Baz stalked through the darkened forest, the scent of fear thick in the air. His crimson eyes gleamed as he listened—every shaky breath, every desperate movement. They were close. Hiding. But he was tired of waiting.

With a slow, amused sigh, he ran his fingers along the bark of a nearby tree. “If you won’t come to me willingly… I’ll just have to help you along, my prized treasure.”

He struck a match, watching as the small flame flickered to life before tossing it into the dry brush. Fire roared to life, spreading hungrily, smoke curling into the sky. The heat licked at his skin, but he remained still, watching the inferno creep forward.

“Now then,” he murmured, a smirk tugging at his lips, “let’s see how long you can last.”