The cold wind blows across the seemly infinite number of trees shaking them producing a calming soothing kind of music .There was a full moon out enhancing more of the forests aesthetic beauty, but that was only enjoyable by the predator of the forest , for this was hell for the prey. As a lightning monkey, a species of monkey mana beasts attuned with lighting mana, was rushing to it's hideout in a panicked sprint, the lightning sparks in its hair was like a beacon attracting all the unknowns of the night to its location, as it jumped from one tree to another it looked back to find it's pursuer missing ,this only seemed to send it into more of a panic. Suddenly it's instincts flared up as it realized that the pursuer had appeared to it's front, it tried evading to side only for it to disappearing in a mass of darkness which passed in a flash.
Underneath a tall tree a large black catlike creature could be seen holding the crushed neck of the monkey in its mouth. The lightning monkey's eyes wide open in terror at how it meets it's end. The black catlike creature lay there sucking the blood of the monkey finally happy for finding some nourishment. Suddenly roots emerged from underneath the tree entangling the creature and its meal dragging them to the depth of the ground. Silence returned to the forest as the wind blew as if the forest was sighing apologetically to its inhabitants. This was a place where there no eternal predators.
Further into the forest there was the ruins of what seem like a city. The walls were down,the building demolished and its inhabitants mainly comprising of vegetation and beast powerful enough to claim a territory in the area, for the mana density was abnormally high here than outside the ruins. At the center of this city there was a large castle which contrary to the surrounding infrastructure was still intact. Inside it there was no sign of any organism , in the main hall of the castle there was a circular formation diagram glowing ,above it was a rip in space as if a god had ripped it open with its bare hands. Not much could be seen through it as it wobbled and flicked showing clear signs of instability.
Suddenly a green haired elven girl jumped out of the special tear, she was coughing up blood and her cloths especially were drenched in blood and sweat and it could be seen just how tired she was. She fell on the hard ground her eyes struggling to stay open, then all of a suddenly as if regaining all her strength jumped to side missing a wooden hand emerged from the tear.
Panic could be seen on the girls face as she instantly dashed to one of the windows in the hall jumping out as she performed mana arts using her hand. They glowed a bright green as a spell diagram appeared Infront of her , a wooden construct of an eagle made of entirely wood mana appeared and she jumped on it. To her back the wooden hand had finally fully emerged from the tear .It was a large tree with two hands and roots for feet, these are species of wood mana beast called treants, this one was especially powerful as intelligence could be seen on it huge singular eye. It searched for the girl only to see her as she was stepping on the wooden eagle construct. Immediately it rushed to capture her, it's roots dug into the ground elongating they appeared under the wooden eagle construct and rushed into the air attempting to capture the girl. The girl expertly dodged the roots as she flied further and further away from the ruins of the city hoping she can exit the forest and hopefully seek help but the treant could read her intention
"You think you can steal our treasure and get away." Shouted the treat as it continued to launch it's roots at the girl.
The girls injuries started acting up again making her lose focus thus interfering with the mana channeling to her spell. The solidified mana suddenly dispersed making the girl to suddenly dispersed making the girl to suddenly fall, the treant saw the opportunity and decided to launch it's roots to capture the girl. The girls chest started to glow as a miniature glowing humanoid creature with butterfly wing appear.
"Anya! Anya! Wake up" The miniature human , a wood spirit, called to the girl." Zo…..ey h..el..p" struggled Anya as she looked at the spirit her eyes half closed.
The spirit attempted a mana search looking for hiding spots, she suddenly felt an area in which her perception could not enter.
"Hang in there "Zoey said as her butterfly wings enlarged as she quickly shuttled dodging the incoming roots while also holding onto Anya.
"Almost there" hope could be seen in Zoey's small eyes as she hoped the blank in her perception could be their lifeline.
The treant seeing this immediately grew roots intercepting her path, as she dodged to the right she found a root waiting for her as it knocked them out of the sky.
"Noooo!" they fell as Zoey looked at how close they were , despair filled her eyes.
"Got you now." The treant rushed to where they fell.
As the roots were nearing them blue flames appeared out of nowhere burning them, this startled the treant as it slowed down then suddenly stopped. Out of the fire ,Nox jumped out growling at the treant as if telling it ' Move and next won't just be those roots"
To Nox's back Ethan was checking up on Anya as Zoey had already used up her mana thus dematerializing.
" This is none of your business boy , leave or you die with her." Threated the treat but Ethan didn't even seem to notice it as Nox howled loudly
'What's firewood like you doing in my territory , leave!' A voice suddenly appeared near the treant the force behind it was so powerful that it blew the treant a few kilometers away as it crashed into the trees in the forest. Seeing that it had met a being of such unfathomable power it immediately ran.
Ethan carried Anya to their house as it was close. At the door his dad , mom and Davina stood as they waited for him. Jasmine immediately took the girl into the house for some treatment.
" I'm so proud , you've already started bringing girls back home." Said atlas with a smirk
" Can't you be serious for once" to the side Davina replied
"she's okay. surprisingly she didn't have any life-threatening injuries," said jasmine as she came out of the house
"Oldman you promised." Said Ethan
" right now? Your seriously excited for this."
"Of course I've been waiting the whole day." Stars sparkled in Ethan's eyes
"Okay come lets get started." Said Atlas as they walked to a nearby tree