Gale's piercing gaze swept over the group as he shook his head in mock disappointment. "Crimson," he said, his voice calm but laced with disdain, "I've always appreciated how you looked out for us in the past. But this is different. Do you want everything the Knight fought for to go to waste?"
His eyes flicked toward Sebastian's absence, and his lips curled into a sneer. "And now Sebastian—stupid, self-righteous Sebastian—is spouting nonsense about morals the Knight supposedly stood for. It's pathetic. You know as well as I do what needs to be done."
Gale stepped forward, his hand stretching out toward them, his expression deceptively sincere. "Join me. Together, we can end this threat once and for all. We'll kill Miles, find his friend, and deal with her too. This doesn't have to be hard."
His voice softened, almost coaxing. "Especially you, Nox. With your abilities, we can find them easily and this would be over in an instant. No one would get hurt—apart from those from the Outworld of course. That's what they deserve, isn't it? "And if you join me, I'll make Grey stop fighting Sebastian right now. No bloodshed. No more chaos."
The words hung in the air, heavy with implication.
Nox hesitated, her pink eyes flickering with conflict. Lilith reached out to her, gripping her arm. "Nox, don't—"
But Nox shook off Lilith's hand, her movements sharp and deliberate. Without meeting their eyes, she stepped away from the group and crossed the space to stand by Gale.
She turned back toward Crimson and Lilith, her expression clouded but resolute. "I'm sorry," she said softly, the words barely audible over the tension crackling in the air.
A triumphant smile spread across Gale's face as he turned to Lilith. His tone dripped with mock courtesy as he extended his hand to her. "And what about you, Lilith? Will you be joining us?"
The weight of his offer pressed down on Lilith, the choice between allegiance and betraying Crimson dangling precariously in the balance.
Grey's sharp grin faltered as Sebastian's form shrank back to normal, the beast's towering frame dissolving into his human form. Blood poured from Sebastian's left eye as he clawed at it, his teeth gritted in pain.
"Looks like you can be beaten," Grey taunted, raising his invisible crossbow and taking careful aim. His smirk returned, smug and confident. "I just have to be swift and cunning. Like I always am."
Sebastian's body swayed, his breathing heavy, but his eyes burned with unyielding defiance.
Grey's voice turned cold. "This is the end. You fought well, but not well enough." He released the bolt from his crossbow, the projectile whistling through the air toward Sebastian's chest.
But just as it was about to strike, Sebastian's hand shot out with inhuman speed, catching the bolt inches from his heart.
Grey's eyes widened in disbelief. "How… how did you do that?!"
Sebastian smirked, his voice steady despite the blood dripping from his face. "Whoever told you, you were cunning lied to you, airhead."
Without wasting a moment, Sebastian reached into his pouch and pulled out another vial of crimson liquid. Grey's expression twisted with panic as he fumbled to reload the crossbow.
"No!" Grey shouted, his hands trembling as he tried to prepare another shot.
But it was too late. Sebastian downed the vial in one swift motion, the transformation surging through him like wildfire.
His body contorted and expanded, muscles ripping and reforming as his skin turned into shimmering, scaled armour. His torso elongated, his legs and arms reshaping into powerful limbs. His head stretched and sharpened, taking on the menacing, serpentine visage of a drake. Sharp, jagged horns jutted from his head, and his yellow eyes glowed with feral intensity.
Grey took a step back, his confidence visibly cracking. "Shit… a drake?" he whispered, sweat forming on his brow.
Sebastian hissed, his massive form slithering and coiling with frightening speed. Grey pressed his palms together, the air around Sebastian compressing like an invisible vice.
Sebastian roared, his deep, guttural growl shaking the trees around them. His powerful, sinuous body twisted and writhed, forcing its way out of Grey's invisible trap. The air shimmered and cracked as Sebastian broke free, launching himself forward with terrifying speed.
Grey barely managed to leap back, narrowly avoiding Sebastian's razor-sharp claws. The drake's massive body slammed into the ground where Grey had stood, shaking the earth beneath them.
But Grey wasn't defenceless. With a quick motion, he mimed a punch, and an invisible force struck Sebastian square in the jaw. The impact sent the drake flying back into a tree, the wood splintering on impact.
Sebastian shook his massive head, his glowing eyes locking onto Grey with renewed ferocity. Blood trickled from his scaled snout, but the damage didn't slow him down.
Grey smirked, but his victory was short-lived. Pain shot through his face as he touched his face—Sebastian had landed a hit after all. Three deep claw marks ran across Grey's face, blood seeping from the wounds.
