Heads up: This chapter contains scenes of fighting and violence, and also touches upon some sensitive themes, so please read with care.
Soren's arms were suddenly around her. He lifted her quickly.
"I need to get you out. Now!" His voice was full of panic.
"No—wait! What about Ezra?" Rayna's voice cracked. "And... what's happening? That beastman—" Her eyes flicked to the ground where the body lay still. "Is he... dead?"
Her whole frame trembled. She had never seen a corpse before—not in this life, not in the one before. She had only seen them through TV screens or in news. And now, one had dropped right in front of her.
The screaming rose again. Louder. Closer.
Ezra's eyes locked on hers, grim and steady.
"Rayna, go with Soren. Right now."
"Just come with us, please?" she begged.
Ezra shook his head. "I need to check on the village chief. I can't leave. I need to stand with my people—protect them—not run away out of fear."
Soren's jaw tightened. "After I get her to safety, I'll come back," he promised.
Ezra nodded once.
The smoke thickened, curling and choking the air. The screams multiplied.
Beastmen ran past—males gripping their mates' hands, pulling them away.
The village was breaking.
Soren's arms hooked under her before she could argue.
The ground fell away.
Wind whipped at her face as they shot upward, higher, higher—
And then she saw it.
Below, the village writhed in chaos.
Dark shapes swarmed between the huts.
Flames licked at thatched roofs. Smoke curled into the sky.
Laughter—low, guttural—cut through the screams.
Her eyes locked on them.
Half-beastmen. So many of them. They had attacked the village, invaded.
She recognized those monsters.
Ezra and Soren had been on constant patrol.
Then why now? Why here?
It had been peaceful.
After the wet season, their village had glistened—fresh, alive.
Now it was covered in ash and blood.
A hut collapsed.
Something—someone—was dragged through the dirt.
She spotted him: a half-beastman with eight legs, spider-like, yanking a screaming female by the hair. Her mates laid sprawled nearby, lifeless.
Rayna's stomach twisted.
Not here.
Whether in her past life or this one—
Watching a woman violated was something she could never accept.
The sight punched the air from her lungs. Her chest burned, her hands curling into fists so tight her nails bit into her palms.
Her heart hammered—not from fear, but from a rage so sharp it made her vision blur.
In her previous world, she had seen such horrors in the news—stories of cruelty and helpless victims. Each time, the same fury had ignited in her, the same sick twist in her stomach.
And now it was right in front of her.
There was no way she was going to just overlook it. She had to stop it. Atleast try to.
Her voice came sharp, cold, shaking with rage.
"Soren. Take me down. Now."
He hesitated. "What?"
Rayna's tone dropped colder, darker. "I said land there right this instant." She pointed down.
Soren's gaze followed her finger, then flicked back to her face—and froze. Something in her expression... it wasn't fear. It was rage. A deep, simmering rage.
He didn't ask again. With a sharp tilt of his wings, he descended in a spiraling rush, talons hitting the earth with a thud.
Rayna swung off his back before he'd even folded his wings. The moment her sandals touched the ground, Soren's form shimmered and shifted feathers melting away, limbs lengthening, until he stood beside her.
"I'll handle him," Soren said, his eyes locked on the threat. "You look out for the female. And please be careful and alert Rayna."
Rayna nodded once, jaw clenched.
The spider stood a few paces ahead, towering, with eyes glinting like oily beads. His grin was twisted, his voice dripping with sick delight.
"Such a pretty female," he hissed. "Two of them together. What luck."
His grip on the captive's hair tightened. The female cried out, the sound jagged and raw. Her cheeks were streaked with mud, tears cutting cleaner lines through the filth. Her clothes were torn, her face pale with terror.
Soren didn't wait. He lunged, a blur of muscle and fury.
The spider's hold on the female's hair slipped as he turned both arms toward Soren, claws swiping, the impact cracking through the air.
Rayna darted forward, catching the female before she could collapse. "Come on. Let's go."
