As chaos reigned around them, a mother and her daughter found themselves trapped under a heap of debris from a collapsed building. The scene was terrifying, with twisted girders, chunks of concrete, and rubble hindering their freedom of movement. The panicked screams and deafening noises from outside made their situation even more frightening.

"Don't worry, honey. We'll get through this, okay? Stay close to me and hold my hand," the mother tried to control her trembling voice to reassure her daughter.

"Yes, mom."

The mother, determined to protect her daughter at all costs, tried to make her way through the debris, even if it meant injuring her body with the pieces of scrap metal that protruded from the rubble. The rain falling on the city made it more difficult for her to take hold of the debris, slowing their progress.

'I have to find a way for us to escape. We can't stay here.'

Sinister growls and roars were heard in the distance as they struggled to break free. The crystal beasts were slowly approaching their area.

"Don't make noise. There are beasts heading this way. Keep calm, and don't move."

"I'm scared, Mum. What are we going to do?" muttered the little girl in a shaking voice.

"We'll get through this, sweetie. I'll find a way to get us out of here. Don't worry."

The mother felt fear rising within her, but she refused to panic. She took her daughter's hand and reassured her in a trembling but reassuring voice that everything would be fine. She knew she had to find a way out of there before the beasts got to them.

Despite the pain, the mother continued to search for an opening, using all her strength to move debris and obstacles. The girl, terrified but confident in her mother, remained calm and obedient, holding back her tears.

"That's it! I found a small gap. Slowly slide in and get out of there."

The little girl slipped out of the rubble and looked at her mother.

"Why you're not coming, mum?"

"I can't get through here. I'll find another exit. Don't worry about me and go hide."

"Mom, I want to stay with you! I don't want to leave you alone!" The little girl clung desperately to her mother's hand, tears streaming down her face.

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The mother felt her heart break at her daughter's anguish, but she knew she couldn't stay here each time the howls of the crystal beasts were heard closer to them. She tried to push her daughter away several times, yelling at her to run away from her, but her daughter wouldn't let go of her hand.

The mother bit her lip and forced her body through the small gap. The pieces of debris cut into her body as she tried to squeeze through the small gap despite her body being too large to accomplish it.

Suddenly, she saw beasts in the distance, resembling tigers with bony armor sticking out of their bodies, covering every part, including their claws, making them longer and protruding. Their eyes gleamed in the darkness staring at the mother and daughter duo.

The mother fingernails dug into the debris, trying to widen the passage even a little. Hoping the beasts don't rush towards them. But her hope was crushed the next moment when the tigers ran in their direction.

As the tigers rapidly approached, the desperate mother gathered all her strength to release herself from the rubble. In a desperate effort, she forced her body to push through the small gap. The pain was unbearable, but she couldn't afford to flinch now. With a cry of pain, she felt her shoulder dislocate, but she managed to get through to the other side.

"Ahh!"

The mother screamed in pain, holding her dangling arm. The little girl, terrified, reached out her hand to grab her mother's clothes.

"Mom!"

The mother, with her valid hand, grasped her daughter’s hand firmly, ignoring the pain that passed through her. She rushed, dragging her daughter behind her. The Tigers were getting closer and closer, their shiny claws ready to catch them.

The mother and her daughter ran through the devastated streets, narrowly avoiding the attacks of the tigers. The pain in the mother's shoulder was excruciating, but she had only one thing on her mind, saving her daughter at all cost.

A towering shadow suddenly fell in front of them. A 3 meter tall beast resembling a lycan with black fur with dark green hues stood upright. Its reddish-brown eyes with slit pupils seemed to be watching them like prey. The long tail behind its back moved feebly as its protruding claws shone in the dim light of the fires that devoured the city.

The fur of its body was soaked by the rain and stained with blood and pieces of flesh that remained sticking. A dented double-bladed sword was held between its claws.

Seeing this terrifying beast standing in front of them, the mother felt death approaching. She collapsed to her knees on the ground, shaking, holding her daughter with her only arm intact in a last effort to protect her.

The beast threw itself forward while the mother closed her eyes.

Sounds of screaming and slicing flesh could be heard in her ears, but she felt no pain reaching her body.

A few seconds passed in this state before she opened her eyes and was surprised by the scene in front of her.

All the tigers running after them were now cut into several parts on the ground. The lycan stood in the middle of their corpse with its double-bladed sword dripping with blood.

It slowly walked towards the mother and daughter duo, making them tremble in fear. It extended its pair of claws that didn't hold the double-bladed sword towards them when its eyes reflected the blood that stained its fur, stopping its movements.

It lowered itself in front of them, speaking as softly as it could manage, "Are you alright?"

An expression of surprise appeared in the eyes of the mother and the daughter when they heard its voice.