Dusk painted the jagged cliffs of South Pass in fiery oranges and somber violets, the fleeting light casting long, creeping shadows over the rugged terrain. Among those shifting shadows, movement stirred—a sinister prelude that sent a chill through the hearts of the Hepestus legionaries standing vigilant at the narrow pass. The sheer walls loomed above them, ancient and unyielding, as if silently judging the mortal struggle about to unfold.Mira stepped forward, her gray eyes blazing with defiance, a fiery spark igniting her every word. "Fear not, my fellow Aemiliana brothers and sisters! Let us show our comrades of Hepestus what we are made of—what my brother was made of! If we must fall tonight, then we fall knowing our name will echo through the annals of Hepestus history!"Her voice carried like a flame in the cold, cutting through the fatigue and dread that had clung to the legionaries after the grueling week. Both the Aemiliana forces and the Hepestus legionaries had endured loss and hardship in a somewhat equal measure, yet Mira's words kindled a spark of resolve. The weary legionaries straightened, gripping their weapons tighter as her conviction spread among them.A low hum of approval rippled through the ranks, followed by the rhythmic clang of weapons striking armor. The sound grew louder, resonating through the pass like a heartbeat.The shadows of the enemy loomed closer, slinking into the uneven contours of the terrain, merging seamlessly with the gathering darkness. The enemy halted, their forms obscured by the dimming light as they blended into the surrounding cliffs. No doubt they were preparing their assault. The scouts had already clashed earlier—both sides were acutely aware of the other's readiness.Yet for the legionaries, Mira's words had done their work. What had seemed moments ago like inevitable dread now felt like the prelude to a fight they could face.Kaelin turned toward Mira, a flicker of admiration lighting his eyes. "Hear that, Hepestus legion?" he called out, his voice rising above the murmurs of the soldiers. "Our brothers and sisters' resolve stands unshaken. We will not let them down!" With a sharp motion, he struck his sword against his armored chest, the resonant thrum echoing like a battle drum. "Hmmm," he intoned deeply, his voice rich with conviction. The sound was taken up by the legionaries, their hums building into a steady rhythm that pulsed through the air like the heartbeat of their defiance.Rifi's heart skipped a beat as the surge of energy rippled through the ranks. Goosebumps prickled his skin, the shared resolve of the soldiers wrapping around him like an unyielding flame. His eyes lingered on Kaelin and Mira. Though Mira stood a magic realm below the likes of Kaelin, her unwavering stance and fiery determination seemed to outshine them both. It was impossible not to admire her.The fire of purpose reignited in their hearts—the kind of fire every mage needed when standing at the precipice of a life-and-death battle. And just as the last tendrils of twilight were swallowed by night, the enemy struck.A barrage of fire and ice lit up the darkness, mana-infused projectiles shrieking as they hurtled toward the defensive line. The Hepestus legionaries sprang into action, counterspells bursting like fireworks in the night. Bright flashes illuminated the pass, the air filled with the explosive symphony of colliding magic. Each projectile dissipated into harmless bursts of light, their energy dispersing harmlessly into the rocky terrain.Then, as the air still sizzled with mana from the first volley, a second wave followed—a cunning attack. Projectiles of wind and earth surged forward, hidden within the dissipating mana trails of the initial barrage. Their mana signatures were faint, nearly imperceptible amidst the chaos, and their forms invisible in the brief darkness following the blinding flashes. It was a tactic designed to cripple less experienced mages, and under different circumstances, it might have been devastating.Kaelin's sharp voice rang out, cutting through the cacophony like a blade. "Defensives, incoming!"He and Mira moved as one, launching precise, long-range spells to intercept the brunt of the assault. Lightning cracked across Rifi's swords as he surged forward, meeting what projectiles remained with swift, fluid strikes. His blades sang with mana-infused energy as he deflected the attacks, sending them scattering harmlessly to the ground. Behind him, the legionaries caught whatever slipped through or allowed the projectiles to crash harmlessly into the mana-reinforced earth walls.For a moment, the onslaught paused, the pass bathed in silence broken only by the faint hum of residual mana. Their defense had held. For now.Mira's voice shattered the tense silence that lingered after the attack, her tone sharp with unshaken