The night air was as chilly as the winds that carried it. The burning fire around the vessel illuminated the area as far as the eye could see but failed to pierce the darkness of the swamp. Tunde’s eyes, however, could see through the gloom, taking in the lurking shapes that watched from the safety of the forest, daring them to step foot within. He frowned, arms folded behind him, Zhu at his side, antennae standing straight, body coiled and on alert.

  Tunde had volunteered to watch for the first half of the night, even as Zehra and Daiki coordinated the crew members to erect wooden barriers around the camp. Tunde thought it was pointless—those barriers wouldn’t stop whatever creatures called this place home. He half considered burning the swamp as far as possible, but apart from the smoke, he had no idea what else might be awakened from the forest. For all he knew, a Highlord creature, or worse, as ludicrous as it seemed—a master rank or tier 6 beast.

  Clearly frustrated, Tunde sat on the ground, Zhu mimicking him. “Cultivate, you need it, Zhu,” he murmured. The Ethralite nodded emphatically, and Tunde closed his eyes.

  “What is this? Trying to turn poor Zhu into a cultivation freak like you?” an amused voice asked behind him. Tunde smiled.

  “Perhaps. Nothing wrong with bringing out the best in him,” Tunde replied, turning to Sera, who approached with three plates of steaming hot meat broth. She handed one to Zhu and another to Tunde before sitting beside them.

  “How’s the camp?” Tunde asked without turning back.

  “Zehra’s declared herself the leader. Daiki’s off ‘meditating,’ though I could’ve sworn I caught him ogling one of the female crew members,” Sera said with a frown.

  Tunde raised an eyebrow. “I doubt that. He’s too… holy?” he said, unsure of the word. Sera shrugged.

  “He seems fine to me—just a bit uptight,” she replied before sipping from her broth. They ate in silence, with Tunde keeping an eye on the swamp.

  “You’ve been staring at that swamp for a while,” Sera noted.

  “Something about it doesn’t feel right,” Tunde said, frowning as footsteps approached them.

  “What you’re feeling is the power of an ancient being,” Daiki said, stopping beside them.

  “Ancient being?” Tunde asked curiously as Ifa appeared, staring at the monk.

  “Bahataba. Indeed, places as old as this swamp usually harbor things similar to rift guardians. Think of it as the personification of the swamp itself,” Daiki explained, sitting next to Zhu, who surprisingly remained calm in his presence.

  “And the tree with the vines?” Sera asked.

  “Perhaps one of its consciousnesses. Who knows? There are many strange beings that call Adamath home,” the monk replied.

  “You seem to know a lot about this,” Tunde said, glancing at Daiki.

  “The Temple of Light prefers to understand the world around us,” Daiki said. “There is more to Adamath than Ethra and cultivation. Even its cultivation isn’t as simple as obtaining affinities. Bahataba.”

  Tunde nodded. “What can you tell me about this being then?”

  Daiki’s eyes moved back to the swamp as the air grew colder, the flames of the fire behind them flickering. A flame adept from the crew stoked the fire to burn brighter, adding more logs. Tunde frowned at the unnecessary waste. Perhaps his years beneath the cold weather of Crystalreach had instilled a frugality in him.

  “Bahataba… Whatever being resides in this swamp must have spent a significant portion of their life within it—breathing its air, feeling its soil. They are one with the swamp. Where they end, the swamp seamlessly continues, a perpetual cycle of existence. Bahataba be praised,” Daiki said.

  “You know, you could just speak without muttering ‘Bahataba’ every time,” Zehra said, joining them as she sat beside Tunde with a huff.

  “Done bullying the captain?” Tunde teased.

  She muttered something incomprehensible.

  “Bahataba is life—the Enlightened One who sits ever-watchful atop the Temple of Light. We give him praise through our words. Bahataba,” Daiki said, a hint of disapproval in his voice.

  “So you’re saying this being is basically one with the swamp?” Tunde asked, trying to divert the conversation.

  “Indeed. In effect, you might think of it as them surpassing or breaking through the limits of mortality, merging with nature itself,” Daiki said with a smile.

  Tunde frowned. “Does that mean a rank higher than Highlord?”

  Daiki shook his head with a smile. “Not necessarily. Achieving enlightenment doesn’t mean advancement through realms. Bahataba.”

  “As I said, there are many forms of enlightenment and cultivation. Some follow the enlightenment of their bodies, deprived of Ethra by fate—you may refer to them as nulls,” the monk continued. “Some chase enlightenment of their sword or weapon. Others seek to become one with nature. The list goes on.”

