Zira and Alden lay in separate beds, resting. Although they could heal their wounds, the exhaustion still lingered. Zira glanced over at Alden and reached her hand toward him. "Hey," she called softly.
Alden turned his head. "Yes?"
"Why didn't we ask Ember to heal us?" Zira asked, curiosity in her voice.
Alden chuckled. "Because she can barely control her powers, and those crystals of hers hurt like hell."
Zira laughed lightly, though her mind was clearly elsewhere. "There's a lot I wonder about. Do you really think Gaian will create his own kingdom after all this? He'd have to go through the Shadow Flock first. And they're no joke. Ravyn nearly killed me. Not to mention the two strongest kingdoms—Drakewind Empire and Moonshadow Dominion."
She sighed, the weight of it all settling in, and Alden sat up a bit, leaning on his elbow. "He's an idiot, no doubt," Alden said, a faint smile on his lips, "but he knows how tough the road is. I think he also knows that as long as we stick with him, no challenge is too big."
Zira nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah… I guess you're right. He's reckless, but maybe that's what makes him worth following."
Back at the tournament, I stood at the far end of the arena, absentmindedly scratching my ear. "Why do I feel like someone just insulted me?" I muttered to myself.
Gerard's growl cut through the noise. "Hey! What are you doing?!" he shouted, his voice booming.
I winced, covering my ears. "Chill out, man. I don't even wanna be here," I grumbled. My eyes wandered as Gerard kept ranting, but my mind was elsewhere. "I really don't care about this tournament, but Ember had a point—there's no way Sable's using that crown for anything good. Maybe if I win, I can just steal it."
Suddenly, Gerard rushed at me, his hammer swinging with a vengeance. "You may have broken the last one, but this hammer was reinforced by Sable himself!" he roared, as the massive weapon hurtled toward me.
The dust settled, and there I was, holding up one of my feathers like a shield, effortlessly blocking the hit. A smirk crept across my face. "Did you just attack your divine vessel?" I asked with a cocky chuckle. "Maybe I'll toy with him a bit," I thought, amused at how easy this was turning out to be.
"Cocky little—" Gerard spat, flipping me upside down with a swift motion and slamming his hammer toward me again.
I chuckled mid-air, unfazed. "Do you think you're Alden or something?" With a sharp twist, I kicked his hammer with my legs, redirecting it right back toward him.
Gerard's eyes widened in disbelief as his own weapon collided with his skull. The force of the blow made him stagger, groaning in pain as the crowd gasped. He growled through gritted teeth, clearly furious, but I just smirked, enjoying the irony of it all.
As the hammer struck Gerard, the crowd erupted in a mix of reactions:
"Did you see that? He used his legs to block a hammer!"
"No way! Gerard just got hit by his own weapon!"
"Is this guy some kind of acrobat? Who fights like that?"
"Get up, Gerard! You're supposed to be the strongest!"
"Come on! Don't let some feathered guy take you down!"
"I can't believe this… this fight's crazier than the last one!"
"Who just shrugs off a hammer hit like that?"
"That guy's mocking him! This is gonna get brutal!"
Sable leaned forward on his scepter, his voice echoing through the arena as he grinned.
"Well, well, well! Seems like Gerard's having a bit of trouble with our mystery contestant!" he chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "Never thought I'd see the day where Gerard gets knocked around by his own hammer!"
He tapped his scepter against the ground, causing a brief shimmer in the air. "Now, folks, this is why we love these tournaments, isn't it? You never know who's going to rise, and who's going to fall. But be careful, newcomer—Gerard's not the type to go down easy, and if you're not careful, that hammer might find its way back to your skull!"
Sable glanced over at the crowd. "Place your bets, people! It looks like we're in for quite the brawl!"
Gerard huffed, frustration boiling over as he began swinging his hammer in wild arcs. Each strike was powerful, but I dodged with ease, using precise avian weaving to slip past his attacks. His grip tightened as he prepared another swing, but just before it connected, I redirected the momentum, sending his hammer crashing into the ground.
To his shock, the hammer rebounded off the ground and smacked him squarely in the head. Before he could react, the weapon bounced again—ground to head, head to ground—in a ridiculous ricochet. Gerard's face twisted with confusion as the hammer continued its humiliating cycle, and I couldn't help but laugh.
