The first corrupted tiger lunged, its massive frame a blur of black and orange, jaws snapping with unnatural force.
Arian sidestepped, barely avoiding the strike, but the creature's claws still grazed his forearm. The pain was sharp, but what burned worse was the wrongness that seeped into the wound — a cold, crawling sensation that made his muscles twitch.
The guardian's voice thundered in his head.
Don't let their blood touch yours for long — it carries the rot of the Ash.
Too late. The black threads were already creeping along his veins like living shadows.
The second tiger attacked from behind. Arian dropped low, sweeping his leg under the beast's front paws, sending it crashing sideways. Before it could recover, the guardian was on it, jaws clamping around its neck. There was a crunch, then a choked snarl.
But the third one…It didn't charge. It circled. Watching.Its red eyes locked with Arian's, and something inside him flinched.
This one was different.Smarter.And as its gaze bore into him, Arian felt a faint pull in his chest — as if his heartbeat was being synced with the beast's.
The masked commander stepped forward from the treeline.
"You feel it, don't you? That's because it shares your bloodline."
The words hit harder than the fight itself.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Arian growled.
The man tilted his head.
"That is your sibling."
Before Arian could respond, the creature moved — not to attack, but to speak. Its voice was rough, broken, but unmistakably inside his head.
Brother… come with me… the forest is dying.
Arian froze. Around him, the battle seemed to fade. The guardian's growl rumbled low, distrust thick in every syllable.
It's lying.
But Arian wasn't sure. Because deep down, something in his blood whispered the same truth.
Arian's breath came in short, uneven bursts. The forest around him seemed to blur, as though the air itself was holding its breath.
"Brother?" he repeated, his voice low, sharp. "I don't have a brother."
The creature tilted its massive head. The stripes along its fur shifted like ripples of ink, and the red glow in its eyes softened — just for a moment.
Not of your world… but of your blood.
The masked commander took a step closer, his boots silent on the damp leaves.
"Your father's legacy runs deeper than you think. The Blood of the Tiger isn't just a title — it's a lineage. One that binds you… even to this."
The guardian tiger moved between Arian and the corrupted beast, muscles tense.
Do not listen, Arian. That thing is ash-bound. It will drag you into darkness.
But the pull was there — in his veins, in the strange pulse syncing with the beast's heartbeat. And when the creature blinked, Arian caught flashes… memories not his own:— A younger tiger cub running through the Jambi forest.— Shadows falling over the trees.— Cold chains.— A voice in the dark, promising power.
A sudden, bone-shaking roar ripped through the clearing. The corrupted sibling pounced, but not toward Arian — toward the guardian. In an instant, they were locked in a clash of claws and teeth, the forest floor tearing beneath them.
The masked commander smirked beneath his hood.
"Choose, Blood Heir. Will you kill your own… or join him?"
Arian's hand tightened around his blade. The black infection in his forearm burned hotter, crawling toward his elbow.
He had seconds to decide.
The pounding in Arian's chest matched the echo of claws tearing into earth. Every movement of the battling tigers sent waves of force through the ground, as if the forest itself trembled at their conflict.
His vision swam — the corrupted tiger's red eyes pulling him in, the guardian's golden gaze anchoring him back.
They're both… my kin?The thought was madness, but the burn in his infected arm told him it was truth.
The masked commander's voice sliced through the chaos.
"Blood recognizes blood. That is why it calls you 'brother'. And that is why you feel the pain in your veins now."
Pain. Yes — sharp, searing, twisting up his muscles. He looked down to see the black veins spreading faster, pulsing with every roar the corrupted tiger made.
The guardian tiger yelped as the corrupted one's claw raked across its side, leaving a deep gash. The sound jolted Arian out of his haze.
"No…" His voice cracked. "I won't watch you die."
Without thinking, Arian charged. His blade flashed, intercepting the corrupted tiger's next strike. The impact sent a shock through his arm — black energy surging from the beast into him.
The commander's laughter was low, satisfied.
"Yes… the bond strengthens."
Arian gritted his teeth, holding the corrupted tiger's gaze. In that instant, something unspoken passed between them — not words, but a memory, a plea, a warning.
And then, it spoke again.
If you kill me… the forest dies with me.
The world tilted. His choice was no longer just about blood… it was about the fate of everything.