The female's legs trembled, barely holding her weight, but Rayna's arm anchored her upright. They ran stumbling but moving—every step away from the fight.
"Go to Yunxi's hut, Rayna!" Soren's voice rang out between the sounds of clashing blows. "Don't look back! Run!"
Rayna glanced over her shoulder, heart squeezing at the sight—Soren ducking under a clawed strike, the spider lashing with impossible speed. "I'll come back to you," he shouted. "Ezra too. I promise!"
She didn't know why it had to be Yunxi's hut. Maybe because it was a bit far from the main village and if trouble arose, they could follow the river and escape. And maybe Soren didn't want them to be alone, and he trusted Yunxi. Anyways whatever the reason was, Rayna knew that Soren never spoke without reason. He was not someone who spouted gibberish. If he said it, it mattered.
Still, fear coiled in her gut like ice. What if the spider was venomous? What if Soren didn't win? And Ezra... where was he in this chaos?
She bit down on the questions, forcing herself to keep running. All she could do now was trust—and pray—that both of them would return to her safe and whole.
While running, Rayna's eyes caught sight of Yunxi. He stood frozen, his head darting in every direction, as if his mind couldn't keep up with the chaos.
"Yunxi!" she shouted.
His gaze snapped to her, relief and confusion flashing across his face. Rayna and the battered female skidded to a stop, both panting hard from the desperate sprint.
"Rayna! You're still here? You three didn't leave?" His voice cracked with disbelief.
Rayna shook her head, her tone low and grim. "We couldn't. Just as we were about to... all of this started."
Yunxi's eyes shifted to the female beside her his eyes widened. "She's injured... she's covered in blood."
Rayna's voice was firm but urgent. "We need to get to your hut. Soren told me to go there."
Yunxi didn't hesitate. "Alright. Quickly."
The three of them broke into a run once more. Around them, the world was on fire—half-beastmen roamed like shadows of nightmares, huts crackled and collapsed under orange flames, and the air was filled with the choking stench of smoke and blood. Screams cut through, like jagged blades, each one sharper than the last.
Rayna's heart pounded in her ears. Just moments ago, this had been a quiet, peaceful village. Now... it was hell and full of horror.
The three of them were still running when Yunxi suddenly skidded to a halt.
Rayna almost crashed into him. "What happened—?" Her question died in her throat as she saw what stood ahead.
Two half-beastmen. One had the spindly legs and many eyes of a spider, the other the segmented tail and gleaming pincers of a red scorpion.
"Well, well... in a hurry, are we?" The scorpion's mouth curved into a smirk, his black eyes glinting.
Yunxi instinctively stepped forward, trying to shield Rayna and the injured female with his meek body.
"Oh? Playing the hero?" The spider took a slow step closer, his voice dripping with mockery. "One strike and this weak little male will be dead."
"And then," the scorpion cut in, his tone turning sickeningly sweet, "these two beauties will be ours." His eyes raked over Rayna and the trembling female beside her. His grin stretched wider— lecherous, tongue darting out to lick his lips. "I bet they'll satisfy us well."
Rayna's hands clenched into fists, rage boiling under her skin. She could feel the female next to her trembling—shivering like she'd already seen the end. Rayna could imagine the hell awaiting her if they were caught: taken, beaten, forced...
Yunxi glanced back at her. "Rayna—take her and run. I'll distract them."
Her eyes widened. "What? Yunxi, you'll die before you can—!"
He gave a small, almost peaceful smile. "I don't mind giving my life for you, Rayna. You mean more to me than you know. You were... the only light I had. If I'm here, I won't let you be hurt. Ever."
His voice was steady, his eyes having a firm resolve. "You know the forest well," he continued quickly. "Cross it and go to the river. There's a cave hidden between the rocks—it's hard to spot, but you'll know it when you see Mirae fruit plants growing around the entrance. Hide there. Don't come out."
The spider hissed. "Hey! What are you whispering about? A pathetic male trying to act brave?" He turned to his partner. "Just finish him off and grab the females."
