Chương 12: Episode 9: Homicide

The wind howled through the shattered windows of the castle, carrying a ghostly chill. Overbrawl stepped inside, head bowed, each footstep echoing like a funeral march on the cracked marble floor. He raised his head slowly—his gaze locking with Dreadixz's. Eyes dull and exhausted, he stared into the soul of the dark king like a beast that had crawled back from war. His tattered scarf whipped in the wind, the frayed ends fluttering like battle flags.

"I'm back…" he muttered, voice hollow. On his throne of obsidian and bones, Dreadixz gripped the armrests with clawed fingers and rose with calculated slowness. His eyes narrowed as he studied Overbrawl, who was bloodied, limping, and barely holding himself together, one arm hanging uselessly, nearly severed.

"Ah… finally," Dreadixz sneered, lacing his fingers behind his back.

"My'finest' soldier returns… looking like a chewed-up carcass." He descended the stairs of the throne platform with deliberate calm, his voice dripping with venom. Then, in a flash of lunar light, his body expanded and twisted, limbs stretching, scales spreading, horns jutting skyward, as he transformed into his Lunaranite Dragon form. The roar that erupted from his throat shattered the eerie wind's whispers and echoed across the entire region of Foreshade like a war drum.

"And to think," he snarled, walking slowly toward Overbrawl, "you were so confident in killing the Chosen Ones." He stopped just inches away, grabbed Overbrawl by the jaw, and yanked his face upward.

"Yet all I see… is failure." His voice was quiet, but it rang with a dark, ancient malice. He released Overbrawl, letting the wounded warrior stumble back. Dreadixz slithered away, his jet-black tail sweeping ominously behind him.

"How dare you disrupt my plans—" Knock knock. A sudden bang echoed through the chamber. Dreadixz turned toward the massive iron portcullis at the front of the hall, a scowl spreading across his draconic features.

"…Enter." The gates groaned open, smoke and shadows billowing in like a living storm. From the fog emerged a new figure, tall, slim, and wrapped in shifting black shadows. He looked eerily similar to Overbrawl, but twisted. His body was cloaked in a deep obsidian hue, with red eyes glowing like twin hells. Dark energy flared around him like crackling black fire. Dreadixz's scorn morphed into something closer to satisfaction because of him.

"Well, well," he said in a smooth, deadly tone.

"Took you long enough to show your face." The figure clenched his fists.

"I'm not here to serve. I'm here to pave my own path." His voice was calm, confident, cold.

"I don't play nice with others, and I sure as hell don't sign alliances with strangers I barely remember. But you, Dreadixz… King or not, I'm here to challenge the narrative." Dreadixz turned away, shifting back into his humanoid form with a flicker of lunar energy. He strolled back to his throne and reclined with the air of a warlord savoring a storm.

"Incarceration…" he said with a wicked smile.

"The traitor of the Zeniths. The power-hungry fool who abandoned the Heavenly Spot of Celestia after a'minor disagreement' … Tell me, where's your little pet?" The pet he referred to was no ordinary beast, it was a nightmare forged in darkness, a creature made to devour hope and burn legends to ash. Incarceration's smile was slow and dangerous. Black fire danced along his knuckles as he crossed two fingers and touched them to his forehead.

"Homicide," he whispered. His eyes snapped open, flashing crimson. Dark magic exploded from his arms, spiraling into the air in tendrils of screaming shadow. The energy twisted, coiled, and then, formed. A massive shape emerged: a nine-headed Hydra, black-scaled and scarred with white gashes, eyes glowing a menacing violet. Each of its heads swayed like cobras preparing to strike. Its claws gleamed obsidian-sharp, and a jagged purple sail ran from its spines down its monstrous tail.

Dreadixz chuckled, watching the beast take shape with gleeful approval.

"Ah yes… I nearly forgot you wield the Nightmare Element. Able to summon any creature—real or imagined. Even ones that shouldn't exist." His grin widened.

"I'm impressed." He stood, eyes flickering with deadly intent.

