The cave trembled violently under the fury of the creature cowering within. The giant serpent spirit growled, a sound like sharp stones grinding together. Its black scales emitted a suffocating miasma, and its red eyes blazed. Without warning, a flash of dark energy lunged toward Entya like a sword’s stroke.

  "Entya, watch out!"

  In the blink of an eye, Nashr reacted. His movements were swift and decisive. He pulled Entya’s small frame into his embrace, spun her away, and snapped his hand into the air.

  "Protect!" he roared.

  Clash!

  A split second later, the dark energy collided with a golden barrier radiating from Nashr, shuddering the air with a deafening, metallic thud.

  Nashr groaned, his arm muscles straining against the pressure of the dark energy, but his shield held firm. With his reflexes, he had nullified an attack that had nearly torn Entya apart.

  Ghazi and his men immediately launched a counterattack, their swords and spears flashing through the cave’s gloom, but their efforts had little effect. The blades simply bounced off the spirit’s dark scales. Ordinary weapons were useless.

  "Shadow warriors! Focus on defense and distract it!" Nashr shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos of the cave.

  Nashr pointed his index and middle fingers, and from his fingertips shot a burst of golden energy that pierced the serpent’s skin.

  Bang, bang, bang!

  The serpent’s body was thrown backward. It shrieked in rage, becoming even more aggressive.

  Nashr did not waste the opportunity. Quickly concentrating his energy, he formed a shimmering golden longsword. He lunged forward, swinging the blade at the serpent spirit.

  A fierce battle ensued between the sun’s energy and the thick darkness of the miasma. The serpent writhed quickly, its massive body moving with agility. Its tail lashed out powerfully, aiming directly at Entya, who stood near the cave wall. Nashr saw it. His focus splintered.

  "Look out!"

  Thwack!

  Nashr rushed to intercept it, but he was a fraction of a second too late. The tail slammed into Nashr’s chest. His body was thrown back violently, hitting the stone wall with a heart-wrenching thud. Nashr slumped to the ground, coughing as blood flowed from his mouth and stained his brown disguise. His energy sword shattered into fragments of light.

  The shadow warriors surged forward, securing Nashr and distracting the serpent spirit with desperate strikes.

  "Nashr!" Entya ran toward him, heedless of the danger.

  She knelt by his side. "Nashr, where does it hurt?!" Her eyes were wide with worry, her hands trembling as she searched for wounds beneath his cloak.

  Nashr gave a thin smile, though his face was pale and his breath came in gasps. "Save your strength, little nomad," he whispered hoarsely. "Take out your arrow. Channel your energy... shoot the core in its head. Can you... do that?" Nashr gestured with his chin.

  Entya nodded firmly, even though her legs were still shaking. She turned toward the serpent spirit currently battling Ghazi and his troops. With a racing heart, she drew the black wooden bow Ghazi had given her. Her hands were sweaty, but as she pulled the string, Yul’s shadow crossed her mind.

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  “Calm, focus, aim,” Yul’s voice seemed to whisper in her ear.

  Entya closed her eyes, centering all her strength. A blue-green energy flowed from her heart to her arms, coiling around the arrow. When she opened her eyes, the tip of the arrow glowed brightly. With a sharp breath, Entya released the string.

  Ziiing!!

  The arrow pierced the darkness and struck the crystal orb on the serpent's head. The crystal fractured instantly, crumbling into shards with a sharp crack.

  The serpent spirit shrieked, its cry of agony echoing throughout the cave. Its pitch-black body evaporated like smoke and vanished. All that remained was a dense, dark purple energy sphere that fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

  Entya immediately knelt by Nashr’s side. She placed both palms on his chest. A blue-green light flowed, seeping into Nashr’s skin, knitting together torn muscle tissue and soothing the deep bruises within.

  The speed of the recovery made Nashr gasp. He felt an incredible wave of coolness. The stabbing pain slowly receded. As he opened his eyes, he saw Entya in deep concentration. The energy resonance between them vibrated. Nashr stared into her larimar eyes while feeling a wave of relief wash over his body.

  Once she was sure Nashr was stable, Entya stood up. Her gaze fell upon the blackish energy sphere lying on the ground. She walked toward the contaminated core.

  "Be careful, Entya," Nashr said hoarsely as he adjusted his sitting position.

  Entya was not afraid. She felt a calling. Bravely, she touched the black orb. The miasma tried to crawl up her hand, but Entya’s light was stronger.

  She closed her eyes, focusing all her might. Her blue-green energy flared bright, enveloping the core. She purified it, restoring its natural essence.

  Slowly, the core began to vibrate. Tiny cracks appeared on its surface. Suddenly, the orb burst in a blinding explosion of white light. From within emerged a beautiful white serpent spirit, made of shimmering pure water. It coiled gracefully in the air before pressing its forehead against hers in a silent gesture of gratitude.

  As their foreheads touched, a wave of divine messages crossed her mind. She saw the spirit's past. Laikha, the guardian spirit of pure water, trapped and contaminated by the negative energy causing the dead lands in Talrakia. She saw the dead lands slowly expanding, threatening all nearby life. Then, the vision jumped to the future, a prosperous Talrakia. An oasis with abundant water, lush green gardens, the joyful laughter of citizens, and children running happily under the sun.

  Entya’s energy core was triggered. A burst of energy surged within her, shattering the shackles of time that had locked her physical growth for so long.

  The sight was as beautiful as it was magical.

  Entya’s body began to change. Her straight, charcoal hair grew longer, cascading down to her lower back. Her arms lengthened, and her fingers became more slender. Her figure curved softly, and her skin glowed. Her round face shifted into a refined jawline, her eyelashes lengthened, and her lips bloomed. The seams of her pastel deel tore at the shoulders and waist, no longer able to contain her sudden growth.

  Nashr was stunned. In a matter of seconds, the little girl before him had transformed into a young woman of breathtaking beauty.

  Entya’s eyes sparkled as she looked at her fingers, which now appeared different. A sincere, heartfelt smile spread across her lips. She hugged the white water serpent spirit, stroking it gently. "Thank you, Laikha," she whispered emotionally, her voice sounding more mature.

  She patted Laikha’s head before the creature dove into the underground river, purifying the once-black water back to crystal clarity.

  Nashr shook himself from his fixed stare and scrambled to his feet. Moving quickly, he stepped close, stripped off his thick cloak, and wrapped it around Entya with a swift movement. Shielding her exposed skin from his gaze, and perhaps from the gaze of the shadow warriors nearby.

  "Thank you, Nashr," Entya whispered nervously. Her cheeks flushed red as she realized the state of her clothes.

  "Are you alright? What do you feel now?" Nashr looked at her intensely, his eyes searching for answers within her larimar gaze. Worry flickered in his eyes, but beneath it lay a restless curiosity.

  Entya felt a full flow of energy within her body. She felt more alive. Inside, she could more clearly sense the presence of the deer spirit connected to her.

  "I feel... as if something cracked, and my power came pouring out," Entya chuckled, happy tears welling in her shining eyes. "I grew, Nashr! I actually grew!"

  Nashr swallowed hard. Something was different about the way he looked at her now, but he averted his gaze.

  "It has been a long day. Let’s get out of here," Nashr said, his voice returning to the firm tone of a king. He looked around the cave at the soldiers who now stood stiffly. Some wounded, others lying still on the ground.

  "Soldiers," he commanded, "carry the fallen and give them a proper burial. We are returning to the palace."