Helen of Troy
The girl stood in the middle of the broken clearing, dressed entirely in white. Her robes fluttered softly in the wind, each fold gleaming faintly in the sunlight like rippling silk. Her long black hair flowed freely down her back, catching the breeze, rising and falling like a dark wave against the glow of the trees. Even the air seemed to hesitate around her—carrying her scent of fresh rain and quiet wildness.
Her features were exquisite—too refined, too serene. She wasn't just beautiful; she was breathtaking in a way that felt unreal, like something the heavens carved to tempt mortals into ruin. A "Helen of Troy," Kai thought, the kind of beauty men would go to war for. And she wasn't even grown yet—just a girl standing before a monster, unflinching, her calm sharper than any blade.
Kai's breath caught. "It's Maya," he murmured. "I know her."
Boomer glanced at him, eyebrows raising. "You do?"
"She's a legend at Greenhold Academy," Kai said, his golden eyes narrowing in awe. "Even back then, she was already... something else."
Boomer tilted his head toward the chaos ahead. "So... should we help her?"
"Wait," Kai said, holding out an arm. His gaze sharpened. "The Ape's injured."
The giant demonic beast stood hunched, its fur matted with blood and torn flesh. Its breath came out in furious grunts, but the girl—Maya—stood untouched. Calm.
The Ape gave a bone-shaking roar and charged. "Hua!" it bellowed, the sound echoing through the valley like thunder.
The creature's steps crushed the earth as it swung one massive arm at her. The sheer size difference made it clear—if that blow landed, she'd be reduced to dust.
But Maya moved like wind given form. Her body shot upward in a graceful arc, feet barely touching the tree trunk before she flipped into the air, her white sleeves streaming behind her like wings.
The Ape's strike missed, obliterating the tree instead. With a roar of rage, it ripped the fallen trunk from the ground and hurled it at her like a spear.
The sheer force of it sent leaves scattering like sparks.
But the girl didn't flinch.
She extended a hand—and the air shimmered. The leaves around her stirred, each one glowing faintly green. With a flick of her wrist, they sliced forward.
The leaves became blades.
Each shot through the air with a shriek, colliding against the tree trunk mid-flight. The force was relentless—by the time the Ape's weapon crashed to the ground, it had been shredded into splinters.
Boomer let out a low whistle. "That's insane…"
The ground trembled again as the Ape bellowed, enraged. It pounded its chest, sending shockwaves through the clearing. Maya, serene as ever, dropped to the forest floor and pressed her palm against the earth.
The scattered rubble and gravel around her trembled.
Then—moved.
They lifted, spiraling in the air like a storm of blades, circling her in perfect harmony. The air whistled as each fragment turned razor-sharp with mana.
Kai's eyes widened. "She's channeling it through the wind and the earth…"
With a faint breath, Maya opened her eyes. The deep blue in them shone with quiet, unstoppable focus.
The rubble storm exploded forward—an avalanche of stone and steel. The Ape roared in pain as the barrage tore into its skin, shredding flesh with terrifying precision. Then, as the beast staggered back, a single lance of compressed rubble took form above her—a spear of pure destructive mana.
Kai barely had time to blink.
The spear struck like lightning, piercing the Ape straight through its left eye.
The ground quaked with its final, anguished howl. Blood poured like molten fire. The creature stumbled, flailing wildly, smashing through the trees as it fled deep into the forest.
Silence fell.
Leaves drifted down. Dust shimmered in the fading sunlight.
And Maya—she descended slowly from the air, her white robes fluttering as if she carried a piece of heaven with her. When her feet touched the ground, she turned her head slightly, lips curving into a faint smile.
"Enjoyed the show, didn't you?"
Her tone was teasing—soft, melodic, but with the quiet assurance of someone who already knew the answer.
Kai and Boomer stepped out from their hiding spot, both stunned. They were around the same age as her, yet the gap between them felt like an entire world.
"You're... a multiple-element mage?" Kai asked, unable to hide his astonishment. "Are you serious?"
Maya's eyes flicked toward him, a knowing glint in them. "I know you," she said simply, ignoring the question.
Kai blinked. "Sounds like I'm famous," he replied with a half-smile, trying to hide how caught off guard he was.
"It was three years ago," Maya said softly. "At the Entry Test. I overheard what you said that day."
Kai froze, trying to remember. "What... did I say?"
Maya smiled, and for a moment, her expression was radiant enough to make his heart skip a beat.
"You asked if I was a fairy." Her voice was light, teasing, before she turned and began walking back toward the forest.
Kai stood there, stunned. "Of course I did…" he muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair.
Boomer chuckled behind him. "Looks like you remember it."
Kai's mind drifted back to that moment three years ago—back when he and Boomer had first seen her, a twelve-year-old girl with eyes like clear sky and an aura that felt unreal. He had told Boomer back then, 'She's too beautiful to be human. In a few years, she'll be a fairy—and dangerous for men.'
Boomer's gaze followed Maya's fading figure. "People say she's already reached the ninth plane of awakening," he murmured. "Majoring in both strength and spells. What she did just now? Even most at her level couldn't manage that. Rumor is she's a Blade-Seer, and some great master at the academy took her as a private disciple. Plenty of guys chase her, but none can match her talent—or her beauty."
Kai gave a slow, mocking grin. "She's caught your heart, hasn't she?"
Boomer rolled his eyes. "Not even close," he said flatly. Then, after a pause, his tone shifted. "I think she's here for you."
Kai laughed, reaching out to pat his head. "Come on, Boomer. Stop overthinking."
He started walking away, still grinning to himself. Then he added, half to himself, half to the wind, "To be honest, though… I do want to marry her someday. She's definitely qualified to be a wife candidate."
Boomer tripped on a rock behind him. "A candidate?" he muttered under his breath. "What a ridiculous way to put it."
Kai just chuckled, golden eyes glinting in the sunlight as the forest swallowed them both once more.