Stark plummeted, and the wind whistled past him. With his life flashing before his eyes, he erupted thick vines from his claymore.
The vines shot towards his brothers and the canopy like a striking snake. The ends wrapped tightly around them and a tree branch below.
"Hold on," Stark demanded.
Tightening their holds on their vines, Matteo, Hafen, and Stark dove through the canopy of the Dark Depths. They smashed through branches and tore through leaves. They plunged and swung into the darkness below.
Leaves, twigs, and startled bird-like monsters exploded around them.
As the vine snapped, Hafen, Stark, and Matteo bounced and ricocheted from branch to branch in a brutal, chaotic tumble. Finally, they crashed onto the mossy ground with a collective groan.
Above, Prince Kain's enraged cries faded into the distance.
Hafen winced, and a fresh cut on his forehead dribbled blood down his temple. "Is everyone okay," he managed to say.
"I'm alive," Matteo whimpered while hugging his rapier as if it were a long-lost friend.
Stark pushed himself up. His body ached, but he ignored the pain. "We failed," he growled and slammed a fist against a tree.
The impact brought the tree down. Dust and leaves exploded into the air.
Matteo flinched and raised his hands.
"We couldn't even get close," Stark whined. He sat on the fallen tree and buried his face in his hands. He remembered the black fire that killed their parents, the zombies that invaded their school, and now this powerful adversary. He felt helpless and weak, and an unbridled rage consumed him. His body trembled, and the veins on his neck and arms bulged.
Hafen, noticing the change, slowly backed away. "Stark? Calm down," he cautiously pleaded.
Stark looked at him. His battle suit creaked and tightened as his muscles swelled and grew to an unnatural size.
The ground cracked beneath his feet.
"Not this again. Don't get angry," Matteo begged and scurried back.
Memories flooded Stark's mind. Each memory fueled his change. Craving the power to protect the ones he loved, he was ready to do whatever it took to get it, even if it meant losing himself.
"Son, control your anger. Don't let it consume you," Henry, with a gentle yet firm voice, echoed in Stark's mind.
Stark froze. He took a deep, shuddering breath. His strange energy receded, and his muscles shrank back to their normal size. Exhausted and ashamed, he slumped to the ground. "I'm sorry," he muttered.
Hafen and Matteo rushed to his side. They placed a comforting hand on his shoulders.
"It's alright," Hafen comforted with a relieved sigh.
"We need to get stronger and defeat that giant baby," Stark asserted with a stern expression.
Hafen bandaged his own head with a large leaf. "Those bodyguards are stronger than the regular ones, as strong as Brad. We need a plan and a better understanding of our elemental weapons," he noted.
"At least we're alive, and they won't be able to get us from here," Matteo reminded, and he shivered as a cold breeze blew.
"Kain must be his name," Hafen assumed. He stood and scanned the area with a thoughtful frown.
The familiar oppressive darkness of the Dark Depths settled in.
Hafen looked up, but the dense canopy of leaves had regrown and blocked out the sky. "We're lost, deep in the forest," he deduced.
"We can't give up," Stark encouraged.
Hafen affirmed with a nod. "We won't. We have to find the Orphanage before that giant baby, Prince Kain, does. The other orphans are in danger."
Just then, a rustle in the bushes reverberated.
Stark readied his claymore and suggested with a smirk, "Let's get some training on our way over there."
Hafen unsheathed his katana. "I agree," he approved.
Matteo readied his rapier with a nervous grip.
From the bushes, a massive boar-like monster with gleaming tusks emerged. Targeting three kids, her eyes burned with a feral look, and she licked her lips, looking forward to a meal. With a snort, a puff of steam shot from her nostrils, and she charged, kicking up dirt and leaves behind her.
"I'll handle this," Stark announced and stepped forward.
The boar monster lowered her head and aimed her tusks at him. With a powerful thrust, she lifted Stark into the air and spun around. She kicked him with her powerful legs.
