The blade gleamed, poised above him.
Sora's body shuddered, pressing against the roots as though the forest might swallow him whole. His core throbbed, frantic, every pulse betraying his terror. He could not move, not fast enough, not far enough.
The Hero's shadow loomed closer. Steel caught the fractured light that bled through the canopy, silver against green. Their grip was steady, their eyes unreadable.
"You don't belong," the Hero said. The words were flat, a verdict.
The blade descended—
A hiss tore through the clearing.
From the undergrowth, a massive serpent burst forth, scales glistening black, fangs dripping venom. Its body coiled like a living chain, muscles rippling as it struck for the Hero.
Steel met fang with a clash that rang like iron bells. The Hero staggered back, blocking strike after strike, the serpent's weight forcing them against the blood-soaked earth.
Sora trembled. The serpent's tail lashed, striking the ground with force that cracked roots and stone alike. One blow like that, and his fragile body would scatter.
The Hero fought with precision, each slash cutting deep, but the serpent's hide was thick, its movements relentless. For the first time, their balance wavered.
Sora's body rippled. He should stay hidden, let the monster claim the Hero. But his core burned with a pulse he could not ignore.
He lashed out.
A tendril whipped across the serpent's eye. The beast recoiled with a screech, thrashing wildly, its coils tearing gouges into the earth.
The Hero seized the opening, blade plunging deep into the serpent's exposed throat. Venom sprayed, the air hissing as droplets ate into bark and soil. The serpent writhed, then collapsed, body shuddering before falling still.
Silence pressed in once more.
The Hero wrenched their sword free, venom dripping from the steel, eyes fixed on the trembling slime.
"You again."
Their blade lifted, steady, merciless.
And this time, there was no sound in the forest to interrupt them.