…………"This is not good; they are suffering from the bitter ice-cold!" The adult man observed them and realised they were suffering from an illness common among the tribe's people living in these cold plains.“I don’t have any medicine to cure them, damn it,” the man muttered, frustration evident in his voice as he watched their condition worsen.In normal times, he could easily help them with their cold, but now he couldn’t leave to search for medicine. Going out would be like signing his own death warrant if those creatures caught their scent.“What should I do? At this rate, these children won't be able to endure the cold and will succumb to it. No... no... I can't let that happen. These few children are all that's left of our ice tribe!” The elder felt a deep bitterness inside, trapped in a situation where every option seemed doomed.“Boom... Boom...!!”He heard loud noises and movement in the distance, and the tremors suggested that the Malice Creatures had picked up his trail.“
............“Oh, let me introduce my Master to you. He is the person who eliminated all the malice creatures in this area and the one who made me follow you guys.” Aashi smiled as she proudly introduced Erick to the kids and the Elder.The Elder and the children looked at Erick with awe and curiosity, their gratitude toward Aashi extending naturally to him.“Thank you, Master,” the Elder said, bowing deeply. “Your actions have saved our tribe's future.”Erick nodded, a small smile on his face. “I’m glad we could help. Your strength and resilience are admirable. Even though you lost so many of your tribesmen, you still didn't lose your will and continue to protect the children. It's commendable courage.”Aashi glanced at the children, noticing their worn clothes and tired expressions. “Do you have enough supplies and food? It looks like you’ve been struggling.”The Elder sighed. “We’ve been running low on food and we don’t even have a warm place to stay now. The malice creatures have
............Aashi paused, listening intently. The sound came again, a weak cry. They immediately searched for the source and found what appeared to be the remains of a house, left in ruins after being devoured by the Malice Creatures. Beneath a pile of rubble, they lifted the debris and found a young girl, her body battered and bruised, but barely alive. Her eyes were shut, and her body quivered nonstop from all the pain.Erick immediately used his Origin arts to heal her and fed her a life-saving potion he carried in his storage. Before long, the little girl was cured, and her body returned to a healthy state, making Erick and Aashi sigh in relief.“It’s okay, you’re safe now,” Aashi said softly, lifting the girl gently.The girl coughed, opened her eyes, and whispered, “Thank you…”Erick knelt beside them, his expression softening. “You’re a brave one, aren’t you? Can you tell us if there are any others?” he asked, seeing the girl calming down.The girl shook her head weakly. “E
............"Splash...!!""Whoa... how much energy did you put into that attack, Master?" Aashi asked in wonder, looking at the explosion and the water splashing over their shield."Not much, but enough to crush that annoying portal to bits," Erick replied, glancing down to ensure no traces of dark, foul energy remained. While the area was cleared, some fish-shaped Malice Creatures had been flung into the distance and were being erased slowly."Master, can you leave the rest to me?" Aashi asked, sensing her master's thoughts."Oh, okay. I'll take care of little Yuyun for you," Erick smiled and nodded before crouching down to pat the little girl on the head."He he... Big Brother!" Little Yuyun giggled, enjoying the affection."Okay then, watch how Big Sis handles those bad monsters!" Aashi said with a smile. She stepped onto the water's surface, running across it just like Erick, without causing any ripples."Boom... Bam...!!"Loud noises echoed as Aashi handled the Malice Creatures
............Aashi gently pried Yuyun from her embrace, whispering soothing words to the frightened child. "Alright Yuyun, let's go. We need to save those big sisters and brothers over there, okay?" She placed Yuyun on her back and quickly moved towards the cries.Erick and Aashi turned and sprinted towards the explosions. Aashi headed to where the injured were, while Erick ran towards the Malice Creatures attacking the elven guards.As Erick reached the first defense wall, he saw the extent of the destruction. The once strong barrier was now a smoldering ruin, and dark, twisted Malice Creatures were pouring through the breach."Boom... Boom... Ahhhh...!" The elves were fighting valiantly, but they were clearly outmatched. Their traditional weapons and combat techniques were ineffective against the Malice Creatures, which seemed impervious to normal attacks.Erick moved forward, energy leaking from his hands, blades of wind and fire shimmering with a strange, ethereal light. "Let's
********** ..... ..... Jak stood out from the crowd with his slender figure and plain, average features. Despite being the youngest in his family with three elder sisters and two older brothers, he was held to the same standards as his siblings and never received special treatment. His school days were comprised of mediocrity, as no matter how hard he studied, he always placed third in the yearly exam. But, little did Jak know that his life was about to change in a way he could not have imagined. After living a monotonous life in his small village, he developed a strong longing for adventure and the thrills that came with it. Being unable to join his peers and complete his college preparation due to health issues, he had grown increasingly isolated and had retreated into his own world, watching animes and reading light novels to escape reality. After some time, he developed a severe case of anxiety and was unable to face or even leave the house. Having had enough of the restrictiv
********* ..... ..... I felt my heart pounding as I stepped onto the path that followed the river’s course. I'd heard stories of the dangers that lurked in these depths, and I was taking a huge risk even setting foot on the path. I cursed my lack of swimming prowess – if only I'd taken my lessons more seriously, I'd have more confidence in the river's depths. As I trudged along, I hoped that the men who had promised to come to my aid were well equipped – I knew I'd be in big trouble if they were not. "Ring........!" My heart raced as the communication comma suddenly rang. I thought, not now, please not now. I could feel the trepidation rising in my chest as I cautiously answered the call. "Yes, J10 here," I spoke softly, a sense of dread washing over me. "Huff..huff.. its bad, enemy...huff...got our position and they have snipers with them, run... get to meeting point ..huff..huff." My stomach dropped, a pit of fear welling up inside me. I knew it was true - I had felt it bef
********* ..... ..... ////// JAK POV \\\\\ I stirred from my deep slumber, groggily trying to place myself in my surroundings. Strange noises had interrupted my peaceful sleep, and now I found myself in a dark and unfamiliar place. "Where am I?" I mumbled, my voice echoing through the empty space. "It doesn't look like hell or heaven. And why can't I see myself?" As I tried to clear my thoughts, a pounding headache reminded me of how I had died – drowning in the river. Panic threatened to engulf me, but I pushed it aside, determined to find a way out of this eerie silence. "Hello?" I called out tentatively, hoping for a response. "Can someone tell me how to get out of here?" Suddenly, a voice rang out from the darkness, causing me to jump in surprise. "Hey, you can still joke in this kind of situation." Relieved to hear someone else's voice, I replied, "Whoever you are, please show yourself. I can't see a thing, and it's freaking me out." "Of course, kiddo," the voice said, a