Chapter 6

As we ventured on, we stumbled upon a famous road. It wasnt fully visible but I remembered the four large mango trees that stood in a circular format. That didnt change.

Despite our eagerness to progress, we had to remain vigilant and avoid as much monsters as possible . Sarah took notes on each creature we encountered, detailing their features and abilities for future reference.

"I'm exhausted," Sarah groaned, after walking for over an hour. "We haven't engaged any of the monsters we've seen, but it's crucial that we assess their strength and capabilities for our book."

Although Sarah's logic was sound, we couldn't recklessly attack every beast we encountered.

"We'll defend ourselves if necessary for now. But let's not get into any unnecessary fighte" said John.

"Coward." Kero whispered.

"What was that!?" Snalled John.

"Oh nothing at all," Kero replied.

So we continued to observe from a distance.

While we couldn't predict if they all traveled in packs, we did observe that some of their behaviors remained consistent with those of typical creatures.

"Have you ever thought about what happened to our families and friends?" I asked, curious about their thoughts while listening to what sound like birds flying over singing sweet melodies.

"Every day," they responded in unison. "It's been almost a year, and we haven't encountered anyone new. We hope they're still alive." Said Sarah looking up as the sun peered through space between the trees.

I empathized with their sentiment, and we continued on with the hope that we would eventually reunite with our loved ones. As we can't be the only survivors. It would be ridiculous if we were the only ones left.

As exhaustion set in, we decided to make camp for the night. The unsettling sounds of the forest didn't give us much comfort, but we had to rest to protect ourselves in the darkness. We gradually became accustomed to the bizarre noises, realizing the presence of many intriguing and frightening creatures around us.

"This place smells weird and feels especially creepy," Sarah expressed, voicing what we all felt. "I think something is watching us in the woods."

I tried to reassure her and closed my eyes to rest. However, a strange dream overtook me. In it, a star exploded from space towards our planet, but something was inside the star before it detonated. It looked like me within the star with the most sinister smile. When the Star explodes and the blast radius hit me, I jolted awake.

Celestia slapped me, bringing me back to reality. "Rome, wake up! Wake up! I think something is out there," she whispered.

Reluctantly, I opened my eyes, my senses alerting me to the presence of monsters surrounding us.

Everyone else was already alert.

"Shit, we're surrounded." I exclaimed.

"How many are there, Rome?" Kero asked.

"I'm not sure, but a lot. They aren't very strong, though," I replied, grateful for my enhanced abilities to sense the presence of people and monsters.

"Do you guys hear that?" I asked, and John sniped back, "No, we can't hear as well as you!."

"Wait, listen," Sarah interrupted. It was a buzzing sound. Kero used his fire magic and cast a fire flare in the air, which illuminated our surroundings. We quickly lit some sticks and placed them around us, and we even lit a tree on fire to increase our visibility.

As I looked around, I noticed a swarm of mosquitoes the size of hummingbirds surrounding us.

"Oh hell no, revenge of the mosquitos." Finally gonna give us humans what we deserve for smacking you all dead over the years." Said Sarah casually.

Some giant frogs were also present, but they were not spared by the bloodsuckers. In seconds, they were all drained out, leaving us the only prey for the swarm.

"Any plans?" asked Celestia, glancing around at the group. Our muscles tense, senses alert and abilities ready to be unleashed on these blood suckers

"Well yea, attack!" Shouted Kero.

John started off with his ice arrows, but they seemed too  large to make a significant impact on th critters. He quickly decreased their size to produce more and began firing them off, killing many at once.

Kero, on the other hand, went wild with his flame magic, repeatedly shooting off fireballs that burnt the mosquitoes to a crisp. He seemed to really enjoy this. Smiling as he slaughtered them. It seemed like they were extremely vulnerable to fire.

Sarah and Celestia joined forces, using their water magic to create small droplets of water that they fired off at great speed, cutting straight through the insects. Although the mosquitoes weren't very fast, there were still hundreds of them, and our efforts were not enough.

