Too Weak Too Strong: The Water Demon

Elias stumbled through the heavily wooded forest. He inspected each tree he walked by carefully, making sure to find the heartiest one. He finally stopped in front of a large burly tree covered in snarled and twisted back. He ran his fingers along the grooves before placing his full palm on the tree. Suddenly his palm began heating up, the bark became ever so slightly more charred before eventually falling to ash in an instant. It had vaporized without Elias igniting his hand even once.

Elias: "Heh… I finally did it"

Gabriel: 'Well done Elias. The training has paid off. You now exude a level of heat on par with the magic that incinerate that city.'

Elias: 'Well I couldn't have done it without your help Gabriel'

Gabriel: 'Nonsense, I just told you how to. You grew thanks to the hard work you put in, as well as the others.'

Elias: 'Speaking Of...'

Elias turned back and began heading to the campsite they had set up. Reaching a small clearing he heard the voices of Kairos and Lorcan.

Kairos: "Come on Bowman, you can do better than this sissy shit!"

Lorcan: "Huff... Huff... Why do I need hand-to-hand combat training anyways? My magic is pretty well tailored to my bow."

Kairos: "You said it yourself, what if you were disarmed? Your magic is now good for physical combat. You're going to need to fight without it"

Elias walked out towards them before they could continue with their sparring session.

Elias: "Hey guys! I'm back."

Kairos motioned toward the water bottles, so Elias tossed one at him. Lorcan wiped off his face as he sat down.

Lorcan: "What's up?"

Elias: "Well, if the girls would hurry up."

Lyra and Aria scurried over and sat with the boys. Elias smirked before talking again.

Elias: "Gabriel told me I've finally completed my training."

Lyra: "Yes!"

Kairos: "Finally! 3 months and you finally did it!"

Elias: "Well now we got to see if you all have met the standards Gabriel needs us at."

They all walked towards another smaller trail. It went on for a decent way before meeting a clearing. Here is where Kairos test would be. Nothing was there except a gigantic boulder. It was about twenty feet tall and twenty feet wide. Everyone was surprised and in awe, everyone except Kairos and Elias.

Lyra: "Wha-What is this thing for?!"

Elias: "After losing and nearly being killed by Moloch, Gabriel advised me that he needs to strengthen his body. We decided that this boulder is how we'll determine if he's met expectations. If he can shatter it in a single strike that is."

Kairos: "In other words, if I smash this damn thing into pebbles, then not even magic can save that fucker from me."

Kairos cracked his knuckles before walking towards the boulder. He then assumed a stance and pressed his fist up against the boulder. He took a moment to focus his strength. The sweat beads rolled down before he drew his fist back. Suddenly, with swift force. He threw the punching the boulder. Nothing had happened and everyone thought he had failed. As Kairos turned and began walking away, the boulder Shattered into millions of pebbles.

Kairos: "One Strike."

He walked by glance at Elias waiting for his approval.

Elias: "Good Job. You're finally done training too."

Gabriel: 'You Know, it's absolutely remarkable how much Kairos has grown in a short time. No soul binder, no magic, and he was on deaths door for half the training period. All of that and yet he's grown to a strength beyond anyone else here.'

Elias: 'I'm Proud of him'

3 and a half months prior

Elias stumbled down the steps to the kitchen of the Farmhouse. He had awoken early in the morning from night terrors and needed air. After walking out he could hear a persistent thud coming from around the house. He went to investigate and came to find out Kairos was outside. He was shirtless and throwing punch after punch against a tree. He threw his strikes with determination. Elias walked forward and Kairos nodded seemingly trying to acknowledge Elias's presence.

Elias: "Why are you constantly out here every day hitting this tree till your hands break?"

Kairos: "hm, I'm unlucky."

Elias: "I'm confused, what do you mean unlucky?"

Kairos stopped punching the tree and walked up close to Elias.

Kairos: "Look, unlike you and the others I never had a fucking guardian angel to rescue. I had to save my own ass! It's how it's always fucking been and I'm not about to give up now."

Kairos turned back around and threw another punch. This punch split the tree in two and caused it to crash down against the ground.

Kairos: "I'm not falling the fuck behind."

Present day

Elias: 'He might have unnatural strength but that's not why he's strong. He has resolve like no other I've met before. He nearly died twice since demons invaded and he's bounced back both times. it's truly amazing.'

Gabriel: 'hmm... I suppose. Shall we move on to Lorcan's test?'

Elias waved everyone down to follow him to the next area. It was a small area where all the trees were whittled with arrows.

Aria: "What are we supposed to be looking at?"

Elias: "Look, about a mile down that way there is a makeshift target. Lorcan has to propel his arrow with his air magic and make a Bullseye. What's more he has to do it in less than 5 seconds."

Aria: "what?! That's impossible!"

Lorcan: "Nonsense Aria, just watch."

Lorcan stood in position and drew back his bow. He began scanning the area. He memorized the locations of each tree between him and the target. He had the wind flow down and even the times when a bird decides to fly by. After finding the perfect shot he closed his eyes and focused his magic into the arrow. In an instant he released the arrow. The drawstring ripped through his fingertips as the arrow zipped out of the bow through the forest. It dodged and weaved through the trees, branches, and leaves. It finally reached the target and penetrated the Bullseye. Lorcan lowered his bow and looked towards Elias.

Elias: "…2.06 seconds. Good job Lorcan."

Lorcan let out a sigh of relief and sat on the ground.

Aria: "What! How did you know it'd work!"

Lorcan: "simple, ive already did the shot before. I just couldn't propel the arrow fast enough before."

Aria's face was left in shock.

Gabriel: 'Amazing, that Lorcan is such a prodigy in magic. It's all thanks to his patience and control. It kind of reminds me of someone.'

Elias: 'Who?'

Gabriel: 'Oh no one important.'

The group followed down one last winding path. It led into an empty open field.

Elias: "Now that Lorcan passed his test, Lyra is able to take hers. That same high-speed arrow Lorcan shot earlier, Lyra will have to react and deflect it."

Lorcan got in position as Lyra walked about thirty feet away. She had her hand hover over the handle as she assumed a stance. She closed her eyes and started focusing on the area around her body. The wind patterns, the bugs flying around her, all of it she could see with her eyes closed. Without warning Lorcan released his hypersonic arrow straight toward Lyra.

Lyra: "Thunder Slash!"

A loud thunderclap followed her high-speed blade as it cut the arrow in two and splinter in two directions next to her. She opened her eyes and saw she managed to do it.

Kairos: "How did you cut through that arrow if it was coated in air magic?"

Lyra: "I just coated my blade in thunder magic."

Gabriel: 'So, it seems she finally was able to gain the use of magic. I'm impressed, by all of you.'

Elias: 'I am too. Thank you, Gabriel.'

Gabriel: 'Of Course. I believe you all should be able to hold your own against them now.'

Elias: 'I think so to-'

Elias was interrupted by a hurling Inferno barreling its way towards them. Kairos grabbed aria as the Inferno sent everyone flying. It burnt away the grass and tore up the landscape. It had managed to separate everyone.

Elias: "WHAT THE HELL!?"

They all looked towards the small mountain just north of them. On top stood the three Demon Generals.

Ifrit: "Salutations humans! Oh, madam you remember us, correct?"

He pointed towards Lyra who just gripped her katana.

Ifrit: "Well I must apologize for our absence these past months. We were needed elsewhere. Ah, but there is good news."

He curled his lips before speaking

Ifrit: "We were given the greenlight to exterminate you!"

He began to laugh with the others. Elias just stared him down, gritting his teeth.

Elias: "We finally meet…"