The squad rode down the steep hill as fast as their Shadow Stalkers could run.
The beasts' claws tore through the dirt, throwing dust and gravel into the air. The wind howled in their ears, carrying the smell of smoke, ash, and burning wood. The sky, once soft with morning light, was now hidden beneath thick gray clouds that hung low and heavy. Every breath they took tasted of soot.
Below them, the valley burned.
What was once a peaceful village was now a place of chaos and death. Faint screams rose and faded like the last breaths of the dying. The faint crackle of fire mixed with distant roars — not human, but beastly.
No one spoke. No one dared to.
The only sound was the pounding of their mounts' feet and the faint clatter of weapons against armor. Every face was tense, focused, hearts racing.
By the time they reached the village gates, the truth hit them like a hammer.
It was too late.
The entire village had been destroyed. Houses lay broken under the massive footprints of dinosaurs. Walls were split in half, doors torn from hinges. Fire climbed up the sides of the ruins, licking what was left of the homes. The ground was covered with ash and dark stains of blood. The once-green trees were now nothing more than blackened bones.
Ragna slowed his Shadow Stalker and came to a stop. The rest followed his lead, gathering near him.
For a moment, everyone just stared in silence at the ruins before them — trying to process the horror.
Ragna's eyes were sharp and cold. He had seen many battles before, but every time, it hurt the same.
He clenched his jaw. "This isn't a battlefield," he said under his breath. "It's a graveyard."
Then he raised his voice, strong and steady.
"Spread out!" he ordered. "Help as many people as you can. Avoid unnecessary fights — save lives first!"
Everyone nodded firmly. The sound of his command seemed to break the spell of shock.
They split into groups quickly:
Kaen, Riku, and Ryn took the south road, where the smoke was rising thickest.
Ragna led Jin and Darren eastward, toward the sound of roaring and crashing.
Draxion, Aya, and Boran turned to the west, guiding their mounts through the burning streets.
Each group rode into the destruction, vanishing into the smoke and fire.
---
The South Road
Kaen's Shadow Stalker raced forward, its feet pounding against the dirt road. The beast's black scales shimmered faintly under the flames around them. Kaen kept one hand on the reins and the other on his blade, his eyes darting around.
Everywhere they looked, the village was falling apart. Roofs had collapsed, wagons were overturned, and the cries of people begging for help echoed through the streets.
Riku covered her mouth with her scarf to block the smoke. Her eyes were wide with fear and sadness. "How could this happen so fast?" she whispered.
Ryn, riding beside her, kept his expression steady. "They must've come during dawn," he said. "No one would've been ready."
Kaen didn't reply. He was focused, scanning every shadow, every movement. His gut told him something was still here — something dangerous.
Then he saw it.
A small boy was running down the road, his tiny legs stumbling through the dirt. Behind him, a dinosaur — about the size of a horse — chased him, roaring so loud it shook the ground. Its body was covered in horned scales, and its long tongue flicked between sharp teeth.
Kaen's instincts kicked in immediately.
He pulled the reins sharply.
"Hold on!" he shouted to Riku and Ryn.
The Shadow Stalker leapt forward with explosive speed, claws tearing through the dirt. Kaen unsheathed his blade in one clean motion — a flash of silver cutting through the smoke.
He leaned low, wind whipping through his hair, and in a blur, he swung.
The blade sliced clean through the air.
The dinosaur didn't even have time to roar. Its head rolled off its shoulders, thudding against the ground as its body stumbled a few steps before collapsing.
The boy fell to his knees, gasping and crying. Kaen jumped off his mount and ran to him. His armor clanked lightly with each step. He knelt beside the boy, who looked no older than eight, his face covered in soot and tears.
"Hey," Kaen said softly, his voice gentle. "It's okay. You're safe now."
The boy looked up at him, eyes wide with terror.
"M-my mother… she stayed behind," he sobbed. "She told me to run with my sister… but I lost her. I don't know where she is!"
Kaen's chest tightened. For a moment, he saw a flash of himself — the night he lost his own family, standing helpless and afraid.
He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. His touch was warm and steady.
"We'll find her," Kaen said. "I promise."
He lifted the boy carefully and set him on the Shadow Stalker's back behind him. The boy clung tightly to his waist as they started moving again.
