Zigrane pushed through a thicket, sweat dripping down his brow, breath sharp in his lungs. He was tired—furious—but something inside him still burned bright.
Then he saw it.
A faint glow beneath a twisted root, half-covered in leaves. The sphere.
Zigrane's lips curled in triumph. "Finally."
As he stepped toward it, the air shifted.
A figure emerged from the shadows behind the trees—a man in a hooded cloak. The same man Billy had walked with earlier.
Zigrane froze, immediately on edge. He couldn't see the man's face, but something about his presence sent a thrill through his veins.
"You're in my way," Zigrane said, stepping in front of the sphere.
The cloaked figure didn't speak. He just raised his hand slightly, and the air crackled with tension.
Zigrane's grin widened. "You want to fight? Good. I've been waiting for something real."
He dropped into a stance, muscles taut, magic already swirling at his fingertips.
The stranger didn't wait. In the next instant, they clashed, power meeting power in a flash of light and raw energy.
And so the true battle began.
Scattered across the forest, other teams passed the time in their own ways.
Not far from a gently flowing stream, Erdan and Akatsuki were training, taking the lull in the search as an opportunity to refine their coordination. Their synchronized movements suggested they were well-acquainted with each other's timing. Occasionally, one would call out a change, and the other would adapt without hesitation. It wasn't a casual warm-up—it was serious, methodical, and purposeful.
Further east, under the cover of thick canopies, Felix and Elaira rested near a mossy boulder. Elaira sat cross-legged, eyes closed in silent meditation, while Felix leaned back with his arms behind his head, watching the clouds drift through breaks in the foliage.
"We should start moving again soon," Felix eventually said.
"We will," Elaira replied, her voice calm. "But first, let's take this moment. Clear minds make better decisions."
Elsewhere, Ralph and Rob moved slowly through the underbrush. They hadn't said much since their last exchange. Ralph occasionally glanced skyward, judging the sun's position.
"We've covered a lot of ground," he muttered.
"Still feels like we're just chasing ghosts," Rob said, crouching to examine a strange marking on a tree.
"You think someone already found it?"
Rob shrugged. "Wouldn't surprise me. But if they did, they're hiding it well."
Ralph cracked his knuckles. "We'll flush them out if that's the case."
Farther south, Katsu sat cross-legged on a stone slab, unmoving, deep in meditation. His breathing was steady, his mind somewhere else entirely.
Renald paced nearby, arms crossed, his expression tight. He wasn't used to waiting. Strategy boiled in his mind.
"Do we keep circling or start moving deeper in?" he asked, half to himself.
Katsu didn't reply.
Renald glanced at him, scowling. "You know, a little input would help."
Still no reply. Just calm, quiet breathing.
Renald exhaled sharply. "Fine. Meditate. I'll think of something."
And so the teams waited, each with their own approach—some planning, others reflecting, but all knowing that somewhere out there, the sphere was waiting to be found.
Deeper in the forest, Michael stood a short distance from Torren, his right arm outstretched, a thin trail of fire flickering from the tip of his index finger.
Torren glanced over, raising a brow. "What are you doing?"
Michael didn't look away from his hand. "Practicing. I've been working on a new technique."
He focused, and the fire steadied, a thin, controlled flame dancing in place. Torren stepped closer, watching with curiosity.
"Looks like it's working. What's it for?"
Michael smiled faintly, eyes still locked on the flame. "You'll see. I'm saving it for a real fight."
Torren gave a small nod, clearly intrigued but respectful enough not to pry further.
Then it happened.
A scream echoed through the forest—a loud, furious cry filled with rage and pain. It was unmistakably Zigrane's voice.
Both Michael and Torren snapped their heads in the direction of the sound.
"That didn't sound good," Michael muttered.
"Let's move," Torren said, already sprinting forward.
Not far from them, the others heard it too.
Felix and Elaira paused mid-motion, their heads turning sharply.
"Zigrane?" Felix asked, his tone uncertain.
"Sounded like him," Elaira responded, already reaching for her gloves.
Ralph's fists stopped mid-strike. "What the hell was that?"
Rob frowned, his stance shifting. "Could be trouble."
Erdan and Akatsuki looked up from their practice. Akatsuki narrowed his eyes.
"Something's wrong," he said flatly.
Even Katsu's meditation was broken. His eyes opened slowly, a flicker of tension in his expression. Renald glanced at him.
"Now do you hear the sphere calling?" Renald muttered.
The peace of the forest shattered. Something had gone terribly wrong.