บท 49: Getting Pulled Along (1).

In the evening, Clara and Emily prepared supper for the household, their culinary skills filling the air with savory aromas. Clara, still shy around Ethan, found herself blushing and stammering uncontrollably at the mere mention of her name by him. Unlike Harley, Clara's shyness seemed to be a constant barrier between her and Ethan. After supper, the group engaged in light conversation before retiring to their rooms. Ethan, seeking to unpack and settle in, made his way to the basement, the designated cultivation area.

As he descended into the basement, he was struck by its vastness, a stark contrast to the cluttered and dimly lit space in his own home. The cultivation area boasted six rooms, three on each side, illuminated by soft, ethereal light blue glowing crystals. These pseudo-affinity crystals, though unable to transform into full-fledged affinity crystals, still radiated a gentle, magical glow, casting an otherworldly ambiance throughout the space. Ethan entered one of the rooms, closing the door behind him, and began to meditate, his blue eye rune glowing brightly on his forehead.

Angitia, his loyal companion, coiled itself before him, its own eye rune mirroring Ethan's. The air around them began to shimmer as their combined energies formed a beautiful, intricate rune. A brilliant blue light enveloped them, growing in intensity until the room seemed to be floating, along with Ethan and Angitia. Suddenly, a notification echoed in Ethan's mind, accompanied by a text that materialized before his closed eyes: "Host will be transported to the Beast Plane in 5 seconds... 5... 4... 3..."

Ethan's attempt to halt the countdown was too late, as the portal sucked him in, accompanied by an unexpected passenger – Trevor.

"Crap! You just had to come at this time..." Ethan exclaimed, annoyance etched on his face.

"Calm down, kid. Instead of anger, worry about where he is. He didn't appear with you." Zark's voice offered a measured response.

Mission Initiated! Find Trevor.

Time Limit: 1 Hour.

Penalty: Death of Trevor and Loss of One Special Ability.

Countdown: 01:00...

Ethan's anxiety grew as he pondered his next move.

"That's where you use your intelligence," Zark suggested. With a deep breath, Ethan emerged from the cave, Angitia coiled around his neck, and Galeno perched on his head in tortoise form. The comical sight of Ethan, shirtless and adorned with his beasts, belied the gravity of his situation.

As night descended upon Babel's Hive, Ethan ventured into the nearby forest, seeking any sign of Trevor.

...

The silence was broken by a scream piercing the air, followed by a humanoid figure plummeting from the sky. Apole, the crystal skull, emerged from the smoke, its red glowing sockets fixed on Trevor. The skull engulfed the figure, only to spit him out onto a branch of a towering tree.

Trevor, disoriented and confused, scanned his surroundings, sensing a strange pull from within. Ignoring it, he marveled at the forest's realism, wondering if this was a skill of Ethan's. However, another, stronger pull broke his reverie, leaving him feeling weakened. As the tree's branches began to move towards him, Trevor grabbed Apole and leapt from the branch, dodging the tree's attacks. The more he ran, the weaker he felt, until smoke erupted from his body, temporarily halting the tree's pursuit. Seizing the opportunity, Apole transformed into a massive skull, and Trevor entered, fleeing the treacherous forest.

Trevor's escape was short-lived, as the trees, now a horde of towering sentinels, gave chase. Their branches, like skeletal fingers, reached out to snare him, while their trunks, thick and gnarled, pounded the earth in pursuit. Apole, sensing Trevor's distress, unleashed a wave of smoke that merged with Trevor's own affinity. Together, they created a dense fog, obscuring the trees' vision and disorienting their pursuit.

As they fled, Trevor and Apole wove a complex dance of smoke, their affinities intertwined. They crafted tendrils of mist to confuse the trees, then condensed the smoke into razor-sharp blades to slash at their pursuers. The trees, however, adapted, their bark thickening to resist the smoke's effects.

The largest tree, a colossal giant with branches as wide as a house, lunged forward, its trunk opening like a maw to suck the energy from Trevor's very being. Trevor and Apole responded by unleashing a maelstrom of smoke, the two affinities amplifying each other's strength. The smoke corroded the tree's bark, slowing its pursuit, as Trevor and Apole dodged its attack.