I took out my knife and set it on fire, slashing and stabbing with great accuracy. They were slow and cutting down multiple wasn't a challenge for me. This felt exciting, I felt like a  samuri.

The numbers were diminishing as the sound of my blade clashed with their bodies, but there were still too many of them.

"We needed a new plan!," I shouted.

They were closing in on us and we didnt have enough energy to fight them off like this.

"Water wall! Ice wall!" Sarah and John shouted simultaneously. Kero looked at them in surprise and asked, "When did you two learn that?"

"Dont worry,  we cant get left behind you know." Said Sarah.

We quickly hid behind a tree, using the ice and water walls as shields. We were safe for now.

"Alright, they seem to be really weak against fire. We need a plan to get them all in one go," said Celestia.

"Can't you teleport us again?" asked John hopefully.

"No, that was a one-off situation, and I was out for two days after that," Celestia replied. Her tone indicated that teleportation was not something she could do frequently.

"Wait," I said, looking at Kero. "Do you think we could channel our energy  into you, Kero, and have you blast them all?"

Sarah looked skeptical. "How exactly would we do that? We've never tried anything like that before."

"Hurry it up, guys! I can't hold them off for much longer!" John's urgency echoed through the icy chamber.

The incessant drilling of mosquitoes into the ice wall sent shivers down my spine. Death seemed inevitable unless we acted swiftly.

"I'm not entirely sure," I admitted, my mind racing for a solution, "but perhaps we could try generating energy and transferring it to Kero without actually attacking. It might just be our best chance.

"Kero appeared hesitant, but he eventually nodded. "It's worth a shot," he said, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. John, though clearly anxious, mustered determination. "Yeah, better to risk it all and fight till the end.

Celestia and I touched immediately touched Kero and began to transfer our energy to him. John and Sarah stepped forward to continue shielding us while we worked.

"Ready?" I asked Kero.

With determination in his eyes, Kero closed his eyes and began to channel his energy into a fireball. The sphere of flames grew larger and larger, expanding to an impressive size, almost resembling a powerful flamethrower with the ball leading the fiery charge.

"Fireball!" Kero's voice boomed as he unleashed the formidable attack.The blazing fireball tore through everything in its path, obliterating even the ice and fire walls that had been conjured by John and Sarah

The sheer force of the attack sent us flying back, crashing into the nearby tree.The intense heat enveloped the surroundings, yet miraculously, we managed to avoid the direct impact of the attack.

As the inferno subsided, Kero fell to the ground, knocked out cold, having exhausted himself in unleashing such an immense display of power. Before us lay a charred landscape, with the remnants of the once formidable monsters now reduced to ash. Swiftly, we took care of the few straggling creatures that managed to escape the blast, and then collected some of the valuable monster parts that remained.

Despite our victory, fatigue weighed heavily on us. We were all drained, physically and mentally. While we caught our breath, I couldn't help but be in awe of the sheer might of Kero's fire magic. It inspired a yearning within me to harness my own abilities, to one day create a fireball of such immense strength without relying on anyone else's energy.

After the battle was over, I spent the rest of the early morning  training my fire abilities. I was determined to become stronger and more independent, to rely less on others and more on my own abilities. As I practiced, I thought about what Celestia had said earlier after the battle.

She had seen how imprresse I was and maybe a little jealous. "Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses." She had said earlier. Maybe I wasn't as strong as Kero in terms of raw power, but I had my own unique abilities that made me valuable to the team.

As the sun began to rise, I sat down to catch my breath. I didn't get an rest at all. What was I thinking??

I heard voices in the distance. I knew I should try and get some rest now, but my curiosity got the best of me. I got up and followed the sound, eager to see what was happening.

As I approached I daw John and Sarah, I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of them being all cuddly and giggly. "Get a room, you two," I teased.

John laughed and looked at me. "Hey Rome, I'm glad you're here. Can you use your lighter and light the fire for breakfast?"

