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The she-wolf lunged forward.
The hunters reacted instantly. Two leaped from shadow, blocking her path with swords wrapped in glowing threads. The same bonds, just in different form.
Leah didn't slow.
The first swung. She dodged, diving under the blade, and sank her fangs into his leg. Bone crunched. The hunter screamed and collapsed.
The second struck from the side with the flat of his sword hard, directly into her ribs.
Air punched from her lungs. Leah flew sideways, slammed into a stone column. The world swam before her eyes. Pain flared in a sharp wave through her whole body.
Get up. Get up now!
She rose on trembling paws and bared her teeth.
Around her, others were already closing in. Five, seven, ten. The ring tightened with each second.
And suddenly noise erupted from the other side of the hall.
From the opposite entrance burst a group of young monks. Ten of them, unarmed but with furious faces. Teng ran at the front.
While Leah fought her way to Ai Lin, he'd managed to wake those he trusted. Those who hadn't known about the betrayal.
"Follow me!" Teng shouted. "Master Chen has betrayed the temple!"
Loyal monks crashed into hunters from behind. A fight erupted: fists, staffs, shouts blending into unified chaos.
One hunter spun and swung his sword at Teng. He dodged and stuck out his foot. The hunter fell. Three monks piled on top, binding him.
In the chaos, no one noticed several monks slip to the hall's edge where Master Chen stood in shadow.
He watched what was happening with a frozen face.
Didn't move. Didn't try to flee.
Simply stood. In his eyes was such emptiness, as if he were already dead.
Two monks grabbed his arms. He didn't resist. Let them bind him with ropes and lower him to his knees.
"Forgive us, Master," one whispered in a trembling voice. "But you were wrong."
Master Chen closed his eyes.
***
Leah didn't see this.
She was already racing toward the platform, forcing her way through the crowd.
A hunter jumped out from the left. She knocked him aside with her shoulder without stopping. Another tried to grab her tail. She twisted and kicked with hind legs. He flew back and crashed into a column.
Ai Lin, I'm almost there.
The platform was ten paces away.
Five.
Three.
And suddenly he rose before her.
Zhang Wei.
Tall hunter in black uniform with scars on his face. In his hands, a heavy sword wrapped in bonds. Eyes burning with hatred. He leaned on his left leg. The right was crippled, and he limped.
Their gazes met.
"You," he breathed, and his voice was full of venom. "Gray beast. A year ago you crippled me."
He raised his sword.
"Now I'll return the debt."
And struck.
Leah barely dodged the blade whistled past her muzzle, shearing several silver hairs.
Zhang Wei spun and struck again. Faster, more precise. He was an experienced fighter. Knew how to move even with an injured leg.
Leah circled him, growling. Searched for an opening.
He gave none.
The sword flashed, cutting off the path to the platform. Each swing was lethal. Each strike accurate.
No time for this.
Leah lunged right, circling him.
Zhang Wei managed to turn but a fraction of a second late.
It was enough.
Leah struck with her paw in a sweeping blow. Claws raked across his chest from top to bottom, tearing flesh across its entire width. Three deep furrows from shoulder to stomach opened at once, and blood gushed so fast it stained his black uniform dark crimson before he could understand what had happened.
Zhang Wei staggered and exhaled hoarsely.
But didn't fall.
He gritted his teeth and raised his sword.
Leah struck again. Into the same wound. Deeper.
The sword fell from his fingers and clanged on stone.
Zhang Wei collapsed to his knees, pressing hands to his chest. Blood flowed through his fingers, staining the floor crimson.
He looked at Leah. In his eyes was hatred and fear.
"Monster," he rasped.
Leah snarled in his face so close her hot breath scorched his skin. Then walked past.
***
Leah leaped onto the stone platform. Claws scraped smooth surface.
Ai Lin lay before her.
A dragon bound in bonds from head to tail. Scales dull as if faded. Eyes half-closed. Breathing weak, intermittent.
