ash without fire, rivers freezing in the height of summer. It all pointed to one thing: a beast was nearby.

And then she saw it.

It stepped into the clearing, a towering creature with fur that shimmered like molten gold. Its eyes burned with an inner fire, and steam curled from its nostrils. This was Pyroth, the fire beast—a legend among legends.

Eira froze, her breath caught in her throat. Pyroth was unlike anything she had ever imagined. It was both beautiful and terrifying, its sheer presence commanding the air around it.

Before she could decide whether to run or stay, the beast's head turned sharply, its eyes locking onto hers.

"Foolish girl," a voice boomed—not from Pyroth's mouth, but from within her own mind. "You dare to seek me out?"

Eira stumbled backward, clutching her staff tightly. "I-I didn't mean to disturb you!" she stammered, though the truth was she had come looking for him.

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The beast stepped closer, the ground trembling beneath its weight. "You lie. I smell your ambition, your hunger. You are not like the others."

Eira swallowed hard. She could feel the heat radiating from the creature, the power that seemed to hum in the air. But instead of fear, a strange sense of resolve settled over her.

"I don't want to harm you," she said, her voice steadier now. "I came because… because I think you're part of my destiny."

The beast snorted, a plume of smoke rising into the air. "Destiny? You speak of things you do not understand."

Eira took a cautious step forward. "Then teach me. Help me understand."

For a moment, there was silence. Then, Pyroth tilted his massive head, his fiery eyes narrowing. "You are bold, girl. Perhaps too bold. But the path you seek is not an easy one. Taming the beasts is a fate fraught with peril."

Eira clenched her fists. "I don't care how dangerous it is. I've always felt like I was meant for more than this—more than tending sheep and hiding behind village walls. If taming the beasts is my destiny, then I'll face whatever comes."

Pyroth's laughter rumbled like distant thunder. "Very well. If you are so eager to embrace your fate, then let us begin."

Before Eira could react, the beast lunged forward, its fiery eyes blazing. She raised her staff, a scream caught in her throat, but instead of striking her, Pyroth touched its nose to her chest.

A searing heat coursed through her, and suddenly the world around her disappeared.

She was standing in a vast expanse of molten rock, the air shimmering with heat. In the distance, she could see other beasts—each more fearsome than the last—watching her with unblinking eyes.

"This is your trial, human," Pyroth's voice echoed in her mind. "Tame the fire within yourself, and perhaps you will have the strength to tame us."

Eira took a deep breath, her resolve hardening. She had no idea what lay ahead, but she knew one thing for certain: her life would never be the same again.

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To Be Continued...