Hard work forever pays

Eris's crimson eyes flicked over Lucy with a chilling intensity, lingering on the small girl as though sizing her up for some unspoken purpose. Her lips curved into a faint smile—almost amused—before her gaze shifted to Ryden. The smile widened into a quiet laugh, the sound soft but laden with malice, as though she found some private joke in the sight of the two of them.

With a lazy nod, she motioned to one of her warriors. "Bring him here."

Rough hands grabbed Ryden from behind, yanking him out of the cage. He stumbled but managed to stay on his feet, grimacing as he was dragged forward to stand next to Lucy. Eris tilted her head, her smirk deepening as she looked between the two.

"He must be your father," she said, her voice smooth and mocking.

Ryden's brows knit together in irritation. He opened his mouth to protest, the words "I don't look that old" flickering through his mind, but he clamped down on the thought. The situation was far too dangerous for flippancy, and he focused instead on Lucy, who was trembling at his side.

Eris's eyes lingered on them, and for a brief moment, her expression softened ever so slightly, betraying something deeper beneath her malice. When she spoke again, her voice was quieter, almost wistful, as if addressing a memory that haunted her. "How cute."

The moment of vulnerability passed as quickly as it came, her voice sharpening as a sinister edge crept in. She drew her stone knife from her belt, the blade glinting wickedly in the sunlight. Without a word, she crouched and grabbed Lucy's small hand, forcing the cold handle of the knife into her trembling fingers.

Lucy flinched, her wide eyes darting from Eris to Ryden, tears brimming but not yet falling. Eris stood, straightening to her full height, and placed a firm hand on Lucy's shoulder. Her smile was razor-thin, her voice dripping with cruelty as she spoke.

"I'll give you a choice," she said, her tone deceptively casual. "Kill your father, and you'll be free."

Ryden's eyes widened, his voice bursting out before he could stop himself. "Whoa, that's fucked up!"

Before Ryden could say more, a pair of warriors grabbed him roughly, their hands locking like iron around his arms and mouth. He thrashed against their grip, muffled protests rising from his throat, but it was no use. They held him firm, forcing him to watch the unfolding scene with helpless rage.

Eris knelt beside Lucy, her presence radiating an unsettling calm as she leaned close to the trembling girl. Her crimson eyes glinted in the dim light, the knife still gleaming in Lucy's unsteady hands. Her voice dropped to a chilling whisper, soft yet sharp, as if each word were a blade carving into Lucy's mind.

"I know the pain you've felt," Eris murmured, her tone deceptively gentle. "The anguish. The helplessness. That feeling of being so weak you can't even scream for help. That can all end today." Her finger extended, pointing at Ryden. "All you have to do… is kill him. Prove yourself worthy."

Lucy's breathing quickened, the knife quivering in her hands as her tear-streaked face darted between Ryden and Eris. Silent sobs shook her small frame, but Eris pressed on, her voice growing softer, more insidious.

"I was in the exact same position as you when I was a child," Eris continued, her words curling around Lucy like a poisonous mist. "I stood where you're standing now. I held that knife in my hand, just like you. But unlike you…" She paused, her gaze darkening. "I wasn't the only one offered a chance. My father looked at me, looked at his knife…" Her voice dropped into a jagged whisper, filled with venomous memory. "And he lunged for my throat."

Eris straightened, pacing around Lucy with the slow, deliberate steps of a predator circling its prey. The dim light caught on a long, jagged scar running down the side of her neck. She traced it with her finger, her voice hardening. "That's when I learned the truth. In the end, we're all just beasts. Animals fighting for survival. Love, family, blood—none of it matters. Only strength matters. Strength is the only thing that keeps you from being buried like the rest."

She stopped, turning back to Lucy, her tone rising with intensity. "Now choose. You can wallow in your weakness, be dragged down and buried like them, or you can rise. Rise above the pain, above the fear. Prove to the world that you're more than this fragile, trembling thing. Make your choice."

Lucy staggered forward, the weight of the knife feeling impossibly heavy in her hands. Her eyes darted to Ryden, her face pale with terror. She took another shaky step, and Eris's voice heightened, brimming with a twisted, feverish excitement.

