Chapter II: Encounter

"Damn!", Trazor groaned, now being toyed with by the demon wolves. Luckily, he wore armor beneath his clothes.

He tried to ignore the demon wolves biting his hands when he spotted a massive demon wolf. It must be the Alpha, now looking hungrily at him.

"I've fought worse than you," Trazor grunted, though fear gripped his heart.

The Alpha growled, drool dripping from its fangs. "Let's end this, shall we?" Trazor bellowed, ripping his hand free from the smaller wolves. He grabbed his sword, the blue blade reflecting the moon's glow. The battle was intense, each swing a dance with death. The Alpha lunged, its teeth snapping mere inches from Trazor's face. He rolled away, narrowly dodging the attack, and with a swift motion, sliced the Alpha's flank, drawing a line of fiery blue across its fur.

"Your kind will never win," Trazor spat, his eyes gleaming with defiance.

The Alpha roared, enraged by the wound and the audacity of this human, then the Alpha change form into a giant wolf with ghostly blue flare around it.

"A giant ghost wolf, that's a new one," Trazor muttered, his eyes widening at the transformation.

"I am not just any wolf. I am the Guardian of this forest," the creature spoke, its voice deep and echoing through the night.

Trazor, surprised by the creature's ability to communicate, replied, "Well, you talk fancy, but I won't back down."

The Ghost Alpha lunged again, but this time, Trazor was ready even though he knows he can't win. He met the creature's charge with a powerful swing of his sword, sparks flying as steel met spectral fur. The fight grew more intense, with the Ghost Alpha using its newfound form to vanish and reappear, striking from every angle.

"You're fast, but I've seen better!" Trazor shouted, dodging and weaving through the ghostly wolf's strikes.

Their battle raged on, each blow resonating through the quiet forest, leaving a trail of blue energy in its wake. Despite his fatigue, Trazor's resolve never wavered. His eyes burned with determination as he searched for an opening, a way to end the Ghost Alpha's reign of terror.

Suddenly, the Alpha talk, "You fight well, human. I like that."

Trazor took this momentary reprieve to catch his breath, "What do you want from me, demon?"

The Ghost Alpha smirked, "I'm not a demon. I'm something much more ancient. I'm Alphus the mythical shadow beast that guard this forest; however, I was defeated by one of the demon's nine death generals which explains why this forest became Demons' lair Forest."

"But why tell me this?" Trazor asked, keeping his guard up, his eyes never leaving the creature's ethereal form.

"Because, human, you got my attention," the Ghost Alpha said, his tone earnest. "I see in you a spark of courage that hasn't been seen in centuries."

"Courage? Ha! More like desperation," Trazor quipped, his chest heaving.

"Call it what you will, but it is clear you are special. You still want despite all the odds. Now, I offer you a deal," the Ghost Alpha said, his eyes narrowing. "Be my host human, and I shall grant you the ability to wield the Mythical shadow beast magic. With it, you could purge this forest of the demonic scourge."

Trazor studied the creature, his mind racing. "What's the catch?"

"There's no catch, I have chosen you to guide you and protect you," the Ghost Alpha stated, its voice a whisper in the wind.

"Chosen? More like you picked the weakest link," Trazor retorted, his arms trembling from the exertion of the fight.

"Your strength lies not in brute force, but in your spirit. Now, will you accept?" The Ghost Alpha's eyes gleamed with a strange light, and Trazor felt a sudden surge of power course through him.

"Fine, I'll be your host. But if you betray me, I'll rip you out!" Trazor agreed through gritted teeth, feeling the Mythical shadow beast magic envelop him. "Now, my power is yours as I will sleep within you," the Mythical beast whispered, as he became a ball of light enetering Trazor's body.

The sensation was like nothing Trazon had ever experienced. It was as if his very soul was being rewritten, and he felt a power unlike any he had known surge through him. His sword grew heavier, and a shadowy aura danced around him. He took a deep breath, feeling revitalized.

