Chapter 5

Kai and I stared wide-eyed at the towering figure before us. The forest guardian emanated an aura of raw power, and its piercing gaze seemed to bore into our souls. As the creature spoke, its voice resonated like thunder, shaking the ground beneath us.

"Who dares disturb the peace of the sacred woods?" the guardian bellowed, its voice echoing through the trees. Kai and I exchanged nervous glances, unsure of how to respond. The situation was dire, and any wrong move could provoke the guardian further.

With a deep breath, Kai stepped forward, his voice steady but cautious. "We mean no harm, noble guardian," he began, his words measured and respectful. "We seek only to train and hone our skills in magic. Please, forgive our intrusion."

The forest guardian's eyes narrowed, its expression unreadable. For a tense moment, silence hung in the air like a heavy shroud. Then, with a mighty roar, the guardian raised its massive arms, summoning a tempest of wind and leaves.

The wind was mighty and strong, and Kai could barely stand on our feet. "KAI WHAT DO WE DO!!!" I shouted, the leaves pelting my face like tiny punches. Kai's expression was grim as he fought against the powerful gusts. "Your light show disturbed the forest's balance," he yelled back, his voice almost lost in the cacophony of the storm. "It's hard to break the natural barrier with magic, but your golden flames probably did that. That's why this guardian is angry."

I nodded, the urgency of the situation sinking in. If we didn't find a way to pacify the forest guardian soon, we'd be in serious trouble. But with the wind howling around us and the guardian's rage escalating, it felt like an impossible task.

I mentally consulted AVA for help, and she provided me with three potential options to deal with the forest guardian. "Uh, Kai, I have three ideas," I shouted, trying to make myself heard over the deafening roar of the wind.

Kai shot me an exasperated look, clearly frustrated by the urgency of the situation. "Mark, not to be rude, BUT COULD YOU JUST TELL ME BEFORE WE GET BLOWN AWAY!!" he yelled back, his voice barely audible over the tempestuous gale.

"A, we could try to appease it," Kai suggested, but I waved off his idea. "That won't work. You cracked Nature's Barrier. The guardian won't be easily appeased," I explained, frustration evident in my voice.

"Is there a way to seal this spirit?" Kai questioned, looking puzzled by my sudden knowledge. "How do you know what sea— nevermind. The only way to seal a spirit is with a strong vessel, and we don't have that right now," he replied, clearly baffled by my insight.

Quickly brainstorming, I mentally reached out to AVA for advice. "Is it possible to seal its powers inside something like a large crystal?" I inquired. "Yes, it is possible. However, sealing a dryad requires a flawless gemstone with magic negation," AVA confirmed. Realizing I had the necessary tools at my disposal, I summoned a flawless garnet crystal with my summoning skill. The dryad's wind spell faltered momentarily as it questioned my audacity. "Oh, you dare try to seal me after breaking the natural balance in this forest??" the dryad challenged. "Uh, yes? AVA, now!" I urgently commanded. "Sealing spell commencing..."

Everything seemed to be going according to plan. AVA was handling everything flawlessly. Our victory was nearly within reach, or so we thought. As AVA initiated the sealing spell, which, by the way, was confusing as hell, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that I didn't have to learn it myself. Thanks to AVA's expertise, we had it covered.

As the energy started to form around me, indicating that the spell had been activated, Kai observed with a mixture of awe and curiosity. "Is... that a sealing spell? How does he do this? Also, should I tell him there's a chance it might not work... Nah, he'll learn this way," he mused to himself. Suddenly, the energy surrounding the dryad began to shift, morphing from a benign light green to a menacing golden and purple aura. "Ah, you will not take my power!!" the dryad bellowed defiantly.

With a surge of determination, I focused on the task at hand, unaware of the impending complication. However, just as the energy surged, the crystal I held began to shatter in my hands. Kai, realizing something, spoke up. "I was going to tell you from the start of the spell that I noticed something. This guardian has been corrupted with unholy energy. A corruption spell has a locking effect, which seals the person's natural characteristics in place." Ah, thanks for the timely information, Kai. The dryad's aura shifted ominously, taking on a dark shade of purple. Looks like things just got a lot more complicated.