"Now go. Find the Chosen Ones. I want their bodies at my feet. And one of their heads, gone." The Hydra let out a thunderous roar that shook the walls. Incarceration turned to it, his voice low, dark, and loyal.

"Yes… master." Meanwhile… The skies of Avangard were clear and blue, stretching endlessly above us like an infinite canvas. I was in my dragon form, soaring through the clouds with my wings wide open, basking in the freedom of flight. Puffy white clouds drifted around us, and birds chirped in the breeze as they flew by. A few Griffins joined us for a bit, then peeled off toward their homes in the mountains.

I twirled mid-air and dove through the fluffiest cloud I could find, feeling it burst around me like cotton candy. The others were flying with me too, Ella, Angel, and Olsen were riding on my back. Prince zipped beside us in his Lightning Bird form, flapping his wings with little thunder booms and streaks of electricity trailing behind him like party lights. Archie flew through the clouds in his blazing Phoenix form, burning holes through the mist like a tiny meteor on fire.

Demaurion, in his Leviathan form, glided through the sky with serious sea serpent energy. Where were we headed? Across Thunderstark, past Naria and the Sand Dunes—we were making our way to Musicia, a place we'd never been to before.

"I heard it's just one giant non-stop party!" Prince shouted, his voice crackling with static as he bolted ahead.

"Eh, I doubt it," Olsen replied.

"However I know there's tons of music there, the name kinda gives it away." I glanced down and nearly choked. We were high. Like, "see the curvature of the planet" high. Below us were entire oceans, waves crashing into each other with blue chaos. I could even spot the Land of Hearts from way up here. The wind was warm against my scales, and the air smelled like pure freedom. Then Prince lightning-dashed above me.

"We're close!" he said, beak pointing downward.

"Musicia's right there!" I followed his gaze and caught a shimmer of lights in the distance.

"You're right! I can see it!" Ella shouted with a grin. Olsen gave me a playful punch on the back.

"Well then, that's our stop. Ready to become a Hero?" I smiled wide.

"Why the hell not?!" We dove through the foggy clouds like shooting stars and landed gracefully on the glowing streets of Musicia. Olsen and Ella hopped off my back, and I slowly shifted back into my regular form. Everyone else followed suit, transforming back one by one. The sight before us was insane. The city shimmered under the sun's rays in glowing yellows and sparkling pinks. Towering buildings of gold and rose quartz twisted upward in chaotic harmony.

Glitter literally erupted from rooftops, drifting lazily through the air. It was like stepping into a living music video. Crowds of people filled the sidewalks, weaving through the pulsing city. Music echoed from all directions, and the air buzzed with excitement.

"THIS IS INSANE!" Prince shouted, wide-eyed with joy.

"I know right? They've got music playing from everywhere! But, it looks like someone with epilepsy could probably die here," I said, grabbing his wing as he almost took off running through the neon-lit streets. The sun hovered above us while the sky shifted to soft orange. Cars zoomed by with slick style, and honestly? This place had everything. Olsen looked like he was about to ascend to a higher plane.

"So… beautiful," he said. Ella smiled as the breeze caught her hair.

"It's like nothing in this place could ever go wrong." We wandered deeper into the city, until my ears twitched. Hard. Like "danger radar" twitch. Angel paused and looked at me.

"Don? Your ears are doing the weird twitch thing again. Should I be worried? Do you need, a—Celestianite doctor?"

"No, I'm good," I said, eyes scanning the sky.

"It's just what happens when I hear something coming… or someone flying at full speed ri—OOF!" I got tackled. Hard. Whatever hit me felt like a tiger with revenge in its heart. I hit the ground with a thud.

"Get up, I didn't hit you that hard," a sassy, familiar voice said. I teleported a few feet away, making whoever-it-was faceplant into the street. I turned to look—and yep, I knew that voice. Sophia. She looked up from the ground with a frown.

"How ya doin'?" I rolled my eyes, "Hey, tiger. Just casually tackling me out of the sky again?" She had transformed into her tiger form—a yellow tiger with pink stripes. But she quickly shifted back into her base form, tail swishing. She wore a pink jacket with a white crop-top under, light mixed skin, her hair's yellow and curly too!