bravado. "They think they can break us? They have no idea what we're capable of. I just hope you can keep up, Rifi. I'd hate to have to carry the team."Rifi chuckled softly, the tension in his chest easing slightly as lightning crackled along the length of his swords. "Carry the team? I wasn't aware you were doing anything besides splashing water and steam from a nice, safe distance."Her smirk widened, her gray eyes gleaming as she leveled a mock glare at him. "Safe distance? Someone has to keep them off your back while you flail around with those oversized knives."Arin, ever the cautious second-in-command, stepped closer, his voice low but insistent. "Mira, perhaps a little respect is in order. Battlemages deserve—""Respect?" Mira cut him off with a teasing edge. "Oh, I have plenty of respect for the guy. I just wish he'd stop showing off long enough for me to catch up."The exchange drew faint chuckles from the nearby legionaries, their tension loosening in the brief spark of camaraderie. Even Arin allowed himself a reluctant grin, shaking his head at Mira's antics. Rifi felt a flicker of something—kinship, perhaps. Despite the chaos surrounding them, he couldn't help but feel the growing bond between them, a connection that reminded him of the sibling he'd lost so long ago.Kaelin's dry voice broke through the levity, tinged with faint amusement. "Are you two done flirting?" His smirk betrayed the humor behind the remark. "I'd hate for Argos to think we weren't taking this seriously."The banter evaporated as the next volley of spells tore through the night, their fiery and icy trails illuminating the darkened cliffs. Argos struck with relentless precision, their mana-infused projectiles screaming toward the defensive line. Hepestus legionaries answered in kind, their counterspells bursting in dazzling flashes of light and thunderous sound. The confined pass became a chaotic symphony of detonations and shouted commands, each spell collision dissipating into harmless bursts of energy.Rifi's gaze shifted toward Kaelin, who stood at the heart of the defensive line, issuing orders with unwavering authority. Yet, something about him felt... off. His movements, though sharp and calculated, carried a deliberateness that seemed unnatural. His voice, steady and commanding, had an edge of intensity that Rifi couldn't ignore. Was this the weight of leadership pressing down on him? Or was there something deeper lurking beneath the surface?Rifi brushed the thought aside, resolving to ease his commander's burden the only way he could—by being the perfect soldier. Kaelin had already earned his respect and, in the short time they'd fought together, his friendship. Though barely a week had passed, Rifi regarded him with the same trust he'd once reserved for Lucilia and Rudeus.The sharp hum of his mana sense pulled him from his thoughts. His finely tuned lightning-attuned awareness caught the subtle distortions ahead—a movement within the swirling waves of dissipating mana. His storm-gray eyes narrowed as the faint signatures of Argos mages emerged from the chaos, advancing under the cover of the shockwaves.A smirk spread across his face. This was his moment. His element. Finally, the enemy had entered the realm of close combat.Lightning coursed through his body, sharpening his senses and quickening his pulse. His twin blades flared with energy as he stepped toward the narrowing entrance of the pass. This would be his domain, and the enemy was about to learn why.Rifi's lightning mana roared to life, surging from his core and coursing through his veins like a tempest. It spread through his body, electrifying every muscle, sharpening every sense, and propelling him into a state of heightened strength and alertness. With a flash of movement, he stepped just beyond the entrance of the pass, his twin blades shimmering with crackling arcs of lightning. Here, in the narrow confines of the choke point, his agility and power would dominate. Against him stood a group of green and blue-core mages—formidable, but not insurmountable. The absence of higher-ranked foes only bolstered his resolve.The enemy unleashed a volley of spells, fire and ice streaking toward him, but Rifi darted through their paths like a storm incarnate. His speed made him a phantom, his every step charged with precision. As he closed the distance, his first blade arced upward, sliding along the sword of the closest mage. With his second blade, he deflected a retaliatory strike, lightning snapping between the clashing metals.The enemy mage flinched as Rifi's sword reached his hand, delivering a shocking jolt that sent spasms through his body. The hesitation was all Rifi needed. In a fluid motion, his blade traveled up the enemy's arm, its lightning edge searing flesh and steel alike, before slicing cleanly through the mage's