Chương 9: Episode 6: Getting Prepared

I woke up and looked down from my perch. Everyone else was already up. Guess I overslept again. Sunlight poured through the entrance, casting golden beams onto the floor. The sky outside was a flawless blue, glowing with the sun's radiant energy. The clouds drifted by — fast, but peacefully. Tumbleweeds rolled across the tall, thick sand dunes, and the wind whooshed like usual, rushing past with a familiar hum.

I unfolded my dragon wings and glided gently back down to the ground, landing with a soft thud on my feet. Ella and Power were at the table, casually munching on breakfast. The others? Already outside, deep in training mode. I stepped through the doorway and spotted them, each locked in their own element-honed battle routines. Lemme break down what I saw: Olsen's Earth Moveset Seismic Smash: He slams the ground with raw force, sending out a shockwave that could wreck everything in his path.

Rolling Smash: He stomps the ground, launching a boulder into the air, then spin-kicks it straight at the enemy like a meteor. Spiky Ground: A quick punch creates five massive, jagged rock spikes jutting up from the ground. Earth Pillar: His arm transforms into a rocky pillar, extending like a battering ram to strike from a distance. Insane Collateral Damage: Olsen wraps himself in earth armor, then triggers a quake that erupts with 30 tightly packed earth spikes all around him.

Prince's Lightning Moveset Electrical Charge: He lunges forward, electricity crackling as he delivers a thunderclap punch that leaves a shockwave behind. 500 Volts: Charging up, he zips in with a blur of punches, dashes around the opponent, and ends it with a hurricane kick that explodes on contact. 10, 000 Volts: A massive lightning beam erupts from his hands, leveling anything caught in its path.

Fry: He drains electricity from nearby sources, then blitzes around the opponent, forming a lightning vortex before sending them sky-high — and axe-kicking them back down. 3. 5 Million Volts: He condenses a huge ball of lightning in his hand and slams it down, sending out a frying shockwave that can roast any limb used to launch it. Demaurion's Water Moveset Tidal Beam: A focused water beam with pressure that adapts — weak when he's tired, brutal when he's fired up.

Flood: A massive water vortex crashes down, slamming and potentially crushing his target with sheer weight and pressure. Tidal Slash: A high-pressure water slash sharp enough to cut through solid rock. Tsunami Wave: He summons a devastating wall of water capable of obliterating anything in its path — and drowning the careless. Water Domain: Demaurion submerges the area in an illusion-like underwater world, pulling enemies into a drowning battlefield.

Archie's Fire Moveset Burning Fireball: A soccer ball-sized flame projectile, sizzling with power. Burning Boom: He claps his flaming fists together, creating a burst of fire that incinerates everything in front of him. Fire Beam: A continuous stream of fire that detonates on impact. Flaming Gauntlets: Fire-forged gauntlets boost his melee attacks to scorching levels. Blazing Hell: He forms a gigantic fireball in his hands and slams it down, triggering a fiery explosion that devours the battlefield.

My (Don's) Celestial Moveset Spin Drop: Mid-air, I spin into a celestial vortex and crash down with explosive force. Celestial Uppercut: My fists glow with energy as I unleash a rising uppercut that detonates on contact. 5 50-50-50 Celestial Dropkick: I power up, teleport around randomly, and launch a brutal dropkick — double-footed and devastating. Celestial Bash: I toss the enemy skyward, teleport above, and hammer them with a fistful of celestial fury.

Blinding Destruction: I clap, flashbang the opponent, summon 10 mirrors, and phase into pure energy — bouncing mirror to mirror at light speed before smashing their face and shattering the mirrors in one blazing punch.

"Yo, morning y'all! How's it going?" I waved as I walked over. Olsen turned after finishing a Seismic Smash and grinned.

"Good! You?"

"Chillin'. Kinda can't believe we're actually training with the Power Z though." Demaurion sliced a cactus clean in half with a Tidal Slash.

"Who knows… maybe one day we'll be the next Heroes of Avangard, all thanks to him." I flopped onto the sand and looked up at the sun. The desert heat was brutal, but the wind whistling past and the tumbleweeds rolling by gave the morning a peaceful vibe, kind of like back home in Iris Town. After a quick stretch, I got to work. The moves were no joke. Timing the teleport for the 50-50-50 Celestial Dropkick took forever to lock down, and Celestial Bash wasn't any easier.

