The beast stood silently behind them.
Its eyes were fixed on Kairo and Aris, and its body was covered with dark scales. It looked like it had been sleeping for hundreds of years, but now something had awakened it.
Aris slowly stepped backward.
"Kairo... what is that thing?"
Kairo didn't answer immediately.
He was staring at the beast carefully.
"I don't know," he finally said. "But whatever it is, don't get close to it."
The beast suddenly growled.
The sound was so loud that the clouds around them started shaking.
Aris covered his ears.
"What kind of monster is this?"
Kairo raised his hand.
"Stay behind me."
A small amount of Thunder began appearing around his body.
The beast noticed the electricity and suddenly disappeared.
"What?!"
Aris looked around.
"Where did it go?"
Kairo's eyes widened.
"Behind you!"
Aris turned around.
The beast was already there.
It swung its huge arm toward him.
Aris quickly jumped away.
The attack missed him by only a few inches and hit the ground instead.
BOOM!
The ground cracked.
Aris landed on the other side and looked at the huge mark left behind.
"That was close..."
Kairo shouted,
"Aris! Focus!"
The beast attacked again.
This time, Kairo moved forward.
"THUNDER!"
Lightning exploded from his hands and struck the beast directly.
For a moment, everything became bright.
Aris covered his eyes.
When he looked again, the beast was still standing.
There wasn't even a serious wound on its body.
Kairo's expression changed.
"What?"
Aris couldn't believe it.
"You hit it with Thunder and it didn't even fall!"
Kairo clenched his fist.
"This isn't normal."
The beast suddenly opened its mouth.
A strange dark energy started gathering inside it.
Kairo immediately understood.
"Aris, MOVE!"
The creature released the attack.
Kairo grabbed Aris and jumped away.
The blast passed over them and destroyed several trees in the distance.
Aris stared at the destruction.
"If that had hit us..."
Kairo nodded.
"We wouldn't be standing here."
Aris looked at his hands.
The Thunder inside his body was still moving.
He remembered what Kairo had taught him.
Control your body first.
Aris closed his eyes.
He took a deep breath.
"I can help."
Kairo looked at him.
"No. You're not ready."
"But if I don't do anything, we'll both get hurt!"
Kairo remained silent.
Aris opened his eyes.
"I know I'm not as strong as you. But I've learned Thunder."
Small sparks appeared around his hands.
Kairo looked at him for a moment.
Then he smiled slightly.
"Fine."
Aris looked surprised.
"But don't try to defeat it alone. I'll create an opening, and you attack when I tell you."
Aris nodded.
"Okay!"
Kairo rushed toward the beast.
Thunder surrounded his body.
The beast roared and attacked him.
Kairo dodged the first strike.
Then the second.
Then he jumped into the air.
"NOW!"
Aris stretched both hands forward.
"THUNDER!"
A powerful bolt of lightning shot from his hands.
It struck the beast directly.
The creature screamed and stumbled backward.
Aris couldn't believe it.
"I actually hit it!"
But Kairo suddenly shouted,
"Don't celebrate yet!"
The beast slowly raised its head.
Its eyes had changed.
They were glowing brighter than before.
Then something strange happened.
The beast started smiling.
Aris's heart sank.
"Why is it smiling?"
Kairo's expression became serious.
"I think..."
He looked at the creature.
"...we just made it angry."
The beast roared again.
But this time, its voice was different.
The entire sky began turning dark.
Aris looked upward.
"What is happening?"
Kairo slowly raised his hands.
"I don't know."
The beast suddenly disappeared into the darkness.
And then a voice came from somewhere above them.
"You finally came back..."
Aris froze.
Kairo's face became pale.
"Impossible..."
Aris looked at him.
"Kairo? You know that voice?"
Kairo didn't answer.
He simply stared into the dark sky.
Because whatever was coming next...
was something from his past.
And it had been waiting for him.
TO BE CONTINUED...