Exiastgardsun Chronicles – Twelve Fruits of Creation

A new morning broke over the mist-laced swamp, and the familiar chorus of buzzing insects and croaking frogs filled the air. Despite the wet gloom and fetid humidity, Fahleena's cheerful voice rang out like birdsong.

"Rise and shine, sleepyheads!" she declared, spinning her keyblade lazily as she skipped across a mossy log.

The twelve elf children moved cautiously across a broad, elevated dryland patch within the swamp, an area Yuuna had marked with quiet suspicion the previous day. It was unlike the rest of the region: wide, firm ground with only sparse vegetation, almost unnaturally cleared of dense swamp flora. What trees remained stood crooked, half-dead, their roots clawing through the soil like desperate hands. A low-hanging mist blanketed the area, thickest along the edges. The stillness was eerie.

Yuuna's expression, as always, was unreadable. Yet, her sharp black eyes scanned the mist with growing tension. Her fingers clutched her wand tighter.

"There's something... not right here," she muttered, just loud enough for Sakura and Fuhiken to hear.

The others began to spread out, inspecting the curious terrain. Gabyola stood on higher ground, her keen archer's eyes alert. Jessica kept her katana sheathed but ready, her fingers twitching. Kyle and Sinryo tossed a few pebbles into the fog, laughing nervously. Adiw dragged his large sword across his back and looked unconcerned, while Yetsan grumbled at the sticky mud clinging to the edge of his armored greaves.

Suddenly, ripples broke the stillness of a nearby water pool. Then another. And another.

Then silence.

A sharp whistle cut through the air.

"INCOMING!" Yuuna shouted.

Without warning, the mist behind them erupted, hundreds of scales, like sharpened discs of steel, screamed through the air. There was no time to count, only to react.

Fahleena flipped backward and deflected a flying scale mid-spin with her keyblade. "Too close!"

Jessica moved with uncanny speed, katana drawn in a flash, slicing through several scales as if dancing. Sinryo ducked low and side-rolled, narrowly avoiding a pair that embedded themselves into a tree behind him.

Fuhiken stood tall and firm, shield raised. The steel deflected three scales in rapid succession as he threw his body protectively in front of Yuuna and Sakura.

Gabyola, already in motion, dodged cleanly and retreated behind Fuhiken. "That mist… it's hiding something!"

Adiw swung his massive sword upward, intercepting two incoming scales with sheer force, sparks flying.

Kyle crouched low, tucked safely behind Yetsan's full armored bulk. "Whoah. I owe you one, rust bucket."

Yetsan huffed, annoyed. "Don't call me that."

But not everyone escaped.

A horrible thud sounded, Gigih, the black mage, was struck directly in the chest by a scale the size of a shield. He dropped like a ragdoll, lifeless.

"GIGIH!!" Fahleena screamed, voice trembling with panic.

Fuhiken's eyes narrowed. "Sakura, revive him! Now!"

"I'm on it!" she replied, planting her staff into the ground. A pale blue magic circle flared beneath her. Warm light surrounded Gigih's body, his form slowly lifting, glowing faintly.

With a sudden gasp, Gigih returned to life, eyes wide with confusion. "Did… did I die?"

"Yes!" Fahleena ran to him, then immediately had to dodge another scale. "Now stay alive!"

A deep tremor rippled beneath their feet. The water nearby churned violently.

"Everyone, back into formation!" Fuhiken barked.

Then came a roar.

From above.

The mist burst apart like shredded cloth as a monstrous shape descended from the fogged sky, slamming into the earth. The entire island quaked from the impact, knocking some of the children to their knees.

A colossal crocodile stood in their path, no, blocked their only way out. It was unlike anything they'd seen. The creature was ancient, scaled in rugged armor that shimmered faintly with embedded mana. Two massive tails curled and lashed behind it, and six powerful limbs rooted it to the ground like a living fortress. The head was thick with layered scales, its maw lined with rows of serrated teeth. It let out a grinding snarl that sent tremors through their bones.

And then, it exhaled. A low guttural hiss, like the rattling of volcanic stone.

From its back, several jagged scales rose.

"It can launch them again, watch out!" Yuuna shouted.

"Get ready!" Fuhiken's voice was steady, commanding. "Frontliners, with me! Tank formation!"

Fuhiken charged ahead with shield raised. Orchid followed, her long sword shimmering with holy light. Yetsan joined from the right, lance braced and ready.

