It blocked the space between Jared and the tform.
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 ming shockwave, and swept straight at Jared.
Jared didn''t dodge.
He drove straight into the oing wave of fire.
Chaotic force gathered over his body and sealed itself into ayer of purple armor.
The ming shockwave mmed 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 atst. 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 him woke.
That primal fire-essence had been building ever since the Ethereal Realm.
Demonic supreme fire, the earth''s core fire-countless kinds of me 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 pir of me.
The pir of me 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 tform.
His legs gave way under him, and he nearly fell to his knees.
Lydia rushed over and caught him in one grab.
"Are you insane?" Her voice shook, and the tears wouldn''t stop. "Who told you toe? Who told you toe?"
"Did you forget?" Jared said with a smile. "We agreed we''d save your nsmen together."
Lydia bit down on her lip, and the tears came even harder.
Gwendolyn stood off to the side, watching Jared without a word.
But her hand shook slightly, and whatever sat in her eyes was too tangled to put into words.
"You''re hurt," she said atst, her voice rough.
"Nothing but surface wounds," Jared said. "What about you two?"
Gwendolyn shook her head. "I''m fine. Lydia''s hurt worse. We need to get her 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.
Lydiay against his back and could feel his heartbeat-strong, even, the kind that let a person breathe easier.
"Jared," she 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 him erupted at the same time.
Violet radiance and golden me wove across his body and shot upward as a pir of me.
Then he sprang into the air, carrying Lydia on his back and taking Gwendolyn with him as he charged out of the Pyre Chasm.
Behind them, the mes 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 he dropped straight to his knees.
Lydia slid off his back, and ric caught her in one grab.
"Lydia! Lydia!"
ric''s voice shook as he held his daughter, tears pouring down his face. "Are you okay? Are you okay?"
Lydia leaned against her father and forced a smile onto her pale face. "Dad, I''m okay."
"And you still say you''re okay?"
ric looked at the blood covering her and couldn''t get another word out.
He whipped his head around and shouted, "Healers! Where are the healers!"
Two Ghost n healers rushed over and fumbled through a hurried examination of Lydia''s wounds.
Her left arm was broken. Three ribs were snapped. Even her internal organs had suffered damage to varying degrees.
But for the Ghost n 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 her time to recover and she be fine Content belong''s to''
Only then did ric ease up, and he 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."
ric 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 n Moonshade Realm will answer without hesitation, even if it costs us
our lives."
Jared waved him off. "Don''t thank me. Get them back first and let them recover."
ric nodded and arranged for people to carry Lydia away.
Gwendolyn refused anyone''s help.
She had spent a great deal too, but her injuries were much lighter than Lydia''s. Gwendolyn walked up to Jared and lowered her 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 her palm, and she 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 him at once. "Thanks."
Gwendolyn drew her hand back. "You owe me," she said tly.
Jared blinked. "What?"
"You owe me a favor." Gwendolyn turned and headed back toward the group. "Don''t
forget to pay it backter."
Jared watched her walk away, caught between augh and a sigh.
The group started making its way back.
Lydia was at the very front, with ric staying at her side step for step.
The Ghost n 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 he was tired, though he was. It was because he 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 the Pyre Chasm and tied itself lightly
around his chest.
He stopped and looked back.
The Pyre Chasm was still burning.
Crimson mes churned at the bottom of the pit, but they had gone far quieter than
before.
The heavenfire beasts no longer roared. Theyy still in the fire instead, as if they
were waiting for something.
They hadn''t chased after him.
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 in in his chest.
This wasn''t over.