Chapter 54: Battle in the Stone Forest

As Abel, Sena, Nando, and Isabella ventured deeper into the dim expanse of the Stone Forest, they felt a familiar unease settle around them. Unlike their first ventures into the forest, however, this time the eerie shadows no longer unnerved them. The forest’s twisted trees and unnatural silence were still unsettling, but they had experienced enough to adapt to its strangeness. Where once they had flinched at every rustling leaf or distant howl, now they moved with quiet confidence, their senses sharp and their abilities honed.

The gifted recruits they had encountered earlier, however, were likely still adjusting to the environment. It was clear they struggled against the forest’s oppressive atmosphere, something that Abel and his companions had already learned to deal with. Though the Stone Forest was still dangerous, Abel’s group had learned to blend with its dark, winding paths, becoming part of the shadowy landscape rather than fighting against it.

After a short while, the four came upon a new clearing. Standing in the shadows was a grotesque creature, its monstrous form barely visible in the dim light. It resembled a massive boar, but its appearance was far more revolting. Its body was covered in matted fur, slick with mud and disease. Patches of its flesh were raw and exposed, riddled with oozing sores. The beast’s jagged tusks jutted out at odd angles from its gnarled face, and its eyes were sunken into its skull, giving it a wild, feral appearance.

Abel recognized it immediately. “A Dirtyhog,” he muttered under his breath. Poole had warned them about these creatures during one of his lectures. They were aggressive, filthy beasts, known for their tendency to call for reinforcements and fight in packs. Their tusks were prized for their unique magical properties, but getting close enough to harvest them was a dangerous task.

Without warning, the Dirtyhog charged at them, its hooves thundering across the forest floor as it barreled toward them with terrifying speed.

Abel was the first to react. His newfound agility kicked in, his body moving with a speed and grace he hadn’t fully realized until now. He sidestepped the charging beast, his muscles responding effortlessly to the movement. As he evaded, he noticed his senses had sharpened—he could see even the faintest flicker of the boar’s muscles beneath its thick hide, allowing him to anticipate its next move. The knife in his hand felt natural, as if it were an extension of his body, and he slashed at the boar’s side with swift, precise strikes.

Sena wasted no time. His hulking frame moved with surprising speed as he lunged toward the Dirtyhog. His fists, wrapped in the chain he had revealed earlier, connected with the beast’s thick hide, sending it stumbling back. Sena’s magical artifact, a chain imbued with restraining magic, uncoiled from his fists with a sharp snap. With a quick flick of his wrist, he lashed the chain around the Dirtyhog’s legs, pulling it off balance. The beast thrashed wildly, but Sena’s strength kept it pinned, the heavy chain digging into its filthy flesh.

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Before they could finish the boar off, two more Dirtyhogs emerged from the underbrush, their bloodshot eyes locked onto the group as they charged in unison.

Nando sprang into action, pulling a rolled parchment from the folds of his robe. With practiced precision, he unfurled the parchment and hurled it toward the nearest boar. The parchment glowed with a soft golden light as it arced through the air, landing squarely on the creature’s snout. A moment later, the parchment exploded in a flash of energy, sending the Dirtyhog tumbling to the ground, disoriented and injured.

Isabella moved swiftly, her movements fluid and controlled as she danced around the second boar. She pulled out her green Katar, its blade gleaming in the faint light as she slashed at the beast’s legs. Each strike was calculated, weakening the boar’s mobility until it could no longer keep up with her. As the creature staggered, bleeding from multiple wounds, Sena finished it off with a final, crushing blow to its skull.

Meanwhile, Abel continued to fight, his movements growing more confident with each passing second. He could feel his body changing—his agility, his speed, and his reflexes had all improved dramatically. His eyes, once ordinary, now seemed capable of tracking even the smallest movement. The faintest twitch of a muscle or shift in weight from the creatures around him was immediately noticeable, allowing him to anticipate and evade with ease.

after he dodged another attack and gave it a crippling slash, he felt a strange tingling sensation in his fingers. He glanced down briefly and noticed the tips of his fingers glowing with a faint, starry blue light. It wasn’t the same glow he had noticed before—this light was different, ethereal, like the distant shimmer of stars. Confused and unsure of what it meant, Abel quickly hid his hand under his sleeve, not wanting to draw attention to it. Whatever it was, now wasn’t the time to figure it out.

Sena and Nando gave the final hog its deathblow leaving the bodies of three Dirtyhogs laying on the grass.

With the Dirtyhogs finally defeated, the group set to work harvesting the valuable parts from the creatures. Abel used his knife to carve out the tusks, while Sena worked to gather the blood and bones, which were known to have unique magical properties. As they packed the materials into their baskets, they noticed the remains of one of the carcasses lying discarded on the ground.

“I want that,” Isabella said, stepping forward.

From the sleeve of her robe, a small gray snake slithered out and moved toward the carcass. The snake swiftly consumed the remains before coiling itself back up Isabella’s arm, disappearing back into her sleeve.

The others watched in silence, slightly unnerved by the sight, but too tired to question it. Isabella simply smiled and said, “It’s my familiar.”

No one pressed for further explanation.

With their baskets full, they continued on their journey through the forest. The strange dimness of the Stone Forest, once terrifying, had now become something they could navigate with ease. They were learning, adapting, and growing stronger with each battle. The challenges of the Stone Forest, once daunting, were now opportunities to test their strength and skills.

Abel, however, couldn’t shake the feeling that something inside him was changing. The starry blue light on his fingertips, the enhanced agility, the sharpness of his senses—it was all connected, but he didn’t yet understand how. For now, the mystery would have to wait.