As Devon and Mason secured the makeshift rope bridge, the river still roared beneath us. Strands of glowing vines hung from nearby trees, illuminating the area faintly with an ethereal green hue. The rest of the party had already crossed, leaving Ethan and me on the far bank.

  Ethan adjusted his tattered armor, his sharp green eyes flicking between me and the shimmering red crystal floating in my HUD inventory—the Dire Wolf Hellhound Summon.

  “You know,” he started, his voice hesitant but curious, “I’ve seen pyers fight Dire Bloodfangs before. None of them ever… tamed one. What happened back there, Kiera?”

  I froze briefly, clutching the bridge's ropes as if they might slip away.

  “It’s… complicated,” I said carefully, trying to sound casual as I started to cross. The ropes creaked under my weight, the water below swirling violently. “I guess I got lucky.”

  Ethan didn’t immediately follow. His brows furrowed slightly, and I could see gears turning behind his sharp green eyes.

  “Lucky, huh?” he muttered before stepping onto the bridge behind me.

  The crossing was slow, the wooden pnks swaying under our weight with every step. Devon was waiting on the far side, arms crossed and eyes locked onto Ethan like a hawk guarding its prey.

  When I finally rejoined the others, Devon pulled me into a brief but firm hug, his hands lingering on my shoulders as he inspected me.

  “You’re okay?” Devon asked, his voice low but urgent.

  I nodded. “I’m fine. A little bruised, but fine.”

  His gaze flickered briefly to Ethan, narrowing slightly before he stepped back. Selene approached next, her amber eyes briefly scanning my HUD before giving me a faint nod of approval.

  “Thank goodness you’re safe,” she said softly, surprising me with her warm and tender hug. My face burned. It was one thing for Devon to be worried, but Selene’s reaction caught me completely off guard.

  She let me go just as Fi was the next to approach, bouncing slightly on her toes as she grinned at Ethan.

  “And who’s this scrappy survivor?” she asked, leaning forward and squinting dramatically.

  “Ethan,” he replied with a faint smile, scratching the back of his neck. “I was… in a bit over my head.”

  Mason folded his arms, his massive hammer resting on his shoulder. “Lucky for you, Kiera, here’s got a knack for turning disaster into… well, not disaster.”

  “Hey!” I protested weakly.

  Selene’s voice cut through the lighthearted banter. “Let’s move. Standing out in the open like this is an invitation for trouble.”

  Our party began moving deeper into the forest, Ethan walking alongside me.

  The forest stretched endlessly around us, the light dimming as evening settled. After several hours of trekking, Selene led us to a small clearing between a trio of massive boulders. It wasn’t perfect, but it would serve as a temporary camp.

  Devon and Mason set up the firepit while Fi handed out rations. Selene crept through the perimeter, pcing warding runes along the edges of the clearing to keep monsters at bay.

  Ethan and I sat side by side near the flickering campfire, both nursing warm bowls of something vaguely stew-like.

  He broke the silence first. “So… back to that wolf.”

  I nearly choked on my spoonful of stew. “The wolf?”

  “Yeah. The Dire Bloodfang.” Ethan’s voice was soft, curious, but undeniably sharp. “You said you got lucky, but… that wasn’t luck, was it?”

  Before I could stammer an excuse, Fi appeared out of nowhere, plopping beside me with an exaggerated sigh.

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Ethan!” Fi said, throwing her hands up dramatically. “Can’t a girl have a little css mystery without getting grilled?”

  Ethan blinked at her, startled. “What?”

  Fi wagged a finger at him. “I gave Kiera one of those super rare ‘Monster Tamer Skill Books,’ okay? Found it in a hidden quest a while back. That’s how she tamed the Dire Bloodfang. Totally above board. Very fancy. Almost took my hand trying to get it, right Mason?”

  Mason's head snapped around to us with a confused look on his face. “Huh? Oh, yeah, yeah, what she said.”

  Fi gred at him for not reading the room but turned back to Ethan with a huge grin pstered to her face. “See?”

  Ethan raised an eyebrow, looking between us. “A… Monster Tamer Skill Book? I mean, yeah, I heard they were pretty rare. I haven’t seen anyone who wasn’t a high-level pyer use them.”

  “Well, Uh… yep. That’s it. Super rare drop. Mystery revealed!”

  Fi smirked at me out of the corner of her eye, her slight grin practically screaming, “You owe me for this one, sis.”

  Ethan didn’t look entirely convinced, but he shrugged, leaning back on his elbows. “Well, that expins it, I guess. Lucky find.”

  “Very lucky,” I echoed, smiling nervously as I shoveled more stew into my mouth to avoid further questioning.

  The fire crackled as the group began to settle in. Mason leaned against his hammer, sharpening its edge slowly and deliberately. Devon sat across the fire, arms crossed as his gaze flicked between Ethan and me occasionally. Selene had taken up a position near the perimeter, leaning casually against a tree trunk while keeping her eyes on the shadows.

  Fi, ever the entertainer, had taken it upon herself to fill the silence.

  “So, Ethan,” she said brightly, poking at the fire with a stick. “What’s your story? You mentioned chasing rumors about corrupted zones. Anything juicy?”

  Ethan hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. “Not really. As I mentioned earlier, I heard some forums chat about anomalies popping up in rare quest chains. Thought I could make a name for myself by chasing one down.”

  Mason snorted. “You and every other pyer with delusions of grandeur, buddy.”

  “Well, hey now,” Ethan protested, grinning slightly. “I’ll have you know I almost handled that Dire Bloodfang on my own… or would have.”

  Fi barked out a ugh. “Oh yeah? Before or after, was it about to make you its midnight snack?”

  The group chuckled, and for a moment, the tension eased. Devon even cracked a faint smirk.

  Selene’s voice cut through the banter, smooth and sharp. “Why didn’t you log out, Ethan when you realized you were outmatched?”

  Ethan hesitated. His eyes flickered toward the fire, shadows dancing across his sharp features. “I don’t know,” he said softly. “Guess I just… didn’t want to give up. I’ve been pying solo for so long that logging out felt like admitting defeat.”

  His voice was genuine—something that made my stomach twist slightly.

  As the fire began to die, the group slowly went idle one by one. Mason had already passed out on his bedroll, snoring softly. Fi was curled up near the fire, her mismatched socks poking out from under her bnket.

  Selene gave me a brief nod as she moved toward her spot on the perimeter watch. Still seated near the fire, Devon caught my eye briefly before moving away to take the second watch shift.

  Ethan lingered nearby, watching the dying embers with a faraway look in his eyes.

  “Ethan?” I said softly, approaching him.

  He turned, his green eyes catching the faint glow of the fire. “Yeah?”

  “I’m gd we found you,” I said honestly. “You’re not as alone as you think.”

  He smiled faintly, a small, grateful expression crossing his face. “Thanks, Kiera. That… means a lot.”

  With that, he turned and id down on his bedroll, leaving me standing by the fading campfire.