Debut IV

PH1RE'S P.O.V

We moved through the forest, repeating the same method. Every time we spotted fresh tracks or suspicious patches of ground, I ignited a controlled fire while Bryn cleared trees to stop it from spreading. Maya remained vigilant, her eyes scanning for movement.

The fires burned low but steady, filling the air with a lazy haze of smoke drifting between the trees. But soon, the forest felt different—charged with an unnerving anticipation as the smoke thickened.

"How long do you think it'll take?" Maya asked, her voice tense as her gaze swept the treeline.

"Shouldn't be long now," Bryn replied, a gleam of excitement in his eyes. "Once the smoke gets thick enough, they'll have no choice but to come out."

I wasn't so sure, but I kept my doubts to myself. As the smoke billowed and the fires burned hotter, the tension in the air spiked. Whatever was lurking here, it was either going to run or attack.

Then, a deep rumble echoed through the forest, vibrating beneath our feet. The trees ahead trembled, and the thudding of heavy footsteps grew louder.

"Here we go," Bryn grinned, sprinting toward the sound. "Looks like we got something's attention."

The ground quaked again, followed by a deafening roar. My heart hammered with a mix of fear and anticipation. That roar... it sounded familiar.

Pushing through the smoke, I finally saw it—a massive fire lion with a mane of blazing red.

"Oh no," I muttered, glancing at Bryn. His expression mirrored my own shock.

Leo.

In the middle of the clearing, Leo stood—his enormous maw wide open as he absorbed the flames we had started, pulling the fire from the trees into his mouth like he was feeding on it.

When he turned to face us, the look in his eyes made my blood run cold. He wasn't just angry. He looked feral—like one of those rabid spark hogs.

"Bryn, this doesn't look good!" I yelled, taking a step back as Leo advanced, growling low and menacing.

"I realize that," Bryn muttered, equally stunned.

Leo's growl deepened, his muscles coiling as he prepared to strike. His fiery mane crackled, the heat radiating off him making the air shimmer.

"Bryn, what the hell do we do?" I asked, struggling to keep the panic out of my voice.

For the first time since I'd met him, Bryn hesitated, uncertainty flashing across his face. "Leo's not himself... something's wrong."

"No kidding!" Maya snapped, stepping up beside me in a defensive stance. "What did we do to him?"

I scanned the area frantically. Something had to be affecting him, just like the other animals. But I didn't have time to figure it out. Leo let out another earth-shaking roar and charged.

"Move!" Bryn shouted, shoving me aside as Leo lunged.

We scrambled in opposite directions, dirt exploding as Leo slammed into the spot we had just vacated. His claws ripped through the earth like it was nothing. His fiery eyes locked onto Bryn.

"Leo, calm down, buddy!" Bryn shouted, though his voice wavered. "It's me! Bryn!"

Leo wasn't listening.

"I thought he was supposed to be watching the workers!" Maya screamed, her voice high with panic as Bryn narrowly dodged Leo's swipe.

"He was!" I shouted back, dodging behind a cluster of trees. "Something must've happened to him! He's not acting right!"

"No kidding!" Maya snapped, her eyes wide with fear as Leo shifted his focus to her, growling even more viciously.

"Bryn, what do we do?" I called out, desperate for a plan.

Bryn looked torn, his fists clenched. "We can't hurt him!" He hesitated, panic flickering in his eyes.

"Well, unless you have a better idea, he's going to tear us apart!" Maya shouted, narrowly avoiding another clawed strike.

Leo's mane flared brighter, his eyes wild as he searched for his next target. We had to stop him—fast. Before I could react, Leo opened his maw again, and a fireball formed within it, aimed directly at us.

I quickly conjured one of my own and hurled it to intercept, but his swallowed mine and kept coming.

In a split second, I summoned a mana shield. The fireball exploded against it, sending shockwaves through the forest and knocking us off our feet. My shield barely held, cracking under the force. The heat seared the air.