Dying.
Leah approached closer and pressed her muzzle to hers.
I'm here. Hold on. I'm here.
The dragon's golden eyes opened with difficulty. Found her.
And through the bond broke a weak voice.
Leave. Run. They'll kill you.
Never, Leah answered.
She turned to the bonds and sank her fangs into one of the glowing threads.
Pain.
Sharp, searing like touching white-hot iron. The thread didn't break. Only bit into her gums, burned tongue and throat.
Leah released her jaw, recoiled, and breathed heavily.
It's not working.
She tried with claws. Ran her paw along the thread with pressure.
Same pain. Paw pads flared as if touching fire. Smell of singed fur.
Leah growled with fury.
How? How do I break them?
"Allow me," came a voice from behind.
Teng.
He stood at the platform's edge, breathing heavily. Face bloody but not his own. Robe torn. In his hands, a small dagger with a curved blade covered in strange symbols.
"This is a temple artifact," he caught his breath, "against magic."
He stepped forward and knelt beside the dragon.
Raised the dagger.
And carefully drew the blade along one of the bonds.
The thread hissed. Smoked. And snapped.
Teng exhaled with relief and set to cutting the next.
Leah stood beside him, watching every movement of his hands.
Faster. Please, faster.
Teng cut bonds one by one. Threads snapped, crumbled in dim light, and vanished.
Two. Five. Ten.
Half the bonds fell.
Ai Lin breathed deeper than before. Her breathing evened out.
Just a little more.
And suddenly Teng froze.
"He's coming," he whispered.
Leah raised her head.
From shadow at the other end of the hall emerged a man.
Tall. Lean. Graying temples. In an expensive dark suit contrasting with the hall's ancientness.
Shen Yuanlong.
He walked through the hall unhurriedly, confidently. Hands free, holding nothing. And it seemed the air itself parted before him. Footsteps sounded soft but each echoed in the silence like a metronome beat.
The battle around subsided. Hunters retreated. Monks froze.
All stared at him.
He stopped at the platform.
Looked down at the wolf, at the monk with dagger, at the half-freed dragon.
And smiled.
Without warmth. Without joy. Simply movement of lips.
"Touching," he said quietly, "but useless."
He raised his hand.
And magic surged from him in a wave.
Invisible but palpable. Like a blast of wind, like pressure before a storm. Heavy, ancient, alien.
Teng cried out, flew aside, and struck a column. The dagger fell from his fingers and rolled across stone.
Leah snarled and tried to leap.
Magic struck her too.
An invisible fist slammed into her chest and knocked her from her paws. She rolled across the platform and stopped at the edge.
She rose again, swaying.
Shen Yuanlong already stood beside Ai Lin.
He leaned down. Extended his hand unhurriedly, almost tenderly, and closed fingers on her throat.
Didn't squeeze. Simply held.
Ai Lin choked. Tried to jerk away but bonds prevented it.
Shen turned his head toward Leah.
"One more step and I'll kill her right now."
Leah froze.
The bond howled inside, demanding she move, attack, save.
But fingers on Ai Lin's throat squeezed slightly harder, and the dragon exhaled hoarsely:
Forgive me.
Leah stood trembling all over.
Shen Yuanlong nodded with satisfaction.
"Good girl."
He removed his hand from her throat but didn't step away. Placed palm on dragon's chest where under scales pulsed the pearl.
Closed his eyes.
And began.
***
The ritual wasn't loud.
There were no incantations, fire, or blood.
Just silence and magic flowing from dragon to human.
Ai Lin trembled all over. Her back arched. A strangled moan tore from her throat.
Under Shen's palm, scales began to glow. Dimly, golden, like smoldering coal.
The pearl was rising.
Painfully. Tearing from the chest where it had formed for thirty years.
Ai Lin screamed. Soundlessly through clenched jaws, but the scream was so sharp, so full of agony that Leah felt it physically, with every cell.
