As he opened his eyes, he saw me standing where he had left me to bleed out. A golden aura surrounded me, and a scar marked my chest where he had cut me. Ember was in my hand, also glowing. Alden could sense something had changed. With a swift motion of my fingers, the feather began to cut him everywhere. He screamed in pain, trying to dodge the relentless feather. His body shrouded in a dark aura, he started walking towards me. I approached him, my footsteps bringing the decayed flowers and trees he had destroyed earlier back to life.
"Why are you trying to get me to join? I can't control Nocturne Raven's darkness. So why? Why not let me stay in the darkness?" he asked, walking closer.
I looked him in the eyes and said, "Because I'll be the light in your world of darkness." He dashed at me but I countered with a quick punch to his face. "GAH!" He yelled as the punch launched him far. As he was being launched I flew to him with tremendous speed and attempted to grab him. He pushed my hand and blasted a dark energy ball at me.
I swiftly dodged the attack, the dark energy slamming into a nearby area of trees, leaving them to decay. Alden landed on the ground in a crouched position, his eyes filled with a mix of frustration and what almost seemed like desperation.
"I don't want your light!" he cried out, his voice laced with anguish. "The darkness is all I've ever known. It's all I can control!" He launched a barrage of shadowy projectiles at me, each one imbued with the Nocturne Raven's corrupting power.
I swiped my fingers and the golden feather cut through the attacks, creating an explosion. "That's not what you are, isolating yourself would only cause you to be unhappy, I should know." I said, getting flashbacks of my old life. My voice was a mixture of mine and Sagea's due to me being in the Divine Mode.
As the projectiles subsided, Alden paused, his chest heaving with ragged breaths. His gaze flickered between me and the town of feathercrest far behind us. "Look at them," Alden murmured, his voice barely audible. "They fear me. They'll always fear me, just like everyone else." He clenched his fists, the darkness swirling around him intensifying.
I took a step forward, my expression softening. "Then let me show them that there is more to you than the darkness. Let me be the light that guides you, Alden."
Alden's eyes widened slightly, as if he were considering my words. But just as quickly, his features hardened, and he let out a frustrated growl. "No! I don't want your pity or your promises of redemption!" He raised his hand, and the shadows around him began to converge, forming a towering, humanoid figure made of pure darkness.
I grab the feather and using feather manipulation, I turn it into a long sword. I began flying and went inside the figure and out, repeatedly stabbing the construct. The blade glowed with divine energy, cutting through the shadowy form as I darted around it.
The dark construct let out a deep, rumbling roar, its amorphous limbs lashing out to try and catch me. But I was too nimble, weaving through the attacks with my enhanced speed and agility.
As I continued my assault, I could see the strain on Alden's face, the concentration required to maintain the construct's form. "Alden, you don't have to do this!" I called out, my voice carrying over the chaos. After destroying the construct I walked to him and noticed he was crying. I was about to embrace him until I heard a loud crash and screams.
Using my heightened sight, I was able to see the tavern that I was in earlier being attacked by Korin. I then looked at Alden and saw he was kneeling down, crying. He then looked at me and he saw memories that he never had of Sagea saying the same thing and standing over Nocturne. "Why am I seeing this?" He sniffled and gripped the dirt below him.
In Feathercrest, Korin was in the tavern, beating up the barkeep who was bruised and battered. The patrons cowered in fear, and the little girl hid behind a table, her eyes wide with terror. The sight of such brutality made my blood boil. I turned to Alden, my resolve strengthening. "Look, if you wanna stay here, then stay," I said before flying into the air, leaving Alden behind.
Korin punched the barkeep repeatedly with his armor-gloved fist. "Where is he? Where is the stranger?" The barkeep groaned and whimpered, trying to stop the assault, but Korin easily pushed his hands away. "H-he left!"
Korin raised his fist again, this time it glowed yellow. "Auric Fist," he said, and was about to punch the barkeep again, but out of nowhere I came with the feathered sword and deflected his punch. "What are you doing?!" I yelled at him, breathing heavily from exerting myself so much. Korin stood up and faced me. "I should ask you the same thing. What you did was a humiliation." He attacked me with the glowing fist and punched me rapidly. Since I had just fought Alden and used so much power, I couldn't even react using avian weaving.
Each blow felt like it was tearing through my defenses, the power behind Korin's attacks overwhelming me. I stumbled back, gasping for air, trying to find an opening to counter. But Korin was relentless, his strikes precise and unyielding.
"You're weak," Korin spat, his eyes burning with anger. "You think you can save everyone, but you can't even save yourself."
I gritted my teeth, summoning what little strength I had left. "I won't let you hurt these people," I said, my voice resolute. "Not while I still stand."
Korin sneered, raising his fist for another blow, but before he could strike, a blast of darkness shot past me, hitting Korin square in the chest and sending him crashing into a wall. I turned to see Alden standing at the entrance, his eyes glowing with determination.
"I won't let you fight alone," Alden said, stepping forward. The darkness around him seemed less malevolent, more controlled.