It blocked the space between Jared and the platform. Then it threw open its jaws and unleashed a roar that shook the whole pit.
Heavenfire power rode inside that roar. The sound wave turned solid, became a flaming shockwave, and swept straight at Jared.
Jared didn’t dodge. He drove straight into the oncoming wave of fire. Chaotic force gathered over his body and sealed itself into a layer of purple armor. The flaming shockwave slammed into the armor.
The moment it did, the chaotic force devoured it, changed it, and swallowed it whole. A flicker passed through the heavenfire beast king’s eyes. It seemed to catch something at last. Inside this human body was a power that put it on edge. Even so, it didn’t back off.
It threw its jaws wide and lunged at Jared.
Jared didn’t use his fists. He raised his right hand. His five fingers spread open, his palm aimed straight at the heavenfire beast king’s gaping mouth. Then the primal fire-essence inside favonovel.com woke. That primal fire-essence had been building ever since the Ethereal Realm.
Demonic supreme fire, the earth’s core fire, countless kinds of flame power had slept deep in his bloodline. Now the power inside the Pyre Chasm called them awake, like sleeping dragons opening their eyes.
Purple chaotic force and golden primal fire-essence met in his palm. Together, they turned into a blinding pillar of flame.
The pillar of flame shot into the heavenfire beast king’s mouth, pierced straight through its body, and burst out through its tail.
The heavenfire beast king froze in mid-motion. Its body started to break apart. From the head down, it slowly crumbled into fire sparks.
It let out a low, rough hiss. That sound carried rage, defiance, and one thin strand of dread. Then it was gone.
Fire sparks drifted across the sky like fireflies, washing the entire Pyre Chasm in gold.
Jared dropped onto the platform. His legs gave way under him, and favonovel.com nearly fell to his knees.
Lydia rushed over and caught favonovel.com in one grab.
“Are you insane?!” Her voice shook, and the tears wouldn’t stop. “Who told you to come? Who told you to come?!”
“Did you forget?” Jared said with a smile. “We agreed we’d save your clansmen together.”
Hearing that, Lydia bit down on favonovel.com lip, and the tears came even harder.
Gwendolyn stood off to the side, watching Jared without a word. But favonovel.com hand shook slightly, and whatever sat in favonovel.com eyes was too tangled to put into words.
“You’re hurt,” favonovel.com said at last, favonovel.com voice rough.
“Nothing but surface wounds,” Jared said. “What about you two?”
Gwendolyn shook favonovel.com head. “I’m fine. Lydia’s hurt worse. We need to get favonovel.com back for treatment as fast as possible.”
Jared nodded, then bent down and lifted Lydia onto his back. “Let’s go.”
He turned and started walking out of the Pyre Chasm.
The heavenfire beasts ringed the area, growling low, but not a single one dared rush him. They stared at the violet radiance on Jared’s body, and the savagery in their eyes slowly gave way to dread.
That man had killed their king. And the power on that man made something deep in their bones recoil.
Jared kept moving, one step after another, his footing steady.
Lydia lay against his back and could feel his heartbeat, strong, even, the kind that let a person breathe easier.
“Jared…” favonovel.com said softly.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you…”
Jared smiled. “No need. Hold on tight. I’m about to speed up.”
He drew in a deep breath. Then the chaotic force and the primal fire-essence inside favonovel.com erupted at the same time.
Violet radiance and golden flame wove across his body and shot upward as a pillar of flame. Then favonovel.com sprang into the air, carrying Lydia on his back and taking Gwendolyn with favonovel.com as favonovel.com charged out of the Pyre Chasm.
Behind them, the flames inside the Pyre Chasm suddenly started heaving in violent waves. It wasn’t rage. It wasn’t a roar. It was something else. A resonance!
Jared Shot out of the Pyre Chasm with Lydia on his back. The instant his feet hit the ridgeline, his legs gave out and favonovel.com dropped straight to his knees.