Blinding Destruction was an entire workout on its own—clapping and turning into pure energy came naturally enough, but landing the final punch at lightspeed kept throwing off my balance. Still, I kept grinding. Punches, jabs, spin kicks, and even a few backhands aimed at Casper. Every time purple sparks crackled off my skin, I could feel the rhythm getting tighter until the moves finally clicked. Just as the sun started to turn, Power and Ella stepped out of the pyramid.

Power's blue aura sparked like a live wire while he cracked his knuckles.

"Alright guys—today's the day you get to fight me." Prince jumped so high in excitement he accidentally zapped Olsen, who immediately swiped at him. Power just smirked, stepping forward as energy sizzled across his hands.

"So… who's going first?"

"Hold on," Ella interrupted, stepping between us.

"Before you guys start beating each other up, I've got something to show you." At Foreshade Werewolves howled in the distance, their cries cutting through the storm. Above the kingdom, a silver moon hung over a black landscape dominated by towering obsidian structures, each pulsing with a dim purple aura. Thick black fog crawled through the valley floor toward the center of the realm. King Dreadixz's castle rose up like a spiky, monstrous tower surrounded by jagged black mountains.

Four dark stone bridges stretched from the corners of the fortress to the surrounding cliffs, though only one ancient, crumbling span led to the main entrance. Past the portcullis, the grand hall was lined with obsidian pillars topped by raging violet flames. Skulls littered the stone floor, some stacked in piles and others scattered carelessly across a red carpet lined with gold trim.

Stained-glass windows cast diamond-shaped patterns of purple light across a throne carved from black rock, framed by a tattered banner bearing a bone-white crescent moon. Seated on the throne was King Dreadixz. A tattered purple cape draped over his polished black samurai armor, and a jagged stone mask covered one side of his face, leaving his bare eye glowing with lunar energy. Massive black dragon wings unfurled from his back, while his barbed tail coiled against the stone floor.

A heavy knock echoed against the gates.

"Enter," Dreadixz said, his voice sounding like gravel. The gates creaked open, and Dark Don stepped into the hall. His metal-plated shoes clicked against the stone as he approached the throne and offered a low bow.

"Master," he said.

"I've served loyally as your second-in-command, and I remain honored. But I bring grave news. The five children are the Chosen Ones. If they locate the Lost Key, our reign ends before it begins." He paused, pulling an object from beneath his cloak.

"Which is why I brought you this: the Black Power Gem—the Incarceration Gem." Shadows swirled around the surface of the gem, twisting like spirits trapped inside. Dreadixz stood up, his eyes glowing as he used his telekinesis to lift the stone directly into his palm.

"You've never failed me, Dark Don. So loyal, so perfect. Perhaps when I pass into the afterlife, you'll take my place."

"I accept the honor, King Dreadixz." Dreadixz turned the gem in his clawed hand.

"This gem doesn't serve its wielder—it consumes them. It's a shame Incarceration Z is still loyal to the Zeniths, but I brought my own solution." He turned toward the entry archway.

"OVERBRAWL!" A red and orange glow spilled into the hall as Overbrawl walked in, sparks trailing from the tattered red scarf behind him. Red energy flared around his arms, matching the fury in his eyes. Dark Don smirked.

"A wise choice, my king. Overbrawl was once one of Power's greatest rivals. His Element is pure chaos." Overbrawl stared up at the throne, his pupils flickering with orange energy.

"You summoned me?" he said, his voice low.

"If this is a waste of time, I'll kill you where you sit. You've got ten seconds." Dreadixz sneered, glancing over at Dark Don with annoyance. Overbrawl didn't care about Dreadixz or his crown—he only cared as long as the gold kept coming.

"When will you learn to kneel before your king?" Dreadixz growled.

"I don't kneel for overgrown dragon tyrants," Overbrawl snapped.

"I don't care about your war, I care about gold. Give me the job, or I'm leaving." Dreadixz took a slow breath, his claw tightening around his throne.

