Silver stood surrounded by thousands of Chimerans. The boisterous streets of Coliseum meant only one thing. There was an event taking pce. Even better, it was The Queen’s Crucible. As he wandered through the crowded streets, he realized that he had completely forgotten about the event.

  The wide streets were packed with Ferenzials, Furthians, Vizun, Athros, and other Chimerans, their fur groomed and adorned with vibrant silks, embroidered sashes, and polished armor. Nobles in eborate cloaks paraded through the main walkways, their tails swinging gracefully, while merchants dispyed handcrafted banners and symbols of their favored champions.

  He stood among the crowd, tail thrashed in mild frustration. He hadn't come here to celebrate or gawk at warriors parading their strength—he had come for a purpose.

  Find Ternavia and kill Vol.

  As Silver moved through the crowded pza, the air pulsed with excited chatter, voices overpping as Chimerans swapped rumors and wild theories.

  “A flying Rezzo! I swear it, clear as the moon in the sky, that beast nearly burned Marse to the ground!”

  “Bah, I heard it torched an entire forest!”

  “No, no! Listen—” the speaker’s voice dropped to a dramatic whisper, “it was Sebooro who took it down.”

  A hush rippled through the group.

  Then—

  “Sebooro!? Pffft—oh, please.” An old scruffy-looking Ferenzial scoffed, waving a paw dismissively. “Next, you’ll be tellin’ me he’s got himself a tavern and drinks with the locals!”

  A grizzled Athros grunted, his single eye narrowing. “I wouldn’t joke so freely if I were you.”

  The scruffy Ferenzial rolled his eyes. “Eh, what you mean? You believe in this mambo jumbo?”

  A Ferenzial woman thrashed her spotted tail, ears twitching in exasperation. “You flea-bitten fool—” she snapped, “the warrior had bck wings and a human body. And you know Rezzo don’t fly.”

  A wave of unease passed through the gathered Chimerans.

  Then, the scruffy Ferenzial let out a nervous ugh. “…You don’t mean—”

  “I do.” Her eyes gleamed. “Sebooro’s back.”

  A wave of murmurs spread.

  “Impossible.”

  “No one’s seen him for… how many ages?”

  “Maybe it’s not him—maybe, a uh, a warrior blessed by his power?”

  “Or maybe it’s just some Furthian who got really, really lucky?”

  Another Chimeran interjected, his ears bouncing in excitement.

  “No, no, you’re missing the best part! Word is, he’s traveling with some Ferenzial treasure hunter.”

  Silver’s ear twitched.

  “A treasure hunter, ya don’t say.” A smelly badger, Chimeran replied.

  “Yeah! Ain’t that funny? Sebooro himself, running around with some vagabond!”

  Silver kept his expression neutral, but inside, he almost ughed. They’re talking about me. They have no idea of the real story.

  “I hear that bck winged fel appeared in Artemis Roost awhile back. Beat up a whole bar of Ferenzials!”

  A Ferenzial elder, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, his voice low and weighted with meaning.

  “…If Sebooro has truly returned, then Chimera’s end is comin...”

  A tense silence settled over the group.

  Then—

  “Bah, enough of this Sebooro nonsense! Who wants roasted skewers? Got fresh meat, hot off the grill!”

  The moment snapped, and the lively energy of the festival swallowed the conversation.

  Silver exhaled slowly, weaving his way through the crowd.

  “Word travels fast, I ‘spose,” he said to himself before catching a massive whiff of the roasted meats. He grabbed a skewer and stuffed his face. Smacking his lips, “Damn, that’s good stuff.”

  His ears twitched at the sound of ughter as a group of young Ferenzial cubs darted past him, pyfully wrestling before their parents corralled them. It made him think of his family. Oh, how he missed them.

  Behind them, armored warriors made their way toward the registration tables, their names being etched into stone tablets for the upcoming matches.

  Silver exhaled sharply. He wasn’t pnning on registering. He hadn't pnned for any of this. He felt unprepared, out of pce. Like some fool who wandered into a grand ball wearing yesterday’s travel gear.

  But it was too te to turn back now.

  He moved through the bustling pza, ears twitching as fragments of conversation floated past. The excitement of the Queen’s contest filled the air, but beneath it ran an undercurrent of unease.

  “Somethin’ ain’t right with the world,” a grizzled, tiger-striped Vizun muttered near a merchant stall. “I tell ya, the nd itself is turnin’ against us.”

  A younger, fox-like Chimeran scoffed. “Pfft, old-timer talk. What, you think the ground’s gonna swallow us whole?”

  “Might as well! You seen what’s happenin’ to the forests?” the elder snapped. “The damn trees don’t act right. Ain’t just overgrown—it’s like they’re watching. Moving when no one’s lookin’. Stalkin’ folks.”

  A third Chimeran—a burly boar-like warrior—grunted. “Not just the forests. There’s kes goin’ dark, shimmerin’ like they ain’t even water no more. Like… if ya look too long, ya might fall right in an’ never come back.”

  A chill settled over the group.

  “And the caves,” another voice murmured. “My cousin’s caravan passed through the Nox Caves st week. Said the walls weren’t rock anymore—more like… metal. And pulsin’ like a heartbeat.”

  “Bah,” the fox-like Chimeran scoffed. “Next, you’ll be tellin’ me the mountains are growin’ eyes.”

  “Laugh all you want,” the boar rumbled, “but you can feel it, can’t ya? The world’s changin’. And it ain’t for the better.”

