Marshmallow awoke with a gasp as if he had woken up from a terrible nightmare. His eyes snapped open, blinded by a blinding light. Where was he? What had happened? The last thing he remembered was the fierce battle with Serthar and then the darkness.

As his senses awakened, Marshmallow realized that he was in Ashenwood, the forest where it all began. But something was different. The air was no longer clouded by the thick, ashen fog that had once enveloped every forest corner. Instead, as he looked up, he saw the sun shining high in the sky, its warm rays penetrating the canopy of branches and leaves.

By killing Serthar, Marshmallow had broken the spell of damnation that had enveloped Ashenwood, restoring it to its natural glory. He knew that this was not real, that it was just a game, but the emotions she felt at that moment were so vivid, so authentic as if this world was as real as the physical one.

With a tremor of joy, Marshmallow stood up and looked around with new eyes. He was not even injured anymore; had the system automatically put him back on his feet? The green grass shone with a luster he had never seen before, and the scent of wildflowers filled the air with an intoxicating fragrance.

A movement caught his attention, and as he turned, he found himself surrounded by a group of satyrs, who approached him in an explosion of joy and wonder. Creatures with humanoid features and curved horns, small and large, leaped and danced around him, their high-pitched voices echoing in a chorus of jubilant shouts. Their forest had been saved.

In the crowd, Marshmallow recognized two familiar faces: Eilana and Silvanus, the satyrs who had helped him in the Shining Tree in the past. A smile of recognition painted his face, but before he could speak, the crowd parted like a parting sea, leaving a space in the center and a deep silence.

From the opening emerged a majestic figure, a satyr of slender form and skin that seemed to glow slightly. It was Luminara, Queen of the Satyrs, She Who Shines Through The Day. Queen Luminara stepped forward with a regal stride, wearing cyan robes that swayed slightly with each step. Her gaze met Marshmallow's, and a smile of gratitude lit up her face.

"Hero of the forest, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts," she exclaimed in a soft but powerful voice. "With your courage and determination, you broke the ancient curse that shrouded this land and freed us from the darkness of Serthar."

She looked around and continued with his arms outstretched, almost embracing the entire forest. "See for yourself, Marshmallow. The Ashenwood has been restored to its ancient glory, the sunlight shining once more among these thousand-year-old trees. All thanks to you."

A murmur of approval rose from the crowd of satyrs, who nodded reverently at their queen's words. Luminara returned to rest her eyes on Marshmallow.

"I know you have faced terrible trials, unspeakable sacrifices. The loss of your traveling companion, the Goat Horse, must have been a deep wound." A veil of sadness clouded her gaze for a moment. "Yet even in pain, you found the strength to prevail. You are a true hero, Marshmallow, and you deserve every reward."

With a fluid gesture of her hand, the queen took a step to the side, revealing a figure that had been hidden from view. It was a blue-haired satyr with curved horns that seemed to intertwine like twisted branches. His gaze exuded an ancient, almost supernatural wisdom.

"Allow me to introduce Ezechiel the Sage. He has guided you on your path while remaining in the shadows." A playful smile curled her lips. "Now the time has come for him to reveal himself to you."

Marshmallow stared at the satyr with a mixture of wonder and recognition. It was the same figure she had glimpsed after the battle with Serthar. Incredible! He had finally made his acquaintance!

"Sage Ezechiel," Marshmallow exclaimed. "I am honored to meet you finally. But first, I want to apologize for the loss of the Goat Horse. He was a faithful companion, and his passing has scarred me deeply."

His eyes glazed with sadness at the memory of that heartbreaking moment, and his lips curled into a grimace of grief as he clenched his fists tightly, as if trying to hold back the whirlwind of emotion that was surging through him.

Ezechiel approached him slowly, placing a hand on his shoulder in a gesture that seemed to convey warmth and understanding.

"Do not be afraid, Marshmallow. If I am here, what has been lost can be found again." His words were like a whisper that rippled through the air, charged with arcane power.

The Wise One soared into the air, his legs merging into a blue haze, and from his hands began to form a figure with familiar yet different features. It was a goat-like creature, with a long arched neck and mighty hooves, but from its shoulders spread two huge dragon wings, its skin covered in scales like fire. Once empty sockets, the eyes now shone with an ancient, penetrating intelligence.

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"Behold the Dragon Goat," Ezechiel announced with a grin. "Your faithful companion brought back to life with additional draconic powers. You need no longer fear losing him."

