The pounding footsteps thumped in Karuku's ears. She drew an arrow and strung it carefully on the bow, then stood up on her branch and let it fly. The arrow began to glow gold as it flew, and the warriors stared up from their hiding places at her alarm. They were here. Karuku drew a second arrow and stood readily atop her tree. She waited until they were in sight before releasing it. When the arrow struck the ground it lit up and spat fireworks at the demons.

"Tigers!" hissed Karuku before leaping out of the tree, wings spread and ready. She shot another firework arrow into the center of the tigers. Their attention captured, they began to climb the trees to get at her. There they met the warriors. Screams filled the air as swords, claws, and talons were drawn. There were not enough bowmen to attack from the sky, and those who were good enough to join Karuku needed to remain hidden. Karuku's arrows were powerful enough that she could shoot from high up where the tigers could not reach, but her supply was limited. Once the firework arrows ran out she had to land and fight with the rest, but that was not before she took out a considerable number of tiger warriors. Where the tigers stepped bursts of flame and wind blew. The very earth was rising and staining their eyes. But the tigers had sheer numbers to overpower them with, and they ripped blindly through the fighers and into the hidden village. Karuku tore after several of the tigers, praying that their concealed homes would remain so. They were indistinguishable from simple cliffs, but one magnificent house stood proudly at the end of the path. It was there that the enemy rallied, and believing that something desirable was concealed inside they began to blast through the heavy stone walls. The warriors held them back best they could, but soon the village was flooded with unwelcome demons. Lord Kres screamed at the destruction of his home and leapt deeper into the fray. The ground had grown muddy with sudden rain, and the fighters were dropping their weapons and fist fighting messily between the cliffs. Karuku pushed between the demons and cut down the tigers that stood in her path; the heat of battle rising in her stomach. Bodies littered the ground, and the fighters began to stumble over their fallen comrades. The graceful Karuku slipped in the mud, and fell upon a sight she had never wished to see again.

"Father!" she cried. "No…it can't be…" Lord Kres, the greatest warrior the village had ever known, lay trampled and dead on the crowd. His eyes were closed evermore. The rage slipped out Karuku's gut and into her hands. Battle heat swished its sword and tossed away the crowd. The fight worsened.