"Oliver!!" Gregory cried as he hastened towards Oliver's motionless body.

     Gregory pushes aside the tall grass as he sprints towards his fallen friend. Tears stream down his face, mingling with the dirt and sweat. He then drops to the ground. His knees slam onto the rough terrain as he carefully cradles Oliver's lifeless body in his arms.

     Sophia, Edgar, Sarrah, and Bethany rush across the grass. They hurryingly form a protective circle around Oliver and Gregory. Their palms press against their chests as their eyes glisten in tears. Edgar covers his mouth as he gasps, trying to stifle his emotions.

     Gregory gently strokes Oliver's face. He gently shakes his friend's limp body, hoping against hope for any sign of life. However, there is no flicker of movement. Oliver remains still with his breath silenced. Tears gush from Gregory's eyes, dropping onto Oliver's face like a thunderstorm.

     The surrounding guards and soldiers fixate their gaze towards the Remaining Podeshire. They straighten their postures with their eyes peering at Oliver's lifeless form. With solemn reverence, they take slow, deliberate steps forward. One by one, they remove their caps and hold them in front of their chests.

"...Oli, please. Wake up..." Gregory sobbed. "Please!!"

     Sarrah's eyes snap shut as her brows furrow. Suddenly, low rumbles echo from the distant horizon, capturing her attention. She turns her gaze towards the source, watching as the thick fog slowly dissipates, revealing the majestic Asbranne Lake. Sarrah's eyes widen as she stares at the shimmering expanse of water in the distance.

     Sarrah can see the water droplets splashing across the lake's surface like miniature geysers. The waves crash into the shore and shoot into the heavens. The rumbling grows more intense, causing the lake to come alive, resembling a water-filled volcano on the verge of eruption.

     The lake unleashes powerful jets of water. Water gushes into the sky before raining back to the ground. Then, the surges rise higher and higher, manipulated by the expanding energy beneath the surface.

"...Guys?" Sarrah gasped.

Sophia's gaze darted towards the horizon and spotted the looming threat. Letting out a weary sigh, she raised her voice and shouted, "Everyone! We need to leave this place immediately!"

     The men drop their shako caps in surprise. They quickly disperse in all directions, swiftly retreating towards the city. Their hurried movements transform into a blur of sprinting figures as they race across the expansive grassland. Their feet crushing the grass create a chorus of crunching sounds as they make their hasty escape.

"Oli..." Gregory's voice caught in his throat as he saw the unsettling commotion in the lake. His eyes widened, and his pupils contracted. "Oh, my..." Gregory mumbled.

     The lake churns and transforms into a swirling whirlpool, and the vortex with an ominous force bellows. The water's grip on its existence loosens like a palm slowly opening. Jets of water shoot skyward with blaring splashing noises that reach the horizon. Countless bubbles froth across its surface, making the lake appear like boiling water.

     Meanwhile, Gregory's hand digs into his right pocket. His fingers grasp a small glass tightly. As he pulls it out, his eyes fix on a single drop of crimson liquid inside a glass bottle. Doubt flickers across Gregory's face as he questions whether the quantity is sufficient.

      Gregory quickly unscrews the cap of the glass tube. He then positions the tube's tip on Oliver's lip while his other hand gently lifts his friend's jaw. With a steady gaze, Gregory watches the crimson droplet slide down with a slow descent.

     Finally, the red liquid finds its destination. It slips through Oliver's lip and enters his mouth. Swiftly, Gregory tosses the empty glass aside, flinging it over his shoulder.

"Oliver...?" Gregory's voice shivered.

     A single thunderclap echoes through the air, crashing like a colossal wave. The lake unleashes a torrent of potent energy, creating a rippling shockwave. The sheer force causes the vibrant grass to topple like a line of falling dominoes while a shroud of dark clouds expands across the sky.

     Darkness consumes everything. Oliver finds himself in an oppressive void, where the absence of illumination intensifies the dreary atmosphere. The dark abyss envelops him, teleporting him into a different realm.

     Oliver's eyes slowly open as his gaze wanders through the impenetrable darkness. He attempts to see anything or anyone, yet all he perceives is an all-encompassing blackness. A realization weighs on his back as he realizes he is standing, contrasting with his recollection of lying motionlessly on the ground.

     Oliver steps forward. As he paces to the side, his head tilts upwards. His eyes fly open, and his jaw shivers.

     A colossal creature with blood-like skin and an elongated, scaly snout stands in the shadows. Its mouth reveals rows of teeth, each as large as two humans. As it growls and snarls, it exposes more menacing fangs further back its deep mouth.

     With two bent horns atop its head, the beast resembles a devilish entity. Its underbelly exhibits a lighter hue, while its eyes emanate a misty violet aura. Its massive pointy tail slithers from its back, swaying back and forth, as smoke billows from its eye sockets.

     What captivates Oliver's attention are the creature's enormous wings equipped with hooked claws. With a gentle flap, it summons a powerful breeze. Then, the monster leans forward, extending its neck to a length comparable to a house.

"Be frightened," the monster's voice resonated, bypassing the need for its jaws to move as it communicated through the mind. Its words carried a distorted timbre, a nerve-racking blend of growls and low-pitched grumbling sounds.

"...Who are you?" Oliver asked.

"The one who dispatched my minions to ravage your world," the monster's message reverberated within Oliver's mind.

"You're... you're the..." Oliver began to guess, but the monster cut off his words.

"The Pyro Void Rex..." the monster revealed.

"...Why... why am I here? What do you want from me!?" Oliver yelled as he glared at the monster.

"You stand at the threshold of the afterlife, Podeshire. You have met your defeat. However, before you meet your demise, I deem it necessary to remind you that my conquest is far from over," the monster malevolently grinned as its voice carried an ominous solemnity. The pitch was so low, almost sounding muffled. "I shall emerge from the depths of this lake and bring an end to the ones you love and your world."

Oliver's breath hastened as his panting grew more rapid. He glanced up, locking eyes with the Pyro Void Rex. "...No... I won't allow you!" Oliver's courageous shout echoed through the air.

Suddenly, everything faded into blinding white.