Aamir and his team ventured deeper into the jungle. The dense canopy overhead allowed only streaks of sunlight to filter through, casting eerie shadows on the forest floor. The sounds of rustling leaves and distant animal cries grew louder, blending into a wild symphony.
Each step was careful, deliberate. The air felt heavier now—thick with unseen threats. They moved as one, silent and alert.
Three hours remained until the trials were over. So far, the group had managed to kill around twenty-five Feral-class beasts and one Predator-class beast.
Yet no one celebrated.
"Only one Predator-class beast? It's not even worth celebrating," Rajiv grumbled, wiping dried blood from his sword with a cloth. His eyes flicked over the blade, frustration simmering beneath his voice.
Aamir, walking slightly ahead, glanced back at him. His gaze was steady, unbothered. "Then concentrate," he said firmly. "Complaining will not help you achieve your goals."
The words landed like stone. Rajiv pressed his lips together and fell silent.
Riya stopped suddenly, her arms crossing over her chest. Her eyes narrowed, scanning the surrounding jungle.
"Something's not right," she said abruptly, voice tense. "I can feel it... we're walking into danger."
Her instincts screamed louder with each passing moment. Though the jungle seemed deceptively calm, she sensed the lurking threat beneath the silence. Gritting her teeth, she fell back in step, her grip tightening on her weapon.
The jungle pressed in around them, the air growing thick and stifling. Strange, guttural calls echoed through the dense canopy, making the hair on Aamir's neck stand on end.
"This silence... it's not normal," Riya whispered.
Aamir's grip tightened on his sword. "Stay sharp. Something's watching us."
A piercing cry shattered the quiet—a girl's scream echoing through the trees.
"Did you hear that?" Rajiv asked sharply, hand tightening on his sword's hilt. His gaze shot toward Kiran.
"Yes," Kiran replied, eyes already scanning the dense foliage. "It sounds like a group is in trouble."
Without hesitation, they sprinted toward the sound. The thick underbrush clawed at their legs, but urgency drove them forward.
They broke through the foliage into a clearing—and froze.
They burst through a tangle of vines into a small clearing bathed in shafts of green light. Five young girls stood huddled at its center, faces pale, weapons trembling in their hands. The beasts circling them growled low, their claws gouging deep furrows into the earth. Blood-red eyes gleamed like coals in the gloom.
Rajiv raised a hand in a gesture of peace. "Do you need help?" he called out.
The leader of the group—a tall girl with sharp eyes and a dagger clutched in a trembling hand—turned to face them.
"We don't need the help of boys!" she declared, but her voice wavered.
Aamir stepped forward, unslinging his bow. His tone remained calm, expression unreadable.
"If you don't want help, then deal with the beasts yourselves."
A guttural roar erupted from one of the beasts, shaking the trees. The girls huddled together, fear breaking through their pride.
Suddenly, one beast lunged—claws gleaming mid-air—straight toward one of the girls.
She shut her eyes, bracing for the strike.
Clang!
When she opened them, Aamir stood between her and death. His sword locked against the beast's claws. The force carved a gash along his arm, but he didn't flinch. His eyes glowed faint crimson, burning with focus.
Rajiv smirked. "Don't you always say you don't need help?"
The girls' leader clenched her fists, cheeks flushed red. But this time, she said nothing.
Aamir's voice was calm, yet steel laced every word. "Watch and learn," he said. "Or pick up a weapon and fight."
The beasts, sensing a challenge, attacked in a frenzied charge.
Aamir shifted smoothly. His blade sliced through the air with grace and precision. One beast lunged—and met a lethal strike straight through its heart. It collapsed in a heap.
Rajiv faced two beasts, his sword wreathed in flame. He swung in wide arcs, holding them back.
"A little help here?" he shouted as one beast darted behind him, jaws open wide.
Rahul answered in a flash—fire burst from his hands, engulfing the creature in roaring flames.
"Stop being so dramatic," Riya called, conjuring shimmering magic knives. With pinpoint precision, she pinned another beast to the ground.
Rajiv grinned, capitalizing on the opening. His blade cleaved through the creature's front leg.
"Thanks," he said between breaths, wiping blood from his face.
"Save your gratitude," Riya replied sharply—but a faint smile tugged at her lips.
"Focus!" Aamir's shout cut through the chaos. His gaze locked onto the largest beast—the alpha of the pack.
It stood apart, intelligence gleaming in its blood-red eyes. A predator's mind lurked behind them. For a moment, Aamir and the alpha sized each other up.
"It's different," Aamir murmured. His stance shifted subtly. Smart. Fast. Can't misread it.
The alpha prowled in a slow circle, its gaze locked on Aamir. Each step was deliberate, its claws clicking softly against roots and stone. Aamir shifted his stance, matching the beast's rhythm. In that moment, the rest of the world seemed to fade—there was only predator and prey. And neither would yield.
Without warning, the alpha charged.
Its speed was brutal. Aamir barely dodged a swipe of claws that would have torn him apart.
"Need more help?" Rajiv called, stepping forward.
"Stay back!" Aamir snapped, voice sharp as steel.
The alpha lunged again—jaws snapping inches from Aamir's face.
His heart pounded in perfect rhythm. I must read its movements. One wrong step… and I'm dead.
With a fluid motion, Aamir sidestepped, blade flashing upward. The strike carved deep into the beast's chest.
The alpha let out a final, guttural growl before collapsing. Silence fell over the clearing.
The girls stared in wide-eyed awe.
The leader stepped forward, pride subdued, eyes downcast.
"Thank you," she said softly. "We couldn't have done it without you."
Aamir wiped his sword clean and sheathed it. His gaze met hers—steady, unwavering.
"Next time," he said, voice calm but firm, "don't let your pride endanger your lives."
The girls nodded, chastened. Behind them, Rahul exhaled heavily.
"That was close."
Rajiv wiped his blade. "Too close. We move faster from now on."
Riya glanced at Aamir, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Looks like you're full of surprises."
Aamir said nothing. His gaze was already on the dark path ahead.