"Kee-eeeee-arr! Kee-eee!"
A sharp cry sliced through the forest canopy as a large hawk tore through the sky like a feathered missile, banking sharply to the left and skimming low under a network of tangled branches. The forest below yawned open, revealing a sudden cliff. Without hesitation, the hawk dove—wings tucked, a living arrow—plummeting toward the glinting river far below.
Just as its talons nearly kissed the shimmering surface, the hawk twisted midair. Its form shivered, shimmered, and shifted.
With a clean splash, Alex hit the water in full human form.
The icy shock jolted his senses, but he welcomed it. His limbs sliced through the current with practiced ease as he swam upstream toward a familiar waterfall. Just ahead, foaming white torrents thundered down into a rock basin that shimmered like polished glass under the noon sun.
He pulled himself up onto a slick stone and climbed lazily into the cascading curtain. The water pummeled his shoulders, but he laughed, letting his head tilt back. "Now this is life," he muttered with a grin that rivaled the sunlight above.
With a whisper of intention, he uses his elemental control. A whirl of droplets began circling around him—tightening, speeding up—until it looked like a glittering cyclone had wrapped him in a scrub of pure river magic. The makeshift water spiral scraped away mud, sweat, and the lingering grime of battle.
Emerging from the cleansing torrent, Alex stepped onto the bank—naked, dripping, and beaming.
He wandered over to a nearby tree where his backpack waited loyally on a low branch. As he rifled through it for clean clothes, he muttered, "Too bad I don't have a magical item box or whatever they call it in video games." He yanked out a fresh shirt. "A wizard trunk, or even an enchanted sock drawer, would do."
Before slipping into his pants, he raised both hands. "Air Element," he said casually.
A strong gust whirled around him like an invisible towel, drying his body in seconds. He blinked at the effect. "You know… I could totally patent that." He ran a hand through his now-fluffy hair. "Elemental air dryer. Eco-friendly. Zero electricity. Might make me a millionaire." He paused. "Which I'll need if I'm going to keep traveling the world exterminating evil."
"Maybe we can help," said a voice, soft and melodic as falling petals.
Alex turned quickly—and smirked.
Three tiny nymphs floated in midair, no taller than his forearm, their translucent wings buzzing like dragonflies. They shimmered faintly, as though the sunlight passed through tinted glass.
"Hey, ladies," he said, flexing one bicep. "Where are your manners? I'm half-naked here."
The first nymph giggled behind a leaf-sized hand.
The second rolled her eyes. "You're not even our type. Biologically incompatible, remember?"
Alex gasped in mock offense. "I hadn't noticed."
The third, who hovered nearest, tilted her head. "We heard your wish for money. While we don't use it, we've watched humans fumble around for centuries trying to find it. And we've… taken notes."
Alex's eyebrows rose. "So you do know where to find them?"
"Well," said the first, spinning in midair, "not exactly money, but treasures, relics, items humans have buried and forgotten, trinkets they value far more than we do."
Alex's eyes lit up. "Treasure? Like, actual treasure?"
The second nodded. "Consider it a gift, payment for cleaning the forest. Those foul creatures you've been slaying… they've haunted our kind for generations."
"But," added the third, her tone shifting, "we cannot lead you there directly. The place—how do we say this—it's... cursed."
"Lovely," Alex muttered. "My favorite kind of place."
"It's soaked in negative energy," the second said. "Even approaching it drains us. It must be why the ancient ones took it as their lair."
Alex narrowed his eyes. "Ancient ones?"
The first nymph floated down to perch on a nearby leaf, her expression turning serious. "The creatures you've fought—night crawlers, bone-gnashers, the lesser fiends—they were the children, weak copies of the original horror."
"You're saying the big bads are still out there?"
"They never left," said the third. "They migrated here centuries ago and hid deep in the forest. They bred, fed, and sent their offspring out like scouts. What you've killed… was just the beginning."
Alex let out a low whistle. "Well, I was wondering when things would get interesting again."
He turned toward the river, thoughtful. In truth, the last batch of monsters had started to feel like training dummies. He knew their patterns now. Could almost predict their moves before they made them. He'd been looking for something bigger. Stronger. Something that might actually teach him something new.
"Okay," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Lead the way to the edge of this cursed place. I'll handle the rest."
"But be warned," the second nymph said, hovering closer. "This isn't just another hunt. These creatures are clever and ancient. They'll sense you coming—and they'll be ready."
Alex smiled, that familiar thrill stirring in his chest. "Let them try."
"Rest for now," the first said gently. "It's still midday. You'll need your strength."
He gave a playful salute. "Understood, mistress."
The nymphs vanished in a swirl of leaves and light.
Alex lay back on a flat rock, folding his arms behind his head, gazing at the clouds drifting above the treetops. His heartbeat was steady, but inside, his blood was already humming.
"Am I doing the right thing?" he asked himself silently, eyes tracing the movement of a squirrel leaping across branches. He thought of the students he had protected that first night. The ones who had slept soundly in their tents while monsters crept just beyond the firelight. The ones who had left the mountain laughing, none the wiser.
Yes. He was doing the right thing.
Not just for himself—but for them. For the forest nymphs who had lived in hiding for centuries, constantly harassed by goblin-like beasts. For the animals, who had become his unlikely allies. And for the unknown, innocent lives that would have been snuffed out if he hadn't intervened.
The thought of it made his blood boil.
Despite their powers, the nymphs had lived in fear for generations. They were beautiful, ancient beings—harmless and kind—but even they were preyed upon by those grotesque creatures from the deep. If beings as old and magical as the nymphs could be bullied and driven into hiding… what hope did ordinary humans have?
"What's stopping those monsters from building their own empire?" Alex muttered aloud, eyebrows furrowed as he sat up. "If they're so strong, they could easily enslave humans, make their own cities underground, or even a country, if they wanted to."
"So why haven't they?"
His voice echoed softly, swallowed by the vastness of the forest.
Something didn't add up. These dark creatures had the power to dominate, and yet… they remained in hiding. Skulking in caves, feeding in shadows. Why?
Alex stood and gazed up at the early evening sky, where the moon had begun its slow climb behind streaks of gold and purple. The wind picked up, and a few birds scattered overhead.
"Is there something they fear?" he asked aloud, his voice firmer now, directed toward the heavens. "Some force that's stronger than them? Are there still beings in this world who can strike terror into their hearts?"
He stared at the moon for a long moment. Its glow painted the leaves silver and shimmered over the surface of the river nearby.
"If you really are watching us," he whispered, "if you have the power to create magic, to choose Awakened Ones like me… then why didn't you do more? Why let the rest of humanity suffer while ancient creatures roam free? Why let innocent people die when you could have stopped it?"
No divine voice answered. No revelation struck him.
But Alex wasn't angry. Not anymore.
He exhaled slowly and ran a hand through his damp hair. "Maybe I'm overthinking it," he muttered, shaking his head. "One step at a time, Alex. One monster at a time."
Still barefoot, he wandered toward his makeshift campsite, the waterfall roaring behind him like a silent promise. He could already feel his resolve hardening.
"I'll keep going. I'll get stronger. I'll find every piece of this puzzle if I have to rip it from the jaws of the damned."