"I have a mission for you. Find the Chosen Ones and eliminate them." At the Sand Dunes"Welcome to the Dune Kingdom." Ella spread her arms, presenting the city below like she was introducing a main stage performance. The whole town looked like an impossible sandbox: spires, towers, and houses carved from sand that somehow refused to collapse. Dunenanite Dragons, Chimeras, glowing stone statues, and giant mythic reptiles walked the streets together. It was retro-sandcore, and honestly, it looked awesome.

I scanned the crowd with the guys—Olsen, Prince, Demaurion, and Archie—and froze. Queen Dune was casually strolling through the plaza, chatting with citizens like she was discussing the weekend weather. She wore a sandy-brown gown that shimmered under the sun, a circular crown resting over her hair, completely unbothered. Total royalty control. Power stood beside me with his arms crossed.

"Dune doesn't want war," he said softly.

"Used to be a different story, though. Forestinites, Lunaranites—people keep marching in looking for trouble."

"How's the city even standing then?" I asked, scanning the grit-smudged sky. Power leaned in.

"They moved the heart of the kingdom. To outsiders, the city is just a mirage. If you can see it, you're not considered an immediate threat. Doesn't mean there aren't monsters out there, though." I gave a thumbs-up to the group.

"Cool. That means the next beast is on me. I'll wrap this up in no time." Naturally, instead of taking the stairs, I launched off the ridge in a burst of purple celestial energy. For a split second, the Dunenanites ignored me. Then they looked up, realized a flying idiot from the sky was about to crater their main street, and scattered. WHAM. My face hit the sand in the most dramatic crash possible.

I bowled straight through the plaza, kicked up a massive dust cloud, plowed through a window, and landed directly in a bathtub. SPLASH. Bubbles exploded everywhere. A twenty-something dragon-girl with caramel-colored wings stared at me mid-bath like I was a giant pest. Bubbles clung to her shoulders, her jaw dropped, and my entire face flushed bright red. I let out the most pathetic, "Hi…?" I could manage. She shrieked and tail-whipped me back through the window.

I went airborne again, sailed across the street, and slammed right onto the stone tiles in front of Queen Dune. My vision swirled in cartoon circles as the guys stood over me like a disappointed jury.

"Bud," Prince grinned, extending a hand.

"You really need to practice landing." I dusted the sand out of my hair, coughed for effect, and straightened up in front of the Queen, who looked genuinely amused.

"Name's Dune," she said, her voice smooth and precise.

"And you are?"

"Don—Lens Don, the Celestianite." I offered my hand with as much overconfident flair as I could muster. She chuckled, giving it a shake.

"A pleasure, Don." Behind me, half the royal guards malfunctioned. The simping energy in the plaza was palpable. My tail flicked pink, but I played it off immediately. Totally composed.

"You've come to deal with the tyrant?" Dune asked, crossing her arms.

"Yeah," I said, flexing my arm as a tiny purple spark flickered off my fingers.

"Pretty sure it's nearby." Her gaze shifted over to Ella.

"Ella, darling! What a surprise." Ella gave a short bow.

"Your Highness. I'm sure you remember Power?"

"Unfortunately," Dune teased.

"Still stubborn as ever." Power sighed.

"It's been a thousand years and you haven't changed either." Dune's smile faded as her voice dropped.

"You arrived at a dangerous time. The Markilao Titanoboa has woken up. It's not just a mind-blind beast—it moves faster than a sandstorm and tracks sound and motion."

"Sounds lovely," I deadpanned.

"It spits golden venom hotter than magma," she continued.

"And illusions won't trick it for long."

"No problem, ma'am. Let me do the talking to this big snake thi—" BOOM. The plaza erupted. Thousands of tons of sandstone, earth, and shattered street blasted upward into the sky as the ground split wide open. Buildings shook, the crowd scattered screaming, and the temperature spiked instantly. A deep hiss rolled across the canyon like ten thousand blades grinding together.

Slowly, a massive mountain of muscle and golden scales rose out of the dark abyss, twisting high into the night sky until its shadow swallowed the entire horizon. You couldn't even see where the tail ended. I stared up at the towering monster, my brain struggling to comprehend the scale.

