The tiger clawed Essence, but he was able to dodge the beasts attack with his rod-sword. Something which should have happened a long time ago happened at the worst time. The rod sword broke into 2. Essence had to fight with a broken weapon, but he didn't faulter. But the tiger was stronger than the Essence's will. The monster threw Essence like a ball. He flew off like a Bird and landed near Cinder and Raghav. He looked at Cinder's wounds and though "Damn. He probably had balls of steal to face 2 of them at the same time."
Then we go back to the fight with Cinder and the 2 Leopards. Essence was organizing his team. Cinder got up all bloody from the fall. He looked like he had serious injuries. But his eyes didn't even show a hint of pain in his eyes. All that was seen in them was fury, rage and the bloodlust for the beasts. He jumps and turns in the air and lands a spinning blow to the wind leopard. It cries out in pain. Seeing his kin cry the shadow leopard jumps into the shadow casted by a tree and a black gooey substance dashes towards Cinder. The shadow leopard jumps out of Cinder's shadow and etches its claw marks into Cinder's back. Cinder didn't expect this when Raghav told him the Big Cats could do magic. He jumps to a wall to lean on. As his back touch's the cold and rough wall a jolt of pain shakes him to his core. Feeling the pain, he knew if this happens once again, he is surely dead. His thoughts spiralled into fear as the 2 mystic beings jumped in front of him. His hands start to shake violently, but then he sees where he is standing. It's a step away from where his best friend breathe his last breath. He was not fighting for survival; he was fighting for revenge. The wild leopard jumps at his neck to bite but Cinder side steps to dodge it. The leopard hits the wall and loses its balance. Cinder slams the cricket bat into the beast's head. The leopard who just grew magical abilities and didn't grow physically were no match against a man's ruthless onslaught. It bled from its nose and eye and tried its best to jump around at maybe scratch Cinder, but it couldn't as its own blood blinded it. The shadow leopard again jumps at Cinder repeating the previous cycle. But this time Cinder understood its ability. He opened his inventory and removed a stockpile of crackers. He threw them in all the directions. It looked like he was just wasting his possessions. The leopard who also assumed he was crazy used its shadow jump to attack again. It turned into the gooey substance and went to the wall's shadow. When it came out it was met with a loud boom. It was Cinder's crackers. Its fur was on a light fire. It stinged the beast enough to use the shadow jump to the tree. It also yielded the same result. It tried 2 more times but it Cinder didn't leave a single shadow with any crackers. Now the beast was full of burns, and nearly all its fur was set ablaze. It then toughs of something genuinely genius for its species. Cinder's shadow won't have any crackers as it will damage him too. It looked towards Cinder to see him stand with 1 leg on the wind leopard's face hit till mush and most of its bones fractured. 1 of Cinder's bats also broke in the process. The shadow leopard cried out a roar and jumped in the shadows now rushing towards Cinder. But he stood with no fear. But this time it was not blind bravado but a calculated decision. When the shadow leopard jumped out Cinder threw a ton of Crackers right into it's mouth and gunpowder on its face. Cinder leaped away as he said his catch phrase "Boom!" The shadow leopard also gave out. But before it could go into eternal sleep the other leopard of wind nudged it. Seeing its companion alive it also nudged it back. Cinder saw them together and remembers him and Rocky. Rocky was his family when his family was not enough. He grew with Rocky. But now he is no more. He saw the same warmth between them. But his rage was still his strongest emotion right now. In the jungle the weak always r preyed upon by the strong. He raised his leg to walk towards them, ending the fight once it for all but his legs gave out. He lost too much blood. But before he could fall, someone strong held him. Cinder didn't even look the person face to face as he knew who would be dumb yet smart enough to jump in to help him. Only words "leave the leopards." As now the battle was in safe and rational hands.
