As the angry murmurs swelled once again, the same fairy who had been watching her friend, a Dihodos writhing in agony, raised her voice. She strode forward and knelt before Ethan, her face set in determination.

**Ljikina Fairy**: "Take her blood. Save her. I believe in you."

One of the other Ljikina fairies, her voice sharp with fear and anger, hissed at her. **"What are you doing? Get away from him... You are already cursed and you'll make us all cursed too!"**

But the kneeling fairy, unwavering, turned to face her with a fierce gaze. **"No! He *is* saving us! Take her blood, Savior. If your... whatever you call it... works, then my friend will be saved. If not..."** Her voice faltered, eyes filled with pain as she looked at her suffering friend. **"She's going to die... Either from the transformation or..."** She trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

Ethan, seeing her conviction and the trust in her eyes, nodded firmly. **"I will save her. I promise."**

The fairy stood up and led Ethan to her friend, who was tied down in shackles, her body contorting in unimaginable pain as the transformation worsened. The fairy, still partly herself, let out a broken, pleading cry.

**The writhing dihodus(writhing in pain, her voice weak and trembling)**: "Pl...please... pl... sav...save me..."

Ethan knelt beside her, his voice steady and filled with reassurance. **"Don’t worry, I’ll save you. I just need to take your blood . Try to keep your arm steady. Can you do that for me?"**

But she, consumed by pain, could barely control her movements. Her friend knelt beside her, gently holding her arm still, giving Ethan the chance he needed.

**Ethan (filling the syringe with dark, reddish-black blood)**: "Thank you..." (keeping his focus on the injection) "...What do I call you?"

**The friend fairy**: "It’s Vyrella."

**Ethan (pulling out the syringe, looking up at her with a grateful smile)**: "Thanks, Vyrella. I’ll save your friend... umm..."

**Vyrella**: "She’s Caly."

**Ethan (nodding)**: "Right. Just a moment, Caly. I’ll be right back." He gently reassured her before heading back to his equipment.

The other Ljikina fairies watched from a distance, murmuring amongst themselves, still unwilling to believe in Ethan’s methods. To them, it looked like madness, heresy even, but Vyrella stayed close, her faith in Ethan unshaken.

Ethan worked with intense focus, measuring and mixing chemicals, each drop carefully calculated. The tension in the air was thick, and the fairies' whispering doubts grew louder, but Ethan didn’t stop. When he finally prepared the serum, he filled an injection, his hands steady as he rushed back to Vyrella and the suffering Caly.

**Ethan**: "Vyrella, hold her arm."

Vyrella once again, held Caly’s arm as tightly as she could while Ethan administered the serum. As he injected it, Caly’s monstrous form began to take over. Her body twisted, and with a sudden surge of strength, she grabbed Ethan’s arm in her monstrous, clawed hand.

**Caly’s monstrous voice (guttural and distorted)**: "ARRRGHHH!"

Despite the pain, Ethan didn’t flinch. He pushed the serum in fully, wincing as Caly’s grip tightened around his arm.

**Vyrella (panicking, trying to pry Caly’s hand off Ethan)**: "Caly! Stop... It’s not you... Caly, please!"

Ethan grimaced, biting back a scream as the pressure on his arm became unbearable. Some of the other Ljikina fairies, watching from afar, smiled coldly, interpreting his pain as divine punishment.

**Ljikina Fairy 1 (smirking)**: "Thanks to our Phinix. He’s getting his punishment for taking her blood."

**Ljikina Fairy 2 (with grim satisfaction)**: "This is what Phinix does, *Savior*. You took her blood—now you pay for your sin."

Ethan, his face contorted in pain **"No... it’s not that. Her nervous system is... adjusting to the serum. The symbiosis is starting, but it's fighting back."**

Vyrella, still trying to calm the situation, looked at Ethan desperately. **"They won’t understand. Not until your serum works."**

**Ethan (with firm conviction)**: "It *will* work. I’m sure of it."

**Vyrella**: "How long? She’s still in so much pain..."

Another Ljikina fairy spoke, her voice icy with doubt. **"And soon she’ll become one of Nemesis’ dihodos. Vyrella... Kill her now."**

But Vyrella shook her head furiously, tears brimming in her eyes. **"NO! She’ll come back... I know it. I trust him."**

Caly’s body, which had been dark and distorted, stopped writhing. Her form shimmered, and the monstrous red hue that had overtaken her skin started to fade. Her breathing, once ragged and strained, became steadier.

Vyrella gasped, her hands covering her mouth in disbelief and hope. **"Caly...?"**

Caly’s monstrous features were receding, her fairy-like form slowly returning. She blinked, her once-monstrous eyes softening back to their natural color. The transformation had stopped.