Stark flew back and crashed into a tree. He gritted his teeth and ignored the pain. "That's all you got," he taunted and stood.
Hafen rushed forward and sliced the berserk monster's side.
A wave of water emerged and exploded on impact.
The boar monster stumbled back and squealed in pain. She glared at Hafen and roared. In an instant, large tusks extended from her snout, and a strange energy radiated from them. She charged again, and her hooves thundered against the ground. This time, she targeted Hafen.
Hafen sidestepped and swung the katana in a wide arc. A slash of water came out and sliced through the air.
The boar monster anticipated it and twisted her body with surprising agility, avoiding the attack. She lunged, scraping Hafen on the shoulder.
With the slight touch, the strange energy reacted with a crackle and exploded violently on his battle suit.
Hafen rolled to a halt. He clutched his smoldering shoulder and winced. He stared at the torn fabric and the burned skin beneath. "Her attacks... They are like Anhanga's," he deduced with a pained grunt. He observed the energy crackling around the tusks.
"I'll handle this," Matteo insisted and stepped in front of Hafen. He swiftly circled the boar monster as his rapier glowed a faint red.
The boar monster's eyes darted to him.
A small jet of flame shot out and struck her.
The boar monster cried out in agonizing pain and jolted around. The flame singed her fur, revealing a patch of raw, blistered skin beneath. A tear fell from one of her eyes.
Matteo noticed her anguish. "Sorry," he muttered and hesitated.
Just then, the boar monster rumbled with a furious cry. In an instant, an armored plating of rock grew from her back, shielding her from any fire.
"No way," Matteo gasped and jumped back. He clutched the rapier with a trembling hand.
Stark and Hafen stood beside him, watching in shock.
The boar monster stomped her hooves, and the ground shook. She charged in a mindless rage, and an aura of energy covered her.
Trying to keep his balance on the trembling ground, Stark slammed the claymore into the dirt.
Vines erupted from the earth and coiled around the boar monster's legs.
The boar monster tripped forward. She thrashed wildly, and with a wild snort, she snapped the bindings.
Stark's eyes widened in surprise. "She's strong," he admitted with a stammer.
The boar monster snorted and pawed at the ground.
"We have to be careful," Matteo noted.
Hafen remained silent and focused his gaze. "She's manipulating energy as that book hypothesized," he murmured with narrowed eyes.
Stark frowned and queried, "What do you mean?"
"Some of the flora and fauna in The Sacred Forest can manipulate energy. We've encountered them before, like Anhanga," Hafen explained.
Matteo watched the boar monster's every move with the precision of a scientist studying a new specimen. His eyes opened in clarity and realization. "If we can harness that energy, we could create weapons or tools that could potentially help us defeat monsters. That's what you said in class, right?" He glanced down at his rapier and suggested, "Maybe our elemental swords can do more than shoot fire, manipulate water, or create vines. What if we can harness the energy for other things, too?"
Hafen's expression softened in understanding. "I think you might be right, Matteo," he commended.
The boar monster, confused by their hesitation, seized the opportunity. She stomped her hoof, and a larger aura of raw energy pulsed from her. She charged.
Hafen and Matteo dove away. They rolled and sprang back to their feet.
The boar monster slammed into Stark.
Stark tumbled across the forest floor and scraped against the dirt.
"Stark," Matteo yelled.
Hafen analyzed the crackling energy around the boar monster. "I have an idea," he informed Matteo. He faced the boar monster, and he raised the katana. Instead of unleashing a wave of water, he held it steady and focused not on the moisture in the air but on the energy radiating from the boar monster. He felt its rapid, fleeting frequency like a dazzling dance of light. He imagined that very dance becoming one with his katana. "I'll harness it. Energy," he whispered.
The boar monster turned her complete attention to him with a flicker of surprise.
Hafen's katana began to vibrate, and a faint, yellow light flickered and intensified along the blade. Suddenly, sparks of lightning crackled around it.
Hafen swung his katana in a wide arc.
