Rover stood frozen as death circled above.
The city burned around him—smoke blackened the sky, and the air stank of ash and blood. Sirens wailed in the distance, mixing with screams and the roar of flames. The streets, once alive with laughter and footsteps, were now a graveyard of broken glass and fire.
Through the thick haze, a shadow dropped from the sky.
Another wyvern.
Its wings beat the air like thunder, kicking up wind and ash as it descended. It landed with a deafening crash, cracking the pavement beneath its claws. Its glowing yellow eyes found Rover—small, trembling, standing alone beside his mother's fallen body.
Its jaw opened wide. Saliva dripped from its fangs—longer than kitchen knives.
It stepped forward.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Gunfire rang out. A soldier burst into view, firing nonstop, rifle spitting sparks against the wyvern's armored skull.
> "You bastard!" the man shouted, his voice shaking with rage. "You killed Tori! You killed my best friend!"
His eyes were bloodshot. Face streaked with ash and tears.
> "And now you're after a kid?! Not today, you goddamn monster!"
He threw his rifle aside, drew his combat knife, and stood tall between Rover and the beast, teeth gritted and breath ragged.
> "I don't care how big you are," he growled. "You're not walking out of here. I'll carve your eyes out with my bare hands if I have to."
The creature tilted its head—almost amused.
With a roar, it lunged.
The soldier screamed and charged, slashing with all his might, stabbing into the creature's eye.
A screech tore through the air.
For a second—it worked. The wyvern flailed, shaking its head violently.
But it wasn't enough.
The beast grabbed him in its jaws and slammed him into the pavement again and again—until there was nothing left but shattered armor and blood. One final crunch echoed like thunder.
The soldier died brutally, but his fury burned until the end.
Rover stared in horror, eyes wide.
> "No…" he whispered. "He tried to save me…"
Then he saw his mother again. Still. Lifeless. Blood on her lips. Her final words echoing in his ears.
> "Live… Rover… Run…"
The world around him faded into silence.
And in that silence, something inside him cracked.
His little hands balled into fists. His teeth clenched. His heart pounded like a drum of war.
> "You killed them…"
Tears fell—but they were boiling.
> "You killed my mom. You killed that soldier. You killed Tori—and you smiled while doing it…"
The wyvern let out another roar—but Rover didn't flinch.
He stood, trembling, eyes burning with hatred.
> "I'll remember your face," he hissed. "I'll remember your smell. Your scream. Your eyes."
Spotlights cut through the smoke. Tanks rolled in. Gunfire and missiles chased the wyvern back into the sky.
But Rover didn't look away.
> "One day… I'll find you."
His voice shook, but his fury didn't waver.
> "And when I do… I'll make you pay."
To be continue....