Chapter 45 The Gate[2]

Zalakar, the name alone invokes a sense of dread and horror. These demons are a breed apart, a nightmare given life.

They feast on fear, devouring the very essence of a person's soul until they are nothing more than a hollow shell.

Unlike other devils, Zalakar cannot harm their prey physically, but their true power lies in their ability to break down a person's spirituality and sanity, leading them to a slow, painful death.

These creatures have no set form, but rather, they take on any appearance they choose.

Their gelatinous bodies allow them to shift and morph into whatever shape they desire, making it almost impossible to identify them.

Only their weakness, daylight, forces them to retreat underground until the cover of darkness returns.

Zalakar, like any other creature, has a core, a small, precious gem, that lies within their gelatinous bodies.

This gem is the source of their immense power, and without it, they are nothing. However, it is also their greatest weakness, and destroying it is the only way to stop them from spreading their terror.

"Sun and Stella…both of you stop panicking", shouted Ji-Ho.

Even though Ji-Ho herself was afraid, she was a master at controlling her emotions and not letting it show on her face.

"Very well then," Sun said, regaining his composure and attempting to exude maturity.

"Have any of you heard of the Zalakar?" Ji-Ho interjected.

"The Zalakar?" Stella asked, bewildered.

"Yes, they are a breed of devils that feed on fear. They are attempting to scare us and weaken us," Ji-Ho explained.

"But how do you explain the massive pit we just encountered?" Sun countered.

Ji-Ho was momentarily stumped, unable to provide an explanation.

"Just because the Zalakar are present doesn't mean they're the only devils in the forest," I intercepted.

"You mean there are more?" Sun inquired, his anxiety palpable.

"Indeed, the Wailing Banshees, for instance. These ghostly devils can create illusions and manipulate sound waves to confuse their enemies," I elucidated.

"Banshees have a weakness to rain, while the Zalakar are vulnerable to fire. Two completely opposite weaknesses," Ji-Ho interjected.

"Rather than exploit their weaknesses, we can simply destroy their cores," I suggested.

"How do we do that?" Sun asked, his eyes darting around nervously.

"By creating an open space," I replied as I gripped my metal pole tightly and infused it with a potent aura that crackled with energy.

I swung the pole in a wide arc, and a burst of power emanated from it, creating a shockwave that rippled outwards, destroying everything in its path.

The force of the explosion was immense, the ground shook beneath our feet, and the wind roared in our ears.

Debris and dust filled the air, obscuring our vision, and for a moment, we were blinded by the intense darkness that radiated from the blast.

As the smoke and debris cleared, I gazed out at the vast expanse of destruction before us.

The once-lush forest had been reduced to nothing but rubble and ash, and the trees and foliage turned to charred husks.

Turning back to my companions, I was met with a mixture of shock and awe on their faces.

"What?" I asked, trying to break the silence.

Ji-Ho shook her head in disbelief. "You made it look so easy. I can't believe that wasn't even your full power."

I smiled slightly at her compliment but also felt a sense of unease.

Sun spoke up, breaking me out of my thoughts. "How do we find these devils now?"

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "We wait."

"Wait? For what?" Stella asked confusion etched on her face.

"For them to come to us," I replied, my eyes scanning the desolate landscape.

It wasn't long before I saw movement in the distance, small shapes emerging from the shadows. The devils had come, drawn by the destruction and chaos we had wrought.

"Get ready," I said, tightening my grip on my metal pole.

---[POV: Xander Montgomery]

"Enhance the security measures around the forest and ensure that no student is allowed near the perimeter," I commanded, brandishing my official ID in front of the head of security.

It was imperative to strengthen the protocols in light of the recent events that had taken place in the vicinity of the forest.

The security head nodded in agreement, acknowledging the gravity of the situation.

"Understood, sir. We have already taken the necessary steps to beef up the security in the area. No one is allowed within a one-kilometre radius of the forest."

"Excellent," I said, pleased with the swift action taken. "Please ensure these measures are strictly enforced and inform me of any suspicious activity immediately."

"Of course, sir," the security head said with a firm nod. "We take the safety and security of the students very seriously."

"Good to hear," I replied, turning on my heel to walk away but just then a deep rumble resounded from the forest region, the crows on the branches of the tree flew aggressively.

I cocked my head, curious about the disturbance. Without hesitation, I strode towards the forest's edge, my powerful strides covering the distance in mere seconds.

Peering into the darkness beyond, I surveyed the area with a keen eye, searching for the source of the disturbance.

With a deep breath, I drew my sword from its sheath, the metal glinting in the moonlight. As I approached the barren area of the forest, I noticed all the small banshees and Zalakars moving in one direction, avoiding the presence of my aura.

They weren't running away but headed somewhere, so I decided to follow their trail.

Through a passage of terrains that were different kinds of illusion, I continued on, my senses heightened as I searched for any sign of danger.

As I approached the clearing, I could hear the sounds of battle, and my instincts told me that something was amiss.

Four students were present, surrounded by low-class devils, as they fought with their training weapons despite this area being under a restricted zone.

One with red hair had a long sword, the girl with black hair had a magical staff, and another girl used a bow.

But something felt off to me. A kid with purple hair and silver glasses was holding back, wiping out the devils with a metal pole as if they were nothing and making it seem like he was doing a lot.

And for a brief second, our eyes met, sending goosebumps down my back. That was clearly impossible. A kid who could detect my presence despite me being an SS-ranked auror.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. It must have been a fluke. It had to be a fluke.

Shaking my head, I released my aura, making every devil in the existence of my aura disappear into ashes as I stepped in front of the kids.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, looking at each of them in turn. "This area is restricted for a reason. You could have been killed."

The girl with black hair stepped forward with a really nervous look, "We were just training, sir," she said meekly. "We didn't mean to cause any trouble."

I narrowed my eyes, studying each of them in turn. They seemed capable enough, but something about the way they were fighting made me uneasy.

"Come with me," I said, turning on my heel. "I'll take you back to the academy and inform the headmaster of your transgressions."

"Sir but-" The girl with the staff protested, but I cut her off.

"I won't hear any excuses," I said firmly, my eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger.

But before anyone could move, a deep bass sound resounded throughout the forest, causing our surroundings to grow dimmer. The pathways of the forest shifted, and we found ourselves enveloped in a dark blue light.

I tensed, my grip on the hilt of my sword tightening as I scanned the area for any signs of danger.

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as I realized that this was no ordinary occurrence. There was something out there, something powerful, and it was heading our way.

The ground shook beneath our feet as the rumbling grew louder, and I knew that we were in trouble.

I turned to the students, my eyes scanning their faces. They looked scared, and I couldn't blame them.

"Stay close to me," I said, my voice low and steady. "We need to get out of here now."

And so we ran, our footsteps echoing through the forest as we raced towards safety. But as we ran, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being hunted, that something was out there, something dangerous and powerful, and it was closing in on us fast.

The ground shook once again, and I felt a surge of fear shoot through me. We had to get out of here, and fast, the gate was acting up.