บท 14: Attack of the Giant Creature in the Forest

The morning in the village where they stayed overnight passed peacefully. After an emotional night filled with arguments, Alaric and Zanuba decided to leave the village early, continuing their journey towards Direwitch. Although Zanuba was still a bit sullen after the previous night's events, the atmosphere between them began to recover. Alaric, with his usual goofy style, always managed to revive light conversation between them, though sometimes with poorly timed jokes.

After a few hours of walking, they arrived at a large forest that seemed eerily quiet. Towering trees with thick foliage almost covered the sky, giving the place a spooky and mysterious vibe. Alaric, who usually loved to joke around, was now a bit more alert. This forest was known to be dangerous, and not just because of bandits.

"So, are you sure we're going to get through this without any trouble?" asked Zanuba, who started feeling a strange vibe around them.

"Absolutely! We have me, and of course, you," Alaric replied with a wide grin. "What could go wrong?"

Just as Alaric said those words, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble violently. A rumbling sound came from ahead, like something massive was approaching.

Zanuba turned to Alaric with a flat stare. "You really have a talent for attracting trouble, Alaric."

"I prefer to call it a 'talent for thrilling adventures,'" Alaric replied, though he clearly knew they were in trouble.

Suddenly, from behind the trees, a massive creature with thick fur and a terrifying face appeared. It looked like a cross between a bear and a wolf, with long fangs protruding from its mouth. It stood about twice as tall as the surrounding trees, and each step it took made the ground shake.

Zanuba stepped back a few paces, trying to calm herself. "That... is too big to be called a 'small problem,' Alaric."

"Well, at least it's not as big as a mountain. So, this still qualifies as a 'medium problem,'" Alaric replied, taking a deep breath. "Alright, let me handle this. Don't worry."

Alaric, in his usual laid-back manner, raised his hand and began chanting a simple spell. However, this time, he noticed something different. Instead of unleashing his full power, Alaric only used a basic spell—a small gust of wind that barely ruffled the creature's fur.

The giant creature paused for a moment, confused by the light breeze in the midst of the battle. Then, with a loud roar, it attacked again with its massive claw, nearly hitting Alaric.

Seeing this, Zanuba immediately shouted, "Alaric! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"

Alaric dodged with a small leap and turned back to Zanuba. "Relax, relax. I'm trying something here."

"Trying what? Getting killed?!"

"No, no," Alaric replied with a smile. "I'm giving you a chance. Didn't you say you wanted to learn magic? Well, now's the perfect time!"

Zanuba froze for a moment. "You're serious? That giant creature, and you want me to fight it?"

"Yes," Alaric replied casually. "After all, you won't learn anything if you don't try. I'll help a little, don't worry."

Zanuba looked at Alaric in confusion, but then nodded. "Alright, then... What should I do?"

Alaric smiled widely, as if he was giving a basic lesson to a novice student. "First, focus on your energy. Take a deep breath, and let the magic flow. Use the spell I taught you yesterday."

Zanuba closed her eyes and tried to focus. Although she had just learned the basics of magic, she knew that if she did nothing, the creature would kill them both.

So, she took a deep breath, feeling the flow of magic within her, and then chanted the spell Alaric had taught her.

"Tiapangisus Nimus!" Zanuba shouted the spell, and suddenly, a small gust of wind formed from her hands. The wind wasn't as strong as what Alaric could produce, but it was enough to catch the giant creature's attention.

The creature turned toward Zanuba, its large eyes gleaming with anger. But instead of feeling scared, Zanuba felt a rush of adrenaline. She repeated the spell again, this time with more force.

"Tiapangisus Nimus!"

A larger burst of wind erupted from her hands, and this time it managed to push the creature back a few steps. Zanuba felt a bit proud of herself, but that pride only lasted a few seconds before the creature attacked again.

"See? You did it!" Alaric cheered gleefully. "Now, keep going! Don't stop!"

Feeling a bit more confident, Zanuba continued to cast her magic. Alaric, on the other hand, just watched from a distance, making silly comments. "Oh, look, you almost made it fall! Just a little more, Zanuba!"

The giant creature grew more enraged, but Zanuba's magical strength began to grow. Within minutes, she was able to launch strong enough attacks to temporarily disable the creature.

However, when the creature rose again and prepared to launch its final assault, Alaric decided it was time for him to step in. "Alright, time to finish this," he said nonchalantly.

Alaric raised his magic staff, and with one swift movement, he cast a much stronger spell. A magical circle appeared beneath the creature, and in an instant, the ground below it turned into quicksand, quickly swallowing the beast.

The creature let out a final roar before it was completely consumed by the sand that had suddenly appeared from Alaric's magic.

Zanuba stood in awe for a moment, still catching her breath. "That... was amazing. But... why didn't you do that from the start?"

Alaric chuckled softly and said, "Where's the fun in that? You need battle experience, Zanuba. And I knew you could do it."

Zanuba looked at Alaric in confusion. "You're really strange, Alaric. But... thank you."

Alaric casually patted Zanuba's shoulder. "That's what a teacher does, right? But remember, you're still far from ready to face your brother. You need to keep training."

Zanuba nodded. She knew Alaric was right. Although she had successfully fought off the giant creature, she still had a long way to go. But now, for the first time, she felt a bit more confident in herself.

"You know, Alaric," Zanuba said as they continued their journey. "I'm starting to think that maybe... you're not as silly a wizard as you let on."

Alaric laughed loudly. "Oh, don't be fooled! I'm very silly! You just haven't seen the best of me yet."

Zanuba smiled slightly. "Alright, then I look forward to it."

And with that, they continued walking through the forest, with their bond growing stronger. The battle against the giant creature was not just about physical strength or magic, but also about the trust growing between them. Though they had just begun to understand each other, they knew that their journey together would be filled with challenges—and plenty of Alaric's goofy jokes along the way.

ความคิดเห็น ความคิดเห็น 0

โหวต

ส่งของขวัญ

next chapter

Load failed, please RETRY