LIFE AT STAKE

As the earth shook, Malgrave stepped backward, causing two of his remaining underlings to lose their grip on the ground, forcing them to step backward. Malgrave stepped forward, his boots sinking slightly into the soft earth. he looked at his surroundings and found nothing different than outside he called for Howler and told him to look around.

Shadowgaze Howler sniffed the ground, detecting a new scent, and followed it to the cave entrance. Malgrave was standing outside the cave but suddenly a young beast bear arrived outside, unaware of the danger lurking.

Shadow Gaze Howler standing near the malgrave looked at the malgrave he was salivating looking at the bear seeing the beast's behaviour he sent the shadow gaze howler in the direction of the young bear Thaka. 

 But as the shadow howler was about to attack the Thaka immediately reacted to it and evaded it and looked at the attacker a howler who was ready to strike again like a bull charging forward instead of using magic attacks howler thought to witness the look of the helplessness of its prey.

Seeing Thaka continuously evade attacks, Shadow Gaze Howler decided to finish the fight. From the shadow of the howler, several spikes flew toward Thaka, leaving no room to counterattack. The spikes pierced Thaka's skin, making him bleed.

Thaka's body fell to the ground bleeding profusely the shadow spike attack was not a simple attack it hit it 

Malgrave's underlings watching a young man asked looking at the man who wore black "What were those spikes? " 

the black-wearing man replied with a stoic face "That's not a simple spike they are lethal they make one bleed out until they die of their blood loss ."

Shadow Gaze Howler started approaching the injured Thaka but suddenly sensed something dangerous coming towards it, causing it to jump and evade. It saw a rock flying at inhuman speed towards its direction, which missed it and hit a tree, creating cracks in the tree trunk.

Malgrave who saw a child appear from the same cave had a questioning look on his face and said

" A child here ?" 

Arin stepped forward from the shadow his eyes staring at the fallen body of Thaka who was bleeding heavily. without looking around arin ran straight toward the body of Thaka and sat near him trying to wake up Thaka.

Malgrave sees the human child before he can take a step forward his attention is grabbed by something making its way toward them at an alarming rate but as the attention seeker reaches more near as time passes a smile forms on Malgrave's face.

Malgrave was able to sense the aura of the lord beast. he was a trained magic user who had tamed a howler with his ways.

As Gracillia arrived near the cave she found the barrier placed earlier was nowhere to be seen. She moved forward in the cave direction and suddenly stopped in her and saw something that a mother would never like to see. She found the bloody body of Thaka near death.

" Finally, my hunt will end today. By tomorrow, I will be back in the kingdom. Hahaha!" the voice of Malgrve echoed in the surrounding 

Malgrave's voice was like a fire in the forest igniting rage in Gracillia making her change her demeanor her eyes turned red. she went berserk without even looking at her surroundings and attacked Malgrave.

 The temperature inside the forest dropped wind started gathering around Gracilla's body taking the shape of sharp needles and sending them toward Malgrave who didn't even move his body to block the attack.

From the shadow of the malgrave howler emerges forming a black shield blocking the attack of Gracillia.

 As if mocking Gracillia's attack howler scoffed at her provoking her even more the wind around her became more ferrous several wind containing trees and throwing them toward Howler the

Howler didn't take this attack as a joke several howlers black in color appeared from the shadow of the howler blocking Gracillia's attacks. As both powers clashed the dust from the ground blocked everyone's views and surprisingly howler subdued all attacks.

Before Gracillia can make another move howler emerges behind from the shadows of the broken trees attacking her back with his paw sending her flying back a few meters.

Gracillia's mind became clearer as her berserk was over but she was bleeding, her body was in the mesh. She was unable to stand the berserk took a toll on her body. She lay powerless and had no strength to stand.

The forest was silent, with only the sound of breathing and heartbeats breaking the stillness. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew through the trees, signaling an approaching storm. Dark clouds gathered in the sky, accompanied by distant thunder. Rain started to fall, first softly and then in a heavy downpour.

Arin, a small boy with courage beyond his years, sat vigil by Thaka's body. His eyes, wide with determination, followed Gracillia's fierce battle. He yearned to aid her, but a wind barrier, conjured by the mother bear's protective instinct, caged him in an invisible prison. Powerless, he watched as Gracillia, the embodiment of strength, now lay defeated, her energy spent.

As the barrier weakened and vanished, Arin's resolve solidified. He dashed toward Malgrave, the villain whose presence was a blight upon the land. Silent as a shadow, Arin closed the distance. With a leap fueled by vengeance and hope, he formed a fist and launched himself at the foe. His punch landed squarely on Malgrave's face, a strike unanticipated, for the villain had not sensed the boy's approach.

The impact echoed through the forest, a declaration of a small boy's indomitable spirit. 

The power of Arin's punch was like a feather against a mountain; Malgrave, the embodiment of darkness, barely registered the blow. With a swift and sinister grace, he corrected his stance, his smile wide and mocking, a grotesque mirror of joy at the boy's futile efforts. Laughter spilled from his lips, a sound more terrifying than the storm's fury, as he watched Arin's struggle.

With a sudden burst of anger, Malgrave's hand shot out and grabbed Arin from the air as if he were nothing more than a ragdoll. In one fluid, contemptuous motion, he hurled the boy toward a tree. The crash of Arin's small body against the rough bark coincided with a clap of thunder, a symphony of violence that nature itself seemed to recoil from. Blood trickled from the corner of Arin's mouth, a stark red against his pale skin, as if the sky had issued a warning. And then, as if to punctuate the moment, thunder roared once more, a devastating sound that shook the very heart of the forest.