Yunxi didn't answer—he moved first, flicking something into the scorpion's eyes. The beastman roared in pain, clutching at his face. "Damn you! I'll give you a death you'll regret!"
Rayna grabbed the female's arm, pulling her away. They had just started to run when Yunxi's cry split the air. She turned in horror—
The spider had lifted Yunxi off the ground, his legs pinning him in place while the scorpion's stinger drove deep into his side. Yunxi writhed, gasping as pain twisted his features.
"You dare throw that at me?!" the scorpion snarled, twisting Yunxi's arm until a sickening crack echoed through the clearing. "My eyes are burning... You'll pay for that, you little piece of filth!"
He was hit—hard. The blow sent him crashing to the ground, his breath torn from his lungs. Blood pooled beneath him, his body twitching weakly before going still. "He wouldn't last long." The Scorpion-beastman's voice cut through the chaos like poison.
"He'll die soon," he sneered, his tail curling lazily. "Let's go grab those two."
The female beside her collapsed to her knees, her gaze empty, hollow—like her soul had been ripped away. Her mates slaughtered. And now she was going to be taken away. Her will to fight was gone.
Rayna's eyes snapped forward. The Red scorpion was already on her, his pincers clamping around her wrist with a bruising grip.
"Mmm... stunning," he drawled, licking the edge of her wrist to taste her. "I want to ravish you right now. Maybe a round here... then I'll take you to my place."
Her stomach churned. Behind him, she caught sight of the Spider—the one with eight gleaming legs—looming over the female on the ground, his fangs twitching with anticipation.
Rayna's blood boiled.
It wasn't fear.
It was rage.
Pure, unfiltered rage that clawed at her insides.
She had always loathed creatures like these—monsters draped in flesh, breathing only to torment. Even in her own world, their kind had haunted her thoughts, the very idea of them igniting a deep, simmering hatred. But now... now they had torn through the last threads of restraint. Yunxi's blood was on their hands. His sacrifice, their peace, shattered. Her anger raged like a living inferno, an unchained storm, demanding retribution.
How dare the kill Yunxi?
How dare they leave Soren and Ezra on the edge of death?
How dare they lay a filthy hand on her with that intent?
How dare they tear apart the peace they had built in the village?
How dare they.
These sick creatures. These parasites.
They. Will. Pay.
Her vision tinted red—literally. Her eyes burned, her sight sharpening, narrowing on them. Rage eclipsed reason. She wanted to rip the Scorpion's arm from his body, crush the Spider's head under her heel, and then hunt down every last one of their kind until the ground was slick with their blood. They tortured women, and killed their beloved mates right? She'll kill them all.
She felt something sear through her veins, hot and heavy, until her pulse became a drumbeat of violence. Her mark burned, the heat radiating from it like molten metal under her skin. Her breath came in sharp bursts.
The killing urge swallowed her whole.
Before she realized it, dark wings burst from her back, spreading wide, and her scaly tail whipped into view. Her reason had vanished. She transformed unknowingly.
The Scorpion's eyes widened, his grin vanished.
"Wait—what are you—"
His voice turned into a strangled scream as Rayna's hand clamped around his thick wrist. Her grip tightened like a vice, claws digging into his flesh. She wrenched his arm back with deliberate cruelty, her eyes locked on his in merciless focus.
"This is how you twisted Yunxi's hand, isn't it?" Her voice was no longer soft—it vibrated with a guttural growl, a dangerous blend of fury.
With one sharp movement, she twisted further. The audible crack echoed like breaking bone in a silent chamber. The Scorpion shrieked, dropping to one knee, his face contorted in agony.
Rayna leaned closer, her lips curling into a mirthless smile. Her breath was hot, sharp, almost intoxicating as she whispered against his ear, "Do you hear it? That sound of bones snapping... isn't it satisfying?"
She let go, only to slam her knee into his ribs. The scorpion flew back, coughing blood, his body convulsing as he clattered to the ground.
The Spider stumbled back, his face draining of color. Coward that he was, he tried to strike her from behind.
