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Cody's group trudged through the thick, oppressive air of the forest, their limbs heavy with exhaustion and their hearts pounding from the frantic retreat from the roc. The Skyreach Mountains now lay far behind them, obscured by the towering trees of the forest biome. Sweat dripped down their faces, mixing with the dirt and grime from the caves, while the rustling of leaves and occasional calls of distant creatures kept their senses on edge.
They had made it to the tree line, just past the last of the foothills, where the dense forest provided a brief reprieve from the open sky. The moment their boots crossed into the shadow of the forest canopy, their leader, Cody, halted abruptly. The others followed suit, dropping into exhausted crouches, grateful for the momentary pause.
Through the dim light of the forest, a figure stumbled toward them. Cody's hand instinctively went to the hilt of his weapon, until he recognized the faint glow of divine energy emanating from the figure.
"Prince Arlen?" Cody murmured, his voice filled with shock and disbelief.
Prince Arlen staggered forward, barely upright, his usual divine presence reduced to a flickering glow. But even in this state, there was something new, something alarming about his aura. It burned bright red, indicating he was channeling every ounce of power he had left. The color of the aura was the unmistakable sign of his tier—6th rank, a secret he had kept hidden until now. The intensity of the aura was overpowering, though it had clearly taken a massive toll on him.
Cradled in one arm, Arlen carried a small, tier-6 jaguar cub, fast asleep, completely oblivious to the chaos around it. Its sleek fur glistened under the pale shafts of light breaking through the trees. Floating beside Arlen was a radiant basket made of pure light, carrying his unconscious teammates—Lily, Fiona, Ronan, Isla, Sari, Kelan, Eira, and Nerik. They were pale, beaten, and unconscious, their breaths shallow but steady.
Cody and his group rushed forward. "What happened?" Cody asked, reaching out as Arlen swayed on his feet.
Arlen didn't respond at first. His face was ashen, and his legs buckled beneath him. With a groan, he extended the cub toward Cody, his voice barely audible. "Take it... It's our only leverage."
Cody blinked in confusion but took the cub gingerly from Arlen's arms. The cub was small, unassuming, and fragile in Cody's hands, but there was a distinct energy about it. He could feel its latent power even as it slept.
"What do you mean, leverage?" Cody asked, his voice tight with concern.
Arlen, collapsing onto his knees, gasped for breath, the red glow of his aura flickering dangerously as he struggled to keep consciousness. His divine energy was faltering, nearly drained from whatever hell he and his team had faced. "We... we found its nest. After fighting a tier-5 beast... we thought we had won."
Cody's group exchanged uneasy glances. "Go on," Cody urged, kneeling beside the prince.
Arlen's voice was weak, but he forced himself to continue. "The nest was made of bones... countless animals' bones. In the center, we found this cub. We thought... we thought the mother was a tier-7 beast, so we brought out our best equipment. But... we were wrong."
His words came in ragged breaths. "The mother came... in human form. She bore the mark of an 8th-ranked beast... purple, like intertwined fangs and claws... glowing on her forehead."
Cody's blood ran cold. An 8th-ranked beast. Far beyond anything they could handle.
"She... destroyed us. Our equipment—shattered. Our weapons—useless. One by one, she toyed with us... until we were almost dead. I knew... I knew she was playing with her food. That's when I took the cub." Arlen coughed violently, clutching his side. "I didn't have a choice... she let us go because I took her child. But she's... she's not done."
Cody clenched his jaw, absorbing the prince's words. The weight of their situation settled on the group, a suffocating dread creeping in. The roc had been one thing, a beast of enormous power, but they now realized that a far more dangerous predator was hunting them. And it wasn't because of a simple encounter—it was because they had the jaguar's cub.
Arlen's aura finally flickered out, and he collapsed entirely, his body unable to sustain itself any longer. Cody quickly uncorked the last vial of medical elixir they had and gently poured it down Arlen's throat. The prince's breathing steadied, though he remained unconscious. His divine aura dimmed completely.
The forest was silent. The only sound was the distant rustling of leaves and the heavy breathing of Cody's group. For a moment, they felt the slightest relief—until a cold gust of wind swept through the trees, raising the hairs on their necks.
Cody stood, holding the cub tightly. His gaze darted around the forest, muscles tense, eyes wide. "Something's coming."
The rest of the group scrambled to their feet, weapons drawn, hearts pounding. The forest seemed to close in on them, the thick canopy above darkening as though the light of day was being swallowed.
A powerful, bone-chilling gust of wind slammed through the clearing, scattering leaves and branches in all directions. Cody's group turned in unison, staring in horror as the enormous figure of the roc descended from the skies, landing heavily at the edge of the clearing. Its wings, shimmering with wind-like currents, spread wide, casting an ominous shadow over the group. Its talons dug into the earth, and its predatory eyes locked onto them—specifically onto the cub in Cody's arms.
"We didn't lose it," someone whispered, their voice trembling.
As they prepared for the worst, another sound reached their ears—a low, rumbling growl, primal and filled with fury. Cody's heart sank as the group turned again, now facing the opposite direction.
Emerging from the dark shadows of the forest was the jaguar mother, her sleek form moving with terrifying grace. Her purple-marked forehead glowed ominously, and her eyes, burning with cold rage, were fixed on the cub.
The group was trapped. On one side, the massive roc, its wind-like powers swirling around it, eager for the kill it had been denied. On the other, the jaguar mother, whose power dwarfed anything they had faced before, moving with calculated anger.
Cody's grip tightened on the cub. The weight of their predicament crushed down on him. Both predators were closing in, their eyes filled with intent intent to kill. He then thought ' If we are to survive, I'll have to use "that" '
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Power guys , power