Chapter 40 THE RUIN OF THE VEILWOOD FOREST

The key was unlike any ordinary key Kaelen have ever seen, its odd appearance immediately catching the eye. It was made of a mysterious, dark metal that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it, giving it a foreboding presence. The shaft of the key was intricately twisted and gnarled, resembling the roots of an ancient tree, with strange, almost runic symbols etched along its length. The bow of the key was a peculiar shape, resembling a crescent moon interwoven with delicate filigree patterns that hinted at an otherworldly origin. At the center of the bow, a small, glowing gem pulsed with a faint, eerie light, as if imbued with some dormant magical energy. The gem's color shifted subtly, from a deep emerald green to a vibrant azure, depending on how the light hit it. The teeth of the key were equally unusual, jagged and asymmetrical, as though designed to fit only one specific lock. Each tooth was engraved with tiny, almost microscopic symbols, giving the impression that the key held secrets within its very structure. The key had a faint aura surrounding it, a barely perceptible shimmer that suggested it was more than just a physical object. When held, it felt surprisingly warm to the touch, almost as if it had a life of its own. There was an undeniable sense of age about it, as though it had existed for centuries, waiting for the right moment to fulfill its purpose. Overall, the key exuded an air of mystery and power, its odd design and enigmatic features hinting at its role as the key to unlocking the ancient ruins hidden deep within Veilwood Forest. "Hand over the key or you get punished!" The cunning looking boy suddenly commanded while stretching out his right arm in a dominant manner. But Sofia didn't seem to be flinched by his behavior as she said resolutely. "I will never give you this key" "Well don't tell the teachers latter on that I didn't warn you. Bane, go grab the key away from her" The cunning looking boy said menacingly as he turned to look at the brawny boy beside him. "Roger that" The brawny boy responded before he began to move closer to Sofia. When Sofia saw this, she quickly clenched her hand which she is using to hold the key more tightly as she began to protude cold sweat on her face. "Ok hold on! Hold on!! Hold on!!!" But right when the brawny boy who is named Bane was about to reach out to Sofia, a voice along with something he couldn't catch with his eyes suddenly caught his attention. "Who is there!?" The cunning boy exclaimed in vigilance as he quickly looked all around him. Unfortunately for him, he couldn't be able to find out where that voice came from "You know, this isn't a right way to talk to a girl. You need to take lessons for this aspect" But not long after the cunning looking boy began to look for where the voice came from, another voice rang out as someone suddenly appeared in between Bane and Sofia. 'What is he doing here!?' When Sofia saw that appeared in between her and Bane, she immediately became shocked as she thought. 'I never knew the teleportation rune will be this handy?' Kaelen thought with a surprised feeling within him. But he still remained calm and composed on the surface as he looked straight into the eyes of the Bane and said. "Would you back off a little, you are invading my personal space" "We should be the one telling you that. You are interfering in our personal matter, so back off" The cunning looking boy quickly replied to Kaelen with a cold look on his face. Without warning, Bane lunged forward, his fists flying in a blur of raw power. Kaelen barely had time to react, parrying the first few strikes with his sword. The force of each blow reverberated through his arms, and he could feel his strength waning with each clash. Bane pressed his advantage, forcing Kaelen back step to step. Kaelen's mind raced, searching for an opening, a weakness to exploit. His movements were swift but increasingly desperate as he tried to keep up with the relentless assault. Quick steps! Suddenly, Kaelen saw his chance. As Bane overextended with a powerful punch, Kaelen sidestepped and slashed at his exposed side. The blade of eternity cut deep, drawing a pained roar from his opponent. But Bane was far from finished. He swung around with a backhanded blow that caught Kaelen off guard, sending him sprawling to the forest floor. "Cough! Cough!" Kaelen coughed as a trail of blood suddenly came out from one part of his mouth Kaelen's vision blurred as he struggled to rise, blood trickling from a cut on his forehead. Bane loomed over him, raising his fist for a final, crushing blow. Summoning the last of his strength, Kaelen rolled to the side and thrust his sword upward. The blade pierced Bane's leg, causing him to stagger and fall to one knee. "Ahhh!!" Bane yelled in a pain as he fell by one knee. As for Kaelen, he quickly used the minor heal spell to restore his stamina before he quickly got up to his two feet with his sword in his hand. 'He is this strong?' Sofia thought with a shocked look on her face. As for Felix, he currently have a darkened look on his face as he stammered. "H..How is t....this possible?" "Now I give you guys just 10 seconds to get out of here or being crippled will be a form of blessing compare to what am going to do to you" Kaelen suddenly said with a cold look on his face while he shifted his gaze towards Felix. When Felix saw this, he couldn't help but shiver in fright before he quickly ran off while yelling out leaving Bane behind. "This isn't over yet Kaelen!! I will get my revenge!!" "Felix come and help me!!" Bane exclaimed in shocked and anxiety as he watched Felix leave him behind. 'He actually left his friend behind' Kaelen thought with a dumbfounded expression on his face. But Kaelen didn't dwell on it for long as a teleportation rune suddenly materialized on his hand before he lent it to Bane while saying. "Here, just think of a place you have gone to before and the rune will take you there" The teleportation rune is a glowing, intricate symbol composed of interlocking geometric shapes. It pulses with a soft blue light, radiating an aura of mystical energy. The rune is etched with ancient, flowing script that seems to shift and shimmer as if alive. It appears both elegant and powerful, a small yet formidable artifact of arcane craftsmanship. When Bane saw this, he quickly accepted it in fear of Kaelen changing his mind midway as he replied to Kaelen. "Tha... Thank you"