The bridge erupted in chaos.

  Traebus stood atop the gatehouse, glaring down at the wave of snarling, clicking, predatory lizards clawing their way toward the injured woman at his gate. The pack leader, a massive, scarred brute, stood at the front, testing the stone barrier with a deliberate, slow press of its claws. Their sharp yellow eyes locked onto Traebus, filled with calculation and hunger.

  Nope. Not happening.

  With a sharp inhale, Traebus thrust his Force Ring-clad hand outward, pulling from his rapidly filling mana reserves. The air around his palm shuddered, twisting as it compressed into an unseen wave of power. With a single thought—

  Release.

  A wall of kinetic force blasted out from him like an invisible hammer, slamming into the bridge and sending dozens of the creatures tumbling violently backwards. They screeched, their claws scrambling for purchase, but the force was too strong. They were lifted off their feet, flung into the air like ragdolls, some even colliding midair before slamming into the ground far beyond the bridge. The leader barely managed to dodge aside, hissing in outrage as its pack was scattered like leaves in a storm.

  Before Traebus could second-guess himself, he leapt from the gatehouse, landing heavily beside the wounded woman. She was still conscious, barely, her bright green eyes flickering with recognition before slipping into exhaustion once more.

  Time to go.

  He threw an arm around her waist, hefting her up against him. She was lighter than expected, but dead weight nonetheless. "Alright, neighbor, let’s hope you like flying!"

  He channeled everything into his Force Ring, bracing himself for a measured push—

  Too much.

  The blast of force launched them both backward, far faster than anticipated. His stomach plummeted as they sailed over the stone wall in a wild, uncontrolled arc, wind whipping past them.

  “Oh, COME ON!” Traebus roared as they cleared the entire courtyard, overshooting his intended landing spot by a very concerning margin.

  The ground rushed toward them.

  Then, with perfectly lazy timing, a massive, hulking shape moved directly into their trajectory.

  Tank.

  The three-horn caught them effortlessly, barely flinching as Traebus and the woman crashed onto his back.

  Traebus groaned, clutching onto Tank’s rough hide as he blinked up at the sky. "Right. Totally meant to do that."

  A shrill screech from the wall snapped his attention upward.

  The small elemental lizards were perched atop the battlements, their scales flashing with raw magic as they rained fire, ice, and lightning down onto the pack below. A crackling arc of energy struck one of the carnivores, sending it reeling backward, only for another to take its place, slamming its bulk into the shaking gate.

  They had recovered quickly.

  The bridge was already swarming again. The pack leader, singed but very much alive, barked out a series of sharp, guttural calls, and his hunters responded. They were done waiting.

  They hurled themselves at the gate.

  The entire structure trembled, the reinforced stone groaning under the relentless assault. It wouldn’t hold. Not forever.

  Traebus’ gut twisted. He had two choices.

  Reinforce the gate.

  Or save the dying woman in front of him.

  He looked down at her—pale, barely breathing, blood pooling beneath her from wounds that were only getting worse. His hands flexed as he cursed under his breath.

  His healing magic was unstable at best. At worst? Fatal.

  But if he left her like this? She wouldn’t make it.

  Grinding his teeth, he made his choice.

  "Alright, neighbor," he muttered, pressing his hands onto her wounded side as energy crackled unpredictably around his fingers. "Try not to explode on me."

  He inhaled sharply, forcing himself to focus. Raw purified mana surged through his hands, seeping into her wounds like liquid fire. The air hummed, vibrating with barely contained energy as his unstable healing magic reacted to the unknown nature of her body.

  Her wounds sealed, flesh knitting together far too quickly. Blood, once spilling freely, vanished, as if it had never been there. But—

  Something changed.

  Traebus could feel it, though he couldn’t tell what exactly had shifted. The mana in her body didn’t settle like it should have. It lingered, pooling, twisting, adapting to something he didn’t understand.

  His stomach tightened. This was not normal.