Ethan, looked up at Vyrella. **"She’s... she's coming back. It worked."**

Vyrella sobbed, tears of joy streaming down her face as she pulled Caly into her arms. **"Caly! You’re back...Thanks the stars…. Caly..!"**

The murmurs of disbelief among the other Ljikina fairies quieted, replaced with a stunned silence as they watched the impossible unfold before their eyes.

Ethan, with a smile. **"I told you... I would save her."**

The once-angry fairies, still clutching their superstitions, now looked at Ethan with a mixture of awe and uncertainty. Their world had been shaken, but for the first time, they glimpsed something beyond their beliefs.

Vyrella gently cradled Caly in her arms, her tears streaming down as she looked at Ethan, her voice trembling with emotion.

**Vyrella**: *"Thank you... Th-thank you so much..."*

Ethan, still catching his breath after the intense moment, smiled warmly at her.

**Ethan**: *"No, thank you, Vyrella. I couldn’t have done this without you."*

The murmurs of the other Ljikina fairies filled the air, but this time, they weren't angry or suspicious. Their disbelief was now directed at the miracle they had just witnessed. Science had won, at least for today. Ethan stood up and faced the crowd, his voice calm and confident.

**Ethan (soft but firm):** "Like I said, I saved her. And if you believe in me now, I can save your loved ones too. But I need your trust."

One of the Ljikina fairies, still shaken, stepped forward hesitantly.

**Ljikina fairy (apologetically):** "We... we're sorry for doubting you."

**Ethan (gently):** "There's no need to apologize. I understand you believe in your Phinix, in your traditions. But I also need you to believe in logic... in science. Trust me, let me help before it’s too late."

Slowly, the Ljikina fairies nodded, allowing Ethan to work on the remaining Dihodos. As each one calmed, their monstrous forms slowly reverted back. Families wept, embracing their loved ones. Mums and Auls held each other tightly, and the air was heavy with emotion. It was a beautiful, heartbreaking scene, but Ethan kept his composure, busying himself with packing up his equipment.

Just as he finished, Vyrella approached him once more.

**Vyrella (softly):** "I don't know how I can ever thank you enough... Caly is all I have left. We don’t have mums, and today, I almost lost her."

**Ethan (smiling warmly):** "You don't need to thank me. I'm just glad she's safe. That's what matters."

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

He paused, noticing her emotional state, and decided to lighten the mood.

**Ethan (grinning):** "Though if you really want to thank me, how about showing me the best place to visit around here?"

Vyrella chuckled, wiping a tear from her eye.

**Vyrella (smiling):** "I’ll show you the best place of all. You deserve it."

Ethan smiled back, nodding before turning to pack the last of his tools. Just then, Emberis returned, her expression as sharp as ever, but with a hint of a smile.

**Emberis (teasing):** "Looks like you’ve secured another round of playing their savior, Savior Ethan."

**Ethan (with a grin):** "Maybe… but it wasn’t easy. Thanks to Vyrella, we pulled through."

**Emberis**: “Who? What actually happened?”

**Ethan**, pointing to Vyrella in the distance, who was now seated beside the recovering Caly, replied, “She...”

Ethan quickly shifted gears. “Did you find Ogmis Dihodos’ location?”

**Emberis**: “Yes...” (She handed him her tablet, beeping with the coordinates.)

**Ethan**: “Then let’s go for a hunt.”

---

Ethan and Emberis continued their trek through the dense forest, the massive trees looming over them, their soft blue glow casting a surreal light. The crunch of snow under their feet was the only sound that broke the silence of the wilderness, except for their chatter.

Emberis glanced at her tablet, checking their path, before turning to Ethan with a playful smirk. "And I bet not a single one of them believed you at first, did they?"

Ethan, walking beside her, shook his head, still amused by the whole ordeal. "Yeah, I tried to convince them, but they were so hung up on their Phinix. You should've seen the look on their faces when I told them it wasn’t some divine intervention—just science."

Emberis chuckled, recalling her own skepticm. "I can’t blame them. I mean, I used to believe in the Phinix too. And then you went and shattered it all by explaining the science behind Zovrath. You know, at first, I thought you were completely nuts."

Ethan burst into laughter at the memory. "Oh yeah, I remember. You looked like you’d seen a ghost."

Emberis halted in her tracks, standing with her hands on her hips, faking indignation. "Excuse me! You *told* me to say the name in a different tone, like some ritual or something."

Ethan tried to speak through his laughter, doubling over as he replayed the scene in his mind. "Yeah...sorry… but I can't shake if off… It was... priceless!"