Essence comes out of a daze. No time to think about the peak of his friend. He needs to stand his ground against this mutated king of beasts, lighting crackled and it let out a soft growl. Essence stood up supported by the bat in Cinder's hand which he took for himself. When he raised it. He saw there was already blood marks on it. It didn't look like the blood of leopards as it was dry and absorbed by the bat. Before Essence could ponder more about it, he was hit jumped by the tiger. Essence managed to dodge with the bat. But such a strong force left him shaken. Essence then runs away from Cinder, so he doesn't get hurt. But he sees the tiger didn't move from its place. This was not how a beast acts. it's supposed to hunt the running prey and not feed on the scraps of other's, it's a king. But Essence was left in shock from what it saw. The tiger shoved Cinder close to the wall and then started to chase him. Was that an act of kindness? Did the beast which only knows blood just show mercy to his buddy even after all the cruel things he did with his allies? Yet again the beasts attacked Essence. Essence had a lot of complex emotions in his mind, but he had no idea on how to answer his queries. All left to do is fight, fight till death. The tiger which could glow in magic gave Essence chills, but he had no other option to save himself. In the nick of time Raghav jumped in riding the Elephant. He had no weapon, no will to fight and was sweating buckets from fear but he was ready to end this beast once it for all. The elephant grabbed the tiger's neck and pinned it down on the ground. Essence saw the elephant's intinctions and landed a strong blow right on the face of the tiger. Before the tiger to break out of grasp of the Peacekeeper of the jungle, Essence manged to land 2 more hits. When the Tiger broke out of the chokehold it used its lighting powers and jumped away as fast lighting. Essence and Raghav where awe struck but this impossible speed shown by a beast that big. Despair loomed over their heads. How are you even supposed to defeat such a fast beast? A system panel pop up showed up "Status Effect: Fear - all action's slowed down by 50%" But then a follow up message joined in "Due to Passive skill: Calm mind - The effect of the status effect Fear is reduced by 50%" It was not good new but now a bad one either. He was still quite slower and shaken. Then he sees the elephant raise its trunk. It lets out the signature Trumpet like roar. After it's done 2 more distant roars also soon follow. The elephant follows them up with another Trumpet like roar. Then the ground starts shaking. All the beasts under the rule of Raghav and the elephants showed up to the place where the fight was happening. they all were injured and quite where missing, as they probably fell in battle. One elephant had its truck almost cut open and the other hand no tusks left and an ear ripped off. but they were ready to fight. Fight till their last breath. Raghav jumped to Essence "Sorry one of the elephants was asking for help and I went leaving your friend alone." "Yea-Yea no need to explain. I know you had to for plot development." Essence's words left Raghav in a stupor. Then Essence spoke with an idea in his mind "I can get more Explosives from Cinder. We can use them some way." Then he shouted, "WHERE IS CINDER?" when he saw Cinder missing from where he was pushed by the king with a heart. Raghav calmed him down "he is back at the elephant's shelter as there is hay, we laid him on. It helps was recovery and stops blood loss." "DO YOU NOT HAVE BASIC FIRST AID?" Essence shouted while a hippo died at the hands of the tiger. "I USED THEM ALL UP. WE ARE ALSO TRYING TO SURVIVE!" Raghav retuned Essence's rage with thunder. "THEY ARE FU**ING BEASTS... leave it. Look Hold strong I'll be back before the tea is cold." And jumped away to go to his friend. Raghav was in shock at the cruel words used against his family, but he knew somewhere in his heart, this was not his true family. He shook his head to concentrate on fight
Essence reached the Elephant shelter. but he was met with a gruesome seen. There where 2 dead monkeys on the ground. they all had huge bite marks and were foaming at mouth. He boiled in anger as he knew who did this. He jumped through the broken window Expecting the worse. but the sight inside made gave him relief. Cinder was strangling the Snake by its own body while also being wrapped in it. The Snake looked in pain. Essence and Cinder quickly finished it off. Cinder fell down after the struggle "Turns out the snake was a snake." Essence and Cinder both laugh at the silly joke. "How did you fight it off anyways.?" Essence asked. Cinder answered "Well, when it killed one of the monkeys, 1 cried out loud and so i got ready. it was quite stupid. I jumped on its back and held its neck and put a few crackers in its mouth and boom." "You are crazy indeed!" Cinder laughed at the remark of Essence. They both ran back to help with the fight, but it was decided that Cinder would fight from the sidelines. but when they reached where the fight was happening. it looked like they were not needed. The Elephants were stepping on the Tiger. it was probably dead. When Essence inquired to Raghav he answered "Oh yea the Tiger could just dash at a random direction. it probably couldn't use it as an attack due to the set back. So, we surrounded it and now it's facially down." Essence saw the hint of regret in the eyes of Raghav and asked about it "What's the matter boss? your greatest enemy is down. shouldn't you be happy?" Raghav let out a not so funny laugh "Happy? I killed one of my family and you want me to be happy? Everyone including the tiger was family." Raghav was step away from crying but then the elephant pulled him towards itself and let out the trumpet roar but this time it felt full of tear's all the other beasts also cried along with their kings. Essence brushed his hands through Cinder's head as he was also at the verge of tearing up. "Hold tight. you have to see more battles like this."
War is fought in blood, but its Epilogue are full of tears