  But she was alive. Stable. And that was what mattered.

  He exhaled heavily, ripping his hands away before he could push the spell too far. He felt a familiar wave of exhaustion grip his chest, his head pounding from the strain of the magic. But he didn’t have time to collapse.

  "Dusk!" he barked, barely looking up. "Take her inside! Get her on the mattress—she’s not dying, but I have no idea what I just did to her."

  Dusk was at his side in an instant, his frills flicking in concerned curiosity, but he obeyed without hesitation, gripping the woman gently in his powerful jaws and carrying her toward the house.

  Traebus ran a shaking hand through his hair, glancing at the still-shuddering gate before looking back toward the house.

  "Right. So I have lizard wolves at my gates, a possibly cursed house guest, and absolutely no furniture." He sighed. "Not exactly how I imagined my week going.

  A shrill screech from the wall snapped his attention upward.

  The small elemental lizards were perched atop the battlements, their scales flashing with raw magic as they rained fire, ice, and lightning down onto the pack below. A crackling arc of energy struck one of the carnivores, sending it reeling backward, only for another to take its place, slamming its bulk into the shaking gate.

  Sparky had taken up leading the defense, perched atop the highest stone, crackling with excess charge as he directed the assault. Despite their best efforts, the small lizards were tiring, their movements sluggish as their attacks grew weaker.

  Traebus cursed and bolted for the gatehouse, his boots hammering against the stone. "Hold the line!" he shouted, more for Sparky’s sake than anything. The tiny lizard flicked a mock-salute before launching another bolt of lightning downward, but even his energy reserves were thinning.

  Then, a yelp of pain.

  Traebus's stomach dropped as one of the smaller lizards—a vibrant red-scaled one—was snatched mid-air by a leaping predator. The beast’s jaws clamped down, and the lizard let out a shrieking trill, thrashing as it tried to escape.

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  Before Traebus could react, Sparky did.

  With a furious screech, the lightning lizard launched himself directly onto the predator’s snout, sending a deadly surge of electricity through its skull. The creature convulsed violently before collapsing, smoke rising from its mouth.

  But the damage was done—the smaller lizard collapsed onto the stone, its body twitching in pain.

  Traebus saw red.

  The gate cracked.

  A deep, thunderous boom echoed through the night as the beasts below slammed against the structure with renewed force, their leader barking out a series of guttural commands. The stone groaned, spiderweb cracks splintering along its surface.

  "Oh, hell no!" Traebus growled. "We are not doing this today!"

  As if summoned by his fury, a massive shadow loomed beside him.

  Tank.

  The three-horned beast let out a deep, rumbling snort, his massive frame settling protectively in front of the gatehouse. His small, dark eyes locked onto the mass of attacking predators, his tail flicking with growing agitation.

  Tank had been watching.

  Now, he was joining the fight.

  The gate split apart with a final, deafening crack, the stone shards bursting inward as the leading carnivores forced their way through. The alpha, the scarred brute, surged forward with a victorious screech, its jaws wide with triumph—only for Tank to meet it head-on.

  With a bellow that shook the very air, Tank charged.

  The first predator barely had time to react before two tons of armored muscle crashed into it, Tank’s massive skull smashing through flesh and bone. The creature was lifted off its feet, flung backward into the others like a ragdoll, its body crumpling upon impact. The pack’s triumphant momentum shattered.

  Another lunged, sickle-like claws slashing toward Tank’s exposed flank. Bad move.

  Tank swung his tail with terrifying force, the whiplash sending the attacker flying sideways, its body slamming into the gate remains with a sickening crack. It didn’t get back up.

  A third creature, smarter than the rest, tried to flank him, moving low and fast, its eyes locked onto Tank’s vulnerable underside. It never got close.

  Tank reared up, his massive front limbs coming down like battering rams, crushing the attacker beneath a sheer wall of muscle and weight. The sickening crunch that followed sent the rest of the pack skidding to a halt.