  Silver exhaled through his nose.

  They’re not wrong.

  He and Dante had barely escaped those damned forests. The way the pnts moved, their metallic roots writhing like tendrils, the way the ground felt unstable, like something lurked beneath the surface—it wasn’t natural. And the kes swallowing up Chimerans. He knew something was up; he just couldn’t expin it.

  But before he could dwell on it—

  “And if that ain’t bad enough,” another Chimeran piped up, “we got humans pokin’ their noses where they don’t belong.”

  That caught Silver’s attention.

  “You hear about the southnds?”

  The small gathering stiffened.

  “Yeah… humans. Marchin’ near the borders. Sneakin’ around. Like they’re scoutin’ somethin’.”

  A wolfish Ferenzial’s tail flitted. “Humans don’t belong here. They got their own nds.”

  “Exactly! Ain’t got no reason to be in Chimera.”

  A hawk-eyed Furthian muttered, “Except maybe for war.”

  Silence.

  “You really think they’d break the peace?”

  “Dunno. But Artemis thinks somethin’ big’s comin’. That’s why she’s hostin’ this whole damn event.”

  Silver’s ears perked.

  A bull-headed Hoven Chimeran smirked, flexing his arms. “Pffft, yeah, well, let ‘em come. That’s what this tournament’s for, ain’t it? Queen’s pickin’ the best warriors to join her elite.”

  “Best of the best,” another Ferenzial added. “Ain’t just for show this time. This is recruitment.”

  The boar grunted. “Still don’t expin why a human might be fightin’ in it.”

  Silver blinked. “A what?”

  The group turned toward him.

  “Yeah. Rumor says there’s a human among the entrants.”

  “You serious?”

  “Dead serious. Ain’t on the official list yet, but word’s goin’ ‘round.”

  Silver rubbed his chin. A human fighting in a Chimeran tournament? That was unheard of. If true, this just got a whole lot more interesting.

  But he did have other things in mind as he made his way toward the registration booth, where a sharp-eyed Furthian guard—a tall eagle—was stationed.

  The guard studied him, then smirked. “Well, I’ll be damned. You’re Silver, ain’t ya?”

  “That be me.”

  “Heh. Thought you were outta the game.”

  Silver chuckled. “I thought so too.”

  The guard leaned in. “You askin’ ‘cause you’re signin’ up, or just sniffin’ for info?”

  “Bit’a both.”

  The guard shrugged. “Well, you ain’t the only Ferenzial interested. Had another one enter earlier. Real shady type.”

  Silver stiffened. “…Didn’t happen to catch his name, did ya?”

  The guard scratched his beak. “Nah. Didn’t speak much. Had a rasp to ‘im, though.”

  Silver’s stomach twisted. That’s him.

  He exhaled. “…Might have to check that out.”

  “You should.” The guard gestured toward the booth. “Registration’s over yonder.”

  Silver strolled up to the table, where a pig-faced Chimeran woman handled the sign-ups.

  She barely looked at him before snorting. “Hmph. You signin’ up?”

  Silver grinned. “Eh, if ya have me.”

  She grunted. “Name?”

  “Silver.”

  She scribbled it down. “Alright. Done.”

  “By the way…” Silver leaned in slightly. “Any entrants named Vol?”

  She gnced at the list, then shook her head. “Not in my records, sorry friend.”

  Silver exhaled. Damn. If Vol was here, he was hiding under another name.

  The pig-like attendant grunted. “Waitin’ area’s around the corner.”

  “Got it. Thanks, mate.” Silver casually waved and headed toward the waiting room. He was expecting to see Vol at any moment, but the opportunity never came. As he approached the waiting area, he was escorted to a room. It had a full view of the arena. He could see some horse and cheetah Chimerans racing around a track. The crowd roared and cheered.

  “Hmm… wonder when the fightin’ starts. Hope Dante and that Ezekiel are doin’ alright.” He said to himself.

  Hours ter, after Silver took a nap. Finally, a big hulking Athros steps out into the middle of the arena. The area was changed into a more inhospitable pce. Spots for trap doors, mountains of crates, fallen logs, and even massive stone walls.

  The crowd was going crazy. But the Athros was deafeningly loud.

  “ARE YOU ALL READY FOR THE QUEEN’S CRUCIBLE!? BROUGHT BY YOURS TRULY, THE FOREVER QUEEN ARTEMIS!?”

  The roar of the crowd echoed through the Coliseum as the towering bear announcer stepped to the center of the grand stage, his booming voice amplified by the enchanted stone pilrs lining the massive arena.

  “FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SEVENTY YEARS—THE FOREVER QUEEN ARTEMIS HERSELF—HAS COME LOOKING FOR A WARRIOR TO JOIN HER CAUSE!”

  A wave of excitement rippled through the spectators. Fists pounded against stone benches, tails shed in anticipation, and the sharp cries of avian Chimerans shrieked from the higher perches.

  The bear raised his mighty arms, his deep growl carrying across the entire arena.

  “As we head into an age of UNCERTAINTIES, YOU KNOW THE SIGNS! You have HEARD the whispers of HUMANS LINGERING AMONGST US!”

  A murmur ran through the stands. Some jeered; others whispered uneasily.

  “You have SEEN the forests rot—DESTRUCTIVE PLANTS CONSUME OUR LANDS!”

  More outcry. Some cursed the forests, others shouted names of vilges lost to the strange infestations.

