The street was a battlefield now. The smell of burning oil mixed with the stench of fear. Kairo's arms ached from blocking blow after blow, his breathing ragged. The thieves' leader grinned, his beast looming like a nightmare, claws flexing to strike again.
Before it could, a single note split the air — soft yet sharp, like a spark touching dry kindling. The world seemed to pause for half a heartbeat. Then the fire came.
Flames curled down from the rooftops, not wild or chaotic but shaped, disciplined, moving like the sweep of a painter's brush. They licked at the cobblestones, driving the thieves back. At their heart descended a figure in crimson-lined robes, her black hair catching the glow.
Mira landed with the quiet confidence of someone who already knew she would win. Her gaze flicked over Kairo — measuring, evaluating — before she turned her attention to the enemy. Beside her, wings of molten gold unfurled. Ignis, her Beast Heart, the Fire Phoenix, shimmered into full form, each feather a living ember.
The thieves' leader hesitated. Even he knew the stories. A Magic-class phoenix could turn the tide of a war, and here one stood in the middle of Ashen Veil.
Mira raised a hand, and Ignis answered. Flame Wave erupted forward, a sweeping arc that melted the blades of two thieves and sent them crashing into a wall. The phoenix's cry pierced the air, its wings sending a rush of heated wind that forced Kairo to shield his face.
"You fight well for someone with no real beast," Mira said, her tone calm yet edged with curiosity.
Kairo bristled. "Lumo's real enough."
Her eyes softened just slightly. "Then prove it. Together."
They moved in sync without speaking. Lumo's Protective Veil shimmered around Mira as she advanced, Ignis unleashing fire that forced the thieves to break formation. Kairo struck from the gaps, his agility keeping him just out of reach of the leader's beast.
But the leader was no fool. His beast roared, the ground beneath them cracking, and a surge of dark energy swept the street. Kairo was thrown back into a stall, wood splintering around him. Lumo yelped in his mind.
Through the haze, Kairo saw Mira stumble, her shield flickering. The leader's grin returned as he raised his blade for the final strike.
A piercing screech tore through the Veil — not Ignis this time. From the far end of the street, a shadow darted across the rooftops, followed by the flash of steel. The leader froze mid-swing, his beast snarling at something unseen.
Mira's eyes narrowed. "We're not alone."
Another figure dropped into the fray, face hidden beneath a hood, movements impossibly fast. The thieves' leader barely had time to react before a blade kissed his throat.
Kairo pushed himself upright, confusion mixing with adrenaline.
The hooded figure glanced his way, eyes cold and sharp. "If you want to live, follow me. Now."
Before Kairo could speak, the sound of heavier footsteps thundered down the street. Reinforcements — and their beast hearts burned brighter than anything Kairo had faced.