"Bruno, what's happening?" Anaalyn asked, trying to keep up with his pace.
"I think... something's wrong. Not sure yet."
"Is that bad?"
"Let's hope not."
The run didn't feel as long as the way back, but time moved even faster.
"Is that fire?"
"No. That's a mage with too much free time."
That fire wasn't normal. It looked like silhouettes - human-shaped flames, but wrong, distorted, screaming without sound.
The flames moved like they had a will of their own. They didn't crackle - they whispered. Hoarse voices, distorted, breathing pain through every flicker.
Anaalyn slowed for a moment, sweat dripping down her face, eyes wide.
"This... this isn't normal magic, Bruno. These shadows-"
"I know." Bruno cut her off, his hand already on his sword. The black blade reacted before he even drew it - a faint glow rippled across the metal, as if something inside recognized the energy ahead.
"They're not alive," he said. "So don't pity them."
The fiery silhouettes began to take form, one by one.
First faces. Then twisted bodies, made not of flesh, but of ember and ash that shaped themselves like bones and tendons. They moved in staggering motions, and every step left sparks clinging to the ground like tiny screams.
"They look like... people," Anaalyn muttered, gripping her axe.
"People who died here," Bruno replied quietly, almost mournfully. "And someone forced them to walk again."
The fire thickened, forming a circle around them, a burning cage.
Kearlin's voice whispered in Bruno's ear - unseen by anyone else.
"My silver-armored warrior, show these monsters the strength of our love."
"Shut up, Kearlin."
Bruno moved first, the sword scraping the earth and leaving a trail of blue sparks. The first shadow reached for him - the strike came like thunder, and the creature vanished with a muffled roar. Three more took its place instantly.
Anaalyn swung her axe wide, crushing two at once, the impact scattering embers everywhere.
"They're infinite?"
"Weaker," Bruno said, dodging another lunge of fire. "They're here to tire us out... before the real threat gives his speech."
"And who would do that?"
Bruno lifted his gaze. Up in the distorted haze, a hooded figure watched - the fire around him bowed, obedient like a loyal hound.
"Back sooner than expected, huh, Tenório, you bastard."
The flames exploded outward, turning the ground into a living inferno. Bruno and Anaalyn stood side by side - steel against flame, flesh against spirit. The battlefield roared with screams and light, while the mage turned away, retreating toward a castle that hadn't been there moments before.
"He wants me to come to him."
"Then let's go. If he wants trouble, he'll get trouble."
"Such a cliché line," Kearlin muttered.
"Such a worthless opinion," Bruno shot back. Then to Anaalyn: "No. Go back to the village - protect those who need it."
"I'm not a child! I don't need protection!"
"But there are children there who do," he said, meeting her eyes. "And I can't be in two places at once."
Anaalyn clenched her fists, eyes burning with anger and doubt.
"You always do this - deciding who stays and who fights!"
"Because I've seen what happens when no one decides," Bruno answered coldly. He raised his sword, the firelight reflecting in his eyes. "And I won't let it happen again."
Silence fell - heavy, louder than the blaze.
Anaalyn bit her lip. "Damn it... you sound just like my father."
Bruno gave a faint smile. "Then he was a good man."
"Is a good man," she corrected, wiping a tear that burned worse than the heat. "Come back alive, got it? Or I'll drag you back by the hair."
Bruno nodded once. "I'll try."
He turned away. The wind lifted his cloak like dark smoke as he walked toward the illusionary castle - a fortress of ashes and echoes rising from nothing.
Kearlin floated beside him, sighing.
"You know it's a trap, right?"
"Of course."
"And you're going in anyway?"
Bruno looked at the horizon. The towers shimmered like mirages.
"I'm already inside."
The ground twisted beneath his boots. Stones melted and reformed. The sky darkened, and the fire crawled along the castle walls like living veins.
He entered the throne hall.
"Finally showed up, huh, Tenório? Kill your own men and we might have time to talk before I cut off your head."
"Bruno - warrior, mage, murderer of hundreds. You're a stone in my path - impossible to ignore."
"Tenório - Let's finish this. I've got better things to do than waste time with you."
Bruno approached slowly, eyes locked on the hooded figure.
"Go on, kill me, end my suffering - that's what I should say, right?" Tenório smiled bitterly. "But you're special. You killed my sons... and more My humanity... those brats meant everything to me, and you killed them in cold blood..." He turned toward a shattered window, as if the flames outside told him a story.
"Honestly? I don't care anymore," Bruno said flatly. "Why should I They were spoiled with all the power, the power you gave them?"
"Enough talk."
As Bruno stepped further in, a massive magical barrier sealed around them - beautiful, deadly. He didn't flinch.
"You already know what I'm about to do?" Tenório asked.
"I already know what you're about to do," Bruno replied. "A suicide spell. Simple. Efficient. Took me a while to remember - the one power you never used."
The air thickened with the smell of smoke and rage.