  “AND YOU HAVE FELT THE HEAT OF CREATURES FROM THE OLDEST MYTHS—BURNING OUR HOMES, OUR VILLAGES, OUR LANDS!”

  The crowd erupted, some in fear, some in fervor. A few Chimerans roared out their rage and defiance while others exchanged worried gnces.

  Silver sighed and rubbed his temple.

  “The Queen has heard your cries!” The bear continued, his fur bristling as he threw his arms wide. “She is here! To CHOOSE! ONE! WARRIOR!!!”

  The crowd exploded into deafening cheers, the very stone of the arena shaking with the stomping, cpping, and thunderous howls of anticipation.

  Silver rolled his eyes and muttered, “Get on with it, mate.”

  The booming voice of the announcer dropped into a deep, predatory growl.

  “AND NOW—THE FIRST BATTLE OF THE DAY!”

  A drumbeat rolled through the arena, setting the rhythm of the moment.

  “A legend among treasure hunters and vagabonds alike! The one-eyed rogue—SILVER!!!”

  A mixed reaction. Some cheered for the famed treasure hunter; others murmured in skepticism. A few snickered at his age.

  Silver exhaled sharply and stretched his arms. “They better not be expectin’ a speech. Besides… What did Dante call me–a ninja? That sounds more like it.” He rolled his eye. “Whatever.” He said to himself as he walked out of his room and stepped into the arena.

  As he stood on his side, there was a low rumble. The ground trembled slightly. A massive, hulking figure stepped forward, casting an imposing shadow over the stone.

  The bear announcer grinned toothily. “AND HIS CHALLENGER! A BEAST OF RAW STRENGTH! A DESTRO SO POWERFUL, HE HAS CRUSHED STONE BENEATH HIS FISTS—THE UNYIELDING TITAN—REX!!!”

  The crowd erupted in a frenzy.

  From the opposite side of the arena, a massive ape-like Chimeran stomped forward. His coarse mahogany fur bristled, and his burning amber eyes locked onto Silver. He bared his jagged fangs, his breath hot and heavy.

  “Huff.” Silver scoffed. “Course I get stuck with a Destro.” He prepared himself by ensuring his armor was tucked properly and unsheathed his katana.

  With an effortless motion, the ape scooped up a massive boulder, easily twice Silver’s size, and tossed it into the air—an intimidation tactic. The stone spun high above them, catching the light before gravity took hold. He casually lifted his fist for a devastating punch.

  BOOM!

  Shattered rock flurried about. A heavy silence fell over the crowd. The fragments hit the ground, and the arena erupted into deafening roars.

  Silver stared up at the ape-Chimeran, unimpressed. He cracked his neck, rolled his shoulder, and tightened his grip on his katana. “That’s cute,” he muttered.

  Rex grinned, his massive knuckles cracking. He raised his massive fists in the air. Seems he was well known. “Wolfy, go squish, HAHA!” the big ape bellowed.

  The announcer raised his paw. “Fighters… TO YOUR POSITIONS!”

  The drums thundered. The crowd held its breath. Silver exhaled.

  Alright then… “Come on, monkey, let’s dance,” he taunted.

  The Destro snarled as it charged towards Silver. The big beast red with fury as it smmed the ground near him. A tremor rippled through the ground.

  “Ya don’t scare me! I’ve dealt with bigger and badder monsters than ya!” He taunted the big ape.

  “Puny fur ball. I crush ya n’ stomp ya in the dirt!” Rex roared and pounded his bare chest.

  “Gotta catch me first.” Silver taunted again and darted away from the hulking beast.

  Rex grinned, smming his fists together. "What's wrong, wolfy? Thought you were a legend!"

  Silver didn’t respond. Instead, he kicked up a loose stone and sent it flying toward Rex’s face.

  The ape caught it midair and crushed it with his bare hand. Then he attacked again—harder this time. A vicious punch tore through the ground where Silver had just been, sending chunks of stone flying. Silver darted away, using his speed to stay just out of reach.

  Rex’s frustration grew with every missed blow.

  "QUIT RUNNIN’!" he roared. He ripped up a piece of the arena floor and hurled it at Silver.

  He barely dodged as the debris shattered against the wall behind him.

  He's reckless, Silver thought. If I push him far enough…

  “That’s the best ya can do!? Lousy brute!” Silver barked and then hurled a kunai straight at the big beast's face. The ape reacted quickly, smacking the small bde away.

  “Puny bdes ain’t much, fur ball!” Rex roared as he chased after him.

  “That’s not the point, dumb ass!” He kept his distance, forcing Rex to chase him across the arena.

  The ape's breathing turned heavy. His snarls grew louder. He hated being toyed with, and Silver was pying him like a fiddle.

  The wolf grinned. “Aw, what’s wrong? Can’t keep up?”

  Rex smmed his fists into the ground, sending tremors through the arena. “I’M GONNA RIP YOU IN HALF!”

  The crowd went wild.

  Rex charged. This time, Silver let him get closer—too close.

  At the st second, Silver vaulted over him, nding lightly on a nearby stone wall.

  Rex skidded to a halt, his cws gouging deep into the ground. He turned, eyes bzing with fury, his entire body heaving.

  Silver – cool, calm, and collected – stood atop the crumbling stone, arms crossed. “That all ya got?”

  Rex snarled. He dropped to all fours and climbed the wall after him, his powerful limbs propelling him upward with terrifying speed.

  Silver was counting on that – for just beyond the wall’s edge, a pit of jagged spikes y hidden in the shadows. He had waited long enough for Rex to commit to the climb.