"Forgot that were all about cosmic, shit, my bad," she grinned, I smirked.

"Anyone else part of your surprise attack?" That's when Javier popped out from behind a building, sighing like this was just another Tuesday. He strolled toward us, hands in his pockets. Dark blue skin, a blue coat too big for his size, blue jeans, he had straight black hair and a blue logo of a cube on his forehead. Hundreds of hedgehog quills jutted from his back, poking through the coat from behind. The most innocent being in all of Avangard, and I trust him with my life.

Sophia crossed her arms as she looked at the rest of the crew.

"Long time no see! We came for the festival."

"What festival?" Ella asked.

"The Musicia Festival!" Sophia beamed.

"You don't know? It's the biggest celebration for all Soundanites. Music, lights, performances, it's a whole vibe. And it starts in a few hours!" We all exchanged looks. Glances. Smirks. The classic "are we doing this?" face. I turned back to her.

"We're in," I said, shaking her hand.

"WOOP! WOOP! PARTY TIME!" Prince roared. But Sophia suddenly gagged and covered her nose.

"Okay, but y'all gotta change. How long have you been wearing those outfits?"

"Hmm," I said, counting on my fingers.

"One… two… maybe eleven days?"

"ELEVEN?!" she screeched.

"Boy, you need to touch soap and fabric softener immediately. Lucky for you, I know someone who has gear." Power raised an eyebrow.

"Where?" She grinned and pointed ahead.

"Follow me." We followed her through the chaotic hum of the city until we reached a house that was both small and somehow huge. It was bubblegum pink with warm yellow light glowing from inside, straight out of a fantasy catalog from Iris Town. She opened the door and waved us in. Finally, we reached her house, a cozy building tucked along a quiet street, though still gleaming in the golden-pink light of the city.

The walls were polished yellow with pink accents along the shutters and eaves, and flowering vines curled up toward the roof. A small fountain out front played a gentle melody as water arced gracefully into a stone basin. Harmony Birds perched on the roof, chirping soft welcoming tunes.

"This is it," Sophia said with a smile, gesturing toward the door. She opened the door and waved us in. And inside? Absolute madness, in the best way. Four different couches were chillin' on the right side of the living room, surrounding a red-and-white patterned carpet. The lighting was soft yellow, and the walls were painted white with brown wooden paneling going halfway up like they were wearing fancy belts.

A TV sat on a stone-white stand in front of the couches, surrounded by vases of flowers that made the whole setup feel oddly elegant. To the left was a wooden door in the distance, and right beside it, spiraling stairs leading upward like something magical was waiting at the top. We all plopped down on the couches, and that's when Sophia dropped the bomb.

"Who's ready to become a Hero?"

"HERO SUITS?! OH PARTY TIME!!!" Prince practically screamed, high pitched while bouncing like a kid in a candy store. My eyes sparked with Celestial energy as I looked at the bag.

"Heroes… it's suiting time." And just like that, the trial began. We took turns showering upstairs, though let's be real, Demaurion hogged the bathroom like it was a throne room. I'm not joking, it was so annoying. Prince accidentally zapped the lights off with his electricity, and poor Javier had to get them back on like some unpaid maintenance man. After I was done, I made sure to lather up with " Scale Smoother~"—the lotion that makes your dragon scales look fierce, sleek, and extra shiny.

Gotta keep the aesthetic on point. Then I hit the training room near the bathroom. Worked up a sweat, powered up my celestial skills, and even learned a fresh new move: Insane Celestial Flick. It's where I flick my fingers charged with Celestial energy and cause a shockwave strong enough to obliterate literally anything. I was also getting better at bouncing off walls like a pinball at a rave. This new speed boost? Oh yeah, my final move's gonna hit like a whole meteor strike now.

Once we were all cleaned up and powered up—it was time. HERO. SUIT. TIME. Cue the music. Cue the montage. Olsen stepped out first: rocking an earthy green metallic suit with rugged brown shoulder pads. His helmet looked like a thick green-and-black beak, and his gloves? Straight-up stone. He wore black leather pants, green-and-black boots, and a green baldric that carried his signature Hammer of Earth. Prince's suit was electric (literally). Blue with lightning-yellow streaks zipping across the fabric.

