The wind howled through the craggy ridges of the mountain pass as Travis pressed forward, his robes billowing, face set in grim determination. The spiritual energies here were dense, the terrain teeming with danger. He could feel it in his bones — this was where the beast awaited. A place where only the bold dared tread.
After days of tracking, traps, and skirmishes with lesser creatures, he had finally arrived at the heart of the Sandyfern Beast's territory. Blood stains on tree trunks. Massive hoof prints embedded deep in stone. Claw marks that tore through boulders like paper.
It was close.
Travis exhaled, calming the storm within. His grip tightened around the hilt of his saber — the blade pulsing with faint, crimson heat. His body was still sore from his last training session with the Meteor Descent form of the Star Devouring Saber Art. Mastering the second form had taken a toll on him, both mentally and physically.
Suddenly, the earth trembled.