  The ape was fast at climbing. It didn’t take long. The big ape reached the top, grinning and heaving. “End of the road, wofly,” he chuckled menacingly.

  Silver grinned too which only pissed the ape off. He charged towards him, blind with rage.

  At the st second, Silver pushed off the wall, curled around, and hurled a handful of shurikens through the air, embedding themselves in Rex’s chest and shoulders.

  The Destro roared in pain but didn’t let go. He reached out, swiping at Silver even as blood dripped from his wounds. The wolf nded gracefully, but he didn’t stop there. With one final move, he unsheathed a dagger and hurled it straight at Rex’s face. The bde pierced his cheek and sent Rex over the edge. As he fell, he caught the ledge, but he was so blinded by rage that he lost his grip.

  With a guttural roar, the ape plummeted backward—straight into the spike pit with a gruesome impact of blood spraying. The spikes pierced through muscle and bone, locking the once-mighty Destro in pce.

  The crowd gasped, then erupted into cheers.

  The announcer’s voice boomed across the arena. “THE WINNER—SILVER!!!”

  “Well. That was easy.” Silver scoffed as the crowd went wild. He didn’t care, he had one reason for being there. Casually, he walked back into his hut and rested on the bed. Pulled out his pipe and took a quick smoke.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Silver barely registered the blur of motion above the arena. He tuned out the fight and just concentrated on his battles. Dante, however, was fully entranced by the battles. He had never seen anything like it. Sure, watching Demontians fight Alphins was pretty intense, but this was different. It was more realistic. No one had a pure advantage over the other. It was savage, ruthless, and enthralling.

  Halfan, a Furthian osprey, circled the battlefield with powerful, deliberate strokes of his wings, his talons flexing in anticipation. Below him, Aegis, a Rezzo Gi-monster, crouched low, his long, forked tongue flicking in and out, tasting the air. His scaled hide gleamed in the sunlight, a fortress of hardened muscle and natural armor.

  Aegis finally struck. With an explosive surge of movement, he unched himself skyward. His cwed hands caught Halfan’s leg in a crushing grip.

  The bird released a squawk of agony as he was pulled to the ground. He tried kicking Aegis away with his other leg and several halberd pokes, but the reptile had quite the grip, dodging the bird’s strikes and wrestling the bird man around on the ground. Feathers were flying everywhere.

  Finally, Halfan was able to pull away from Aegis. Then, there was a sickening rip. One of the bird’s wings was torn clean off, feathers and blood scattering on the ground. The osprey screeched, twisting and writhing desperately to keep proper as blood poured from his mutited shoulder.

  Aegis tossed the wing aside like garbage.

  The crowd erupted in shock.

  But Halfan was not finished.

  Before Aegis could close in, Halfan, one-winged and grounded, let out a piercing cry. With one final lunge, he drove his halberd straight through Aegis’s mouth, spearing his skull and out the back of his head.

  Aegis’s body spasmed, his bck eyes wide with disbelief as his forked tongue twitched one st time.

  Halfan panted, shaking, and then wrenched his weapon free. A fountain of blood sprayed from the wound. The crowd roared. Silver barely blinked. He had more important things to focus on.

  The next fight was short, vicious, and one-sided.

  Dante felt the raw savagery even though Silver barely spared it a gnce.

  Chast, a Largo elephant-Chimeran, cd in heavy armor, towered over Chrys, a Frathian bat-Chimeran wielding a rapier.

  Chrys darted left and right, her wings allowing her to zip through the air like a shadow, but Chast stood like a mountain, unmoving, unshaken.

  Then, the moment Chrys made the mistake of diving in close—

  WHAM.

  Chast’s trunk shot out like a battering ram, catching her in mid-air. Bones snapped audibly as she tumbled to the ground, rolling end over end.

  Before she could scramble back up, Chast was already upon her.

  One massive foot came down.

  Another squelching CRUNCH.

  The bat screeched, pleading for mercy, but Chast didn’t care. He then began to sm her repeatedly with his trunk. Over. And over again. Squelching and crunching echoed throughout the arena. The crowd was silent. The bat stopped screeching long ago. Then he finished her off by smming his foot down once again, crushing the rest of her already mutited body. The elephant lifted his foot, revealing what little remained of Chrys—a fttened mess of shattered bones, burst organs, and fur.

  The arena stayed silent as a crew came to clean up the mess.

  Silver, once again, didn’t particurly care. His mind was on his sole mission only.

  Dante, however, felt the impact of it all. The blood. The brutality. He could only imagine what was coming up next.

  The next battle began, but something was off. Instead of the usual roars of excitement, the crowd erupted in boos. It wasn’t just a few scattered voices either—this was a wave of discontent rolling through the stands, growing louder with each passing second. Even from where he stood, Silver could feel the agitation. He furrowed his brow, stepping closer to the window to get a better look.

  He scanned the arena and immediately understood why the crowd was upset. Standing alone on the battlefield was a figure unlike any warrior he had seen today. Draped in a white cloak was a bck man. In his hands, he wielded an enormous bde, nearly as tall as he was, its jagged edges flickering with unstable arcs of energy. The weapon let off a low hum, a soft crackling of electricity snapping along its length. Silver narrowed his eye as he took in the strange sight. The fighter barely moved, standing eerily still, as though unfazed by the chorus of jeers raining down upon them.