Emberis raised a finger triumphantly, her eyes gleaming. "Wait, wait, what did you just say? *Sorry*?" She beamed. "Ha! You broke our rule! Yes, Yesss, I win!"

Ethan's face fell as he realized his mistake. "Oh no... come on. Please, don’t ask me to make you another hair dryer."

"Oh, yes," Emberis said, grinning widely. "And this time, make it bigger. The last one barely worked on my hair!"

Ethan sighed, giving in. "Fine, fine. A bigger hair dryer. Anything else, your majesty?"

Emberis pretended to think, tapping her chin dramatically. "Now that you mention it, how about fixing up my hair too while you're at it?"

Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. "Sure, might as well give you the full treatment. Maybe throw in a makeup set too. You’ll be the fanciest Guardian out here."

Emberis flashed him a playful grin. "Exactly! I’ll be your gorgeous, stylish Guardian, and you'll owe it all to me."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "You’re already my beautiful Guardian. No hair dryer needed."

"Oh really?" Emberis narrowed her eyes, teasingly suspicious. "You’re just buttering me up so you don’t have to actually make it."

Ethan raised his hands in defense, laughing. "No, no! When did I ever say that?"

Their laughter echoed through the glowing forest, their playful banter lightening the tension of the mission ahead. But even as they joked, both knew they were walking towards something dangerous—tracking the feared Mirgethis Dihodos, a challenge far more serious than their playful exchange. Still, they pressed on, ready for whatever lay ahead, confident in their bond as partners.

Ethan and Emberis carefully approached the source of the agonizing sounds—the Ogmis Dihodos. The air around them felt heavy with tension, and the ground beneath seemed to tremble faintly as the creature writhed in pain.

Ethan glanced at Emberis, concern in his eyes. “She’s still in the middle of the transformation. We can stop her... save her before it’s too late.”

Emberis raised an eyebrow, gripping her weapon tightly. “How, exactly? You got any brilliant plans?”

Ethan shrugged with a smirk. “I thought *you* were the one with the plans.”

Emberis chuckled, her teasing smile matching his. “Oh, right. My plans usually consist of two words: ‘kill’ and ‘them.’” She winked.

Ethan grinned. “Of course. How could I forget? Kill and them.”

Emberis looked over at the writhing Dihodos. “But seriously, can't we just use the serum you made?”

Ethan shook his head. “Nope. The serum was specifically tailored to the Ljikina fairies’ biology. It won’t work on her.”

Emberis sighed. “Great. No serum.”

Ethan squinted, deep in thought. “What if we just... talk to her?”

Emberis turned to him, mock surprise on her face. “Wow, that’s... that’s just genius! Go ahead, talk to her! ‘Hello, Ogmis Dihodos, can I please take a sample of your blood so I can make a serum and stop your transformation?’ What could possibly go wrong?”

Ethan rolled his eyes with a playful smirk. “Yeah, yeah, go ahead, tease me.”

Emberis grinned widely. “Aww, is my little genius getting flustered? How adorable.”

They both laughed quietly, the tension easing just a little. But their amusement was quickly shattered by another guttural scream from the Dihodos, louder and more desperate than before.

“She’s getting closer to the final transformation,” Emberis said, her voice tinged with urgency. “It’s been 10 phls now.”

Ethan’s face suddenly lit up with a realization. “Wait, 10 phls? That means she’s been fighting the transformation! She’s still in….”

But before he could finish his thought, a powerful wave of telekinetic energy blasted from the Dihodos, slamming into Ethan’s mind like a hammer. His vision blurred, his body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

“Ethan!” Emberis lunged forward, catching him just before he hit the snow. Panic flared in her chest as she gently shook him, trying to wake him. “Ethan! Ethan, wake up!” She patted his face, her voice filled with worry. “Come on, Ethan, wake up!”

But he remained unresponsive, his body limp in her arms. Emberis glanced toward the Dihodos, her heart racing. She knew it was her telekinetic energy that had done this.

Her eyes narrowed as she reached into Ethan’s pocket, pulling out the small taser he always carried for emergencies. “Sorry, but this is the only way...” she muttered, steeling herself.

Without hesitation, she pressed the taser against his chest, sending a jolt of electricity through his body.

Ethan jolted awake with a sharp gasp, his eyes wide and unfocused as he came back to consciousness.

“Ethan! Ethan, it’s me!” Emberis said, her voice softer now, a mix of relief and concern in her tone. “You’re okay. You’re safe.”

Ethan blinked, his vision slowly coming back into focus. “What... what happened? Emberis?”

“Yeah, it’s me,” she replied, smiling down at him. “You alright?”