Gerard's niece, still clinging to his back, pouted with an unsettling mix of innocence and madness, her eyes hollow yet wide with excitement. "Come on, Uncle! You can do it! Then we can kill him in honor of Umbra!" she cackled, her voice sharp and chilling. I noticed Gerard hesitate for a moment, the weight of her words hanging in the air before he gritted his teeth and swung the hammer with renewed fury, faster and harder.
The crowd, confused and restless, began to murmur.
"What's going on? Why does it feel like he's holding back?"
"Is he even trying? This is embarrassing!"
"BOO! Come on, do something!"
Their voices filled the stadium, drowning out his niece's maniacal laughter. But as his hammer came crashing down, I dashed forward, my body surging with the raw power of Eclipse Surge. I landed a flurry of heavy strikes, each one shaking the ground as I moved with relentless precision. Gerard's body crumpled under the barrage, falling hard to the ground, bruised and battered, the hammer slipping from his grasp.
The crowd booed even louder, their expectations shattered as they watched the mighty Gerard lie beaten before them.
The boos from the crowd were quickly replaced by cheers for me, the "Divine One," as they began chanting my title with growing excitement.
"DIVINE ONE! DIVINE ONE!"
"You see that? He barely even tried!"
"That was amazing! He's unstoppable!"
"All hail the Divine One! Show them your power!"
The once confused and frustrated crowd was now roaring in approval, their voices echoing through the stadium as they celebrated my victory. The sound was deafening, a wave of support that filled the air as they cheered for what they believed was their true champion.
I turned and strode out of the arena, feeling the crowd's enthusiastic pats on my back with every step. Ember met me with a curious smile. "Why the sudden show of force? I thought you weren't interested in the tournament."
I glanced back at Gerard, who was being helped off the field, and said, "Let's pay him a visit while he's in the infirmary."
A few moments later, Gerard lay on a large bed in one of the infirmary rooms, his eyes closed as he breathed slowly. Suddenly, he felt a gentle pressure on his chest and awoke to find Ember perched there, a mischievous grin on her face. "Hey!" She greeted him cheerfully. Gerard's eyes widened in shock. "What are you doing here?!" he exclaimed.
"Get off him, Ember," I commanded, and she gracefully leaped off Gerard's chest. "Damn, I love this body!" she exclaimed with a laugh. I approached Gerard, who looked up at me with a mix of confusion and apprehension.
"I need to ask you a few things," I said firmly. "Why did you hesitate during that final smash? Where does Sable keep his giants, and what's the deal with the scepter?"
As I spoke, Gerard lowered his head, gripping the sheets tightly as he shook it slowly. "I—I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered. Then, in a sudden, frantic motion, he seized his hammer, bit his finger, and began scrawling in blood. The words on the sheet read, "Sable is always watching."
A chill ran down my spine as I read the message. I glanced towards the window, and there was Sable, his dark eyes narrowed and his ever-present smile in place, his scepter glinting ominously in the dim light.
Sable waved at me, a subtle gesture that seemed like an invitation to follow. I nodded and signaled to Ember. She gave a quick nod in return and moved to follow, but just before we left, I glanced back at Gerard. He scrawled another message in blood: "Take that damn crown from my brother!" His face was contorted with rage, blood streaming from his eyes.
"Wait… what?!" My heart skipped a beat as the realization hit me. "Sable is his brother?!"
My mind raced, piecing things together. "Then that means... the little girl is Sable's daughter?!"
After following him, we found ourselves in Sable's tower, seated across from him. I slouched in my chair with my arms crossed, and Ember mimicked my posture, clearly uncomfortable in her new body. Sable settled into his chair, sipping from a mug with an air of casual disdain.
"The Divine One," he began, his voice a mix of grudging respect and thinly veiled annoyance, "you managed to defeat Gerard, my strongest fighter. Though, if it weren't for that 'bitch' of a daughter, I'm sure he would have handled you with ease." He smiled, but his eyes were cold.
"That 'bitch'? You're talking about your own daughter?" I replied with a sneer.