No. No. NO.
She couldn't anymore.
Shen was distracted. Eyes closed. Magic flowing. He wasn't watching.
Leah lunged.
Leaped with her whole body, all the fury accumulated inside.
Fangs aimed at his throat.
In the last second Shen opened his eyes.
Raised his free hand.
Magic struck point-blank.
Leah flew backward like a rag doll. Sailed across the entire hall and struck the stone wall with a dull crunch.
Her body crashed to the floor.
Didn't move.
Blood flowed from her muzzle, staining silver fur crimson.
***
Ai Lin saw it.
Saw Leah fall. Saw her lie motionless. Saw blood flow, spread in a pool on stone.
The bond between them trembled and nearly died.
Barely audible beating. Weak. Fading.
No.
And something inside exploded. Not with pain. With something else.
Fury.
Pure. Ancient. Absolute.
Magic that had slumbered deep all her life suddenly flared. Controlled, restrained, unknown.
Ai Lin didn't know she was capable of this. Grandmother had taught her to hide, control, not stand out. Never explode. Never use power at full strength.
She hadn't suspected what she was capable of.
Until this moment.
Until she saw Leah fallen, bleeding, motionless.
Something deep inside cracked like ice under spring thaw.
Heat rose from below upward, rolled along spine, along ribs, to wingtips. Scales began to glow. At first barely perceptibly, then brighter, still brighter, until every plate blazed from within like coals in fire's very heart.
Shen Yuanlong jerked and tried to remove his hand.
Too late.
A wave of magic burst from the dragon. Invisible but devastating.
Struck in all directions at once. Like an explosion, like a shockwave.
Bonds still wrapping her body flared with blinding light and disintegrated. Simply vanished, turning into thousands of golden sparks.
Shen Yuanlong was thrown back. He flew several meters, struck stone floor, and rolled.
Hunters standing along walls fell, covering faces with hands from blinding light.
Monks fell to their knees and closed their eyes.
The wave rolled through the hall and subsided.
Silence.
The dragon rose to her paws.
No longer small. Not shrunken.
Enormous. Majestic. Powerful.
Scales shimmered crimson and gray, casting reflections on stone walls. Wings spread. Wide, mighty, every membrane stretched perfectly. Golden eyes burned. Clear and full of fury.
Ai Lin turned her head to where Shen Yuanlong lay.
He was rising to his feet with difficulty, swaying. Face had paled. In his eyes, for the first time, flickered fear.
The dragon stepped forward.
Claws scraped stone, leaving deep furrows.
Shen retreated.
"Stop," he breathed. "Stop. We can make a deal. I'll give you..."
The dragon didn't stop.
A step. Another. Claws scraped stone, leaving furrows.
Shen retreated, stumbled, turned and ran.
He didn't manage three steps.
A paw descended on his back and pressed him to the floor with such ease as if he weighed no more than a bird. He struck chest against stone, tried to roll over, push off with his hands. Useless. Fingers scraped smooth floor, finding no purchase.
The dragon slowly circled him and lowered her head.
Golden eyes met black.
And Ai Lin spoke. Not with voice mentally, directly into his mind.
You took my family.
Shen Yuanlong trembled.
You killed my father. My mother. My brother. Tore my clan apart.
The voice in his head was cold. Merciless.
And took my father's pearl. Wore it for twenty years. Drained its power. Extended your life. On his blood.
The pause was long and heavy.
Now I take it back. And your life with it.
Dragons don't forgive. Never.
Magic flared again, but not as an explosion. In a thin, sharp, precise wave.
It passed through his body and found what it sought.
The pearl.
Alien. Stolen twenty years ago from her father's chest.
Ai Lin recognized it instantly. Even after so many years, even distorted by alien magic. This was part of her clan. Her family.
Shen Yuanlong had worn it all these years. Drained its power. Became stronger.
On her father's blood.
No more.