"I expected it to be long… NOT THAT THICK AND LONG!" The Titanoboa answered my disrespect immediately. Its colossal tail dropped out of the sky, casting a shadow that covered the entire plaza.

"OH COME ON—" The impact blasted through the stone, shattering surrounding buildings and sending a shockwave ripping through the streets. I got launched backward, flipping through the air before slamming both daggers into the sandstone floor to brake. Sparks flew off the blades as my sneakers carved deep trenches into the dirt until I finally skidded to a halt. Then everything went quiet. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

I looked up to find the Titanoboa staring right at me, its golden eyes narrowed as a bright molten glow flared inside its throat.

"…Uh oh." A stream of liquid gold erupted across the battlefield, melting through stone structures like butter before detonating against the far wall in a massive plume of fire and sand. I rolled across the dirt, dodging the blast by inches. I pulled myself up, pointing a finger at the serpent.

"Okay. Note to self—" The building behind me exploded into rubble.

"DON'T LET IT BREATHE!" I took off, celestial energy blasting off my soles as the desert blurred past. One leap, two leaps—I launched off the crest of a dune and landed squarely on the Titanoboa's back. I drove my daggers down repeatedly, but metal clanged against scales like I was stabbing a tank. The snake twisted wildly, sending sandstorms spiraling around us as it coiled into the sky. Then its movements changed. Its eyes tracked my trajectory before I even made my move—it was learning my rhythm.

"Oh, that's bad." Its tail whipped upward, catching me mid-air and launching me straight into the clouds. I flipped upside down, aimed both blades toward the giant head below, and fired.

"CELESTIAL BURST!" A beam of purple energy slammed into its snout, blasting scales loose and forcing it backward. But within half a second, the beast snapped its head back up and locked onto me again.

"WHY DOES EVERYTHING SMART TRY TO KILL ME?!"

"Don! Its eyes!" Dune's voice echoed through the canyon. Mirage energy rippled across the sand, fracturing reality until dozens of celestial clones of me sprinted across the plaza in every direction. The Titanoboa paused, snapping its head left and right to figure out which one was real. I grinned.

"It's confused!" Three seconds later, the snake swept its tail across the floor, wiping out every single clone instantly before staring straight at the real me.

"Okay, it's not confused! Did I just watch a hundred of me get wiped out?!"

"Focus!" Dune called out. The Titanoboa slammed its body down, cracking the street apart. I tumbled into the resulting crater as glowing venom dripped down from above, igniting the air into a furnace.

"IT SPITS FIRE TOO?!"

"WATER WALL!" Demaurion shouted, slamming both palms onto the ground. A wave of water burst forward, crashing into the flames and creating a massive wall of blinding steam. The Titanoboa charged through the mist like a runaway train, shaking the stone floor beneath us. I burst out from the smoke, panting and bleeding, my daggers burning bright purple. I pointed one blade straight at the giant snout.

"Alright, I'm locked in now." We lunged at the same time. The Titanoboa snapped its jaws forward as I launched into the air, daggers clashing against fangs. Golden sparks showered over us, and a splash of venom hit my hoodie, burning through the fabric. Pain flared across my chest, but I flared my celestial aura outward, forming a shield just in time. The barrier cracked under the heat, but held. Before I could clear out, the snake wrapped its massive body around me.

Pressure slammed into my ribs, locking my lungs as the scales tightened around my armor.

"DON!" Olsen yelled from the edge of the crater. I ground my teeth together, purple light pouring from my eyes.

"CELESTIAL OVERRIDE—IGNITION MODE!" A shockwave of pure energy erupted from my body, forcing the coils to snap open. Radiant wings of gold and violet flared from my back, lighting up the dust storm. The Titanoboa reared up over the city as Dune raised her staff, shattering the sky into mirrored reflections that threw the monster off balance.

"FINISH IT!" Dune yelled. I shot into the sky, pouring every remaining drop of celestial power into my daggers until the blades burned like twin suns. The Titanoboa opened its jaws, golden fire gathering in its throat, and lunged upward.

