The most powerful wizard in the magic world

He set out on the evil road back to the academy, the sound of the wind around him seemed to mock his every difficult step. Taking advantage of the night, he walked through the winding forest path. The trees around him towered into the sky, like countless pairs of surveillance eyes, which made him shudder. Every time the branches and leaves under his feet made a creaking sound, his heart could not help but be alert.

"Gerlin, slow down!" A clear female voice interrupted his nervousness about the shadows around him. It was his classmate Ellie, whose long golden hair sparkled in the moonlight, as beautiful as stars. She followed closely behind him, with a worried look on her face.

"I know, but I ran fast because I was worried about you." Gerlin forced himself to slow down, turned his head and smiled, "You don't really think there will be any danger on this road?"

Ellie frowned slightly, with uneasiness in her eyes. "I'm not worried about the danger on the road, but your own body. You haven't eaten much in the past few days. Don't you feel tired?"

"I'm fine." Gerling endured the pain in his footsteps and tried to hide his inner discomfort. He knew that this journey was not a simple return for him, but a spiritual journey. The expectation for the college and the confusion about the future were intertwined, making it difficult for him to express it in words.

As they continued forward, a cold wind blew, shaking the trees. Suddenly, there was a rustling sound in front of them. Gellin was alerted instantly and tightened his hand on the stick beside him. He whispered, "Did you hear it?"

Ellie nodded, a hint of nervousness flashing in her eyes, "What is it? Should we... leave quickly?"

"Wait." He reached out his hand to stop her, and pricked up his ears to listen carefully to the rhythm of the sound that was becoming clearer and clearer. It was a low growl like some kind of animal, appearing and disappearing from time to time, as if waiting in the distance.

"Gerlin, this place is so creepy." Ellie took a step back, her body trembling slightly.

"Don't be afraid," he whispered to comfort her, "it should... just be a small animal." But he himself did not completely believe it.

“Do you really think they are just small animals?” Ellie smiled bitterly. “I always feel that the road we are walking on is like the dark forest in the legendary story, hiding unknown secrets.”

Gellin couldn't help but stop and stare at the darkness ahead, feeling a little uneasy. He thought to himself that he was not ready to face the unknown challenge, but he couldn't leave Ellie behind.

"How about this," he suggested, "let's find a place to rest and continue after the noise dies down."

Ellie nodded slightly, and the fear in her eyes eased a little. So they found a flat stone on the side of the road and decided to stop for a while. Gerlin sat down and felt a wave of fatigue, as if the rapid run just now had exhausted all his strength.

"Look, this is a really strange place." He tried to relax himself and change the subject. "The shapes of these trees are like... like guardians."

Ellie looked around and found that the surrounding tree trunks were covered with strange vines, swaying gently in the breeze, as if telling something. "If they are really guardians, then we should be grateful to them." She sighed and touched the ancient bark with her hands.

"Should we tell the trees our stories?" Gerling smiled. "Of course, our unfortunate stories."

"Haha, maybe." Ellie chuckled, but then fell silent, as if she didn't want to recall her previous experience.

Her emotions made Gerling's heart tighten. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought up those things. It's just that everything is in the past."

"It's over." Ellie lowered her head, her voice as light as a mosquito's buzz, "But, sometimes..."

"Sometimes, it's hard to forget." Gerling continued, his eyes firm, "But we have to move forward. No matter what the past was like, it can only be our experience, not a stumbling block."

The idea of ​​continuing to move forward continued to sprout in his mind. Ellie's eyes were attracted by his fiery eyes. After a moment of silence, she suddenly said: "If we can return to the academy safely, I think I will write a story about everything we have experienced."

"Oh, about our adventures in the dark forest?" Garling joked. "That kind of story will definitely attract a lot of attention."

"I don't want to become the laughing stock of the academy." Ellie emphasized, but a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

"Don't worry, at least we will tell it well." He realized that his anxiety seemed to be slightly relieved. The peaceful atmosphere between them made him believe again that trust and companionship would be the driving force for moving forward. Time seemed to freeze at this moment, and in the deep forest, only their conversation and the faint moonlight were left.

A gust of wind passed through the leaves, bringing with it a faint whisper, and the sound returned to the previous rustling. Their laughter dissipated in the air, and the atmosphere around them became tense again. Gerlin's mood also became heavy, and he felt the invisible oppression while sitting on the stone.

"Let's keep going." He stood up and said in a trembling voice, "We can't stay here too long. If there really is a ferocious beast, staying here would be like offering ourselves to sacrifice."

Although Ellie felt uneasy, she nodded in agreement: "Okay, I'll listen to you."

So, they set out on their journey again, gradually approaching the heart of darkness. The soil at their feet smelled of green grass, and in the distance, the deep night sky seemed even darker.

"We will get back to the academy safely, right?" Ellie asked suddenly, with fatigue in her eyes.

"Of course." Garlin responded firmly, even though he was having trouble calming down. He forced himself not to think about the horrors in the legends. Instead, he conveyed his belief to Ellie, "No matter what happens, I will protect you."