Min caught sight of four more bears charging toward them, their massive bodies covered in brown and black fur. Fangs bared, claws tearing into the earth, they approached with relentless aggression. Erden was still locked in a struggle with her opponent, having stomped on one paw and evaded the other, but blood stained half of her face. Ilay stood prepared, wielding a thick sapling she had uprooted, but the odds of her fending off all four bears were slim. Meanwhile, the air reeked of smoke, and the sky above was a hazy mix of red and orange, with glimpses of blue peeking through.

"Get behind me!" Min instructed the twins,...