91.- The Clearing in Flames

The cabin was shrouded in a grayish gloom, dawn seeping through the cracks like a timid whisper. The embers of the fire crackled with a faint pop, a barely audible echo against the silence of the Veridian forest. The air smelled of burnt wood, mingled with the earthy sweetness of shadow berries still clinging to the tattered hides where Sebastián slept. A metallic creak sliced through the calm: Kaili's shadow armor, molding to her body like a living skin, resounded as she stepped forward and gave his leg a gentle kick.

"Get up, gardener," she said, her icy voice cutting through the air like a sharpened blade. "A bunch of human insects are sniffing around out there. Filthy rats not worth the mud of this forest."

Sebastián blinked, sleep unraveling like mist in the wind. He sat up among the hides, the rustle of dry leaves crackling beneath him. He looked at her, her red runes glowing in the dimness, six iridescent wings folded with a faint hum that made the air tremble.

"Adventurers?" he asked, rubbing his eyes with a calloused hand. "How far off?"

Kaili snorted, crossing her arms with a sharp crack of her armor.

"Five pieces of trash, still a couple of kilometers away," she replied, her tone dripping with contempt. "I can feel them crawling like worms, probably whimpering about their lost buddies. Pathetic, all of them except you."

He stayed quiet for a moment, the shadow sword—Plague Edge, as Kaili had mockingly dubbed it—resting beside his pack. A hundred years ago, the word "adventurers" would've made him quake. He'd have run, hidden, begged for his life. But now it was different. Training with Kaili flashed through his mind: her hammer-like blows, her cutting sarcasm ("Hit like a man, not a flowerpot!"), the endless hours under her unrelenting gaze. He wasn't a warrior, never would be. His talent was a joke, but his body had learned something. Calloused hands, steadier breath, a hardened will. He wasn't strong, not like them, but he was more than he'd been.

He stood, the wooden floor creaking under his boots, and stretched with a pop of his joints.

"They don't sound like pleasant company," he said, a hint of humor in his smile. "How about breakfast before they get here? I don't want to face them on an empty stomach."

Kaili raised an eyebrow, the runes on her purple skin pulsing red like live coals.

"Breakfast?" she echoed, her voice dripping with disbelief. "Seriously, gardener? They're coming to crush you, and you're thinking about food. You're a mess."

"A hungry mess," he shot back, winking as he pulled a handful of shadow roots and glowing mushrooms from his pack. "Come on, princess, sit down. I'll make something you won't want to burn for once."

She growled, but plopped into an old chair with a thud that shook the floor. Her wings buzzed for a moment, sending a gust of air that ruffled the hides.

"What a pain," she muttered. "If those fools show up while you're cooking your garbage, don't blame me if they smash you before your little party's over."

Sebastián laughed, a deep, warm sound that filled the cabin, and stoked the embers with a stick, the fire crackling back to life. He sliced the roots with a knife, their viscous crunch echoing, and tossed them into a makeshift pot with the mushrooms, which released an earthy, sweet aroma as they heated. Kaili watched, her black eyes narrowed, but didn't budge.

"You know you could kill them with a snap, right?" he said, stirring the mix with a wooden spoon. "I don't get why you bother letting me deal with them."

"Because you're a stubborn idiot," she replied, leaning back with a creak of her armor. "And it's funny watching you fail. Besides, my queen says not to let you die like a fool, so here I am, wasting my time with your roots."

He grinned, ladling the stew into a rough bowl and offering it with a theatrical flourish.

"Try it, princess. If I've got to fight today, let it be with something decent in my gut."

Kaili took the bowl, her fingers brushing his with unexpected warmth, and sniffed the stew suspiciously.

"Smells like a swamp," she said, but took a sip, the steam curling against her full lips. "Not bad, gardener. For human trash, anyway."

"A compliment from the great Kaili," he said, settling across from her with his own bowl. "I'm honored. What'll you do if those adventurers tear me apart? Knit a flower crown for my grave?"

She glared at him, the runes on her stomach flaring briefly.

"I'll knit a rope to hang you with if you keep spouting nonsense," she snapped, though a crooked smile tugged at her lips. "If they kill you, at least make it quick. I'm not cleaning your blood off this forest."

Sebastián took a loud slurp of the stew, the warmth spreading through his chest. He watched her for a moment, her wings folded, her armor catching the glow of the embers. A hundred years training with her, he thought. I was never good, but she made me tough. If they come, I'm not running this time.

"You know," he said, setting his bowl aside with a soft clack, "I think I want to take them on myself. Those adventurers, I mean. A hundred years with you, and I've never fought anything real. Just clumsy golems and your punches."

Kaili looked up, her black eyes piercing him like daggers.

"You, fight?" she said, her tone teetering between mockery and curiosity. "With what, gardener? Your Plague Edge and that drunken stance? You'll last less than this stew."

