"Who is he?" I asked, my voice laced with concern. Zarak's expression turned grave, and he bent slightly towards me, his eyes locking onto mine.
He put his hands on my arms, his grip firm but gentle. "Look, Aries, I don't have enough time to explain about the stone, but listen to me very carefully," he said, his voice low and urgent. "You must grow stronger, no matter what it takes. You have to lead the charge to stop them."
As Zarak spoke, his words were accompanied by a sense of desperation, and I could sense the urgency behind them. He took a step closer to me.
He was inches away from my face. "I don't have enough mana, but I'll use every last bit of it to teleport you away from here," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "You... Aries, conquer it, the power of the Aetherstone."
As Zarak spoke, he raised his hand, and a faint glow began to emanate from his fingers.
"What is this-" I felt a strange energy building around me, and I exclaimed in confusion, "But Zarak, what are you talking about? I don't understand, stop? Whom? What?" My voice was laced with panic, and I tried to step back, but Zarak's grip on my arms was firm.
Before I could react further, Zarak's eyes locked onto mine, and he said, "Aries, promise, promise me that you will-" But before he could finish, the teleportation spell completed, and I felt a strange sensation wash over me.
As I disappeared, Zarak knelt on the ground, relieved and exhausted from using up all his mana.
He felt a sense of calm wash over him, and tears of relief streamed down his face.
He whispered, his voice barely audible, "I have done it, my lord... my job here is done. The Vorgarok Aetherstone has finally found its owner... I can rest easy now."
His body slumped forward, and he rested his forehead on the ground, his eyes closed in exhaustion.
But his moment of peace was short-lived. A figure emerged from the shadows, standing tall and menacing above Zarak.
The air seemed to grow colder as the Phobian's presence filled the space, and Zarak's exhaustion seemed to momentarily forgotten in the face of this new threat.
"Here you are," the Phobian said, his voice low and menacing. He paused, his eyes fixed intently on Zarak. "Hand over the Aetherstone, Zarak," he growled, his voice dripping with malice.
Zarak's eyes snapped up, filled with a fierce determination. He glared up at the Phobian, his face twisted in a snarl. "I sensed you coming already," he said, his voice cold and calculated.
As he spoke, he began to infuse mana, preparing to fight. His hands glowed with a faint blue light, and the air around him seemed to crackle with energy. "I would rather die than give it back... Vex!"
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
I groggily lifted my head, spitting out a mouthful of mud. "Where did I even end up?" I muttered, looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings.
The dense foliage of the forest loomed above me, casting deep shadows that made it difficult to see. I scrambled to my feet, brushing off the dirt and leaves that clung to my clothes.
The earthy scent of the forest floor filled my nostrils, and I could hear the distant calls of nocturnal creatures.
"So, he had me teleported near the forest itself," I thought aloud, still trying to process the sudden transportation. I looked around, trying to get my bearings.
A wave of relief washed over me as I realized I wasn't as lost as I thought I'd be. "Huhff," I exhaled, feeling a sense of relief. "I was scared thinking I'd be teleported somewhere else entirely. Man, I was scared for nothing."
As I walked through the forest, the darkness seemed to press in around me. The trees towered above, their branches creaking in the gentle breeze.
I quickened my pace, my heart beating slightly faster. "I must return to Gramps before it's late," I thought, my mind focused on finding my way back home.
As I walked, my eyes fell on a fox lying on the ground, its lifeless body a stark contrast to the vibrant forest surroundings.
"Oh, there's some food here," I said. I approached the fox and lifted it, examining it more closely.
"I Wonder who hunted it down," I mused.
Then, I saw some strange claw marks on the fox's body, and my eyes widened in surprise.
"What the-?" I started to wonder what kind of creature could have made such marks.
Suddenly, a desperate shout pierced the darkness. "Aaaaaahhh, Help me!" The cry was urgent, and I instinctively turned towards the sound.
I rushed in that direction, my heart pounding in my chest. The shouting grew louder, more urgent, and I could sense the fear and desperation behind it.
Finally, I burst into a small clearing, "What the...?" I whispered, my eyes widened in horror.
Three mana creatures, twisted and monstrous, were attacking someone.
Their bodies were a mass of writhing, ethereal tendrils, pulsing with dark energy that seemed to sear the air around them. The air was thick with the stench of malevolent magic, and I could feel the weight of their malevolent presence bearing down on us.
The person they were attacking was cowering on the ground, desperately trying to fend off the creatures' snapping jaws and slashing claws. "Get lost, don't come near, please go away!" they begged, their voice shaking with fear.
The mana creatures seemed to be feeding off their victim's fear, growing stronger with each passing moment. I could hear the sound of their desperate pleas for help, and something inside me snapped.
Without hesitation, I immediately jumped in front of the person, positioning myself between them and the marauding creatures.
"Get off of here, you filthy monsters!" I shouted, my voice firm and commanding.
One of the creatures, its twisted, elongated body a mass of writhing, ethereal tendrils, charged towards me with a swift, fluid motion.
"Whoa, not good," I muttered.
I raised my fist, infusing it with mana, A little amount of flames danced on my fists, crackling with energy. and with a precise, calculated blow, I struck the creature with a crushing impact.
My knuckles connected with a sickening crunch, sending shockwaves through my arms, As I grinned, "Flame Emperor!" I whispered.
The creature let out a pained "Uuurghh" as my fist connected with a sickening crunch.
It stumbled backward, its momentum halted momentarily, its twisted body reeling from the attack.
I stood tall, opposing the three mana monsters, my eyes blazing with determination. The creatures seemed to pause, taken aback by my sudden intervention