Into The Frozen Forest (Part 10)

Chase found himself venturing through the cold night alone, glancing at the vast trees covered in thick layers of permafrost.

Was it foolish to take a gamble that could possibly end his own life?

Of course it was, but he knew that if he fought Sazir in his current state, he would only lose terribly, and bring others down with him

He wished not to be a burden, but to be the one who others could rely on when it came down to it.

He was truly chasing that feeling of the Aetherball championship, when for a short moment everyone put their trust in him, and he delivered.

Feeling himself slowly break apart from his own thoughts, he felt his own heart shatter several times, and yet he kept going forward.

He had someone to meet after all... Or more so something...

Chase lit his flames.

At first they sputtered, and steam filled the frigid air of The Frozen Forest, but then on the second attempt, the flames grew more vicious, and surrounded his body like a perfect shield of warmth.

He growled into the cold wind of the night.

"No one will get hurt because of me... Never again..."

He refused to let it happen, and if it did he could not live with himself.

Chase was no fool, he knew what he would become one day, as not many people could survive the things that he has without becoming such a thing.

The pieces seemed to slowly fall in place, as he took a look back on his life.

From the quiet beginnings, and the hope of getting accepted into a school quite far from home, to the dread of watching everything he had ever had burn away in the dead of night.

It was all so... Unfair, to him and and everyone else.

The same reason that he had always hated the gods... Because they were not gods, they had no care for mortal beings, even if those mortal beings were the ones that would cause their undoing.

In fact it was quite inevitable, that one day humans would grow strong enough to rip the gods from the very thrones they sat on...

Then as Chase listened carefully, far past the flickers of his own flames, and the ragged drum-like heartbeat within his chest, he heard a terrible roar within the near distance.

Then he did something pretty stupid.

"Beast of winter... Come forth and challenge me!"

Then before he knew it, a white thrashing ball of fur towered through the forest, destroying everything in its path, with a swirling blizzard forming around the monster's body.

Chase summoned Hero's Fang, as the sword's cobalt colors illuminated the entire clearing of the forest.

There was no other way to get stronger, at least get stronger at a quick pace.

He needed to force that potential out of him, and what better way than to put himself in a near death situation.

Feeling the warmth of the wooden handle resting tightly in his hands, he shut his eyes, and let the blizzard overtake him.

His flames burst to life, becoming an onslaught of pent up rage and fury, as him and the glacioclops clashed in the dead of night.

Chase lowered himself swiftly, letting a giant tree trunk fly over his head.

Then he pounced similar to that of Sparky, feeling the air blow past him as he shot forward with a sense of determination.

The beast threw an arm out at Chase, with terrible claws outstretched toward the heir of Vallmora.

Copying something that Dorian of House Graves had once done, he imbued his body with Axis Energy, and danced around the beast's arm like a serpent.

He remembered what Vivian's father had once told him, that stealing from others was truly the only way to get stronger.

To learn the moves of others would keep you alive, and to use them against others would help you strive.

Once the blizzard began to clear, he spotted the large eye of the monster at the center of its mass.

Then with a quick grunt, he hurled Hero's Fang toward the center of the monster, where a piercing sound echoed through the forest as the blizzard began to truly die out.

Chase landed elegantly in the snow, or at least he would have liked to say he did.

He was lying on his back, breathing quite heavily as the corpse of the monster landed with an earth shattering thud.

Claps then followed, from somewhere nearby.

"Bravo!"

Ricky of House Shield said in amazement.

"How long have you been following me...?"

Chase rasped, out of his tired throat.

"Long enough, just couldn't sleep, then I seen you leave in the middle of the night, so I figured I'd see what you were up to."

He walked over, and held out a hand for Chase.

Chase accepted, and let Ricky help but to his feet.

"That's a pretty impressive feat ya know?"

Ricky said, eyeing the corpse of the monster that Chase had recently slain.

"It was weak, not nearly strong enough to put up a good fight..."

Ricky nodded.

"I wish I could say that... That type of beast would have been my end."

As the two began walking toward the oasis, Ricky began talking again in a casual tone.

"You and Dragon are strong, very strong, sometimes I find myself envious of your strengths even..."

Chase shook his head.

"I am only as strong as I am because the world decided to forge me into this, but I am not strong honestly, and feel that even against the dumbest threats, I find myself lacking..."

Ricky sighed.

"You only think that now, but one day when you stand amongst the Paladins in terms of strength, you might be quite grateful for feeling so weak at times."

Chase let himself chuckle.

"I would not stand by those fools. The power to change the world and yet they follow a tyrant who has killed many to obtain his throne."

Ricky nodded.

"I do agree, although I was not alive when the last Grand Paladin ruled over Vallmora, I do know that the world seems to get a little worse the more time goes on..."

Then a loud explosion lit up the night sky above the oasis.

Dread began to fill Chase's soul, as he quickly turned toward Ricky.

"What day is it...?"

Ricky seemed to have the same realization, as his eyes widened and his arms fell limp at his sides.

"We have to go!"