In a dimly lit castle in another kingdom, Vex and Ravyn lounged on velvet chairs, flanked by a few Death Clan members who silently served them. Across the room, several members of the Crimson Talons leaned back, immersed in private conversations. The air was thick with the scent of burning incense and wine.
The heavy doors creaked open as Nyx strolled in, stretching his arms lazily before taking a seat beside them. Without a word, he picked his teeth with the tip of a dagger, his eyes half-lidded with boredom.
“Is it done?” Vex’s voice was low, but sharp.
Nyx, without missing a beat, snatched a champagne bottle from Ravyn’s hand, tipping it back to gulp down the contents. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve, belching loudly, his grin smug.
“Of course it’s done. Korin didn’t make it, though. Avol shifted into a nightfox, and Orion… well, that guy’s untouchable. Nothing—physical or magical—gets to him.”
Ravyn shot up, her fist slamming down on the table with enough force to rattle the glasses. Her eyes blazed. “You bastard! That was my wine!”
Vex chuckled, watching the tension unfold with amusement. “Relax, Ravyn. We’ve got bigger concerns. Speaking of which—how’s my little buddy Sable doing in Skam Square? Staying out of trouble, I hope?”
Nyx snapped his fingers lazily, and one of the Death Clan members hurried forward with a plate of steak. Without a glance, Nyx stabbed the meat with his talons, tearing into it savagely.
“Sable?” Nyx muttered, barely lifting his gaze as he tore into the steak, speaking through a mouthful of meat. “I couldn’t care less about your pet project. He’s not one of us—just a mascot, really.” He swallowed and leaned back in his chair, a smirk curling on his lips. “But that psychopath? He’s something else. Turned his own brother and daughter into those mindless Giants. He acts like a kid.”
“So what are you doing now?” Ravyn asked and ate a couple of fries from her plate. “I’ve sent them to Skam Square and now, it’s up to the mascot.” Nyx shrugged and continued eating.
Back in Skam Square, I could feel the tension rising as the team grew more impatient. “It’s been over an hour, and it’s getting dark,” I muttered, standing up.
“Where are you going?” Zira asked, her foot tapping against the floor.
“I’m going to talk to Sable. You guys stay here,” I said, heading for the door.
Alden was quick to stand, with Ember and Zira following suit. “No way. We’re coming with you,” Alden declared, his voice firm. “We’re a team. I’m not letting you go solo like you did in Glimmerfen.” The others nodded in agreement.
I chuckled, scratching the back of my head. “Guess I have been going off on my own a lot lately, huh?” With a grin, Alden and I reverted our feathers to normal. “Announce your divine leader,” I said with grandeur as we stepped out of the tavern.
Alden groaned. “Great. I regret this already.”
“He’s on his divine nonsense again,” Zira muttered, her voice dripping with irritation.
“It only happens when we mention following him,” Ember chirped, equally exasperated.
As we stepped outside, the streets were eerily empty. When we reached the tournament area, a large cage held a cluster of sleeping Giants, their hulking forms slumped in silence. Ember leaned in, whispering, “Are you going to free them?”
I shook my head. “No. They’re mindless now. Letting them loose would be a disaster,” I replied quietly, moving past the cage with careful steps.
As we continued, we spotted an old woman wandering the street, sniffling and crying. “Help! Please, someone help me find my son!” she wailed, her voice frantic. We froze, our eyes widening.
Before she could attract more attention, Zira swiftly appeared behind her, covering her mouth. “Shh!” we all whispered, trying to calm her down.
Tears streamed down her face as she pleaded through muffled sobs. “My son… the last time I saw him, he was visiting Mr. Sable. He hasn’t returned in two hours, and Sable said he hadn’t seen him. Please, help me find my boy!”
Her desperation pierced through the air, and I quickly nodded. “Alright, I’ll check Sable’s office. Just, please, stop crying,” I whispered urgently, trying to keep her calm.
“Bless you, divine one!” she gasped, tears of relief flowing as we tried to quiet her down.
