After days of rigorous training and preparation, Revsha stood at the edge of the Tarag harpies' village, his eyes fixed on the distant horizon. The sun had begun to set, casting long shadows across the jagged mountain peaks. The cool breeze carried the scent of the forest, mingling with the anticipation that hung heavy in the air. He could feel the tension building, not just from the harpies around him but from deep within himself. This was it—the moment they had been preparing for.
His sister, Elena, stood beside him, her puma DeeDee close at her side, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon as well. Elena had grown stronger in the past few days, her skills as a Huntress growing more refined, her bond with her companion even deeper. Together, they were becoming a force to be reckoned with.
Gillia, the shadow priestess, stood at a short distance behind them, her calm demeanor betraying the storm that was surely coming. The priestess had proven herself invaluable, her mastery of healing and protective magic strengthening the group's resolve. Every shield she cast, every healing spell she wove, had kept them going through long hours of training and strategizing. Her presence in the heat of battle would be crucial, and Revsha knew it.
He could see the movement in the distance now—shadows shifting against the backdrop of the setting sun. The Skyfangs were coming, led by their self-proclaimed new leader, Valthar, a harpy who had risen to power after the fall of Lotharius. Revsha knew they would be formidable opponents, but he had no intention of letting them succeed. He had already fought battles in this strange world, but this one felt different. This one felt personal.
The enemy was approaching. It was time.
Revsha turned to the two girls, his voice steady despite the weight of what was to come. "Elena, keep DeeDee close. We need to strike fast and hard. Don't let them get too close."
Elena nodded, a determined glint in her eyes. "I won't let them pass," she said, tightening her grip on her bow. DeeDee growled softly beside her, sensing the danger as well.
"Gillia," Revsha said, his gaze turning to the shadow priestess. "You know what to do. Shield the harpies, heal those who fall. Don't let anyone stay down for too long."
Gillia gave a slight nod, her dark eyes focused. "I'll make sure they stay standing," she said, her voice low but full of conviction. She stepped forward, her hands already moving as she prepared the dark magic that would protect their forces.
The village around them had fallen silent, the tension palpable. Revsha could hear the distant war cries of the Skyfangs, their presence growing closer with each passing moment. But there was something different about the way they approached. They weren't charging recklessly. They were preparing for something—something far more calculated than the wild chaos that had once defined their attacks under Lotharius.
Revsha could see the glint of weapons, the flutter of wings, and the movement of shadows across the mountain slopes. It was a war band, but it was organized, with a single purpose in mind: conquest. They were coming for the Tarag harpies, but Revsha would not let them take the land without a fight.
He scanned the battlefield, mentally mapping out their approach. The Skyfangs would come from the right, led by Valthar, who was flying high, his dark silhouette easy to spot against the fading light. Revsha could feel the weight of his gaze even from this distance. Valthar had a commanding presence, one that reminded him of Lotharius, but there was something more dangerous about him—he wasn't just seeking power; he was manipulating those around him to get what he wanted.
"I want them to feel this," Revsha muttered to himself, his voice barely a whisper. "Let them know they've made the wrong choice."
With a final look at Elena and Gillia, he moved toward the front of the village. The harpies were already taking positions, their eyes watching Revsha as if waiting for his command. He was their leader now—whether by choice or fate didn't matter. What mattered was the outcome.
Suddenly, a loud, echoing war cry rang through the air, followed by the rapid beating of wings. The Skyfangs were here.
Revsha's heart rate increased, but his mind remained sharp. "Move out!" he commanded, his voice cutting through the tension. Elena took her place, her bow drawn and ready. Gillia moved quickly to the backlines, her hands weaving protective spells.
As the Skyfangs closed in, Revsha watched them carefully. They were approaching with caution, but they were closing in fast. Valthar was among them, his wings wide, the shadow of his form unmistakable. He was coming for them with everything he had.
The battle had begun.
Revsha barked out his orders, directing Elena to fire on the flanks, while Gillia began her incantations, forming dark shields around their harpies to protect them from the initial wave of attacks. The sky above them became a blur of flapping wings and shouts. The Skyfangs were here in full force, but they were unprepared for the coordination and precision of Revsha's counterattack.
The harpies fought with all the strength they had, but Revsha could see that they were outnumbered. That was where Elena's quick thinking and Gillia's magical prowess came in. Each time an enemy got too close, Elena's arrows found their mark. When the Skyfangs broke through their defenses, Gillia's magic wrapped around them, healing wounds and strengthening their resolve.
Revsha's thoughts were a blur of strategy as he commanded his forces with precision. He could see the determination in his sister's eyes, her puma charging headfirst into battle without hesitation. Gillia's voice rang out behind him, calling down her dark spells to protect those around her. The harpies fought with a renewed strength, empowered by their connection to Revsha and their trust in each other.