"Alright, let's do this," Trazon said, his voice steady and firm. The shadowy aura around him grew denser, and he felt a newfound strength surging through his veins. He raised his sword high, the moonlight glinting off the steel, and charged at the remaining demons.

"I'll show you what a mythical bearer looks like!" His blade sliced through the air, leaving a trail of blue fire in its wake. The demons cowered at the sight of the Mythical Shadow Beast's power, recognizing the ancient magic that had once ruled these lands. however, Trazor's body grew tired due to exhaustion as the new power was new to him.

Trazor was panting when four aspobos appeared. He sensed one of them was aiming for his head, given its fixed gaze. However, he can't move his body.

"Oh no, shit!", he muttered, intensifying his efforts to escape. However, it was too late; the Aspobo leaped, and in moments, his head would be in its jaws.

Closing his eyes, Trazor braced for his imminent death.

"Slaying Card Activate; Direct cutter!"

Suddenly, a growl echoed, a robust growl. Trazor opened his eyes to see a deck of cards lodged in the Aspobo's throat. The cards swiftly returned to a figure as the Alpha collapsed.

"Need help?" A voice asked from the approaching figure.

Trazor saw a man, seemingly his age, with an eye patch over his left eye, a long cloak, and a dagger.

"Assassination Card Activate; Death whisperer!"

In the blink of an eye, the newcomer vanished, leaving Trazor amidst the howls of the demon wolves.

Only then did Trazor realize that four steel-cards were stuck in the throats of four demon wolves. The cards flew back towards the man who had suddenly appeared.

"I'm Gaion." the man introduced himself as he helped Trazor stand.

"I can stand on my own." Trazor insisted, not fully trusting someone he just met, especially after being left alone earlier.

"Okay," Gaion said, releasing Trazor.

"Argh! What the hell!" Trazor exclaimed as he struggled to maintain balance after being let go.

"See, you can't stand on your own, so whether you like it or not... I'll help you." Gaion stated, promptly assisting Trazor and utilizing his teleportation ability.

Meanwhile, where Kayla was, she found herself falling victim to the Grobbers' clutches. "Hey! I just said to let me go, not drop me!" Kayla shouted, now having difficulty walking properly.

Even though she couldn't move well, she managed to run despite the Grobbers closing in. Yet, the Grobbers were swift, causing Kayla to stumble and fall due to their aggressive attacks.

Kayla glanced behind and saw the Grobbers lunging at her again.

"We're going to meet, Dad!" she shouted, her face now streaked with tears and sweat as she faced her seemingly inevitable demise. Suddenly, a strong wind engulfed her.

"Air Manipulation Magic; Swirling Air!"

Feeling the sudden gust, Kayla screamed, "Waaaahh!! You wind, you jerk!" She clung to the grass and looked around, spotting a winged man in the air, surrounded by whirling currents of wind.

"Back off, you foul beasts!" The man shouted, his voice resonating through the forest. The Grobbers shrieked in response, flapping their wings in a frenzy charging toward him.

"Air manipulation Magic; tempest breath!" The man in the sky roared, and a windblast came out from his mouth, knocking the approaching Grobbers off balance.

"Now, for the final blow. Air Manipulation Magic; tornado blast!" The mysterious figure shouted, conjuring a tornado that ripped through the air and obliterated the remaining Grobbers.

"Wow! My savior??" Kayla perked up, releasing her grip on the grass.

The wind carried her, and she screamed, "Waaaahhh!! Savior, help me!"

"You're such a fool, aren't you?!" the savior retorted as he held Kayla. Fortunately, her weapon had a leash, preventing it from being lost.

"Sorry," Kayla apologized as she scrutinized her savior's face. He wore a blue cap, dark hair, fair skin, and had a sharp look. 'He's so grumpy, its a shame, he looks handsome.'

"I'll take you to our camp, so don't bother asking where we're going. Just shut up, okay?" the man said, and Kayla, not wanting to press further, agreed.

