Chapter 6. A Test of Strength

Chapter 6 A Test of Strength

"Let me out, now!" Jiar hollered. "As your king, I order you to bring down this barrier!"

However, Althea showed no sign of releasing him.

"My King, as your soul elf, it is my duty that you recognize your strengths and abilities. I do this with a heavy heart..."

"A heavy heart? I cannot help but notice your devilish grin, Althea!"

The dark elf did not respond but approached a hill tree to pluck a fruit.

Jiar fired a few more orders at her until he was exhausted. She was clearly not interested in letting him go until he finished the task.

Another blood-curdling growl brought the King to his senses. He was trapped, but now he had to make the best of the situation.

The Devil Bear living in the hill cave had been aroused from its sleep.

Jiar recalled everything he knew about the species. Devil Bears were solitary creatures who napped heavily in the winter. During summer, they woke up and got ravenous. They'd ravage and kill any living thing before them for food.

When it was the season for Devil Bears to wake up, the government of Luxar released cautionary instructions to hunters and farmers in the kingdom. It was advised not to venture into the forests alone for a few months.

Unfortunately for Jiar, it was the season of awakening. The Devil Bear must be starving, and a human being was often considered a delicacy by most predatory species.

They were over eight feet tall, with a furry hide that neither arrows nor magic could puncture. The only way to subdue Devil Bears was to use advanced mecha robots. It was foolish to battle the creature with magic or raw strength because they possessed devil blood, which made them almost invincible.

Grrrrr....

A figure appeared from inside the cave, lumbering heavily, making the ground shake.

Jiar crouched slightly, anticipating an attack.

The creature came into the light. It was over eight feet tall, with legs as thick as tree trunks. Its eyes glowed blood red, and its claws were as large as knives. The bear's jaw dripped with saliva and goop. It was clearly hungry for meat.

As soon as the Devil Bear saw Jiar, it bounded forward and lunged at him.

The King let his bodily instinct take over and dodged quickly, sliding under the bear's embrace. The creature ran into the cave wall, hurting itself. It turned around, looking wilder than before.

"Oops, it seems I pissed it off!"

Jiar kept dodging, sliding, and flipping out of the Devil Bear's path. His strategy was to tire out the monster.

However, it seemed to have a lot of pent-up energy, and it kept getting more savage and brutal with every encounter.

Jiar somersaulted, jumping over the bear's arms but found himself in a corner.

"Oh no..." he mumbled. "I have no way to escape..."

The Devil Bear growled fiercely, stood on its hind legs, and came at him with both forelegs swinging down.

The King took a deep breath and raised his arms, catching the creature's paws with his bare hands.

The impact almost made him collapse, but Jiar shouted a battle cry and did not give up. His thigs and biceps bulged, veins popping up dangerously.

Jiar could feel newfound strength coursing through him.

"Oh, this new body is incredibly strong. If I strain myself, I can generate more power!"

The King growled and gave an almighty push to the Devil Bear's paws. The creature stumbled back, visibly surprised by the strange human's burst of strength.

Jiar made a fist and pummeled into the bear's midsection. A ripple went through the creature's body, traveling to its back.

The Devil Bear was thrown back into the cave. It groaned in pain and collapsed.

The King looked at his fists and limbs, shocked that he had achieved such a fantastic feat of strength.

He turned back and tried to feel for the magic barrier. But it was already removed.

Jiar walked out of the cave to see a grinning Althea.

"Now, do you see, my King? How strong you are?"

The boy shrugged. "I do understand now. But promise me you'll never lure me into a trap again. I am more than willing to risk my life to train and get more powerful."

Althea nodded and bowed.

"Please excuse me," she said. The hill cave's interior lit up all of a sudden.

"Is that the Devil's Bear soul core?" Jiar asked.

"Yes, it is," the dark elf replied. "This is a delicacy for me, very nutritious!"

Althea found an orb of light inside, took it in her hands, and put it inside her mouth. The soul core got extinguished immediately, lost in her shadowy interiors.

The scene was bizarre. Jiar was both intrigued and scared by it. The dark elf was an intimidating yet endearing entity.

Althea walked out of the cave with a satisfied expression. "Ah, that really hit the spot!" she chirped happily.

She walked some distance away and winked at him. Jiar realized his test was still ongoing.

Althea raised an arm, and a boulder lying by her shuddered.

"Ermm... what are you doing?" the King asked with concern.

"Tell me, my King... when was the last time you played catch..."

Jiar's eyes widened as Althea's magic uprooted and levitated the massive boulder into the air.

"No.. no.."

The dark elf sliced her hand forward, and the boulder hurtled toward the boy, determined to crush him.

Jiar gritted his teeth and took a stance. The heavy projectile rammed into him, but he caught it with both arms.

"Yeeeeeeeh!" the King screamed, straining his muscles.

Crack!

The boulder splintered in the middle and broke into two halves. Jiar groaned with stress and cast half of it to his left and the other to the right. They crashed into the ground and rolled down the hills with tremors.

"Are you done with your test already?" Jiar asked the dark elf with an annoyed expression. "I'm starting to get pissed!"

Althea cocked her head at him proudly and smiled. "I'm done with the test of strength, my King. You passed with flying colors."

Jiar sat on the ground and wiped his brow. Althea's surprise attacks annoyed him, but a secret part of him reveled in his newfound abilities. He wanted more.

The dark elf walked towards him gracefully, chewing on a freshly plucked fruit. "Hmm. It is not the time to relax, King Jiar of Luxar. Strength and speed are indeed requisite for any warrior. But the most important art is yet to be tested. We'll work on your magical abilities next!"