---
The Dire Lupus's massive carcass lay sprawled on the ground, its red eyes dull and lifeless. The air was thick with the stench of blood, and the only sound in the clearing was the distant rustling of leaves. Kaelen stood over the beast, his dagger still embedded in its side, and wiped a trickle of sweat from his brow. His heart was still pounding with the adrenaline of the fight, and he couldn't help but smile.
"That was pretty good," he said, pulling his dagger free with a satisfying squelch. "I'll admit, that was a lot more exciting than I thought it'd be. And it only took us—what? Fifteen minutes?"
Ariella, who had been catching her breath nearby, shot him a look that could cut through stone. "You're impossible. I can't believe you're making jokes after we almost got killed."
Kaelen just shrugged, tossing the bloodied dagger into the air before catching it again with a flourish. "Hey, I never said I wasn't an adrenaline junkie. Besides, we're still alive, aren't we?"
"Thanks to *me*," she snapped, glancing at the huge gash in her side, which was now oozing blood. "And you could have helped me out a bit more instead of making sarcastic remarks."
"Yeah, but where's the fun in that?" Kaelen said, grinning. He didn't miss the way her eyes twitched in frustration. He was practically *swimming* in Wrath Points now, and it was too tempting not to poke the bear.
---
**Wrath Points: 5 / 20.**
---
He could almost feel the power flooding him as the points ticked up, and his grin only grew wider. This was better than he'd imagined. All he had to do was irritate Ariella and the system did the rest.
"Tell you what," he said, offering her a half-hearted apology. "I'll patch you up, and then we'll move on. Don't get too excited, though. You know, it'll be more fun if you're actually alive to complain later."
She gave him a withering look, clearly unimpressed. "I'm *perfectly* capable of handling myself, thank you."
"Sure, sure," Kaelen said, crossing his arms and giving her a knowing wink. "But I'm still the one with all the healing potions, right?"
Ariella sighed. "Fine. Do it your way. Just make it quick."
With a dramatic flourish, Kaelen reached into his bag, pulling out a small vial of shimmering liquid. He uncorked it and sloshed a little on the gash on her side, making exaggerated "tsk-tsk" sounds as he did so. "You know, if you weren't so stubborn, you'd let me heal you before we got in the fight."
Ariella didn't say anything, her teeth gritted in irritation as the wound sealed up in a matter of seconds. When Kaelen was finished, she stood up straight, brushing the remnants of the potion from her side.
"Better?" Kaelen asked, clearly enjoying the process far too much.
"Much," she replied, though she couldn't hide the hint of gratitude in her voice. "Thank you."
"See? I'm not *completely* terrible," he said, finally allowing himself a moment of satisfaction. "Now, what's next? You didn't drag me all the way out here just for a monster hunt, did you?"
Ariella frowned, taking a step back and scanning the horizon. "We need to move quickly. The relic's inside the Darkspire Fortress, and we can't afford to waste time here. The Empire's forces are likely already alerted to our presence."
Kaelen's eyes glinted with mischief. "Ah, yes. The Empire. I'm sure they'll be thrilled to see us."
---
**Wrath Points: 10 / 20.**
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"You've been irritating them long enough, haven't you?" Ariella shot back, crossing her arms.
Kaelen smirked, flicking a speck of dirt off his shoulder. "It's a gift, really. You should be thanking me. After all, what would an adventure be without a little chaos?"
Before Ariella could respond, a shadow suddenly loomed over them. Both of them turned, instinctively reaching for their weapons, only to see a figure stepping out from the trees—a woman, tall and cloaked in black. She wore a hood that obscured most of her face, but there was something unmistakable about her presence: confidence, danger, and the sense that she wasn't someone to be trifled with.
Kaelen raised an eyebrow. "Well, well. Looks like the party's getting more interesting."
"Stay back," Ariella hissed, her hand tightening around the hilt of her sword. "Who are you?"
The woman's lips curled into a half-smile. "You don't recognize me, do you?" She lowered her hood, revealing sharp features, silver hair, and strikingly cold blue eyes. "I've been keeping an eye on you, *Ariella of the Silver Order*."
Ariella's expression shifted to one of surprise, but then quickly hardened. "Seraphine. I should have known."
Kaelen tilted his head, intrigued. "Oh, this is going to be good. Care to share with the class, Ariella?"
The woman—Seraphine—ignored him completely, her gaze still locked on Ariella. "It's been a long time, hasn't it? I see you've found yourself a *new*... companion." She eyed Kaelen as though he were little more than a nuisance.
Kaelen grinned, unfazed. "Oh, I'm more than a companion. I'm *entertainment*. And, for the record, I don't like being ignored. Makes my Wrath Points go up."
Seraphine didn't seem particularly interested in his comment, but the way her eyes narrowed told him she wasn't one to suffer fools.
"Well, this is a fun little reunion," Kaelen continued, leaning casually against a nearby rock. "But I've got more pressing matters to attend to, like annoying my travel buddy here and finding that relic of yours. But hey, if you've got a story to tell, I'm all ears."
Ariella shot him an exasperated look. "Just... let me handle this."
---
**Wrath Points: 15 / 20.**
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The back-and-forth had racked up a few more points, and Kaelen felt himself growing even stronger. At this rate, he might even hit the next level before they reached the fortress.
Seraphine didn't say anything for a long moment, her gaze flicking between Kaelen and Ariella. Then, with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, she spoke.
"You'll regret this. Both of you."
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