At the forefront was their leader, a young master named Zephyr Icarus. Zephyr's appearance was striking, an amalgamation of human and bird-like features that made him both fascinating and fearsome. His skin was pale, almost luminous in the dim light, with patterns of feathers running along his arms and down his back. His eyes were large, round, and eerily reminiscent of a barn owl's, with golden irises that seemed to pierce through the darkness. His feet were not those of a man but talons, sharp and deadly, and his hands were clawed, gripping a spear adorned with intricate feathers that matched those on his body.
Zephyr spread his arms wide, and the feathers on his shoulders flared out like a mantle, catching the light as if they were made of molten gold. His voice, when he spoke, was smooth, yet carried an edge of cold arrogance.
"So, the Aurelius family finally decides to grace us with their presence," Zephyr said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "And here I thought you might have gotten lost in the mist. How fortunate for us that you didn't."
Kairos met Zephyr's gaze, unflinching. "We're here now. If you're so eager to fight, then let's not waste any more time."
Zephyr's lips curled into a predatory smile. "Are you Always so direct? Kairos? you should know better than to rush into things. This forest is full of dangers, after all. Now run home this place is for true warriors, Save yourself the embarrassment."
Lysandra stepped forward, her eyes narrowing. "You talk too much, Zephyr. If you're as strong as you think you are, then prove it."
Zephyr's smile faded, replaced by a sharp, calculating look. "Very well. Let's see if the Aurelius bloodline is truly as strong as they claim."
He gestured to his family members behind him, who were all similarly endowed with bird-like features. There was Aella, his younger sister, who had the wings of a falcon and eyes that gleamed with predatory intelligence. Beside her stood Boreas, their older cousin, whose entire arm was covered in thick, powerful feathers, and whose stare was as cold and piercing as the wind he could command.
Kairos gripped his sword tighter, feeling the weight of the battle ahead. "Stay together," he reminded his cousins, his voice steady. "We take them down one at a time."
Zephyr laughed, the sound echoing eerily through the mist. "You're welcome to try, Kairos. But don't expect us to make it easy for you."
With that, the Icarus family launched into action. Aella shot into the air, her wings propelling her upward before she dived down at the Aurelius group with blinding speed. Boreas raised his arm, summoning a gale that swept through the clearing, threatening to knock the Aurelians off their feet.
Kairos raised his sword, the blade shimmering with the celestial enchantments he had meticulously inscribed. The light danced along its edge, casting an ethereal glow that reflected the determination in his eyes. "Now, show them your strength!" he commanded, his voice carrying the weight of his resolve.
With a powerful leap, Kairos charged forward, his sword cutting through the air like a comet. Zephyr, the swiftest of the Icarus family, responded in kind, his spear gleaming as he launched himself toward Kairos. The ground beneath them trembled as they collided, the force of their blows sending shockwaves through the clearing.
As Kairos engaged Zephyr, his cousins sprang into action, each facing off against a member of the Icarus family. Lysandra, with her twin daggers in hand, moved like a shadow, her strikes aimed with lethal precision. She faced Boreas, Zephyr's older cousin, whose entire arm was covered in thick, powerful feathers. Boreas's stare was as cold and piercing as the wind he commanded, but Lysandra's speed and agility kept her just out of reach of his gusting attacks.
"You're strong, Boreas," Lysandra remarked, her voice calm as she ducked under a broad slash of wind, her daggers flashing out to score a hit on his arm. "But strength alone isn't enough."
Orion, wielding his spear, faced off against Aella, Zephyr's younger sister, whose wings of a falcon gave her incredible speed and maneuverability. Her eyes gleamed with predatory intelligence as she launched a barrage of wind blades toward Orion. But Orion's precision and experience showed as he parried the attacks with fluid grace, using his spear to deflect the deadly winds.
"You can't outmaneuver me," Orion said, his voice steady as he thrust his spear forward, aiming for a gap in Aella's defenses. "I've faced faster."
Caelum, wielding his greatsword, took on two opponents—Zephyr's other cousins, both armed with swords. His massive weapon cut through the air with devastating power, forcing his opponents to constantly backpedal. "Stand down!" Caelum roared, his voice carrying over the battlefield as he shattered one of their swords with a single swing. "You can't win this."
Meanwhile, Kairos quickly realized the vast difference in speed between him and Zephyr. The bird beast-kin moved with a fluid grace that made him nearly impossible to track. In a split second, Kairos activated Galaxy Step, his body beginning to shimmer with a celestial brilliance. The world around him seemed to slow as he harnessed the power of the stars, meeting Zephyr's speed head-on.
Their movements became a blur, too fast for the naked eye to follow. The onlookers, including Kairos's cousins, could only watch in awe as the two combatants exchanged blows at blinding speeds. Caelum, mid-swing with his greatsword, stole a glance at Kairos and Zephyr, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Is that... Kairos? He's keeping up with Zephyr!"
Lysandra, in the midst of disarming Boreas, nodded in agreement. "This isn't like our training. They're fighting with the intent to kill. Every move is calculated, every strike meant to open up an opponent's defense and deliver the final blow. There's no room for error."
The fight intensified as Kairos and Zephyr clashed repeatedly, their weapons sparking with each collision. Kairos pushed himself to the limit, his body becoming a blur of motion. His four steps became eight, and then, with a final burst of speed, he created nine afterimages, each one as real and tangible as the last.
Zephyr, realizing the danger, tried to counter by matching Kairos' speed. But he was too late. The ninth afterimage, hidden within the shadow of the eighth, emerged from the darkness and caught Zephyr off guard. Before Zephyr could react, Kairos's blade was at his neck, the cold steel just grazing his feathers.