Story Title :- Guarding the Billionaire's Blossom
Chapter 8: Siege of the Sacred Grove
The forest held its breath.
In the deep hours of the night, before even the crickets dared to sing, a dark army approached the ruined Sacred Bloom Grove.
Thousands of figures.
Spirit beasts. Rogue cultivators. Assassins wearing blood-colored armor.
Each step they took crushed the ground, sending ripples through the earth.
Leading them was Zorath, mounted on his black dragon, a cruel smile twisting his scarred face.
Behind him, banners fluttered — marked with the sigil of the Devouring Claw Alliance, a brutal organization that devoured both beast and human clans alike.
They had come for one thing: The girl. The Heart of Verdant Spring.
And Arjun.
Inside the Grove
Arjun stood at the edge of the grove, silent as a statue.
Beside him, Mei Ling sat cross-legged, her hands folded over the jade pendant, absorbing spirit energy from the grove’s core.
Tiny vines sprouted around her, wrapping her in a cocoon of gentle green light.
The old healer placed his wrinkled hand on Arjun's shoulder.
"She must not be disturbed. Her awakening is delicate."
Arjun's golden eyes narrowed, sharp and focused.
He flexed his fists.
Since the last battle, he had stabilized his human form better.
Now he looked like a warrior out of legend: Golden-scaled boots. Eagle-like armor across his arms and chest. Two radiant wings of energy behind him, folded like blades.
His hair was long and black, streaked with golden highlights, flowing in the breeze.
He wasn’t fully human yet — but he was far stronger than before.
"No one will touch her," Arjun growled.
The old healer smiled faintly.
"Good. Because they’re here."
The First Wave
The enemy army didn't waste time.
With a deafening roar, hundreds of spirit beasts surged forward.
Wolf-beasts with flaming fangs. Boar-monsters covered in iron spikes. Shadow panthers moving faster than the eye could follow.
They crashed against the grove like a tidal wave.
Arjun exploded into motion.
He met the first wave head-on.
Fists wreathed in golden light, he struck a charging boar-beast. The impact sounded like a thunderclap — the creature's body shattered into pieces.
Without pausing, he leapt into the air, wings flashing.
A pack of shadow panthers tried to flank him.
Arjun twisted mid-air, slicing the panthers apart with a sweep of his wings — Wind Blades shooting outward in deadly arcs.
Blood rained down.
Screams filled the night.
But more enemies came.
Mei Ling’s Awakening
Meanwhile, Mei Ling trembled inside her cocoon of vines.
She could hear the battle. She could feel Arjun’s fierce energy protecting her.
Tears slid down her cheeks.
She didn’t want to be a burden.
She didn’t want him to fight alone.
The jade pendant pulsed.
And suddenly — Power flooded into her veins.
The vines around her burst apart, revealing Mei Ling standing, eyes glowing green and gold.
The pendant had merged with her heart.
She raised her hands.
The earth answered.
Thick roots erupted from the ground, wrapping around the attacking beasts, crushing them like snakes.
Spirit Flowers bloomed instantly, releasing misty pollen that weakened the enemy army.
The tide of battle shifted.
Arjun saw her rise — strong, radiant, unafraid.
For the first time, he smiled.
"Good," he whispered. "Fight by my side."
Zorath Enters the Battlefield
High above, Zorath watched the scene unfold with cold amusement.
"Interesting," he said. "But insects remain insects."
He raised one massive hand.
The black dragon roared, unleashing a wave of corrupted spirit fire.
The fire burned not just trees — but spirit itself.
Arjun’s wings flared open.
He shot into the sky, meeting the fire with a blast of golden wind.
The two forces collided midair, forming a cyclone of destruction.
Arjun’s body glowed brighter, golden veins spreading across his skin.
Zorath laughed.
"You’re strong, eagle boy. Strong enough to amuse me."
He leapt off the dragon, crashing into the ground like a meteor.
The earth cracked.
Dust exploded outward.
Zorath stood tall — easily twice the size of an average man — covered in spiked black armor, every inch of him exuding brutality.
He pointed his massive sword at Arjun.
"Come, protector.
Show me if you can stop a god of war."
Arjun, wings crackling with energy, clenched his fists.
"You are no god."
"You are nothing but another beast — about to be broken."
Clash of Titans
The two warriors charged.
The ground shattered under their feet.
Their blows sent shockwaves that flattened the nearby forest.
Zorath swung his black sword — wide arcs of death energy slicing through the air.
Arjun ducked and weaved, countering with savage punches, each one carrying the force of a hurricane.
The battle shook the heavens.
Around them, Mei Ling directed her vines and spirit flowers to shield the healer and what remained of the grove.
Blood soaked the ground.
Bodies piled high.
But Arjun would not fall.
He fought like a force of nature.
Like a king born from the skies.
The End of the Beginning
Hours later, both armies were broken.
Only a few stragglers remained — the rest either dead or fleeing in terror.
Zorath, bleeding heavily, retreated atop his wounded dragon.
"This isn't over," he snarled. "We will meet again, Arjun. And next time... you will kneel."
With that, he vanished into the mist.
Arjun, panting, watched him go.
He did not chase.
He knew this was only the beginning.
Bigger wars awaited. Greater enemies would come.
But for now... They had survived.
A New Dawn
The grove was ruined but alive.
Spirit flowers bloomed again, slowly.
The old healer wept quietly, thankful.
Mei Ling approached Arjun, her small hands trembling.
Without a word, she wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly.
He stiffened at first — unused to such closeness — but then gently placed a hand on her head.
They stood like that, bathed in the first light of the new dawn.
Two survivors.
Two warriors.
Bound by fate.
Their journey had only just begun.
(End of Chapter 8.)
