Before the attackers reached me, a huge burst of silver light erupted in the middle of the cafe. It pushed all the attackers backward. It was a powerful force, but there was one thing noticeable about it, laughter echoed from every direction.

I turned and I saw him there, Moon, with a wide grin on his face. Floating as the moonlight lit up Moon directly from the hole in the ceiling.

“Whoa, whoa! There was about to be a fun fight and I wasn’t invited?” Moon cackled. He looked around at everyone who attacked me, his eyes opened wide and started to shine with amusement. “You guys sure are strong, fighting one man… but, let me show you when there’s two involved.”

In a moment's notice, Moon snapped his finger, and another pulse exploded outward from him. The color mimics an actual moon. The blast sends the entire group flying, some slamming into walls while others are dropped to their knees.

Moon floated down to my side, giving me a sideways glance and a wink, “You looked like you could use a hand, Crownless. And honestly… How could I resist such a lovely group hug opportunity?” He gestured to the attackers while chuckling.

He then turned to the rogue angels, his face went from excited to serious. “Alright, who’s up for some fun?”

“What are you doing here? Why are you helping this man?” Caelith yelled out in anger.

“Ohhhh, how do you mean? I couldn’t let this kid be jumped, just when he recently got his powers. That would be boring!” Moon responded with a chuckle.

Caelith didn’t say a word, but disappeared in thin air, somehow my mind knew where he’d appear and I darted in that direction. Once he reappeared, his face met my hand, slamming him back down onto the ground. “Hey, Moon? I don’t owe you anymore. Got that?” I said.

Moon looked down at me in shock, his eyes widened then smiled. “You know what? Even though he’s the strongest here, I’ll let you have fun with him, I’ll take the rest of them.” He grinned while saying.

I drag Caelith out of the cafe, right into the middle of the street.

“Did you want to die an early death?” Caelith spoke calmly.

I didn’t respond, just staring into his eyes waiting for his first move. “Not much of a talker are you?” He yelled before rushing toward me. “Don’t underestimate me kid, I was part of the 10 highest ranks in the Hierarchy of Light.”

“Yeah, you told me. Shut up.” I answered back before connecting my fist to his that sent a massive shockwave of power miles through the city. After those fists connect, Caelith uses his other fist to uppercut me, sending me flying in the sky. I freefall, unable to fly or move in the sky. Now that I am getting closer to the ground, I am unsure how to feel, unknowing how I can continue this fight once I hit the ground.

Before I could hit the ground, I felt a sensation throughout my body that saved me. I was able to bring out my own wings. The feeling was strange and powerful, yet terrifying. The wings extended with a surge of energy, their presence both foreign and exhilarating. I couldn’t help but wonder, “What am I becoming?”

Moon, watching what was happening, snarkles and looks back at the group. “You guys just began the awakening of something you should’ve kept your snarky little noses out of.” before taking one step and killing them all. Moon then looks at Ren and smiles before flying them both to the roof to watch the fight.

Caelith staring at my wings then me, you can see how even more angered he is. With a deepened and darkened tone, he says, “Heaven’s Judgement.” A beam of light crashed down from the sky, splitting the air with a deafening crack, scorching the pavement around me. “This is true power.”

Barely dodging it, I see a spear appear into his hand. “Light Spear Manifestation” he says. He threw the spear, and before I could react, it already pierced me. The searing pain erupted through my arm as I staggered backward, the weight of his words hitting me as hard as the blow. “That spear moves a little slower than the speed of light.” He walked toward me as I removed the spear from my arm, “I call this Seraphic Strike,” he said as he launched a rapid multi-hit combo, both his fists and wings battering me, each infused with light energy before finally throwing me down to the ground.

“Boy, you are nothing, die. So we can end this war.” Caelith says.

Before Caelith could reach me, I forced myself back to my feet, every part of my body aching from his relentless attacks. Blood trickled down my forehead, my wings barely keeping me steady. He smirked, that arrogant look in his eyes as he walked toward me, his radiant energy glowing stronger.

"You just don't know when to stay down, do you?" Caelith taunted, his voice cold. His wings flared behind him, and he launched himself at me, ready to end it. "Enough of this! I will end you now!" he yelled.