  They hesitated. Good.

  Traebus, breathing hard, scrambled to his feet, his hands lighting with mana. "That’s right! You want in here? You go through him!"

  The surviving predators, once brimming with confidence, were now second-guessing their charge. They stalked in a tight semicircle, growling, their instincts warring between hunger and self-preservation. They had the numbers, but Tank was an immovable force, and they knew it.

  The alpha hesitated, its claws flexing as it took a step back.

  Tank stomped forward, snorting, his nostrils flaring wide with rage.

  The predators faltered. Then, they broke.

  The alpha gave a sharp, guttural bark, and the surviving creatures turned and fled, retreating across the bridge, disappearing into the darkness beyond.

  The battle was over.

  Traebus let out a shuddering breath, gripping his arm. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me. That hurt!" Traebus let out a breathless chuckle. "Big guy, I ever tell you I love you? Because I do. I really, really do.""

  Or so he thought.

  Traebus barely had a moment to breathe before a blur of motion crashed into his side, slamming him violently to the ground.

  The alpha had never run. It had been watching, waiting, and the moment Traebus lowered his guard, it struck with terrifying speed.

  Pain exploded through his ribs as the creature's bulk pinned him, its weight pressing down like a living vice. The sickle-shaped talons dug into his side, slicing through cloth and skin, searing agony ripping through him as he struggled against the beast’s crushing strength.

  The alpha’s breath was hot and fetid, its snarling teeth inches from his face. Its eyes burned with pure, unrelenting hatred.

  Traebus did the only thing he could—he fought back.

  He drove his elbow into its throat, making it snap its jaws away just before it could clamp down on his neck. With a snarl, it retaliated, raking its talons down his chest, cutting deep enough that Traebus gasped in pain.

  "You ugly son of a—!" he gritted out, twisting his body with every ounce of strength he had left. The two rolled across the bloodstained ground, snapping, thrashing, clawing, neither willing to give an inch.

  The alpha was faster, its lean form built for agility, while Traebus was desperate and running on pure adrenaline. His fists slammed against its skull and snout, but the thing wouldn’t let go, its claws digging deeper as it tried to gut him alive.

  Traebus gritted his teeth as blood dripped from his side, his vision flickering. He couldn’t overpower it. Not like this.

  Then, in a reckless move, he did the one thing the predator wouldn’t expect.

  He let go.

  Instead of struggling against the hold, he grabbed its lower jaw and wrenched himself toward it, forcing his arm deep into its mouth before it could snap shut. The creature choked, its bite clamping down on his forearm instead of his throat—

  And that was the moment he needed.

  With one free hand, he clenched his Force Ring—and let loose.

  A raw blast of kinetic energy erupted from his palm point-blank, sending the alpha hurtling backward with a bone-snapping crunch. The force of the blow threw Traebus in the opposite direction, sending him skidding painfully across the blood-soaked stone.

  He coughed, his entire body screaming in pain as he struggled onto his knees. His arm throbbed, torn flesh burning, and he was bleeding heavily from the deep gouges across his torso.

  The alpha twitched, barely moving, its body a broken heap at the base of the ruined gate.

  Traebus let out a ragged breath, barely able to keep himself upright. "Stay. Down. You overgrown scaly bastard."

  Then the impossible happened.

  The alpha's bones shifted.

  A deep, unsettling crack filled the air as its limbs realigned, grotesquely snapping back into place as if its body refused to acknowledge injury. The deep gouges Traebus had left behind began to close, flesh knitting together far too quickly, an unnatural, pulsing glow radiating from beneath its scales.

  Tank let out a warning growl, shifting his weight, nostrils flaring. Even the surviving elemental lizards atop the walls hesitated, their tails flicking with unease.

  The alpha rose, standing taller than before, its head snapping toward Traebus with raw, undiluted hatred.

  It hissed, the sound low and guttural, a predator's promise of death.