Sable leaned back, placing his feet on the table with a casual arrogance. "It's just free speech. Everyone knows she's my daughter. I don't have much use for her. Do you intend to imprison me for that?" He chuckled smugly, then reached for the crown on his head, which now appeared to be shaped like a nest. He removed it and tossed it to me. "This is the Nest of Chaos. It grants a brief connection to someone from the spirit world—only 30 seconds. Since you won the match, it's yours for the time being."
I reached for it, but Gerard pulled it back with a smirk. "Not so fast. First, I want you to do something for me," he chuckled, his voice low and menacing. I raised an eyebrow, unsure of what he was planning.
Meanwhile, back in the town arena, a giant lumbered toward me, drenched in sweat and clearly exhausted. He swung a massive fist, but I easily dodged, landing a powerful kick to his side, sending him crashing to the ground. The crowd erupted in cheers.
"The Divine One strikes again!"
"He's so graceful!"
"I'm so glad he's working for our beloved Sable!"
I gritted my teeth at the praise. They had no idea. "I'll have to hold back," I reminded myself bitterly, knowing these giants were once regular people, twisted and transformed. As another giant charged, I unleashed my eclipse surge, knocking him down effortlessly.
"Sable said if I want the crown, I'll have to fight in this twisted tournament for a while... since Gerard's out of commission." The thought gnawed at me as I stood in the ring, hearing the cheers but feeling trapped.
Zira, Ember and Alden watched the fight unfold from the sidelines when suddenly Gerard, looking unhinged, let out a frenzied scream. "SABLE IS A LIE! HE'S A SHAM! A FAKE! THE WHOLE SHADOW FLOCK IS A RUSE! THEY'RE NOT HEROES!" His voice was wild as he brandished a hammer, pointing it at Sable in a fit of rage. Before he could charge, I stepped in, slamming my foot onto his back, pinning him to the ground, then drove my knee into his spine to subdue him.
"It's okay, everybody!" I called out, forcing a calm smile as the crowd erupted in cheers, unaware of the truth.
"Whoa! Sir Gerard's a nonbeliever?!"
"Good thing the Divine One is here to handle it!"
"I hope Sable sets him straight!"
I stood over Gerard, pressing him into the dirt beneath me as I leaned down. "Was that too rough?" I asked quietly, keeping the act alive for the crowd. Gerard chuckled through gritted teeth, "I can take it."
Just moments earlier, Ember and I had been in Alden and Zira's infirmary room, piecing together the twisted reality of the giants. "So... the giants were once real people? And they're turned into monsters for not believing in this Shadow Flock nonsense?" Zira asked, her voice heavy with disbelief.
I nodded grimly. "Yeah. Sable's been using them as pawns, punishing anyone who dares to doubt him. He turns them into giants, stripping away their humanity, their memories—everything. They're just mindless tools for his twisted games now."
Zira clenched her fists, her eyes blazing with anger. "That sick bastard... How could anyone follow someone like that?"
Ember, who had been unusually quiet, muttered, "They don't have a choice. When you're surrounded by fear and lies, the truth becomes harder to see." She glanced at me, her eyes sharp. "And anyone who tries to expose him gets silenced… or worse."
"That's why I'm making a plan," I clenched my fist in determination.
Present
I hoisted Gerard over my shoulder, his battered form limp but breathing, and made my way to Sable. Sable, with his eerie smile, took Gerard's bruised body, tapping his scepter lightly. In an instant, they both vanished into thin air.
Zira Ember and Alden approached me, their expressions mixed with concern and curiosity. "So, your plan worked... for now," Zira said, her eyes scanning the caged giants nearby. "Gerard's been taken by Sable, and now all we can do is hope he defeats him and releases the giants."
"Did you ever doubt your elegant leader?" I chuckled, trying to ease the tension. My gaze drifted to the giants locked away, awaiting their next brutal match. "You'll be free soon enough," I promised them quietly, though my chest tightened at the thought of what might come next.
Meanwhile, in a Dark Room
Gerard sat tied to a chair in a pitch-black room, his breaths shallow and his mind racing. "Alright, the man said all I have to do is—" Before he could finish his thought, a cold hand clamped down on his shoulder. His heart skipped a beat.