Kayla noticed they were heading towards a cliff. To her surprise, a passage opened in the middle of the cliff, and water flowed down on both sides.

"This is our hideout for now; we'll leave at dawn. By the way, I'm Cair," the man said as they entered the passage. Once inside, the entrance was covered again, sealing them inside.

Kayla observed that Cair's wings disappeared upon landing, amazed.

Inside, she saw other caves and lights on the sides, indicating advanced technology—perhaps space base magic. She thought, 'They must have technology made of magic for sure.'

"Oi Kirei, guess what I found!" Cair suddenly shouted while carrying Kayla.

"What is it, aber?!" a girl appeared from a passage, wearing a brown polo with a red cross on her left shoulder. She was beautiful, and her headband suited her shoulder-length hair.

"Ooh chix?? Haha... just joking! Is she the one who outshouted the Grobbers?" the girl teased. 'Imagine being chased by Aspobo and flown by Grobbers; let's see if you won't scream!'

"Don't be too serious, sis, hahaha! I'm Kirei, a user of Healing Magic and Paper Make Magic... nice to meet you." she said happily, looking at what Cair was holding because she was excited to have another girl around.

"I'm not a chix; I'm a hen, hahaha... just kidding. I'm Kayla, and nice to meet you, Kirei," Kayla laughed as Kirei suddenly touched her, and she instantly felt relieved, as if all her discomfort vanished.

"Good job, sissy. Oh, are you hungry? Let's go!" Kirei invited, remembering that dinner was ready.

"Sure, and thanks for healing me." Kayla said, leaving Cair to join Kirei, holding onto her arm.

"Oi, Kirei, aren't you going to call me?" Cair asked since Kirei didn't invite him.

"You're old; you don't need to be called. Manage yourself!" Kirei replied, leading the way with Kayla.

Kayla happily entered while clinging to Kirei's arm when she unexpectedly saw something.

She quickly hid behind Kirei. "Hala! Why are you hiding?" Kirei asked, puzzled.

"Shhh... don't make noise; it's nothing... just my fancy." Kayla made an excuse, and Kirei believed her, allowing her to breathe easy.

Attempting to conceal herself, Kayla suddenly heard a whisper, causing her hair to stand on end. She glanced to her right, and there, she was met with the face she least wanted to see—the demon hunter. "Why are you hiding? Did you think you could escape?" Trazor said, his voice laced with annoyance.

"Oh, it's you," she said, trying to sound nonchalant despite her racing heart. "Ah he ha hu he he... i'm doing nothing, right, Kirei?" Kayla said with feigned nonchalance.

"Huh? Ah, yes, just nothing," Kirei supported, nodding along with Kayla's act.

"Wait, do you two know each other?" Cair interrupted, munching on food while seated comfortably in front of the bonfire. It was only now that Kayla realized there was not just a bonfire but also lanterns around, thinking it was just lanterns earlier.

"Kinda." "Maybe." they both replied almost simultaneously, making them stare at each other as if engaged in an unintentional staring contest.

"Well, if you know each other, you can sit together." Cair suggested, breaking the awkward silence as he handed them both a skewer of roasting meat. "Hey, Gaion, these two knows each other!"

"Oh really? Then good." Gaion suddenly appeared, brandishing his deck of cards. "You two can keep each other company while I take watch."

"Fine by me," Trazor said, his voice gruff as he took a seat by the fire, still not fully trusting the girl who left him to the wolves. "What a small world Ms. opportunistic."

"What? you told me to go ahead!" Kayla shot back, plopping down next to Trazor, her eyes still on the roasting meat.

"Yeah, and you took that as an invitation to leave me behind!" Trazor retorted, his tone filled with a mix of anger and disbelief.

"Well, you know, I had to protect myself. It's not like we've been through a bonding ceremony or anything." Kayla said, trying to lighten the mood with a smirk as she skewered a piece of meat.

