Later That Night
The wind battered the windowsill, shrieking like lost souls clawing at the illusion of their sanctuary.
Beyond the cracked walls of night, something howled its rage into the void.
Sirus sat upright against the headboard, silver hair spilling over his shoulders like silk.
Slowly, he turned his head, his expression softening.
Selvynee's tail had wrapped itself warmly around his arm, her head resting on the edge of his lap.
Flipping through the brittle pages of an old book, Sirus narrowed his crimson eyes on a particular passage.
"Certain creatures can safely consume magic gems to inherit the power sealed within them," he murmured under his breath.
Raising the fire gem to eye level, his eyes reflected its faint glow—a slow, pulsing heartbeat of light, as if the stone were alive.
His gaze drifted to the next page, and his expression grew troubled.
"I'll need your help... Sister."
The Next Morning
"So where are we going now, brother?" Selvynee chirped, her voice bright with her usual morning mischief.
Without glancing her way, Sirus replied softly.
"Checking up on my order... and getting you pants that accommodate your tail properly."
Selvynee blinked, twisting to glance at her awkwardly perched tail, which currently stuck stiffly over the waistband of her trousers.
Her cheeks bloomed with a vivid, flustered red.
"Tha–that would be nice..." she mumbled, tucking her chin.
Inside the shop, Sirus spotted the elderly seamstress hunched behind the counter.
"Morning." he announced casually.
The old woman lifted her head, smiling wearily, and gestured for them to approach.
"Your order's not quite ready, but it won't be long," she said, adjusting her crooked spectacles. Her gaze settled kindly on Selvynee.
Wobbling toward the back, she returned moments later with several pairs of trousers bundled in her arms.
"Pick what you like, dearie, and I'll get to work."
Before the fabrics even hit the counter, Sirus's voice cut through:
"We'll take them all."
The woman chuckled softly, more awake now than before.
She shuffled to Selvynee's side, taking quick measurements with a frayed ribbon.
Selvynee fidgeted, shooting Sirus a look laden with guilt.
"Ashfang... It's fine. You don't have to waste your money on me."
"Tch."
Sirus responded by handing over a gleaming gold rulen without hesitation.
The old woman accepted it, smiling—not her usual tired smile, but something lighter, more genuine.
"Ashfang! If you keep throwing money around like that, we're going to be broke!" Selvynee yelped, flustered.
Sirus only placed a clawed finger to his lips.
"Let me worry about that."
Wobbling back to the counter, the seamstress spoke.
"Come back tomorrow evening, and both of your orders will be done."
"Come back tomorrow evening, and both of your orders will be ready."
The door clicked shut softly behind them.
Selvynee glanced up, her brow furrowed at the troubled look on his face.
"You're not usually this worried. Something on your mind, brother?"
He kept his gaze forward, his crimson eyes glowing faintly.
"I need your help." His voice was quieter than usual, and without saying another word, he led her outside the town gates.
As they approached, James appeared, watching them.
"Leaving already? The gates shut at sunset." He leaned against the wall, arms folded.
"I'll be gone a couple of days." Sirus's tone was flat. He started beyond the forest.
"Brother, where are we going?" Selvynee glanced back at the gates, confusion creeping into her voice.
"We'll camp in a cave for a while." He turned to her briefly. "I found out more about the fire gem, like the ogre said. Demons can consume it, but…"
He stopped mid-step, the weight of his words hanging in the air.
"There are… temporary side effects during the process."
Selvynee's gaze dropped to the ground, a shadow of worry in her eyes.
"I'll do whatever I can to help, brother," she said, looking up with resolve.
"It's my turn to help you!" Her determination shone through, unwavering.
"Thank you…" he muttered.
By nightfall, they reached the cave.
"Wha—what's that horrible smell?!" Selvynee recoiled, stepping outside for a breath of fresh air.
Sirus's narrowed eyes scanned the cave. "Used to be house goblins. Before I killed them." He crouched, his clawed fingers tracing the bloodstained floor.
"Are you just going to bite into the gem?" Selvynee stood near the entrance, her tail over her nose in an attempt to block the stench.
"I suppose." Sirus didn't even look at her. "Make a fire and stand guard."
An hour passed in quiet stillness.
The flickers of ember casting long shadows across the cave. The bloodstained floor seemed to scream in silent agony.
Sirus held the fire gem at eye level, its ominous glow reflecting in his crimson eyes.