He stumbled back, screaming in pain. "You bastard!" he snarled, his voice laced with agony.
Sebastian unleashed a deep, guttural growl that echoed through the forest, sending tremors through the ground as he slinked closer to Grey. His colossal drake form radiated an intense aura of power, the sunlight glinting off his razor-sharp, shimmering scales like a thousand blades ready for battle. The air crackled with tension as the forest seemed to hold its breath in anticipation of the clash to come.
Grey braced himself, sharp eyes darting across Sebastian's form as he analysed every move. His hands trembled slightly, but his expression remained one of fierce determination. "How can you manage so many forms one after the other?" Grey muttered under his breath, his voice steady despite the tension. "Drake's blood is impossible—"
Before he could finish, Sebastian's jaw opened wide, a surge of heat radiating from his throat. Smoke curled ominously from his maw, thick and suffocating, as a low hiss reverberated in the air.
"What the hell?" Grey's voice cracked with disbelief.
A torrent of fire erupted from Sebastian's mouth, roaring like a living inferno. The intense orange flames lit up the forest, the heat palpable even at a distance. The fiery wave slammed into Grey, engulfing him in a searing blaze and sending him hurtling backwards.
Grey's body collided with the stone wall behind him, the impact cracking the surface. His Xeno Corpse armour bore charred marks, the once-pristine surface marred with blackened scorch lines. Gritting his teeth, Grey crossed his arms in front of him in a defensive stance.
"Not bad," he growled, his voice strained. With a sharp movement of his hands, an invisible barrier sprang to life, shimmering faintly as it intercepted the oncoming flames. The heat battered against the shield sparks scattering like shooting stars in the night.
But Sebastian was relentless. He advanced with predatory intent, his enormous form looming over Grey as he poured more flames onto the barrier. The heat was overwhelming, melting the edges of the surrounding terrain and turning the ground beneath them into molten ash.
Grey grunted, his feet digging into the ground as he was pushed back by the sheer force of the flames. Sweat dripped from his brow, his jaw clenched as he maintained the barrier. "Damn it…" he hissed, his voice filled with both frustration and awe.
Sebastian's fiery onslaught didn't waver. His powerful tail lashed out behind him, crashing into a nearby tree and splintering it to pieces. He pushed closer, the flames intensifying as his determination grew.
The invisible shield around Grey began to crack, faint fissures spreading like spiderwebs across its surface. His eyes widened in disbelief, panic flickering in his sharp depths. "Shit… is this the end?" Grey muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible over the relentless roar of flames.
The heat intensified, licking closer to his face as the barrier began to buckle. Sweat poured down his brow as his mind raced. Was this truly the end for Grey?
By the riverbank, Nox stood beside Gale, her sharp gaze locked on Lilith and Crimson. Her body was tense, her thoughts racing as she leaned closer to Gale, her voice low and deliberate. "I understand why Lilith wouldn't want to join," she whispered, her tone calculated.
Gale turned his head slightly, his brow furrowing in confusion. "What?" he asked, his voice edged with suspicion. As he started to turn toward her, it was already too late.
Nox's hand shot out, gripping Gale's shoulder with surprising strength. With a forceful tug, she pulled him backwards into the river. The water erupted with a loud splash as Gale's body hit the surface, disappearing beneath the currents.
Nox wasted no time. She sprinted back to Crimson and Lilith, her breaths coming fast and ragged as adrenaline surged through her veins. She stopped in front of them, her pink eyes blazing with determination.
"Let's move!" she barked, pointing toward a tunnel in the distance where faint sunlight seeped through an opening. "That way!"
Lilith hesitated for a split second, but Crimson grabbed her arm, urging her forward. "You heard her. Let's go!" he said, his voice steady despite the chaos.
Behind them, the sound of water splashing violently drew their attention. Gale rose from the riverbank, his red hair plastered to his face, water streaming off his Xeno Corps armour. His eyes blazed with fury as he snarled, "Damn bitch!"
He bit down hard on his wrist, sharp teeth puncturing the flesh. Blood oozed from the wound, but instead of falling to the ground, it began to solidify mid-air. Crimson streaks twisted and elongated, forming into sharp, gleaming swords that hovered menacingly around him.
Gale's voice was low and venomous as he locked eyes with Nox. "You'll regret that."
Nox didn't flinch, her posture defiant as she glared back. "Not if we keep moving," she said, motioning for Crimson and Lilith to hurry.
The trio sprinted toward the tunnel, the faint glimmer of sunlight their only beacon as Gale's blood-forged weapons hovered ominously, ready to strike.