Yellow pants. Slim-fit blue hoodie. Black gloves. And some wild blue cybernetic shoes that let him bolt at top speed. His back had a sleek electric sail running along his spine. Demaurion's suit was cyber-oceanic. Blue with shark vibes. He wore blue gauntlets, darker gloves, and Aqua Jets, massive knee-high boots with fins and leg-thrusters for wild speed in water and air. He also had a water helmet, so yeah, he was ready to go full Leviatham. Archie looked like a full-on mech phoenix.

Red cyber-suit with orange flame streaks on the chest. Metallic wings flared on his back, red mixed with orange like fire dancing in motion. His helmet? A flaming phoenix head with black and yellow accents. His eyes glowed with unhinged fury. His legs were encased in gray metallic armor, and his jet-boots looked like they were ready to explode on command. His gloves were such a dark red they almost didn't look red anymore. Ella wore a sandy-brown jumpsuit with a visor dusted from the dunes.

Tight black pants, rounded brown gauntlets, and dune-colored boots with claws that could pierce steel. She looked fierce. Angel's suit was full-on vortex-blue, a high-tech mech look with a purple glowing hexagon in the middle of his chest. Sophia kept it simple but iconic, jacket, headphones, and a pink cannon shaped like a boombox locked onto her right arm like a DJ ready for war. And then—me. I stepped out in a full-body purple jumpsuit with a bold black X slashing across the chest.

Gold rings shimmered around my wrists, paired with white gloves traced with green patterns. My purple hiking shoes matched my mask, which was styled to look like a dragon's head, yeah, no joke. I had a yellow metallic belt strapped around my waist, black pants with yellow knee-pads, and a long black scarf whipping behind me like I was already flying into battle. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

After the glam-up, we all crashed back onto the couches, feeling like the baddest crew in town. Sophia was casually brushing her hair with a pink brush, completely unfazed.

"So," I asked, turning to her, "when are we heading out? And where's this festival even happening?" Sophia didn't even blink.

"Still got a few hours. You idiots can just chill for now."

"Thanks," I muttered, rolling my eyes as I stared at the TV. Nothing was even on. Just a blank screen and a mind full of too much. Because when you're chosen for a prophecy this huge, you start thinking. Can I really pull this off? I looked out the window. The sky was bleeding colors, shades of blue, orange, and gold, like the sunset itself was painting the end of the day by hand. Birds flew across the horizon. Cars beeped. People talked.

Golden skyscrapers sparkled with pink glitter floating through the air like stardust. And those last sunbeams hit my face through the window. I turned back to the TV, lost in thought. Is this prophecy really that important? I want to be a warrior, yeah… but that feeling's starting to blur. Maybe there's something deeper here. Something I'm missing.

"Hey Don, you alright? You look like you've been staring into space!" Sophia said.

"I'm okay," I replied.

"Just thinking. I wanna become a Hero to prove something, but I know there's a deeper message, I'm just not seeing it." Sophia sighed and set down her brush.

"Look, I wanna become a Hero too! For fame, because I wanna be famous! I wanted to be like my idol, Power."

"POWER IS YOUR IDOL?!" I hollered. Sophia laughed.

"Why wouldn't he be?! I got like, a million pictures of this guy in my room. Don't tell anyone though." She leaned in a bit, suddenly serious.

"Don, maybe the message is—'be like a Hero'. You know, save everyone, protect them from danger, all the easy usual stuff about being a Hero." I turned away, thinking about her words. Maybe she was right. I could save people. I could protect them. I could stop evil. Maybe… I was already a Hero. I stayed on the couch for a few hours, then eventually drifted off to sleep. When I finally woke up, everyone was standing right in front of me.

"What the, we're already going?" I asked, groggy and surprised. Olsen smirked.

"Don didn't hear the timer."

"I-I-I DID—OLSEN…""'I did' is not an accurate definitive phrase after what you've just shown."

