The screams of Theo and Flint blended into silence.
Lilian lay on the ground, her trembling hand reaching out, eyes locked on Kairo's back—standing between her and the incoming blast.
Her heart pounded. (What… what is he doing?) she thought, her breath caught in her throat. The glowing green projectile rushed closer, reflecting in Kairo's eyes. (He's going to get hit…) she realized, panic rising in her voice but no sound coming out.
Then another thought struck her, quiet yet deafening.
(Is he… protecting me?)
Kairo, standing firm despite the instinct to move, felt his thoughts racing just as fast. (What am I doing?) he thought, fingers clenched, muscles frozen. (This is insane… I can't block that—)
The impact never came.
A sudden clang shattered the silence as an axe spun through the air, slicing through the slime's acidic shot mid-flight. The attack exploded in a spray of sizzling green mist.
Kairo stumbled back, shielding Lilian from the splash as his eyes darted toward the source.
"Boss!" Flint's deep voice thundered from across the field. His scales were scorched, and one arm still smoked from acid burns—but his grin remained fierce. "You alright?!"
Kairo exhaled, half in relief, half in disbelief. "Flint… you—"
Before he could finish, Theo limped over, clutching his injured arm, panting but standing tall. "Damn it, that scared the hell outta me," he said, glancing toward Kairo. "You okay?"
Kairo scratched his cheek nervously. "I'm fine… I think," he muttered.
Theo frowned, crossing his arms. "What the hell were you thinking, man?"
Lilian, still trembling, stared at her hands in disbelief. (How… how are we even fine?)
Behind them, the green slime trembled, reforming its body, its inner core pulsing brighter—angrier than before.
Theo glared at the slime, his expression twisted in anger and pain. "That's it! This damn thing's pissing me off!" he shouted, limping toward the axe Flint had thrown earlier.
"Theo, you're not in any shape to fight!" Kairo called out, concern lacing his voice.
Theo gritted his teeth, ignoring him. "You stood in front of an attack you couldn't even survive. You don't get to tell me to back down now," he snapped, yanking the axe from the ground. Resting it on his shoulder, he shot Kairo a fierce look. "I can still fight."
Kairo blinked, then let out a small, proud smile. "Alright," he said softly, watching Theo step forward. He's changed, Kairo thought. He's not a kid anymore.
Theo used Dash and darted forward, his movements sharp and fluid despite the pain. In a blink, he was in front of the slime, swinging his axe with a fierce shout. "Rattle of the Deep!"
The impact cracked through the air as the slime recoiled, its hold on Flint shattering. Flint stumbled free, panting before grinning. "Nice hit, little man."
Theo smirked, raising a fist.
Their fists collided—a spark of grit amid the chaos.
Theo and Flint charged together, their movements a blur of grit and precision. The slime roared, tendrils whipping outward like spears. Flint leaped aside, his tail smashing down with thunderous force. "Tail Smash!" he bellowed, the impact sending slime splattering everywhere—but it reformed instantly, the core shifting deep within.
Theo dashed in, his body flickering. "Dash!" He slid under a swinging tendril, axe blazing with strength. "Rattle of the Deep!" His strike tore through the creature's side, sending a ripple across its surface—but again, the wound sealed, glistening mockingly.
"Damn it, this thing just won't stay down!" Theo growled.
"Then we keep hitting it harder!" Flint roared back, slashing with both hands, carving deep into its body. "Now!"
Theo sprinted forward, jumping off Flint's back as the beast lifted him high. "Got it!" He twisted midair, the axe gleaming as he came down with full force, cleaving the slime in two. But before it could die, the halves quivered and mended again, the glowing core darting to a new position.
Theo landed beside Flint, panting. "We can't reach the core!"
Flint clenched his fists. "Then we make it show itself," he said, eyes narrowing as the slime hissed, preparing its next strike.
While Theo and Flint clashed against the green slime, their movements fierce and synchronized, Lilian sat on the cold ground, her body trembling. Her clothes were torn, her hair matted with green residue. The sounds of steel and flesh colliding echoed, but all she could hear were the whispers in her own mind.
They support each other so well... she thought, watching as Theo and Flint shouted encouragement to one another. And me... I can't even help. I'm useless.
Memories surged—her family's disappointment, her own mother's cutting voice, (You'll only bring shame to this family) The weight of their words crushed her chest. (What was I thinking? Going on an adventure? A disgrace like me can't do anything...) Her eyes burned as tears mixed with slime.
"Lilian!" a voice called, breaking through her spiral. She looked up—Kairo was standing there, bruised and breathless, but his eyes burned with resolve.
"Can you use your magic?" he asked.
She blinked, startled. "What?"
He clenched his fists, glancing toward Theo and Flint still struggling against the regenerating monster. (We're losing because we can't reach the core fast enough...) he thought. (What we need... is a long-range strike.)
Turning back to her, his voice steadied. "You can use magic. You can help us win."
Lilian shook her head violently. "No... It's my fault we're even fighting this thing. I can't help anyone—not even myself! I'm worthless!"
The world dimmed around her. In her mind, she could still hear her mother's voice, cold and final: (You'll never be enough.)
But then—through that suffocating darkness—came a single, steady light.
Kairo's voice. Warm. Unyielding.
"I believe in you, Lilian. You can do it."
Those words pierced through her despair like dawn's first light cutting through a storm. For the first time in her life, someone had faith in her—and her heart trembled, not with fear, but with hope.
Lilian stared at Kairo's face—his expression was calm, steady, and full of something she hadn't seen in years. Trust.
(He believes in me?) she thought, her chest tightening. (But why… why me?)
She didn't have time to wonder. Kairo turned his gaze toward the battlefield where Theo and Flint were being swallowed by the green slime. The creature's mass rolled forward like a wave, pressing both men into the ground as they struggled to breathe.
"Lilian, hurry!" Kairo shouted. "There's no time!"
Her heart raced. She clenched her trembling hands. (No time to waste... I have to do this.)
Her eyes focused on the pulsating green mass. Deep inside, she could see a faint glow—the slime's core. Her voice, shaking but determined, whispered, (one shot… that's all I need to get. You can do this… you can do this, Lilian)
Magic surged through her hands as a crimson circle bloomed before her palms, glowing with unstable light. Her hair fluttered in the wind of her own magic, but then she hesitated. (No... this isn't right.)
She closed her eyes, breathing deeply. For a moment, the world went still—no sound but her heartbeat, her breath echoing through the silence.
(Lets try this, then...) she whispered.
The crimson circle shifted—turning pure white, its patterns curling into smooth, flowing waves. The lines connected, forming a sigil shaped like rippling wind. Then, in a single instant, Lilian released it.
A blinding arc of wind burst forth, slicing through the air like divine judgment.
SHRAK!
The blade of wind tore through the slime, cutting directly into its core. A single second later, the core cracked—then shattered.
The green slime convulsed, its body swelling before bursting apart in a spray of liquid and light.
Theo and Flint gasped as the pressure vanished.
Kairo shielded his face from the blast, then looked up.
Lilian stood there, stunned, her hands still raised.
For the first time since her journey began… she had achieved her first true victory.
To be continued.....