"Probably," he admitted, chuckling. "But I want to try. You wouldn't step in unless they shred me, right? Just this once."

She tilted her head, her runes pulsing brighter, and a dry laugh escaped her lips, cold and sharp.

"You, alone, against five?" she said, her sarcasm dripping like venom. "What stupid bravery. What are you hoping for, a medal? You'll end up as fertilizer for your plants."

"Maybe," he replied, shrugging. "But if I can hold out for a bit, it'll be worth it. Besides, you'll be around to burn them if it gets ugly, won't you, princess?"

Kaili snorted, tapping the table with a finger that made the bowl wobble.

"I'm not hauling your corpse, so don't make me waste time picking up your pieces," she said. "But fine, go ahead and die. If they crush you, at least I'll laugh watching it."

Sebastián finished his stew with a final slurp, the bowl clinking as he set it down. He stood, buckling Plague Edge to his belt with a metallic snap.

"Deal," he said, his voice steadier but still warm. "I'm going out to face them. Stay back and don't step in unless they rip me apart, got it?"

Kaili stared at him, her wings unfurling for a moment with a buzz that shook the walls.

"You, alone, gardener?" she said, her tone thick with sarcasm. "What a brave idiot. Fine, do it. But if you die over this nonsense, I'll drag you back from the abyss just to kick you again."

He nodded, but before heading out, he stepped toward her with a comical seriousness, like a man marching to purgatory. He wrapped her in a quick, firm hug, his hands sliding boldly down to squeeze her backside, the leather of her armor creaking under his grip. She stiffened, her runes flaring red, but he spoke before she could growl.

"For luck," he said, winking as he pulled back. "If they kill me, at least I'll have touched heaven first."

Kaili shoved him with a finger to the chest, a light jab that echoed like a drum.

"Shameless idiot," she muttered, though her voice quivered with stifled laughter. "Move it before I burn you myself."

Sebastián laughed, a spark of warmth in his chest, and stepped out of the cabin with Plague Edge in hand. Kaili followed at a distance, melting into the shadows of the skeletal trees, her presence a silent, watchful echo.

The clearing outside the cabin was a circle of damp earth, ringed by gaunt trees whispering in the breeze. The scent of pine and moss filled the air, laced with the lingering aroma of stew clinging to his clothes. Sebastián moved forward, the crunch of dry twigs snapping under his boots breaking the stillness. He'd gone just a few steps when he heard voices—heavy footsteps approaching from the west. He stopped, Plague Edge steady in his grip, and waited.

Five figures emerged from the trees, their dark armor glinting with power that made the ground tremble. These weren't just any adventurers; they were an elite team from the Guild, sent to track the disappearances in Veridian, and they'd claimed the cabin as their temporary base after finding it empty the night before. Their combined strength could level a mid-sized town, and their weathered faces promised trouble.

The leader, Oberon, a tall man with a scar slashing across his left eye, drew a broad sword sparking with contained flames. Magnus, a hulking figure in runed armor, hefted a hammer that thrummed with raw force. Zephyr, lithe and quiet, nocked a bow with black arrows that seemed to swallow light. Kenshin, lean and swift, toyed with dual daggers dripping a faint green venom. And Valerius, draped in a gray robe, gripped a staff radiating a biting chill.

Oberon stepped forward, his gaze locked on Sebastián.

"What are you doing here, drifter?" he said, his deep voice slicing through the air. "This cabin's our base. Who are you to poke around?"

Sebastián swallowed, but held his stance, Plague Edge glowing faintly in his hand.

"Just a botanist looking for roots," he replied, his tone calm but firm. "Found it empty last night. Didn't know it was yours."

Magnus slammed his hammer into the ground with a thud that cracked the earth, his laugh rumbling like a drum.

"A botanist?" he growled. "In this cursed forest? I ain't buying that crap."

"Doesn't look lost," Kenshin hissed, spinning a dagger between his fingers. "What're you hiding, huh?"

Zephyr aimed his bow, the black arrow humming with a soft crackle.

"Talk fast," he said. "We've lost men in this place. If you know something, spill it."

Valerius advanced, his staff sparking with ice.

"He doesn't look innocent," he murmured. "Could be with whoever took our people."

Oberon narrowed his eyes, raising his sword with a hiss of flames.

"Last chance, botanist," he said. "What're you doing here? What do you know about the disappearances?"

Sebastián gripped Plague Edge, his mind racing. A hundred years ago, I'd have stammered, begged, he thought. But Kaili gave me this. I'm not strong, but I'm not that coward anymore. He took a deep breath, the cold air searing his lungs.

"I don't know anything about disappearances," he said, his voice steadier than he felt. "I just want my roots and to get out. If that's not enough, you'll have to beat it out of me."

Oberon laughed, a dry, cruel sound that echoed across the clearing.

"Beating it out, huh?" he said, stepping closer. "I like that spirit. Let's see how long it lasts."