  Traebus, chest heaving, winced as he clutched his torn arm. "Oh, great. Lizard rabies. That’s exactly what I needed. Anybody got a giant-sized syringe? No? Wonderful."

  The alpha took a stalking step forward.

  Traebus exhaled sharply and lifted his hand toward the sky, blood dripping from his fingertips. "Alright. I get it. I’ve had my turn. Can something divine smite this thing now?"

  As if answering his plea, a shadow fell over him.

  A familiar, scaled presence strode forward, low and menacing. Dusk had returned.

  The great lizard’s frills flared as he stepped past Traebus, his gaze locking onto the regenerating alpha.

  Traebus let out a weak chuckle. "Well, buddy... all yours."

  The alpha hissed, lowering its stance in a clear challenge. Its powerful claws dug into the stone, muscles tensing, ready to strike. But Dusk? He simply snorted.

  Then, he vanished.

  One moment, the great lizard was standing beside Traebus, his scales glinting in the dim light. The next, he was gone, slipping into the shadows like he had never been there at all.

  The alpha barely had time to register the shift before Dusk reappeared, materializing mid-lunge, his claws flashing in the dark.

  The impact was instant.

  Dusk’s claws ripped through flesh, tearing a deep gash from the alpha’s neck down to its ribcage. The creature let out a guttural scream, thrashing violently as dark blood sprayed across the ground. But before it could react, Dusk was already gone again, melting into the darkness like a specter.

  Traebus watched, stunned, as the alpha whipped around wildly, snapping its jaws at nothing. Dusk appeared again—this time at its flank—and struck again.

  A second deep wound opened along its haunches, cutting through bone and sinew. But even as the blood poured freely, the wounds began to close.

  The alpha’s snarls turned into something more akin to a desperate growl, its movements slowing, frustration mounting.

  Traebus wiped blood from his own face, still breathing heavily. "Oh, this is just unfair."

  The alpha spun, snapping its powerful jaws in frustration—but Dusk wasn’t there.

  He never was.

  Then, like a phantom from the abyss, Dusk materialized above the alpha, leaping from the shadows with his full, terrifying weight behind him.

  The moment stretched—silent, dark, and final.

  With a sickening crack, Dusk slammed the alpha to the ground, his claws driving deep into its back, pinning it beneath him. The great predator screeched, its body jerking violently, its limbs clawing at the air—

  It never got the chance to rise again.

  With a final, brutal snap, Dusk’s jaws closed around the alpha’s throat and ripped its head from its shoulders.

  A geyser of dark blood sprayed across the shattered stone, pooling beneath the twitching remains of the once-mighty leader of the pack.

  Traebus, still bleeding, still catching his breath, watched the scene unfold with a blank stare.

  Then he blinked, wiped some fresh blood off his forehead, and muttered, "Yeah, not even lizard rabies is gonna fix that."

  With that final thought, Traebus groaned and let himself collapse onto the cold, blood-streaked stone. His body throbbed, every nerve screaming in protest. His arms shook, his side burned, and his vision swam with the edges of unconsciousness creeping in.

  A concerned honk rumbled through the air, followed by the heavy thud of something large stepping closer.

  Tank.

  Traebus forced himself to squint up at the massive three-horn, who peered down at him, his expression unreadable. Then, concepts flooded his mind—images of Traebus healing him, memories of past wounds closing under his hands, the sensation of renewal and strength that followed.

  Tank was waiting. Expecting him to do the same for himself.

  Traebus gave a weak laugh, slurring out, "Oh sure, big guy. Let me just... pull some magic out of my ass while I’m currently bleeding all over your nice clean dirt."

  Tank just snorted.

  Traebus groaned. "No? No sympathy? You’re just gonna... stand there looking majestic and judging me? Fine. Go chew on a rock."

  The world tilted dangerously. He barely had the presence of mind to mumble, "Tank, buddy... catch me if I fall off the planet..."

  And then, everything went dark.