"Ready?" His voice carried, reaching the entrance of the cave.
"Good luck!" Selvynee's voice rang out, filled with determination. She stood firm, unwavering in her resolve to help in any way possible.
Without hesitation, Sirus bit into the gem.
Crimson liquid, thick with pure mana, trickled down his throat, burning as it passed.
His body temperature spiked, soaring to dangerous levels within mere seconds. His crimson eyes flickered, shifting to a fiery orange glow.
He collapsed to one knee, clawed hand clutching his chest as if the very heat inside him might tear him apart.
The embers in the fire leapt higher, reaching the cave ceiling as if welcoming something—something dangerous.
Sirus's clawed fingers began to turn black at the edges, his body visibly reacting to the gem's energy. His mouth glowed red and orange, like the mouth of a volcano moments from eruption.
With a growl, he fell to both knees. His back arched violently, as he scraped his claws against the stone floor, desperate to hold onto control. His mana flared like a raging storm, loose stones crashing down around him.
Outside, Selvynee's ears twitched, the sounds of Sirus's agony reaching her through the stone. Her heart ached, every breath heavy with worry.
"Please… come back to me…" she whispered, her gaze distant as monstrous howls echoed through the forest.
The threat was closing in. Selvynee's eyes hardened. "You won't get anywhere near my brother!"
From the shadows of the forest, horned rabbits and the mighty Elkheim crept forward, their eyes glinting with predatory purpose.
With a fierce growl, Selvynee launched herself into the air, twisting her body mid-flight. In a single fluid motion, her clawed hand swept through the air, severing the head of an Elkheim with brutal precision.
"I'm not a snow leopard for nothing," she muttered, flicking the blood from her claws. She locked eyes with another approaching beast, her expression a mix of challenge and fury.
Inside the cave, a pulse of dangerous heat surged outward, burning the ground beneath it, reducing the grass to ash in the blink of an eye. The air trembled with the sheer intensity of the fire's power. Sirus, his body consumed by the gem's overwhelming force, clawed desperately at the ground. His skin blazed with a fiery intensity, his organs faintly visible beneath the translucent, burning flesh—exposed and vulnerable, yet brimming with a raw, terrifying power.
"I won't…" His voice trembled as he forced the words out, his gaze fixed on some distant point. "… I WON'T LOSE CONTROL!" His roar echoed through the cave, raw with defiance. He pushed himself up, slowly, struggling to rise on one knee.
Out of the corner of his fiery gaze, something he hadn't seen in what felt like an eternity flickered into view. His hand shook as he reached out, the motion slow and deliberate. The interface, that familiar, haunting screen, hovered in front of him.
"(Menu)..." he whispered hoarsely, his lips quivering with the weight of his pain.
Before his eyes, a new message blinked into existence, its tone as irreverent as ever:
(You forgot about me, and now you're gobbling down a fire gem like a toddler chasing after something shiny.)
Sirus narrowed his eyes, the fire in his gaze flaring. "You... are you just going to mock me?" he strained, his voice cracking with the effort to speak.
(Hmm... Luckily for you, you're compatible. But don't expect much help.)
A bitter chuckle escaped Sirus, the fire inside him searing even hotter, but he couldn't ignore the subtle relief creeping in.
(I can help keep your mana under control, though. After you're done, contact me.)
The chaotic swirl of mana inside him began to settle, slowly but steadily, like a storm that had finally begun to recede. The agony that had nearly consumed him lessened, just enough for him to stand.
With slow, deliberate movements, Sirus pushed himself onto his feet, his clawed hand still clutching at his chest as he staggered toward the entrance of the cave. His breathing was labored, but the fiery intensity within him was slowly coming under control.
Outside, the battle raged on. Selvynee, nimble and precise, dodged a strike from an oncoming horned rabbit, its sharp horns narrowly missing her. She leaped backward, her back colliding with something solid—and unexpectedly warm.
She froze, her eyes widening. Turning, she saw the source of the heat. A smile tugged at her lips.
"Thanks. Now, let me help out." His voice was hoarse but determined, stepping into the open air as the temperature shifted around him.
Together, standing shoulder to shoulder, Ashfang and Selvynee faced the chaos outside. The moment of quiet between them spoke volumes—two warriors united, their bond unbreakable, even in the face of impossible odds.
No… When these two were together. Nothing seemed impossible.