But even as they fought back, Revsha couldn't shake the feeling that the true challenge had yet to come. Valthar's forces were still coming in waves, and every movement of the enemy seemed to be calculated to overwhelm them.
"Hold steady!" Revsha shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. "We can't let them break through. Keep fighting!"
But he knew that the battle was far from over. Valthar had something more in mind. The self-proclaimed leader wasn't going to stop until he had everything—and that meant he would take down Revsha and his forces at any cost.
But Revsha wouldn't let that happen. Not while his sister, Gillia, and the harpies trusted him. Not while the legacy of Selene, the hybrid who had once broken the cycle of power, burned brightly in his heart. He would not let history repeat itself. He would end this war, and with it, Valthar's reign of terror.
The Skyfangs were closing in, but Revsha stood firm, determined to protect the land, the people, and the allies who had placed their trust in him. The war had come to the mountains—but Revsha was ready.
The air was thick with the scent of blood and the roar of battle. Revsha stood in the heart of the chaos, his sword gripped tightly, eyes scanning the battlefield. The Tarag harpies were holding their ground, their spears, shields, and bows rising to meet the onslaught of Skyfang warriors.
"Archers! Keep them off the skies!" Revsha commanded. The archers released a volley of arrows, shooting down any Skyfangs attempting to fly above the battlefield. "Shield-bearers, brace! Spearmen, form up in the center!" His orders were sharp, clear, and the harpies moved with precision, creating a formidable defense.
Above them, the Skyfangs—darker and fiercer—began to dive, claws and swords drawn. The first wave of Skyfangs hit with brutal force, their weapons clashing against the Tarag harpies' shields. Revsha barely noticed as his feet moved instinctively, dodging a blow aimed at his head, before retaliating with a swift strike that took down his opponent.
"Hold the line! Don't give an inch!" Revsha shouted, cutting through another Skyfang who attempted to break the shield wall.
Then, from the midst of the battle, a new figure appeared—Valthar. His dark armor gleamed in the sunlight, his wings unfurled like a blackened storm cloud. His eyes locked with Revsha's, and the weight of the moment hit him. The Skyfangs' leader. Their final obstacle.
Valthar's voice was deep, filled with venom. "So, this is the great 'leader' who would challenge me? You, human child, think you can lead these creatures to victory? Let's see how long you last."
Revsha clenched his jaw, pushing through the fatigue that clawed at him. "You're the one who will fall, Valthar."
With a roar, Valthar surged forward, his dark blade crackling with power. The two met in a clash of steel—Valthar's blade against Revsha's sword, the impact sending a shockwave that rattled the ground beneath them.
The battle around them raged on, but for a moment, it was just the two of them. Valthar's strikes were fast, vicious, each one seeking to cut deep, but Revsha's movements were fluid—precise, calculated. He parried and dodged, feeling the weight of the fight on his shoulders, knowing his warriors depended on him.
"You're slow," Revsha taunted, ducking under a wild swing and landing a quick slash across Valthar's side.
Valthar's expression twisted with fury. "You will regret this."
The two clashed again and again, the sound of their swords ringing out across the battlefield. Valthar was relentless, a storm of fury, but Revsha was the calm within it, his blade cutting through the chaos with practiced skill.
With every strike, Revsha could feel his energy draining. But he couldn't stop now. Not when the battle depended on him.
"Your time is up," Revsha said through clenched teeth, his sword flashing as he dodged another strike from Valthar. He saw an opening—a slight misstep from his opponent. With a roar, he lunged forward, his sword plunging deep into Valthar's side, piercing through the armor and into flesh.
Valthar staggered back, his wings faltering. "This... isn't over," he hissed.
Revsha, adrenaline coursing through him, pushed forward with one final, powerful strike. Valthar's wings snapped open in a futile attempt to flee, but he was too slow. The final blow landed, cutting deep across Valthar's chest.
The Skyfang leader let out a final scream before collapsing to the ground. The remaining Skyfangs hesitated, their morale shattered, and one by one, they began to retreat. The Tarag harpies pressed forward, their victory assured.
Revsha stood amidst the battlefield, his sword still gripped tightly in his hand. His body was sore, battered, covered in blood—both his and that of his enemies. The battle was won, but the cost had been great. His vision blurred, the world around him spinning as the weight of exhaustion crashed over him.
He staggered forward, trying to keep his balance, but his legs gave out beneath him. The last thing he saw was his sister Elena, rushing toward him, her face filled with concern. Then everything went dark.
---
When Revsha opened his eyes, he was no longer in the battlefield. He was lying on a soft bed, the scent of herbs and old wood filling the air. He blinked, confused, and pushed himself up, feeling the heavy weight of his body. The room around him was dimly lit, the walls rough-hewn wood, and the air smelled faintly of nature, like a secluded house far from civilization.
