The cloud of dust slowly drifted through the forest, hanging in the air like a heavy fog.
No one moved.
The only sound was the creaking of nearby trees swaying from the shockwave that had ripped through the clearing.
Bits of shattered rock rolled into the crater one after another.
Then…
A breeze swept across the battlefield.
The curtain of dust slowly parted.
Standing in the center of the crater was Riven.
His chest rose and fell with slow, controlled breaths.
The broken fragment of his chokutō remained buried deep within the Gloomfang’s skull.
Beneath him, the monstrous predator that moments ago had seemed unstoppable now lay completely still.
Its massive body was twisted awkwardly against the broken earth, its charcoal-black scales cracked in several places from the tremendous impact.
Thick rivers of dark blood seeped from the wound atop its head, slowly disappearing into the fractured ground.
Its pale gray eyes no longer searched.
Its jaws hung open slightly, revealing rows of enormous fangs now frozen forever.
The king of these woods…
Had fallen.
Riven stood silently over the corpse.
His golden eyes lingered on the beast for another moment, making certain it would never rise again.
Only after several seconds did he finally reach down.
His fingers wrapped around the cloth-bound handle of the broken blade.
“…”
He pulled.
The jagged shard slid free from the creature’s skull with a sickening sound.
Dark blood ran down the steel before dripping onto the dirt below.
Riven stared at the fragment for a brief moment.
Even broken…
It had served him once again.
He wiped the blood against the Gloomfang’s scales before carefully wrapping the shard back inside the old cloth.
With one final glance at the fallen monster, he stepped off its enormous body..
His boots landed softly on the earth.
Despite everything…
Despite the wounds Lucifer had left only days ago…
Despite battling a creature capable of tearing entire caravans apart…
Riven’s breathing had already begun to steady.
He rolled one shoulder, testing the lingering soreness.
“…Not bad.”
He walked to its open mouth.
“Hmm I think I can use one of these as a weapon.”
Riven reached down gripping a sharp tooth before tearing it out of its mouth.
He then began walking toward the others as though nothing extraordinary had happened.
The group simply stared.
None of them spoke.
Javon blinked several times.
“…It’s…”
He looked from the dead Gloomfang…
Back to Riven…
Then back again.
“…It’s actually dead.”
Nobody answered him.
They couldn’t.
Riven stopped a few feet from them.
His expression remained as calm as ever.
“Come on.”
He spoke as though he had merely finished hunting a regular animal.
“We’re close.”
He looked deeper into the forest.
“The cave isn’t much farther.”
Without waiting for a response, he adjusted the cloth containing the broken blade pieces adding the tooth of the Gloomgand. and continued walking.
Leaves crunched softly beneath his boots.
The silence lingered behind him.
Javon continued staring after him.
“…I think…”
His voice barely rose above a whisper.
“…he got stronger.”
There was no joke.
No smile.
Only disbelief.
“I know he was already terrifying…”
He swallowed.
“…but that…”
He slowly looked back at the enormous corpse lying inside the crater.
“…that wasn’t normal.”
Even Syanna couldn’t argue.
A monster that veteran hunters avoided…
A creature powerful enough to wipe out entire patrols…
Had just been brought down by one man armed with nothing more than a broken sword fragment.
Vistara remained where she stood.
Her eyes never left the path Riven had taken.
Only moments ago…
She had been certain she was about to watch him die.
Again.
The image of Lucifer carving through his chest still haunted her every time she closed her eyes.
She remembered kneeling beside him…
Covered in his blood…
Listening as his breathing slowly faded.
The memory tightened around her heart.
She hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath.
Slowly…
She let it out.
Relief washed over her so suddenly that her knees nearly weakened.
A faint smile appeared on her face.
“…He’s okay.”
She whispered more to herself than anyone else.
Not broken.
Not bleeding.
Not unconscious.
He walked away from another impossible battle.
For reasons she couldn’t explain…
That alone eased a fear she had been carrying ever since Thunderwood.
Several yards away…
Aelwyn stood silently.
His translucent figure watched the direction Riven had disappeared.
His ancient eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
Something…
Wasn’t right.
Syanna noticed the expression on his face and quietly walked beside him.
Aelwyn remained silent for several moments.
His long white beard shifted gently in the breeze as he folded his hands behind his back.
The two exchanged looks and understood the situation without words.
“I’ve watched warriors train for centuries.”
“I’ve seen prodigies.”
“I’ve seen legends.”
“But no one…”
He paused.
“…changes this quickly.”
Syanna crossed her arms.
“You think it’s because of Lucifer?”
Aelwyn’s expression grew heavier.
His gaze drifted toward the crimson scar hidden beneath Riven’s clothes.
“I don’t know.”
He answered honestly.
“But I do know this…”
“The scar is no ordinary wound.”
Javon looked back toward the fallen Gloomfang, a grin slowly spreading across his face.