  “What’s goin’ on now?” Silver muttered to himself. His eye traced the figure’s form, noting how unnaturally calm they were despite the hostility in the air. Something about them felt…off. His grip instinctively tightened. Then, his gaze shifted to their opponent.

  The Vizun warrior—a powerful cougar-like Chimeran, muscles thick and taut beneath his battle-worn armor—crouched low, his tail thrashing wildly as he prepared to strike. He was clearly an experienced fighter, someone used to being on the offensive. He bared his fangs, growling as he sized up the human opponent. Then, without hesitation, he lunged, cws extended, ready to rip into his foe.

  The moment he moved, the man reacted.

  There was no hesitation, no wasted movement—only a single step to the side, effortless and fluid, before the massive bde carved through the air in a deadly arc. It was a motion so smooth that Silver barely saw the attack happen. One second, the Vizun warrior was charging forward, and the next, his body was locked in midair, seized by a violent surge of electricity. The bde had struck true, sending crackling energy coursing through his limbs. His mouth opened in a silent scream, eyes wide with shock as his muscles spasmed uncontrolbly. The charge carried him forward a few more steps before his body finally gave out, and he colpsed to the ground in a smoking, twitching heap.

  Silver felt a chill crawl up his spine. He had seen plenty of warriors fall in battle, but this was something different. There was no struggle, no back and forth—just a single attack, and it was over. A clean execution. His gut twisted with unease as he studied the human warrior. He didn’t even look at his fallen opponent. No victory pose, no sign of emotion, not even a glimpse toward the outraged crowd. He simply turned and walked away, the massive bde humming softly as it trailed behind them.

  The boos grew louder.

  The Athros announcer quickly stepped in, raising his voice to regain control of the restless spectators. “Have no fear, fellow Chimerans!” he bellowed. “He won’t survive the next rounds!” The words were meant to reassure, but Silver could hear the uncertainty beneath them. The crowd, eager for reassurance, roared in approval, but the unease in the air lingered.

  Silver exhaled slowly, his gaze locked on the retreating figure. Something about that fight didn’t sit right with him. This warrior—whoever they were—was more than just another contestant. And for the first time since he arrived, he felt a genuine curiosity about what would happen next.

  The crowd roared as the announcer’s booming voice carried through the Coliseum. "But first, our st contestants before the finals!" The anticipation in the arena thickened, warriors and spectators alike leaning forward, eager to see the final battle of the first tier.

  From the contestant’s entrance, a hooded figure emerged. Draped in a dark cloak, her posture was rexed yet deliberate, each step measured as she strode into the arena. The announcer gestured toward her. "Our next contender – Uh… there is no name! Okay, okay! Nameless one, come forth!"

  Silver’s breath caught in his throat. Even through the yers of disguise, there was something familiar about her. His tail wagged involuntarily before he caught himself, scowling and forcing it still. His heart pounded. “Terny?!” he blurted, half standing. His mind was racing, his instincts screaming at him. “Oh, stop it, you old fool,” he grumbled to himself, shaking his head. “It can’t be her… just can’t.” But despite his denial, his cws dug into the stone beneath him, his nerves fraying at the edges.

  Across the arena, her opponent entered—a towering Furthian named Warr. The ostrich-like Chimeran was a beast of a fighter, built for speed and devastating kicks. His muscur legs were covered in spiked boots; each step he took punctuated by a metallic clink as the lethal footwear scraped against the stone. He stomped once, twice, before stretching his neck and sneering at his opponent.

  The announcer raised a hand. "Let the battle begin!"

  With a powerful push, Wart unched forward, his speed nearly impossible to track. The moment his talons scraped against the stone, he spun into a brutal kick, aiming to take the masked Ferenzial’s head clean off her shoulders. But—she wasn’t there.

  Silver’s eyes widened.

  For one second, the shadowy figure stood in the ostrich’s direct path. The next, she had vanished, reappearing a step to the side, completely untouched.

  Warr’s momentum carried him forward, his kick meeting nothing but air. He skidded, barely catching himself before snarling and whipping around. With a sharp cry, he unched another kick, then another—each one swift, powerful, deadly. But each time, the masked fighter simply wasn’t there. It was as if she were moving faster than the eye could track, like she was merely shifting through space rather than stepping.

  Then, in the blink of an eye, it happened.

  The ground beneath Warr erupted.

  A dark, jagged spike shot up from the earth, impaling him straight through the torso. The brutal sound of metal and flesh tearing filled the arena, followed by a squelch as blood sprayed from the gaping wound. His body twitched, his beak opening in a strangled gasp before the light in his eyes dimmed. He barely had a moment to register what had happened before his limp form slid off the spike and colpsed onto the arena floor, a pool of crimson rapidly spreading beneath him.

  A stunned silence overtook the crowd.

  Silver sat frozen. His brain refused to process what he had just seen.

  That wasn’t normal. That wasn’t possible. He has only ever seen one type of weapon do that before… Enlongnius…

  And yet, she did not revel in the victory. She did not stand to acknowledge the crowd or even spare a gnce at her fallen opponent. She simply turned, silent and impassive, and walked back to her quarters, her cloak shifting behind her like a specter vanishing into the night.

  Silver suddenly darted to the waiting room door. "Lemme out! Lemme out!!!" He smmed his fist against the door, his breath coming in short, ragged bursts. His mind raced, his instincts screaming at him. He had to see her. Had to know if it was really—

  "Not until ya either dead or ya won the contest! Ya know the rules!"