“I’ll be right back—keep her quiet,” I instructed, darting toward the tower. As I approached the door, I noticed it was slightly ajar. I slipped inside, moving cautiously up the stairs. The place was eerily empty—no sign of him anywhere. When I reached his office, I scanned the room, my eyes falling on the desk. “No missing boys here,” I muttered. Then, out of curiosity, I lifted the desk—and what I found was far more intriguing than I expected.
Meanwhile, Zira, Alden, and Ember stood with the old lady in awkward silence. Ember, restless as ever, fidgeted. “I’m still getting used to this new body! Way better than being a regular striped owl,” she chirped, her excitement palpable. “Zira, how does it feel being human?”
Zira flexed her fingers, nonchalant. “It’s nothing special. At least I don’t have to deal with fleas or shedding,” she muttered, her tone indifferent. Her eyes flickered, almost as if reminiscing. “Being a tigress had its perks, though. Strength, agility… But opposable thumbs aren’t bad either.”
Zira moved in a blur, narrowly dodging as Avol—now transformed into a nightfox—lunged at her. “What the hell is that?!” she growled, raising her guard. The nightfox lashed out again, its claws barely missing her. Zira countered with three swift strikes, each one connecting with a blink of speed, snapping Avol’s head back and sending him crashing across the ground.
As the dust settled, Sable emerged, standing beside a menacing Orion. Behind them, winged knights and the once-caged giants stood at attention, their eyes empty but alert.
Avol, now on his feet, snarled, his chest heaving with rage, foam bubbling at the corners of his mouth as his glowing red eyes fixated on Zira. Orion, calm but no less threatening, turned his red-eyed gaze toward Ember. “Well, well, big sister,” he sneered. “Not a regular striped owl anymore, are you?”
Alden clenched his fists, his fury directed at Sable. “What is this, Sable? You brought all these people here—for what?”
Sable only laughed, raising his scepter high. With a sickening twist, the old lady standing nearby suddenly grew, her form distorting grotesquely. Her screams were choked off as she exploded, spraying blood across the group.
Sable’s grin widened. “Because the Crimson Talons don’t show mercy.”
“The Crimson Talons? What the hell is that?” Alden demanded, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
Sable’s expression darkened, his annoyance evident. “You think you’re entitled to that knowledge?” he sneered. “All you need to know is this: you’re going to die here. And when the people of Skam Square wake, they’ll remember only that I, Sable of the Crimson Talons, brought down the infamous celestial birds—criminals wanted for their crimes against Glimmerfen.” His laugh was sharp and maniacal as he raised his scepter, the tip crackling with dark energy. “Now, finish them!” he bellowed, unleashing his forces.
As the enemies surged toward Zira, Alden, and Ember, the ground suddenly shook with a deafening thud. Two enormous, grotesque bodies slammed down between the two groups. It was Gerard and his niece, their twisted forms lying lifeless on the ground, a grim warning to both sides.
The battlefield went eerily silent for a heartbeat as everyone took in the scene.
I strode onto the battlefield after tossing the bodies, cracking my knuckles as I fixed my gaze on Sable and his group. With a sweep of my arm, a gust of wind tore through the street, flinging open nearby doors. Curious residents began stepping out to witness the scene. I raised my voice, my tone firm and commanding. “People of Skam Square! Sable is not the man you believe him to be. He’s a madman, forcing his twisted beliefs onto others.”
“What? Why would Sable do that?”
“Can we trust the divine one?”
“Wait, don’t the divine one and the dark warden look familiar?”
The crowd’s murmurs grew louder, but Sable simply chuckled, raising four wanted posters for all to see. “Citizens, these are the celestial vessels—the very ones who attacked Glimmerfen! They’ve come here to take control of Skam Square. I need your help to stop them!”
“They’re the celestial vessels?!”
“No wonder they fought so well!”
“We have to help Sable!”
As the people began stepping forward, rallying behind Sable, I couldn’t help but smirk. “Luckily I found these.” Chuckling softly, I pulled several crystals from my pocket and casually dropped them to the ground. The crystals shattered, and Sable’s smug expression faltered, his eyes widening in shock. “W-what have you done?!”