"Yes…" Eris hissed, her eyes gleaming. "This is your chance, girl. Show them. Show me. Shed your weakness. Become strong."

Tears streamed down Lucy's face as she stood trembling, the blade shaking in her hand.

Ryden struggled harder, his muffled voice growing louder as he tried to speak, but the warriors held him fast, their grips bruising. His heart raced as he locked eyes with Lucy

Eris took a step back, her piercing gaze fixed on Lucy with a mixture of expectation and cruel amusement.

Ryden's fists clenched tightly, his nails biting into his palms as fury and desperation boiled inside him. He could feel something building—a quiet, otherworldly hum that seemed to resonate within his very bones. A silvery glow, cold and luminous like moonlight, began to seep from his clenched hand, swirling like mist. The glow rippled outwards, subtle but purposeful, traveling along unseen threads toward the dozens of small wooden carvings scattered across the camp.

The carvings responded. One by one, they began to shift, their rigid forms softening, stretching, and moving. The bird Ryden had given to one of the workers trembled before springing to life, its tiny wooden wings flapping furiously. It darted to the bindings of the nearest cage, its sharp beak rapidly gnawing through the ropes until they frayed and snapped. The workers inside stumbled out, wide-eyed and uncertain, before realizing their chance for freedom.

Across the camp, chaos erupted. From the confiscated pouch that had held Ryden's other creations, the wolf, fox, and bear carvings leapt free, their forms now fluid and alive, their sharp wooden teeth glinting dangerously. The wolf streaked across the clearing, tearing at ropes and pouncing on unsuspecting Blood Talon warriors like a tiny menace. The fox darted among the cages, its agile movements freeing more captives, while the bear barreled toward a group of warriors swiping at their ankles with deadly precision.

Lucy clutched the small rabbit carving she hid under her clothes her knuckles white with fear. Suddenly, the rabbit stirred. Its wooden body grew warm in her hands before wriggling free, landing lightly on the ground. It paused for only a moment, its small head swiveling as it took in the chaos around it, then it darted forward with astonishing speed.

The rabbit leapt into the air, spinning as its powerful hind legs kicked out, striking the knife from Lucy's trembling hands. The blade clattered to the ground, and before anyone could react, the rabbit launched itself at Eris. It collided with her chest, its sharp wooden claws raking across her armor as she snarled in surprise.

More chaos unfolded as a bird, emboldened by the same silvery glow, darted into Gastrar's tent. It carried a smoldering ember in its beak, dropping it neatly onto the dried canvas roof. The flames caught instantly, spreading with alarming speed as smoke began to billow into the sky. The same bird joined the rabbit in its assault on the Blood Talon warriors, clawing at their faces and eyes. Another bird attacked the warrior holding Ryden, its sharp beak pecking relentlessly until the man cursed and released his grip. Ryden staggered free, coughing but determined, and rushed toward Lucy.

Grabbing her hand, he pulled her close. "Come on!" he shouted, his voice barely audible over the cacophony. Around them, warriors flailed and shouted, swinging weapons uselessly at the tiny, unrelenting creatures that nipped at their legs and dove for their faces.

"To the hills!" Ryden yelled to the newly freed captives, pointing to a narrow gap in the camp's defenses. "That way!"

The workers and prisoners, emboldened by the chaos, began to run, their shouts mixing with the screeches of the living carvings. But Ryden's relief was short-lived. His gaze darted back to Eris, who stood in the center of the turmoil, her crimson eyes blazing with fury. She ripped the rabbit from her chest, its wooden body snapping under her iron grip, and tossed it aside with a snarl.

"After them!" she bellowed, her voice slicing through the din like a whip. "Kill them all, but bring me the girl!"

Her warriors obeyed instantly, their red auras flaring as they began to regroup and give chase. Ryden's heart pounded as he ran, pulling Lucy behind him. The weight of their hopeless situation pressed down on him—there were too many, and the Stone Hoof warriors were closing in fast. He could hear their shouts, their boots pounding against the earth.

We're not going to make it, he thought desperately, his mind racing for a solution.

But then, a new sound rose above the chaos.

At first, it was distant, faint and unfamiliar—a rhythmic drumming, accompanied by deep but then Ryden finally realized, it was the signal.