Kaelen’s heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the pair of furious emerald-green eyes aiming an arrow at his head.

  “Demons aren’t allowed here!”

  A second arrow was loosened without hesitation.

  Kaelen’s reflexes which he had trained under the watchful eyes of the old mage for six years kicked in.

  He dodged the arrow as it flew past his shoulder and got stuck in a tree behind him.

  Without waiting for a third arrow to be loosened, he charged at the emerald-green eyes with the ground beneath his feet cracking up at every step he took toward them. As soon as he did that, the eyes were forced to come out of the shadows as they jumped to the side revealing the person to be…

  ‘An elf?’, Kaelen thought as his eyes wandered to the pointy ears of the woman. However, he couldn’t afford to waste time thinking what or why was she doing this as the elf drew another arrow, notched it almost in a blur and let it loose on Kaelen.

  “Shit!”, Kaelen cursed and ducked just in time.

  The arrow skimmed above his hair as he rolled across the forest and sprang to his feet instantly.

  “Persistent, aren’t you?”, He growled under his breath.

  She didn’t answer and shifted her stance an drew a curved dagger from the thigh sheath of her brown robes.

  Charging toward him, she slashed the blade across his neck but Kaelen quickly raised his arm in defense and let his new ShadowWolf Armor absorb the strike.

  He countered with a punch, aiming at her ribs but she spun like a dance, her dark-brown ponytail whipping through the air. She aimed her boot at him and kicked him on the side.

  “Aah!”, Kaelen grunted in pain and skid back a few feet.

  “She’s quick,” he muttered as he felt the pain in his stomach and clenched his fist, “That just means, I have to be quicker.”

  The old mage stood some distance away from either of them. He calmly observed the fight although his staff crackled faintly but for now, he held back as he thought, ‘This is his first battle. I can’t interfere and ruin his experience. I need to let him learn how to defend himself against other races. I will only interfere when I feel that his life will be in danger.’

  Kaelen didn’t have that luxury as the elf lunged again with the dagger flashing toward his face.

  However, this time, he was ready. He caught her wrist in mid-air and twisted it sharply.

  “Aah!”, The elf screamed in pain.

  Then, Kaelen threw a powerful punch at her stomach.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  “Oofmph!”, The elf exclaimed as she skid back a few steps and held her stomach. She looked at Kaelen and taunted in a melodic Restoverian accent, “I-Is that all you’ve got?”

  “No”, Kaelen replied as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and said, “I’ve got more.”

  She let go of her stomach and smiled, saying, “Then, come at me, Demon!”

  Without waiting for Kaelen’s response, she leaped again—faster than he expected and aimed her dagger at his chest.

  Kaelen spun around, aiming at her back with his feet and kicked her.

  She gasped as the kick knocked her forward. However, she recovered fast and got up, staring at the dagger securely tied at Kaelen’s waist, while thinking, ‘Why is this demon so strong? He hasn’t even formed an Abyssal Vein yet he moves twice as fast as one who has formed it! And, judging by his horns, he hasn’t even matured yet. So, that means, he is still a fledgeling? Oh no! Did I attack the son of a Demon Baron?! That would explain the human mage with him! Humans and Demons always come together when their interests are mutual. I can’t prolong this fight any longer. I must end it here and now! Otherwise, the human mage would alert the rest of the demon party they must have brought with them.’

  Without wasting a second, she drew an arrow and chanted, “Destructus Annihlus!”

  Kaelen and the old mage frowned as a silver light flared on the arrow, twisting the air around it.

  “I’ll warn you once,” She said coldly, aiming the arrow straight at Kaelen’s chest, “Leave! Or I won’t hesitate to kill you both.”

  Kaelen tensed and thought as he looked at the glowing silver light on the tip of the arrow and thought, ‘She is a mage?! T-That’s magic?! What kind of magic is that?! Whatever it is, it feels dangerous. Very dangerous.’

  “All right.’, The old mage said calmly as he took a step forward while raising his free hand in the air, “Listen, elven girl. The boy isn’t a demon.”

  However, the elf tigthened her grip on the bow and said, “Do I look like I’m joking, old man?”

  “You’re making a mistake,” The old mage warned in a serious tone of voice, “Stand down.”

  “I don’t take orders from filthy humans!,” She snapped and got ready to let go of the arrow.

  “Sigh! Idiotic elves as always!” The old mage murmured as he shook his head in irritation and snapped his fingers.

  Suddenly, a sharp snap echoed through the air.

  “Wha—?”, The elf’s eyes widened in disbelief as the magic spell around the arrow shattered. The glowing energy broke apart like shards of glass and the arrow itself crumbling into dust.

  Even Kaelen himself was shocked and he thought, ‘Woah! I didn’t know that the old fool was so powerful!’

  “I don’t need to raise my staff to break your childish spells,” The old mage said coolly, “I suggest you think carefully about your next move.”

  Silence fell over the forest and for the first time, Kaelen saw a flicker of doubt flash across her face and he thought, ‘She’s strong. No, in fact, she’s very strong but the way the old man shattered her spell must have shook her confidence.’

  However, stubbornly, she didn’t lower her weapon. Instead, she adjusted her aim and pointed the next arrow at Kaelen’s heart, and asked quietly, “Who are you people?”

  Kaelen exhaled slowly as his fingers twitched near the hilt of his dagger but he didn’t draw it. Not yet.

  “We’re not your enemies,” The old mage said calmly and requested humbly, “And if you would be so kind to lower your weapon, I’ll explain everything.”

  The elf hesitated and her eyes flicked between the two of them as she thought, ‘I am outmatched!’

  Finally, after a long pause, she loosened her bowstring but she didn’t lower her weapon.

  “Talk fast,” She ordered in irritation, “And if I don’t like your answer you won’t live to give another.”

  Kaelen smirked in defeat as he thought, ‘Great. Another person who wants me dead.’

  The old mage’s expression remained calm as he said,“Very well. Let’s start with the truth.”