"I knew it," Sable's voice purred from behind him, "You're planning to betray me, right dear brother?"
Gerard's eyes widened in terror at the sound of Sable's voice. "W-what are you talking about, Sable?!" he stammered, his voice trembling.
Sable's grip tightened around Gerard's chin, forcing his gaze up. "Don't play dumb with me. You really think I wouldn't notice those little messages?" His voice dripped with venom as he pulled out the bloodstained sheet, crumpling it in his fist. With a sneer, he stuffed it into Gerard's mouth, muffling his protests.
Gerard's muffled screams filled the room as Sable spun his chair around to face a shadowy figure in the corner. There, hunched over and grotesquely massive, sat a monstrous giant, her labored breaths heavy and sickening.
"You recognize her, don't you?" Sable's voice was low and dangerous. "Your niece. My daughter." He leaned in close, his eyes cold and unforgiving. "Remember what I said about betraying me?" His words were a snarl, laced with the threat of something far worse than death.
Sable stepped closer, his breath hot against Gerard's ear as he whispered, "I warned you, didn't I? Cross me, and there would be consequences." He gestured toward the giant in the corner, her once bright eyes now dulled, replaced by an empty, mindless stare. "Look at what she's become. She was once like you—a proud, defiant little spark. And now…" He chuckled darkly, letting the silence hang in the air.
Gerard's heart raced, eyes darting between Sable and the monstrous figure before him—his own niece, now unrecognizable, twisted into a grotesque giant. Her innocence was gone, replaced by a soulless, corrupted shell.
Sable's eerie smile widened as he began to speak, his voice dripping with condescension. "Did you really think I wouldn't know? The dark warden, the divine one, Zuri, and Astrid… they're not just anyone. Alden Nightshade, vessel of Nocturne Raven; Gaian, the divine vessel of Sagea, the owl; Zira, bearer of Zephrya, falcon of speed; and Ember, the archangel of Gaian. You thought you could hide them from me?" His eyes gleamed with malice. "I'm one of the Crimson Talons, Gerard. I'm not some fool."
He raised the scepter to Gerard's temple, his smile twisting into something darker. "You love her, don't you? So much that it clouds your judgment." Sable's voice dropped to a near whisper, full of venom. "Then join her. Become just like her."
Before Gerard could react, the scepter pulsed with an unnatural energy, and a sharp pain ripped through his body. He screamed, his form distorting and growing, his mind consumed by the transformation. His flesh twisted, muscles expanding grotesquely as he was forced into the same monstrous fate as his niece.
Sable watched the process with a cold detachment, his smile never fading. "Nyx is bringing a few new potential recruits here soon," he said casually, as if turning Gerard into a giant was a mere inconvenience. "And when they arrive, they're going to kill those vessels you care so much about. You'll die along with them… and so will she."
Sable turned away, leaving Gerard in his monstrous new form, trapped and powerless. The room felt colder, the weight of impending doom hanging in the air.
Zira, Ember, Alden, and I sat around a weathered wooden table in the dimly lit tavern, the hum of chatter filling the room. Zira's leg bounced rapidly beneath the table, betraying her impatience. She clenched her jaw, her eyes narrowed with frustration. "This is taking way too long," she muttered, her voice tinged with irritation. "And it's not just because I'm impatient—something's off."
Alden, casually leaning back in his chair, stretched his arms overhead with a yawn. "Maybe Sable wouldn't have shoved his own brother in a room with the giants," he said, his tone laid-back but thoughtful. "Blood's thicker than water, after all." He shrugged as if the situation were that simple.
Zira scoffed, her leg still tapping rapidly under the table. "You really think Sable has a soft spot for his brother? The guy's as ruthless as they come. Family doesn't mean a thing to someone like him."
Ember sighed, leaning forward with her arms crossed on the table. "We don't know what kind of game Sable's playing, but whatever it is, it's not out of sentimentality." She looked at me, her brow furrowed. "We need to be ready for anything."
I nodded, the tension in the air palpable. "Sable doesn't care about bonds. All he sees is power and control. That's why we have to be smart about this. We don't know how long Gerard has, and the longer we wait, the more dangerous things get."