"Oh, hell! How long is today's training going to be?" The cry tore through my very soul. The urge to be spiteful and a bitch at Zarek became too strong to ignore. So, I took a deep breath to calm myself and fan out the fire of arrogance. I needed to overcome any challenge and make the best of my training.

"It'll go as long as it needs to be, my lovely Kayla. It's best if you practice getting tired during a fight. Only then can I gauge if you're ready to fight the wraith lurking outside." 

The desire to roll my eyes consumed me, but pressing problems required my attention. "Has that stalker ghost been lurking outside?" I asked as fear bubbled up from the pit of my stomach to my throat. 

"At the moment, it's not, but it's close. The feelers I released earlier came back with their report. The specter is searching the tunnels for you and not giving up. Now, this place weakens it, slowing it down." 

"So... you think we can kill it?" Hope swelled in my heart as I swung my sword back and forth, working out the kink in my limbs.

"Not with our skills, but Mordak can help us. He's great at dealing with these things. I'm supposed to meet him in a week, but we have a problem." Zarek shuffled around, kicking a few rocks out of his way.

Curious, I turned to face my companion while shaking off a blob of gooey blood from my hands. "What's that?!"

"Well... He's meeting me in the village near the Ashen Forest tunnel exit." He said, sadness clear on his face. 

"And... how far that is?" The question slipped from my lips, fearing the answer. 

Zarek flashed one of his handsome smiles before answering. "About a three-day journey. I have hiding spots we can use along the way. So... you need to be ready in the next few days before we get on the road."

"So fighting this barghest monster will strengthen me to fight that wraith?" I asked as I ran into place. For a strange reason, restlessness ruled my attention.

"Maybe!" 

"Make up your mind!" The cryptic response grated on my nerves as I turned to stare at my companion. "Will I become prepared or not?"

"After fighting the barghest, I'll have a better idea. But..." Zarek trailed off as I waited for his answer. "You'll be ready, but I'm concerned about the wraith's powers. If it's acting independently, then luck is smiling upon us." 

A curious blend of exhilaration and fear coursed through my veins briefly. "Why is that?"

"Without a master, a specter becomes helpless and disconnected from its power supply. Based on its actions, this wraith may have lost its ranking. Now, it's hunting and absorbing souls to keep its powers."

Shock settled in as I considered Zarek's comment. I could fight it alone if the specter fell out of favor. "What will happen if it has the support of its master?"

"I'm impressed you're considering all these angles." Zarek paused and smiled, displaying his admiration. "Then we're fucked!" His bold, hearty laugh echoed through the room. "If that thing has the support of a master, then we need Mordak's help. He's quite gifted at controlling spiritual entities. His previous role was to amass an army of specters for Lord Vrax."

"What drove Mordak to fall out of favor with Lord Vrax?" I asked, curious to know more about Mordak and Lord Vrax.

"I am in the dark about it. You can ask Mordak after you meet. I was but a lowly soldier in Vrax's ranks. Besides... that's a story for another time."

"Wait, you never mentioned this." My unease grew exponentially after hearing Zarek's confession.

Zarek shrugged off my concern. "I understand your hesitation, but we should focus on your training. Look around!"

I turned to find the most horrible creature. The barghest had almost no hair and gray skin as it jumped from one island to another. The disgusting creature's gaze followed my every move. "How long..."

"Right this second, it doesn't matter how long. What matters is your focus on fighting that barghest. It's your next target." 

Seriousness settled into Zarek's voice, revealing the gravity of the situation. "Hey, Zarek! That thing is unlike the other monsters." My nerves were on edge as I followed the creature around. "The others acted on instinct. There's intelligence behind this one."

"That's right! Barghests are cunning monsters and very dangerous. It'll sacrifice itself without hesitation if it gets them the kill in the end. This one looks strong and determined to shred you to pieces. I'll jump in if needed, but let's see what you got." 

"Any advice?" My heart pounded, leaving a nasty ringing in my ear as I got into position.

"Don't get eaten. It'll absorb your soul and strengthen it. If you die, then I'm fucked." 

Zarek's laughter grated against my nerves as indignation ignited my anger. "Oh geez, thanks for thinking of my well-being, you jackass."