His mind raced as he tried to remember what had happened. The battle. Valthar. The victory. But now, everything was quiet. The sounds of battle had faded. He slowly turned his head, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. And there, standing across the room, was a figure.
It was her. Selene.
Her form stood tall, her eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. She said nothing, her gaze focused on him with an unreadable expression. For a moment, it felt as though time had frozen. His heart raced in disbelief. This wasn't a dream—this was real.
Selene's eyes narrowed as she looked at him, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "You, human child… are supposed to have mine legacy? What a joke is this?"
Revsha's breath caught in his throat. The words hit him harder than any battle wound. The air seemed to grow heavier, the weight of her words suffocating him.
Revsha blinked, his vision still hazy as he took in his surroundings, trying to grasp what had just happened. His body felt heavy, but his senses were beginning to sharpen, and the disorienting fog in his mind was starting to clear. He slowly sat up, his muscles sore but functional, and his eyes locked onto the figure standing before him.
She was watching him silently, her presence imposing despite the stillness in the room. The first thing he noticed was her resemblance to the hero he'd heard about—the legendary Selene. She stood tall, her posture confident but weary. Her eyes, however, were what truly drew him in: sharp, intelligent, and full of unspoken stories, though clouded by pain.
Her features, though striking, were more weathered than he'd imagined. She had the appearance of a seasoned survivor, someone who had faced unimaginable battles and lived to tell the tale—if she chose to. Her fur was a dark, deep shade, reminiscent of the beastfolk, yet she was different, her eyes carrying the weight of someone who had seen too much. She looked like a beast who had been hurt, yet there was something more beneath it, something indomitable.
Revsha instinctively studied her, searching for the connections that might explain how he had ended up here and why she felt so familiar. Her stance was defensive but not hostile. She was sizing him up just as much as he was observing her.
He couldn't help but notice the subtle hints of a past life in her eyes—fragments of hope, of resilience, still flickering despite everything she had endured. There was a sadness in the depths of her gaze, but also a spark, a reminder that even the most broken of beings could rise. She seemed amused by him, though not in the mocking way of an enemy—more as if intrigued by his presence, his purpose, and the strange legacy he had somehow inherited.
Revsha felt it, the lingering power that radiated from her, but it was different from what he had expected. She had a similar aura to his, but hers was tempered by years of survival, battle, and sacrifice. She was the original, the inspiration, but he had somehow become something else, something new, born of his own experiences and choices.
A brief silence stretched between them, neither of them speaking. It was as though the air around them was charged with the weight of the moment. It was clear she was waiting for him to speak first, but for some reason, words felt inadequate. Instead, they simply studied each other, each recognizing something familiar and yet fundamentally different.
Her lips curved slightly, a small, amused smile playing on her features, as though she was intrigued by how the legacy she had left behind had morphed into something unexpected. Something she hadn't foreseen.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of silent observation, Revsha spoke, his voice low and tentative. "You… you're her, aren't you? Selene."
She didn't respond immediately. Instead, she tilted her head, her eyes scanning him one last time, as if weighing something deep within him. Then, with a small, knowing smile, she finally broke the silence, but her words were quiet, almost like a whisper meant for herself rather than him.
"Yes," she said softly, "I am Selene... but you are not what I expected."
Revsha's heart skipped a beat. Her gaze sharpened as she observed him closely, no longer amused, but calculating, studying the power he had crafted for himself, the force of will that had forged him into who he was now.
He felt the weight of her unspoken thoughts—the recognition that something had changed, that the path he had taken was not the same as hers, and yet, their legacies had intertwined.
And just as quickly as she had spoken, Selene fell silent again, her attention drifting as though she were deep in thought. There was something intangible about her, a presence that seemed beyond words, something primal and yet deeply aware. She was not the hero of legend Revsha had imagined; she was something more—broken, shaped by the world's cruelty, but not defeated.
As the seconds ticked by, Revsha couldn't help but feel both a sense of awe and unease. She had made her mark on the world in a way that few could, but now, in her silent presence, it was clear that her true legacy was something far more complex than any story he'd heard.
Her gaze flickered back to him for a brief moment, the faintest flicker of understanding in her eyes. Then she turned away slightly, as though contemplating something. There was no grand speech, no powerful declaration of what was to come. Just the unspoken knowledge that their paths had crossed—and that whatever had happened before, whatever had shaped their destinies, was now leading them somewhere new, somewhere neither of them fully understood yet.
And with that, the silence stretched on again, but now, it was no longer uncomfortable. It was simply the calm before something bigger.
Revsha couldn't help but wonder what would come next. But for now, all he could do was wait.