  “I’ve heard of people like that,” Zehra said, folding her arms. “They forsake normal cultivation, focusing on a single path for the rest of their lives—breaking through to another realm of advancement. The Sword Saint is one of those, right?” she asked.

  Daiki nodded with a smile. “Indeed, Bahataba. Saints are exalted cultivators whose mastery of a particular aspect of themselves transcends the boundaries of traditional cultivation ranks,” he explained.

  “I’ve heard of masters who’ve become saints—the Saint of the Blade, for example,” Zehra said.

  “It is a blessing to reach sainthood, something few can boast of,” Daiki said. “The head of the Luminous Path is a saint, is he not?” Zehra asked.

  Daiki clasped his palms together. “Bahataba. The Great One attained sainthood long before I was even conceived,” he said with reverence.

  “So where is he now?” Sera asked, finishing her broth. Zehra gave her a disgusted look, which Sera pointedly ignored.

  “Powerful cultivators like that spend decades, if not centuries, away from the world in meditation and cultivation,” Daiki said. “Perhaps to advance to Regent or Hegemon, or simply to attain complete mastery of their path.”

  “And the saint? What rank is he?” Tunde asked curiously.

  Daiki shook his head. “Unfortunately, I’m too low a brother monk to know such things,” he said with a sad smile.

  “My grandfather once said there are dozens of paths to gaining strength on Adamath. We simply need to find the one that suits us,” Zehra said, staring into the flames.

  “Wise words,” Ifa murmured, as silence settled over the group.

  ************************************

  The choking screams of terrified people jolted Tunde awake. He sprang to his feet, naginata drawn and burning with Ethra. Zhu screeched into the air, one serrated finger pointing toward the forest, where black vines snatched crew members, dragging them into the darkness with alarming speed.

  The rest of the group was already up as Tunde surged forward.

  "Spread out and stop them!" he shouted, sprinting toward one vine dragging a heavyset woman. His naginata cut into the vine, and it shriveled instantly, followed by a piercing screech from within the forest.

  Tunde barely dodged another burst of sharp vines shooting out of nowhere, the void realm flickering around him as Zhu joined in, shredding the vines that had ensnared the woman. All around, he could hear the sounds of battle as fires were relit and light crystals illuminated the area, though their glow barely penetrated the oppressive darkness of the swamp.

  A thick fog began to seep from the forest as the rest of the group gathered around Tunde. "This isn't just some random attack," Sera hissed, watching as Daiki fired a beam of light Ethra into the forest. For a brief second, the light illuminated strange, indescribable creatures staring balefully at them before the beam exploded, plunging them back into the shadows.

  "By the hegemons," Zehra breathed in shock.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  "Everyone, back to the ship—now!" Tunde commanded. They retreated in a controlled formation, fending off the twisting, sentient vines that attacked with malicious intent. Tunde coordinated their defense, expertly predicting where the vines would strike next as they steadily made their way back to the ship, its script barrier flickering to life as the crew scrambled aboard.

  The barrier repelled the attacking vines with flashes of light, the fog swirling around the ship’s protective shield. Inside, the remaining crew huddled, trembling in terror. Tunde felt the same oppressive dread gnawing at him, even as Daiki muttered an incantation, producing a glowing talisman inscribed with white runes.

  "Light begets purity. Flee, servants of evil!" Daiki shouted, releasing the talisman into the air. It exploded with a wave of energy, clearing the fog and setting the vines ablaze with white fire. Another pained shriek echoed from the forest as the vines recoiled.

  When it was over, the oppressive feeling lifted, leaving only the smoldering remains of the vines and the ship, which now glowed faintly under its barrier. The shield faded with a pop, and Tunde turned toward the captain, who stood trembling, sweat dripping down his face.

  "I had to, esteemed lord," the potbellied man stuttered. "Using the barrier drained what little power the Ethra furnace had left."

  "Then get your fire cultivator to keep working until he passes out!" Zehra snarled, her voice sharp with frustration. "The faster we get that furnace running, the faster we can leave this cursed place." She stormed toward the edge of the ship, glaring into the swamp’s impenetrable darkness.

  "Bahataba, there is great evil within this swamp," Daiki said gravely. Tunde gripped his naginata harder.

  "The adept—esteemed lady—the adept is gone," the captain wailed, his voice cracking.

  Tunde froze. A chill ran down his spine. "What do you mean, gone?" Sera asked, her voice edged with suspicion.

  "Taken... by those things," the captain whimpered.

  Zehra cursed loudly, barely restraining herself from drawing her blade.

  Tunde’s Ethra sight pierced the darkness of the forest, searching for the missing people, but found nothing. His vision stopped a few meters in, as if blocked by an unseen force.