The crowd suddenly paused, looking around in confusion.
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“Wait… that’s right. Our true hero was killed…”
“All the evidence pointed to…”
“Sable.”
As the truth clicked for the people, their expressions shifted from confusion to anger. The crystals had shattered Sable’s control, and now they were turning on him. But before they could reach him, Sable tapped his scepter, and in an instant, the crowd morphed into towering Giants. His voice boomed over the chaos. “I am one of the Crimson Talons! Vex’s number one! You think I care about losing this town? KILL THEM ALL!”
With a roar, the Giants, Avol, Orion, and the winged knights charged toward us.
“Get his scepter!” I commanded, sprinting toward the oncoming enemies.
Alden moved with fierce precision, his every action a blur of controlled aggression. As a giant’s massive fist arced toward him, Alden vanished and reappeared behind the behemoth, delivering a crushing blow that sent its head deep into the earth, leaving a tremor in its wake. He transitioned seamlessly to engage the winged knights, his strikes a deadly dance of speed and power. Each punch and kick landed with lethal accuracy, sending knights sprawling through the air or collapsing to the ground, as Alden cut through the ranks of the enemy with an almost effortless brutality, his dark aura intensifying the raw force of his blows.
Meanwhile, Zira and Avol clashed fiercely. Avol’s claws slashed through the air, but Zira responded with blink strikes that snapped his head back before she blitzed him with a series of rapid blows. “Avol, what happened to you?” she asked, her voice tinged with sorrow. In response, Avol roared and struck the ground, launching her high into the air. He followed with a blitzing assault, but Zira managed to deflect his attack. “The nightfox is truly terrifying,” she muttered, only to be taken by surprise as Avol grabbed her legs and slammed her forcefully into the ground. Spinning swiftly, Zira delivered a devastating falcon punch, breaking Avol’s jaw with a sickening crack. As he lay on the ground, struggling to stand and fix his shattered jaw, blood dripping onto the earth, Zira sighed and asked, “Did someone do this to you, or is this what you’ve become on your own?”
Elsewhere, Ember and Orion’s battle was intense. Orion launched powerful punches, but Ember moved with a grace that matched mines. “Hey, little brother!” Ember taunted, landing a powerful kick to his stomach that made him cough up blood.
His red eyes flickered in shock as he realized, “How is this possible? I thought I was untouchable! She’s using her ark's crystals to protect herself! How strong are those things?!” Ember sidestepped a punch and delivered a sharp blow to his cheek, sending him crashing into a wall. “We should have an arm wrestling match!” she joked, grabbing his arm and slamming him against the wall.
“Sorry for talking so much. I was just excited to show you my new body. How are the twins? And how are Mom and Dad? I hope they’re rotting in hell!” She chuckled as Orion gasped for breath.
“How is she this strong?! Sure she’s the oldest and has been watching us train. But, she was just a tiny striped owl!” Orion snarled, pushing himself up with a pained grimace. “Older sister! Mother is bedridden, Father’s mind shattered from Gaian’s blow, Lucian is locked in silence, traumatized, and Aurelius—our brother—is dead, his ribs crushed and lungs punctured by Gaian’s knee. You’ve betrayed the family, and you’ll pay for it.” He took a menacing fighting stance, his eyes blazing with fury.
Ember’s expression darkened as she looked down at him, her heart heavy with memories of a childhood marked by neglect. “Betrayed the family?” Her voice was tinged with bitterness as old wounds resurfaced. “Wrong. I was never valued by my family.” With a fluid motion, she balanced effortlessly atop Orion’s head, her feet pressing into his shoulders. “I’m glad you’re all suffering,” she said coldly before delivering a brutal hammerfist that drove him forcefully into the ground.
In the heart of the battlefield, I strode toward Sable with deliberate calm. “Sable,” I called out, locking eyes with him, “I’ve got a few questions. Where are the other two celestial vessels?” His grip tightened on the scepter, his nerves evident. Without another word, he barked, “Get him!”