neck. The lifeless body crumpled, the head rolling to the side, eyes frozen wide in shock.Rifi's sharp gaze followed the falling figure for only a fraction of a second before he spun into a full circle, a surge of lightning-infused energy propelling his twin swords outward. The arc of his spin deflected the spells hurtling toward him, their mana dissipating harmlessly into the air as they struck his charged blades.Not a moment wasted, Rifi pressed forward. Another five enemies loomed close, their movements tense and uncertain in the face of his relentless advance. He gripped his swords tighter, his body crackling with power, his mind singularly focused. He would make every second count and ensure that as many foes as possible fell before he was forced to retreat.The Argos forces were already gripped by fear, though their mana-infused eyes allowed them to see clearly in the dark. Yet, what they faced was no ordinary foe; it was a figure that seemed to rise from their nightmares—"It's a Lightning Wraith cloaked in human form" one of them shouted what they all thought. His glowing, storm-gray eyes burned with an otherworldly light, framed by faint tendrils of crackling lightning that danced sporadically across his armor. His silhouette, dark and imposing, was broken only by the sudden flashes of electricity leaping from his frame. But it was the twin swords that truly chilled their hearts.The blades, wreathed in pure lightning, illuminated the surrounding shadows in bursts of eerie brilliance. Their sound was unnatural—a constant buzzing and crackling that whispered of barely contained fury. When swung, the weapons screamed through the air, their thunderous arcs a stark reminder of the power they wielded. To the Argos soldiers, this was no mere man; it was a storm given form, relentless and merciless.In the blink of an eye, another of their comrades fell. The mage's head was severed cleanly, tumbling to the ground with a sickening finality. The horrifying efficiency with which the Lightning Wraith fought left the remaining Argos mages paralyzed. Before the first body hit the ground, another mage crumpled under the flashing arcs of lightning, their defenses utterly meaningless. Panic rippled through the ranks. Their mana-imbued blades and spells, once their pride, felt like fragile toys against this force of nature.Shouts from their commander broke through their terror. "Fall back!" he roared, his voice a mix of fury and desperation as he unleashed his own attacks toward the Lightning Wraith to cover their retreat. It was a lifeline they eagerly seized, scrambling back from the figure that had made their formation his hunting ground.Rifi's assault slowed, his blood humming with the surge of lightning mana. Three mages lay slain by his hands—two green cores and one blue. Yet, as he stood poised to strike again, a new presence emerged from the Argos forces. An orange-core mage stepped forward, his gaze fixed and calculating, and the very air around him seemed to hum with menace.The difference was immediate. This wasn't an enemy Rifi could dispatch in a single breath. The orange-core mage's attacks were on another level entirely, their speed and precision forcing Rifi to shift from relentless offense to measured defense. Each spell crackled with compressed mana, denser and more destructive than anything he had faced so far. His lightning-infused swords repelled the onslaught, but with every strike, he felt the strain. The air itself seemed alive with tension as he parried, dodged, and countered.Rifi knew he was overexposed. His mana reserves were holding, but the risk of a fatal mistake loomed larger with each passing second. Calculating his options, he allowed himself a final burst of movement. Lightning surged through his legs, propelling him back toward the defensive line. As he retreated, he deflected several more spells with deft strokes, his blades humming with effort. The Argos orange-core mage, cautious and calculating, ceased his advance. The Lightning Wraith had been forced back, and that was enough—for now.Rifi paused behind the safety of the mana-infused earth walls, his breathing heavy but controlled. He noted the enemy's withdrawal and allowed himself a faint smirk. It was clear they had learned their lesson: close combat against him was a futile endeavor. For all their power, none dared face the Lightning Wraith in his domain.As Rifi retreated into the pass, he cast a teasing glance toward Mira, his lips curling into a faint smirk. "See? You don't need to carry alone after all."Mira raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with mock indifference. "Pff, as if I'd let myself fall short to you, Mr. Battlemage."Rifi chuckled softly, the sound cutting through the tension like a knife. The surrounding legionaries, still catching their breath, exchanged awed