Leiya tugged at her grandfather's clothing, as Aemon asked, "What is it, Leiya?"
Leiya looked ahead. She saw Xerxes running forward into the darkness of the forest as she nervously questioned Aemon, "Do you think he will be okay? Will he be able to face the beasts after what happened?"
Aemon twirled the staff in his right hand repetitively and narrowed his eyes to see further than the normal human eye could see. "Trust in his ability, Leiya. You've watched him grow stronger every day. I think, in order for him to pass onto a new level of strength, this is something that is required for him to do, and he knows that as much as we do. So, trust that he can do it."
Leiya nodded and looked forward, as Xerxes' body began pulsing with subtle surges of emerald.
Xerxes activated his goblin soul shard, which granted him greater agility in his legs. Coupling this with his physical training, jumping up the 20-metre trees became an easy task, and at this range, he would have a visual advantage over the beasts.
"Where are the monsters? Aren't there supposed to be some here?" Xerxes muttered as he scoured the forest, which was dimly lit by subtle rays of sunshine that barely made a difference under the thick, blanketed canopy.
"If there are none, I can give them a reason to come here, then." Xerxes raised his hand and pointed it towards the ground. Sparks of mana began crackling from his hand, and suddenly, a large ball of fire spurted from his wrist, travelling at rapid speed towards the ground until it exploded, creating a loud boom that shook the forest.
Xerxes's plan was simple: use mana, attract the monsters with the mana and noise, wait for an opening, and attack.
It was a strategy he had studied countless times, watching outpost members execute it with precision. But understanding a plan and executing it were two entirely different things.
Before Xerxes could catch his breath, the trees ahead trembled violently, their branches swaying as an ear-piercing shriek shattered the stillness of the forest.
The sheer force of the cry sent a shiver down his spine. This was far louder than the explosion he had set off. His heart began pounding in his ears, hammering so hard it felt as though the beasts could hear it.
As if they could hold onto his fear as if it were tangible.
Then came the sound—branches snapping like brittle bones, the deep, guttural growls of something massive tearing through the undergrowth.
The weight of the charge sent tremors through the earth, and he began to expect a mana beast approaching. Although he was mistaken, there wasn't a singular mana beast.
Not one. Two.
Xerxes' eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat.
The beasts broke through the trees, their monstrous forms drenched in the eerie glow of the forest. Their snide grins on their faces—reminiscent of the first beast he encountered.
There was nothing inviting about them, no weakness that beckoned him to strike. His sword felt heavier in his grip, and his fingers became stiff.
Was it their presence keeping him frozen? Or was it the simple, undeniable fact that he hadn't grown as much as he had thought?
Then, the flames that once consumed him had returned, not in the physical world but within him. The fire scorched memories of his last defeat, the pain that lingered long after death claimed him.
But then he saw them—Aemon and Leiya.
Their faces flickered in his mind, watching from a distance, their trust, their belief in him hanging in the air.
Xerxes began interrogating himself within his mind, questioning his resolve. Was this all I could offer? Was I going to quit before I even started? I've been talking a big game, and I convinced them all to train me and have faith in me. So, if I don't move...
He reaffirmed himself, confirming the inevitable turn of events that would happen if he didn't go forward. I won't only let them down; I'll let my future slip through my fingers. Come on, Xerxes, I've trained for this. Show them what you can do. Prove it to yourself.
Aemon peered at Xerxes and smiled lightly, saying to Leiya, "Here he comes, Leiya. Here he comes."
"Orc soul shard, activate." The crimson glow, which had grown brighter since last time, enveloped Xerxes' body, dominating the goblin's power, as Xerxes gripped the branches on which he stood.
The beasts instantly looked up towards the treeline, sensing the power, but by the time they had looked up, it was too late.
Soaring like a star, Xerxes drew back his sword, gnashing his teeth. "DAMN YOU, BEASTS!" he screeched, as he swung his sword straight past one of the beasts' eyes, blood splattering all around them. Xerxes landed on the ground, scraping his sword across the floor.
The beast lurched over, holding its eye, and it opened its mouth, beginning to shoot mana erratically. Xerxes felt the drum of his heart, but what he thought was fear was replaced by something different.