"THIS IS FOR MARKILAO!" I dove straight into the flames and drove both daggers deep into its forehead. Everything went dead silent for a second—then the celestial energy detonated. A column of purple light blasted into the clouds, scattering the sandstorm and illuminating the entire kingdom. When the smoke cleared, the Titanoboa crashed onto the sand like a collapsing ridge. I landed on one knee inside the crater, smoke curling off my suit as the beast lay motionless in the distance.

Dune walked over through the settling dust.

"You fought beyond reason." I let out a weak laugh, wiping a smudge of dirt off my chin.

"Honestly, the only thing I'm thinking about is how UNPROTECTED this city is." A few citizens chuckled, and within seconds, the whole plaza erupted into cheers as the Dunenanites emerged safely from hiding. I looked out over the city of Markilao, grinning as my tail wagged against the sand. We actually pulled it off. A Few Hours Later After Olsen and the others trained to fight Power, when they came back to me at the Pyramid, their results were pretty good. (Archie failed, he gets a re-match).

The wind blew through my skin and I already knew that I'm about to go next. I saw Power from afar in the near sand, so I slowly walked towards him through the wind. The desert at night always felt too big. Stars stretched forever, the dunes rolled like waves, and the air had that still silence that made even breathing sound loud. My shoes crunched into the sand as the wind brushed by, carrying the scent of dust and moonlight. Power floated beside me, his aura glowing blue like a tiny star.

"Peaceful, right?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said, squinting toward the horizon.

"Just ignore the part where we've been walking through sand for an hour straight." He chuckled.

"You're about to forget all about the sand." I frowned.

"What's that supposed to—" Before I could finish, everything twisted. The dunes shattered like glass. The stars flickered and warped. For a split second, I felt like my whole body got yanked through a portal made of lightning. The world rebuilt itself around me. No more desert. No moonlight. Instead, a city stretched in every direction, skyscrapers gleaming with blue and violet veins of energy. Clouds rippled overhead, glowing faintly like storm clouds waiting to burst. And me?

I was standing sideways on the side of a building.

"Wait—WHOA—!" My feet slipped, and I windmilled my arms like a cartoon character trying not to die. The gravity felt all wrong.

"Bro, what is—how are we—THIS IS NOT NORMAL!" Across from me, on the opposite skyscraper, Power stood completely chill, arms crossed, aura glowing like a comet.

"Relax," he called out, grinning.

"My Element can create Domains, artificial spaces for training. Think of it like a hyper-reality battleground. Gravity's just… flexible here." I clung to a window ledge, glaring at him.

"Flexible?! I'm about to flex into the pavement if I slip!" Power laughed.

"You'll get used to it. Every part of this place responds to energy, your movement, your aura, even your thoughts." I glanced down. The "ground" was a thousand feet below, twisting like liquid light.

"Yeah, totally comforting," I muttered. Then Power raised a hand, the whole city flickered, and suddenly the walls beneath my feet stabilized. My shoes gripped firm again.

"Better?" he asked. I took a cautious step forward, testing it.

"Still weird… but yeah." Power smirked.

"Good. Because now that you're balanced—" He slammed his fists together, blue energy exploding from his body, lighting up the entire skyline.

"—we train." My aura flared in response, violet light igniting around me.

"Figures," I said, crouching low, grin spreading.

"You just couldn't resist showing off." He shrugged.

"What can I say? It's kind of my thing." The city trembled. Neon lights pulsed. Two elements, blue and violet, burned through the skyline like twin stars colliding. And in that suspended city of light, the real battle began.

"GO!" I blasted off the building, debris bursting into the air in a rippling violet streak, and hurtled toward Power. He darted back, glowing cobalt, a serrated line of energy slicing through the clouds. With a war cry, he swung his fists. We collided, unleashing a shockwave of violet and blue light that cascaded outward and rattled the entire skyline as our arms flared with energy. Power grinned.

"GREAT CLASH! BUT THINK FAST!" His fists blurred. An uppercut detonated against me, bursting into a blinding flash.

"RAH!" He spun midair and cracked me across the face, blasting me through the city. My body ripped between towers as celestial energy crackled across my skin. Power zipped from rooftop to rooftop, ricocheting off every surface with thunderous booms that toppled buildings into clouds of debris.

"BALANCE, DON!" his voice echoed.