"If you don't kill me, the village dies," Tenório said, his voice trembling with madness. "Either way, you die today."
Bruno covered his face, his shoulders shaking - laughter. It started small, but grew louder, swallowing the silence.
"Hahahaha... You didn't have to say it. I was going to kill you anyway - no mercy, no fear, no regret."
Tenório's face contorted as he watched Bruno's somewhat sadistic laughter yet another expression It came quickly.
His expression went cold, empty - pure hatred.
"Sorry. I've been holding this in for a while. Time to cut your head off."
"Then end it," Tenório said, raising his hand.
Outside, the village fought for survival. The flame-creatures weren't strong, but endless.
"What the hell are these things!?" Seralyn shouted, cutting through them in quick, fluid strikes.
"Don't rush it - weak, but plenty," Tila replied, blasting another into embers.
"Is everyone okay!?"
"Anaalyn!? You made it!" Tila said.
"We ran... a lot."
"What the hell are these?" Seralyn asked.
"Bruno saw a mage - called him Tenório. Ring a bell?"
"Tenório!? That bastard!"
"Where's Bruno, dwarf?"
"He told me to protect the village while he fought the mage."
"Hold on, Bruno - I'm coming!"
Seralyn tried to run toward the mountains, but Tila stopped her.
"Don't. Bruno can handle it - he won't die."
"Damn it, Tila, don't stop me-"
"Then talk or fight," Anaalyn snapped.
Back inside the castle, Tenório sneered.
"Show me that rotten heart of yours, warrior - the one that should've died ages ago I can see through you.!"
"What a pervert!" Bruno muttered. "Right, Kearlin? Some old mage talking like that." He glanced toward the window.
"They're holding up fine," he said quietly. Then turned back to Tenório - and moved. The sword's edge traced a single, silent line of pure strength and willpower
Tenório's head separated cleanly from his body.
"Bruno, run! You said he's going to explode!" Kearlin shouted.
"Yeah. But there's nothing I can do - these walls are reinforced. It'd take hours to break through."
Tenório's body began to glow, overflowing with unstable energy.
"Don't you dare give up, idiot!" Kearlin shouted, grabbing his arm "Don't let that pretty little body die."
"Who said I'm dying, idiot?" Bruno growled, touching the wall. "Doesn't mean I'll walk away fine."
A dark armor enveloped him, black as the void.
"COME ON THEN SON OF A BITCH!"
The explosion lit the mountain like a second sun. The false castle vanished in smoke and thunder - and the fiery souls disappeared with it.
"Bruno!" Tila cried.
"Bruno!" Anaalyn echoed.
"BRUNO!!" Seralyn screamed.
They ran. Seralyn dashed through the forest, Tila close behind, Anaalyn struggling to keep pace, lungs burning.
"Bruno! Bruno, are you there, you idiot!? You really took a bomb to the chest!?"
"Can't even rest when I'm dead," came the weak reply.
"You're not dead! You've got a pulse!"
"Yeah, just broken arms, ribs, maybe a few bleeding organs -"
"Got it. You're screwed, not dead."
"If some half-cow, elf, or dwarf doesn't show up in time, then yeah - I'm doomed. My luck's fantastic."
"You talk like no one loves you. What are you gonna do now?"
"Mostly... lie here and hope I don't pass out."
"Bruno!!"
"now that is Music to my ears."
Through smoke and ruin, his shattered body appeared - Seralyn saw him first.
"Please, don't be dead. Please..." she whispered, checking his heartbeat. A faint rhythm - weak like your tears but steady like your strength. "Thank the gods."
"He's alive," she called out, though her voice trembled. Seeing the wounds made her stomach turn.
"Bruno, wake up! Come on - you're stronger than this!"
Hours later, in the village infirmary - many were hurt, but none as badly as the man who saved them.
"He'll live," said the healer. "His body's remarkably resilient. Recovery will be slow, but possible."
"How long?" Seralyn asked.
"Two or three months to wake up. Moving again... that's another story."
"Too long," Seralyn muttered for the first time, quietly.
"At least I'll have time to rebuild my village," Anaalyn said softly.
"What happened to it?" Tila asked, trying to ease the tension.
"An ancient relic went berserk while we were having dinner - like old times, right?"
"Your home... is it safe now?"
"Yeah. We-" she glanced at Bruno's broken body, "-destroyed that tin monster. My village took a beating, though."
"Hmm. Maybe we can help."
"We? What do you mean 'we'?"
"Seralyn. Look - he's not going anywhere. Might as well stay busy." Tila smiled, resting a hand on Seralyn's shoulder.
Seralyn brushed it off. "Fine. But if I get bored of fixing roofs and fences, you know where I'll be."
"Seriously, and your village? You're not going to help?" anaalyn say it
"Oh, please We have great people gathering here, the strongest father and a half-wolf With relationship problems, we will be back in no time then... we can help "
"ok Deal."
"So let's go, and if any problems arise, we'll help those in need."