Chapter 21- The Warlord's Oath
The temple doors groaned shut behind them, sealing away the horrors they had endured inside. Helios staggered forward, his body torn, burned, and bruised from the trial. His breath was ragged, and his fingers twitched from lingering agony, but in his grasp was his prize—a sword that could withstand the fury of the sun.
Flimlight sat on the temple steps, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth as he watched Helios emerge. The warlord's piercing eyes studied the bloodied warrior, his expression unreadable. He rolled a small piece of metal between his fingers, shaping it absentmindedly into a tiny blade before letting it melt into liquid once more.
"You're reckless, impulsive, and damn near suicidal," Flimlight said, flicking the liquid metal away. "I like that."
Helios wiped blood from his mouth, glaring. "You put me through hell back there. And now you want to tag along?"
Flimlight chuckled, the deep rumble of his voice almost mocking. "You got potential, kid. You just don't know how to control it yet. I've spent years crushing wannabe legends beneath my boot, but you? You might actually shake the gods from their throne. That's something I wouldn't mind witnessing firsthand."
Helios clenched his fists, anger still boiling beneath his skin, but he couldn't deny the truth in Flimlight's words. The warlord had humbled him, torn him apart in battle, and yet he wasn't offering submission—he was offering allegiance. A powerful ally, one who had nothing left to prove.
Before Helios could answer, the rest of his crew approached. Bow, Prometheus, and Ariadne halted at the sight of the two warriors facing each other without weapons drawn. Bow raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"Let me guess, we missed the part where you became best friends?" he said.
Helios exhaled sharply, still feeling the soreness in his ribs, then extended a bloodied hand. Flimlight grinned and clasped it firmly. The air between them felt electric—a silent promise of destruction to come.
"Then it's settled," Flimlight said, cracking his knuckles. "Where to next?"
Ariadne stepped forward, unfurling an ancient scroll she had managed to take from the temple. "The texts spoke of another Apex Gem… on an island far from here. But something is strange about it. The writing changes, shifting constantly. Even I can't fully decipher it."
Helios' eyes narrowed. There was only one word he could make out, glowing faintly on the parchment's surface.
"White Room," he murmured.
A chilling breeze passed through them, as if the very world acknowledged the gravity of the words. The ship awaited, and their journey would continue—but none of them knew what awaited them on the island ahead.
And they weren't the only ones looking for the Apex Gem.
As they set sail they saw schools of fish and all kinds of magical beasts. The crew in awe. After a few days Helios and his crew stepped onto the desolate island, a place where countless outlaws had come searching for an Apex Gem, only to vanish. The air was thick with tension, the scent of salt and blood lingering as they moved cautiously through the ruins of old battlegrounds. Flimlight had split from them, searching for any sign of the missing Apex Gem while Helios, Bow, Prometheus, and Ariadne pushed forward.
The ground rumbled. A gust of wind kicked up a cloud of dust. And then, two figures emerged from the shadows of a crumbling temple: Aloe Alpaca, a towering half-human, half-alpaca warrior with golden fur and a calm, almost lazy expression, and Aloe Alpaca Jr., a younger, leaner figure with wolf-like features and piercing eyes that glowed with quiet amusement.
"You guys lost or something?" Aloe Alpaca asked, stretching his arms. His voice was lighthearted, as if this were just another day of casual entertainment.
"We're here for the Apex Gem," Helios said, stepping forward. "If you have it, we'll take it."
Aloe Alpaca Jr. smirked. "Oh? You mean this?" He held up his palm, and there, embedded in his skin, was the Universe Gem, shimmering with untold power. "I already claimed it. And I'm not giving it up."
Helios' eyes narrowed. "Then we'll take it from you."
The Alpaca Bros exchanged glances and burst into laughter. "Alright, then," Aloe Alpaca said, cracking his knuckles. "Let's play."
The Battle Begins
Helios charged first, vanishing in a flash of speed, his fist crashing towards Aloe Alpaca Jr.'s face—only to be effortlessly caught. A casual flick of the wrist sent Helios skidding backward, tearing through the earth like a ragdoll.
Bow roared, summoning his Power Power Gem's strength and hurling a titanic punch at Aloe Alpaca. But before it could land, Aloe Alpaca gently placed a finger against Bow's forehead and blink—Bow was launched miles backward, skipping across the landscape like a pebble across water.
Prometheus unsheathed both swords, his Sky Dance technique lighting up the battlefield in a flurry of slashes. But Aloe Alpaca Jr. sighed, stepping forward with a lazy motion, and in an instant, Prometheus was on his knees, his blades shattered, a fist buried so deep in his gut that blood erupted from his mouth.
Ariadne unleashed her magical onslaught, warping space around Aloe Alpaca, trying to distort his very existence. But he yawned, stretched, and walked right through it, his palm gently tapping her forehead—BOOM—she cratered into the ground, coughing violently, her vision blurring.
Helios erupted with power, his Apex Gems flaring wildly. Flames, water, and raw force coalesced as he summoned his strongest attacks.
Aloe Alpaca simply smiled.
Then, they moved.
Helios didn't even see it happen—one moment, he was standing, the next, he was gone. Aloe Alpaca Jr. had appeared behind him, gripping his skull and slamming him face-first into the ground, dragging him through the dirt like a toy before hurling him skyward.
Helios barely had time to react before Aloe Alpaca was above him, driving a knee into his back, sending him plummeting. The impact shattered the ground upon his landing. Blood poured from Helios' mouth, his limbs screaming in agony.
Bow was barely getting up when Aloe Alpaca Jr. grabbed his ankle and swung him into Prometheus like a club, both warriors collapsing in a heap. Ariadne tried teleporting but found herself standing in the same place over and over—Aloe Alpaca was manipulating the very space around her.
Then came the worst of it.
Helios roared, his lines activating, the rectangles on his cheeks glowing as he surged forward in one final, desperate attempt. He called upon the full extent of his Apex Gems, fusing fire, water, and raw power into a singular, monstrous strike aimed at Aloe Alpaca's face.
Aloe Alpaca blinked.
And then Helios' own attack hit him.
Aloe Alpaca had redirected the force instantly, folding reality in such a way that Helios had punched himself. He was sent flying, landing in a motionless heap.
The Alpaca Bros stood over their battered bodies, unfazed, their expressions still lighthearted.
"Well," Aloe Alpaca said, hands on his hips. "That was fun."
Aloe Alpaca Jr. chuckled, nudging Helios with his foot. "Gotta admit, I like this guy's guts. Stupid as hell, but gutsy."
The Aftermath
Helios groaned, barely conscious. He felt the warmth of a healing spell from Ariadne, her magic weak but working. Bow coughed, rolling onto his side, his face swollen beyond recognition. Prometheus wiped the blood from his mouth, glaring up at the Alpaca Bros with something between fury and begrudging respect.
Aloe Alpaca crouched down next to Helios, grinning. "You guys are hopelessly outclassed, but you've got spirit. I like that."
Aloe Alpaca Jr. crossed his arms. "You're taking on the government and God, huh?"
Helios weakly nodded.
Aloe Alpaca smirked. "Cool. I respect it."
Aloe Alpaca Jr. stretched, yawning. "Guess we should help them out a little, huh?"
Aloe Alpaca grinned. "Yeah. You guys are crazy, and I love crazy." He extended a hand to Helios. "Come on. Let's teach you a few things."
Helios, broken and battered, reached out and took it.
This loss wasn't the end.
It was just another step forward.