glances, their expressions a mixture of disbelief and admiration at the display of power they had just witnessed. Even amid the chaos, a ripple of pride seemed to pass through the ranks, their spirits bolstered by the Lightning Wraith in their midst who had fought so fiercely on their behalf.For the next several hours, the enemy shifted tactics, abandoning close combat entirely. They relied instead on long-range barrages, their spells crashing against the defensive line in waves. The night stretched on, punctuated by flashes of mana and the steady hum of counterspells. Despite the constant pressure, the legion held strong. Only four casualties marred their defense, the result of cunning enemy snipers exploiting moments of carelessness. Each loss weighed heavily on the remaining soldiers, but they held their ground, refusing to give even an inch.Yet, as the hours dragged by, unease gnawed at Rifi's thoughts. The orange-core mage leading the Argos forces was no fool—this drawn-out stalemate felt wrong. Dawn was fast approaching, and the Hepestus reinforcements were surely on their way. Why was the enemy stalling? What were they waiting for? The back of Rifi's mind whispered grim possibilities, but he pushed them aside, unwilling to darken the fragile hope that kept the legion fighting.As the first light of dawn painted the sky in pale shades of gold and rose, a sudden roar of cheers erupted from the rear ranks of the Hepestus line."Reinforcements!" one soldier shouted, his voice cracking with relief. "Esquiliana is here to support us!"The cry rippled through the ranks, legionaries raising their voices in jubilant shouts. Relief swept over the line like a breaking wave, shoulders sagging with the release of tension as weary soldiers dared to hope.Rifi's brows knitted in confusion, a dark suspicion rising in his chest. Esquiliana? It was possible—they might have come through the pass to reinforce them—but something didn't add up. If Esquiliana had been on their way, why had Argos pressed the attack here? Why not simply wait and box them in? The pieces didn't fit.Before he could voice his doubts, the cheers turned to screams.It happened so fast—a surge of mana, the clash of steel, and the unmistakable cries of men dying. Rifi's stomach dropped as he turned, his worst fears realized. Esquiliana's forces weren't reinforcements. They were slaughtering his comrades, cutting down the unsuspecting legionaries at the rear. Their elite forces moved with precision, their red-core mages leading the charge, scything through the ranks like reapers in a field."Esquiliana... now we know for sure what side they are on." Rifi's voice was barely a whisper, his throat tightening as he stared at the unfolding betrayal. His eyes darted forward to the enemy ranks still pressing from the front. "We're surrounded," he muttered, his voice growing grim. "Argos in front, Esquiliana behind. The worst possible case."Kaelin's expression grew steely, his gaze darting between the two advancing forces. There was no time to deliberate, no space for second-guessing. His voice, sharp and commanding, rang out. "There's only one way out. We break through Argos. It's our only chance."Rifi's jaw tightened, his hands gripping his twin swords with such force his knuckles whitened. "But what about Esquiliana?" he demanded, his voice thick with rising fury. "They're the ones who killed my—""No time!" Kaelin snapped, cutting him off. His tone was harsh but carried an undertone of urgency rather than reprimand. "If we don't move now, we're finished. You'll get your chance to face them, Rifi. But not today."Kaelin turned to Mira, his fiery gaze steady despite the chaos erupting around them. "Rifi, you're going with Mira. Take the troops. Lead the charge. Aim for their weakest line and push through. I'll stay behind and hold Esquiliana as long as I can.""No," Rifi said, stepping forward, his voice low but firm. A storm brewed behind his storm-gray eyes, anger threatening to consume his reason. "I'll stay. You go."Kaelin's gaze locked onto his, their shared defiance sparking a silent, intense battle of wills. For a moment, neither spoke, the weight of their determination pressing against each other. Then Kaelin exhaled, his shoulders dropping slightly as his expression softened, though his tone remained resolute. "You're not ready for this, Rifi," he said quietly, almost gently. "You have a future. I don't.""I'm not leaving you," Rifi shot back, his voice shaking under the weight of emotion. "Not like this."Kaelin sighed, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Stubborn as ever." His voice dropped, almost wistful. