There was only one chance left to save SegeFord.
So, they took it.
Without wasting a breath, the group headed straight toward the abandoned cremation ground.
The merchant had told them it was an ancient site, untouched for generations. Once, the place had been sacred—a holy ground where bodies were sent off in flame and prayer. But no longer. The jungle surrounding it had thickened over the years, and beasts now roamed freely in its silence. People no longer visited the grounds, not merely out of fear, but because the tradition itself had died.
In a different age, a divine age, fire was believed to release the soul—free it through ritual and smoke. When gods still walked the land, when divinity flowed in the blood of every living being, the cremation grounds were sacred. But even the holiness of that era could not stop the world from rotting.
So people changed. Traditions changed. The sacred became forgotten.
But the place they were heading toward… no one knew how it looked now. No one dared to go close.
A long time had passed since they left the outpost.
They followed just one clue:
"Towards the Spine of Zha'ath… until everything falls quiet."
Kael understood what that meant. He knew what "quiet" meant.
"It's already past early noon… When will we reach there?!" Miya asked.
She had calmed down by now, but her eyes hadn't. SegeFord still rested in her lap. Kael caught her looking down at the Segeford's face—half-bloodied, barely alive—and the sight made his chest tighten. There was fear in her expression, yes, but also something deeper. Love. A desperate kind of love that wanted to keep him breathing, no matter what.
SegeFord's condition was worse than ever. Every breath was a battle. His chest trembled with pain Kael could almost hear. How long would he last? A day? Less? If he made it till nightfall, it would be a blessing.
Segeford was suffering. Unimaginable pain. The kind that made a person beg for Death. All they could do was watch. Pity him.
"I've never been this deep into the jungle," Liam replied to Miya, carefully guiding the bull-cart. " This is the first time i have seen the Spine this close. But this is our only chance… and I'll do everything I can. Don't worry."
Kael said nothing. Neither did Terren. Both sat still, eyes locked on SegeFord, as if staring at him might keep him alive.
RAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWR—
A sudden roar.
Sudden. Violent. Like something had noticed them.
Terren jumped to his feet and leapt from the cart before Kael even blinked. He was right behind him.
"Drake," Liam said. Calm, but serious. "Be careful. It's dangerous. It is considered one of the greater beasts."
A Drake.
Kael had never seen one in his life… only heard the old men whisper about them during the long winters. Abominations. Scaled giants. A mountain on feet.
The trees ahead shook, then trembled. Something big was coming. The earth didn't rumbled. Something enormous was crashing through the canopy, pushing aside the jungle like tall grass. Birds scattered overhead, screaming as they vanished into the sky.
"I'll take the initiative," Liam said. He stepped off the cart and unsheathed his blade. "Miya, guard the rear. Terren—handle the cart. Kael—"
He looked at Kael.
"You stay with SegeFord."
It was the right plan.
But—
"I want to fight," Kael said. "I've been training. I'm ready."
Liam didn't even blink.
"Yes. You'll fight. But not on the front line."
His gaze burned into Kael's.
"Every line of defense matters. Yours is the last one. That means you can't break… no matter what."
That silence after… it wasn't hesitation. It was understanding.
Kael nodded.
Kael sat near Segeford as Miya Dropped from cart with her Bow.
Terren took the reins, guiding the bull. Miya, with her half-dead eyes, drew her bow. There was something terrifying in her silence. Her eyes didn't blink. They didn't shake. They looked like they could kill a god.
They kept advancing, slowly but steadily.
Liam started walking in front of the cart, keeping distance—like bait. He was calm. Dangerous. Like he was waiting for the world to explode so he could punch it back into place.
They kept moving…
Then—the cart stopped.
The bull was shaking. Trembling violently. Breathing heavy through its nostrils like it had seen something primordial.
With a sudden jerk, the bull reared up and thrashed, nearly knocking the cart over.
"Pull the shades!" Liam shouted.
Terren moved fast—pulling the shade blinders over the bull's eyes.
Blinded, the beast calmed slightly, still growling, still uneasy—but no longer trying to flee.
"Take stance… It's here," Liam muttered.
Terren jumped down and drew his blade. getting ready to slash.
and he froze as he looked at the scene before him,
A wide, rotting mouth emerged from the tree line like a nightmare unraveling from the woods.
Its tongue flicked like a serpent's. Saliva oozed from its mouth. Thick saliva soaked its own face and burned into the ground like acid. The creature looked like an infection in motion. Like the woods had coughed up something sick.
It was massive. Easily twice the size of their bull.
They didn't move.
It was dangerous, but not breath-stealing. They had seen worse.
Still, the moment hung like a held breath…
It moved…
It moved fast for something so big. Dirt kicked. Trees snapped.
But they had something faster.
Liam.
He vanished from view—then reappeared at the creature's flank.
THUD!
He struck its right leg—hard. A clean hit. But it bounced off with a sharp clang.
No damage.