  "The monk was right," Ifa said, materializing beside him, arms folded. "Whatever resides in that swamp is not something to be trifled with."

  "And yet, the fire adept is our only way out of here," Tunde replied mentally.

  "About that," Ifa said, floating higher into the air. Tunde watched the spirit ascend, then descend with a knowing nod. "As I suspected," Ifa said. "I should have seen it earlier."

  "Seen what?" Tunde asked, keeping one eye on Zehra, who was glaring at the trembling captain.

  "There’s a formation around this swamp," Ifa began. "A barely noticeable, energy-draining barrier. Think of it as a parasite, siphoning power from any strong Ethra source that passes through."

  "You’re saying it caused the ship to crash?" Tunde asked.

  "Partially. The captain’s negligence in maintaining the furnace at full capacity played a part. The barrier just took a large sip from the already-depleted furnace," Ifa explained.

  Tunde sighed, turning toward the captain. "This route—is this where you usually travel when heading to the borderlands?" he asked, his voice calm but dangerous.

  The captain froze. "Y-yes, esteemed lord... sometimes," he stammered, sweat pouring down his face.

  "He’s lying," Ifa said with a frown.

  "Zhu," Tunde called. The Ethralite was beside the captain in an instant, its serrated claws gleaming.

  "What’s happening?" Sera asked, confused.

  "I won’t ask again," Tunde said, his voice cold.

  The captain collapsed to his knees, sobbing. "Please, esteemed lord! It was only to get us to the capital faster!" he wailed, tears streaming down his face.

  "Bahataba, that explains it," Daiki murmured as Zehra looked between them, puzzled.

  "I believe this is a route not meant to be taken to the capital," Tunde said, eyeing the crew members, who looked guilty and avoided his gaze. "And I believe they all knew about it."

  "I don’t understand. I know of the Salt Lake Sect—it’s one of the paths we take when heading toward the heartlands," Zehra said, confused.

  "Explain," Tunde commanded the captain, who nodded vigorously, his sweat-soaked shirt clinging to his trembling form.

  "We were warned by the Salt Lake Sect that the route had become too dangerous. They said they could no longer guarantee our safety..." the captain blubbered. "But it would have cut the journey time in half."

  "So you knew the dangers of this route and still put people’s lives at risk?" Daiki asked, his voice dangerous.

  The captain merely trembled in response.

  "I speak with the authority of the patriarch of Clan Acacia," Zehra said, her voice cold and steely. "You will pay for your crimes. But for now, pray to the hegemons that we survive this ordeal." She drew her blade, the once-white sword glowing blue with frost Ethra.

  "We need him alive for now," Tunde said, turning back to the forest. "And we need to find those missing people."

  "That isn’t my biggest concern," Ifa said, his eyes turned skyward.

  "What do you mean?" Tunde asked, waiting for him to elaborate.

  "The formation—it was a barrier formation," the spirit explained. "Meaning it was designed to keep something in."

  Tunde’s eyes widened. "You’re saying we may have broken the barrier by crashing here? That we’ve woken something up?"

  Ifa nodded grimly. "It’s possible. And if we did, we may have unleashed something we’re not prepared to handle."

  Tunde stared into the dark, swampy expanse. "Then let’s hope it’s something we can manage," he said softly, though his grip on his naginata tightened. Sera glanced at him, her expression unreadable.

  ****************************

  Ensuring the remnants of the crew were safe within the ship’s hold, Daiki placed talismans around their section to ward off any potential attacks. Tunde and the rest gathered just outside the vessel, staring into the swamp with trepidation.

  “The sooner we get this over with, the better,” Sera muttered, Slaughter in hand.

  "Sera and Daiki will be one team. Zehra and I will form the other. Zhu stays with me," Tunde ordered.

  Sera shot him a sharp look. "Why does the rich brat get to go with you?" she asked, irritation clear in her tone. Zehra sputtered in shock.

  "Would you rather she go with you?" Tunde raised an eyebrow.

  "No!" both women shouted simultaneously.

  Tunde nodded. "Thought so. Stay close to each other—something tells me whatever lives in this swamp will try to separate us," he warned. They nodded in agreement.

  They moved toward the forest as one unit, but the moment Tunde crossed the forest's threshold, his body staggered. His insides flared with heat, and his vision spun. He shook his head, trying to clear it, then glanced back at Ifa, who stood watching him from just outside the boundary of the forest.

  “What is it?” Zehra hissed, sensing something was wrong but unable to see the elder spirit who hovered nearby.

  “The barrier keeps out foreign entities. You’re dealing with a saint—just not the usual kind,” Ifa said, his voice grave. Tunde knelt, feigning the need to catch his breath.