"BALANCE!" I backflipped through the smoke, violet energy sparking wildly around me. My feet dug into shattered concrete and skidded to a halt as dust exploded around my legs. I whipped out my daggers and spun them through the air in a blur.

"OKAY THEN!" I lunged forward with celestial fire blazing from my eyes. Power's feet slammed into the ground, sending shards of concrete spiraling through the haze. We launched at the same time, energy compressing between us as the distance vanished.

"GRAH!!!" Our fists collided, detonating a radiant shockwave that painted the storm in violet and blue. I bent back, gritting my teeth.

"GOT YOU, POWER!" My daggers danced through the air, violet arcs lashing out with every strike. He brushed them aside.

"Yeah. Remember, my superhuman strength isn't something you can predict." WHAM! A cobalt fist drove straight into my chest. FWOOM! The air rippled outward. Rubble lifted from the streets, and I was hurled backward through a line of buildings.

"AGH! OUCH! OOF! ACK!" Dust mushroomed into the sky. Windows shattered. Concrete split apart. The city convulsed beneath the destruction as entire structures folded into the chaos. Everything blurred. My body spun through the smoky wreckage, clothes torn and scorched from the impacts. I slammed into the ground again and again, each collision erupting another cloud of dirt before I finally rebounded upward and twisted through the air like a wheel of violet light.

Power floated above me, a blue firestorm rolling off his body. I hit the ground hard and slid through the rubble while celestial energy coiled around my legs and surged into my core. Then I blinked forward. The air shredded apart around me with every burst of speed. My wings ignited behind me, eyes glowing through the storm clouds. Power dove through those same clouds a second later, wrapped in a surge of light-blue fury.

"AGH!" His punch connected squarely with my face. I crashed through a skyscraper, shattering glass and bending steel. My body scraped across the trembling floor while Power tore through the tower after me.

"PAY ATTENTION!" A blinding burst of azure energy erupted from his hands and ripped through the building, splitting floor after floor apart as I plummeted downward. Pain shot through my body with every impact.

"RAGH!" I slammed into the earth. A seismic ring of dust exploded outward and toppled nearby ruins. Power descended from above, fists glowing and eyes burning.

"WATCH YOUR SURROUNDINGS!" His foot crashed into my chest. The resulting shockwave annihilated half the block.

"JUST WATCH THIS!" I shouted back. He barked out a laugh.

"WATCHING!" I vanished. Reappearing behind him, I struck fast. He twisted and drove an uppercut into my jaw. A kick followed immediately after. I ducked and counterpunched, but he caught my fist, slammed a right hook made of pure plasma into my side, and launched me away in a detonation of light. I tore through the skyline, demolishing towers in my path. Power blinked ahead of me, fists radiating heat.

"Fast punches? Try me!" He unleashed a flurry of lightning-speed blows. Each strike barely missed as I weaved between them, my body bending with the motion of the wind. I zipped away and rocketed toward the sky, cosmic trails blazing behind me. He followed. Blue energy fractured around him like shattered glass. Midair, he spun his arms and manifested a glowing tendril of energy that lashed out and wrapped around me.

"LEARNED THIS MOVE WHEN I WAS THIRTEEN MILLION YEARS OLD!" He swung me around like a comet before hurling me through the stratosphere. I stopped myself in midair just as he streaked toward me, blazing like a meteor. He struck from every angle. The sky twisted around us while I absorbed the barrage at impossible speeds. I roared, fists charged with celestial fire, and lunged forward.

"OKAY!" BOOM! Our punches collided. A massive ringed explosion split the heavens apart. He raised an arm to crush me, but I flickered away. Hovering in the clouds, I stared him down. He dashed forward. I flickered again. Again. And again. We zigzagged through the sky, violet and blue streaks crashing into each other like rival storms until our fists met once more and detonated another shockwave. He spun into a side kick. I ducked beneath it. He lunged upward from below.

I vanished behind him and spiraled through a vortex of cosmic light.

"50-50-50 CELESTIAL DROPKICK!" My boot connected. Power blasted through the clouds. He fell laughing.