A wave of giants and winged knights charged at me, but I unleashed Eclipse Surge, moving like a shadow through their ranks. With each step, I delivered devastating strikes, a blur of flurries and crushing blows, toppling them effortlessly.
“It’s over, Sable!” I muttered, watching his defiance crumble. But instead of fear, I was met with a low, sinister chuckle.
“Over?” he repeated, voice dripping with malice. “Over?! You truly don’t know what the Crown does, do you?” His grin twisted into something darker as he raised the scepter. Without warning, he plunged it into his own chest, blood spilling over its gleaming surface. “With the Crown of Chaos upon my brow, and the Scepter of Heaven in my hand, I call upon you!” His voice grew louder, resonating with a primal force as he continued the chant. “For ten seconds, I offer my body—become the storm that devours all! Come forth, Snow Basilisk!”
From the scepter, a massive snake-like spirit surged forth, its scales a gleaming white frost, eyes glowing a venomous blue. Its breath hung in the air like freezing mist, as it hissed violently, coiling with supernatural power. The ghostly serpent twisted and thrashed, before lunging toward Sable, vanishing into his body. His eyes snapped open, now glowing the same venomous blue, his body convulsing as the ancient power took hold, reshaping him into something far more monstrous.
Zira, Alden, and Ember rushed over to me, concern etched on their faces. “Stay sharp,” I warned, glancing between them. “The doctor told me once—after the fall of the Celestial Birds and the vanishing of the Shadow Flocks, there was an era of terror. Avalon’s people were desperate, and they began crafting dangerous creatures to protect themselves. The Nightfox, for instance—born from the fusion of a crow and a fox. As for the Basilisk…” I paused, my gaze locking onto Sable’s transformed figure. “I have no idea what that thing’s made from, and I’d rather not find out.”
“Get the scepter!” I shouted, charging forward with Zira leading the way. She leapt into the air with incredible speed, her fist glowing as she prepared to deliver a devastating falcon dive punch.
But Sable was faster. With a wicked grin, he conjured a swirling spray of frost and snow directly into Zira’s eyes. She flinched, momentarily blinded, and before she could recover, Sable’s hand shot out like a viper. He grabbed her leg mid-air with a crushing grip.
In one fluid motion, he swung her like a rag doll, slamming her into the ground with thunderous force. The impact cracked the stone beneath her, and before she could catch her breath, he whipped her back up and smashed her down again, over and over, the sound of each blow echoing across the battlefield.
“Zira!” Alden shouted, rushing in, but Sable’s grin widened. With a flick of his scepter, a wave of freezing wind shot toward Alden, knocking him back before he could even get close. Sable continued his brutal onslaught, now laughing maniacally as Zira lay dazed at his feet.
“You think you can stop me?” Sable taunted, the power of the Snow Basilisk surging through him, his eyes glowing with an eerie blue light. “I am a force of nature! You will fall like the rest!”
Ember tried to close the distance, launching herself forward with her lightning-fast strikes, but Sable spun, releasing an icy shockwave that froze the air in front of her. The ground beneath her feet became slick, forcing her to skid to a halt, her breath visible in the sudden chill.
Sable’s dominance was clear, his newfound power from the Snow Basilisk overwhelming us all. He raised the scepter high, its tip glowing with frosty energy. “Your era of power is over! Now you’ll taste the fury of the Crimson Talons!”
As the battle raged on, Sable’s power continued to surge uncontrollably. I pressed forward, determined to get the scepter and end this madness. But Sable was prepared. With a sneer, he spun around, the Snow Basilisk’s power amplifying his every move.
I launched myself at him with a series of powerful strikes, but Sable effortlessly dodged each attack, his movements eerily fluid and precise. The air crackled with frost as he countered, summoning a wall of icy spikes that erupted from the ground. I barely managed to sidestep them, but the distraction was enough for him to land a vicious blow to my side.
He followed up with a flurry of strikes, each one more brutal than the last. His fists, enhanced by the Snow Basilisk’s chilling power, felt like being hammered by solid ice. Each punch landed with bone-jarring force, pushing me back with relentless aggression. I tried to fight through the pain, my own strikes slow and weak against his relentless onslaught.
