Demaurion stood on the water, his eyes locked with the Leviathan's glowing yellow gaze. The beast's massive form loomed over him, the dark waters swirling around its immense body. With a deafening roar, the Leviathan unleashed a torrent of power, sending waves crashing into one another.
Demaurion puffed out his cheeks, a small water bubble escaping his nose. "Hmph, the most powerful beast there is in the land... The Leviathan," he muttered to himself. "I think this is one of the worst of Avangard's beasts. You guys go ahead. I'll handle him."
The sea responded, churning with fury as the storm above raged to life. The skies darkened with ominous gray clouds, and the waves grew increasingly violent. Thunder rumbled overhead, followed by a blinding flash of lightning that struck just beside our boat. The sudden jolt sent us flying.
We crashed into the sea beside Demaurion, the waves slamming us in every direction. I shouted over the chaos, "GOOD LUCK, DEMAURION!!!"
But before we could even brace ourselves, a massive tsunami wave, driven by the fierce wind, surged toward us. A second wave, even larger, swallowed the first, tossing our boat high into the air. We were hurled across the vast Gadian Sea, helplessly flying through the storm's chaos.
Miraculously, we landed back in the water, our boat splashing hard into one spot in the middle of the sea. The waves were relentless now, moving faster and fiercer, crashing together with deafening roars. The water below seemed alive, dragging us in every direction as the tide rose higher with each passing second.
Up. Down. Up. Down. Lightning crackled and thunder boomed, the storm turning violent. I gripped the edge of the boat, feeling it rock violently. "Is everyone okay?!" I called out.
"Yup! I think so!" Archie shouted back.
"I think I'm gonna get seasick," Prince groaned weakly, his face turning an unsettling shade of green. A moment later, he threw up over the side of the boat. But before anyone could react, another wave swept us up and tossed us again.
Water surged around us, waves crashing violently together as the storm raged on. The wind howled across the sea, sending the boat into a frenzy of motion. Each wave was stronger than the last, rocking us side to side, up and down. Then, a flash of lightning struck just behind us, the force of it throwing us out of the boat entirely.
I flailed in the water, my arms flapping frantically. "OH, SHOOT! WE'RE GONNA DROWN!" I yelled, the chaos spinning around me.
As I was submerged in the icy water, my heart pounded. Holding my breath, I panicked and kicked, trying to surface. But the waves kept pushing me deeper, spinning me out of control.
Now, there's good news and bad news.
The good news is that I'm pretty good at holding my breath. The bad news? I don't know how to swim. And the salty sea was blinding me, making it impossible to see clearly. The water was dark, a swirling blue abyss, and I kept blinking rapidly as waves pummeled me from every side.
A massive tsunami wave surged underneath me, and before I could do anything, it engulfed me. The power of the wave swept me through the water like a ragdoll. I couldn't control my body, couldn't find a way to swim or breathe. The force pulled me under as the wave crashed with explosive force.
I opened my mouth, desperate for air, but that only made things worse. Water flooded in, and panic surged as I slammed my mouth shut, my eyes squeezed tightly.
The current continued to drag me down. I couldn't find anyone. I didn't know which way was up or down. My body twisted helplessly in the water, tossed about by the storm's fury.
"PRINCE! OLSEN! ARCHIE! POWER?! ARE YOU GUYS THERE?!" I screamed, my voice hoarse against the roar of the storm.
I opened my mouth to shout again, but the ocean responded, swallowing my words as water rushed into my mouth.
A final wave slammed into me, pulling me back beneath the surface. I closed my eyes again, feeling my body sinking deeper, heavier, and colder with every passing second. My movements slowed, and soon, I was still, floating aimlessly. A tiny bubble escaped from my nose as I drifted further under the water.
And then… everything went black.
A Few Hours Later...
Faint voices echoed in the distance, gradually pulling me from unconsciousness. It felt like I was sitting on something soft, though my mind was too fuzzy to make sense of it at first. The voices murmured:
"Is he gonna be alright?"
"Just wake up already, man!"
"Give him some space."
I heard another voice, stronger and more commanding:
"Alright, back up, guys. He's waking up."
I slowly blinked my eyes open, and the first thing I realized was that I was somewhere completely unfamiliar. The air was heavy with dust, and the harsh wind whipped it around like a constant force. I tried to sit up, feeling a slight ache in my body. Looking around, I realized I was lying on the ground of the Sand Dunes—a vast, dusty expanse with towering sand dunes that had shifted through the ages. The sky was completely obscured by swirling sandy brown dust, casting everything in a pale, bright light. It felt like I'd been transported to some distant planet.
I turned my gaze to my arm, where I noticed a neatly wrapped bandage. Looking up, I saw Olsen, Prince, Demaurion, Archie, and Power—along with someone I wasn't expecting to see: Ella. She peered down at me, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity.
"You okay?" she asked, her voice soft.
I pushed myself up, dusting off my clothes. "Yeah, I'm fine," I said, though I couldn't help but glance at the bandage on my arm again.
Ella wore a brown mask that covered her mouth, a feature that matched her Desert Cat heritage—yellowish-brown fluffy ears and a tail swaying behind her. She was dressed in a brown jacket over a light brown shirt.
"You did this?" I asked, referring to the bandage.
She nodded. "Yeah. I saw you were hurt after you… well, after you nearly drowned. There was a stick that did some damage to your arm."
"Thanks," I said, appreciating her help.
Ella gave a small giggle. "Now, how about we head back to the Pyramids of Markilao and get some rest?"
