The forest outside Greythorne was alive with the whispers of the wind, the rustling of leaves, and the distant calls of nocturnal creatures.
Lira Avryon moved through the dense underbrush with practiced ease, her ruby-red eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of her brother, Kael.
The faint glow of her Awakener's Pass illuminated her path, but the light felt feeble against the oppressive darkness that seemed to cling to the trees like a living thing.
She had been searching for hours, her heart heavy with worry. Kael had gone off on his own; he might not be missing this time, and though she trusted his growing strength, the thought of him facing the dangers of the wilds alone gnawed at her.
She had sworn to protect him, to keep him safe, and yet here she was, chasing after him like a worried mother.
"He's not a child anymore," she reminded herself, her grip tightening on the coiled whip at her side. "But he's still my brother. I can't just let him wander into danger at his current level."
The forest grew quieter as she ventured deeper, the usual sounds of wildlife fading into an eerie silence. Lira's instincts prickled, her senses on high alert.
Something was wrong.
The air felt heavier, the shadows denser, as if the forest itself was holding its breath.
Then she saw it—a flicker of movement in the corner of her eye. She spun, her whip uncoiling with a sharp crack, but there was nothing there. Just shadows.
"Calm down, Lira," she muttered under her breath. "You're jumping at shadows now."
But the unease didn't fade. If anything, it grew stronger. The forest was too quiet, too still. Even the wind seemed to have died, leaving only the oppressive weight of the darkness.
And then she heard it—a low, guttural hiss, like the sound of air escaping from a corpse. It came from behind her, and she whirled around, her whip lashing out in a wide arc. The tip of the whip struck something solid, but there was no cry of pain, no sign of impact. Just the sound of her weapon slicing through empty air.
"What the—"
Before she could finish the thought, the shadows moved. A serpentine form slithered out of the darkness, its body a writhing mass of black tendrils that seemed to absorb the light around it. Its eyes glowed with a sickly green hue, and its fangs dripped with venom that sizzled as it hit the ground.
Duskfang Serpent – Level 10
The words flashed in her vision, a cold reminder of the danger she was in. Lira's heart pounded in her chest, but she forced herself to stay calm. She had faced shadow beasts before, but this… this was different. The Duskfang Serpent was no ordinary predator. It was a creature of pure darkness, its body impervious to physical attacks, its movements as fluid and unpredictable as the shadows themselves.
The serpent lunged, its fangs bared, and Lira reacted on instinct. Her whip snapped out, the tip wrapping around a low-hanging branch, and she yanked hard, using the momentum to swing herself out of harm's way. The serpent's strike missed by inches, its fangs sinking into the ground where she had stood just moments before.
Acrobatic Escape activated.
Lira landed lightly on her feet, her whip already coiling back into her hand. She didn't have time to catch her breath. The serpent was fast, its movements almost too quick to follow. It twisted in the air, its body coiling like a spring, and lunged again.
This time, Lira was ready. Her whip lashed out in a series of rapid strikes, each one aimed at the serpent's glowing eyes. But the creature was too quick, its body twisting and contorting to avoid the blows. The whip passed through its shadowy form as if it were made of smoke, leaving no mark.
"Damn it," Lira cursed under her breath. "Physical attacks won't work. I need to think of something else."
The serpent hissed, its glowing eyes narrowing as it prepared to strike again. Lira's mind raced, searching for a solution. She couldn't outrun it—not in this dense forest. And she couldn't fight it head-on. She needed to find a weakness, something she could exploit.
As the serpent lunged again, Lira activated her Lashing Strike, the whip cracking through the air with enough force to stagger the creature. The blow didn't hurt it, but it did create enough of an opening for her to reposition herself. She swung her whip around a nearby tree, using it to pull herself up into the branches just as the serpent's fangs snapped shut where she had been standing.
Whip Arts: Grappling Swing activated.
From her perch in the tree, Lira had a better view of the battlefield. The serpent coiled below her, its glowing eyes fixed on her with an almost predatory intelligence. It wasn't just a mindless beast—it was hunting her.
"Think, Lira," she urged herself. "There has to be a way to hurt it."
Her eyes scanned the area, searching for anything she could use to her advantage. The forest was dense, the trees thick and ancient. If she could lure the serpent into a trap, maybe she could buy herself enough time to escape.
But the serpent wasn't going to give her that chance. It reared back, its body coiling like a spring, and launched itself at the tree. Lira barely had time to react, swinging herself out of the way as the serpent's fangs sank into the trunk. The tree shuddered under the impact, the venom eating away at the bark with a sickening hiss.
Lira landed on the ground, her whip already in motion. She lashed out at the serpent's tail, the tip of her whip wrapping around the shadowy appendage. With a sharp tug, she yanked the creature off balance, sending it crashing to the ground.
But the victory was short-lived. The serpent twisted in her grip, its body dissolving into shadows and reforming behind her. Lira spun around, her whip lashing out in a wide arc, but the serpent was already moving, its fangs aimed at her throat.
She barely managed to dodge, the fangs grazing her shoulder as she rolled to the side. The venom burned where it touched her skin, a searing pain that made her grit her teeth. She could feel her strength waning, her movements growing sluggish as the venom spread through her veins.
"No," she thought, her vision blurring. "I can't die here. Not like this."
With a surge of determination, Lira forced herself to her feet. Her whip snapped out, the tip wrapping around a low-hanging branch, and she swung herself into the air, using the momentum to deliver a powerful kick to the serpent's head. The blow staggered the creature, giving her just enough time to land a few more strikes before it recovered.
But it wasn't enough. The serpent was too fast, too strong. Its body absorbed every blow, its shadowy form reforming almost instantly. Lira's strength was fading, her movements growing slower with each passing second.
"I need to end this," she thought, her mind racing. "But how?"
And then it hit her. The serpent's glowing eyes—they were the only solid part of its body. If she could destroy them, maybe she could weaken it.
With a final burst of energy, Lira lashed out with her whip, the tip striking one of the serpent's glowing eyes. The creature let out a deafening hiss, its body writhing in pain as the light in its eye flickered and died.
Critical Hit! Duskfang Serpent HP -20%
Lira didn't waste the opportunity. She pressed the attack, her whip lashing out in a flurry of strikes aimed at the serpent's remaining eye. The creature thrashed wildly, its movements growing more erratic as its vision was taken away.
But it wasn't enough. The serpent was still alive, its body coiling for one final strike. Lira's strength was almost gone, her body trembling with exhaustion. She didn't know if she could survive another attack.
And then, just as the serpent lunged, a voice rang out through the forest.
"Lira! Get down!"
She didn't hesitate. Dropping to the ground, she felt the rush of air as something massive passed over her. There was a deafening crash, followed by the sound of the serpent's dying hiss.
When she looked up, the serpent was gone, its body dissolving into shadows. Standing over her was Kael, his sword glowing with a faint, otherworldly light.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.
Lira nodded, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "Yeah… thanks to you."
Kael offered her a hand, pulling her to her feet. "You shouldn't have come out here alone," he said, his tone stern but laced with worry.
Lira managed a weak smile. "I could say the same to you."
Kael chuckled, but his expression quickly turned serious. "We need to get out of here. There could be more of them."
Lira nodded, leaning on him for support as they made their way back to Greythorne.