As the two stood to leave the clearing, they both froze, instincts flaring in them as the sound of limbs snapping in the distance caught their attention. "I think somethings com-" Aric began to say, his words cut short by a deafening roar. The trees at the far edge of the clearing splintered and toppled as a colossal shape smashed through them - twelve feet tall and rippling with muscle beneath mottled green skin. The things face was a horror, all jagged teeth and sunken bloodshot eyes. With another bellow, it hefted a massive wooden club studded with long spikes and charged straight for them.

Cursing under her breath, Elara stepped forward, runes already glowing along her outstretched palm. With a flash, jagged spears of ice shot forth, slamming into the troll's chest and face. It howled in fury as frost crept across its body, slowing but not stopping its relentless advance.

"Trolls are highly magic resistant!" Elara shouted over her shoulder. More icy projectiles formed around her, pelting the troll with relentless precision. "Physical attacks won't do much either with their thick hide!"

Aric had drawn his sword the instant the beast appeared, dashing in from the side to try and hamstring it—anything to stop its charge. Elara's warning only heightened his growing frustration as strike after strike glanced harmlessly off its hide. Even the creature's limbs seemed impervious as it continues to swing its club in wide, crushing arcs.

Sweat dripped down Elara's temple from the exertion of maintaining her icy barrage. But despite its limbs seizing up under layers of frost, the troll continued its relentless march forward. Then, with a roar that shook the trees, it flexed its powerful shoulders. The movement created a chain reaction that caused the ice to crack and break off its skin. Elara's eyes widened in dismay. In that split second, it was upon her.

A massive hand shot out faster than seemed possible, seizing Elara by the torso. Her cry was cut short as she was slammed brutally against a tree trunk. Her tome tumbled from limp fingers as her head rocked back sharply into the bark, leaving her clearly stunned.

Aric's blood ran cold as he watched the beautiful elven caster being brutally battered by this troll. The one person in this realm who seemed to truly be concerned for him would die because he couldn't use any of his supposed potential yet.

Anger at being so useless in a situation where someone he was growing to care about was in danger, morphed rapidly into pure rage. Something in Aric snapped. With a feral roar, he leapt at the troll, chunks of grass and dirt flying back in his wake. His blade strokes became vicious, abandoning the cautious, probing attacks that had allowed him the option to retreat. Everything in his being was focused entirely on destroying this monster as power flared in him. Devastating slashes left deep gouges through sinew and bone. Rotting black blood soon sprayed into the air, each frantic swing sinking deeper and deeper into the thick hide. Dark energy crackled around him, fueling his relentless assault.

Within seconds, the troll's limbs were shredded ruins. A final overhead chop, Aric's blade bit deeply into its neck, decapitating the horror. Its massive body toppled backward with a resounding crash. But he wasn't done, no, this beast had to pay for what it had done. Blow after blow rained down onto the now dead beast, creating a gore-filled scene that would fit better in a nightmare than reality.

Hands suddenly clasped onto his shoulders, instinct drove him to drop out of the firm grasp, and his momentum turned into a spinning slash that came up short. Senses finally began returning to him, and to his horror, Aric found his blade paused mere inches from Elara's neck, who was shouting his name.

She must have seen the shift overcome Aric as his eyes cleared finally, "Aric, stop! I'm alright. We're safe." Her voice was urgent but soothing. Seeing her standing there, whole, and intact with only a few small scratches marring her otherwise smooth skin, relief flooded through Aric. The dark energy dissipated as quickly as it had manifested, almost as if it hadn't been there in the first place. Then fatigue washed over Aric, his sword tumbling from suddenly numb fingers.

"I knew you were the one..." Elara's voice seemed to echo from down a long tunnel as Aric's vision faded. His legs buckled beneath him as consciousness slipped away.

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Aric gradually awoke to find himself in his bed. Late afternoon sunlight filtered through the window. His entire body ached, worse than any training bruise he'd endured back home. Groaning, he sat up slowly, rubbing his pounding temples.

