Night fell faster than expected.
Clouds rolled in, swallowing the moon, and the mountain grew unnaturally quiet—too quiet for a place usually alive with wingbeats and distant calls.
Inside the inner caves, torches burned low.
Lin Yue sat near the stone wall, knees pulled close, an uneasy weight pressing against his chest. He didn't know why, only that his heart refused to calm. Every now and then, he glanced toward the cave entrance, where Mo Shan stood like a statue, unmoving, vigilant.
"You don't need to stand so close," Lin Yue said softly. "I'm not that fragile."
Mo Shan didn't turn.
"This mountain is under threat," he replied. "Fragile or not doesn't matter."
Lin Yue fell silent.
He knew better than to argue.
Outside, guards patrolled in pairs as ordered, their wings brushing stone, weapons ready. The barriers along the mountain paths glowed faintly with protective runes—old magic, humming with tension.
Then—
A scream tore through the night.
It came from the lower ridge.
Short. Sudden. Cut off too quickly.
Every warrior froze.
Mo Shan's eyes sharpened instantly. He turned toward the entrance just as a violent shockwave rippled through the mountain. Dust fell from the cave ceiling. The ground trembled beneath their feet.
"The barrier—" a guard shouted from outside. "The eastern barrier is damaged!"
Before Mo Shan could respond, a guttural roar echoed through the ravine—deep, feral, filled with hunger.
Lin Yue's face drained of color.
"That sound…" he whispered. "That isn't normal."
"No," Mo Shan said grimly. "It's here."
Another roar followed, closer this time.
A massive shadow slammed against the barrier outside the caves. The glowing runes flared violently—then cracked.
Crack.
Crack—!
"Fall back!" Mo Shan commanded sharply. "Protect the inner cave!"
Warriors rushed forward, wings snapping open, weapons drawn. The barrier shattered with a deafening explosion of light.
Out of the smoke stepped the demonic beast.
Its body was massive, covered in blackened scales streaked with dried blood. Four glowing crimson eyes scanned the cave entrance, locking instantly onto Lin Yue.
The beast smiled.
Yes—smiled.
"Move," Mo Shan snapped, shoving Lin Yue back.
Too late.
The beast lunged.
Mo Shan met it head-on, golden eyes blazing as he drew his blade, slashing upward. Sparks flew as metal met claws. The impact threw him back several steps, boots carving grooves into stone.
Strong. Too strong.
"Get Lin Yue out!" Mo Shan shouted.
Warriors moved—but the beast roared again, releasing a wave of dark pressure that sent several crashing into the cave walls.
Lin Yue stumbled, dizziness washing over him.
And then—
A sudden, sharp whistle cut through the chaos.
From above, a crimson blur descended like a falling star.
"Get away from him."
Feng Lihan's voice thundered through the cave.
His wings slammed into the ground as he landed between Lin Yue and the beast, red feathers flaring wide, killing intent pouring from him like fire.
The demonic beast recoiled slightly—then laughed.
"So," it hissed, eyes gleaming. "The Chief returns."
Feng Lihan didn't answer.
He only tightened his grip on his weapon.
Behind him, Lin Yue stared at his back, heart pounding—not with fear this time, but something sharper.
Relief.
Rage.
And a growing sense that this battle would decide far more than survival.
The mountain trembled again as Feng Lihan stepped forward.
The real fight had just begun.