Cassian found himself in a dire situation—one that was life-threatening for the kitten and deeply complicated for him. Complicated because if he failed to act now, it might create a crack in his journey as a Circle Warrior.
He had sworn to himself that he would never let an innocent being suffer needlessly, yet here he stood, surrounded by the ashes of those who had perished—burned alive, crushed, or devoured by the monster. And despite all his strength, he hadn't been able to save a single one. Now, with the dying kitten in front of him, he faced the bitter reality of his own helplessness.
Lumine trembled, clutching the kitten tightly, her breaths uneven. "It worked?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, yet the weight of her hope pressed down on him.
But nothing had changed. The kitten remained just as injured, its tiny body growing still. Even its weak mewling had faded into silence. The only sign of life was the faint rise and fall of its fragile chest.
