Seeds of Hope

Bonds Forged in Battle

The morning sun filtered through the canopy of leaves, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. Birds chirped overhead, and the air was crisp with the scent of pine and damp earth. Roman stretched, feeling the stiffness in his muscles from sleeping on the ground. Around him, the others were already up and about, preparing for the day.

“Morning,” Seth greeted, tossing Roman a piece of bread. “Sleep well?”

“Yeah, as well as you can on the ground,” Roman replied with a grin, taking a bite. It was dry and crumbly, but it filled his stomach.

“We’ve got a full day ahead,” Z said, sharpening his sword. “We’ll head deeper into the forest, find some decent monsters to train on. There’s no telling what’s going on in Eidon, so we need to be ready for anything but we’ll stay in the area until we get word on what they want us to do.”

Roman nodded, feeling a thrill of excitement. He had spent most of his life reading about adventures, and now he was living one. But there was also an undercurrent of anxiety. He still didn’t fully understand his abilities or the System. And he had to keep the fact that he was from another world a secret.

After they finished eating and packed up their camp, they set off. The forest seemed almost alive, the trees whispering secrets as the wind rustled their leaves. Roman felt a strange sense of familiarity, as if the forest itself were welcoming him.

“So, Roman,” Lexi began as they walked, “you said you don’t remember much, but you’ve got some serious skills. How did you learn to fight like that?”

Roman hesitated. He needed to be careful. “I used to train a lot… before I lost my memory,” he said, choosing his words carefully. “I don’t remember specifics, but I think I was good at it.”

Seth nodded, accepting his answer. “Makes sense. You definitely handled yourself well last night.”

“Thanks,” Roman replied, relieved that the conversation hadn’t gone deeper. He still wasn’t sure how much to reveal.

They moved steadily through the forest, the terrain becoming more rugged as they went. The underbrush thickened, and the trees grew taller and closer together. After about an hour of trekking, they came to a clearing where the ground was littered with the remains of what looked like a fierce battle.

“This looks promising,” Z said, surveying the area. “Let’s split up a bit. We’ll cover more ground that way. Lexi, keep an eye from up high. Jess, you’re with me. Seth, take Roman and scout around.”

Roman glanced at Seth, who nodded. “Ready?” Seth asked, his eyes scanning the surrounding trees.

“Yeah, let’s go,” Roman replied, gripping his sword.

They moved cautiously, keeping to the edges of the clearing. Seth was light on his feet, moving almost silently. Roman found himself following the Shadowwalker’s lead, trying to match his steps and keep his senses alert.

“So,” Roman said quietly, “you’ve been with them for a while?”

“Yeah, about a year now,” Seth replied, his voice low. “They’re good people. Best I’ve met.”

“You didn’t have a group before?” Roman asked, curious.

Seth hesitated, glancing at Roman. “Not really. Grew up in the capital. It’s… complicated.”

Roman raised an eyebrow. “The capital? What’s that like?”

“It’s—” Seth started, then caught himself. “It’s not what you’d expect. Lots of politics, you know? Everyone trying to outdo everyone else. It’s exhausting.” He shook his head as if to clear away the memory. “I prefer the simplicity of this. You fight, you survive, you get stronger.”

Roman could sense there was more to the story, but he didn’t push. Instead, he nodded and kept his eyes on the forest, trying to pick up on any signs of movement. They continued in silence, the only sound the rustle of leaves underfoot.

They were about to turn back when Roman caught a glimpse of something between the trees—a flash of scales and a low, rumbling growl.

“Did you hear that?” Roman whispered, stopping in his tracks.

Seth nodded, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the spot where Roman had been looking. “Yeah. Let’s check it out, carefully.”

They moved forward, each step deliberate and cautious. As they rounded a large tree, they saw it—a massive creature, its body covered in dark, glistening scales. It was about the size of a horse, its long tail whipping back and forth as it sniffed the air.

“A drake,” Seth whispered, his voice tense. “Not fully grown, but dangerous.”

Roman felt his pulse quicken. He had read about creatures like this, but seeing one in real life was something else entirely. He tightened his grip on his sword, feeling the weight of it in his hand.

