The air was thin and sharp as you climbed higher into the forgotten mountain range. Wind howled between shattered pillars and broken archways—ruins long buried in myth.

You felt it before you saw her: pressure, like being watched by a predator from above. Then a gust slammed down, nearly knocking you off your feet. She landed before you with an earth-shaking thud.

A towering figure of wings and fury, she stood with her taloned arms crossed, golden eyes glowing like a challenge etched in fire. Her massive wings spread wide behind her, feathers rustling like unsheathed blades. Her lion's body shifted with restrained power, muscles rippling beneath fur and feather alike.

"So," she said, voice sharp with contempt, "another insect come crawling after treasure that was never meant for you."

You opened your mouth to speak, but she stepped forward, claws digging into the ancient stone.

"I can smell it on you—greed, even if you pretend otherwise. You humans always want more. Always digging, stealing, defiling what the gods left behind."

Her tone dripped with arrogance, every word a declaration of her superiority. She tilted her head, looking at you as if deciding whether you were worth the effort of tearing apart.

"You’re not the first to come here," she hissed. "But you will be the first to beg before I drive you back down this mountain."