Shock after Shock

Looking up at the sky, Cryus smiled through his tears as he gently placed his brother's head on the ground.

He stood up and walked over to Roger, who was sobbing uncontrollably in front of their brother's shattered body.

Placing his hand on Roger's shoulder, Cryus watched as Roger, his face streaked with unrelenting tears, suddenly turned to look at him.

Roger's tear-stained face shifted from sorrow to surprise as he noticed Cryus gazing back at him with a genuine smile, tears still streaming down his own face.

Stammering in disbelief, Roger muttered, "C-Cryus?"

Cryus's hand moved from Roger's shoulder to his cheek, and he smiled even more warmly.

"Our brother was brutally murdered. I know this pain is unbearable, and I feel it too, but please don't let the past destroy your future, my brother. I can't lose you to vengeance as well..."

Tears began to flow more heavily from Cryus's eyes.

"You are the only thing I have left in this world."

Suddenly, his smile turned into a dark grin.

"We will kill the one who murdered our brother... together."

Roger's shocked expression quickly shifted to a dark smile as well.

"Alright, brother, whatever you say."

They both smiled at each other.

But behind them, the trees and the monsters that had been drawn to Roger's intense cries of anguish were burning in blue and yellow-orange flames.

The monsters were writhing in agony, running around wildly as they burned, while the two killer brothers, with incredible speed and their magic, slaughtered the monsters one by one.

With blue symbols glowing on Cryus's hands, water spheres appeared around him, and towering water whirlpools, twice the height of an average human, began swirling toward the monsters.

This 'Water Vortex' spell created sharp water spikes within the vortex that would pierce and tear apart anyone who got caught inside, continuing until the victim was completely shredded.

Meanwhile, orange symbols appeared on Roger's hands. Fireballs materialized around him and were swiftly hurled at the monsters with a wave of his hands. Alongside the fireballs, long, sharp, flame-covered projectiles known as 'Fire Wail' were formed in the air, relentlessly shot toward the monsters.

After a long time, the two killer brothers slaughtered most of the monsters in the forest until no more were in sight.

The trees were nearly reduced to ashes, and the ground was soaked with water.

The brothers smiled at each other.

With eyes blazing fiercely with water, Cryus put his arm around Roger's shoulder.

"Do you feel better now, brother?"

Roger, his eyes burning intensely with fire, smiled back at Cryus.

"Yes, I feel much better. Let's go."

•

Teyat, running with all his might through the forest, suddenly spotted a river.

His lips were parched from exhaustion and thirst, and with newfound energy, he sprinted toward the river.

With his face covered in sweat and fatigue, he collapsed at the river's edge, greedily gulping down the water.

After drinking his fill, Teyat lay down on the ground, breathing heavily.

Sleep, stronger than his exhaustion, overtook him as he drifted into a sudden slumber from the energy he had expended.

And as soon as he did, he found himself surrounded by dark smoke rising from the ground.

Teyat looked around in confusion at the smoke and his hands.

He noticed that his clothes were burning with black smoke.

Before he could fully comprehend what was happening, he touched his face and hair.

His hair was neither long nor short, and his facial features were sharp. As he looked down at his body, he realized he appeared a bit taller.

As Teyat attempted to feel his physique, his eyes widened in shock.

With a mix of fear and hope, he hesitantly reached for a specific area.

And then, with a sigh of relief, he murmured,

"Oh, thank God, I'm a man..."

After exhaling with a smile, he opened his eyes and looked ahead, only to experience an even greater shock.