A jagged bolt of lightning erupted and connected.
The boar monster shrieked as the electricity coursed through her body. Her fur stood on end underneath her armor. A plume of smoke rose from her singed hide.
Matteo watched in amazement. He turned to Stark. "Stark, did you see that," he inquired with wide eyes.
Stark had pushed himself up. He spat out a mouthful of blood and stared at Hafen with a dumbfounded look. "How did you do that," he questioned quietly with awe.
Hafen lowered the katana, and the electricity faded. He panted heavily and wiped the sweat from his brow.
The boar monster shook her head. She glared and charged.
Stark smirked with a competitive spirit. "If Hafen can do it, so can I," he declared. Instead of plants, he concentrated on the ground beneath. He imagined the solid, unyielding nature of the earth meeting his command. He glared at the boar monster. "You're going down," he snarled with a grim determination settling over his features. In an instant, he slammed his elemental claymore into the ground with a force that sent a tremor through the area.
The elemental claymore quickly trembled and glowed an orange light.
"Let's see how you handle this," Stark exclaimed.
Vines didn't erupt from the ground this time. Instead, a row of sharp, rock spikes shot up from the dirt. They formed a deadly barrier in the path of the charging boar monster.
The boar monster skidded to a halt, but it was too late. She impaled herself on the spikes. A strangled cry escaped her lips. She desperately broke free from the spikes. As blood gushed from her wounds, she glared at Stark with pure hatred. She gathered all her energy into a final attack.
Hafen readied his katana again. "We have to finish this, now," he urged.
Matteo stared at the rock plating growing on the boar monster's back. "It's my turn," he murmured and tightened his grip on his rapier.
The boar monster roared in desperation and charged.
Matteo stepped forward and thrust his rapier in her path.
His rapier swiveled and emitted a bright brown light.
A series of small rocks shot out from the point. They flew through the air and struck the boar monster in the head. In a flash, they exploded with energy.
The boar monster stumbled back and shook her head. She blinked in confusion.
Hafen saw his opening. He lunged forward and thrust the katana into her heart. He quickly pulled it out, tearing the flesh.
The boar monster let out a pathetic whimper. She collapsed to the ground with a loud thud.
Stark let out a sigh of relief and leaned against a tree. "That was intense," he commented with a smirk.
Hafen cleaned the blood off his katana with a large leaf and sheathed it. He retained his serious look.
Matteo rushed to the boar monster's side and placed a hand on her side. "She's just a monster trying to survive. You didn't have to kill it," he murmured with a sad expression.
Stark walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "She attacked us first, Matteo. We had no choice," he reminded.
Hafen clarified, "That monster was unpredictable, yet her intentions were made clear. To kill and devour. We can't show mercy to every monster we encounter."
Matteo slowly stood up. He clutched his rapier and nodded with a slight reluctance. "I understand," he replied.
Hafen stared at his katana with a thoughtful expression. "We're getting stronger," he concluded with a slow nod.
Stark looked at the dead boar monster with a hungry expression. "I'm starving. Let's eat," he urged.
Hafen agreed with a sigh, "We'll need our strength."
Soon, the aroma of roasting meat filled the air.
Stark tore a piece of meat from a skewer and took a bite. "It's a bit tough, but it's still really tasty," he praised.
Matteo nibbled on a piece, and he patted his stomach in delight.
Hafen stared into their campfire. "Now that we can do more with our elemental weapons, I believe we stand a chance against Prince Kain," he expressed with a glimmer of hope.
"Come on then. We'll find The Orphanage and stop him. Our siblings need us," Stark urged with a confident grin and led the way.
As they ventured through the dense forest, Matteo, Stark, and Hafen experimented with their newfound abilities. Hafen called forth small sparks of lightning that fizzled and crackled around his katana, Stark summoned small walls and pillars with his claymore slam, and Matteo sent small pebbles flying with a thrust of his rapier. How will they now fare against Prince Kain?