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."Mira's hesitation was palpable, her eyes darting between the two men. Her expression twisted with conflict as she opened her mouth to speak but found no words. Around her, the Aemiliana soldiers rallied, awaiting her command."Kaelin... Rifi..." she began, her voice trembling with unspoken grief."Go!" Kaelin barked, his voice a whipcrack of authority that left no room for argument. "This is an order, Mira. Save yourself. Save your clan. Save our legionaries. That's an order!"Tears glimmered in her eyes as her lips parted in silent protest. But there was no time to argue. With a reluctant nod, she swallowed hard and turned away. "Don't you dare die," she whispered, her words barely audible over the din of battle.Gathering herself, Mira raised her voice with commanding authority, rallying her soldiers. The Aemiliana forces surged forward with fierce determination, their loyalty to their leader unwavering. The Hepestus legionaries followed in their wake, their desperation matched only by their resolve. Together, they crashed into Argos's weakened line, cutting through the enemy with the desperation of those who had nothing left to lose. Behind them, Kaelin and Rifi stood shoulder to shoulder, bracing for the storm that would soon engulf them.Behind them, Rifi and Kaelin stood firm against the advancing storm of Esquiliana forces. The narrow pass seemed to amplify their defiance, the two battlemages radiating power that lit up the darkness around them. Rifi's lightning flared violently, his body steaming as the mana surged through his veins, pushing his limits. Each crackle of electricity around his twin swords illuminated his form in ghostly flashes, making him appear otherworldly—a storm given human shape. Kaelin's fiery aura burned beside him, a blazing contrast to Rifi's storm. His blade glowed white-hot, heat waves rippling from its edge like the shimmer of a desert horizon."Rifi," Kaelin said, his voice low, trying to cut through the rising tension. "We need to—"But Rifi didn't respond. His eyes were locked on the advancing Esquiliana forces, specifically on the crest they bore. The symbol of betrayal, of everything he despised. As his gaze fixed on the insignia, rage boiled over, shattering his control. Memories he had long buried clawed their way to the surface: his sister's lifeless eyes, her bloodied form—images that struck like daggers into his mind.All he could see was red. "I will kill them all."The words hissed from his lips, more a growl than a declaration, and before Kaelin could stop him, Rifi moved. Thunder roared in the pass as his lightning-fueled body surged forward with terrifying speed. His twin blades met the fiery and wind-laden strikes of Esquiliana's orange-core battlemage, Siroth the Embergale, one of the most infamous warriors of Hepestus's rival clan. Sparks exploded as their blades clashed, lightning against fire and wind, the sheer force of their duel sending ripples of energy through the air.Their strikes blurred into a deadly rhythm, ten—perhaps more—exchanges in the span of a heartbeat. Siroth's precision was surgical, each strike aimed to disable, while Rifi's was raw and relentless, driven by the searing rage within. For a fleeting moment, it seemed as though the two were evenly matched.But the balance shifted as a barrage of spells from Esquiliana's red-core mages joined the fray. Fireballs and razor-sharp wind blades rained down toward Rifi. He deflected most with his swords, his movements fast but fueled by reckless fury. One, however, struck his right side, searing flesh and armor alike. Pain tore through him, but it only sharpened his focus. With a calculated feint, he drew close enough to Siroth to land a shallow cut on the orange core's arm. Lightning crackled along the wound, forcing Siroth to pull back.Breathing hard, Rifi leapt back toward Kaelin's position. The blow to his side burned more than he expected, the smell of charred skin filling his nostrils. The sting of pain snapped him momentarily from his rage, grounding him in the reality of their desperate situation."Kaelin!" he shouted, his voice hoarse but commanding. "You need to go. I can hold them. I'll buy us some time."But even as the words left his mouth, a searing pain erupted in his chest. For a moment, confusion overtook him as he looked down. The tip of a fiery blade protruded through his armor, its glowing edge bathing his blood in an eerie, molten glow. The heat scorched everything it touched—his armor, his flesh, his lungs, his very heart.Kaelin's voice came from behind him, low and almost mocking. "You should have left when I told you, boss man." A cruel snicker followed, reverberating in Rifi's ears like a death knell.Rifi's instincts roared to life. He summoned the last reserves of his lightning mana, channeling it into his limbs. With an agonized cry, he twisted, wrenching the blade from Kaelin's grasp. The searing pain of the fiery sword leaving his chest nearly dropped him, but adrenaline and rage kept