Chapter 16 : The Hunters Test 4

  “AHHHH!!!” Ryl screamed, clinging to Aspen like a terrified koala.

  “Ryl, relax! It's just a bird,” Aspen calmed him down.

  Ellie’s eye twitched as she glared at Ryl.

  “Stay away from him, you idiot…”

  Dior walked silently, not bothered at all.

  Behind them, the shy girl—Helen Falcrest—shuffled along, trembling.

  They were deep inside the Morrigon Valley, a deadly zone where mid-rank beasts roamed freely. Their task: survive and take down at least one mid-rank beast.

  The valley was dim; what little sunlight there was couldn’t break through the mist. A thin fog drifted across the cold air. Every now and then, the wind whispered a soft whoooosh through the trees.

  Aspen checked his orb.

  “It's weird… no beast detected so far.”

  “That’s good news! We’re safe!” Ryl said quickly.

  “Do you even want to pass the test?” Ellie snapped.

  “Of course I do…” he muttered.

  Dior’s eyes drifted to Helen, who was quiet, walking with her thoughts somewhere far away.

  He narrowed his eyes on her.

  “Something’s moving,” Aspen said. He pointed the orb as it flicked orange.

  A small beast crawled out, its back lined with sharp spikes. It blinked up at them with innocent, glittering eyes.

  Ellie melted instantly. “Awwww! It’s adorable!”

  [ QUILLBANE : Mid-rank beast. Known for its paralysing spikes. Deceivingly cute. ]

  “Ellie, NO—!” Aspen warned.

  Too late.

  It rolled straight at her.

  “EEEK!!” she stumbled back, landing on the ground, eyes widened in horror.

  Fwip!

  An arrow pinned it to the ground.

  Aspen rushed as he swung his dagger and killed it.

  It disintegrated, leaving a spiky mat.

  He let out a breath and turned to Ellie, yelling.

  “Are you stupid?! Those spikes could’ve paralysed you!”

  Ellie lowered her head, fists trembling.

  Aspen noticed, softened, and gently patted her head.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Just… be careful next time, okay?”

  He picked up the mat carefully, rolled it, put it into his bag and moved on. Dior retrieved his arrow and followed.

  Ellie remained frozen for a moment.

  Ryl and Helen approached to comfort her.

  “Don’t mind him,” Ryl said.

  “He loses his brain sometimes.”

  “Yes… he scolded you because he cares,” Veyra added.

  Suddenly Ellie shot to her feet.

  “HE WAS SO COOL!!” she shrieked.

  Both Ryl and Veyra blinked.

  “He’s handsome AND cool AND responsible! He’s totally my prince!”

  She sprinted after Aspen. “AREN~ WAIT FOR ME!”

  Ryl shook his head. His eyes met briefly with Helen as he smiled.

  She hitched as she ran towards others.

  Ryl stared blankly.

  “I’m really surrounded by lunatics… A sprout boy, a walking iceberg, a demon-ish fangirl, and a shy ghost… wonderful. Absolutely wonderful...”

  Muttering, he walked after them.

  _ _ _

  “We’re… lost…” Ryl whispered, horrified.

  “ARGHH!! WE’VE BEEN CIRCLING FOR TEN TIMES!” Ellie yelled.

  “I’m tired…” Helen plopped down.

  “We lost them because of you!!” Ellie pointed to Ryl.

  “If you didn't nag, we would not be lost in this creepy place!!”

  “Oh yeah? What about YOU?!” Ryl snapped.

  “You stopped twenty times to pick FLOWERS!! You even made me pick a weird one from a tree!!”

  “You can’t even climb a tree prop—”

  “Please stop!” Helen suddenly yelled.

  “It’s not the time to fight. Let’s leave markers as we walk.”

  Both fell silent.

  “Fine.”

  “Fine.”

  _ _ _

  “Where are those three?” Aspen asked, scanning the forest.

  “They’re probably slacking,” Dior said flatly.

  “Don’t say that… It’s our fault for walking too fast.” Aspen slowed.

  Dior said nothing, just moving ahead.

  Aspen sighed and followed him.

  They walked in silence like they were from different planets.

  “It's awkward… maybe I should talk about something?

  Then what should I talk about…”

  Aspen hesitated.

  “Despite the danger, this valley is beautiful, right?”

  “........”

  “It's… cold today.” he rubbed his palms.