  Silver snapped his head to the side, baring his fangs at the sluggish Rezzo tortoise standing guard. The reptilian warrior barely blinked, his deep-set eyes heavy with boredom as he chomped zily on a piece of dried fruit.

  "But—" Silver clenched his fists, his frustration boiling over before he forced himself to take a breath. "Argh!" He turned and dropped onto the wooden bench in the corner of the room, rubbing his face in his paws.

  This was ridiculous. If that was her—if Terny had somehow survived all these years, hidden away in the shadows—then why was she here? He gritted his teeth. No matter what, he had to find a way to get to her.

  The announcer’s voice echoed through the Coliseum once more, the energy of the crowd still wild from the previous battles. “And now, warriors and spectators alike, we move into the second tier! The first round was a test of strength, but this—this is where the real blood is spilled! Where only the most ruthless, the most cunning, will survive!”

  The crowd erupted in cheers, stomping their feet against the stone floors. Silver leaned against the wall of his waiting room, arms crossed, eye narrowing. He barely cared for the spectacle—he was still reeling from seeing the dark figure. Still, the buzz of the crowd and the tension in the air were impossible to ignore.

  "And now, the first match of the second tier!" the announcer roared. "In this corner, the brutal force of the mighty Chast! A Largo whose armored hide has withstood every opponent, his trunk alone enough to turn warriors into pulp!"

  Chast lumbered onto the battlefield, his thick, pted skin gleaming under the torchlight. The elephantine Chimeran stomped the ground, raising his massive trunk in challenge. His previous match had been a grisly dispy of power, crushing his opponent into an unrecognizable mess. The audience cheered, eager to see him tear through another victim.

  "And facing him… the outsider! The Human warrior who wields lightning itself! Kaiden!"

  The mood shifted.

  The moment Kaiden stepped onto the field, the cheers evolved into a chorus of boos and snarls. The human walked with gauged steps, his face impassive as the crowd hurled insults at him. His massive sword crackling with energy once again.

  Silver’s ears twitched as he observed from the shadows. Kaiden had already fought once before, and the crowd hated him for it. Because he’s a human. And the Chimerans don’t like humans. But Silver found it odd for a human to be in this fight. Something didn’t settle right.

  "Fighters, ready?" the announcer bellowed.

  Chast stomped forward, his trunk smming against the ground. "You shouldn’t be here, human," he rumbled, his deep voice carrying across the arena.

  Kaiden tilted his head slightly, unfazed. "Then get rid of me."

  The announcer’s arm dropped. "BEGIN!"

  With a thunderous roar, Chast charged, the ground shaking beneath him. He swung his massive trunk like a wrecking ball, aiming to crush Kaiden in one swift blow.

  But Kaiden didn’t move. He simply stood there. Pointing his bde at the charging elephant. His weapon glowed profusely as it charged to lethal levels. Then… it charged more. Chast didn’t have a chance. He tried to stop, but his momentum kept him going until sparks flew from Kaiden’s bde. He released an unparalleled current into Chast’s body.

  The Largo roared in pain, staggering as his muscles seized from the shock. But he was tough—his armored hide absorbed some of the damage. He was about to sweep at Kaiden, but the man simply amped up the power of his sword. He released an ever more powerful burst of electricity that surged through the Largo’s frame, causing his knees to buckle.

  The crowd gasped as their champion faltered.

  Chast snarled, pushing through the pain. His trunk shed out like a whip, but Kaiden only caused the shock to become more and more severe. A blinding fsh erupted.

  Chast bellowed in agony, his entire body convulsing as the amplified shock coursed through his nerves. His tusks cttered, his pted skin burned, and his muscles locked. His eyes bulged, the electricity refusing to let him go.

  “Please… NO MORE!” The elephant bellowed.

  “Hmph. Like that poor little Frathian begged you? No. You deserve every moment of this!”

  Another massive bst of the sword's energy, and Chast was nothing more than a charred corpse. Smoke curled from his massive body, his scorched form still twitching with the remnants of Kaiden’s attack. The arena was silent for a moment—stunned by the brutal efficiency of the kill.

  Kaiden exhaled, shaking the excess energy from his weapon. He didn’t look at the crowd, didn’t acknowledge the stunned faces staring down at him. He simply turned and walked away.

  The moment he stepped off the battlefield, the silence broke into an explosion of fury.

  Booing. Hissing. Furious jeers. The Chimerans spat at the ground, their hatred for the humans only growing stronger.

  Kaiden didn’t care.

  As he vanished into the corridor, his only words were low, spoken under his breath.

  The crowd barely had time to settle from the previous fight before the next match was announced.

  "Next up, we have a battle of skill and endurance! A warrior who has fought through the ages, the treasure hunter himself—Silver!"

  A wave of cheers and excited murmurs filled the arena as Silver stepped onto the battlefield. He was well-known among the Chimerans, and while he wasn’t exactly a celebrity, his reputation preceded him. He exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders as he adjusted his stance. His mind was elsewhere, his thoughts still lingering on the masked Ferenzial he had seen earlier.

  "And his opponent! A warrior who has given his all in this tournament! The fierce Furthian —Halfan!"

  Silver’s ears perked up at the name, and he turned to see his opponent.

  Halfan had seen better days.

  The one-winged osprey, Furthian, staggered slightly, his bance thrown off by his missing appendage. Blood still seeped from his torn shoulder where his wing had once been. His feathers were dull, matted with dirt, and dried crimson from his st battle. The fight against Aegis had been brutal—he had won, but at a terrible cost.