Memories of his training with Conrad surfaced as his mind focused on a specific moment where he had opened up about his fear of the beasts.
"Think of it like starting something new—painting, for example. If I stood before a blank canvas, overwhelmed by thoughts of failure, I'd never lift the brush. But if I focused on what could go right, if I allowed myself to begin without fear, then suddenly, the act of painting wouldn't seem so impossible."
"It's the same with battle. The first swing of your sword may feel daunting, but you've prepared for this. More than that, you've seen firsthand what these beasts are capable of. That's the reality you face—not some unknown, but something you understand."
"So take that step, Xerxes. Don't let hesitation chain you down. Channel every emotion, every thought, into what you want to do. The moment you move forward, fear will have no choice but to follow behind you."
Xerxes knew what was replacing that fear, and it was confidence. "Yeah, Conrad, you were right all that time. I'm not as scared anymore. I will do this."
The beast had had enough, watching its companion writhe in agony, as it began charging towards Xerxes like a wild boar. Xerxes recollected every part of his training as he began opening his closed hand, the one that didn't wield his sword.
The spell name came to mind: Blessed Sun. It was a spell that could temporarily create such a bright light it would blind the enemy. It was a simple spell but an effective one Aemon had taught him.
Xerxes cast the spell, closing his eyes at just the right moment, then reopening them as the beasts' sense of direction was thrown off.
Xerxes began running towards the beast and released a swarm of searing fire mana from his wrist, as it began engulfing the beast, making it drop to the floor due to the sheer potency of his fire mana.
Xerxes began running as the beast fell face-first to the ground. He propelled himself with mana and the goblin soul shard, which increased his agility, and glided over the beast's back, stabbing the tip of his sword where the spine started to where it finished.
He trailed his blade all across it. The resistance of the bones was felt, but Xerxes' enhanced body thanked the Orc soul shard and the training he had done.
It paid off, as the beast was unable to move, even unable to cry or make a reaction. The other beast, which Xerxes had sliced across its eyes, was beginning to recollect itself to a degree, standing up.
Xerxes used his strength and, with one hand, turned the beast over which he had just disfigured along its spine.
He looked down at the beast, standing above it. "I would have liked to stay in this moment for longer, watching as you suffer, but I still have another nine of you to kill. Go back to where you came from, beast."
Mana began to radiate in Xerxes' hands as the snide expression of the beast began to subside. It vaguely realised what was happening to it as Xerxes shot a blast of mana directly at its face, blowing it up.
Xerxes felt as if the grips of the beasts that were holding him down had finally loosened, and he could freely move, he could freely act. He had become strong enough to take them on.
He looked to his left as he saw the beast preparing an attack, the very same attack that had taken him out before.
Xerxes had been waiting for a moment like this, to test a sword move he had practiced with Conrad. As he spoke, "Orion's Hunt Style: Bestowment."
Xerxes' blade began to glow with a sheen of red and amber, the hues of fire mana powering into it growing larger and larger, alongside the beast's attack.
This was the first part of what he had practiced: instilling mana into objects, specifically his blade. This was something Dorian had utilised a lot within his life.
The second part was yet to come, however, it wasn't far away. The once domineering wave of mana came, a plethora of surging magic rattling through the air, as Xerxes didn't hesitate or even show fear.
Xerxes gripped his sword with both hands and stabbed it into the ground in front of him, as the surge of mana began splitting against the sword's blade, mana redirecting in opposite directions.
The fire was intense, but it wasn't as intense as before. This time, Xerxes controlled the battlefield. His blade grew hotter, and the once-powerful attack had ceased, which enabled him to use the second part.
With all the strength he could muster within a few seconds, Xerxes propelled himself behind the beast in a flash and reared back his sword, the hunger for the beast's death weighing heavy in his gaze.
Xerxes' sword grew hotter and hotter, and now he knew how it would play out. Xerxes swung his sword, not close enough to make physical contact but enough for a scythe of fire to release from the instilled mana within his blade.
A long strip of fire mana released from his sword, completely severing the head of the beast in front of him, as the head rolled to Xerxes' feet.
Xerxes had won. Xerxes had killed the beasts and was free from his fear.