One evening, Aria approached Kira, her expression thoughtful. "Kira, in just a few more days, you will turn ten years old. Have you noticed anything strange?"
Kira shook his head. "No, my only progress is with my animals." He summoned one of the large silver wolves, its piercing gaze locked onto him with unwavering loyalty. "I want to show you something."
Placing his hand gently on the wolf's head, Kira focused. A pulse of warmth spread through his fingertips, and the air around them shimmered. The wolf tensed. One of its eyes flared red, its muscles swelling, claws lengthening into razor-like weapons. Then, the other eye shone blue, its silver fur extending and taking on an ethereal glow. Wisps of blue smoke curled from its body like mist.
Aria watched in fascination. "Interesting... You can't use magic yourself, but you can enhance your animals with it. That's a power I've never seen before."
Before Kira could respond, a deep, distant boom shattered the tranquility of the forest. Birds exploded from the trees in frantic flight. The ground trembled.
Aria's expression darkened. "Someone is trying to enter the woods. Wait here."
She vanished before Kira could protest. "No, wait for me!" he shouted, leaping onto the wolf's back. The beast instantly sprinted toward the disturbance, weaving effortlessly between the trees.
Aria materialized near a burning clearing, finding two mysterious figures standing amidst scorched earth and smoke.
One was a bald, bare-chested man with a muscular build. His expression was cold and calculating. The other, cloaked in red, had long, unkempt hair, a mustache, and a beard. Flames flickered unnaturally at his fingertips.
Though they couldn't see her, Aria wasted no time. She raised her hand, and the forest responded-roots and branches surged forward, twisting toward the intruders like serpents.
The hooded man sneered and slammed his hands into the ground. Flames erupted, devouring the advancing trees.
Two rock giants materialized, each towering over the men. One swung a massive fist at the hooded man, but he blinked out of existence, reappearing a few feet away. The other giant hurled a massive boulder at the bald man.
Unfazed, the bald man summoned a crystalline blue shield. The rock struck it with a deafening crack and rebounded, slamming into the giant's chest, forcing it to its knees. With a roar, the bald man leaped forward, summoning a crystal hammer midair and bringing it crashing down on the giant's head. Stone fragments scattered as the giant collapsed.
Aria's fury erupted. Lions, bulls, tigers, and leopards charged from the trees. The red-hooded man grinned, pressing his palms against the ground. Lava spewed forth in a violent eruption, swallowing the animals in molten fire.
Aria clenched her fists, summoning towering stones to block the flow before it consumed the entire forest.
Kira was almost there when the sound of rushing water thundered through the trees. The lake's waters surged unnaturally, flooding through the forest like a tidal wave. He leapt off his wolf, landing beside Aria just as the water clashed against the lava, sending a cloud of steam into the sky.
"Kira! I told you to wait!" Aria exclaimed.
Before he could answer, a chilling voice echoed through the clearing. "So, you're really here. We've been searching for you for a long time."
The red-hooded man emerged from the mist, his smirk barely visible beneath his hood.
The bald man sneered. "I can't believe a little brat like you killed my student, Ramzy."
Then, a sound like grinding bones filled the air. The steam thickened, sinking unnaturally to the ground as the temperature plummeted.
A deep, rasping voice whispered, "Aria... I've found you at last."
The cold deepened. The ground blackened beneath a creeping green mist. Dead animals twitched where they had fallen. Their burned flesh quivered, then twisted grotesquely as new, rotting tissue formed.
Aria stiffened. "Kira, run! Get out of here!"
Kira turned to flee, but his body refused to move. His breath caught in his throat as a figure emerged from the shadows.
He was tall but emaciated, his bare skin stretched tight over sharp bones. Patches of fur and animal skins barely covered his skeletal frame. Green smoke curled from his eyes, spreading like disease over the battlefield. As he stepped forward, the dead beasts rose around him, eyes burning with unholy light.
Aria's voice broke. "Kira, this is Varow, the Necromancy King. He has power over the dead... and spirits. I can't protect you. Please, run!"
Kira saw her hands tremble as the green mist coiled around her. Her eyes flickered-glowing green for an instant before she clenched her fists, fighting for control.
"The forest's core belongs to you now," she said hurriedly. "I'm severing my link to it. Once it's done, I will send you and the woods away."
Before Kira could react, the red-hooded man appeared behind him. The silver wolf lunged at him, fangs bared. The man vanished just in time, reappearing a few feet away, hurling a fireball. The wolf dodged but was still seared by the flames.
The bald man slammed his hammer into the ground. The earth shattered beneath Kira, knocking him off balance.
Above, the hooded man conjured a massive fireball, pulling it from the sky. The silver wolf threw itself in front of Kira, shielding him with its body. Fire engulfed it, and it howled in agony.