The horde pressed on, undeterred. Trevor and Apole found themselves surrounded, the trees' energy-sucking abilities draining their strength. They countered by creating a series of smoke explosions, scattering the trees and creating openings for escape. Apole's smoke affinity allowed it to move through the fog, striking from unexpected angles and further disorienting their pursuers.

As the battle raged on, Trevor began to tire, his energy waning. Apole sensed its partner's distress and intensified its smoke output, merging their affinities into a singular, powerful force. The combined smoke blast incinerated the smaller trees, while the larger ones stumbled, their energy-sucking abilities disrupted.

Trevor and Apole seized the reprieve to flee, their smoke affinity guiding them through the treacherous forest. As they emerged into a clearing, Trevor collapsed, exhausted. Apole's smoke dissipated, revealing the crystal skull watching over him with an unblinking gaze. The trees, their energy spent, halted at the clearing's edge, their silence a temporary reprieve. Trevor knew the forest would not relent; he had to find Ethan and escape the Beast Plane before it was too late even though he was still in confusion.

Trevor's respite was short-lived, as the trees, their energy replenished, resumed their assault. Five minutes of fragile peace were shattered by the sound of cracking bark and splintering wood. The horde closed in, their branches tangling around him like a living cage. Apole's smoke affinity surged, a desperate bid to hold back the tide. Trevor, his strength waning, joined the fray, their smoke entwining in a furious dance.

With a deep breath, Trevor focused his mind, channeling his smoke affinity into a precise, martial art form. He wove a complex pattern of smoke, using his agility and quick reflexes to evade the trees' attacks. His smoke tendrils lashed out, striking true, as he landed precise kicks and punches, his movements a blur of speed and grace.

Apole's smoke affinity amplified Trevor's, their combined strength creating a maelstrom of smoke. Trevor used his knowledge of martial arts to create openings, striking at the trees' weak points, his smoke-enhanced fists and feet landing with precision and force.

But they were vastly outnumbered, and the trees' relentless onslaught began to tell. Trevor stumbled, his vision blurring as the trees' energy-sucking abilities drained his life force. Apole's smoke grew thicker, a last-ditch effort to protect its partner.

In a desperate bid to turn the tide, Trevor unleashed a devastating smoke-infused kick, striking the largest tree with precision and force. The tree stumbled, its energy-drain faltering, as Trevor landed a series of swift, smoke-enhanced punches, each blow landing with precision and deadliness.

Just as the trees' energy drain was about to consume him, a chorus of snarls and growls echoed through the clearing. Beasts of the forest, drawn by the commotion, charged into the fray. A pack of razor-toothed, shadowy creatures tore into the trees' flanks, their jaws snapping with deadly precision. A towering, humanoid monstrosity with skin like dark, polished marble swung its massive fists, shattering tree trunks with ease.

The battle raged on, Trevor and Apole at its center. The trees, though battered, refused to yield. Their energy drain intensified, Trevor's vision blurring as his strength ebbed away. Apole's smoke grew weaker, its tendrils faltering as the trees' onslaught continued.

In the chaos, a blur of yellow streaked across the clearing, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The trees, the shadowy creatures, and the marble-skinned monstrosity were all blasted aside, their forms indistinct as they crashed to the ground. The yellow streak hurtled toward Trevor; its trajectory unwavering.

Time seemed to slow as it approached, Trevor's exhausted mind unable to comprehend the sudden turn of events. The world around him dissolved into a kaleidoscope of colors – the deep greens of the forest, the fiery oranges of the setting sun, and the electric blues of the unknown energy blast.

In the last second, as the trees' energy drain was about to consume him, the yellow streak enveloped him. He felt himself lifted, his body weightless, as the world around him dissolved into a blue-tinged blur. A blast of blue energy, like a celestial hammer, struck the clearing, obliterating everything in its path.

Trevor's consciousness, his vision consumed by the intense blue light, faltered. He felt his body tremble, his mind reeling from the sheer force of the blast. The world went silent, leaving only the echoes of chaos and the faint whisper of Apole's smoke affinity, now a distant memory.

As the darkness closed in, Trevor's thoughts grew disjointed, his mind struggling to comprehend the events that had transpired. He remembered the trees, their relentless assault, and the beasts that had joined the fray. He recalled the yellow streak, its trajectory unwavering, and the blast of blue energy that had saved him from the brink of death.

And then, there was nothing. Trevor's consciousness slipped away, lost in the depths of unconsciousness, as the world around him faded into the darkness.