Saved, maybe?

Kalem lay on the damp earth, his body cold and trembling, the fight draining from him with every passing second. The moon hung high above, casting its pale, ethereal light across the world. He blinked, his mind still foggy from blood loss and exhaustion, but something about the moon always caught his attention. 

It was always the same, a constant presence in the sky, yet Kalem felt a strange pull toward it—something he couldn't quite explain. He wasn't sure if it was its calm glow that seemed to promise peace in a world so broken, or the way it lingered in the dark, unwavering and steadfast. 

It made him feel small, but also… connected. 

He tilted his head back, his eyes following the silver arc of light that stretched across the night sky. There was a longing deep inside him, something that stirred whenever he looked up. A yearning. But for what? He didn't know. 

You're just tired, he told himself. You'll figure it out later.

But the sound of distant growls shattered his thoughts. A low, guttural noise, like something far too big and far too angry. His heart lurched. 

The Devourer.

Kalem's head snapped up. The monster was close. Far too close. His body screamed in protest as he scrambled to his feet, his legs barely holding him upright. But he didn't have time to hesitate. The Devourer was right behind him, hunting him down like prey. 

I won't die here, Kalem thought, desperation flooding his veins. He pushed himself forward, stumbling through the tall grasses, toward the cliff's edge where the city of Jexi sprawled far below. The wind whipped at his face, the rush of air clearing his fogged senses, but his side throbbed with each labored breath. 

His heart pounded. The growl of the beast grew louder, louder still, until the earth itself seemed to tremble beneath its massive steps. 

Kalem reached the cliff, the cold rock beneath his feet a sharp contrast to the warm, stagnant earth behind him. His mind raced, but all that filled his senses now was the overwhelming presence of the creature. 

He turned, his back pressed against the cliffside, eyes scanning the night for any sign of the beast. And then—he saw it. 

A hulking shape, its fiery eyes gleaming in the dark. It was massive—an unstoppable force of nature. The Devourer stood at the edge of the forest, claws dragging through the dirt as it moved toward him. Its skin shimmered like molten rock, its body a terrifying mass of raw power and primal rage. 

Kalem's heart slammed against his chest. He took a step back, but the cliff stopped him. He was trapped. 

And then— 

A flash of movement in the sky. 

Kalem's gaze snapped upward, his breath catching in his throat as a large bird—no, not a bird, something stranger—swooped down from the heavens. It was an owl, but its wings were large and shimmering, feathers glinting with an otherworldly glow. Its eyes were like pools of molten gold, and its presence was unlike anything Kalem had ever felt. 

It descended with astonishing speed, flapping its wings in a steady rhythm, its form sharp against the night. The Devourer's head snapped toward it, a low growl rumbling from its throat. The beast lunged, its claws tearing through the air toward the owl. 

But the bird was faster. 

With a screech, the owl's wings flared out, sending a shockwave of energy rippling through the air. A brilliant light flared from its form, and for a moment, Kalem had to shield his eyes. The Devourer stopped in its tracks, its massive body convulsing as if something was coursing through it, weakening it. The bird's eyes gleamed with power, its gaze focused solely on the monster. 

The creature shrieked, a sound that shook the very foundations of the earth, and then, in an instant, the owl struck. 

Its talons, glowing with an energy Kalem couldn't comprehend, pierced the Devourer's skull with a force that sent shockwaves through the ground. The beast howled in agony as it staggered back, its molten skin flickering and crackling. With one final scream, it collapsed, lifeless, into a heap of smoldering ash. 

The bird hovered above it for a moment longer, watching, before it turned its gaze to Kalem. Its golden eyes locked with his, and for a brief second, the world felt still. The wind stopped howling. The night grew silent. 

Then, just as quickly as it had appeared, the owl-like creature ascended into the sky, its wings carrying it into the moonlit expanse above. 

Kalem stood frozen, his breath shallow, his mind racing. The monster was gone. Destroyed. 

But he was left with more questions than answers. 

*What was that thing? he wondered. *Who was that bird? And why did it save me?

And most of all—*Why had it come for me? 

Kalem took a shaky step forward, his body still trembling from the ordeal. He looked up at the moon once more, as if it held the answers he needed, but the pull of its glow only deepened the yearning inside him. Something had changed. 

But he didn't know what. 

He turned to leave, but as he stumbled, a soft fluttering sound caught his attention. 

A single feather, glowing faintly with the same strange light as the owl, drifted down from the sky, falling gently onto the ground at Kalem's feet. 

Instinctively, he reached for it. As soon as his fingers brushed the feather, warmth flooded through him. The sharp pain in his side dulled, and the ache in his limbs seemed to vanish. The blood that had been seeping from his wound slowed, then stopped completely. His vision cleared. The weariness that had threatened to pull him under lifted, leaving him lighter, stronger. 

But the healing wasn't enough. His body had been pushed too far, and as the moonlight bathed him in its gentle glow, Kalem felt his strength finally give out. 

His knees buckled, and before he could react, the world around him darkened. 

The last thing he felt before passing out was the soft brush of the owl's feather against his palm.