  "Need a moment," he lied, mentally communicating with Ifa. “Are you alright?” he asked the spirit.

  “Yes, but be careful. If you see the saint, run. You’ll die if they so much as wish it,” Ifa warned. “The lives of a few greedy crew members aren’t worth yours.”

  Tunde nodded subtly. Zhu screeched softly at Ifa, who acknowledged the creature with a nod. "Be safe, young one," the spirit said, floating a few meters into the air. "I’ll remain here, studying this barrier."

  For the first time in what felt like forever, Tunde felt... scattered. A torrent of thoughts, some forgotten, came rushing back to him. He blinked, shaking himself free of the distractions and returning his focus to the task at hand. Holding up the light crystal, he illuminated their surroundings slightly, moving up to join Sera and Daiki. The monk gripped his staff, his eyes scanning the dark, swampy expanse.

  "It’s all around us," Daiki whispered.

  “Our goal is simple—find the crew members and get them out as quickly as possible. We have no business with whatever rules this swamp,” Tunde replied, also keeping his voice low.

  “But what if whatever rules the swamp has the crew?” Zehra asked, her voice laced with concern.

  “Then we’ll deal with that when we get there,” Tunde said, his tone firm. The group nodded in unison.

  Tunde activated his Ethra sight, allowing it to pierce the surrounding darkness as much as possible. The creatures that once lurked at the forest’s edge had vanished, retreating deeper into the swamp. Leading the group forward but staying within sight, Tunde kept his naginata drawn, his aura tightly controlled and his body fully imbued with power. They scaled the thick branches of the swamp’s towering trees, trying to survey the area for potential dangers.

  Suddenly, his instincts flared. Powerful black vines shot toward him, but his naginata swung in an arc, slicing through them. Then, without warning, a thick fog reappeared, choking out the light from the crystals. Tunde blinked, finding himself face-to-face with something otherworldly.

  The creature was composed of twisted, black thorny vines, its eyes nothing more than pinpricks of white light. It moved with the fluidity and speed of a tier 4 beast, wrapping itself around the branches Tunde stood on.

  Before he could react further, it lashed at him again. Tunde barely managed to deflect the attack, but the sheer force sent him crashing into another tree. He grunted in pain, controlling his descent to the ground as best as he could.

  The creature shrieked—a terrible, unholy sound—and reappeared in front of him, attacking again with blinding speed. Tunde’s void realm flickered into existence around him, but the creature stepped into it without hesitation, its aura filling the space with suffocating black smoke.

  Tunde felt an overwhelming rage emanating from the beast, its fury so intense that it clouded his mind. His movements became frantic, his naginata blurring as he fended off the relentless assault. But the creature’s power was immense, its strikes filled with a hatred so profound that it felt like it would crush him.

  The creature bore down on him, its black vines attacking from all angles. Tunde’s naginata blurred through the air, parrying and deflecting the vicious strikes. The beast welcomed the fight, releasing a bestial roar that rippled through the air, shaking Tunde to his core. The roar destabilized his Ethra flow, leaving him vulnerable as the creature pressed its attack. A burning black aura poured from its already shadowed form, seeking to overwhelm him.

  With a surge of will, Tunde unleashed his void realm, siphoning some of the creature's malevolent power. His body immediately rejected the tainted energy, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. The power felt wrong—twisted in a way that made him recoil internally. Just as the creature prepared to strike again, a screech pierced the air. Zhu appeared from above, dark green Ethra blazing around him as he attacked in a blur of sharp, serrated limbs. His claws tore into the creature’s form, eliciting a shriek of pain as it struggled to swat him away.

  Seizing the moment, Tunde summoned essence flame, the dark grey fire suffusing his naginata. In a flash, he surged forward. The creature noticed him too late. With one swift, precise stroke, the naginata sliced cleanly through the creature, from shadow to ground. Black liquid splattered across the swamp floor as the creature let out one final, ear-splitting shriek before collapsing into a heap of withered vines. The foul liquid seeped into the earth, and the oppressive aura in the air slowly receded, retreating deeper into the forest.

  Tunde stood panting, the weight of the battle still clinging to him. Suddenly, a bright white energy tore free from the remains of the creature, hovering momentarily before darting into the forest. Tunde reached out instinctively, but the presence whisked it away before he could react. In that brief moment, he felt its essence—pure sorrow and unbearable agony.

  Zhu shook his body beside him, both of them staring into the encroaching darkness. As the oppressive feeling faded, the distant voices of their companions drew closer, signaling that the danger, at least for now, had passed.