Ethan sat up slowly, rubbing his head, still disoriented. “You tasered me?”

Emberis looked sheepish but loving, her eyes twinkling. “Sorry... it was the only way to wake you up.”

Ethan gave her a wry grin, despite the lingering fog in his head. “Well, there goes the hair dryer. I’m *definitely* not making it now.”

Emberis chuckled, relieved he was back to his usual self. “You never get serious, do you?”

Ethan stretched, wincing slightly. “Not my job.”

Their moment of levity was brief, though, as another loud cry from the Dihodos reminded them of the task at hand. They exchanged a glance, the weight of their mission hanging heavy between them. Ethan, now fully alert, nodded, determination in his eyes. “Alright, let’s figure out how to save her... before it's too late.”

Ethan quickly opened his sleek, advanced briefcase, the contents revealing tools and vials he needed for his task. His fingers moved with precision as he began to assemble the necessary components.

“I’ll make a formula that will slow down her metabolism,” Ethan said, his voice steady with determination. “Then we’ll take her back to the Ignis Realm.”

Emberis raised an eyebrow. “What? To the Ignis Realm? Why there?”

Ethan barely looked up from his work. “I need her blood. She’s the first of her kind—Ogmis Dihodos. If I can make a serum from her, we might be able to stop others of her species before they reach this stage.”

Emberis nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. “Alright, what do you want me to do?”

Still focused, Ethan glanced at her briefly. “I’ll approach her. You take position behind her. Once I distract her, you inject the formula.”

Emberis crossed her arms, her voice firm. “No way. I’m the one approaching her, and I’ll do the injection. You stay back.”

Ethan paused, looking up at her, a teasing smile curling on his lips. “Emberis, please... I can’t lose my beautiful guardian,” he said, his tone light but affectionate.

Emberis smiled softly back at him. “And I can’t lose my only family... my love.”

Ethan’s smile softened as he finished the formula, holding up the filled syringe. “I’ll always be your loved one. Now take this and get into position. I’ll handle the distraction.”

Emberis took the injection from his hand, their fingers brushing briefly. “Be careful.”

“You too,” Ethan replied, nodding as they separated.

Emberis slipped away, moving silently into position behind the writhing Dihodos, while Ethan carefully approached her from the front. His heart raced as the creature’s agonizing screams filled the air, but he pressed on, forcing a calmness into his voice.

“Hey... Ogmis...” Ethan called out softly, stepping closer. “Fairy...”

The Dihodos jerked her head toward him, her body convulsing in pain. She let out a roar, her telepathic powers slamming into Ethan’s mind, causing his vision to blur.

Ethan dropped to one knee, struggling to stay conscious. “Lool... I know you’re still in there...I need you to Fight it...So I can save you….. Let me help you...”

The Dihodos screamed, her voice laced with agony. “Sav...Savior...”

Ethan’s heart leaped. “Yes! Yes, I’m here. Look at me. I can save you.”

But instead of calming down, the Dihodos lunged at him with a roar, her massive form towering over him, pinning him beneath her. Ethan braced himself, but before he could react further, Emberis darted from behind and swiftly injected the formula into the creature’s thrashing body.

With the formula taking effect, the Dihodos’s metabolism slowed dramatically. Her enormous body went limp and collapsed—right on top of Ethan.

“Nooo! Not on me!” Ethan groaned, his voice muffled under the weight of the creature. “You’re so heavy...”

Emberis circled around, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she surveyed the scene. Ethan was pressed beneath the unconscious Dihodos, barely visible. A mischievous grin spread across her face.

“Aww... look at you,” she teased, pulling out her Bracon. “You look so cute under there. I just *have* to get a tasv of this.”

Ethan’s eyes widened in horror. “Nooo! Don’t—”

But it was too late. Emberis snapped the picture, clearly enjoying the moment far too much.

“If you’re done with your Tasv,” Ethan grumbled, “please get her off me.”

Emberis chuckled, clearly savoring her victory, before grabbing hold of the Dihodos and lifting her effortlessly off Ethan. “Oh, don’t be such a baby,” she said with a grin, setting him free.

Ethan stood up, brushing off his clothes with a huff. “You were enjoying that, weren’t you?”

Emberis smirked, unable to resist one last jab. “Well, I’d say it’s the closest you’ve ever been to getting ‘hugged’ by a fairy that big. Should I be jealous?”

Ethan laughed, shaking his head. “Oh please. If that’s your idea of a hug, remind me to pass next time.”

Emberis chuckled and gave him a playful pat on the back. “Lucky for you, I prefer my hugs with less crushing and more affection.”

Ethan smiled, grateful for her humor. “Good. I think I’ll stick to those from now on.”