Damien shifted to the side, dodging the open maw of a large monster. He formed his hands into a fist, coated it in grey destruction energy, and then punched.

CRACK!....SCREEEE!!

The monster screeched in pain as Damien's fist drilled into its wings, and through to its body.

Damien pulled back, his mind already off the monster as the it fell to the ground, screeching all the way.

Turning, he took stock of his surroundings.

The air was choked with dozens of Spirit Lord calamity monsters. Some were fleeing and migrating to other territories, while the rest decided to make him and Keilan into meals.

To the side, a giant bird made out of green wind energy was tearing into the ranks of a flock. Its wings sharper than steel, and the claws, oh, the talons. Long, curved, and wickedly sharp. With only a single graze capable of cutting some of the monsters in twain.

[Unlike you, Keilan seems to have a very intimate relationship with his element.]

"What? What do you mean?"

[Haven't you noticed? His detailed construction of different forms with wind energy. He might not know it, but Keilan has a deep alignment with his element.]

"How's that possible? He hasn't even been told yet about it."

[Doesn't matter, that man has a passive understanding of his element. It'll never end as long as he follows the path of the wind.]

Damien turned towards Keilan, watching as his bird form dived, its wings spread wide.

It was in the form of a falcon, with its body composed of constantly shifting wind energy with innumerable feathers on its body. Its eyes were a lighter glowing shade of emerald, menacing as it shifted from one monster to another.

As it dived, the hundreds of feathers on its body detached, slowly beginning to swirl around its form.

What happened next would give any monster nightmares for years.

Shaped like double-sided daggers, the feathers tore into the ranks of the clustered monsters. The next seconds were then filled with gory sounds of jagged flesh tearing and cries of pain as the feathers tore into both flesh and bones.

[Ouch. That's a scene I don't ever want to see again.] Gray said, shivering.

Damien grunted in agreement.

HISSSSSS!!!

Damien turned just in time to avoid a brown beam aimed at him.

He looked up at the sender. An earth serpent.

Sandy brown scales with long spikes running down its entire spine down to its thick, muscly tail that could break bones. Its slitted eyes shifted from Damien to Keilan as it arrived.

A Monsterlord.

The monster was more than fifty feet long and looked entirely menacing.

Its entire repertoire was filled with attacks that were geared for complete petrification, both internal and external.

Telling from its aura, it was completely pissed. It was no wonder, Keilan was tearing into its children.

The monster opened its giant maw, aiming at Damien. He moved, dodging the brown beam that flashed out. Whipping his spear, he slammed it into the monster's body, breaking and cracking scales.

Damien dived under the serpent's body, moving away just in time to avoid the tail swinging his way.

Gliding in the air, he drew his spear down the body of the large serpent, tearing off large chunks of scales, which made the earth snake all the more angrier as it hissed in pain.

[Quit playing with your food and end it.] Gray said, interrupting Damien's fun.

"This monster isn't easy to deal with."

Despite Gray not being visible at the moment, Damien still had the feeling that he was being looked at with a deadpan gaze.

"Argggh... Fine. Spoil fun."

Floating a few inches from the monster, he was too close for an efficient stab with Gray, so he made do with his natural-born weapon. Aiming his fist, he punched, shattering scales and piercing deep into flesh. Releasing Gray, he used his left hand to physically hold back the monster's snout as it turned around to bite him. With his right fist still in the monster's insides, he released a breath of destruction.

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The earth serpent made a sound between a hiss and a wail as its insides were doused with potent grey destruction energy. It immediately began trashing violently on the air, trying to free itself as its insides were cooked.

Damien weathered through its thrashing, one hand physically holding its snout–partly to keep it at bay, and to also keep it from freeing itself. The other hand was deep inside the monster, using its bone as an anchor; Damien held it, all the while he weathered hits from the monster's thick tail, taking blow after blow.

Eventually, the monster slowed, becoming sluggish; and moments later, it stilled.

Damien couldn't waste time confirming if it was dead or just pretending, so he slowly released his grip from it, pulling both his hands. Freeing his hands from the monster, he watched as it immediately crashed down to the ground. That confirmed its death.

Done with that, Damien turned toward Keilan. During his brief spar with the earth serpent, he'd been keeping tabs on Keilan, so he wasn't surprised to find the monster's presence in the surroundings diminished. Other than the ones fleeing, and the still dumb ones who were still trying their luck against him, the airspace was significantly freer now.

Damien began slowly floating towards Keilan, Gray trailing behind him in his spear form. Approaching, he picked off monsters one by one, using pin-point breath of destruction and directed star falls.

"Kei! Wrap it up, we don't have all day."