Beast noticed Liam and looked toward Liam asif it was being generous not squashing Liam like a bug.
"Left! Terren!" Liam barked. "Under—
Shirk—
Terren's blade pierced just beneath the drake's belly, where the scales thinned and its body became soft.
RAAAAAAWWW—
The beast howled and whipped its tail—
CRACK!
Terren got tossed like a doll, slammed into a tree.
Blood flew as Terren's head snapped against the tree—he barely stayed conscious.
In just a single blow, On member of the party was reduced.
"Miya…", Liam shouted again as he pushed his sword on the right side beast's large body.
Slash—
Liam gave a huge scar to the beast… and jumped back increasing distance…
Swoosh.
Miya's arrow sank deep into the drake's left eye before the beast could react to Liam.
It screamed—one eye blacked out, pouring darkness down its face like oil.
It thrashed wildly. Staggering. Tearing the earth apart in pain.
Then—it stopped.
It looked at Liam. Dead-on. Like it had understood.
"Everyone, brace!" Liam shouted. "We're in deep shit!"
It dashed again—this time not toward him…
Not toward Terren…
But toward the cart.
Toward Kael. Toward SegeFord.
"No—you lizard shit!" Miya screamed.
She fired arrow after arrow, but they bounced off—worthless against that armored hide.
So she unsheathed her twin daggers—longer than most—and threw herself between the cart and the drake.
The beast charged. Mouth open.
Miya raised her blades—ready to die.
Then—CRACK.
Wind slapped Kael's face as the drake's jaw snapped to the side.
It stumbled—blood erupting from its mouth.
"Piercer," Kael whispered.
Liam.
The drake staggered.
And Miya drove both daggers into its open mouth.
But She couldn't get them in deep enough—
She pushed on drake's teeth inorder to kick and push herself back, She Pushed,
"Couldn't get them deep enoug—"
But before she could even turn her head to speak—
CRACK.
The tail hit her full-force.
She flew into the trees.
Silence.
Kael couldn't hear her anymore.
The beast turned to Liam.
It was close—half a meter. Its broken jaw dripping venom and blood. It hissed directly into Liam's face.
Then it moved.
The claw struck fast—Liam couldn't dodge.
SCRATCH.
His back tore open as he hit the ground.
Kael's heart stopped.
No. No. No. Not him. He wouldn't lose another.
Kael jumped from the cart, blade drawn.
"HEY! You fuck!" Kael roared. "Come here, you shit!"
Its massive head turned.
He had its attention.
His legs moved before his thoughts did. He sprinted to its side, toward the back—
One… Just one scratch will be enoug—
SWOOSH.
Something strucked Kael as he lost his vision.
When Kael opened his eyes, he couldn't breathe. His left arm was numb—maybe broken. His ribs screamed. Blood poured from his mouth and nose.
He was in the trees. He had been thrown like the rest.
It was too early to be heroic.
"You FUCKING idiot!" Liam barked from somewhere ahead.
He was on his feet again.
Bleeding. Battered. But alive.
Liam made distance between him and the Drake.
But now… he was the only one who could fight. And that lizard was not looking like it would go down anytime soon… It was hopeless.
The drake was dragging its torn mass toward Liam, whose back was scraped raw, breath broken, blood dripping from his jaw.
Even if it killed Liam it will not be able to Eat. But it advanced…
It stood anyway.
Liam took stance—one Kael hadn't seen before.
The blade was lowered, pointed sideways, and his left side faced the beast.
Kael knew from the stillness of Liam's arms, from how the wind dared not move—
It was that moment.
"Kill, or be killed."
Just a the beast moved, a voice cut through the woods.
"Bhasmam Bhavh."
Kael heard the single word.
And with that single word—
RAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWW—
The drake screamed. Not in rage. Not in hunger. But in pain.
A pain Kael could smell.
It reeked—like rotting meat wrapped in smoke, like burnt skin peeling from bone. His nose curled, and his eyes began to water.
And what he saw made his body freeze.
The drake was burning.
Not from the outside.
From within.
Its scales blistered and split open, black fire leaking from every wound, every breath, every inch of its monstrous form. Its tail flailed helplessly. Its claws tore into the earth—not to attack—but to escape itself.
And then—
A silhouette stepped from the treeline.
A man. Or what once was.
His body was streaked with ash—not smeared, but painted—in patterns that looked like they belonged to a forgotten age. His hair was matted into thick knots, falling in ropes to his chest, and decorated with bones, feathers, and black pearls that seemed to absorb the light.
His eyes were barely open. Yet Kael felt them on him.
His bracelets were made of something unearthly—like old stone that had once been alive.
He wore no cloth, no armor. Only the symbols—on his skin, around his neck, hanging from his wrists—marked his presence as if he walked straight out of the era of gods or demons.
Kael was no longer concerned about the drake.
He was concerned about this being who burned it with a single utterance of a word.
Who is this man? Or rather… what is he?