My heart pounded. I knew I couldn’t take another hit like that. I had no idea how I could keep fighting, how I could avoid getting torn apart by his light-infused power. As Caelith closed the gap, a memory flashed through my mind, that same figure with the black and white wings, with purple highlights, telling me, "You are a mistake, Crownless King."

Something inside me snapped.

The world around me slowed. I could see every movement Caelith made, his wings cutting through the air, his glowing spear aimed at my chest. It was like my body moved before my mind could catch up. I pushed off from the ground, everything blurring around me. I felt something awaken deep within me, something that knew what it had to do to survive.

Caelith swung his spear, aiming straight at me. But instead of feeling the sharp pain of a strike, I watched as the spear passed through an afterimage, my afterimage. I wasn’t standing there anymore. I had already moved.

“What?!” Caelith yelled, his eyes flicking from the fading image to where I reappeared just a few feet away. His confusion gave me an opening, and I took it, dashing forward, my body blurring once again.

Before he could react, I was behind him, my fist glowing with energy as I swung at his back, sending him stumbling forward. He turned, his eyes wide in shock, his frustration growing. “How are you doing this?!” he bellowed, his voice cracking.

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I could feel the energy still running through me, like lightning in my veins. I breathed heavily, staring at Caelith. I couldn’t help but smirk. “Maybe it’s time you stopped underestimating me.”

Caelith roared, his wings burning with bright light as he lunged again. He swung his glowing spear wildly, trying to land a hit, but each time, I moved. My body blurred, and afterimages scattered in every direction, confusing him further. He struck again, only to find he had hit another echo, a mere flicker of where I had been moments before.

Moon, watching from above with Ren, grinned widely, his voice echoing down. "That's it, Crownless. Dance with him. Show him what unpredictability really looks like." His laughter carried over the battlefield, only adding to the chaos.

Caelith snarled, the frustration on his face clear. He spread his wings, trying to take to the air to get an advantage, but I followed, moving faster than I thought possible. The afterimages blurred around him, my body moving with agility I had never known before.

I could feel something shifting, an understanding of what it meant to be the Crownless King. I wasn’t just reacting to him anymore. I was the one taking control of this fight, pushing him, striking when he least expected.

Caelith pulled back, his breathing heavy. He looked at me, anger and disbelief burning in his eyes. "This... this isn't possible!" he shouted.

I met his glare, my wings stretching out behind me, their glow matching the purple running through my veins. “You know, for someone who's supposed to be one of the strongest, you’re really struggling with a 'nothing' like me.”

Caelith roared in fury, charging at me again. I watched as he moved, and before he could land a blow, I blurred, moving again with afterimages. He swung at afterimages that weren’t really there, and I reappeared in front of him, my fist already moving. I struck him in the chest, my energy surging into the blow, sending him skidding back.

Caelith was livid now. His eyes burned with fury, his wings flapping with blinding light as he steadied himself, his aura radiating. He looked at me with a mix of disbelief and rage. "You think you’ve become something special?" He spat, his voice dripping with venom. "You’re nothing compared to the true power of the Light."

I could feel my heart pounding, my energy still surging from the afterimages. This fight was far from over, and I had no idea how long I could keep it up. Caelith was stronger, more experienced, and every hit he landed took everything out of me. But I couldn’t stop. Not now. I had to keep pushing.

Caelith spread his wings wide, and I could see the light gathering around him. He raised his hand to the sky, and I instinctively knew what was coming. He was about to unleash something massive.

"Heaven’s Judgement!" Caelith roared, and beams of light erupted from the sky, crashing down all around me. The entire street seemed to tremble under the impact. I moved, blurring again, my body splitting into multiple afterimages. The beams shattered the ground where I had stood, each impact echoing like thunder, the shockwaves rattling windows and toppling streetlights.

I dodged left, then right, the afterimages scattering in all directions. But it wasn’t enough. One of the beams caught me, grazing my shoulder, and I felt the searing pain as I was thrown off-balance. I hit the ground hard, rolling across the rubble street, my body screaming in pain. The sharp scent of burnt pavement filled the air, and my vision blurred as dust and debris swirled around me.