Had it all been a dream? But no - faint traces of dried blood still marred his skin, and Amy's glove still sat firmly over his right hand. Taking a shaky breath, Aric stood up and washed as best as he could before cautiously stepping outside.

Elara was sitting beside the koi pond, brow furrowed in troubled thought. She started slightly when Aric appeared, but her expression quickly shifted to one of relief.

"Aric! I'm glad you're awake." She studied him critically. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I had an argument with a bear and lost," Aric grunted, lowering himself gingerly down beside her. For a few moments, they simply listened to the soothing trickle of the pond.

Finally, Aric broke the silence: 'What happened out there? It's like I lost all control..." He shook his head. "And... what did you mean, calling me 'the one?'"

Elara took a deep breath, as if deciding where to begin. "There is...a prophecy. Passed down in secret through my family for generations, foretelling one with power over both mystical and physical forces. I thought I had seen it during your testing, and you displayed that duality yesterday." She let out another breath, "We were fated to meet, and I was to be the one to guide you through this world."

So that's all this had been? Some prophecy? Aric thought, anger and betrayal warring in his chest. He knew he shouldn't have let his guard down like that. Life had taught him many times over by this point, people never wanted you for you, but only what you could do. That's what led to being exiled from his home after his father passed away after all.

Elara raised her hand to his shoulder, but before she could start talking, he rose. Body aching with the effort of the fast movements, but he needed to be alone right now. He left Elara's compound, faintly hearing her calling for him to slow down and just listen. He'd heard enough though.

Aric found himself wandering through a well maintained field of flowers that he'd seen when they left the city. Being alone in the open air seemed to help calm him, reminding him of his days in the wild where he could simply be. Finding a small patch of grass, he took a seat and just breathed. He let his eyes fall shut and focused on his breathing. On the sensation of the air passing through him.

His light meditation didn't last long though, as he heard soft footsteps approaching. He looked up to see Elara standing in front of him, wringing her hands together in front of her, and an anxious look on her face. Aric wasn't particularly surprised to find that she had followed him here, but he knew he should at least hear what she had to say. Not that he had much choice, since she was his appointed guardian after all.

"Aric..." Elara began, her beautiful face scrunching as she struggled to find the right words, "When we first met, I'll admit your potential was intriguing to me. Someone safely traveling through a rift like that with no idea what they were doing? That level of magic is unheard of, so of course I had my suspicions for what... who you could be," she finished quietly.

"But Aric, these past days with you...I've come to care for the person you are, not what power you hold. Watching you stand up to creatures that you've never seen before, trying to constantly adapt to all of the craziness that this world has thrown at you so far. You haven't bent once, you've done your best to take everything in stride, and that alone is honorable." Pausing to take a breath, she searched his face, trying to read his expression, but Aric kept it neutral, carefully weighing her words.

Relenting, she continued "You're intelligent, easily picking up new concepts, kind, and clearly caring for those you feel close to. The look I saw in your eyes when that troll grabbed me was enough to know that you would do whatever it took to save me."

Extending her hand to Aric, "Please, just come home with me. You still have much to learn of our realm, and I have much I'd like to show you."

I guess I don't really have much of a choice, do I? And besides, she's right, outside of her strange attraction and faith in me from the beginning she hasn't done anything that would imply she harbors any ill will towards me Aric thought as he tried to sort through his emotions. He couldn't deny that her words had lifted some of the unease that had settled in his chest, but trust was earned not given. After this revelation, and after everything he'd gone through as a kid, that would take some doing on Elara's part, but he found he couldn't stay mad at her.

Still, Aric took her hand and gave Elara a soft smile as he stood, "Let's head back, I'm sure Seraphine is probably wondering where we've run off to, I'm pretty sure she was making dinner when we left."

The pair made the short walk back to the compound, each lost in their own thoughts as the sun began to set behind them, casting long shadows and creating sparkling reflections across the rocks in the flower beds surrounding them.