"THINGS CAN BE DEFINITIVE AND NOT DEFINI—OKAY! OKAY I'M COMING! I'M GETTING UP SEE! IIIII'M COMING!" I jumped up from the couch and we bolted outside. We slammed through the doors and the night city hit us like a visual bass drop. Neon rivers flowed up the sides of skyscrapers, hover-ads flickered midair, and the stars above looked fake—like someone cranked the saturation to max. The moon straight-up spotlighted us like, yeah, you're the main characters, deal with it.

We threaded through traffic, cars humming, bikes sparking, vendors yelling, until we stopped dead in front of it. A giant pink casino, stacked with holographic cards, spinning dice the size of billboards, and blinking lights that pulsed in rhythm with the music leaking out. It didn't look like a building. It looked like a neon castle that ate a music festival and won.

"Okay so THIS is where we're going?!" Prince yelled, already vibrating.

"You're gonna love it," Sophia said, eyes glowing like she'd planned this for weeks.

"PARTY TIME!!!!" Prince screamed, voice cracking into dolphin mode. We shoved through the glossy pink doors and— BOOM. Not a party. A FULL-BLOWN FESTIVAL. Confetti cannons blasted gold streamers from the ceiling. A live band on the main stage mixed trumpets, drums, electric guitars, and synths so loud the floor shook. Lights exploded in pink, blue, red, and white like fireworks trapped indoors. The air smelled like sugar, sparks, and bad decisions. Then it happened. Someone screamed.

"WAIT—IS THAT—""NO WAY."

"POWER?!" Every screen in the casino glitched for half a second as Power stepped in. The #1 Hero. The room detonated. Music stopped mid-note. Chips flew. Drinks spilled. Someone fainted. Someone else climbed a slot machine screaming his name. A chant erupted from nowhere:"POW-ER! POW-ER! POW-ER!" Spotlights snapped onto him like he'd been summoned. Fireworks blasted indoors (somehow legal).

The casino staff panicked and immediately leaned into it, festival banners dropped, DJs remixed his theme on the spot, and free tokens rained from the ceiling. Power froze. And then the fans SWARMED. Girls. Fans. Merch shovers. Autograph seekers. Selfie stampede. Someone tried to crown him with glow sticks. Another person hugged his leg and refused to let go.

"I CAN'T BREATHE," Power said calmly, while absolutely drowning. Olsen, immediately abandoned, whispered, "Bro… he's cooked." Power tried to move. Failed. He tried to wave. Bigger mistake. Someone yelled, "MARRY ME," and the crowd lost its mind all over again.

"ABORT ABORT ABORT," Power muttered, scanning for exits like a hunted legend. Meanwhile— Demaurion clenched his fists.

"This place is huge… I hate it." Around us were specific insanity zones: The Fireball Game: floating targets over lava holograms, Archie instantly lit his hands on fire. The Knockout Arena: padded ring, flashing countdowns, energy gloves, Olsen was supposed to go there with Power. Rip. The High-Roll Speedway: a sleek black supercar spinning slowly on a platform while people bet credits on simulated races. The Aquarium Lounge: a massive glass tank where a shark and an eel circled like celebrity guests.

Demaurion stared.

"I'll hang with the fish." People were also just… throwing juice in the air? On purpose? For vibes? Ella vanished toward the Ball of Yarn Spot, which was exactly as cursed as it sounded. I stood next to Sophia, completely overwhelmed.

"Got any suggestions? These games kinda look buns," I muttered. She pointed at the stage.

"Sing." My soul left my body.

"WOAH WOAH WOAH—SINGING ON STAGE?! I've got stage fright!" She smirked.

"You're trying to be a Hero. Do it because I said so. Don't care." I backed up fast.

"No no no no, remember LAST TIME?"

"Yeah," she smiled.

"At least you didn't slip on a banana peel." My face went blank.

"I slipped on a banana peel… and landed on a seventeen-year-old's chest." Silence. Somewhere in the distance, the Power chant got louder as he vaulted over a slot machine trying to escape. Crickets yapped.