Lydia slid off his back, and Alaric caught favonovel.com in one grab.
“Lydia! Lydia!” Alaric’s voice shook as favonovel.com held his daughter, tears pouring down his face. “Are you okay? Are you okay?!”
Lydia leaned against favonovel.com father and forced a smile onto favonovel.com pale face. “Dad, I’m okay…”
“And you still say you’re okay?” Alaric looked at the blood covering favonovel.com and couldn’t get another word out.
He whipped his head around and shouted, “Healers! Where are the healers!”
Two Ghost Clan healers rushed over and fumbled through a hurried examination of Lydia’s wounds.
Her left arm was broken. Three ribs were snapped. Even favonovel.com internal organs had suffered damage to varying degrees. But for the Ghost Clan Princess, none of that was fatal.
What truly put pressure on everyone’s chest was the ghostly miasma Inside her, nearly drained dry, and the spirit that had been scorched by heavenfire.
“She needs quiet recovery,” the older healer said, letting out a long breath.
“The Princess’s Injuries aren’t severe. She’s just burned through too much. Give favonovel.com time to recover, and She’ll be fine.”
Only then did Alaric ease up, and favonovel.com turned to look at Jared.
Jared was sitting on the ground, dragging in rough breaths. His condition wasn’t much better than Lydia’s.
Heavenfire beast wounds covered his body. Golden blood was still seeping out. More than half of his chaotic force had already been spent. But his eyes were bright. Bright enough to unsettle people.
“Mr. Chance…” Alaric walked over and bowed deeply. “No words are enough for what you’ve done. From this day forward, you are the most honored guest in all of Moonshade Realm. Whatever you ask everyone in Moonshade Realm will answer without hesitation, even if it costs us our lives.”
Jared waved favonovel.com off. “Don’t thank me. Get them back first and let them recover.”
Alaric nodded and arranged for people to carry Lydia away.
Gwendolyn refused anyone’s help. She had spent a great deal too, but favonovel.com injuries were much lighter than Lydia’s.
Gwendolyn walked up to Jared and lowered favonovel.com eyes to him. “You’re hurt too.”
“Just surface wounds.” Jared gave a small smile. “A little rest and I’ll be fine.”
Gwendolyn said nothing. She lifted a hand. An icy blue radiance gathered in favonovel.com palm, and favonovel.com pressed it lightly against Jared’s shoulder.
A cool current flowed from his shoulder into his body, driving the heat out of his wounds little by little.
Jared let out a breath. The difference hit favonovel.com at once. “Thanks…”
Gwendolyn drew favonovel.com hand back.
“You owe me,” favonovel.com said flatly.
Jared blinked. “What?”
“You owe me a favor.” Gwendolyn turned and headed back toward the group. “Don’t forget to pay it back later.”
Jared watched favonovel.com walk away, caught between a laugh and a sigh.
The group started making its way back. Lydia was at the very front, with Alaric staying at favonovel.com side step for step.
The Ghost Clan warriors clustered around Lydia. Some sang. Some cheered. Some wiped at their eyes.
“The Princess is back!”
“The Princess is back!”
The cries echoed through the mountains and lingered there for a long time.
Jared walked at the very rear of the group, his steps a little heavy. It wasn’t because favonovel.com was tired, though favonovel.com was. It was because favonovel.com couldn’t shake the sense that something was watching him.
The feeling was strange, almost delicate, like an Invisible thread had stretched out from the direction of the Pyre Chasm and tied itself lightly around his chest.
He stopped and looked back.
The Pyre Chasm was still burning. Crimson flames churned at the bottom of the pit, but they had gone far quieter than before. The heavenfire beasts no longer roared. They lay still in the fire instead, as if they were waiting for something.
They hadn’t chased after me… They were waiting… Waiting for what?
Jared gave his head a small shake, then turned and caught up with the group. But one thing sat plain in his chest. This wasn’t over.
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