Nicholas's heart pounded loudly against his ribs. The man's casual dismissal of his plea for an alternative sent a fresh wave of terror crashing over him. A primal urge to flee battled with the knowledge that escape was impossible. This wasn't a test of his fighting prowess; it was a potential death sentence. Nicholas was stuck between pleading for his life or just putting his hands up as a sign to show that he has surrendered. He knew that fighting with this man would mean his imminent death and she was not prepared to die especially when he had to return to Lou-ra."Sir, please," Nicholas pleaded, his voice cracking with a tremor he hated. "There has to be another way. Let me train with something, a log, a…" he cast his eyes around, desperately searching for anything that wouldn't fight back. The man's lips curved into a humorless smile, devoid of warmth. It wouldn't be a mistake to say that she was actually looking forward to this fight.There was something about Nicholas that ju

Nicholas blinked, rubbing his eyes, his vision swimming. When he looked again, nobody was there. No footprints, no signs of movement, only the quiet crackling of the fire remained.He staggered, disoriented. His heart was still pounding from the fight, his body bruised and aching, and now his mind was unraveling. Lou-ra’s comforting presence was gone, evaporating into the night like mist.He was alone. The jungle’s oppressive atmosphere closed in on him, the thick air suffocating as it pressed against his lungs. The dark canopy above loomed like a ceiling, shutting him off from the sky, from any sign of hope.Panic clawed at his chest. He fought to suppress it, but the loneliness gnawed at his mind, dragging him into despair.”I have to get up. I have to keep moving."But his body refused to cooperate. Every inch of him ached, a testament to the brutal training he had endured. He hadn’t just been fighting the man he had been fighting against his own fear, his weakness. And now, it was

Nicholas stood frozen, every muscle tense, as the figure slowly approached him. The jungle’s oppressive silence seemed to amplify the sound of the stranger’s footsteps, each one deliberate, almost too measured. Nicholas had never seen anyone like this before, and the man’s glowing eyes made his skin crawl. Despite the man’s frail appearance, there was something unsettling in the way he moved, like he wasn’t fully human. "You seek power," the figure repeated, his voice a rasping whisper that seemed to slide through the thick air like smoke.Nicholas swallowed hard, trying to ignore the knot of fear twisting in his gut. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied, his voice rough from exhaustion. He stepped back, his hand instinctively reaching for the sharp stone he had used against the beast earlier.The figure chuckled, a sound that seemed far too deep for someone so gaunt. “Do not play games with me, boy. You wouldn’t have survived this long if you weren’t seeking somet

Nicholas walked behind Varak, his legs heavy and his body aching from their intense battle the previous day. The forest, no longer the icy wasteland it had been during the night, seemed almost serene, with the gentle hum of life returning to its former state.Nicholas glanced at Varak, the older man walking with an effortless grace, as if the weight of their world-ending mission didn’t rest heavily on his shoulders. His mentor’s demeanor was calm but commanding, every step purposeful. "You did well yesterday," Varak began, his deep voice breaking the tranquil silence. Nicholas blinked, surprised. Praise from Varak was rare, almost as rare as a warm morning like this in the forest. "Thanks," he muttered, his voice hoarse. Varak turned his head slightly, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Don't let it go to your head. Yesterday was just a taste of what’s coming. There’s no room for arrogance in survival." Nicholas nodded, his mind replaying their fight. He had he

The growl echoed through the mountain air, low and menacing, leaving Nicholas frozen in place. His heart pounded in his chest as his eyes darted around, scanning the rocky landscape. He squinted at the shadows between the boulders, expecting movement, but saw nothing. He knew there was something out there that saw him as an immediate threat and he needed to neutralize it before it ended up tearing him apart.He looked at Varak who was walking at a slow pace a short distance from him. He wanted to let him know of the growl he had heard, but he thought against it because Varak would most probably tell him to handle it himself. “Abron,” he whispered urgently, “did you hear that?” "Oh, I heard it," Abron replied lazily, his voice a drawl in Nicholas’s mind. "But perhaps you should be more worried about your balance than whatever creature might be lurking."Nicholas’s breath came faster. “Not helpful.” "I’m not here to be helpful, boy,"* Abron snapped, his tone growing colder. "Y