"You'll be fine, just get on stage!" Sophia said, way too confidently. I stared at her. She stared back. … … … I slowly turned my head to the right and spotted the backstage door glowing near the Fireball Game like a quest marker I did NOT want to activate. I hesitated. Heartbeat. Another heartbeat. Somebody spilled juice behind me for no reason. But… she was right. If I wanted to be a Hero of Avangard, I had to face my fears. I gulped. Loudly. Like, cartoon loud. Then I started walking.

I pushed through the crowd—"Sorry, sorry, my bad, excuse me, why are you wet?" —when suddenly—" DANCE! I WANT TO SEE YOU DANCE!" I froze. Silence. I turned around slowly like a horror movie protagonist who already knows they're cooked. It was an old man. Beanie. Scarf. Worn-out black jacket. And a brown bird just… existing on his shoulder. Menacingly. Judging me. I opened my mouth to say literally anything— He interrupted me by pulling out a Valorent gun. Pause. … … …

"DANCE OR DIE!" he screamed. The bird nodded.

"I'VE NEVER SEEN SOMEONE FROM THE PROPHECY DANCE IN MY LIFE! I GET MY ENTERTAINMENT OR YOU GET YOUR LIFE TAKEN!" Another pause. … … … Okay. First of all, sir??? Second, this feels illegal??? Third, why is no one reacting??? I'm like 99% sure he was drunk, because threatening a prophecy kid at a casino festival is wild behavior, but I was not in the mood to become a tragic backstory.

"So—uh—" I swallowed. Again. Still loud.

"You want me to… d-dance, right? I can… uh… show you one?" Silence. The bird blinked. I did two awkward sidesteps. To the beat. Kinda. I pushed myself back. Repeated it. He stared. Unblinking. Judging. I sighed. Deep. Defeated.

"Ugh. Fine. You asked for this." I busted out the slick-back toward the door. Full commitment. Shoulders rolling. Zero dignity. The old man LOST IT.

"THAT'S WHAT I LIKE TO SEE!" he yelled, still waving the gun like it was a glow stick. The bird flapped. Approval granted. I slick-backed faster. Harder. Desperately. I reached the backstage door, yanked it open, dove inside, and slammed it shut behind me like the FBI was after me. Silence. Inside, a single yellow light shined down. A narrow staircase spiraled upward. I stood there. Breathing. … … … Then I climbed the stairs, opened the door at the top— —and boom. Backstage. Alive. Somehow.

The black curtains were just in front of me, and a microphone stand sat under a spotlight. I grabbed the mic, keeping it off to avoid making a scene. That was when the door slammed open behind me, and the other four stormed in, with Sophia.

"Oh, you're doing it too?" Archie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yup," I mumbled, staring at the mic. Olsen stepped in.

"It simply can't be that hard." Prince opened his mouth, "Olsen, don't hit that high-note again."

"I don't have stage fright," Demaurion said, tiny drops of water dripping onto the floor, "I just don't feel like going on stage." Archie whispered, "Cap." Demaurion almost threw a water blast at him. Sophia clapped her hands together.

"Alright guys, now get out there and show them who you are!" She PUSHED us. Literally pushed ALL of us. ON. STAGE. In front of EVERY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL IN THE CASINO. I stood there, hands shaking, praying no one would notice us. And for a second… no one did. Until someone RUINED THAT.

"Alright uh, are the next people the Chosen Ones?" the announcer shouted through the mic. Every head in the building turned to us. Silence dropped like a nuke. The music stopped. The room froze. My eyes twitched. I started to sweat. My hands were clammy. The only sound was crickets. My heart thumped like a drumline. What do I say? What do I do? Think, Don, THINK! What could I possibly sing right now? After a few seconds of straight panic, I had it. The announcer leaned in, smiling.

"Alright Don, get us started with 'I want it that way' by the Backstreet Boys!"

"Out of all the songs-""SING IT." I cleared my throat like I was about to drop the greatest vocal moment of the century." You are… my fire…" I shot Olsen a look. The boy didn't need a second cue. He opened his mouth like destiny itself summoned him." The one… desire…" The announcer whipped his head around.