And the dragon shattered it.
Shen Yuanlong screamed piercingly, desperately.
His body convulsed and began to change.
Skin wrinkled, paled, turned gray. Wrinkles carved across his face in deep furrows. Hair grayed and fell out in clumps. Hands withered, became skin and bone. Eyes sank.
All stolen years crashed down at once.
In a few seconds, under the dragon's paw lay not a man.
A desiccated corpse. Skin stretched over bones. Empty eye sockets. Open mouth in soundless scream.
Ai Lin removed her paw.
The body crumbled.
Literally. Turned to ash, to dust that settled on stone in a thin gray layer.
Wind penetrating from somewhere above caught it and carried it away.
Shen Yuanlong vanished.
As if he'd never existed.
***
The dragon turned.
Looked at the hall.
Her gaze slid over shattered columns, over hunters at walls, over loyal monks. And stopped on a figure by a distant column.
Master Chen.
He knelt, bound, surrounded by loyal monks. Head lowered. Hands trembling.
Ai Lin looked at him for a long time.
He'd betrayed her, betrayed the temple. He'd let in hunters and given her to Shen.
Because of him she'd nearly died. Because of him Leah had nearly perished.
But...
He'd also taken her in twenty years ago. Healed her. Fed her. Taught meditation to cope with nightmares. Was kind when the whole world seemed cruel.
Master Chen raised his head. Looked at her.
In his eyes was no fear. Only emptiness. And deep, unbearable sorrow.
"Forgive me, child," he whispered. "I thought... thought I was saving the temple. That protection mattered more than one life. I was wrong."
He fell silent.
"Do what you must."
Ai Lin looked at him.
Then turned away.
Live with it.
She turned to the hunters.
Took a step forward.
Breathed deeply and released flame.
Not at them. Over their heads.
A stream of fire burst from her maw. Bright, blinding, scorching. Struck the ceiling, painted vaults red and gold. Heat rolled in a wave through the hall.
Hunters scattered. Some managed to reach the exit, some fell and crawled, some simply dropped weapons and vanished into corridor darkness.
Monks remained.
The faithful stood along walls alive, exhausted, with battered faces and torn robes. Traitors lay on the floor bound or sat on knees, hands pressed to chests. Some didn't raise their heads. Some looked up at the dragon from below, and in their eyes splashed such fear they couldn't even speak.
One fell prostrate and began whispering, pressing forehead to stone. Words tumbled fast, confused. Begging forgiveness. Said he didn't want to. That he was afraid. That he didn't know how it would turn out.
Others joined in. Voices overlapped quiet, trembling.
Ai Lin extinguished the flame.
Stood over them and looked for a long time without moving.
Then nodded.
You may rise.
They stood carefully, still not daring to look in her eyes.
One of the loyal monks approached Master Chen. Untied the ropes. Helped him stand.
"Go, Master," he said quietly. "Leave the temple. You're no longer needed here."
Master Chen nodded.
Walked to the exit. Steps heavy, back bent.
At the threshold he stopped. Turned and looked one last time at the hall, at the temple that had been his home for half a century.
Then walked out into the corridor.
The dragon turned and saw her.
***
Leah lay by the wall where she'd fallen.
Didn't move.
Silver fur was bloody. Chest barely rose weakly, intermittently.
Ai Lin froze.
No.
She rushed forward across the hall, to her, only to her.
Claws scraped stone. Wings pressed to her body.
She stopped beside her and lowered herself to her belly.
Carefully, tenderly, she bent her head and pressed muzzle to the wolf's muzzle.
Leah. Leah, open your eyes. Please.
The she-wolf didn't stir.
Breathing became even weaker.
Don't you dare. Don't you dare die.
Ai Lin closed her eyes.
Magic that had raged inside a minute ago bright, destructive now calmed. Became soft and healing.
And she let it flow.
From her chest where the pearl pulsed, source of all dragon power, into the wolf's body.
