Kalenor and the hunter wrestled the thrashing Crystalclutch ape onto a reinforced table in the Briarhouse, binding it tightly with thick ropes. The creature growled and snarled, its jagged crystals glinting in the flickering light of the room. As they worked, one of the hunters stepped closer, his face pale with recognition.

  “That’s… a Crystalclutch,” the hunter said, his voice trembling. “I never thought I’d see one up close. These creatures are rare, powerful. For it to be afflicted like this…”

  Kalenor’s sharp amber eyes turned to the hunter. “Where would a Crystalclutch naturally be found?”

  The hunter hesitated, his gaze shifting uneasily to the bound creature. “Their territory is deep in the Cragthorn Caverns, two days’ walk from here. They don’t stray far from their home.”

  Kalenor’s chest tightened at the revelation. His mind churned with the implications. If the plague had reached the Cragthorn Caverns, two days’ journey away, then this corruption was spreading far faster and farther than he had feared. This wasn’t an isolated incident—it was a growing blight that threatened everything it touched.

  He turned to the elders, his expression grim. “We need to send word to the Scalesworns of Ignisaros immediately. We need their help.”

  One of the elders, a stout man with a furrowed brow, frowned. “Why Ignisaros? What would the Scalesworns of the flame do here?”

  Kalenor’s gaze hardened. “Because we may need to cleanse this entire area, even if that means burning the forest to the ground. The plague cannot be allowed to spread any farther.”

  The elder’s face darkened, but he nodded reluctantly and left to fetch the village courier. Kalenor turned back to the bound Crystalclutch, its glowing red eyes boring into him with unrelenting malice. He tightened the restraints, ensuring the creature wouldn’t break free again, then began his examination.

  As Kalenor inspected the creature, he spoke to another elder who lingered nearby. “We need every villager to stay in their homes unless absolutely necessary. And we’ll need more volunteers to stand guard and patrol the village. The corruption won’t stop on its own.”

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  The elder nodded but hesitated, their voice trembling. “Kalenor… how are we going to protect ourselves if something bigger comes? What if we’re not enough?”

  Kalenor paused, his sharp gaze meeting the elder’s. “If something comes, I’ll handle it,” he said firmly, though the weight of his words settled heavily on his shoulders.

  The Briar stepped forward, his voice low and uncertain. “And what of you, Scalesworn? You push yourself harder than anyone here. What if you fall?”

  Before Kalenor could respond, the Crystalclutch let out a guttural roar and thrashed violently against its restraints. The ropes strained under its immense strength before snapping one by one. The creature broke free, its crystalline claws slashing at the air as it barreled toward the gathered villagers.

  “Get back!” Kalenor shouted, stepping between the beast and the panicked crowd.

  The Crystalclutch lunged, its claws tearing through the air. With a surge of adrenaline, Kalenor grabbed the creature by its crystalline arm and, with a roar of effort, hurled it through the Briarhouse doors and out into the open. The crowd inside fell silent, their eyes wide in shock as they watched the frail-looking Scalesworn display a strength that seemed impossible for his gaunt frame.

  It was then that they noticed the transformation. Kalenor’s right arm shimmered with draconic scales, its shape twisted into a claw-like appendage. The faint glow of his Essentaria pulsed through the scales as he strode outside to face the beast.

  The Crystalclutch snarled, recovering quickly and charging again. Kalenor met its attack head-on, sidestepping its claws and driving his draconic claw into its chest. The creature screeched in pain, its crystal-covered body convulsing as Kalenor’s claws tore into its corrupted flesh.

  With a guttural growl, Kalenor slashed upward, splitting the beast’s torso apart in a brutal display of power. The creature’s body fell in three pieces, its corrupted essence spilling onto the ground in a thick, black ichor.

  The villagers gathered at the Briarhouse entrance, their faces a mixture of awe and fear as they stared at Kalenor. His draconic arm shimmered faintly before the scales faded, returning to his normal, gaunt form. Kalenor dropped to one knee, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The strain of the transformation weighed heavily on his body, but he forced himself to rise.

  He turned to the gathered villagers, his face pale but resolute. “This is only the beginning,” he said, his voice steady despite his exhaustion. “We need to prepare. There’s no telling what else is coming.”

  The chapter ends with the villagers staring in stunned silence, the weight of Kalenor’s warning settling over them like a shadow as the fight for survival grows ever more perilous.