The Dragon Goat soared toward Marshmallow, landing with a thud that shook the ground. All the satyrs backed away, for it was indeed imposing, at least as large as the Mechanical Cerberus. Its wings unfurled in a swirl of wind and dust as its glowing eyes met Marshmallow's.

"You don't think you're going to get rid of me that easily, do you?" His voice rang out, low and hoarse, but in a joking tone.

NOTICE

The Dragon Goat has joined your party!

Marshmallow could not keep a smile from his face, his eyes wet with joy. He hugged the Dragon Goat in a brotherly embrace and let out a liberating laugh.

As if that were not enough, Ezechiel took another step forward. "A final reward, hero of this realm. From now on, you can sense the aura of your enemies and allies with a simple effort of will."

And then a floating screen appeared in front of Marshmallow's eyes.

Congratulations! You've just completed the quest "The Ultima Lord of The Survivor Game". You have +50 Assignable Points!

"These points are a token of my appreciation for you," the sage continued. "Use them as you see fit to increase your potential. You have met every challenge."

Ezechiel's words echoed in Marshmallow's mind like an arcane echo. He closed his eyes and concentrated, letting the new ability flow through him. Suddenly, it was as if the whole world opened before him, a kaleidoscope of pulsing auras representing enemies and allies scattered everywhere.

He could sense the presence of Bloodlust, the aura the color of coagulated blood pulsing somewhere to the north. However, he felt nothing when he tried to locate the Overblown Castle, where his companions were staying. Nothing but an unbridgeable void.

A shiver ran down his spine. Something was wrong. He opened his eyes sharply, his breathing short and labored. Ezechiel stared at him with an impenetrable gaze, almost daring him to ask the question that was already burning on his tongue.

"What has become of my allies?" Marshmallow roared with his voice hoarse from the misunderstood rage that began to boil in his veins. "Why can't I sense them? What the hell is going on?"

Marshmallow's anger was so great that it shook the ground they walked on. The satyrs recoiled in horror, their expressions a mixture of awe and wonder at such destructive power. Even Luminara, the regal ruler, gasped, her eyes wide as she sensed the glowing aura that seemed to emanate from Marshmallow in concentric waves.

The only one who showed no fear was Ezechiel. The sage remained impassive, his ancient eyes crossing Marshmallow's without yielding an inch. He shook his head slowly, a veil of displeasure obscuring his gaze, but not a word escaped his lips.

Marshmallow didn't need one. With a leap as nimble as a cat's, he hoisted himself onto the mighty rump of the Dragon Goat, tightening the reins with such force that his knuckles faded. "Take me to where Overblown Castle once stood," he growled in a harsh voice. "Now!"

The Dragon Goat wasted no time. He spread his huge dragon wings wide, swirling dust and leaves in a blinding swirl. Then, with a powerful thrust of his mighty paws, he soared through the air, unleashing a shockwave that caused the surrounding trees to bend.

Marshmallow bent his head to shield himself from the wind's impact, his eyes half-closed in a grimace of fierce determination. The Dragon Goat began to flap its wings with maddening force, picking up speed with each powerful stroke. Within moments, its roar became deafening as the sound of the wind turned into an incessant rumble.

What had once been a journey of days was now covered in less than an hour, thanks to the Dragon Goat's astonishing speed. Marshmallow scanned the horizon with hawk-like eyes, his face set in a grim expression. But when their destination appeared in the distance, what he saw caught his breath.

What had once been the Overblown Castle, a stone bastion of disproportionate size and breathtaking views, was now reduced to a smoldering pile of ruins. Rubble and debris littered the ground for miles as if something terrifyingly destructive had struck the place with the force of a hurricane.

Crumbling walls hung in some semblance of precarious balance, while here and there remnants of abandoned armor and weapons could be seen, twisted by the incredible forces at play. And then there were the bodies, dozens upon dozens of mangled corpses, their limbs twisted into unnatural positions, their eyes wide open and lifeless in masks of ultimate terror.

Marshmallow stifled a gasp of nausea as the Dragon Goat landed with a thunderous thud, its legs seeming to give out under the weight of this vision of horror. "No...this is not possible..." he muttered in a terrified voice.

At that moment, the figure of Ezechiel appeared beside him, flying in silently. The wise man's face contracted into a grave and solemn expression as he surveyed the devastation. "This is what I feared, Marshmallow," he said with a hint of regret in his raspy voice. "I'm afraid your allies have met a terrible end."

A single thought flashed through Marshmallow's mind. There was only one enemy who could do such a thing. Bloodlust had to be killed; this would be the showdown.

It was time to end the Survivor Game once and for all.