"Keep him alive for a bit!" Magnus grunted, hefting his hammer. "I wanna break something first."

"Don't take too long," Kenshin hissed, advancing with daggers ready. "This place gives me the creeps."

Sebastián raised Plague Edge, its red runes shimmering with a whisper. Thanks, Kaili, he thought. Without you, I'd already be dead. And then, the battle erupted.

Oberon struck first, his sword slashing an arc of fire that roared like a living beast. The flames licked the air, and Sebastián rolled aside, the heat scorching his arm with a hiss. The cabin caught behind him, flames climbing the walls with a dry crackle. He countered, a swift slash at Oberon's thigh, Plague Edge humming like a whip. The leader blocked with a metallic clang, sparks scattering across the ground.

"That all you got, botanist?" Oberon taunted, swinging again, igniting a nearby tree that split with a deafening crack.

Zephyr fired next, black arrows slicing through the air like living shadows. Sebastián spun his sword in a move Kaili had drilled into him a thousand times—"Wind Slash," she'd called it, laughing. The blade hummed, deflecting two with a sharp hiss, but a third pierced his shoulder, a deep gash that bled instantly, hot and metallic. He grunted, staggering, but held his guard.

I'm not that weakling anymore, he thought, clenching his jaw. Kaili made me more.

Valerius raised his staff, and a burst of ice exploded toward him, jagged crystals shattering a tree with a frozen crunch. The ground beneath Sebastián iced over, slick and treacherous, and he leapt aside, the cold searing his boots. The ice hit the cabin, and a wall collapsed with a thunderous crash, splinters flying like shrapnel.

"Stay still, rat!" Valerius roared, readying another strike.

"Don't give him a chance," Kenshin hissed, darting forward like a blur. His daggers traced lethal arcs, and Sebastián blocked one with a clang, but the second sliced his thigh, a deep cut that burned with venom. His leg shook, the acid gnawing at his flesh, but he didn't fall.

Magnus charged then, his hammer kicking up dirt with every step. He smashed the ground, and the clearing split with a blast that hurled Sebastián back. He rolled through debris, breath ragged, and rose with a groan. A hundred years, and I'm still a mess, he thought, chuckling to himself. But I'm not quitting. Not today.

"Crush him already!" Zephyr shouted, loosing another arrow that Sebastián dodged by a hair, the missile thudding into a trunk.

Magnus raised his hammer again, and Sebastián scrambled up a half-burned tree, climbing awkwardly. The giant struck, the trunk splintering with a deafening crack, and he dropped with a vertical slash, yelling with every ounce of air left. Plague Edge clashed against the hammer, the impact ringing like a gong, and the recoil flung him into the cabin's remains. He landed amid burning wood with a wet thud, the structure collapsing over him in a roar of dust and ash.

"Finish him!" Oberon ordered, advancing with his flaming sword.

Sebastián clawed out of the wreckage, blood dripping from his shoulder and thigh, his arm trembling. He stabbed Plague Edge into the dirt to prop himself up, breath ragged. Kaili was right, he thought. I'm a brave idiot. But I did it. I fought. Oberon kicked him in the face, a blow that split his lip and made him spit blood. Valerius hurled ice that burned his left arm, a deep gash crackling as it froze, and he groaned, dropping to his knees.

"He doesn't know squat," Oberon said, wiping his sword. "Waste of time."

Magnus lumbered closer, raising his hammer with a cruel grin.

"Let me break the rest," he growled.

The blow came, and Sebastián saw it coming. He tried to lift Plague Edge, but his arm gave out. The hammer struck his chest, a dry crunch of breaking ribs echoing through the clearing. He flew back, crashing into a charred tree that toppled with him, wood and ash cascading down. Kenshin seized the moment, his daggers carving a deep slash across his side, blood gushing like a dark river. The venom burned, and he gasped, collapsing amid the ruins.

"Don't finish him," Oberon said, turning away. "Leave him as a warning. This base is done—let's keep looking."

Sebastián lay still, blood soaking his clothes, his left arm burned and slashed, his chest caved from broken ribs, his thigh and side bleeding freely. Plague Edge slipped from his hand, its runes fading with a whisper. His vision blurred, pain overwhelming him, but one last thought flickered through his mind: Thanks, Kaili. I didn't run this time.

The clearing fell silent, smoldering trees cracked, the cabin reduced to flaming rubble, the ground split and frozen. The adventurers trudged off, their heavy steps fading into the distance. Then the wind whispered, a soft sound swelling into a low, angry hum, like a waking swarm. Shadows stretched and twisted among the trees, and a distant echo of iridescent wings sliced the air.

Oberon paused, glancing back with a frown.

"What was that?" he muttered.

No one answered. The hum grew, a dark omen vibrating through the forest, and the dawn's light seemed to dim. Sebastián, unconscious amid ash and blood, didn't hear it. But fate was already in motion.