My mana is drained while I've only reached halfway to the mountains where the shadowbirds stay.

'Let's hope this vial I grabbed is what I think it is.'

Pulling a glass vial with a blue liquid from my bag I pop the cork out and pour it down my throat. My mind feels cleared as though I just had a good night's rest. I continue sprinting as darkness slowly falls upon the valley. Once I realize how dark it's gotten I pause my sprinting and look around.

All the animals that were once moving have disappeared.

'Crap I have a bad feeling about this.'

"Child of Earth, please heed my calling and grant me your strength!" I call Ceres to assist me in case something happens.

"Ceres, I have a bad feeling so please watch my back!"

Ceres nods and we continue heading towards the mountains.

After using an additional half of my mana I am finally confronted by the creature I have been waiting for.

A taloned hand erupts from the shadows, undetected by Ceres, and crushes him.

"Ceres!" I am surprised by the bird's quick movement, but quickly illuminate my surroundings, reducing it's ability to move freely.

The shadowbird drags itself out of the shadow a bit of a distance away and comes closer to me. While it does resemble a bird I would classify it more as a demi-human. Standing on it's long bird like legs it's torso is much more similar to a person, it has two arms protruding from it's sides. The arms, which should be non existent on a bird, resemble a human's in structure but are still feathered. It's hand has five fingers including a thumb. It's head is like a Ravens, with a beak protruding from it's face. Huge black wings are contracted behind it's back. It stands at about seven feet, this thing is crazily tall.

"Why did you destroy Ceres?" I attempt communication with the massive shadowbird, but it only responds by kawing at me.

The bird spreads its wings wide, flapping them as it heads upward to strike down at me.

'Crap this thing has no intention of talking things out.'

I attempt to use wind to change the direction of the crow, yet the wind didn't seem to bother the bird as it continued speeding towards me. Using it's momentum it swipes it's sharp talons towards me and hits my right arm as I try to block it.

'These should have an affinity with shadow and air, so I guess I can try to use light again.'

Projecting a much more powerful light from my lantern it slowly shrinks and focuses onto the bird until it's a small dot. I picture a burst of energy exploding from the lantern and travelling down the small beam for targeting. The bird attempts to jump upward as it senses danger from my attack, so the pulse of energy damages it's leg, destroying the bottom portion of it's left leg.

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'Dammit that took too much mana and it's still alive.' The bird falls back to the ground as it loses it's balance from the weight disturbance.

The shadowbird attempts to dive into the shadows, but is prevented from doing so due to the light from my lantern, shining through objects to destroy shadow.

'This light is too strange, but at least it's helping me.' Or so I think, but I soon realize it's actually a subconscious light manipulation that is still draining my mana.

As the battle seems to have taken a turn I dig into my bag and drink another blue potion from the lab. A sadistic smile spreads across my face as I walk up to and stomp on the bird. Surprised by my change in attitude it attempts to drag itself backwards with it's hands.

"Now now, don't run away, I've got a few questions for you." I use earth manipulation to chain it down.

Earth wraps around it's leg and arms before hardening to be a strong as stone.

"Now I would appreciate you showing me the way to your nest." I say as I dig the bottom of my staff into it's side.

"Oh no, does this constitute animal abuse?" I step off of the bird and remove my staff from it's side.

'Hmmm, why don't i try to make a leash?'

I walk away from the bird but increase it's height from the ground so it cannot fall into the shadows.

'Hmmm well I have nature manipulation, so I should be able to manipulate plant life as well. Could I make a rope?'

I find a patch of tall grass and hover my hand over the patch, i picture the plants being unearthed roots and all and they begin to pop out of the ground. I pick up the bundle of plants and hold them under my left arm questioning how thick I should make the rope.

'Well I could make it and infuse mana into it increasing it's strength with nature manipulation i guess.'

I hold the bundle in my left hand and hold my right hand over the bundle, concentrating my mana into the grass and picturing the process of the rope weaving. 'ughhh so many strands' the rope begins to form in my hand. With the rope in hand I return to the bound bird.

'Hmmm, it can't so should I let it fly?' I tie the rope to it's remaining leg so I can throw it off balance if it tries to fly away.

"Now then little buddy, why don't you bring me to where Maddy is." I send a chilling glare towards the bird as I release it.