Chapter 33 – Aric
The forest was quiet—too quiet. Aric and Daren moved carefully along a half-forgotten path, roots twisting like claws over stone. The deeper they went, the heavier the air became, as though the trees themselves were holding their breath.
Daren's hand lifted, signaling Aric to stop. "Something's watching us," he whispered. His eyes scanned the treetops, his grip tight around the hilt of his sword.
Aric strained his ears. At first, there was only silence. Then—a soft hum, like the ringing of glass, echoed faintly through the woods.
The air shimmered, rippling like heat haze, and from the shadows stepped a figure cloaked in pale light. It was tall, almost human, but its features were distorted—eyes glowing with shifting colors, its skin marked with faint runes that pulsed with each breath.
"A divine fragment," Daren muttered under his breath. "One of the lesser watchers Aion scatters across the world."
Aric's pulse quickened. "It's… a god?"
"Not a god. A shadow of one. But dangerous enough."
The being tilted its head, studying Aric as though peering into his soul. When it spoke, its voice was layered—male and female, young and old, all at once.
"Child of mortality. Why do you resist the flow?"
Aric blinked. "What—what do you mean?"
The being raised a hand, and the runes on its arm blazed brighter. "The system has marked you. I can feel its rejection in your veins. You walk a path that should not exist."
Aric's stomach knotted. It was talking about the Taboo knowledge, the whispers Daren had shared in secret.
Daren stepped forward, placing himself between Aric and the being. "He's under my protection. Leave."
The figure's glowing eyes narrowed. "Your defiance is noted. But the system does not tolerate corruption."
It raised its hand, and the air shattered into shards of light that spun like knives. With a motion, the blades launched forward.
Daren moved instantly, his sword flashing as he deflected two of the blades. "Aric, move!"
Aric dove behind a tree as shards exploded against bark, leaving smoking cuts as though the wood itself bled. His heart pounded. This wasn't like sparring with sticks or even fighting a system enforcer. This was something other.
Daren lunged at the being, their clash sending sparks of mana across the clearing. Steel struck light, each blow rattling the air. But Aric could see the strain in his father's stance—the divine being wasn't fully physical, and each strike passed through parts of its body like mist.
"Aric!" Daren shouted, blocking another radiant strike. "Think! Strategy!"
Aric's mind raced. He couldn't fight this thing head-on. But strategy—his father's words echoed. Deception. Control. Forcing the enemy to move where he wanted.
His gaze darted around the clearing. The being's body flickered when it stepped near the old stone monoliths half-buried in the ground—ancient wards, maybe, left from forgotten ages. The runes carved into them pulsed faintly in answer to the divine presence.
Aric grabbed a loose branch and hurled it at the being—not to harm, but to draw its attention. "Hey!" he shouted, heart leaping into his throat.
The glowing eyes swiveled toward him.
Daren snarled, slashing to intercept, but Aric darted away, leading the being toward the nearest stone. The runes along the monolith flared as the divine fragment passed too close, its form flickering violently.
It staggered, its voice breaking. "Wha—what is this…?"
"Now, Father!" Aric cried.
Daren didn't hesitate. His blade carved a vicious arc, striking the being as its body convulsed. This time the steel bit deep, cutting through light as though it were flesh. The divine fragment screamed, a sound that shook the forest, then burst apart into shards that dissolved into the air.
Silence returned. Only Aric's ragged breaths and the crackle of disturbed leaves filled the night.
Daren lowered his sword slowly, his eyes sharp on his son. "You noticed the stones."
Aric nodded quickly, still trembling. "They reacted to it. I—I thought maybe…"
His father's stern face softened slightly. "Good. You saw the battlefield, not just the enemy. That's strategy, Aric. Never forget it."
Aric swallowed hard, looking at the fading sparks where the divine being had stood. He had faced something beyond human, beyond even mortal comprehension—and lived. Not because he was strong, but because he thought.
For the first time, he realized the truth in his father's lesson: victory began in the mind