I forced myself up, panting, my vision blurred. Caelith was already moving, his wings carrying him towards me, his light spear reforming in his hand. He wasn’t giving me a moment to breathe.

“Enough games, Crownless!” he bellowed, his wings casting shadows as he descended on me, spear raised. I could see the determination in his eyes, he was going to end this.

I knew I had only seconds to react. My body moved again, instinctively using afterimages. The spear came down, and I blurred to the side, leaving another afterimage behind. Caelith’s spear struck the ground, shattering it, and I took the chance to strike.

I reappeared beside him, my veins glowing with purple energy. I swung my leg around, kicking out at his knee, and I heard him grunt in pain as he stumbled. For a moment, I had the upper hand.

But Caelith wasn’t going down easily. He spun around, his wings slicing through the air. I barely managed to duck, the wings almost made contact with me. He followed up with a powerful backhand, and I felt it connect with my ribs, the force lifting me off my feet and sending me crashing into a parked car. The entire car, dented with my in the center.

Pain rushed through my chest, but I forced myself to my feet, my wings stiffened out as I struggled to stand. Caelith was relentless, and I could see that he wasn't holding back anymore. His eyes were focused, his anger now replaced with cold intent. He was here to kill, and he wasn't about to let some "Crownless nothing" stand in his way.

I had to think, had to find a way to keep him off balance. I couldn't match him in power, but I could keep moving, keep confusing him, and make him work for every strike. I took a deep breath, focusing on the energy within me, on the afterimages that had saved me so far.

I pushed off from the ground, my wings propelling me into the air. Caelith followed, his eyes locked on me, his spear glowing with radiant energy. He was faster in the air, more experienced, but I had something he didn’t, unpredictability.

I moved, my body blurring again, splitting into multiple echoes. Caelith swung his spear, but each time he hit nothing but air. I could see the frustration building again, the way his eyes darted from one afterimage to another, trying to anticipate my next move.

I knew I couldn’t keep this up forever. I needed to find an opening, something that would let me turn the tide, even if only for a moment. As I moved, dodging his strikes, an idea started to form. Caelith was powerful, but he was also predictable in his rage. He kept following me, kept trying to hit me with overwhelming power.

If I could use that against him...

I blurred to the side, leaving an afterimage, then another. Caelith snarled, swinging his spear in frustration, the light flaring around him. I let him think he had me, let him believe that I was slowing down.

Then, just as he lunged forward, I moved, not away, but toward him. I reappeared at his side, my wings folding as I slammed my shoulder into his, using his own momentum against him. Caelith stumbled, his balance thrown off for the first time.

It wasn’t much, but it was enough. I followed up, my fist glowing with purple energy as I swung upward, striking him under the jaw. The impact sent him reeling back, his wings flaring to keep himself steady.

“Don’t think you can win this,” I muttered, my voice low, my eyes locked on his. “I’m not the same as before.”

Caelith glared at me, his eyes blazing. “You’re still nothing,” he growled, his aura growing brighter, more intense. “I’ll show you what true power is.”

He gathered his energy, the light around him building, and I knew this was it. He was going to unleash everything. I spread my wings, readying myself, my heart pounding. This was my chance, to prove that I wasn’t just a mistake, that I could fight, that I could survive.

And as the light exploded around him, I moved again, my body blurring, splitting into echoes. This fight was far from over, and I was ready to show Caelith exactly what the Crownless King could do.

I charged at Caelith, full speed. He poured all his power into his fist, I noticed and did the same. As we connected, I used a last-second afterimage, going straight behind him. He noticed as his fist went through the afterimage, and I connected my fist to his back. All my power, in one balled-up fist, sending him flying onto the ground and skipping across the street right in front of the cafe.

As I walked up and Moon floated down, we noticed two beams of light, both that took Ren and Caelith. But that didn’t bother Moon; he started laughing, “You’re really full of surprises, aren’t you, Crownless King?”

I looked back at him, not saying a word, just wanting to leave and get some rest. “Thanks for the help, Moon,” I said to him as I walked away. But I noticed him floating by my side, following me.

“I like you, you’re my friend now,” he chuckled while following me.

“Yeah... alright,” I responded back before finally getting back to my place.