In the Luminous Forest, translucent roots and glowing moss in shades of blue, green, and purple guide Rian and Lina's steps. Dew reflects light, the air hums with life, vines slither, and the canopy whispers. Rian, his glove covering the purple "C" mark on his hand, crouches low.
"These tracks are fading," he muttered, eyes locked on the shimmering marks slicing through the moss. The silvery glow was unraveling, like smoke in the wind. "Whoever made these knew they'd be followed."
"Or didn't want to get caught," Lina shot back, kicking a glowing stone aside. Her brown eyes scanned the forest, her makeshift knife twirling in her hand. "Look, ash on the trees. Whoever passed through here used fire. Again."
Rian clenched his jaw, the word "fire" prodding at a five-year-old scar.
"They won't get away," he said, voice low, almost a growl. "You ready for this, Lina? This isn't just tracking. It could get dangerous."
"Dangerous?" Lina laughed, but it sounded tight. "I took on a killer vine with you é yesterday, remember? I'm in, you stubborn idiot."
Rian glanced at her, a faint warmth easing the weight in his chest.
"Then stop counting vines and keep your eyes peeled," he said, forcing a half-smile.
"Hey, vine-counting's my therapy!" she teased, pointing her knife with a mischievous grin. "But, for real, this forest gives me the creeps. Feels like it's watching us."
"Because it is," Craevon's deep voice rumbled in Rian's mind, making him freeze. "The Luminous Forest is alive, kid. And it doesn't like intruders. Watch your step."
Rian huffed, grumbling, "Great, now even the forest wants me dead."
"Talking to yourself again?" Lina raised an eyebrow, but before Rian could answer, a sharp clinking cut through the air, like glass colliding.
"Rian, above!" she yelled, pointing to the canopy.
A flock of five glassy creatures dove, their feathers glinting like razor-sharp blades. Their white eyes sparked, and their wings rang like shattered bells. A feather sliced through the air, tearing Lina's backpack. Supplies spilled, sparking as they hit the ground.
"Create!" Rian shouted, his left hand burning as blue and orange flames formed, shaping the Fire Sword.
Fire sword created!]
Energy: 10/15.
New move available: Fire Strike.
Glowing runes floated before him, pulsing like living gems.
"Stay back, Lina!"
"No way!" she snapped, rolling aside as a feather stabbed the ground where she'd stood. Glittering dust exploded from the feather, forming a mist that clouded their vision.
"Wait, this'll work!" Lina grabbed a glassy shard from a fallen feather and a nearby flexible vine. With quick movements, she tied the shard to the vine, crafting a light, sharp spear.
"Take that!"
Lina spun and threw the spear, pinning a creature's wing to the glowing moss.
"Go, Rian, now!"
Rian swung, the blade roaring through the air with fiery heat. It struck a creature, shattering it into glittering fragments.
Energy: 8/15.
A searing heat shot up his arm, the "C" mark pulsing fiercely.
New move available: Fire Strike.
"Fire Strike?" he whispered, confused.
"Rian, right!" Lina shouted, chucking a stone that bounced off another bird's head. The creature hissed, veering, and Rian seized the moment, testing the new move.
A wave of flames erupted from the blade, incinerating the bird in a flash.
Energy: 6/15.
Exhaustion hit hard, his arms shaking.
"You see that?!" Rian gasped, coughing as the glittering dust filled his lungs. "This sword… it's stronger now!"
"Congrats, hero, but two are still flying!" Lina quipped, her voice muffled as she dodged another feather with a nimble leap.
She charged, stabbing her makeshift knife into a bird's wing, sending it crashing. Rian watched her quick, precise moves and tried to mimic them. He dodged a feather with a spin, his body responding better.
"You're good, Lina," he said, slicing another bird with a normal strike.
Energy: 4/15.
"Good? I'm amazing!" she laughed, but a feather grazed her arm, drawing a wince. "Damn, these things cut like knives!"
"Last one!" Rian yelled, charging.
The final bird dove, but he spun, using Strong Strike again. The blazing blade cleaved the creature in two, shards falling like stars.
Energy: 2/15.
He dropped to his knees, breath ragged, sweat dripping down his face.
"You okay?" Lina asked, wiping blood from her arm with her torn sleeve. She crouched beside him, knife still in hand. "Because, seriously, you look like you're gonna pass out."
"I… just need a minute," Rian muttered, dismissing the sword. The heat faded, but the exhaustion lingered.
"This sword… it drains everything from me. I don't know how to control it yet."
He frowned, staring into space. Those strange numbers kept flashing in his mind:
[Rian's Status]
Level: 2
Strength: 20
Speed: 9
Energy: 2/15
Skills:
Fire Sword (10/100 to Level 3)
Fire Strike (20/50 to Level 2)
Strong Strike (40/50 to Level 3)
"Craevon, what are these numbers?" Rian asked. "Every time I use the sword, I see… stuff. Points, levels, energy. And now this 'Fire Strike.' How do I know this? And why do I feel like I'm getting better?"
Craevon's gravelly voice echoed in his mind, almost amused.
"Your numbers reflect your progress with the Fire Sword: the more you fight, the stronger you get. Points measure experience, and levels are steps to something greater. Each evolution unlocks techniques, like 'Fire Strike,' but controlling energy is key, or the flame might burn you out before your enemies."
Rian blinked, trying to wrap his head around it.
"So… the more I use it, the stronger I get? Why didn't you tell me this before?"
"Because you didn't ask," Craevon snapped, his tone sharp. "And because you're not ready for everything the system can offer. Keep fighting, kid. The Luminous Forest will teach you more than I could explain now."
Lina nudged his shoulder.
"Hey, talking to yourself again? What's going on in that stubborn head of yours?"
Rian sighed, standing with effort.
"Just… trying to figure out this sword."
"Just try not to faint, okay?"
Rian gave a weak laugh.
"Thanks, Lina. And that spear you made? How do you come up with stuff like that so fast?"
She shrugged, a sly grin on her lips.
"When you grow up with nothing, you learn to make something out of scraps. This forest's like a junkyard market to me."
They followed the trail, the glow of the tracks nearly gone. The canopy parted into a clearing, revealing a massive, cracked gem scarred with burn marks.
"This gem holds echoes of forbidden power," Craevon whispered. "Careful, Rian. Someone's been here."
"Feel that?" Rian asked, voice tense, pointing at the gem. "Those burns… they're like the ones in the village."
Lina stepped closer, touching the gem cautiously.
"Look, dried blood here. And bits of metal. Looks like a fight went down."
A sound of footsteps broke the clearing's silence, quick and distant, echoing through the glowing trees. The giant gem, cracked and scorched, seemed to pulse with an uneasy light.
"Rian, hide!" Lina hissed, her brown eyes flashing with urgency. She grabbed his arm, yanking him behind a tree, its glowing branches brushing their clothes.
A cloaked figure stepped into the clearing, a blazing blade in his hand pulsing with cold light.
"Craevon's chosen is closer than we thought," the man murmured, his voice low, a cold smile on his lips. He crouched, picking up a charred glassy feather from the ground, tucking it into his cloak before vanishing into the trees.
Lina let out a breath, relaxing her stance.
"Who was that guy? And why's he so interested in you?"
"No idea," Rian said, eyes fixed on the burned feather the man left behind. "But he knows about me. That's not good."
"Now what?" Lina asked, her knife trembling in her hand. "Do we follow him or head back to the village? I know an old guy who might know something about this gem."
Rian tightened his glove, the promise of vengeance burning hotter.
"We follow," he said, voice cold.