"Nice combo! But handle THIS!" Throwing his arms wide, he unleashed a massive ripple of blue force that shook the heavens. I launched toward him, fists glowing like twin stars. Celestial energy wrapped around my body as I spiraled through the clouds in a blazing helix. Power's eyes lit up. Then he disappeared. I froze. Vanished too. When I reappeared, he was hanging motionless among the clouds. I roared and bolted forward. He turned to strike. Flash. Gone. His eyes darted around. I appeared behind him.

"GRAGH!" He flinched. Too late. I spun around him, celestial energy flaring violently before unleashing a barrage of radiant kicks. Power dodged through the afterimages.

"Nice fake. Got me for a second!" He lunged and nearly caught my leg.

"WOAH!" I flipped backward and dove toward the city below. Power followed immediately, energy crackling around him.

"SO FAR, YOU'RE PASSING! LET'S SEE YOU HANDLE THIS LEVEL!" We plummeted through the clouds together, hurling energy blasts as we fell. The attacks collided midair in rapid detonations. I spun through the sky, palms glowing as celestial bolts erupted from my hands. Power countered every shot instantly. Violet and blue explosions filled the air between us, lighting up the storm while we continued falling straight toward the city below. He appeared in front of me, fists drawn.

I blinked beside him, wings unfurled, spun, and drove an elbow into his ribs. The impact launched him across the skyline and straight into a rooftop. Before he could recover, I teleported behind him. He was gone. I turned and spotted him standing on another building, fists sparking with heat as blue energy rolled off his body.

"Passing in reaction time and resilience, kid." He lunged. The rooftop exploded beneath his feet as he tore through it. A left hook came flying toward me. I ducked underneath it and drove a front kick into his stomach, launching him skyward. Celestial energy coiled around my legs. I blasted upward after him and struck again, sending him even higher in a burst of cosmic light. Power spun through the air, blue energy swirling around his body. He thrust both hands forward and unleashed a barrage of glowing orbs.

They streaked toward me. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The explosions merged together into a raging vortex that swallowed me whole and hurled me across the rooftops. I skipped across concrete before finally skidding to a stop. Dust and fire rained around me while chunks of debris crashed into the streets below. Power charged again. His fists blazed with blue fire as he closed the distance. I sidestepped. His punch missed. I flipped over the next swing and landed behind him. He attacked again immediately. Left hook. Right hook.

No hesitation. No opening. I caught his arm and slammed a celestial strike toward his chest. WHAM! He deflected it. The air cracked apart from the shockwave alone. Power answered with a blazing jab that buried itself into my gut and launched me off the building.

"AGH!" The city spun around me as I plummeted through open air. Wind screamed past my ears. Then I glanced toward the side of a nearby skyscraper and grinned.

"Got it!" My feet slammed against the wall. Instead of falling, I sprinted. Straight down. The glass tower became my runway as I raced toward the ground, hoodie whipping behind me while the skyline blurred into streaks of color. Then something blue rolled into view. Power. He'd compressed himself into a blazing sphere of energy and was hurtling directly toward me. I leaped aside. Celestial fire trailed behind me as the blue orb ripped through the skyscraper wall and crashed into the street below. BOOOOOOM!

The explosion shook the entire block. Power exploded out of the crater a second later. A streak of blue shot through the sky. Before I could react, his hand wrapped around my arm. WHAM! He slammed me through another building. Glass shattered. Steel bent. I tumbled across the floor as debris rained around me.

"GO ON!" he shouted. Power thrust both palms forward. A colossal beam of blue light erupted across the city. I flipped over it. The beam carved through buildings beneath me as I dashed aside. More blasts followed. I deflected them with celestial mirrors before sliding forward, fists crackling with energy. Power lunged. I vaulted over him using one hand. For a split second, our eyes locked. Then I burst through the window behind him. CRASH! The glass exploded outward. I spun around and thrust my palm forward.

A tendril of celestial energy lashed through the air and wrapped around his neck.

"GOT YOU!" I yanked hard. Power shot backward through the broken window and out into the open sky. I tightened my grip and spun. Faster. Faster. The celestial tendril whirled around me like a cosmic cyclone while Power swung through the air at the end of it. My eyes blazed violet. The energy storm intensified. Then I brought him down. BOOOOOOOOM! Power slammed into the ground. A massive wave of blue and violet energy swept across the city, rattling windows and shaking buildings for blocks.