  “........”

  “Do you like archery?”

  “........”

  Aspen's smile twitched.

  “…This is hard. He talks less than a statue…”

  He tried one more time.

  “So, Dior—”

  “Stop.” Dior raised a hand.

  “Something’s off.”

  He drew his bow instantly. Aspen readied his dagger.

  ROOOAAAARRRR!!

  The roar rolled through the valley like a shockwave, deep enough to rattle bones.

  Heat washed over them.

  The ground vibrated.

  And then it stepped out—

  A lion as big as a wagon, mane blazing like wildfire, stone skin cracked and glowing with molten lava.

  Its eyes burned like open furnaces.

  [ MAGMAVORE : High-rank Beast. Fire magic. Lava-tier Heat Tolerance. ]

  The world went silent.

  No insects.

  No wind.

  Only a monster that could melt a mountain.

  Aspen checked the orb. It flashed bright maroon.

  “High-ranking… here!? Are you serious?!”

  Dior fired.

  The arrow bounced off like it hit steel.

  The Magmavore’s jaws opened as fire swirled inside—

  And it spat a fireball.

  They dove aside—

  BOOOOM!!

  A crater exploded into the earth.

  Another.

  And another.

  Each explosion tore the ground apart.

  “It’s too strong!” Aspen hissed.

  Dior gritted his teeth and threw his bow away.

  “W-what are you doing?” Aspen stared.

  Dior marched to a massive boulder, braced his legs and lifted it as if it was nothing.

  Aspen’s jaw hit the floor.

  Dior hurled it with full force—to its side where cracks broke already.

  KRRRAAK!

  It smashed into the Magmavore, deepening the cracks along its body.

  RRROOAARRR!!

  Flame sprayed from its mouth, catching trees on fire.

  It lunged, claws slashing.

  Dior dodged but the heat scorched his cheek.

  “You—!” he ducked behind a tree, clutching the wound.

  The burn swelled on half of his face, dark like coal.

  Aspen rushed to him, pulling out the healing potion.

  “Dior! Drink! Now!”

  “No. I don’t need—”

  “Drink! Before it gets worse!”

  Dior hesitated then drank. The wound faded instantly.

  Then,

  Suddenly—

  A shadow loomed behind.

  Before they could get to their feet—the Magmavore swung.

  Too fast.

  Dior stiffened.

  Aspen moved on instinct, shoving Dior aside with everything he had.

  CRASH—!!

  The claws tore into Aspen instead.

  He hit the ground hard, rolling, skidding—until the world slammed to a stop against a rock.

  Air punched out of his lungs.

  His vision flickered.

  “A-AARGH—!” Aspen clutched his side.

  Flames had burned through his jacket; blood warmed his ribs.

  He tried to push himself up—but his arm shook violently and gave out.

  Not good.

  Not good at all.

  A sharp pain stabbed every breath.

  Something inside shifted painfully.

  “…Broken. It’s broken.

  Uncle always said… if the rib cracks, don’t breathe too deep…”

  He did anyway.

  A mistake.

  Pain exploded across his chest.

  “I… can’t…” he wheezed, panic flickering through his eyes.

  “I can’t breathe—”

  His fingers twitched helplessly in the dirt.

  His heartbeat thundered in his ears.

  His vision tunneled, darkening at the edges.

  “Why… why is everything fading?

  No, no, not now…

  Dior will…”

  He couldn’t finish the thought.

  The ground vibrated again—

  THUD.

  THUD.

  THUD.

  The Magmavore approached, its shadow swallowing him.

  Aspen’s chest spasmed, refusing to pull enough air in.

  His breaths hitched, high and sharp.

  He gritted his teeth, tears prickling from the pain—not fear, just pain.

  “M-move!!” Dior shouted somewhere behind him, voice cracking.

  Aspen wanted to.

  He really did.

  His legs wouldn’t listen.

  They felt like someone else’s.

  “I’m… sorry…”

  The monster raised its molten leg over him.

  Aspen stared up, vision swimming.

  He could barely even lift his hand to shield himself.

  Then—

  Lightning split the sky.

  BZZZT—KRAAACK!!

  The Magmavore collapsed beside him, smoking.

  Aspen stared, chest barely rising, eyes glassy with pain and exhaustion—

  But alive.

  *****

  Chapter 17 The Hunters Test 5