“We need to be smart about this,” Seth said, his eyes locked on the drake. “It’s got tough scales, and it’s fast. We’ll have to hit it hard and keep moving.”

“Got it,” Roman said, steeling himself. He focused inward, feeling the energy of his core pulsing in time with his heartbeat.

They spread out, flanking the creature. Seth moved like a shadow, circling to the drake’s left, while Roman took the right. As they approached, the drake’s head snapped up, its yellow eyes narrowing as it spotted them.

Seth struck first, darting in with a quick slash at the drake’s flank. The creature roared, its tail lashing out, but Seth was already gone, slipping back into the shadows.

Roman saw his opening and charged, his sword slicing through the air. He aimed for the drake’s leg, hoping to cripple it. His blade struck, but the scales were tougher than he’d anticipated, and the sword glanced off with a harsh screech.

The drake reared back, its mouth opening to reveal rows of sharp teeth. It lunged at Roman, but he rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the snapping jaws.

“Nice move!” Seth called, his voice filled with adrenaline. He appeared behind the drake, slashing at its tail. The creature bellowed in pain and fury, its massive body thrashing as it tried to turn and face both opponents at once.

Roman got to his feet, his heart racing. He could feel his body responding, his reflexes sharper than ever. He darted forward, feinting to the left before slashing at the drake’s exposed belly. This time, his sword found purchase, cutting through the softer scales.

The drake roared, whipping around to strike at him, but Roman was already moving, dodging to the side. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Seth dart in and land another blow, this one deeper than the last.

The drake staggered, its movements slowing. It turned its head, yellow eyes glaring at Roman with a fury that sent a shiver down his spine. It lunged, and Roman barely had time to brace himself before the creature’s weight slammed into him, knocking him to the ground.

He felt the air rush out of his lungs as he hit the dirt. The drake’s claws raked at him, and he barely managed to twist away, the sharp talons tearing through his shirt but missing his skin. Pain flared through his shoulder, and he struggled to get back on his feet, his vision swimming.

“Roman, get out of there!” Seth shouted, his voice tinged with panic.

Roman rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding another swipe. He could feel the energy in his core surging, the power flooding through his limbs. He focused, pushing the pain aside, and got to his feet just as the drake lunged again.

This time, he was ready. He sidestepped, slashing his sword across the drake’s neck as it passed. The blade bit deep, and the creature let out a choked roar, its body collapsing in a heap.

For a moment, everything was still. Roman stood there, panting, his sword dripping with dark blood. Then Seth was beside him, his hand on Roman’s shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Seth asked, his eyes scanning Roman for injuries.

“Yeah… I think so,” Roman replied, his voice shaky. He looked down at the drake, its body lying still at his feet. The realization of what they had just done hit him like a wave. “We did it.”

Seth grinned, the tension easing from his face. “Yeah, we did. You were amazing.”

Roman laughed, the sound a little wild with relief. “You weren’t too bad yourself.”

They both turned as they heard footsteps approaching. Z, Lexi, and Jessika emerged from the trees, their expressions a mix of worry and admiration.

“Holy crap, you guys!” Lexi exclaimed, her eyes wide as she took in the drake’s body. “That’s a drake! A real, freaking drake!”

Z clapped Roman on the back, nearly knocking him over. “You guys did great. That’s no small feat.”

Jessika rushed over, her hands hovering as if she wanted to check Roman for injuries but wasn’t sure where to start. “Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”

“I’m fine, I promise,” Roman said, his heart still pounding. “Just a few scratches.”

“So since you’re ok…I gotta ask…at any point during that fight did either of you think to call the rest of us? The whole point of this is to fight these monsters to train.” Lexi said sarcasm pouring from her.

“Oh right…I forgot.” Roman said and scratched the back of his head.

“Whatever.” Lexi shook her head and walked closer to the drake like she was annoyed but Roman saw the smile on her face so he relaxed.

They spent the next few minutes inspecting the drake, discussing the battle and what they had learned. As they talked, Roman noticed something in Seth’s demeanor—a pride that seemed almost out of place, like he was used to being praised for his skills but was trying to downplay it.