"Prince!!"" Believe when I saaay…" The announcer threw his hands in the air like he was conducting the dang universe.

"Come on, Demaurion!!"" I want it THAT WAYYYYY—" The announcer, now screaming like his life depended on it: " TELL ME WHY?!"

"Ain't nothin' but a heartaaaache!"

"TELL ME WHY?!"

"Ain't nothin' but a mistaaaake!"

"TELL ME WHY!" Archie: " I never wanna hear you saaay—" Announcer, FINALE MODE: "COME ONNNNN!" EVERYONE IN HARMONIZED PERFECTION:"I WANT IT THAT WAAAAAY!" … Silence. Like dead, funeral, pin-drop silence. We stood there, thinking we just ruined everything. CLAP. CLAP. CLAP. The crowd straight up ERUPTED. Screaming. Cheers. People were throwing roses. Someone cried. Someone fainted. WE DID IT. WE LEGIT DID IT. I was already feeling like a pop star when a mic came flying out of nowhere.

I caught it like a boss, dropped the other one like I was in a concert, and some dude yelled:"SING US ANOTHER SONG!" I exhaled like an overworked celebrity.

"Oh boy…" I was this close to belting out Bye Bye Bye like my life was a 2000s boyband comeback tour when— BANG. I stopped mid-thought. Something slammed onto the roof. Hard.

"Probably nothing," I told myself. Famous last words. Then it hit again. BOOM. Louder. Heavier. Closer. The crowd felt it this time, heads snapping up, whispers spreading like static in the air. CRASH. The casino doors BLEW OPEN, ripped clean off their hinges like a meteor had beef with gambling addiction. Screams erupted. Chairs flipped. Drinks went airborne. And from the smoke and shadow stepped pure, prehistoric nightmare fuel. The Hydra. Nine heads. Dripping. Snarling.

Each one snapping like it hadn't eaten in centuries and had just found the buffet. Thunder howled overhead. Rain dumped from the sky like it was rage-quitting reality. Lightning strobed across the beast, freezing it in brutal flashes. Everything stopped. Then, panic. People bolted in every direction. Some screamed. Some tripped over chairs. Some dove beneath poker tables as if cheap wood and felt were somehow going to save them from a nine-headed apocalypse. The entire neon-lit casino dissolved into chaos.

One of the Hydra's heads slowly reared back. Its throat glowed. Brighter. Brighter. BRIGHTER. FWOOOOOOOM!! A beam of fire ripped across the room and erased half the casino in a single sweep, tearing through slot machines, gaming tables, and entire sections of the building as explosions detonated one after another and molten debris rained through the air. The floor cracked. The ceiling buckled. Neon signs burst into showers of colorful sparks.

Musicia's flashing lights reflected across the monster's scales while smoke swallowed everything. The Hydra went completely feral. Nine heads lashed in different directions at once, smashing pillars apart, ripping through walls, and turning the casino into a collapsing death trap. Every head stopped moving. Nine sets of glowing eyes slowly turned. Locked onto me. The room suddenly felt a whole lot smaller.

"…Yeah." I rolled my shoulders.

"Game time." Purple energy exploded from my body. KRAAAAAAASH!! Lightning-like celestial energy erupted through the casino as scales spread across my skin, wings burst from my back, and my Celestianite Dragon Form roared to life. The surviving windows shattered from the pressure alone. I sprinted. The floor exploded beneath every step. The Hydra lunged. I launched myself straight at it. For a split second we crossed paths in midair like two missiles on a collision course. Then everything detonated into motion.

I landed on its back. The beast immediately went berserk. It slammed through pillars. Crashed through walls. Skidded across the casino floor while all nine heads twisted wildly trying to throw me off. The entire building shook like it had been caught inside an earthquake. I dug my claws into its scales and sprinted across its back, weaving between snapping jaws as I carved glowing purple slashes across its hide. One head whipped around. Too slow. I vaulted over it. Another lunged from above. I ducked underneath.

A third came from the side. I drove my elbow into its jaw hard enough to snap its neck backward. The Hydra shrieked. Every head screamed at once. The sound rattled the entire city block.