Golden light flared under scales and flowed onto silver fur.
Wrapped Leah's body in a glowing cocoon.
Wounds began to close. Blood stopped flowing. Broken ribs snapped back into place with quiet crunches.
Breathing evened out.
In a few seconds Leah opened her eyes.
Amber and clear.
They met golden dragon eyes.
Two creatures wolf and dragon lay beside each other, touching. Looked into each other's eyes without breaking away.
The bond sang between them. Bright, complete, impossibly strong.
I love you, Leah whispered mentally. And I'll never leave. Don't even ask.
The dragon exhaled warmly and tenderly.
Stubborn wolf, Ai Lin answered, and in her mental voice rang such love. My wolf.
They lay like that for a long time. Not moving, simply breathing, simply being near.
The world around ceased to exist.
There was only the bond. Only this thread that had woven their souls together.
***
Teng approached quietly as if afraid to startle something fragile.
Stopped several paces away, lowered his head, and folded hands before him.
"You both need to rest."
Ai Lin turned her head toward him.
He didn't raise his eyes but continued.
"I'll bring food. Water. Everything needed. But first..."
He fell silent and turned slightly away, giving them space.
Ai Lin looked at Leah.
She barely held herself on her paws. Strength left with each breath, and standing upright came with difficulty.
No sense waiting.
Ai Lin transformed first. The dragon dissolved, and in a moment on cold floor stood a girl with black hair naked, exhausted to the limit. Leah followed. Transformation came harder than usual, body resisted, but still obeyed.
They sat on the floor in the middle of the ravaged hall, leaning shoulder to shoulder.
Teng silently unfolded a wide blanket and covered them both without looking. Then bowed low and quickly left.
Leah leaned against Ai Lin heavier than she'd intended.
Scanning the hall, she noticed where Zhang Wei had fallen.
He wasn't there.
Only blood on stone. Crimson, fresh, much blood. And a trail of dark drops leading to the stairs.
He crawled away.
Ai Lin followed her gaze.
Let him run, she whispered mentally. He won't get far.
***
The room was small but clean.
Two mattresses on the floor covered with soft blankets. Bowls of water. Food on a low table. Rice, vegetables, dried meat.
Teng bowed at the threshold and quietly closed the door behind him.
They were alone.
Leah sank onto the mattress and for a while simply sat staring at the floor. The blanket slipped from her shoulder. She didn't notice.
Ai Lin sank beside her.
Said nothing. Simply took her hand in hers and held it, feeling how Leah's fingers gradually stopped trembling.
Then Leah raised her head and looked at her.
For a long time. Silently.
Ai Lin broke first. Hugged her as tightly as she could, buried her face in her shoulder, and felt her throat tighten because words finally came but were almost impossible to speak.
"You're alive," she whispered. "You're alive."
Leah hugged her back and didn't let go for a long time.
"We're both alive," she finally said quietly. "It's over."
They lay together without releasing hands, covered with one blanket.
Ai Lin rested her head on Leah's chest and listened to her heartbeat. Steady. Alive.
Leah stroked her hair.
Neither said another word.
None was needed.
***
At dawn, loyal monks found Master Chen.
He lay in his cell on a narrow mat. Hands folded on chest. Face peaceful.
Dead.
Beside him, an empty cup. Smell of bitter almonds.
Poison.
Teng closed his eyes and whispered a short prayer.
***
Zhang Wei made it to the middle of the stairs.
There his strength left him.
Blood flowed too fast. Three deep wounds across entire chest, severed veins. He tried to press them with his hand but it didn't help.
Fell face-down on steps.
Tried to crawl farther. Fingers scraped stone, leaving red streaks.
One more step. Another.
Stopped.
Breathing ceased.
Monks found him an hour later.
Cold, dead, in a pool of his own blood.
They carried him from the temple and burned him at sunset.
Without prayers. Without honors.
Simply ash scattered by wind.
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