LightReader

Chapter 6 - Clash in the Moonlit Forest

The forest was quiet when Rael set foot on the worn dirt path, its canopy painted gold by the fading light of evening. The world seemed hushed, almost holding its breath, as if the shadows themselves were waiting for something to stir. Rael pressed forward, his sword slung across his back, his thoughts heavy with the weight of loss and the uncertain road ahead.

By nightfall, the air grew colder, and a distant sound broke the stillness. At first, Rael thought it was the howl of wolves—but then came the metallic clash of steel, the guttural roars of beasts, and the desperate cries of men. His steps quickened.

He pushed through a thick curtain of undergrowth and froze.

In the clearing ahead lay carnage. Three bodies already sprawled across the forest floor, their blood soaking the earth. They wore the tattered remains of adventurers' garb—their weapons still clutched tightly in lifeless hands.

Beyond them, the survivors fought desperately.

A wounded old man, staff in hand, stood to one side, his free arm trembling as he conjured a fragile barrier of light. His face was pale, streaked with sweat, yet his shield flickered each time the monstrous shapes charged.

Four massive beasts encircled the party—Renhorns, demonic bears with jagged crimson horns that pulsed faintly with corrupt energy. Their eyes glowed with hunger, their bodies towering like shadows in the moonlight.

An older man's hoarse voice carried over the chaos.

"Alice! Stay behind the barrier! You're not ready!"

"I don't have a choice!" shouted the young girl at his side—Alice, her hands gripping a staff almost as tall as herself. Magic flared at her fingertips, her eyes burning with raw determination.

Beside her, a twin-blade wielder danced through the beasts' swipes with incredible agility. Lyra—sharp, fast, untamed. Her blades gleamed silver in the firelight, sparks flying as she struck at the monsters' horns, only to be knocked back each time.

And near the old wizard, another man stood with a battered shield—Darren. His stance was wide, his shield arm trembling, his armor dented from too many blows. Again and again, he threw himself in front of Alice, blocking horn strikes that would have torn her apart, gritting his teeth as blood seeped down his arm.

The battle was already lost. They were cornered. Outnumbered. Overwhelmed.

Rael's heart pounded. He could turn back. He could run. But his feet refused to move away. His master's voice echoed in his mind—

A blade is meaningless without resolve. Choose your path, boy.

Resolve flared. He unsheathed his sword.

With a battle cry, Rael burst from the shadows, sprinting toward the nearest Renhorn. The beast turned just as his blade ignited with fire, a flame spell wrapping around the steel.

The sword slammed into the creature's head—into the base of its horn. The Renhorn shrieked, collapsing as the horn cracked and shattered under the strike.

"Attack their horns!" Rael roared. "It's their weak point!"

The party snapped to his words. Lyra's eyes flashed as she leapt back into the fray, her twin blades carving at another Renhorn's horn. Sparks flew as she struck again and again, until with a final slash, the horn split. The beast fell with a thunderous crash.

Another Renhorn charged for Alice, but Darren, battered and bleeding, raised his shield once more. The impact drove him back, boots skidding across dirt, but he held on long enough.

Alice's voice rang out clear and fierce. Fire erupted from her staff, engulfing the monster in flame, forcing it to stumble. But she wasn't done. With a sharp motion, the flames died—and in their place came a rush of slicing wind.

"Wind Blades!"

The air screamed as it tore forward, carving deep gashes into the Renhorn's neck and splitting cracks across its horn. The beast bellowed, its horn snapping under the pressure before it finally collapsed, blood soaking into the earth.

The last Renhorn saw its packmates fall and fled, crashing through the trees with a desperate howl, leaving only silence and the stench of blood behind.

Rael lowered his sword, chest heaving. His arms trembled from the strain, but he forced himself to stay upright.

For a long moment, no one moved. Only the crackling of distant fire magic and the groans of the wounded filled the air.

Lyra staggered back, falling to one knee, her blades clattering to the ground. Sweat trickled down her face as she pressed a trembling hand to her chest, her breaths sharp and uneven. She had fought like a tempest, but now exhaustion weighed heavy.

Alice, still gripping her staff, swayed unsteadily on her feet. Her lips moved as she whispered recovery chants, but the spells were weak and fragmented—her energy almost spent. Her eyes darted toward Darren, who still stood shield-first, his body trembling, blood soaking his arm.

The old man's barrier finally flickered out, and he sagged against his staff, his voice hoarse.

"…We… survived."

Rael's gaze flicked to the three lifeless adventurers sprawled in the clearing. His jaw tightened. This wasn't victory—it was survival bought at a steep cost.

The group slowly drew together near the edge of the clearing, away from the bodies, where the ground was less soaked in blood. Darren collapsed to one knee, clutching his ribs with one bloodied hand, his shield dropping beside him. Alice crouched down, trying to heal him despite her trembling hands. Lyra sat with her back against a tree, eyes half-lidded, still keeping watch even as exhaustion threatened to close them.

Rael, watching silently, noticed details the others tried to hide. Alice's hands shook so violently she could barely channel healing light. Lyra kept her head turned toward the trees, but her gaze lingered too long on the fallen adventurers, her lips pressed in a thin line to keep them from trembling.

He said nothing, but the image burned into him. First blood leaves scars deeper than steel.

The night air grew heavy, filled with silence thicker than the battle's roar.

And in that silence, under the moonlit forest sky, the threads of fate began to weave their path together.

More Chapters