  The crowd was quieter this time. There was no anticipation of a great csh, no excitement. Many already knew how this would end.

  Silver sighed. He had no grudge against Halfan. If anything, he respected the bird for making it this far.

  The announcer hesitated, gncing at Halfan’s state before finally calling, "BEGIN!"

  Halfan took a weak step forward, talons scraping against the dirt. His breaths were ragged, his posture unsteady. He tried to raise his halberd, but his grip faltered. He barely had the strength to hold it properly.

  Silver didn’t move.

  Halfan knew it too. He wasn’t a fool. He let out a sharp, pained ugh. "Tch… damn it." His voice was hoarse and defeated. "I can't even put up a fight." He took another step forward, but his knees buckled. He caught himself with his halberd, panting heavily. Silver simply watched, his ears tilting slightly.

  "Just finish me off," Halfan rasped, his gaze dull. "I can't fly anymore… and I'll just bleed to death anyway."

  Silver’s tail twitched. He didn’t enjoy meaningless fights. He wasn’t here for the bloodshed. But he also wasn’t one to let a warrior suffer.

  He stepped forward.

  Halfan knelt, gripping the halberd tightly, his breathing shallow. He didn’t flinch as Silver unsheathed his katana.

  With one swift motion, the bde struck true.

  The osprey's head rolled onto the dirt, his body colpsing lifelessly beside it.

  A hush fell over the crowd, the execution too quick for any spectacle.

  Silver flicked the blood from his bde, sheathed it, and turned on his heel. He ignored the announcer, ignored the murmurs of the audience. The fight was over before it even began. There was nothing else to say.

  He returned to his quarters without a word, seating himself on the edge of his bed. His mind wasn’t on the fight. It wasn’t on the cheers or the gasps of the crowd.

  "I must know if it is her…" he muttered to himself, his grip tightening on his knee.

  The next battle arrived, and Silver leaned forward slightly, ears twitching as the mysterious Ferenzial stepped onto the battlefield once more. He still wasn’t sure what to make of her. The way she moved, the way she fought—it all seemed too familiar, yet impossibly foreign at the same time.

  Her opponent, Helbit, a brawny Staga wolverine Chimeran, looked eager for a fight. Silver hadn’t caught his st match, so he had no idea what this brute was capable of. But it didn’t matter. The moment the battle began, it was already over.

  A fsh of motion. A sudden squelch.

  Helbit's body jerked, his mouth hanging open in shock. Then, he fell limp, impaled straight from the floor through his eye by a long-bded weapon.

  Silver's eye narrowed. That… was too familiar. The way the weapon struck, the eerie precision. Enlongnius. But it can’t be. It’s one of a kind… and fell with Vol. Did someone pick it up? I don’t get it!

  His grip tightened. He didn’t like this. Not one bit.

  Silver made his way to the finals. The anticipation in the air was palpable. The crowd roared, but it quickly quieted as the next fighters took their pce in the ring. Kaiden, the human with the electrified sword, stood across from him.

  "Oi," Silver called out, his voice dripping with suspicion. "Yer a human, right? What the world are ya doin' in a Chimeran fight?" He sized Kaiden up, trying to gauge his opponent's intentions.

  Kaiden raised an eyebrow, his posture casual despite the electric energy crackling in the air around him. "No real reason," he replied nonchantly. "I just wanted to see what all of you are capable of. Meeting a friend, actually. But... they decided to be an ass and cast me aside. So here I am." He shrugged, looking somewhat indifferent.

  Silver’s ears twitched, not buying it. "Meetin’ a friend? Here? In this? What kinda friend are ya lookin' for here?" His tail whipped in irritation. "And ya expect me to believe ya just entered this mess for fun?"

  Kaiden chuckled, his tone ced with a touch of cynicism. "It’s not for fun. My primary reason for coming here is that I was hoping to get a look at your abilities. See what you Chimerans can do. But after watching you all bumble through these fights, I can see there’s no real threat here." His voice grew more distant, like the whole situation was beneath him. "My mission here is done. I came, I saw, and now I take my leave."

  Silver’s eyes narrowed, his cws flexing instinctively. "Wait, wait, wait... ya came all this way just to take notes?" He growled, stepping closer to Kaiden. "What’s that supposeta mean? What’s ya angle, human?"

  Kaiden looked at him, his expression calm but with a hint of something more intense behind his eyes. "My angle? Simple. I’m here to assess. See if you Chimerans are a real threat. And based on what I’ve seen so far, you’re not. So I’m done here." He started to turn away, his gaze cold. "You can go ahead and take the victory. It’s all yours."

  Silver’s frustration boiled over as he reached his side to pull out a kunai. "That’s it? Ya just walk away after all this? Ya insult our strength, then just leave like that?"

  Kaiden stopped in his tracks, his shoulders stiffening slightly. "I wouldn’t throw that kunai if I were you," he said coolly. "You’ve been wondering why I’m here. So let me ask you a question. You came here to meet her too, haven’t you?"

  Silver’s heart skipped a beat. "What? The hell ya know!?" He stepped back, shocked by the revetion.

  Kaiden turned back to him, his expression unreadable. "It would be a shame if you missed your chance to meet her, wouldn’t it?"

  Silver's breath hitched. He felt a surge of panic rising in his chest. "Wha—" he started, but Kaiden was already turning his back, walking away with slow, deliberate steps.

  "Enjoy the moment. It’s fleeting!" Kaiden called over his shoulder without breaking stride. And with that, he disappeared into his room, leaving Silver standing there, still reeling from the exchange.