The ancient crocodile moved with terrifying agility. One tail swept across the ground, launching mud and broken roots into the air. Fuhiken blocked its first claw swipe, Orchid parried another, and Yetsan's lance scraped the beast's side to little effect.

"Too tough!" Yetsan shouted.

"It's ancient!" Yuuna called from the back. "Its scales are hardened like mana-infused steel!"

Adiw lunged from behind, flaming sword clashing against the crocodile's hind leg. Jessica followed with a Quick Step slash to its flank. Still, the beast barely reacted, only hissing louder.

From the rear lines, Kyle loaded his rifle. "Let's make it count." Bang!, a mana bullet struck the crocodile's eye ridge, but only left a minor scratch.

Sinryo dashed between party members, tossing poison flasks and pulling potions from his belt. "Stay standing, people!"

Gigih, back on his feet but unsteady, raised his spellbook. "Thunder I!"

A bolt arced from the sky, striking the monster's back. The beast snarled, annoyed but unharmed.

Sakura supported from behind. "Defense up I! Heal I!"

Fahleena weaved through the battlefield like a dancer, tossing her keyblade like a boomerang. "Keyblade Boomerang I!" It flew through the air, spinning and striking the beast's nose before returning. She landed beside Gigih. "We need something stronger!"

The crocodile roared again, this time a burning flame built in its throat. It breathed fire in a wide arc.

"Scatter!" Fuhiken screamed.

Flames scorched the edge of the battlefield, forcing Gabyola and Yuuna to roll behind charred roots.

"This is going to be bad…" Yuuna whispered. Her mind was racing. "It's not just strength… it's intelligence. That fire breath, the scale volleys, it's not random."

Fuhiken gritted his teeth as he blocked another claw attack. "We need to hold, long enough for someone to find its weak point!"

The battle had only just begun, but the air was already filled with smoke, sweat, and fear.

Fahleena weaved through the battlefield like a dancer, tossing her keyblade like a boomerang. "Keyblade Boomerang I!" It flew through the air, spinning and striking the beast's nose before returning. She leapt into the air with a gleeful, "Here I go!" and caught it mid-spin.

The ancient crocodile responded instantly, one of its massive tails slamming down toward where Fahleena had just landed. But with her unparalleled luck and reflexes, she flipped backward in time, the tail hit the ground instead, cracking the earth and sending chunks of dirt flying. A section of the dryland erupted upward from the force, forming a jagged, elevated ridge.

Jessica didn't hesitate. "Perfect." She sprinted forward, leapt off the newly raised ground, and launched herself high. Her katana flashed in the swamp sunlight as she came down hard, slashing across the crocodile's thick back scales with a fierce cry.

Fuhiken stood firm, shouting commands with the sharpness of a seasoned commander. "Kyle, now! Gigih, follow with fire! Yuuna, aim for the head!"

Kyle steadied his breath and charged his mana bullet. Bang! The shot struck the crocodile just beneath its eye.

Gigih followed immediately, chanting with trembling hands. "Fire I!" A surge of flame burst against the creature's neck.

Yuuna raised her wand, eyes locked. "Thunder I!" A jagged bolt lanced down from the sky, hitting the beast square between its shoulders.

Enraged, the crocodile twisted and launched another barrage of scales in a wide arc. The air filled with debris.

Gigih didn't move fast enough. A spinning shard of scale slammed into his chest, and he collapsed again, lifeless.

Adiw gritted his teeth and rushed into the chaos, lifting Gigih's limp body with one arm while swinging his greatsword defensively with the other. He made it back behind the front line, placing Gigih gently on the ground.

"Sakura!" he shouted.

"I'm here!" Sakura raised her staff. "Revive I!"

A soft glow enveloped Gigih's body. The light pulsed, and slowly, his chest rose again with breath. He gasped awake, coughing.

At the front, Fuhiken braced himself just in time. The crocodile's claw came crashing down, clang!, slamming against Fuhiken's shield. He slid backward but held his ground.

Orchid wasn't so lucky. She was flung aside like a doll, her sword skidding across the mud. Yetsan tried to counter, but the second claw swept him off his feet and sent him flying into a nearby tree.

Sakura saw them fall and raised her staff again, magic pouring from her like a flood. "Great Heal I!"

A wave of warm light surged across the battlefield, washing over her siblings. Wounds closed, breath returned, and for a moment, they stood, still alive, still fighting.