Dust swallowed everything. For a moment, I couldn't see. Then the smoke cleared. Power had me pinned. My face was buried in the dirt while his knee pressed into my back. Both of us looked destroyed. His skin was scorched. My clothes were torn apart. Cuts covered my arms. Every breath felt like fire in my lungs. Power smirked.

"Reaction timing… aerial awareness… area control… velocity… power output… endurance… adaptability…" His grin widened.

"YOU PASSED!" I blinked.

"I PASSED?!" Power laughed.

"YEAH, YOU PASSED!" Power stepped back, laughing as he threw his arms up.

"It wasn't about winning, Don! It was about adapting—learning in real-time. Archie begged me to stop after three minutes. Olsen lasted longer thanks to that tank build of his, but only scored eighty for reaction speed. Prince? Lightning reflexes and wild AOE—seventy-nine, lacking strength and stamina. Demaurion? He crushed it. Used water so dense it turned solid, even boiled it. Ninety-five! And you? One hundred percent. Dynamic element mastery. Perfect synchronization."

After hearing that, I just grinned—exhausted, bruised, but proud. Couldn't wait to crash into bed after that test of chaos. I blinked again, and we were back at the Pyramids of Markilao. He looked at me and smirked.

"Nice job. Didn't expect that from you," Power admitted. I smiled, pulling myself up.

"I didn't either." We both laughed. The sky had dimmed while we fought. Stars shimmered. The moon glowed silver. Wind whispered across the dunes, and crickets chirped softly. I turned toward the pyramid. Its lights were on. I sat down on the sand to stargaze. Power walked back toward the pyramid in silence.

"Whatcha doing?" she asked, her gaze turning to meet mine.

"Just enjoying the sky," I replied, still staring up at the stars. She let out a light laugh.

"You Celestianites are really something." I smirked.

"Yeah, I guess we are. What about Dunanites? I'm pretty curious about you guys."

"Oh, us?" she grinned.

"There's so much I could tell you! We love desserts, playing in the sand, Desert Cats love yarn, we don't have wars anymore, we're peaceful, kind, always having fun… basically, we're the nicest Elementalnites in all of Avangard!" But then, just like that, her smile faded into a quiet frown. I glanced over, concern creeping into my voice.

"Is something wrong?" She looked down.

"No, it's just… I wish they were still alive." My heart paused.

"What do you mean? Aren't the Dunanites supposed to be the happy ones?"

"Well… half of our tribe is gone. When I said we don't have wars, I meant now. Back then, during the Celestianite and Lunaranite War at the Pyramids of Markilao… everyone vanished. I was born in the Sand Dunes, and by then, barely anyone was left. Just me, my mom, and other Dunanites." She paused, her voice quieter.

"Then the Lunaranites came. They raided the Sand Dunes and the Pyramids… and they took my mother. Dragged her off to Foreshade. They kept her locked away and gave her a few years—just a few—to tell them where the Power Gems were. She was the first Power Gem wielder, chosen by the Zeniths to guard them. She used them to protect our homeland. And then… she was gone." She lifted her eyes back to the sky, her expression fierce with purpose.

"Since then, I've wanted to save her. That's why when I got my first Element—Sand—I started training. I swore I wouldn't leave until I was ready. But once I am… I'll go after her. I'll bring her back. And when I do, I'll be known as one of the Heroes of Avangard." I looked at her, smiling, then returned my eyes to the stars.

"You know… I'm trying to be a Hero of Avangard too. Once we take down King Dreadixz, I'll lead the Celestianites to victory. That's my biggest dream. I want it so bad… just to prove I'm not some little weakling. I know it'll be a long road, but…" I trailed off, watching the stars flicker like little promises. Ella looked down, then turned toward me.

"Do you really think you can?" I met her eyes.

"I know I can."

"I'll try my best too…" She looked back up.

"Yeah, right. Don, just… don't give up, okay? Don't let people or life drag you down, no matter how hard it gets. I believe in you. You've got this."

"Yeah, hopefully you'll find your mother…"