The Leontaris retreated in haste. They did not withdraw out of respect, nor because of a rational fear. It was pure survival—a primal, savage instinct screaming from deep within their guts that this human was not prey… nor an opponent they could afford to face.
However, Lusian did not take another step. He remained there, motionless, watching as the young woman collapsed to her knees before him.
The girl had run until her throat was raw, and now she could barely draw in a breath. Zarhama's red earth coated her skin in a sticky mixture of sweat and blood, while her fingers dug desperately into the ground, trembling uncontrollably.
Elizabeth was the first to close the distance. She crouched down slowly, careful with every movement so as not to startle her.
"Easy. It's over now."
The young woman slowly raised her head. She looked at Elizabeth, then shifted her eyes toward Lusian. The disbelief on her face shattered, giving way to raw terror.
"You… you're not from here."
Emily stepped forward and gently extended a hand, but the girl immediately crawled backward. She behaved like a cornered animal that had been forced to learn that every outstretched hand only foreshadowed pain.
Adela closed the distance and crouched beside her, keeping her voice calm. The enormous tiger lowered itself beside her as well.
"No one is going to hurt you."
The girl blinked rapidly, barely holding back the tears threatening to spill over.
"I… I'm just a gatherer." She swallowed with difficulty, a knot tightening in her throat. "The Lamihya found me… and started playing with me."
A heavy silence fell over the group, broken only by the whistle of the wind through the red grass. The girl slowly raised her gaze toward Lusian.
"What… what are you?"
Lusian remained silent, his face expressionless.
Kara tilted her ears and let out a faint snort.
"Trust me. The explanation is too long."
"And we don't have time," Dayana interrupted from atop the rock, scanning the savanna with her gaze fixed on the distant shadows. "This place is closing in around us."
The girl shook her head desperately.
"You can't stay here," she said, pointing with a trembling hand toward the vastness of the plain. "The Lamihya will come back as soon as they realize I'm taking too long. And if they find your tracks…" Her breathing became erratic again. "The Drakari guard the northern ruins. The Leontaris patrol the savanna. And the Zarkos come out at dusk. If you stay here… you'll die."
Elizabeth let out a small, humorless laugh.
"They can try."
The girl stared at her in complete silence. In Elizabeth's eyes, she saw neither arrogance nor empty bravado. It genuinely seemed as though the woman had never even considered the possibility of losing.
Isabella stepped forward, taking charge of the questioning.
"We need information. Who controls this region?"
The young woman hesitated, torn by doubt.
"If I help you… the Lamihya will kill my tribe."
Lusian finally lowered his gaze toward her.
"If you stay here alone, you're already dead."
The girl froze.
There was no bitterness or threat in Lusian's voice. Only cold, absolute certainty.
She lowered her head, unable to argue with him.
He was right.
After a few seconds, Elizabeth firmly extended her hand.
"Come with us."
Nyra stared at the outstretched hand for several seconds, hesitating. Finally, she took it and pulled herself upright with the little strength she had left.
"My name is Nyra," she said in a barely audible whisper. "And I know a place where you can hide."
Kara tilted her head to the side, listening intently for any sound.
"Where?"
Nyra raised her arm and pointed east. In the distance, the reddish savanna abruptly gave way to an enormous mass of dense, dark vegetation. The forest seemed to actively devour the golden light of the sky as it fell upon its canopy.
"The border of the Shadow Forest."
Isabella raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms.
"That name doesn't exactly inspire confidence."
Nyra visibly paled.
"The demi-humans don't dare enter there."
"Why?" Emily asked.
The girl took several seconds to answer, swallowing nervously.
"Because elves live there."
Adela frowned, staring sternly at the horizon.
"And we're supposed to find that reassuring?"
Nyra slowly shook her head.
"No." She looked toward the dark canopy in the distance. "But it's a thousand times better to take our chances with them than to remain at the mercy of whatever patrols this plain."
Lusian studied the tangled forest for a few moments, calculating the mana currents emanating from the foliage. Then he started walking without hesitation.
"Then we'll go to the forest."
Adela quickened her pace to walk beside him.
"The elves might not welcome us, Lusian."
Lusian did not even slow down.
"Neither did we come here to ask for permission."
Nyra pressed her lips together, held her breath, and ran after the group.
The reddish savanna fell behind them as they made their way toward an impenetrable darkness. The Shadow Forest rose before them like an unbreakable wall of twisted trunks and enormous roots that burrowed into the earth like claws.
This was Zarhama: a continent where every prey had fangs, where every predator fiercely defended its territory… and where survival meant learning when to run and when to become the true monster.
Lusian crossed the first boundary of the gloom.
For an instant, the air seemed to freeze, and silence reigned.
Then, deep within the interwoven canopy, something opened its eyes.