Chapter 3 — The First Battle
The wind screamed around Kael as he fell.
For a brief moment, the world seemed to slow.
Below him, the Stone Warden towered above the valley floor like a living mountain. Dust and broken rocks surrounded the giant creature as it slowly turned its glowing eyes toward the falling boys.
Kael grinned wildly.
"THIS IS AWESOME!"
Behind him, Ryn's voice cut through the wind.
"Focus!"
Kael twisted in midair.
The storm above rumbled as lightning flashed across the sky again, illuminating the valley in blinding white light.
Below them, the Stone Warden raised its massive arm.
The creature had seen them.
"Uh… Ryn?" Kael shouted.
"Yes?"
"It noticed us!"
"Obviously."
The Warden swung its arm upward like a giant hammer.
Kael's eyes widened.
"Oh."
The stone fist rushed toward him.
"OH!"
Ryn moved instantly.
As he fell, he slammed his palm toward the ground far below.
"Stone Rise!"
The earth answered.
BOOOOM.
A pillar of rock erupted upward from the ground beneath them, shooting toward the sky like a launched spear.
The pillar collided with the Warden's arm with a thunderous crack, knocking the massive limb slightly off course.
The stone fist missed Kael by mere inches.
Kael twisted through the air, laughing.
"Nice save!"
"You're welcome," Ryn said dryly.
The rock pillar continued rising until it reached the height of their fall.
Ryn landed on it first, steady and balanced.
Kael crashed down beside him a second later, sliding slightly before regaining his footing.
Below them, the Stone Warden roared.
Its glowing eyes burned brighter.
The creature slammed its enormous foot into the ground.
BOOM.
The entire valley shook.
Villagers in the distance screamed and ran toward safer ground.
Kael glanced back toward the village.
Houses trembled.
Smoke rose from broken rooftops.
His grin faded.
"…We can't let it get closer."
Ryn nodded.
"We won't."
The Stone Warden lifted both arms.
Large chunks of rock tore free from the ground around it, rising into the air like floating weapons.
Kael blinked.
"Wait."
One rock shot toward them.
"WAIT."
Kael jumped aside as the stone projectile smashed into the pillar, exploding into fragments.
"IT CAN THROW ROCKS?!"
Ryn sighed.
"It's made of rocks, Kael."
"FAIR POINT!"
More stone projectiles launched into the air.
Ryn stomped his foot.
CRACK.
The rock pillar beneath them split apart, forming a curved stone wall.
The incoming projectiles slammed into the barrier.
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM.
Dust exploded everywhere.
Kael peeked over the wall.
"…Okay that thing is strong."
"Yes."
"Any ideas?"
Ryn looked down at his hands.
Golden cracks of energy slowly glowed beneath his skin.
Then he looked at Kael.
"You."
"Me?"
"Your storm."
Kael held up his hands.
Electric sparks flickered between his fingers again.
"Still figuring that part out."
Ryn nodded toward the giant creature.
"Now is a good time."
Kael gulped.
"Right."
The Stone Warden suddenly charged forward.
Each step cracked the ground like thunder.
Kael stared.
"…That thing is FAST!"
"Move," Ryn said calmly.
They jumped off the pillar as the Warden smashed through it like it was nothing.
The pillar shattered into hundreds of fragments.
Kael landed hard and rolled across the ground.
Ryn landed beside him smoothly.
The Stone Warden roared again and raised its arm for another crushing strike.
Kael clenched his fists.
"Alright…"
Wind began swirling around him again.
Faster.
Stronger.
The storm above responded.
Lightning flashed across the sky.
CRACK.
Energy rushed through Kael's body.
His heart pounded violently.
He could feel it now.
The wind.
Every current.
Every movement of air.
It was like hearing music for the first time.
Kael lifted his hand.
The wind obeyed.
A spiral of air formed around his arm.
His eyes widened.
"…Whoa."
Ryn stepped back slightly.
"Good."
The Stone Warden's fist came crashing down.
Kael moved instinctively.
"Storm Step!"
WHOOSH.
In a flash of wind, Kael vanished.
The giant fist smashed into empty ground.
BOOM.
Kael reappeared several meters away in a swirl of air.
He blinked.
"…I just teleported."
Ryn corrected him.
"You moved with the wind."
Kael grinned like a child who had just discovered magic.
"That was AWESOME!"
The Stone Warden turned toward him again.
Kael raised his hand.
Electricity surged violently through his arm.
The storm above answered.
Lightning cracked across the sky.
Kael shouted.
"LET'S TRY THIS!"
He thrust his hand forward.
"Storm Pulse!"
A blast of compressed wind and lightning exploded outward.
The attack slammed into the Stone Warden's chest.
CRACK.
Stone shattered.
The giant staggered backward.
Dust exploded everywhere.
Kael stared.
"…I actually hit it!"
Ryn smirked slightly.
"For someone who has never fought before… that was impressive."
The Stone Warden roared again, angrier than before.
The cracks in its body glowed darker.
Something was wrong.
Ryn noticed it immediately.
"…Kael."
"Yeah?"
"That creature isn't just a Stone Warden."
"What do you mean?"
The cracks in the monster's body began leaking a strange black energy.
Dark smoke twisted out of the fractures like poison.
Ryn's eyes narrowed.
"…Something is controlling it."
Kael looked around.
"Controlling it from where?"
High above the valley…
On a distant cliff…
A shadowed figure watched the battle.
And smiled.