him upright. He spun and kicked Kaelin with all the force he could muster, a move that sent both of them skidding back.Kaelin landed with ease but Rifi stumbled. His boots scraped against the stone, his movements unsteady. As he fell to his knees, he grasped the sword still embedded in his chest. His trembling hands wrapped around its burning hilt, and with a guttural roar, he tore it free. Blood poured from the wound, each heartbeat pushing more life out of his failing body.Rifi's breaths came shallow and ragged, each inhale a fight against the searing pain in his chest. One lung felt useless, burned beyond repair, while his heart struggled to pump against the overwhelming damage. His vision blurred, but through sheer will, he forced his gaze to focus on Kaelin."Why…" he rasped, blood trickling from his lips. "Why?" His voice was raw, a mixture of anger, confusion, and heartbreak.Kaelin smirked, his fiery blade still glowing in his hand. "I warned you, didn't I? Do I really owe a dead man an explanation?" His words were laced with cold amusement, the cruelty of betrayal evident in every syllable.The Esquiliana red cores began to advance toward him, their movements precise and unrelenting. Rifi, battered and bleeding, forced his faltering body toward the cliffs, each step a struggle as he fought against the weight of his injuries. The only path left was up—into the treacherous heights of Brimstone Mountain. Spells rained down around him, their force shattering rock and sending debris scattering in all directions. Though his mana-infused body pushed him forward with bursts of speed, it came at a cost; his bleeding worsened with every desperate motion, his overworked heart driving his life force from him.Each step was agony, his chest burning with every shallow breath, but he pressed on. Stopping meant death—death at the hands of those he had sworn vengeance against. That thought alone propelled him upward, even as the sharp edges of the rocks tore into his already broken body.Then, it came.A roar unlike anything Rifi had ever heard before ripped through the air, the sound so immense it seemed to shake the very foundations of the mountain. It froze the Esquiliana forces in their tracks and stopped Rifi dead in his climb. The air around them grew oppressive, charged with an ancient power that made the mana coursing through him feel like a flicker against a hurricane. He turned, his bloodied face pale as he stared at the source of the sound.Rifi could barely discern the beast's massive shape before its clawed swiped at him with unrelenting force to his side. He raised his blades in a desperate attempt to block, but the sheer power of the blow sent him hurtling through the air like a discarded doll. His body crashed against the unforgiving ground, carving a shallow crater into the jagged terrain on the mountain. Pain erupted through every nerve, a relentless symphony of agony. His limbs felt leaden, refusing his commands to move. Blood welled in his mouth, and each ragged, shallow breath scraped against his lungs like shards of broken glass.Then the beast unleashed a force unlike anything Rifi had ever witnessed—raw power interwoven with an ancient magic that defied comprehension. Energy rippled through the air, a devastating wave of destruction that tore through the Esquiliana forces like dry leaves in a storm. Mages screamed as their bodies were shredded to pieces, the beast's roar shaking the very mountain. The carnage was absolute.Rifi, struggling to draw another breath, felt a bitter pang of regret. Kaelin and Siroth weren't among the slain, their treachery left unpunished. But still, the sight of four red cores and countless lesser mages falling to the beast's fury brought the faintest, fleeting smile to his bloodied face. It was a small consolation, one that lasted only a moment before pain seized him once more.The beast turned its colossal form toward him, its molten eyes locking onto his battered frame. Rifi's heart sank. He knew what came next. He closed his eyes, his broken body sinking further into the earth. Perhaps, at long last, he would find peace, reuniting with his sister and Master Nala in the beyond.But the end never came. Instead, the air grew thick with an unnatural stillness, and a voice thundered into his mind, deep and resonant as the roots of the mountain itself."Why does a human weakling like you bear a spirit imprint?"Rifi's mind swirled in disbelief as he forced his eyes open, his breath catching as the colossal beast loomed mere meters away. Its gaze bore into him, molten gold eyes alight with an unearthly brilliance that seemed to pierce straight into his soul. The creature was beyond anything he had ever imagined—a being both awe-inspiring and horrifying, embodying the primal majesty of nature's wrath and the terrible grace of a nightmare made