Chapter 144: Reunited

Finn straightened, looking at each of them in turn. Despite their weariness, he could see a spark of readiness in their eyes. Even Lina, who complained the loudest, was suppressing her excitement."Let's head back to the eastern edge," he said after a moment. "We'll retrace the footprints after entering into the forest. That's the best lead we've got."

The group murmured their agreement, and they began to move out. They made a conscious effort to keep their steps light, whispering their instructions so as not to wake the villagers.

By the time they reached the eastern edge, the moon hung high above, casting its pale light over the dense forest that loomed before them. The shadows of the tall trees stretched ominously across the sandy ground, creating an almost surreal landscape.

They paused at the boundary, exchanging a glance. No words were needed to convey what each of them felt—fear, determination, and an unspoken promise to bring Kyle back.

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Lina, surprisingly, was the first to step forward. She took a deep breath and muttered, "For Kyle."

"For Kyle," Celine echoed firmly, stepping after her.

"For Kyle," Zara said with a nod and walked inside.

Finally, Finn brought up the rear. "For Kyle," he said with an equally resolute tone.

The forest seemed to envelop them as they stepped inside, the towering trees and thick undergrowth cutting off most of the moonlight. The air grew cooler, carrying with it the earthy scent of moss and damp leaves.

"Stay close," Finn said with a low but authoritative voice.

Zara and Lina lit the path ahead, their magic casting a soft glow that pushed back the encroaching darkness. Zara's light magic produced a steady, warm glow, while Lina's fire magic created flickering shadows that danced across the trees.

Finn led the group with his eyes scanning the ground for the trail of footprints they had been following earlier.

The footprints were faint but consistent, moving in a straight line deeper into the forest. Finn crouched occasionally to study them. After a while, he paused, his gaze fixed on a peculiar set of tracks beside Kyle's.

"These…" Finn muttered, tracing the outline of the prints with his finger. "These aren't normal footprints."

"What do you mean?" Zara asked, stepping closer to see.

"They're clawed," Finn explained, pointing to the distinct markings. "They must belong to something following Kyle."

Lina leaned in, her eyes widening. "A beast? Are you serious?"

Celine's face paled. "If that's true, then Kyle could be in real danger."

The realization sent a wave of unease through the group. They couldn't help but imagine what kind of creature would leave such prints and why it might be trailing Kyle.

"We don't have time to dwell on it," Finn said firmly, rising to his feet. "Let's keep moving."

They pushed forward, increasing their pace despite their nervousness. Surprisingly, they didn't encounter any beasts at first, which only added to their unease. The forest seemed unnaturally quiet, the usual rustle of animals absent.

Eventually, they came across a group of common beasts grazing near the path. The creatures, small and non-threatening, paid little attention to the intruders.

Lina immediately summoned a small flame in her palm, her expression lighting up with anticipation. "Finally, something fun to do!"

"No," Finn said sharply, holding out a hand to stop her. "We don't have time to waste on them."

"Oh, come on. It'll only take a minute."

Celine stepped in with her usual calm voice. "He's right. Save your mana for when we actually need it."

Lina rolled her eyes and extinguished her flame. "You two are such fun sponges."

The group pressed on, leaving the beasts behind. As they ventured deeper, they began to notice signs of struggle—broken branches, disturbed earth, and scorch marks on the ground.

"Looks like Kyle ran into some trouble," Zara observed, her voice tinged with worry.

"But where are the beasts?" Lina asked, her eyes darting around.

"They're gone," Finn said after a brief inspection. "Kyle must've taken care of them."

The signs of battle became more frequent as they continued, yet no bodies of mana beasts were to be found. It was as if they had vanished into thin air.

They had not seen any beast because Kyle had been storing them in his inventory but they didn't know that and considered other possibilities.

After several hours of walking, their exhaustion began to catch up with them. The trail led them to a dense bush that blocked their path. The footprints stopped here, abruptly ending at the edge of the overgrowth.

"This is it," Finn said.

The group exchanged weary but determined looks. Despite their fatigue, none of them were willing to turn back. They had already inwardly decided to walk through it and check out for themselves when Finn signalled for them to stop.

"We've been at this for hours. Let's take a break before we push through the bush."

Everyone sighed in relief after they heard Finn's suggestion. They were all tired and exhausted and they were happy for the opportunity to rest.

They settled into a small clearing on the ground while Celine pulled out a set of metal cups from her space ring and placed them on the ground. With her magic, water flowed from her palms into the cups. "Here. This should help."

Everyone accepted the water gratefully, the cool liquid refreshing their tired bodies. Zina also contributed to their revival by casting a spell that restored their energy, ensuring that they all got back to peak condition.

Some minutes after they finished drinking, Finn stood up and looked at the dense bush ahead. "Alright, we've rested enough. The footprints end there, which means Kyle must've gone through. We follow."

One by one, they nodded, their determination reigniting. They approached the bush and pushed through together, bracing themselves for whatever lay beyond.

As they stepped out of the overgrowth, a surreal scene greeted them. The air was thick with mana, so saturated it felt almost alive. Tendrils of energy swirled faintly in the atmosphere, making their skin tingle.

It was unlike anything they had ever experienced, but the sight before them quickly stole their attention. Sёarᴄh the NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Standing in the clearing was Kyle, his figure illuminated by bursts of light and energy. Beside him was a small black creature, no larger than a house cat, with wings folded against its back and a tail lashing in anticipation. It looked like a...

"A dragon…?!" Zara screamed in disbelief.

Dragons were creatures of myth, heard and seen only in ancient stories. Seeing one in the flesh left the group stunned.

Before they could process what they were witnessing, their attention snapped back to the battle unfolding ahead. Kyle and the dragon were facing a massive wolf-like beast near a glowing pool. They could easily make out that the wolf was strong, like way past their level.

What shocked them most was Kyle's relentless assault. Spells flew from his hands in rapid succession, bolts of lightning striking the beast without pause. The dragon was no less fearsome, its small size denying its raw power as it spat concentrated streams of lightning at the wolf.

The group stood frozen, watching in awe and terror. Kyle looked completely different from the boy they knew. His spells seemed very powerful, powerful than usual. The wolf was battered, but its sheer resilience kept it standing.

Then, just as it seemed Kyle and the dragon had the upper hand, the wolf let out a guttural roar. Its eyes turned bloodshot, and a wave of frost surged outward, freezing everything in its path. The group gasped as the temperature dropped sharply.

"Move back!" Finn shouted, dragging the others away from the encroaching ice.

It didn't end there though, as a blinding golden light erupted from the wolf, forcing them to shield their eyes. The air vibrated with an overwhelming surge of power, leaving them breathless. When they dared to look again, the scene had transformed.

The ground was coated in ice and the mana in the air grew denser with every passing second. Kyle and the dragon were rooted on the ground, both struggling to see as a result of the bright light that enveloped them. To make the situation worse, the wolf was larger than before over and its aura was more intensified.

"This… this is insane," Lina stammered, her usual bravado replaced with fear.