Thousands of miles away from Silver Leaf City, in a rundown mountain area where inactive volcanic alters lay in numerous numbers...
Inside a big central volcanic altar, where the crimson glow of molten lava danced with ethereal shadows, the 'Fire Kirin race' held their stronghold.
Towering statues, their forms a blend of human and Kirin features, stood sentinel at the entrance, their fiery eyes piercing the darkness with unwavering vigilance.
In the heart of the altar, a monumental statue of the revered female Fire Kirin in human form stood in brave pose, its presence a testament to the ancient lineage of the race.
Opposite the statue, rising like a star from the fiery depths, stood the grand palace, its majestic spikes reaching toward the entrance of the volcanic alter. The palace is molded on a big rock by a powerful Kirin fire.
Within the rocky palace, amidst the flickering glow of torches, a scene unfolded that echoed the sadness throughout the volcanic chambers.
Inside the palace, a mature lady, Kirin, in human form, is sobbing in a painful tone. Beside her, a young male Kirin in human form is consoling her while calling her 'mom' repeatedly.
Before the two of them, a tall man stood firmly with a grim face. Even though they were all in human form, some of their body parts and facial features resembled those of the Kirin race.
Lady Moya, her hair made of fiery mane flowing from her head, wept in a heart-melting tone, her anguish reverberating off the stone walls.
Beside her, her son Zambu, his youthful features etched with worry, sought to comfort her, his pleas echoing through the chamber.
But it was Zora, the stalwart 24th leader of the Fire Kirin race, who cast his imposing presence over the scene. His expression, carved from stone, betrayed the weight of his responsibility as the 24th leader of the Fire Kirin race, and his eyes hardened with resolve.
"You two, stop crying. It's enough!" Zora's voice, like thunder amidst the crackling flames, demanded attention.
Zambu's desperation spilled forth in a torrent of emotion. "Father, you must save my sister Kavi. Please issue a search order."
Moya's voice, though choked with tears, joined her son's plea. "Yes, husband, we must bring back our daughter, Kavi. Please issue the command to find her."
But Zora, burdened by the weight of tradition and the harsh reality of their existence, shook his head with a heavy heart. "Moya, our daughter Kavi is not yet evolved, and she is not part of the clan. We cannot risk the safety of the entire race for one who is not yet bound by our laws."
Zambu's eyes blazed with defiance as he stood toe to toe with his father. "Father, my sister Kavi carries the blood of our ancestors. She is of our lineage. We cannot abandon her."
But Zora's resolve remained unyielding. "Zambu, even if we find Kavi now, it may be too late. The humans may have already bound her with a blood contract. We cannot risk our clan men to the human treachery."
With a heavy sigh, Zora turned away, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. "Our focus must remain on our survival. The war with the Dwarf Phoenix clan looms on the horizon. We must prepare for the inevitable conflict."
"But, father, my sister Kavi is just one year away from evolution. She also inherited the genes of the 1st lady leader of the Kirin race. On this account, you must protect my sister. Please issue a search command..." Zambu demanded in a serious tone.
"Forget about her. Do you know how many children our race has lost in all these years? But we never issued a search command for them. Now I can't be a selfish leader and release a search command for my daughter."
The fire Kirin race leader Zora said in a consoling tone while avoiding eye contact with his wife Moya.
The mother-son pair failed to reason with Zora, who placed his race before family. They also knew that according to sect rules, all un-evolved Kirin's are not part of the race and won't be protected by endangering the survival of clan men.
"Moya, Zambu… Forget about Kavi. Her fate is not linked to our clan or family. Zambu, stop wasting your time on this matter and focus on developing your strength. You will be the next leader of this race after my downfall." Zora, the 24th leader of the Kirin race, declared in a stern tone and left the palace in long strides.
After Zora left, the mother-son pair sat in silence for a long time.
"Mother, what should we know? I want to bring back Kavi. But Father denied it." Zambu asked in a sobbing tone.
His mother, Moya, kept silent for a long time while thinking about ways to save her daughter, Kavi.
"Zambu, go find the daughter of the second general, 'Fire Lotus'. She is proficient in finding the humans who stole the Fire Kirin's from the wilderness around our home. She will help you trace your sister, Kavi.
If those dirty humans have already performed a blood contract on your sister, kill her master and bring back Kavi. Do you understand?" Moya stared at his son, seriously indicating the grave task at hands.
Zambu fell into a dilemma as he was worried that his father, Zora, might punish him for crossing the clan boundaries without his permission.
"What have you been thinking about for so long? Are you afraid of losing your life?" Moya asked in a stern tone while staring at Zambu with dried-up tears.
Zambu couldn't refute his mother's orders and obeyed her command with a bow.
"Mother, I will finish the task, as soon as possible and come with my sister, Kavi." Zambu declared as he turned around and left the palace to meet Lotus Fire, the girl who is proficient in tracking.
_
Kent, who didn't know that his new Fire Kirin pet came with several problems, stepped inside the pet store to receive his first pet with an excited face.
Ria waited for him at the entrance and received him with a respectful smile. She directly took Kent to an underground chamber, where a bleeding Fire Kirin tied with chains came into Kent's vision.