Kana moved like a shadow through the dense, oppressive quiet of the forest, every one of her senses on high alert. This was not the peace of nature; it was a threat, the kind of silence that tightened her grip on her sword until her knuckles were white.

"Vell?" she called out, her voice barely carrying through the thick foliage. There was no answer, only the unnerving quiet. A cold unease coiled in her stomach. They were separated, scattered like leaves in a storm, exactly what they had been trying to avoid. She cursed under her breath and kept moving, her steps careful, her eyes sweeping the shadows.

The air smelled damp and earthy, but there was another scent clinging to it, sharp and acrid, like burnt sugar. It turned her stomach. 'Focus,' she told herself. 'Panicking will not help.'

She had to find the others, especially Vell. Not that he needed her protection; he was more than capable of handling himself. But the thought of being alone in this cursed forest, surrounded by creatures that could rip her apart, chilled her to the bone. Deep down, she knew she needed to prove herself, to him and to herself, to show that she was not the same reckless girl he once knew.

A low growl cut through the silence. Her heart slammed against her ribs as she spun around, her sword raised. From the shadows, two crimson eyes glowed like embers. A hulking, shifting shape emerged, as if it were made of living smoke.

She froze. The creature's body was a grotesque patchwork of fur and scales, and its limbs ended in claws that dripped with a thick, black ichor. The acrid stench grew stronger, making her gag. Its head, a mockery of a wolf's, split open to reveal rows of needle-sharp teeth.

"What… are you?" she muttered, fear and disgust tightening her throat.

The creature did not answer. It lunged.

She dove to the side just as its claws slashed through the air where she had been standing. The smell of its ichor burned her nose as she rolled back to her feet, her sword held ready. "Alright, ugly," she snarled, gripping the hilt tighter. "Let's do this."

She charged, her blade slicing toward its flank. The creature twisted with an unnatural speed, deflecting her strike with a scaled arm. The impact jarred her own arm, sending a sharp pain up to her shoulder. Gritting her teeth, she fought on, her sword moving in fluid, practiced arcs. Thrusts, feints, and slashes, every move was sharp and precise.

But the creature was relentless. It seemed to absorb her attacks, its body shifting like liquid shadow. Its claws lashed out again and again, forcing her to dodge and retreat, her breaths coming in shorter and shorter gasps. It was faster than she had expected, and more dangerous. Worse, it was toying with her, its movements almost… amused.

A hot anger flared inside her. "I am not afraid of you!" she roared, her voice echoing through the trees as she poured her fury into her attacks.

The monster's only response was a growl so deep it seemed to shake the air. It moved in a flash, and she barely managed to dodge its claws. They still raked across her side, making her gasp in pain. But she fought through it, swinging her sword in a wide arc that caught the moonlight as she struck. This time, her blade connected, cutting deep into its strange body. A black goo splattered across her arm, burning her skin. The monster screamed and pulled back.

But hurting it only seemed to make it angrier. It came at her with a rabid frenzy, slashing so fast she could barely block its attacks. Each hit made her arms shake. The monster was too quick, too strong, and worse, it seemed to be learning her moves.

Kana was getting tired, her movements slowing. She dodged one claw but did not see the other one coming. It ripped across her back, and she screamed, blood soaking through her shirt. She could barely see straight, but she forced herself to stay on her feet.

"Not like this," she whispered through clenched teeth. Her sword felt heavy, and her hands were shaking. But she had to keep going, for Vell, and for herself.

The monster did not wait. It lunged at her face, its jaws open wide. She ducked and swung her sword upward, but she was too slow, only managing to graze its jaw. Then, its claws caught her in the chest, cutting deep.

She stumbled back, gasping for air. Her legs felt weak, and blood dripped onto the leaves below her. Each breath was a fresh wave of pain. The monster circled her like a plume of smoke, its red eyes glowing. It knew it had won.

"No…" she whispered, barely able to hold her sword. "Not yet…"

But her body was giving up. Her legs buckled, and she fell to one knee. The pain was too much. She looked up at the monster, her will to fight still burning even as her vision went dark. The last thing she saw was its claws coming down. She waited for her fate, but it never came. She opened her eyes to see the monster crashing into a tree with a sickening crunch.

"Oh man, I thought we finally found daddy."

"I told you that was not him. Daddy would not struggle with something like this."

"You are right. Should we just leave?"

Kana watched them, her eyes barely open. "Uh, Sia and Mia, right? Can you help me out?"

Sia and Mia turned to her, identical smirks playing on their lips. They were eerily calm, their voices dripping with nonchalance as they approached the fallen creature. "Oh, help you?" Sia said, drawing out the words as she flicked her hand, letting a spark of energy dance across her fingers. "I do not know. Should we, Mia?"

Mia tilted her head, pretending to think it over. "Hmm, she did try to stand against Daddy. That is kind of a big deal, is it not?"

"Totally," Sia replied, crouching down to poke the twitching monster with a stick. "I mean, betrayal is a hard thing to overlook."

Kana's face paled. Her grip on her sword faltered as a wave of guilt hit her harder than the monster ever could. "I know I… messed up," she said, her voice trembling. "But I am trying to make it right. Please… I just… I cannot do this alone."

For a moment, the twins were silent, exchanging a glance that spoke volumes. Kana's heart sank. The words she wanted to say, needed to say, caught in her throat. She did not even try to defend herself further. Why would they believe her? After what she had done to Vell, why would anyone?

Sia finally straightened, letting out a long, exaggerated sigh. "Yeah, no. I do not think we can help you. Right, Mia?"

"Right," Mia said, crossing her arms. "It is just… too risky. Who knows what she will do next?"

Kana's vision blurred, not from blood loss this time, but from the weight of their words. Her chest tightened, and she bit her lip to keep from crying. She could not blame them, not really. They were right to hate her. She deserved it.

"I understand," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I will… figure it out. Thanks, anyway."

The twins exchanged another glance, and their expressions softened. Then, like a dam breaking, they burst into laughter, loud and genuine, doubling over as if Kana's despair was the funniest thing in the world.

"What—?" Kana blinked, confused and angry all at once.

"You actually believed us?!" Sia wheezed, wiping tears from her eyes. "Oh, that is priceless!"

"She was this close to crying!" Mia added, mimicking a tiny gap with her fingers. "We could not resist!"

Kana glared at them, the anger in her eyes cutting through her exhaustion. "Are you serious? You think this is funny?"

"Of course!" Sia grinned, stepping closer and offering a hand. "But come on, we were just teasing. You think we would actually leave you like this?"

Mia crouched beside her, pulling out a small vial filled with a glowing, golden liquid. "Here, drink this. It will stop the bleeding."

Kana hesitated, staring at the vial. "You are not… messing with me again, are you?"

"Relax," Mia said with a wink. "If we wanted you dead, we would have let Smokey over there finish the job."

"Or we would have done it ourselves," Sia added cheerfully. "But seriously, you are one of us now, whether you like it or not. So drink up."

Kana accepted the vial, her fingers trembling as she uncorked it. The liquid tasted bitter but warm, spreading through her body and dulling the pain. She let out a shaky breath, relief washing over her.

"Thanks," she said softly, the weight in her chest lifting just a little.

"Do not mention it," Sia said, pulling her to her feet. "But seriously, next time? Try not to get yourself killed before we find Daddy, okay?"

"Yeah," Mia added, throwing an arm around Kana's shoulders. "We need all the help we can get. Even yours… well, not really, but you know."

Kana could not help but smile, despite herself. "You two are the worst, you know that?"

"Obviously," the twins said in unison, grinning.

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