Sable grabbed me by the collar, his eyes gleaming with cruel satisfaction. “You think you can stop me?” he taunted, his voice cold as ice. He lifted me effortlessly into the air, his grip unyielding. “You were nothing before, and you’re nothing now!”
With a brutal heave, he slammed me down onto the icy ground. The impact knocked the breath out of me, my vision blurring with the shock. Before I could react, Sable’s foot connected with my ribs, driving me further into the freezing stone. Each kick was met with a burst of frosty energy, making every blow feel like being struck by a blizzard.
I struggled to get up, but Sable was relentless. He grabbed me by the hair, pulling me up to meet his gaze. “How does it feel to be powerless?” he hissed, the Snow Basilisk’s energy intensifying around him. “This is your end!”
He swung me around, sending me crashing into the side of a building. The collision dazed me, and as I slumped to the ground, Sable loomed over me, his shadow falling like a cold shroud. His scepter glowed menacingly as he prepared for the final blow.
“Any last words?” Sable’s voice was a chilling whisper, filled with dark satisfaction. His power surged, ready to deliver the coup de grâce, as I lay there, battered and defeated.
{Divine Mode Activated}
{Luminous Talon Technique Awakened}
{Finish your fight, Senpai!} Sagea’s voice echoed with a playful, girlish inflection.
Sable swung his scepter down with immense force, the impact reverberating through the battlefield with a thunderous crash. As the dust began to settle, he froze in shock. There I stood, resolute and unfazed, my feathers now shimmering with a radiant golden hue and my eyes glowing with a fierce, golden light. I held the end of his scepter effortlessly between two fingers, the sheer power of my divine transformation evident in every movement.
I lunged for the crown, but Sable’s frozen fist intercepted, smashing into my hand. He followed with a lightning-fast kick that I managed to block with my forearm. In response, my fist blazed with golden energy as I unleashed a punch that sent him spinning through the air.
“Gaian’s in that mode again,” Ember murmured, her voice filled with awe. Alden nodded in agreement. Zira, unfamiliar with divine mode, looked on with concern. “Wait, you mean like when the celestial birds took over our bodies in Glimmerfen?” she asked, her voice tinged with fear.
“No, this is different,” Alden said, his voice steady despite the chaos around them. “In this state, he has far more control. This is his divine mode—a form he assumes when he feels the need to protect something, but doubts his own strength. It’s almost like a last-ditch effort.” He watched intently as Gaian’s divine energy enveloped him, radiating with an intense, golden glow. “I want to assist, but I fear we might only slow him down,” Alden added, frustration and concern etched on his face.
In midair, Sable unleashed a blast of icy breath that encased me in a solid block of ice. “Got him!” he thought triumphantly. But as the ice shattered, I emerged, my stance resolute. “Luminous Talon Technique: Eclipse Surge awakened; Sun Surge!” I declared, my voice cutting through the frigid air. With a burst of speed, I pummeled Sable with a relentless barrage of powerful strikes, each hit landing with thunderous impact. I pressed the attack, delivering blow after devastating blow, determined to overwhelm him with my newfound strength.
Sable collapsed to the ground, his scepter broken, and I loomed over him, my fist poised high, a massive golden wing materializing around it. “Wait! That’s too much!” Zira shouted urgently, and Alden and Ember rushed to intervene. As I brought the wing down, I was startled to find Sable’s body had vanished. Turning quickly, I saw Nyx emerging from the shadows, effortlessly draping Sable’s unconscious form over his shoulder. Nyx’s cold chuckle cut through the tension as I locked eyes with him.
“Who the hell are you?” Alden demanded.
Nyx raised his wings, a sly grin spreading across his face. “I’m Nyx of the Crimson Talons. We’ll cross paths again soon. Oh, and Gaian? Vex sends his regards.” With that, Nyx shot into the sky, swiftly vanishing from sight. In his wake, he also carried off Orion and Avol, leaving us with a storm of confusion and anger.