The Shyvrakth writhed on the dusty ground, a broken colossus yet unbowed. Its body was a monument to ruin: black feathers, dark as the void, torn and dripping with thick blood, jutted out from deep wounds. Its right wing was twisted unnaturally, shattered in multiple places, with bones exposed like shards of fractured ivory. Its beak, already cracked from Valantz’s devastating blow, was now a gaping chasm of fractures and bloodied splinters. Yet, despite everything, its eyes still burned with pure hatred.

With a tremendous effort, the beast pushed itself up onto its clawed legs, its breath ragged with furious gasps. Then, in a desperate and ferocious surge, it hurled itself forward, limping but unstoppable, charging at full speed toward Valantz and Nyxial, who watched it with lethal calm.

Not a hint of hesitation in their movements. No fear. No doubt.

They were hunters, certain of their victory.

And that drove it mad.

The Shyvrakth let out a horrifying scream, a broken cry that was a mix between the shriek of an eagle in agony and a cavernous roar. A sound that tore through the air, vibrating in the bones, shaking the ground beneath Aster’s feet.

Then it spread its wings.

The tattered feathers stirred in the wind, some breaking free and drifting like black blades in the sky. The shattered bones creaked like old wood under the strain of movement, but the beast ignored the pain. With a violent, self-destructive strike, it launched itself, unleashing a storm of pure devastation.

The wind exploded in every direction like a lash of primordial power. The sky darkened for an instant as the storm of dust and debris rose like an oppressive wall. The roar of air being torn apart was deafening, rocks were lifted like bullets, crashing everywhere. Aster shielded his face as he was nearly thrown back by the fury of the attack.

But Valantz and Nyxial remained untouched.

Like shadows in the storm, they advanced without flinching.

Valantz drew his sword.

It was a long, razor-sharp blade, with a dark and menacing hilt, adorned with gothic engravings resembling claws clutching the grip. It seemed alive, as if darkness itself lurked within the metal. Blood-red veins ran along its surface like pulsing arteries, and with each step Valantz took, they glowed brighter, responding to the sword’s hunger for battle.

Nyxial, for his part, moved swiftly like a shadow, circling the monster from one side while Valantz attacked from the other.

The battle erupted with unimaginable violence.

Valantz lunged forward, his sword slicing through the air with a menacing hiss, striking the Shyvrakth’s side, tearing away feathers and flesh in a single blow. The beast screeched in pain and turned to claw at its attacker, but in that instant, Nyxial pounced from the other side, sinking his teeth into the raptor’s neck with brutal force.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The Shyvrakth’s hatred turned into pure terror.

It realized it could not win.

But it would not surrender.

Aster, watching breathlessly, couldn’t help but whisper, "It’s incredible… it’s like they’re dancing in death."

Valantz and Nyxial continued their assault with flawless rhythm, without hesitation, without mistakes. Valantz’s sword glowed brighter with every strike, pulsing like a heart starved for blood. It was as if it fed on the monster’s very life.

The Shyvrakth was on its knees, panting, its feathers reduced to shreds, its body covered in bleeding wounds. Its claws scraped against the ground as it desperately sought one last grasp at victory.

Then, with a final, desperate roar, it played its last card.

Its chest swelled unnaturally, bones creaking as it pulled its broken wings back as far as it could. The pressure built up, making the air around it vibrate. Then, with one last wingbeat, it unleashed its final attack.

An explosion of feathers as sharp as swords.

Hundreds of black blades shot in every direction at supersonic speed, slicing through the air like darts of death.

Valantz and Nyxial reacted instantly.

Nyxial beat his wings violently, creating a vortex of shadows that deflected most of the feathers. Valantz spun his sword with superhuman skill, parrying those that managed to pierce through the pegasus’s barrier.

But it wasn’t enough.

One feather, black as night and sharp as a spear, tore through the storm and struck Aster square in the chest.

The force of the impact sent him flying backward, hurling him several meters before he crashed to the ground with a heavy thud.

His mind blurred with pain. But before darkness swallowed him completely, he saw Gelsomina.

She had been struck too.

The feather had pierced her mercilessly, and her body, fragile as a petal, disintegrated into a dance of light and fading particles.

Aster tried to scream, but no breath came. He stared in horror at his own wound: the feather had impaled him clean through. Then, with wide eyes, he saw his life bar.

The blood within it drained in an instant.

Zero.

Darkness.

And then…

That dark room.

Once again.

Before him, the familiar screen illuminated the void with its glow:

Time until respawn: 23:59:53

And just below it:

Log Out

Aster remained motionless, his eyes fixed on the floral screen in front of him, yet his gaze empty.

In his mind, the scene kept replaying endlessly. The moment of impact. The searing pain. The black feather piercing him. And then Gelsomina… her small body, reduced to fragments of light, dissolving before his eyes.

He had lost her.

Again.

Despite everything, despite his efforts, despite risking his life to protect her.

He had saved her.

And yet, he had lost her again.

And this time… forever.

A cold emptiness spread inside him. He felt no anger, no physical pain, only an infinite, crushing exhaustion. Like when you put every last ounce of energy into something… and fail anyway.

This time, he didn’t waste time searching for a way back, a loophole, a means to return to Encrypted. It was pointless. Gelsomina was gone.

There was nothing left to do.

With a slow, almost mechanical motion, he pressed "Log Out."

And, as if waking from a dream vanished into nothingness, he returned to the real world.

He found himself lying on his bed, his breath heavy. The air in the room was still, impalpable, indifferent to everything that had just happened.

Then…