THE BEAST UNLEASHED

The growl echoed once more, deeper this time, rumbling through the earth beneath their feet. Yuzi's pulse quickened as he exchanged a glance with Thorne and Kiran, both of whom had their hands firmly on their weapons. The forest had fallen unnervingly silent, the birds and rustling leaves replaced by the oppressive weight of anticipation. Something was watching them, something primal.

"Stay close," Yuzi whispered, slowly unsheathing his sword. The blade caught the faint morning light, its edge glinting as if it sensed the danger.

Kiran shifted beside him, his broken sword still at his side, though his body was tensed and ready. "I don't like this," he muttered. "It's too quiet. Whatever's out there, it's not alone."

Suddenly, a flash of movement—too fast to fully comprehend—rushed from the treeline. A massive creature lunged out of the shadows, its eyes glowing with an eerie yellow light. It was covered in thick, matted fur, its body resembling a giant wolf but far more grotesque and unnatural. Its muscles rippled beneath its coat, and sharp, bloodstained claws scraped the ground as it moved.

Yuzi barely had time to react. The beast snarled, baring jagged teeth as it charged at him with terrifying speed. He leapt back, narrowly dodging the swipe of its massive paw. The force of its attack sent a shockwave through the ground, uprooting the nearby shrubs and scattering dirt into the air.

Thorne was the first to engage, rushing forward with his sword drawn. He swung at the creature's legs, trying to cripple it, but the beast was too fast. It twisted its body with fluid grace, dodging the attack and countering with a vicious snap of its jaws. Thorne stumbled back just in time, narrowly avoiding having his arm ripped off.

"We need to split its focus!" Kiran shouted, running to the other side of the clearing. He waved his arms, trying to draw the creature's attention. "Over here, you ugly beast!"

The wolf-like creature turned its head, its glowing eyes locking onto Kiran. It growled, saliva dripping from its mouth, and then bolted toward him with frightening agility.

Kiran managed to duck behind a tree, using its thick trunk as a shield, but the beast slammed into it with such force that the tree cracked and splintered. Kiran was thrown to the ground, gasping for breath.

"Kiran!" Yuzi yelled, rushing to his friend's aid. The creature noticed his movement and spun around, its yellow eyes narrowing on him. Yuzi raised his sword, bracing for the impact.

But something strange happened. Just as the beast lunged at him, the power inside Yuzi flared to life, stronger than ever before. He felt it surge through his veins, hot and electrifying, like a current of pure energy coursing through him. His sword began to glow with a faint light, the same light that had once struck him down and given him this second life.

Without thinking, Yuzi swung his sword upward, meeting the creature's attack head-on. The moment his blade connected with the beast's body, a blinding flash of light erupted from the point of impact. The beast howled in pain, its body flung backward as if struck by an unseen force.

It skidded across the ground, leaving deep gouges in the earth as it tried to regain its footing. Yuzi, panting, stared at his sword in shock. The light was still there, pulsing softly, as if responding to his will.

Thorne ran to Yuzi's side, his expression a mixture of awe and confusion. "What was that?"

"I—I don't know," Yuzi admitted, still trying to catch his breath. "It just happened."

Kiran, pulling himself up from the ground, limped over, his face pale but determined. "Whatever it was, do it again. That thing's not done yet."

Sure enough, the creature had already begun to rise. Its eyes blazed with fury, and its body crackled with some kind of dark energy. The once-feral growls had become a deep, rumbling roar, filled with anger and desperation.

Yuzi knew this wasn't just any beast. There was something unnatural about it, something darker at play. Perhaps it was a test, another force sent by whoever controlled the Sentinels. If that was true, then the light inside him wasn't just a gift—it was a weapon.

The beast lunged again, faster and more reckless this time, but Yuzi was ready. He felt the light inside him pulse once more, and he called upon it, letting the energy flood into his limbs. With a powerful swing, he struck the creature midair, sending another blast of light surging through its body.

The creature screamed, its voice a mixture of pain and rage, as the light enveloped it. This time, the force of Yuzi's strike didn't just push the beast back—it disintegrated part of its body, turning its once-massive form into dust and ash. Its remaining parts twitched and spasmed on the ground, unable to regenerate from the light's destructive power.

Yuzi stood there, his chest heaving, his sword still glowing with the power he barely understood. The forest had gone silent again, the oppressive weight of the battle lifting, though the strange energy in the air lingered.

Thorne and Kiran approached slowly, their eyes wide with amazement. "That was incredible," Thorne said, shaking his head in disbelief. "You just… destroyed it."

Yuzi, still gripping his sword tightly, stared at the remnants of the beast. He could feel the light inside him receding, growing dimmer as his body relaxed. But the encounter left him with more questions than answers. What was this power, really? And why had it activated now, of all times?

Kiran, brushing dirt from his tattered clothes, looked around the forest warily. "That wasn't just some wild creature. It was sent here—maybe by the same force that sent the Sentinels."

Thorne nodded in agreement. "Someone's trying to stop us from reaching the sage."

Yuzi knew they were right. This wasn't a coincidence. Someone, or something, was tracking their movements, sending forces to block their path. But for what purpose? And why did they fear him gaining more knowledge?

"We need to keep moving," Yuzi said, his voice firm. "This was only a warning. Whatever's coming next will be worse."

Kiran glanced at the mountains in the distance, their peaks shrouded in mist. "If the sage is our only chance at finding answers, we have no choice but to press on. But we need to be ready. That was just a glimpse of what's waiting for us."

Yuzi agreed. The power within him had saved them this time, but he wasn't sure if he could rely on it again. Not until he understood its true nature. And for that, they had to reach the sage—before it was too late.

With the beast vanquished and the path ahead clear, the three of them gathered their things and resumed their journey toward the mountains, each step filled with the weight of uncertainty, but also with a new sense of purpose.