Then Leo was on us again, swiping his massive claws and shattering what was left of the shield. One swipe grazed my chest, tearing through my shirt as I leaped back in retreat.

'There goes my shirt,' I thought grimly, patting down the flames on the torn fabric.

I barely had time to catch my breath before Leo charged again, his massive body crashing through the underbrush with terrifying speed.

Before I could react, Bryn stepped in front of me, his arm outstretched. He landed a punch squarely on Leo's jaw, sending the massive fire lion skidding back through the dirt. Leo growled, enraged, and began gathering flames for another fireball. But with a sharp gesture, Bryn summoned a gust of wind that extinguished it before it could form.

"Leo, this is hurting me more than it's hurting you!" Bryn shouted, his voice strained as he threw another punch, sending Leo tumbling further back.

"So... what's the plan?" Maya asked, walking up cautiously, her eyes darting between Bryn and the still-smoldering Leo.

"Both of you, step back. I'll handle this," Bryn said, his tone leaving no room for argument as he walked ahead of us.

I could see the tension in his posture, his displeasure written all over his face. What caught my attention, though, was his stance—open fists, unusual for him. He was going for control, not brute force.

Leo, now shaking off the shock from Bryn's attacks, stood up slowly. His eyes gleamed with fury, and the red markings across his body began to glow, intensifying with each passing second. The flames that crisscrossed his form flickered brighter until, with a sudden leap, he took to the air.

"What the—?" Maya gasped. None of us had expected that. Leo soared above us, his fiery mane blazing in the sky as he flew off into the distance.

"Bryn! Do we follow him?" I asked, turning back to him.

But Bryn was no longer standing. He had taken to his knees, "Thank the gods, I thought that would get worse," he said letting out a sigh of relief.

I stared at Bryn, my heart still racing from the near-death encounter. "You look exhausted," I said, trying to catch my breath. Maya and I exchanged a glance, both of us still shaken by how close Leo had come to tearing us apart.

Bryn wiped the sweat from his brow and gave a weak chuckle. "Yeah, no kidding. Leo's strong, but I wasn't ready for that. I think... whatever's happening to him, it's draining his strength as much as it's amping him up."

Maya crossed her arms, her sharp gaze scanning the treeline where Leo had disappeared. "If that's the case, why would he run off? Seems like he had the upper hand, even with Bryn decking him."

I shook my head. "It doesn't make sense. He was completely out of control, but the moment you started using those open fist techniques, Bryn, it was like he got scared or... I don't know, maybe confused?"

Bryn slowly stood,"That wasn't confusion," he said steadily. "I was using a skill I learned a long time ago. It's dangerous. It uses mana to create the presence of a predator, establishing dominance. Leo... I think he's battling something inside himself."

Maya raised an eyebrow. "So you're telling me you're trying to alpha him into submission?"

"Pretty much," Bryn said, stretching his sore arm. "But it doesn't always work. If whatever's controlling him is strong enough, it'll only push him to fight harder."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Great. So we either break the control, or we back off and let him keep terrorizing the forest."

"Worse, he undoes all our work," I muttered.

Maya grimaced. "We can't wait for him to come back. We need to figure out what's affecting him—and fast. I'm not eager for round two with a fire lion."

I nodded, my mind racing through possibilities. "This doesn't add up. Leo's been domesticated his entire life. He wouldn't fall like the other animals, and he should never have come into the forest today. If Bryn's alpha technique didn't phase him, that means..."

My eyes widened in realization.

Bryn smirked. "You're catching on quick, Loid. Ethan said you would."

"Catching on to what?" Maya asked, confused.

"If something isn't natural, the only logical conclusion is that it's man-made. Someone is controlling these creatures," Bryn explained.

"Wait! What would anyone have to gain from making the animals attack the villagers?" Maya asked.

"I don't know, but one thing is clear: we need to track down everyone who came in contact with Leo in the past two days," Bryn said, his voice grim.

With a sigh, he added, "Just as he planned."

Meanwhile, elsewhere, a certain kleptomaniac sneezed.