Chapter 83: Carol, the Fox of Mavaria — The Trial of Resolve
The evening air of Mavaria was heavy with mist and the scent of blooming herbs. The forest whispered with strange harmony — leaves brushing against each other like quiet spirits in prayer. Inside the small hut, the dim glow of green light pulsed gently from the herbal pool, bathing Moro's still body in ethereal radiance. His skin looked pale, almost glass-like under the light, his chest rising faintly. Every few seconds, bubbles surfaced from beneath him, releasing the scent of sisi leaves and burning sandalwood.
Kaya sat silently beside the pool, her eyes half-open, exhaustion pulling at her body but her spirit refusing to break. She had been awake since Moro's collapse, watching him fight for every fragile breath. The old woman — Serelna — moved gracefully through the hut, preparing fresh batches of crushed herbs, sprinkling some into wooden bowls, and humming in a tongue none of them understood. Her long, silver hair flowed like a river, and her wrinkled hands glowed with a strange, faint blue light whenever she touched the herbs.
Outside, the others rested around a dim campfire — Herbet, Kiro, and Yaya — all battered and drained from their battles at San Juan. The flickering firelight reflected the tiredness in their eyes, but also the fragile hope that Moro might yet rise again.
Kaya finally broke the silence.
"Old one… how long will this take?"
Serelna's eyes never left the herbs she stirred. "Healing the body is one thing, child. Healing the soul is another matter entirely. Your friend's spirit is shattered — splintered across realms I cannot reach. His will is strong, but something deep within him bleeds heavier than his wounds."
Kaya frowned. "He's fought harder than anyone I've known. He's carried everyone through storms, flames, wars—"
"—and that is why his heart cracks," Serelna interrupted softly. "When strength becomes burden, when will turns to chain… even the strongest fall into silence."
Her words struck Kaya like a cold gust. She clenched her fists, glancing at Moro's face — the boy who had faced Revo and Kuzak alone, refusing to fall until every last drop of his energy had burned away. The green glow danced over his still eyelids. She wanted to scream, to shake him awake, to hear his quiet but commanding voice again.
Serelna finished stirring the mixture and walked toward the pool. "I need the amber petal," she murmured, her tone turning grave. "It grows by the western ridge, near the cliffs of Shavorn. Dangerous terrain, but without it, his body will decay before his soul returns."
"I'll go," Kaya said immediately, rising to her feet.
Serelna gave her a faint smile. "You've already given much. Rest, girl. I will go myself. Carol will watch over you in my absence."
"Carol?" Kaya tilted her head, confused.
The old woman simply smiled again and stepped outside, wrapping her cloak tight around her shoulders before vanishing into the fog-draped woods.
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The hours stretched on. Night deepened over Mavaria. The cicadas sang their steady rhythm as the mist thickened, turning the forest silver-blue under the moonlight. Yaya kept watch outside, sharpening her blade with slow precision. Kiro sat cross-legged, his Nin sword beside him, his eyes closed in quiet meditation, though his aura flickered weakly — he was still recovering.
Inside the hut, Kaya's eyes grew heavy. She sat by Moro's pool, her head drooping as she mumbled under her breath. "You better wake up, idiot… after all that talk about never falling." Her words trembled. "You said… you'd find your father, no matter what. You can't break your word now…"
The wind outside shifted. The leaves rustled in sudden unease. Yaya's hand stopped mid-motion on her blade. Her eyes darted toward the treeline.
Something was there.
A shadow loomed in the mist — four-legged, massive, moving silently with unnerving grace. The faint sound of claws scraping bark echoed, followed by a deep, rumbling growl that shook the ground beneath them.
"Everyone—!" Yaya called out.
Before she could finish, a colossal figure burst through the trees. A giant fox, its fur the color of dying embers, eyes glowing gold like miniature suns. Its tail split into five, each one sweeping the air with blinding speed. It roared — a terrifying, ancient sound that made the very trees bow.
The hut trembled. The pool rippled violently.
Kaya leaped to her feet, instinct flaring. "Stay away from him!"
She raised her arms, and the air filled with the swirling essence of water. Streams surged from the pool, spiraling around her like serpents, shaping into tendrils that clashed against the fox's claws. The beast retaliated, swinging its massive paw and smashing the water barrier apart, sending Kaya crashing against the hut's wall.
"Damn—" she hissed, wiping blood from her lips.
Kiro dashed out with his Nin sword drawn, his eyes glowing faintly blue. "Kaya! Get Moro!"
"I can't move him now! The herbs—!"
"Then we fight!"