"Yeah, sure," I agreed, following the group as we began our trek across the dunes. The wind swept across the sand, but the movement was gentle, almost like it was a part of the desert itself. The sand beneath our feet made the most satisfying sound as we walked—like soft, crunching snow. Each step created a brief echo before the sound faded away, only to repeat with the next step.
"So, one of the most powerful Elementanites, huh?" Ella said, breaking the silence.
"Gee, thanks. I didn't know that," I replied, half-joking.
She continued, "I mean, it's fascinating how you guys adapt. Like how you use your wings as a blanket or sleep like a bat. And your tail—it changes color based on your emotions. That's pretty unique."
I chuckled at the thought, realizing just how different Celestianites must seem to others. "Yeah, we're a pretty interesting bunch," I muttered to myself.
"Have you ever been to the Sand Dunes before?" she asked, her head tilting slightly.
I scratched the back of my head. "Not really… I only know about it from the CL War."
Ella's expression turned thoughtful. "I'm still kinda freaked out about that Dark Don guy. Where did he even come from, and why is he after you?"
"I don't know," I admitted, shaking my head. "But I think he just wants to be my rival or something. It's not anything too serious."
That's when Ella glanced up at my wings, noticing something that I hadn't even realized. "Hey, where did your scales go?"
I looked down at my wings, surprised by how smooth they had become. "Oh, those scales? I lost them in a battle with King Scar," I explained, brushing off the thought.
After a few more hours of walking through the dunes, we finally reached the Pyramids of Markilao. The five massive pyramids towered over the landscape, spread out in the distance like ancient sentinels.
Ella smirked. "Let's go in, shall we?"
We entered the central pyramid, and I was immediately struck by how incredible it looked. The walls were made of sand bricks, and the floor was covered with rectangular tiles, some of which were dusted with sand. At the center, there was a huge table crafted entirely from sand, surrounded by sand couches on the far side. A large, ornate light hung from the apex of the pyramid, casting a warm glow throughout the space. The walls were decorated with fossils—remains of ancient Celestianites and Lunaranites who had fought here long ago.
"So, what exactly are we doing here?" Prince asked, eyeing the surroundings.
"We're here because this is the perfect place to train you guys," Power answered, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "I'm going to train all five of you—Don, Olsen, Prince, Demaurion, and Archie—how to become official warriors. This is gonna take three days, and by the end of it, you'll all be true heroes."
My eyes widened in excitement. Did I hear that right? A training arc… with THE Power? I was about to burst with energy.
"Oh, this is gonna be GREAT!" Olsen shouted, equally hyped.
Power chuckled. "Alright, alright, calm down, you kids." But before he could finish, I gave him an impromptu hug, my tail glowing bright yellow with joy.
Power pushed me away, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah, alright. Let's get to work."
Day 1
The first day of training was brutal. Power had us do physical exercises to test our strength, and it was nothing short of hell. We had to lift heavy weights and do at least 50 push-ups in five minutes. Olsen, of course, crushed it—not because he was fast, but because he was ridiculously strong. He lifted twice the weight we were supposed to handle without breaking a sweat.
I was strong too—I managed the weight without much trouble. But Prince? Well, he struggled. Demaurion, fueled by anger, powered through the exercise like it was nothing, while Archie… yeah, let's just say he wasn't faring much better than Prince.
I did five reps, but Olsen—Olsen did a ridiculous 60. I felt a twinge of jealousy.
Power scanned our stats after the exercise:
Don: Stamina 50%, Strength 30%, Speed 80%, Durability 50%.
Olsen: Strength 100%, Stamina 100%, Speed 45%, Durability 50%.
Prince: Strength 25%, Speed 100%, Stamina Infinite, Durability 29%.
Demaurion: Strength 29%, Speed 60%, Stamina 35%, Durability 30%.
Archie: Strength 15%, Speed 20%, Stamina 16%, Durability 18%.
"Archie, you're gonna need to work harder," Power muttered, before pushing us through more intense exercises. By the end of the day, we'd all improved—especially me. My strength shot up to 92%, and even Olsen's got an increase, pushing his strength to 110%.
Day 2
The second day was all about speed and reaction time. We tested our speed outside, running across the sand. Olsen failed due to his lack of speed, though he still pushed through. Prince and Archie passed, though Archie's success surprised me considering his element wasn't exactly designed for speed. Demaurion struggled too, but he got better with time.
When it was my turn, I passed easily. My Celestial abilities had made me faster than ever, even more so than when I fought King Scar.
Later, Power tested our reaction times with a fake valorent gun, and as usual, I passed. My dragon instincts kicked in, and I dodged the shot before it even got close.
Day 3
The final day was the most exciting: learning to use our Elemental abilities. Power explained that our Elements weren't just for combat—they were for survival too. Each of us had a unique fighting style that we could combine with our powers to enhance our abilities.
"Movesets are key," Power said, after explaining how gladiators use them in battle. "Mastering a moveset could make all the difference in a fight."
I was practically vibrating with excitement. The idea of creating my own moveset? That sounded like the next step in becoming a real hero.
As the day ended, the sun set over the dunes. The sky darkened, the stars began to twinkle, and the moon cast its silvery glow over the land. Inside the pyramid, the lights went out, and Ella, who had been silently watching, likely turned them off. The crickets and snakes made their noises outside, and I found myself flying up to a handlebar that stretched across the room. I hung upside down, looking down at my friends in the dim light, their figures silhouetted against the darkening sky.
Ella had already prepared sleeping bags for everyone, and the peaceful quiet of the night washed over me.
I had a feeling that the next few days were going to change everything.