A figure enveloped in a greenish shield crashed into the earth, skidding to a stop in front of a broken tree.
'W-what… what happened…?'
The thought rang in Renlo's spinning head. It echoed continuously, like someone had screamed into a large, empty cavern.
Renlo shakily brought a hand to his head, feeling the wetness that clung to his fingers.
'W-water?' That was the first thought that came to his mind.
'But where did water come from?' How did he get wet? Was he submerged in water? What was going on…?
Renlo opted to confirm his thoughts himself. He pried his eyes open, blinking rapidly to clear the haze. As the blurry sight receded, Renlo finally saw his hand.
At that moment, a rush of pain the likes of which he had never felt before racked his body.
Renlo gritted his bloody teeth, trying to fight off the pain.
"W-what h-happened? W-where a-am I?"
His voice came out slurred as he clenched his fist, trying to sit up straight.
The first thing he noticed was the flickering green shield around him.
'W-what is this…?' A haze still clouded his mind as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing.
'V-vita shield,' he finally realized, glancing around.
He was inside a deep trench, and in front of him was a pathway stretching upward. He couldn't see anything beyond the earth.
Renlo glanced up. He wasn't far from the surface. Just as he began wondering how to escape the shield, it suddenly flared and vanished. Renlo groaned again as pain surged through him and he hit the ground with a thud.
'Fight it. Fight it!' he repeated in his mind, teeth clenched.
Renlo had no idea how bad his injuries were, only that everywhere hurt, as if he'd been rammed by a truck from every direction.
Still, he wanted to confirm his situation first. Forcing the pain down, Renlo shakily stood and peered out of the trench.
What he saw made him forget the pain.
The forest was gone. In its place was only ruin.
Renlo felt all the strength in his legs vanish, and he slumped back into the trench, body trembling.
His mind spun harder than it ever had before. He had seldom been in life threatening situations, with the worst being when Julius used him to get to Malakai. Aside from that, Renlo's life could be considered boring.
Still, one look at the devastation told him everything he needed to know. He was screwed.
'Calm down! Calm down!'
But Renlo couldn't breathe. No matter how deep he tried to inhale, no air came.
He began pounding his chest, trying desperately to breathe.
'A panic attack,' he realized.
He slumped to the ground, his body trembling violently, fear lacing every part of his eyes.
Was this how he was going to die? Without even fighting? If someone found out about this, would they call him a coward for not even trying?
What would his father say? His grandfather?
Renlo's mind spiraled as images of his father and grandfather flashed before him.
He was dead. Buried. But no one mourned him. No one cried. His family spat on his grave, calling him a coward.
Darkness began to engulf Renlo's vision.
He was about to give in when a single image flashed in his mind.
A handsome boy whose gaze burned like death, Malakai.
Those were Malakai's words during their last meal at Crimson Hold. And as he repeated them in his head, Renlo's heart began to pound again.
He felt a surge of adrenaline course through him.
His hand darted to the pouch in his utility belt, pulling out the vial of Vitaeon Malakai had given him before coming to Sylvastine. Without hesitation, Renlo uncorked it and drank it all.
He didn't care that a mouthful of blood went down with it. All that mattered was the incredible energy flooding his body.
It was intense. Like water washing away death, the Vitaeon cleared the pain. His wounds healed rapidly, and within moments, he could breathe again.
Renlo was stunned by the power of the Vitaeon. Even after healing, he felt a large reserve settle in his body.
He took a deep breath and clenched his fist. One thought rang in his head…
'What would Malakai do?'
He didn't wait to think. He acted.
He assessed himself. The Vitaeon had healed most of his wounds, only a few sore spots remained. He was fine.
He turned to the side. His spear lay on the ground beside him. He checked his utility belt, everything was intact.
Renlo rose to his feet, gripping his spear tightly, and scanned the area from within the trench. There was only ruin and destruction.
He jumped out and began running through the forest. His heart was beating fast, hands trembling slightly.
Something, someone, had caused this destruction.
It had been so sudden, so overwhelming, that he hadn't even sensed it until he was already on the ground, deep in a trench.
If not for the vita shield, he'd be dead.
Whatever did this… was something he couldn't even dream of facing.
Which meant there was an unknown threat. A danger. And he was right in the middle of it.
'Keep moving. Stay calm,' Renlo repeated in his head, grounding himself. He kept moving, albeit slowly due to the terrain.
'I have to get back to the stronghold.'
His eyes landed on the massive wall in the far distance. A large greenish dome had formed ahead, standing between him and the stronghold.
He could feel the tremors in the ground. His hand tightened on his spear.
He wanted to find Malakai badly, but he knew how the boy thought.
'He will also move back to the stronghold.'
Renlo steeled himself and picked up his speed.
But he had barely moved a few steps when a shudder ran through his body.
He had sparred and taken hits from Malakai enough times to sharpen his instincts, and they had never failed him.
Right now, those instincts were screaming.
Renlo didn't think. He dove to the side.
A sharp whistle cut through the air as a blade sliced past where he had been moments ago.
He rolled and skidded to a stop, twisting to his feet.
His eyes landed on the attacker, a figure draped in a black robe, face hidden behind a black mask.