The child pointed toward the far end of the ruins.
"We were running that way… that's where I saw her last!"
Kaen nodded and urged the mount forward. They passed through narrow lanes filled with burning debris. Sometimes, they could hear distant growls or see shadows moving between houses, but Kaen didn't stop.
When they finally reached the spot, it was empty. The air was silent, except for the crackle of fire. The ground was covered with fallen bricks and blackened beams.
Kaen jumped off and scanned the area, sword ready.
"Riku, Ryn — check the corners. She must be nearby."
They spread out carefully.
The boy looked around with wide, scared eyes. "She was right here…" he whispered. "We were hiding behind the wall before the big one came…"
Kaen frowned. He knelt to examine the dirt — there were footprints, small ones, leading toward a nearby alley. But they stopped suddenly.
"She's close," Kaen muttered. "Stay low, okay?" he told the boy, who nodded, trembling.
---
The Hidden Girl
Not far from there, a little girl crouched behind a large wooden crate inside what was left of a burned house. The walls were cracked and half-collapsed, and smoke curled through the holes in the roof.
Her small hands were pressed tightly over her mouth to keep herself from crying. Her cheeks were streaked with soot and tears. Every muscle in her tiny body trembled.
Outside, she could hear the heavy, slow thuds of something walking — something huge. Each step made the floorboards beneath her feet shake. The faint shadow of a long tail flickered through the gaps in the walls.
She dared to peek through a crack in the crate.
The dinosaur was there — a tall, scaly beast with thick horns and glowing orange eyes. Its claws scraped against the stone, and its nostrils flared as it sniffed the air. Smoke rose behind it, painting its body in shades of red and black.
The girl tried to stay still, holding her breath. Her heart was pounding so hard that it hurt.
Then, her foot hit something.
A small stone rolled across the floor and hit another piece of wood.
Clink.
The sound was soft, almost nothing. But it was enough.
The dinosaur froze mid-step. Its head turned slowly toward the source of the noise. Its nostrils flared again, catching her scent.
The girl's heart stopped.
She pressed herself tighter against the wall, tears streaming down her face. "Mama…" she whispered, shaking.
The creature let out a low, rumbling growl. It moved closer, the floor trembling with each step. The shadow grew larger and darker, covering her completely. The smell of blood and smoke filled her nose.
The beast leaned down, its yellow eyes glowing through the smoke. Its teeth glistened in the faint light.
The girl wanted to scream, but her voice wouldn't come out. She shut her eyes tight, whispering, "Please, please, please…"
The dinosaur let out a sharp snarl, its claws scraping the floor as it prepared to strike.
---
Back to Kaen
Kaen suddenly stopped in his tracks. He could hear something faint — a growl echoing through the nearby ruins. It was deep, low, and close.
He turned to the boy. "Was your sister wearing something red?"
The boy nodded quickly. "Yes! A red scarf! Do you see her?"
Kaen didn't answer. He just tightened his grip on the spear strapped to his back. His instincts screamed danger.
He jumped back onto his Shadow Stalker and looked at Riku and Ryn.
"Sound came from that direction. Move fast!"
They all turned their mounts and charged through the narrow lane. The smoke grew thicker, and the air grew hotter. Kaen could already see faint movement inside one of the ruined houses.
He stopped in front of it, jumped off, and ran toward the broken doorway. The floor creaked under his boots. His breath was heavy, filled with ash. He could see shadows moving inside — one small, one massive.
"Riku! Stay with the boy!" he shouted. Then he ran inside.
---
The Cliffhanger
Inside the ruined house, the girl was pressed against the wall, crying quietly. The dinosaur's head was only a few feet away now. Its claws dug into the floor, pulling its body closer. The creature's hot breath blew against her face.
It let out a snarl, pulling back for the final strike.
Just then — the door burst open with a loud crash.
Kaen appeared in the doorway, his eyes sharp, his blade glowing faintly from the light outside.
He saw the creature towering over the girl, its mouth open wide, ready to kill.
For one frozen moment, time seemed to stop.
Then Kaen moved.
The chapter ends here — the sound of his blade cutting through the smoke, the girl's terrified eyes still wide open, and the beast's roar shaking the burning house.