The fox lunged again. Kiro met it head-on, his Nin sword flashing. The blade connected with the beast's paw, but sparks flew — the sword didn't pierce. The creature's skin was like enchanted stone. The sheer force of the impact sent Kiro flying backward through the trees.
"Yaya, flank!" he shouted, spinning mid-air to land on his feet.
Yaya dashed at lightning speed, slicing through the air, but the fox's tail whipped across and sent her tumbling through the dirt. The creature's golden eyes narrowed, its snarl echoing like thunder.
The fight raged on.
Kaya summoned waves to bind its legs, forming ice around them, but the beast shattered them effortlessly. Kiro unleashed slashes of energy, his aura burning like fire, but even his precision couldn't breach the fox's hide. Yaya's blade scraped across its snout, leaving a faint mark that quickly healed.
"Nothing's working!" Yaya shouted. "What is this thing?!"
The fox reared its head, and from its mouth erupted a wave of blazing energy — a mixture of fire and pure aura. It crashed into the forest, igniting trees, turning soil to ash. Kaya screamed as she tried to shield Moro's pool, throwing up a barrier of condensed water. The heat seared her arms, pain radiating through every nerve, but she didn't falter.
"Not again… I won't let anyone die again!" she cried, voice trembling but fierce.
Her aura expanded, swirling like a storm, pushing the flames back — but barely.
Kiro lunged in again, his blade now glowing with lion-shaped aura. "Lion Slash!"
The spectral lion roared, slamming into the fox's side — this time, the beast flinched, its golden fur singed. Kiro landed beside Kaya, panting.
"Did that—?"
Before he could finish, the fox turned, its massive tail swiping both of them off their feet, crashing them into the mud.
An hour passed — though it felt like eternity. The battle turned into survival. The forest became a wasteland of uprooted trees and burning soil. The squad was battered, bruised, bleeding, and exhausted.
Kaya's breaths came in ragged gasps. "I… can't… keep this up…"
Yaya fell to one knee. "What kind of monster—"
Suddenly, a whistle sliced through the air — soft but sharp. The fox froze. Its ears twitched, its body instantly dropping into a submissive crouch.
From the mist, Serelna emerged — her cloak torn, her hands glowing faintly gold.
"Carol," she said calmly, her voice echoing with authority. "Enough."
The fox whimpered, lowering its head. Its once-fierce eyes softened, turning from gold to amber. It padded toward her and nuzzled her side like a guilty pet.
Kaya stared, eyes wide. "That's Carol?!"
Serelna nodded, stroking the fox's head. "Yes. She protects this forest — and me — when I'm gone. I told her to guard the hut from intruders. She must have sensed your powers and thought you were threats."
"Threats? We almost died!" Yaya shouted, clutching her bruised arm.
Serelna chuckled softly. "Carol has a habit of overdoing things."
Kiro collapsed against a tree, sword buried in the soil. "I… can't believe we fought… a pet."
The old woman knelt beside Moro's pool, placing her herbs down. "You fought well. That means your will is strong — and Moro will need that strength soon."
Kaya, still panting, looked at her. "What do you mean?"
Serelna's eyes glowed faintly as she pressed her palms over Moro's chest. "His body heals… but his spirit is in a place darker than shadow. A storm of memories and sorrow binds him. To rise again, he must shatter those illusions."
She looked up at Kaya. "You are tied to him by spirit. Your resolve, your will, will reach him in the void. If you falter… so will he."
Kaya's throat tightened. "How can I—"
"Stay by his side," Serelna interrupted softly. "Do not let despair consume you. The tides of darkness will come. The trials of the nobles await. But remember — those who carry light must be ready to lose everything first."
The old woman smiled gently, her eyes reflecting ancient wisdom and pain.
Carol — the massive fox — lay beside the hut now, its tails wrapped protectively around it like a guardian spirit. The forest, once in chaos, slowly returned to peace.
Kaya sank to her knees beside Moro's pool, her reflection shimmering in the glowing green water.
"Moro," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion, "you're not alone. Even if your spirit is shattered… I'll wait. I'll fight. I'll hold everything together until you wake up."
Her tears fell into the pool — and the green light pulsed brighter, as though responding to her voice.
Serelna closed her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips. "So it begins," she whispered. "The will that binds fate itself."
Outside, the moon of Mavaria hung high, its silver light spilling over the land of nobles — a kingdom where destiny, betrayal, and revelation would soon collide.
But for now, within that humble forest hut, surrounded by the scent of herbs and the watchful gaze of a giant fox, the world held its breath — waiting for the boy named Moro to awaken once more.
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