"No!" Kira screamed.
At that moment, the giant golden lion materialized between Kira and the red-hooded man, its massive form radiating an overwhelming power. With a swift swipe of its paw, it struck the red-hooded man, sending him crashing into a tree. Blood sprayed from the deep gashes where the lion's claws had torn through his cloak and skin.
The bald man let out a fierce war cry as he raised his arms to the sky. A massive lance of crystal materialized, crackling with energy. He hurled it at the lion. The great beast tried to deflect the lance with its paw, but it was too powerful. The weapon pierced deep into the lion's shoulder, and it roared in agony, shaking the entire forest with its deafening cry.
Then, a louder roar shook the earth. All eyes turned toward the sound, and there, in the clearing, stood Varow, the Necromancy King. With his arms raised to the sky, the earth cracked open beneath him, and from the depths, a massive undead dragon rose, its skeletal form shifting in the moonlight. The dragon's tail lashed out, striking the lion and leaving a deep, jagged wound across its body.
Kira screamed, "No!" Panic flooded his chest. In a desperate attempt to protect the lion and his wolf, he waved his hand, sending them both to the Core of the forest for safety. But in that moment, Aria's spell reached its conclusion. She severed her connection to the forest, and with a final, quiet breath, the entire woodland vanished, leaving only her and Varow behind.
Kira's heart sank as he desperately searched for Aria, but she was gone. The Ancestors' Woods had been transported to another continent, and Kira was left stranded in an unfamiliar land.
Suddenly, a sharp, crystalline shield slammed into the back of his head, and the world tilted. Darkness overtook him, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.
The bald man looked down at Kira's motionless form and turned to the red-hooded man, who was barely standing, leaning heavily on his wounds.
"What now?" the bald man asked. "Can you open a portal or something to get us back?"
The red-hooded man grunted, wiping blood from his mouth. "I don't know where we are now," he replied, his voice strained. "We need to finish the boy off before we find out. We've got orders to kill him, and I don't want that lion showing up again."
Meanwhile, in Kira's unconscious, dreaming mind, his voice echoed through the darkness, filled with fear and confusion. "What's happening? Where am I? It's so dark... I'm scared."
A soft, soothing voice resonated in the void. "My son, don't be afraid. You can do this. I know you can."
Kira's voice broke through the darkness. "Mom! Is that you? Where are you?"
Laura's voice was tender but filled with sorrow. "I'm sorry, darling. I'm so sorry, but I can't help you this time. You have to face this on your own. But you're stronger than you realize. I know you can do this."
Kira's voice trembled. "Do what? Mom, what should I do? What do you want me to do? ... Mom!" But no answer came.
The darkness swallowed him once more.
A shape began to form in the deep, unyielding blackness-a figure blurred and indistinct. Kira saw a man with long black hair, a strong, muscular build, sitting beneath a large tree, sharpening a great sword.
"Who are you?" Kira asked cautiously. "Are you one of them?"
The man looked up with a knowing smile. "One of who?"
Suddenly, Kira found himself sitting beside the man under the tree, the air warm and still.
"Are you one of the men who want to kill me?" Kira asked, his voice uncertain.
The man chuckled softly. "My little boy, no father would harm his son. At least, not me."
Kira's eyes widened. "You're my father?!"
The scene darkened once again. "Dad! ... Mom! ... Where did you go?"
The darkness receded slightly, revealing Kira's father once more. This time, his back was turned, his figure standing tall over a field of soldiers' corpses. His expression was grim, serious.
"Why do you refuse to accept me, my son?" his voice echoed. "I am a part of you now. Don't hold me back. Let me help you."
Kira's voice shook. "What do you mean? I don't understand."
The scene blurred, and the darkness returned.
Kira cried out, "Tell me what to do. Please, someone tell me what to do!"
Then, a warm hand gently wiped away his tears. Kira looked up, and there she was-his mother.
"Mom," he whispered, leaping into her embrace, sobbing uncontrollably. "I miss you. I miss you so much."
Laura smiled softly, her eyes filled with deep love and understanding. "And I've missed you too, my boy." She pulled away just slightly, her hands on his shoulders, her voice becoming firm.
"Kira, listen carefully," she said, her tone suddenly commanding. "Do you remember that night when you were just a baby in my arms? You were the bravest and strongest newborn I have ever seen. You even defeated Arwan, the legendary beast tamer."
Kira looked at her in confusion.
"I know I asked you to live a normal life," Laura continued, "to stop using magic so we could live in peace. But things have changed." She gently pushed him away, her expression turning serious.
"It's time, my son. Unleash your power. Accept who you are. Fight, Kira, fight!"
At that moment, all the chains binding his power shattered, breaking apart into nothingness.