They both burst out in laughter.

I rolled my eyes, realizing that John was teasing me about my fire magic again. But I was used to it by now, so I just laughed and walked away, grateful for the opportunity to get some rest.

As I drifted into slumber, the dream returned to claim me once more. The explosion engulfed my senses, immersing me in a world of chaos and terror. Amongst the fleeing scientists, a sense of urgency filled the air as some shouted warnings while others seemed resigned to their fate.

In this bewildering dream, I caught sight of a figure that bore an uncanny resemblance to me. Yet, it emanated an eerie and sinister aura that sent a chill down my spine. Its eyes, a haunting shade of purple, locked onto mine with a penetrating gaze that felt as though it could pierce the depths of my soul.

A malevolent voice from this figure, dripping with disdain, addressed me as an "inferior creature." The sheer malice behind those words sent shivers through my entire being. It was an experience unlike any other, as if I were entangled in a maleficent dance with an unknown darkness.

Abruptly, the dream transitioned, revealing a sign that read "Miami Astrophysics Research Center." The significance of this enigmatic location eluded me, leaving me with more questions than answers.

As the dream concluded, I jolted awake, feeling uneasy and drained. Strangely, the explosion failed to jolt me from my slumber this time. The bizarre and unsettling nature of the dream made it difficult to simply dismiss it as an ordinary occurrence but I did anyway.

I went back to sleep immediately after that because I was still tired.

As the hours slipped by, I reluctantly opened my eyes, feeling as if I hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. Kero had also roused from his slumber, but to my dismay, he had suffered a broken hand in two places. I couldn't help but wonder if the MosVamps had somehow found a way to harm him, raising my guard even higher.

After a hasty meal of rice, beans, and roast chicken legs, we resumed our journey, our steps determined and resolute. Thoughts of my own abilities gnawed at my mind, urging me to seek improvement. The dangers ahead demanded strength and skill, and I knew I couldn't afford to remain complacent.

Amidst the rhythmic footsteps, I couldn't ignore the shift in dynamics between Celestia and Kero. Her voice seemed to dance with animation as she conversed with him, her gratitude evident in the crimson hue that painted her cheeks. The pang of isolation pricked at me, witnessing their camaraderie.

Celestia's allure was undeniable, and I couldn't help but ponder if my own hesitations had cost me a chance to connect with her on a deeper level. But the scars of past heartaches had taught me to be cautious, to shield myself from potential pain. My life hadn't followed the trajectory I once imagined, and I grappled with the notion of letting go of those barriers and trusting once more.

Yet, for now, I resolved to focus on my growth. The road ahead was fraught with uncertainties, and I knew that the key to survival lay in honing my strengths and facing the unknown with courage.

amp, mostly chatting with Kero. It was obvious that she was grateful to him for what he had done the previous night, and her face turned red whenever she thanked him.

The ambiance of the surroundings seemed to shift as a faint sound from John and Sarah broke the silence, pulling me back from my deep contemplations.

"Hey, Rome," John's voice carried a tone of concern. "When you were sleeping earlier, it felt like you were in the midst of a battle. You were sweating profusely, and we weren't sure if we should wake you or let you rest.

"Sarah chimed in, her eyes showing worry. "Yeah, we decided to let you sleep, considering you didn't seem to get much rest at all."

A shiver ran down my spine as I tried to articulate the enigmatic dream that had taken hold of my slumber. "I had a nightmare," I began cautiously, my voice lowering to a hushed tone, as if speaking of it might beckon its malevolence once more.

"I saw myself, or something that resembled me, but it exuded an ominous aura. Its eyes, they were a haunting shade of purple, like a sinister specter. And then, it called me an 'Inferior creature.'

"The atmosphere seemed to grow heavier as the words hung in the air, laden with the weight of the unknown. John and Sarah exchanged uncertain glances, absorbing the mystery of my dream, unsure of how to interpret its implications