“…You know…”
He walked back toward the enormous carcass, crouching beside one of its massive forelegs.
“I wonder if armor could be made from this thing.”
He ran a hand across the thick charcoal-black scales.
“They’re harder than steel.”
He pulled the hunting knife from his belt and slid the blade beneath one of the wounds Riven had carved into its leg.
“If we brought enough of these scales to a leatherworker…”
He carefully peeled back a section of the hide.
“…we could probably have armor made for all of us.”
The knife scraped loudly against the creature’s armor-like scales before finally finding purchase beneath them.
Dark blood seeped onto the forest floor.
“Oh yeah…”
Javon smiled.
“This is definitely worth carrying.”
Several yards ahead, Riven stopped walking.
Something…
Didn’t feel right.
He slowly turned to look back at the group.
Javon was laughing as he continued skinning the beast.
Syanna was helping gather the scales into neat piles.
Vistara watched the tree line, standing guard.
A sudden heat spread through Riven’s chest.
His crimson scar pulsed once.
A dull ache shot through his body.
His heart skipped a beat.
An unfamiliar anger surfaced without warning.
Not his anger.
Someone else’s.
It rose from somewhere deep inside him, wrapping around his thoughts like cold hands.
Then…
A voice.
Low.
Calm.
Ancient.
It didn’t echo through the forest.
It echoed inside his mind.
“They’re slowing you down.”
Riven’s breathing hitched.
His eyes widened.
“…What?”
The voice ignored him.
“Look at them.”
His gaze unwillingly drifted toward his companions.
“One jokes while danger surrounds him.”
Javon laughed as another scale came loose.
“One worries instead of fighting.”
Vistara continued watching Riven from a distance.
“One heals.”
Syanna carefully stacked another piece of armor.
“One teaches.”
Aelwyn silently observed the forest.
The voice grew colder.
“None of them can walk your path.”
The pressure in Riven’s chest increased.
His scar burned.
His fists slowly clenched.
“They’re weak.”
“No…”
He whispered.
His hand shot to his chest.
His breathing became uneven.
“Every step you take…”
The voice became almost soothing.
“…they slow you.”
“No…”
“You survived alone before.”
His heartbeat thundered in his ears.
“You don’t need them.”
Riven grabbed both sides of his head.
“…Stop…”
The whisper became louder.
“Discard the burden.”
His jaw tightened.
His breathing grew ragged.
“Kill the weakness.”
“No…”
His voice cracked.
“No…”
He stumbled backward.
“NO!”
The word escaped louder than he intended.
The forest fell silent.
Vistara immediately looked up.
“…Riven?”
She hurried toward him.
Concern spread across her face.
“What’s wrong?”
The moment she reached him…
The burning sensation vanished.
The anger disappeared.
The voice…
Simply stopped.
As though it had never existed.
Riven blinked.
His breathing slowly steadied.
The pressure inside his chest faded into nothing.
Only the faint sting of the scar remained.
He looked down at his trembling hands.
“…I…”
He quickly hid them behind his back.
“…I’m okay.”
His voice wasn’t convincing.
“I…”
He forced a weak smile.
“…I’m just tired.”
Vistara studied him carefully.
She wasn’t convinced.
Riven never looked frightened.
Not even against Lucifer.
Yet now…
There was something in his eyes she had never seen before.
Fear.
Not of the forest.
Not of the Gloomfang.
But of himself.
Before she could ask another question—
Javon jogged toward them carrying several bundles of thick scales over one shoulder.
He was grinning from ear to ear.
“I got enough!”
He proudly held one up.
“Looks like everyone gets new armor!”
He laughed.
“And after carrying all this…”
He adjusted the heavy bundle.
“…I deserve the best-looking set.”
Nobody answered.
The excitement on his face slowly faded.
“…Did I miss something?”
Riven simply turned away.
“…Let’s keep moving.”
His voice was quiet.
Almost distant.
Without another word, he continued deeper into the forest.
The others exchanged uneasy glances before following.
No one noticed the way Riven’s hand occasionally drifted toward the crimson scar beneath his shirt.
Or the faint warmth that still lingered there.
Hours passed.
The towering pines slowly gave way to familiar terrain.
Riven’s pace gradually slowed.
Finally…
He stopped.
Before them stood a rocky hillside partially hidden behind curtains of hanging vines.
Nature had begun reclaiming it.
Thick moss climbed over the stone walls.
Long vines draped across the entrance like worn curtains.
Small wildflowers had taken root in cracks around the cave mouth.
Without someone living there…
The forest had quietly begun making it its own again.
Riven stared at it for several long moments.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“So…”
He stepped toward the entrance.
“…this is home.”
He brushed the vines aside with one hand.
Turning back toward the others, he nodded.
“…This is my cave.”
The people who had become his family would finally see the place that had kept him alive through years of loneliness.