"You're most welcome!" The gin on his face told me everything—he still acted guarded around me. 

Unfortunately, his joke fell flat and met with my disapproving glare. "Seriously, Zarek, will you ever trust me?" 

"Do you trust me?" He asked, not even bothering to hide his skepticism.

Why should he extend his faith in me if I didn't even try to entrust him first? It turned out that the male was right in his accusation. "You got a point there. All this time, you have done nothing but help me. In return, I've done nothing for you. I should place more open up to you. That will change from today on."

This time, the smile that graced his lips held such tenderness that filled my heart with confidence. "I'm glad to hear. Now... are you ready for this mofo?"

"I'm ready." I assumed my defensive stance and waited for the barrier that separated me from my foe.

"Kayla, I want you to know I will catch you if you stumble. I'm only testing your strength. If it gets too much to handle, I will intervene. I got you, hon!" 

"Thanks, Zarek!" An unfamiliar and comforting fire ignited in my chest as warmth coursed through my veins. "And after this, I promise to tell you something. I want us to become closer—like a family."

"What?!" Zarek's eyes widened in disbelief. 

"First, I must survive, and then I'll tell." I squatted lower and prepared for the worst.

Zarek nodded and raised his hand. "Ok, fair enough! Let's get started."

I turned to find the animal's fiery eyes trained on me as it paced in circles. The intelligent creature studied my actions. But I wasn't without knowledge. Zarek taught me about the underground tunnels and the beasts that hunted and preyed on unsuspecting travelers.

But not me, as I wouldn't give the motherfucker the pleasure of feasting on me.

First, the queue of monsters demanding my soul became longer by the day. Another beast claimed the top spot for devouring me. Second, my stubbornness wouldn't allow a filthy animal to do whatever it wanted with my body. My dumbass self was the only nasty aberration allowed to do whatever I desired with my body.

The barrier still shimmered in the distance as Zarek lingered until I gave the final ok. As I felt more at ease, I surveyed the creature, taking my time to examine it. As the monster moved, its fluid movement betrayed its sinister expertise as a seasoned killer. I wasn't its first prey.

Its intelligent eyes followed my moves as it jumped from one island to another. Even though it avoided the fiery river, I knew fire didn't affect it. The barghest's affinity to fire was so strong that flames seemed to dance in its eyes.

Realization dawned on me, sending a chill through my body. I wasn't wielding a magical weapon. "Shit!" the whisper slithered from my lips as my mistake came to light.

"I'm glad you caught on to your disadvantage. What do you need to do now, Kayla?"

I didn't answer right away. This past week, I learned too many things, and they were all a jumbled mess in my head. Then I remembered something. "If fire is its strength, then the opposite, it's weakness."

"That's right! Now... which enchantment should you use?"

"Oh! I remember this one... water baptism. I can imbue my sword with water magic." My excitement hiked up as I took a deep breath.

"Correct! With a simple magic spell, you can turn an ordinary sword into something extraordinary." He let out a chuckle, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. "But I suggest waiting until after I lift the barrier. You don't want to give away your plans."

"Ok!" I trained my eyes on the animal. Its orange chilling gave my skin goosebumps as I widened my stance. Despite the discomfort of my itchy skin, I remained fixated on my target. "Open the barrier. Allow that bastard in."

The protective barrier shimmered before faltering, allowing access to the monster. The barghest stopped prowling for a second, observing my behavior. It hopped from one island to another until it reached the safety of the chambers where I stood, waiting. The barghest sized me from head to toe, not making a move.

Carefully, I heard my inner voice soon after I assumed my well-trained position. Kiss your sword as you chant your spell. It'll strengthen it. We'll imbue it with immense power.

I took a deep breath as I chanted my spell. "Baptiza in aqua et prosperatur." The blade became ablaze with blue magic light. Afterward, I kissed the blade's forte, resulting in an unintended cut on my lip. The magic on my blade intensified, the blue becoming almost white and dazzling.

The creature detected the reaction on my blade and became restless. It paced the cavern as if concerned about my actions and what to do next.

I paid no heed to the throbbing on my lips before steeling my stance and following the monster's prowling.

"What are you waiting for, you piece of shit?! Make your move!"