flesh.Its immense body towered over him, easily dwarfing a house. Each scale that armored its form shimmered like polished metal, their surfaces alive with shifting hues that seemed to reflect not just the light but the essence of the world around it. Every movement of the beast exuded a fluid power, its iridescent glow casting eerie patterns on the jagged rocks.Wings spread from its back, vast and commanding, like sails of shadow interwoven with threads of ethereal silk. They rippled slightly in the breeze, promising a terrifying grace that could blot out the sky in an instant. Its head was the very embodiment of predatory perfection: angular and elongated, its golden eyes blazing with an ancient wisdom and fury that spoke of countless eons spent above mortal struggles. Jagged, curling horns crowned its skull, lending it an air of sovereign menace.Its maw, slightly ajar, revealed rows of dagger-like teeth, each gleaming with lethal intent. It was a cavern of death, a promise of destruction that could obliterate anything in its path. A low growl emanated from deep within its throat, rolling like distant thunder, the kind that heralded the oncoming fury of a storm. The very air around Rifi grew heavy and hot, as though it trembled at the beast's restrained wrath. Its talons, thick as ancient tree trunks, flexed against the stone, leaving deep gouges in the rock as if it were mere parchment.The creature defied comprehension. It was a being of pure contradictions: indescribably beautiful in its design yet capable of unfathomable devastation. To behold it was to feel the insignificance of one's existence—a fleeting breath in a world this beast had likely witnessed since its dawn.Rifi's mind reeled, questioning if he had already died. Perhaps this was no longer the mortal plane, and this creature was but a servant of death itself, here to ferry him to the afterlife. His thoughts flashed to the whisker his master Nala had entrusted to him, the strange artifact imprinted with a spirit beyond his understanding. A name surfaced unbidden in his mind, resonating with clarity: Felis Silvestris.The beast's growl rumbled through the air, its molten eyes narrowing with a mix of confusion and anger. "Felis Silvestris?" its voice thundered, carrying both disdain and intrigue. "That is no human spirit imprint. Explain yourself."Rifi's body betrayed him, his strength fading rapidly as the edges of his vision blurred. Darkness crept closer, threatening to pull him under, but before he could succumb, a familiar voice resonated deep within his mind—gentle, steady, and unmistakable. His master, Nala."My silly disciple," Nala's voice carried warmth and sorrow in equal measure. "I had hoped this would last you longer—that it would save you when you stood against the Devils. Yet fate has brought it to bear now. Even so, I still believe in you. Do not give up on yourself. Do not give in to doubt. This is the last I can give you, for my spirit can do no more. This is our final farewell. Please, live."Rifi's tears fell freely, streaking his bloodied face as his heart began to heal, ever so slowly, from the wounds that should have claimed his life. The bond he felt for his master deepened in that moment—a connection forged in sacrifice and unyielding belief. His master had given everything for him, even beyond the grave, just as his sister had on that fateful night. Those final words, "Please, live," echoed in his heart, intertwining with memories of love and loss.For a moment, Rifi forgot the colossal beast standing before him, so consumed was he by the flood of emotions and the warmth of Nala's gift. But the beast's voice shattered his reverie, its guttural growl a stark reminder of his precarious reality."I shall honor the wishes of the warrior Nala," the beast rumbled, the words not spoken but reverberating directly in Rifi's mind. Its tone was laced with reluctant respect. "I will permit you to remain on my mountain until you recover, but heed my warning, human: weaklings like you are not welcome here. Do not overstay your welcome, and do not return. If you do, I will not show mercy again."With a final, earth-shaking roar, the beast unfurled its vast wings and took to the skies, its powerful ascent creating gusts that whipped across the rocky terrain. The wind howled as the beast disappeared into the misty peaks, leaving Rifi sprawled on the ground, battered but alive.Rifi lay still, his insides a chaotic mess, his heart struggling to mend under the remnants of his master's gift. Though the wound was no longer fatal, his body screamed in protest with every shallow breath, every feeble movement. Yet, as broken as he was, he clung to the faint pulse of life within him.His master's final gift had spared him, and now, even in the shadow of death, Rifi knew one thing with certainty: he would endure.