Chapter 3

"Where on earth could he be?" Noah muttered, glancing around the bustling town.

He scanned the rows of houses, peeked down narrow alleyways, and bombarded shopkeepers and townsfolk with questions. Yet no one seemed to have seen his friend, Azar.

The blond man had vanished from their inn room that morning without a trace, and Noah had spent the entire day searching for him. Every corner of the town had been explored — from the local taverns to the Adventurer's Guild — but there was no sign of him.

Frustration mingled with exhaustion. Azar had disappeared without a word, unintentionally dragging Noah into an unplanned morning jog around the town.

His white tunic clung to his back, dampened with sweat. He rolled up his sleeves, adjusted his glasses, and rested his hands on the waist of his brown linen trousers.

"Thank goodness,I didn’t wear a cloak. I’d be drenched by now," he grumbled.

"Ah, forget it. He'll come crawling back once his stomach starts growling," Noah sighed, finally surrendering to his fatigue.

But as if on cue, his own stomach growled in protest. Skipping breakfast for the sake of his search had clearly not been the best decision.

"Speaking of hunger...I wonder how that mantis is doing. It's probably starving, waiting for me to return." A small smile tugged at Noah's lips as he gazed at the sky, imagining himself bringing food to the creature.

Upon returning to their room at the inn, he straightened the messy bed he had left in haste that morning. His own appearance wasn’t much better — unruly hair falling freely without its usual tie.

After securing his hair in a simple ponytail, he folded his blanket neatly into a rectangle and placed the pillow on top, forming two tidy stacks on the bed.

Then his attention shifted to Azar's side of the room.

It was a disaster. The pillow lay on the floor, the blanket crumpled and half-draped over the tilted mattress that teetered dangerously on its wooden frame.

"How does he even sleep like this?" Noah shook his head, kneeling to retrieve the pillow.

But as he did, something struck him as odd.

'Where's his sword?'

Azar never slept without his weapon within arm's reach. It was a habit born from years of caution. Normally, the blade would rest beneath the bed — but now, only dust and cobwebs remained.

"Did he...take it with him?" Noah murmured, brows furrowing.

He carefully placed the pillow back on the bed, but a lingering unease gnawed at him. Thoughts tangled in his mind as he tried to piece together the situation.

Azar had left at dawn.

He took his sword.

But he hadn't gone to the Guild or any of his usual haunts.

Could it be—?

Noah's eyes opened wide. Panic surged through him as the realization struck.

"No... That can't be!"

Without wasting another moment, he bolted out the door. Sprinting down the crowded streets, he weaved through pedestrians like a man possessed.

Fear gripped his heart. The mere thought of what Azar might have done sent chills down his spine.

He dashed past the town gates, the open fields blurring as his feet pounded the earth. The distant treeline loomed ahead, beckoning him into the shadows of the forest.

Branches scraped against his arms, tearing at his tunic as he pushed through the underbrush. His lungs burned, but he didn't stop. Not until the trees parted to reveal a clearing.

And there, framed by the splintered remains of a wooden cage, stood two familiar figures locked in a tense standoff.

"Azar, wait!" Noah shouted.

The blond man stood with his sword lowered, his eyes locked on the giant mantis — a creature the size of a large hare, its sharp claws raised defensively.

"I knew something was off about you, Noah." Azar’s voice was low, but the steel in his tone was unmistakable. His gaze flicked toward Noah, one eye narrowing. "Lately, you’ve been sneaking off every morning and night, claiming you ‘just wanted fresh air.’"

Noah’s heart sank. Of course. Azar had noticed his behavior — the subtle changes, the frequent disappearances. He’d known something was wrong.

"And now I find you here, with this thing." Azar’s voice hardened.

"I can—"

"Silence!"

Azar’s shout cut through the clearing.

"We swore an oath, Noah. As sworn brothers, no secrets between us. Have you forgotten that?" His knuckles whitened as he gripped the hilt of his sword.

Their bond had been sealed with that promise — a pact never to betray each other’s trust. But now, Noah had shattered it.

The weight of Azar's disappointment was unbearable.

"I'll end this creature," Azar declared, his sword glinting as he raised it. "And then we'll talk."

In the blink of an eye, a massive wooden spike erupted from the ground. Azar barely leaped back in time, landing just as another jagged root burst forth, sending clouds of dust into the air.

When the debris settled, Noah stood between Azar and the mantis, his arms outstretched. A faint green glow pulsed from the sigil on his palm.

"What are you doing, Noah?" Azar growled, though the answer was clear.

Noah’s voice remained steady. "Listen to me, Azar. This mantis...it's different. It doesn’t act on instinct alone. It thinks — like us."

For a moment, Azar's expression wavered, confusion flickering behind his eyes.

"It doesn’t matter," he spat. "Thinking or not, it’s still a monster."

Azar shifted into a battle stance, his sword gleaming with latent power. The crimson gem embedded in its hilt pulsed like a heartbeat.

Noah mirrored his resolve, sigils swirling around his hands as roots twisted beneath the earth.

Without hesitation, Azar charged.

Roots lashed out like whips, but he was quick — leaping over one, ducking beneath another. Noah controlled the roots with relentless precision, striking from all sides in an unpredictable dance.

Yet Azar evaded every attack. His eyes were sharp, his movements fluid. Not a single drop of sweat stained his brow.

Then, in an instant, massive vines erupted from the ground, enclosing Azar in a thick sphere of ironwood branches and roots. It was the same spell Noah had used to capture the mantis before.

But doubt gnawed at him. Would it be enough?

A sharp crack echoed. Noah’s breath caught.

The wooden prison trembled as something inside struck with tremendous force. The bark groaned under the pressure. Then, a brilliant slash of flame seared through the ironwoods, cutting through them like a knife through butter.

Azar emerged, his sword's edge glowing with embers. The crimson gem at its hilt shimmered ominously.

'How foolish I am, I forgot he has Tizona.'

Noah clenched his teeth. He had underestimated Azar.

Tizona wasn’t just an ordinary blade. Though not truly enchanted, its enhanced craftsmanship allowed it to burn through almost anything it touched. The fire within the magic gem was more than mere heat — it was a destructive force that reduced even ironwood to ash.

And now, with the blazing sword in his hand, Azar was ready to finish what he had started.

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