The forest didn't welcome him.
It watched.
Every step Amir took—
Felt measured.
Judged.
"…they're still following," he muttered.
No answer from the wind.
That alone told him enough.
"They never stopped," the Anito said.
Amir didn't look back.
He could feel them.
Three presences.
Silent.
Controlled.
Waiting.
A voice cut through the quiet.
"Stop."
Amir did.
Slowly turning.
The three figures stepped out from the trees.
No rush.
No wasted motion.
The first stood at the front.
Calm.
Grounded.
The second rested slightly behind—
Arms loose.
Eyes sharp.
The third said nothing.
But their stance—
Low.
Rooted.
Ready.
"…you've entered ground that rejects imbalance," the first said.
Their tone wasn't hostile.
It was certain.
Amir frowned.
"…and I'm the imbalance."
"Yes."
"…figured."
A pause.
"…so what's the test?"
The second answered this time.
"Survive."
Amir let out a short breath.
"…you people really like that word."
The first raised a hand.
The forest responded.
Not violently—
But deliberately.
The wind didn't disappear.
It drifted.
Distant.
Like something just out of reach.
Amir reached for it—
Nothing answered immediately.
"…it's slow…" he muttered.
"Not slow," the Anito said.
"…restricted."
Amir exhaled.
"…of course it is."
The first fighter stepped forward.
"You will not rely on it."
"…that's kind of my thing."
"Then change."
The third moved.
No warning.
No signal.
They were suddenly there—
CLANG—
The impact slammed through Amir's arms—
"…Ghh—!"
He staggered back.
That hit harder than expected.
Not brute force—
Precision.
The second followed—
Low strike—
Amir reacted—
Too wide—
It slipped past—
Struck his side—
"Gah—!"
He stumbled again.
"…too clean…" he muttered.
"They are grounded," the Anito said.
"…you are not."
The third stepped forward again.
This time—
Amir saw it.
Their stance.
Their feet—
Didn't shift.
The ground beneath them cracked slightly—
Then—
They launched forward.
Explosive.
"…they're using the ground…" Amir said.
"…they move with it."
"And you don't."
Another strike came—
Amir anticipated—
Stepped—
Wrong.
The blow landed clean.
He dropped to one knee.
"…I misread that…"
"Yes."
"…then stop assuming."
Amir inhaled slowly.
Then exhaled.
"…they're not faster…"
"…they're efficient."
The next attack came.
Amir didn't block.
Didn't counter.
He stepped aside—
Barely.
The strike missed.
"…good," the Anito said quietly.
"…again."
The second and third moved together.
One high.
One low.
Coordinated.
Amir adjusted.
Smaller movements.
Less force.
More control.
He redirected—
Turned—
Then stepped in—
His strike landed.
Light flickered—
Weak—
But focused.
The second fighter stepped back.
Just slightly.
Silence followed.
The first raised a hand.
Everything stopped.
Amir stayed ready.
Breathing hard.
But standing.
"…you adjust quickly," the first said.
"…not like the others."
Amir exhaled.
"…I've had practice."
The second stepped forward.
"…you carry something that draws them."
Amir's grip tightened.
"…I didn't ask for it."
"…doesn't matter."
The third remained silent.
But their gaze never left him.
The first stepped closer.
"…if what follows you reaches this place—"
A pause.
"…we won't stop it."
Amir frowned.
"…what?"
The second answered.
"…we'll stop you."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
Amir didn't deny it.
Couldn't.
The wind stirred faintly.
Far away.
Watching.
Waiting.
Amir lifted his head.
Met their gaze.
Steady.
"…then I'll make sure it doesn't reach here."
A long pause.
The first studied him.
Then—
"…words are easy."
The second stepped back.
"…survival isn't."
The third shifted slightly.
Ground cracking again beneath their stance.
The first turned.
"…you'll be judged again."
"…by who?"
"…by those who decide if you stay."
Amir exhaled slowly.
"…and if I fail?"
The answer came without hesitation.
"…you leave."
A pause.
"…or we remove you."
The forest fell silent.
Not empty.
Watching.
Weighing.
Amir tightened his grip.
The weight didn't crush him this time.
It settled.
Sharpened.
"…then I'll become something you won't have to get rid of."
For the first time—
The first fighter paused.
Just slightly.
Then—
"…we'll see."
The tension didn't fade.
It changed.
From hostility—
To expectation.