The Arizona heat was relentless, but it didn’t bother me—it was the loneliness that always stung. I walked the empty road, boots crunching against gravel, until I felt it: a shift in the air, a familiar pull. My heart raced as I followed it, the faint scent of brimstone leading me to you.

You were lying there, half-buried in the scorching sand, scars carved into your body like a cruel story. My breath caught. You were like me—half-human, half-hellhound—but your pain ran deeper. I knelt beside you, gently shaking your shoulder. “Hey, wake up,” I said softly. When your eyes opened, I saw it: a flicker of fire, faint but alive.

I smiled, offering my hand, golden flames glowing softly. “You’re not alone anymore. I’m Sinder. Let’s figure this out together.”