Rayna spun instinctively, her hand snapping out. A sphere of searing red energy flared in her palm and blasted forward. It slammed into the Spider's chest, hurling him across the ground. He crumpled, coughing blood, his limbs twitching helplessly.
Rayna froze for a heartbeat, staring at her own hand. What... did I just do? Is this because I'm a dragon? But what was that—
The thought drowned quickly under the storm inside her. Her chest heaved, her fury blazing hotter than ever. She just couldn't calm down.
Rayna stalked toward the Spider, her wings casting a shadow that swallowed his trembling form. Her tail lashed the ground with each step, her eyes burning with blood-red fire.
She crouched low, her face inches from his as he writhed, coughing up more blood.
"You know," she hissed, her voice dripping with venom, "I want to kill you slowly. Painfully. Just like you've done to so many females—torturing them, forcing them... ripping away their mates."
Her claws grazed his chin, tilting his head up so he was forced to meet her gaze. "Every scream you stole—I want to return it tenfold."
Rayna's claws gleamed as she slashed across the Spider's throat—not deep enough to kill, but enough to leave him choking, writhing, and drowning in his own blood. Warm crimson splattered across her fingers, dripping down her hand until it stained her skin.
She turned away, chest still heaving, and walked toward the trembling female. Her rage did not vanish, but her voice softened, almost tender.
"You're okay, right?" she asked gently, crouching before her.
The female shook, eyes wide with terror. She had never seen anything like this—never seen a beastform like Rayna's. A fox raised in a quiet village could not possibly understand what a dragon was. To her, Rayna was someone who saved her.
Rayna pulled her into a hug, the female melted into her arms.
"Don't be afraid," Rayna whispered, holding her close. "For now, go straight and you'll find the river. From there, follow the path. You'll see the cave Yunxi told me about. Be there, okay? Stay safe."
The female nodded quickly, clutching her torn dress, and hurried off in the direction Rayna had given her.
Rayna stood still for a moment, watching until the fox disappeared into the distance, her bloodstained hands trembling.
She didn't understand. This cruelty—the way she had torn into him without hesitation—was that really her? Or just some savage instinct awakened in the heat of survival? She had only wanted to protect herself, protect the other female, take revenge for Yunxi... yet the violence had felt so...
She couldn't wrap her head around it.
Her gaze dropped to her hands, slick with blood, the claws trembling faintly. The storm inside her chest hadn't quieted; it still roared, pressing against her ribs, clawing at her throat. The urge to kill—to finish these beasts—still pulsed in her veins like poison.
Her mark burned hotter, searing against her skin, a brand she couldn't ignore. It throbbed with every heartbeat, flaring, glowing faintly as if feeding on her rage. Heat coursed through her body, flooding her muscles, burning her from within.
She clenched her fists. Why am I still so angry? Why won't it stop?
It wasn't just anger. It was something else—something far more dangerous awakening inside her.
Rayna stumbled forward, the heat in her veins momentarily forgotten as she ran towards Yunxi, injured on the ground.
"Yunxi!" she cried, pulling his bloodied body onto her lap. Her voice cracked, raw with desperation. "Yunxi, please—open your eyes!"
But the panda who always wore a jolly smile lay still, his eyelids shut, his chest barely rising. The sight crushed her. A storm of grief and terror tore through her heart, sharper than any blade.
Ezra... Soren... she thought frantically. I don't even know if they're alive.
Before she could spiral further, a harsh shout ripped through the air.
"Hey! I got a female here! Come quick, everyone!"
Rayna's head snapped up. From the shadows, four more black Scorpions emerged, as they advanced with cruel grins.
Her sorrow twisted, boiling into fury. The storm inside her still burnt, hotter, darker. Her wings flared wide, her tail lashing as her mark seared against her skin.
She rose slowly, eyes turning red, her body vibrating with unspent power.
She has to fight. She has to survive. She wanted to protect Yunxi, Ezra, Soren—and every last soul in her village.