Beast Evolution Forge

Chapter 96 Guardians 3

"Welcome to my domain. I choose you as my prey."

A ripple disturbed the still surface of a nearby pond, and from the water emerged a figure both mesmerizing and terrifying. Naiara, the water-haired Guardian, rose gracefully, her form shimmering like liquid moonlight. Her hair flowed around her like a living waterfall, cascading down her back and merging with the pond's surface. Her eyes, the color of the deepest ocean, fixed on Yenna with an intensity that made her breath catch.

"You are the human who dares to trespass in our forest," her voice was like the murmur of a stream, melodic yet laced with an undercurrent of power. "The one who aided in the death of our caretaker."

Yenna swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. She gripped her gauntlets tighter, the familiar surge of mana a small comfort in the face of this overwhelming presence. "We didn't want this," she said, her voice surprisingly steady. "But the queen... she was the one who attacked us. We helped her and in return she tried to kill us." Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire

Naiara tilted her head, her watery hair swaying with the movement. "The queen served her purpose. Her decision is of no consequence to us. Your intrusion, however, is."

A wave of water surged from the pond, swirling around Naiara like a protective barrier. Yenna tensed, her senses on high alert. The air grew heavy, the scent of fresh water mixed with the tang of ozone. She knew, instinctively, that this opponent was far beyond anything she had ever faced.

"You are strong, for a human," she conceded, her voice calm, almost gentle. "But strength alone will not save you here. This forest is ours, and you are but an unwelcome guest."

Yenna raised her gauntlets, the energy within them flaring brighter. "I won't go down so easily," she declared, her voice echoing with newfound resolve. "I will stop you."

A flicker of amusement danced in Naiara's eyes. "Brave words. But bravery will not shield you from the tide."

With a flick of her wrist, Naiara sent a torrent of water towards Yenna. The water moved with a speed and force that defied nature, crashing into her like a solid wall. Yenna grunted, her gauntlets absorbing the brunt of the impact, but the force still sent her skidding back, her feet digging into the soft earth.

She regained her balance, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The water receded, leaving her soaked and shivering, but her determination didn't waver. She charged forward, her gauntlets glowing, and swung at Naiara.

But the Guardian was faster. She flowed like water herself, effortlessly evading her strikes. Her movements were fluid, graceful, almost hypnotic. She seemed to anticipate Yenna's every move, her body weaving and dodging with an uncanny precision.

Yenna pressed her attack, her strikes becoming more frantic, more desperate. She poured all her energy into her gauntlets, channeling the strange mana that Vell had taught her to harness.

But it wasn't enough. Naiara was too strong, too skilled.

A jet of water slammed into her chest, knocking the wind out of her. She stumbled back, gasping for air, her body screaming in protest. Naiara watched her, her expression unreadable.

"You fight with the ferocity of a cornered animal," Naiara observed, her voice devoid of emotion. "But your efforts are futile. You cannot hope to defeat a Guardian in their own domain."

Yenna coughed, spitting out water. She pushed herself up, her legs trembling, her arms heavy. But she wouldn't give up. She couldn't.

"Maybe," she said, her voice hoarse but defiant. "But I can't simply give up."

She lunged again, her gauntlets blazing with energy. But Naiara was ready. She raised her hand, and the pond water surged, forming a massive wave that towered over Yenna.

Yenna braced herself, her eyes wide with a mix of fear. She knew she couldn't dodge this. She could only hope to withstand it.

The wave crashed down on her with the force of a thousand tons. She screamed, her body engulfed by the raging water. Her gauntlets flickered, their energy struggling to hold back the overwhelming tide.

She felt herself being dragged under, the crushing pressure threatening to break her bones. She closed her eyes, her lungs burning, her vision fading.

'Vell... I'm sorry,' she thought, her consciousness slipping away. 'I... I couldn't...'

But even as darkness closed in, a spark of defiance flickered within her. She wouldn't give up. Not now. Not ever.

With a surge of desperate strength, she pushed back against the water, her gauntlets flaring with a blinding light. A powerful force erupted from within her, pushing back the wave, creating a small bubble of air around her.

She gasped, her lungs filling with air, her eyes snapping open. She was still alive. But for how long?

Naiara watched from the edge of the pond, her expression shifting from indifference to something akin to curiosity.

"Impressive," she murmured, her voice barely audible above the roar of the water. "You resist the inevitable. But for how long can you defy the current?"

Yenna's body trembled with exertion, her muscles screaming in agony. She knew she couldn't keep this up forever. But she had to try. She was alone, no one to help her but herself.

She focused all her remaining energy into her gauntlets, channeling every ounce of her will, her fear, her determination. The energy surged, forming a mana layer around her skin, pushing back against the crushing weight of the water.

"I... won't... break!" she gasped, her voice strained but resolute.

The battle raged on, a desperate struggle between a determined human and an ancient, powerful Guardian. The outcome was all but certain, the odds were stacked against Yenna. But one thing was clear: she wouldn't surrender. She would fight to her last breath, a testament to the strength of the human spirit, even in the face of overwhelming power. The forest watched, silent and still, as the tide of battle ebbed and flowed, the fate of one small human hanging in the balance.

"Time to help them out, resonance, counter flow."