Adventures beyond the void

Chapter 40: Successful Trainings and Forging Weapons

3RD POV

BOOM!!

Nicholas evaded yet another dark slash, twisting his body just enough to keep his balance. He sprinted onward, the forest's entrance drawing closer, narrowly dodging boulders crashing down around him. Once under the cover of the trees, he used the dense canopy to his advantage, zigzagging between trunks and letting the foliage shield him from most of the incoming attacks. Still, he knew Selin wasn't far behind. From above the treetops, her pursuit was relentless. She was as cunning in strategy as she was deadly in combat. If she couldn't strike him directly, she would cut off his path. Sure enough, the metallic jingle of a chain rang out. The sharpened blade at its end whistled through the air, severing branch after branch. Nicholas had only seconds to react. He could slow down, avoid the shower of splinters and wooden debris raining from above, but that would leave him vulnerable to Selin's next strike. The other option was to push forward, outrunning the falling wreckage. He didn't hesitate. Throwing caution aside, he hurled himself down the path. Dust and shards of wood exploded around him, splinters grazing his skin. Still, he didn't falter, nor did Selin. Her red-tinged magic glowed through the canopy as her blade carved destruction ahead of him. Nicholas risked a glance upward, and instantly regretted it. A massive branch plummeted toward him, too fast for him to stop. Instinct tensed his muscles, but before he could act, a thick root shot out from the Tree-Trooper at his waist. It coiled upward, colliding with the falling timber and sending it spinning away.

Nicholas staggered, momentarily disoriented, but his legs carried him forward on instinct, his body charging ahead as though on autopilot. The edge of the forest was finally in sight. Just a little farther, and he would complete the training session successfully this time. But Selin was already there. She dropped from above, her fist clenched and wrapped in dark magic. Before her feet even touched the ground, she unfurled her hand. From her palm erupted a cloud of pitch-black moths streaked with crimson markings, tens of thousands of them, surging like a living storm. Nicholas froze for a heartbeat, stunned, but he didn't stop. He had to figure out a way through. Yet he didn't need to. The Tree-Trooper acted first. Cold roots coiled around his body, layering over one another until they formed an armor of bark and vine. In moments he was encased from head to toe, his eyes the only part left uncovered so he could still see. With a sharp cry, Nicholas leapt. The root-armor propelled him higher than he had expected, sending him spinning through the air. His back smashed into the swarm of moths, but there was no pain, no sting, the roots absorbed everything. He tore straight through the cloud, still upside down as he sailed past. For an instant, his gaze locked with Selin's, her piercing red eyes following him from the ground below. Then his body rotated, landing cleanly on his feet. Without hesitation, he kept running.

Finally, Nicholas burst out of the tree line, his boots skidding against the dirt path beyond the forest. His legs wobbled beneath him, and the root-armor cracked apart, falling away in splinters and curling vines. He staggered a few steps before collapsing onto his knees, chest heaving as he gulped down air. Sweat ran down his face, but even through the exhaustion, a grin spread across his lips. He'd done it. At long last, he'd made it through. Selin emerged from the shadows of the trees moments later, her expression unreadable, the last remnants of her dark magic dissipated into the air. She crossed her arms, her piercing eyes studying him in silence until his breathing began to steady.

    Selin: - You finally made it to the end.

She said at last. Her tone was even, neither warm nor harsh, but it carried weight.

    Selin: - But don't let that victory fool you. You were sloppy. You hesitated more than once. You wasted too much energy when a cleaner route was possible.