Keilan didn't give any sign of confirmation to his words, but the wind suddenly turned rigid, clasping a tight hold over every monster nearby. And then it squeezed.

SQUELCH!....CRACK!!

The sky began raining blood as flesh and bones were crushed into paste, staining the sky a bloody crimson for a moment before they dispersed, falling to the sands below.

[That, was exquisite control.]

***

Damien's declaration sent out in response to the potential alliance that was speculated between the Solarian Empire and some Unknown kingdoms left a lot of powers on edge and wary of their neighbors. It was one thing for them to speculate on the potential theory that one of them might ally with the Solarians, but it was another for it to be confirmed by another person, if only indirectly. And yes, that was what Damien did. He didn't point fingers or make accusations towards anybody, but his statement alone proved true their speculations.

"The Empire has begun readying troops. We estimate that within three to four days they will have half their fighting forces prepared, and a week will see them at full might," Spirit Lady Helera informed, giving her report in front of the throne of her Queen in the large Throneroom.

Menoe stood nearby on the throne platform, close to the throne to signify her Importance, but not too close so as not to seem like she was disregarding the sovereign of the kingdom.

The queen, herself, sat on a large emerald dark throne, embellished with studded Emerald dim glowing gems.

On the back of her throne–the headrest–was the sculpted form of a silver black bird with its wings fully unfurled–about to take flight. And on where she rested her hands–jutting out at the edge of the chair arms, were also other sculpted forms of birds, but this time with their wings only half stretched.

Queen Fenore was putting on a simple black dress, sitting on the throne while her emerald piercing eyes were pinned on Helera.

"And their Sky forces? Lord Elason did do a good number on their fighting capabilities."

Helera was silent for a while, waiting to make sure the queen was done talking, before she nodded, continuing.

"Although Lord Elason caused great and extensive damages to their whole aerial fighting capabilities–especially the Sun fleet. From my sources, it is speculated that they will be back to more than half their aerial might before the week is done."

The room was quiet for some time, taking the time to swallow that piece of news. It was one thing to know about the vast wealth and power of an Empire, but it was another to see it being demonstrated, even if it wasn't before their very eyes.

The damages that the Empire of Solaria had incurred during the precipice battle was something that would take other Kingdoms months or years to come back from, and they were just doing it in weeks. This revelation was a hard pill to swallow, making them realize and know the beast they would be facing during the war to come.

Finally, Menoe decided to break the silence, "What of their defensive capabilities. From what young Keilan told me, when he left, their capital defenses were in complete shambles, with over 60% of its full capabilities in complete and utter disarray."

Helera was quiet for a while, a silent permission from her Queen. Although others of her peers would have taken the immediate failure to answer the question as a sign of heavy disrespect to their status and honor, Menoe just kept quiet. She understood protocol and respected the authority of the ruling monarch; even though she was the more powerful one here.

"Answer the question," Fenore gave her permission.

Helera nodded, continuing, "Although Information security in and around the capital city of Xeris is heavily monitored, I was able to gather the fact that the Empire has made great strives in fixing the damages done to the capital city. Before the war begins, the defenses around the city of Xeris will be far more powerful than before, making it the most protected city in the world."

In response to this, Menoe frowned. Something wasn't adding up. True, the Empire had enough wealth and power to be at full strength before the war began. But engaging in multiple undertakings as large as preparing their entire forces, building back their aerial powers, and fixing up and upgrading the defenses of their capital, all in the timeline of a week, just seemed too much, even for them. The Empire was strong and had vast reaches, but there was a limit to that power, it wasn't infinite. Menoe was just about to ask a follow up question when the large double doors was forced open– turning the faces of the present occupants of the room–and two figures rushed in.

Menoe frowned as she recognized one of the people. Igaz. A short, fit man, with frozen blue eyes almost bordering on white. Although he was still a Monarch realmer–by choice–his age and wisdom had earned him respect from even Spirit lords.

The second person was a young woman–also a Monarch–who walked down the carpet, giving a shallow and hurried bow towards Menoe before she rushed towards her Queen, beginning to whisper into her ear.

Menoe turned away from them, watching with a confused but patient gaze as Igaz walked up to her.

"This had better be a good reason," She warned.

Igaz nodded, "I wouldn't do this if it weren't so important, but I couldn't wait. The Inferno cult has just declared open support for the Empire."

Menoe's frown only got deeper, "That should not be possible, the cults are not supposed to physically partake in this war, the ones above have declared it."

"Yes... That's the thing, they somehow have gotten full permission from them–the ones above."

Her confusion suddenly got deeper, "But that shouldn't be—

She suddenly stopped, a deeper confused look on her face.

"What, what's the matter?" Igaz asked.

"I just received a summons."

"A summons? From who?"

"Who else, a Queen priestess."