As the crystal shattered, releasing the energy back into the dryad, a surge of panic washed over me. "Oh crap, what have I done?" I exclaimed, watching helplessly as the fragments scattered on the ground. Kai's expression mirrored my own concern. "This is bad news," he muttered, his brows furrowed with worry. The dryad's aura darkened further, radiating an ominous presence that sent chills down my spine.

"I totally screwed up, didn't I?" I turned to Kai, hoping for some guidance or maybe a quick fix to salvage the situation. "We need to think fast," he replied, his tone grave. "That corrupted energy is only making things worse. We have to find a way to contain it before it spreads any further." With a determined nod, I racked my brain, desperately trying to come up with a plan to undo my mistake.

Before I could even process what was happening, the dryad unleashed a blast of pure energy at us. With Kai's lightning-fast reflexes, he grabbed me and swiftly evaded the attack, saving our skins from certain annihilation. As he gently set me down, I couldn't help but notice a startling change in his appearance – three large tails swayed behind him, and his eyes emitted an eerie blue glow. "Whoa, Kai?" I exclaimed, my voice tinged with a mix of awe and concern.

"Phew, that was a close call," Kai remarked with a sigh, his fox-like features betraying a hint of exhaustion. It must be some manifestation of his spirit magic, but we had bigger fish to fry – like the enraged guardian hell-bent on our destruction. "What's your suggestion, AVA?" I mentally inquired, eager for a solution to our dire predicament.

"Alright, let's do it," I declared, feeling a rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins. With a deep breath, I summoned the golden flames that danced around my fingertips, their radiant glow illuminating the darkness that surrounded us. As the flames enveloped me, I felt a surge of power coursing through my body, filling me with a newfound sense of confidence and determination. With a resolute spirit, I directed the flames towards the corrupted magic that tainted the dryad's essence, unleashing their purifying light upon the darkness.

The golden flames surged forward, engulfing the guardian in a brilliant blaze of light. The clash of magic was a sight to behold, a dazzling display of power and fury that illuminated the forest around us. With each passing moment, the corrupted magic weakened, its grip on the dryad's spirit loosening until finally, with a deafening roar, it shattered into a million pieces, vanishing into the ether. The dryad let out a piercing scream as the darkness was torn away from its being, leaving behind a creature of pure light and purity.

"And just like that, it's over," I stated, still trying to process the sudden turn of events. The dryad lay defeated, and Kai's expression mirrored my own bewilderment as he questioned, "How did you manage that? You dissolved the corrupted energy so swiftly. How did you even know you could do that?"

Before I could formulate a response, an image flashed in my mind: "You are now level 15; all skills and stats have been improved." Level 15? It seemed implausible, considering I was a mere beginner not long ago. "Hmm, perhaps destroying the energy granted me experience points, but then again, do experience points even exist in this world?" I mulled over these thoughts, interrupted by Kai's urgent call as he grasped my shoulder, bringing me back to reality.

"Mark, are you paying attention?" Kai's voice cut through the turmoil in my mind, and I refocused on the transformed figure before us. The once majestic dryad now appeared as a towering, pained man, signaling that our ordeal was far from over. Another strange twist in this unpredictable journey, yet it seemed par for the course for someone like me.

The eye in the sky blinked, a silent observer of the events unfolding below. As the scene shifted to a magical projection, it became apparent that someone was watching. A figure, shrouded in darkness, rose from his chair, his expression unreadable as he observed the aftermath of the encounter.

"Holy Flames," he muttered under his breath, his voice laced with a mixture of awe and determination. "This one has been touched by the gods." With a fluid motion, he unfurled four wings, two radiant and golden, the others a deep, ominous purple. As he ascended into the sky, a sinister grin crossed his face.

"I will extinguish those flames... permanently," he declared, his words carrying an air of menace as he vanished into the darkness, leaving behind a foreboding sense of impending conflict.