then that means you should want to stop them too," Adam said.
Kaelrik's jaw clenched. "Don't assume you know what I want."
Adam took a step forward, determination blazing in his eyes. "Then tell me. What do you want, Kaelrik?"
Kaelrik stared at him for a long moment, then exhaled slowly. "I want you to turn around and leave. Now."
Adam's heart pounded in his chest. He had known this wouldn't be easy, but to be dismissed so utterly was more frustrating than he had imagined. He gritted his teeth, thinking. There had to be something else. Some way to break through.
Then, he remembered.
Reaching into his coat, Adam pulled out the sigil the village chief had given him.
Kaelrik's entire body went still.
He stared at the sigil, his expression unreadable. For the first time, Adam saw something shift in his eyes, something deeper.
Adam held it up. "The chief of Drakenfell gave me this. She said it was a promise you made. That if she ever brought this to you, you'd owe her one favor."
Kaelrik's eyes darkened. His fingers twitched slightly, but he remained still.
A long silence stretched between them. Then, Kaelrik sighed. "That old woman…" He ran a hand through his silver-streaked hair before narrowing his eyes at Adam. "Fine. I'll honor the favor."
Adam felt a flicker of hope until Kaelrik smirked coldly.
"That favor… is me letting you leave alive."
Adam's blood ran hot. His hands clenched into fists. "You can't be serious."
Kaelrik shrugged. "You don't get to decide what the favor is. I do. And I've decided, you live." He pointed toward the path leading back down the mountain. "Now go."
Adam stood his ground.
Seren tensed beside him.
"Not happening," Adam said, voice like iron.
Kaelrik's gaze sharpened. "You're bold. I'll give you that. But that won't change my answer."
Adam exhaled sharply, stepping forward one last time. "I won't turn back. I won't give up. I came here because I have a greater purpose than myself, and I need your training to achieve it."
Kaelrik's eyes flickered with something unreadable. Then, after a long, tense silence, he exhaled.
"…That energy you have."
Adam's golden eyes snapped up to meet his.
Kaelrik's gaze drifted over him as if truly seeing him for the first time.
"It's not mana. Not aura. It's something else. Wild and raging" His lips curled, slightly intrigued. "Alright, you have my attention."
Adam's heart pounded.
Kaelrik cracked his knuckles. "But that doesn't mean I'll train you. If you want my time, you'll have to earn it."
He reached down, picked up a small, thin twig from the ground, and twirled it between his fingers.
Adam's brow furrowed. "A twig?"
Kaelrik smirked. "The real weapon isn't the blade, it's the person who wields it. In the hands of a true master, even a twig can be deadlier than a great sword in the hands of a common warrior."
Then, he lifted the twig, holding it casually at his side.
"One hit." His voice was calm, steady, absolute.
"If you survive a single strike from me, I'll consider it."