  The crowd began to boo, their disappointment echoing through the arena. Silver stood frozen for a moment, the weight of Kaiden’s words sinking in. "How... how did he know?" he muttered to himself. He headed back to his quarters, waiting for the st round. He would go against the winner.

  That battle came and went. Ending with another impaled Chimeran as fast as possible. Details didn’t matter. It just left Silver feeling unsure about what was going to happen next.

  Finally, it was time. The final battle.

  Silver stood, heart pounding, every muscle in his body taut. He didn’t care about winning the Crucible. There was only one thing on his mind: the truth of why he was here.

  The figure across from him remained cloaked in shadows, the only movement a slight, deliberate jerk. Slowly, the cloak was removed, revealing a scarred and sinister face. The face was cold, its malice unmistakable. But what made Silver’s heart stop was the unmistakable glint of recognition in her eyes—eyes that should never have looked that way.

  "Ternavia?" Silver gasped, his throat tight with disbelief. "Yer alive?"

  For a moment, everything seemed to slow down. The air thickened. He stepped toward her, his steps shaky, but his heart was full of hope. "Terny, is that you?"

  Her voice rasped from her throat, weak and full of pain. "Brother…" The word was a mockery of the person he once knew. Her eyes gleamed with something dark and unnatural. "You left me to die out there. Cold… Miserable…"

  Silver’s blood ran cold. "No," he whispered in horror. "No, I watched you die... I saw it with me own eye!"

  "You sure did," Ternavia sneered, taking a step forward, her movements erratic and unnatural. "Do you know how bad it hurts to have your throat cut open?!" She screamed the words, her voice cracking with fury. "Well!? Do you!?"

  Silver’s muscles tensed as she stepped closer, the dark bde, Enlongnius, glinting in her hand. He leapt back instinctively as she raised it, the bde glowing with a malevolent power.

  "You’ll find out soon enough!" she hissed, her voice low and chilling. "You’ll feel it too, brother. You’ll understand the pain!" She aimed the weapon at him, the bde extending impossibly, lengthening far beyond what was natural for any sword.

  Silver dodged, his heart hammering as the bde shot toward him. It was not just extending from her hand anymore—it was shooting up from the ground beneath him, an impossible weapon from another world, a bde that shouldn’t exist.

  "Why do you have that bde?!" Silver demanded, leaping backward to avoid being skewered by the ground itself.

  Ternavia’s lips curled into a twisted grin. "It’s mine now. A gift from Vol, a gift to bring you to your knees."

  Silver’s mind raced. "Why? Why did you take it?!" He barely had time to react as another bde shot toward him, grazing his cheek and leaving a trail of blood. He could feel the warmth of it, but there was no time to focus on the pain. He was too distracted by her, by her unrecognizable form.

  "Please… Terny, I don’t want to fight you," He pleaded, his voice breaking, the weight of the years they spent together flooding back. "I couldn’t bear it… I couldn’t bear hurtin’ ya!"

  Ternavia’s eyes fshed with malice. "Too te, Silver. You’ll die just like all the others." Her voice changed, no longer her own—low and grumbling, unrecognizable. "Her soul belongs to me now. And soon, yours will too."

  Silver's heart clenched. "Vol…" He growled, his voice darkening with rage. "Vol, you coward."

  Ternavia’s form shuddered as Vol’s voice took over completely. "It’s too te for you, pathetic worm!" he bellowed, sending a barrage of bdes toward Silver. "I’ve been waiting for this moment! To show the world the power of the Enlongnius and to put an end to you! It screams for revenge!”

  Silver dodged as best as he could, but the onsught was overwhelming. Bdes impaled him—his arm, his chest, his legs. His strength was waning, the weight of exhaustion pressing down on him. His katana shook in his hand, but his will was strong.

  “That’s why it brought me back, BOY! That’s why I’m here! BECAUSE ENLONGNIUS WANTS YOUR SOUL!” The creature cackled maniacally.

  Then, in the chaos, a spark of crity. He saw his sister’s face, the way it had once been before all of this madness. He grabbed one of the bdes with his gauntlet, holding it in pce, feeling the deadly energy coursing through him. The bde retracted, bringing Silver along for the ride. With a desperate roar, Silver surged forward, forcing himself face to face with the vile creature wearing his sister's skin.

  “Bad luck, old fool,” Silver sneered, his voice filled with bitter resolve as he buried his katana deep into the skull of the creature.

  The thing that had once been Ternavia crumbled to the ground, her body dissolving, leaving only the dark, cursed bde. The unnatural light that had surrounded her faded as her soul seemed to slip away.

  As Silver staggered back, his body succumbing to the mortality of his wounds, a strange and ethereal light enveloped him. The pain in his body dulled as the world blurred around him. Through the haze, he saw her face—Ternavia’s true face, no longer filled with malice but brimming with warmth and light, like the sister he remembered.

  "Thank you, brother," she whispered, her voice clear and pure, unlike anything Silver had heard in years. "Thank you for saving me... I love you."

  In the blink of an eye, she was gone. He reached out, but the light faded, and she was lost to him once more.

  He colpsed, his body unable to hold itself up any longer. Blood seeped into the dirt beneath him, but he felt a sense of peace. Ternavia was free. She was at peace. And for the first time in years, he allowed himself to let go. His consciousness was lost, and everything went bck.

  Is that it? Dante thought. Silver died? But… how is he here now?