"Bonding ceremony?" Trazon scoffed, his eyes still glinting with annoyance. "I don't need that kind of bond with a reckless girl like you."

"Well mister, this reckless girl saved your life when you were swarmed with bogus demons, remember?" Kayla said with a mouth full of meat, smiling cheekily as she chewed.

"And how can I forget? You basically forced me to trust you, then leaved me without hesitation." Trazor said, his tone filled with sarcasm.

"It's called teamwork, darling." she replied, patting him playfully on the back.

"More like you're a pain in the neck." Trazor shot back, his cheeks flushing slightly.

Gaion, who had been quietly observing the exchange, couldn't help but chuckle. "It seems we're quite the mismatched bunch," he said, flipping through his deck of cards.

"Oh, I forgot!" Kirei said. "So, Gaion, this is Kayla. As you can see, she has a gun, so basically, she's a user of marksmanship Magic." Kirei broke the bantering moment, introducing Kayla to Gaion. "Finally, I thought we will skip introduction part."

"And Kayla, this is Gaion. He's a user of Card caster Magic. To add some info, he is the one leading this group, the leader of Bright Wing." Kirei continued, presenting Gaion to Kayla.

"I want her full name." Gaion demanded, making Kirei give Kayla an apologetic look saying that she needs to comply.

"Sigh, I'm Kayla Artilla." Kayla sighed in relief as Gaion seemed satisfied with her answer.

"Daughter of the governor general and mistress of Purrifia... not bad." Gaion commented, studying Kayla. They were surprised; she seemed weighty. However, Kayla felt a twinge of sadness, remembering her parents.

"And Cair, this is Trazor, a demon hunter, and basically, a user of Slaying Magic of some sort." Kirei continued the introductions.

"I hope we get along well, dude." Cair greeted Trazor with a smile.

"Me too." Trazor agreed with Cair.

"And Trazor, this is Cair, hailing from the Avias city. He's a user of Air Beast Magic." Kirei introduced Cair to Trazor. 'a chosen host too?' He said in his mind.

"So, you are a chosen Host Cair? Oh my! Are you my prince charming?" Kayla interjected, initially appearing enamored but later stopped as she saw someone watching.

"What are you looking at?" she snapped at the figure, her cheeks flushing. "Well, you are also looking at the Prince of Altaria." Trazor inserting himself to tease her.

"Who cares!" Kayla retorted, about to approach Cair, then realized something. "A-ALTARIA?? Why didn't you clarify that you're a prince of Altaria? I could have been your knight in shining armor." Kayla teased Trazor.

"Because it's irrelevant," Trazor replied flatly, his eyes not leaving the fire. 

"If Trazor is a prince, and Kayla is from a prestigious family, then that means... you should join our team!! The BrightWing Alliance!" Kirei exclaimed excitedly, her eyes gleaming with strategic marketing.

Trazor accepted the invitation of being a bright wing member, however, Kayla didn't accept it. But, she will join as a traveling companion. Now, they sat peacefully around the bonfire, with Gaion sharpening his steel-type cards.

"That girl, though, she reminds me of someone," Gaion mumbled to himself, observing his companions who were now enjoying their meal.

Meanwhile, Trazor, stealing glances at the girl happily eating in front of him, whispered, "Not bad," to himself, scanning her figure until his gaze lingered a bit too long.

"Hey, pervert, stop looking at where you shouldn't." Kayla whispered to Trazor, noticing his discomfort and blushing face. She immediately figured out what had happened.

"I'm not a pervert." Trazor defended himself, and he left, not wanting to be caught.

"Ugh, he thinks he can fool me." Kayla said, returning to her meal but was interrupted when she noticed Cair in front of her, seemingly looking around and playfully winking.

"Hey, pervert!" Kayla shouted and kicked Cair.

"OUCH!" a loud scream echoed through the cave, echoing due to Cair being kicked in a sensitive area.

[TO BE CONTINUED!!!]