"THAT GOT YOUR ATTENTION?!" I shouted.

"GOOD!" One of the heads suddenly twisted behind me. Its jaws snapped shut around my tail.

"… Uh oh." WHAAAAAAAAAM!! The monster swung me through the air like a toy. The entire world became a blur of neon lights and broken concrete. CRAAAAAASH!! I blasted through the casino stage. Speakers exploded. Light rigs collapsed. Pyrotechnics accidentally ignited. Fireworks launched into the air and detonated throughout the casino while chunks of ceiling rained down around us. For a moment the battlefield looked less like a monster attack and more like the world's most violent concert.

I pushed myself out of the wreckage. Smoke drifted around me. Purple energy crackled across my scales. My neck popped. The Hydra stared from the other side of the ruined casino. Nine heads. Nine snarling mouths. Nine sets of glowing eyes. I stared right back. A grin slowly spread across my face.

"Round two." I launched forward, roaring with the force of a collapsing galaxy. The Hydra roared back. BOOM. We collided head-on like freight trains. The impact cracked the casino floor as I tackled that thing across the room. One of its heads immediately snapped down, hooked my horn, and SLAMMED me through three poker tables. I flipped back to my feet, blood dripping from my jaw. Still furious. I charged again. I leaped, CHOMPED onto one of its throats, and tried dragging the beast down.

It thrashed violently, but before it could shake me loose, I slashed one of its eyes. Direct hit. The head screeched. Then the Hydra whipped me around and launched me straight into a wall of slot machines. Coins exploded everywhere like metallic confetti. I sprinted through the rain of coins, celestial energy crackling around me, and swung my tail like a baseball bat. CRACK. One of its heads flew sideways and smashed through a roulette table. And we weren't even CLOSE to done yet.

The Hydra crashed through the casino wall like a meteor. I followed. My jaws stretched wider than ever as I launched myself through the opening. Mid-air, I latched onto one of its necks, and both of us slammed into the ground outside, rolling through the thunder-charged darkness. I sprang up first. The Hydra lunged. I jerked backward, barely avoiding its jaws, then raked my claws across its face, one, two. A torrent of fire erupted from another head.

I dodged sideways, sprinted, jumped, and landed squarely on its back. My teeth sank deep into its scales while my tail lashed behind me as the monster bucked wildly. I dropped off before it could crush me and circled with calculated fury. Then I went for the leg. CHOMP. The Hydra roared and backhanded me across the street. I crashed through a building, smashing walls and light fixtures. Before I could recover, jaws clamped around my neck. The world blurred. The Hydra shot into the sky.

We blasted through rooftops until clouds swallowed us whole. Then it let go. I plummeted. Fast. But nah. I wasn't done. Celestial energy exploded from my wings. I rocketed upward, blitzed past the Hydra, and raked my teeth across its flesh. Spinning mid-air, I came around again. My claws slashed. My tail followed. SNAP. One neck bent at an ugly angle. Thunder BOOMED. Lightning split the sky in half. Blood sprayed from both of us as we tore into each other above the city, claws flashing between bursts of lightning.

I tail-whacked the beast so hard it spiraled toward the ground like a broken plane. I dove after it. Caught one neck. Bit down. Hard. Trying to finish it. The monster refused to die. It flailed, throwing me away. I twisted through the air, celestial energy spiraling around me like a vortex, then slammed into the earth. BOOOOOOM. The shockwave blasted the Hydra backward. It retaliated instantly. The beast crashed into me and dragged me through the wreckage. Claws ripped across my chest. Jaws seized my neck. SPLAT.

It hammered me into the ground. Pain exploded through my body. I staggered upright. The Hydra's tail smashed across my face so hard my neck popped. Still, I lunged. My jaws clamped onto one neck. Another head bit back. For a moment, we were literally locked in the dumbest, most brutal chompfest imaginable. Then it flung me away. Mid-flight, one of its skulls smashed into mine. Blood sprayed. I flew straight through the wall of a museum. Glass shattered. Ancient relics exploded around me.

Fossilized giants towered overhead. The Hydra burst through after me. Its eyes glowed purple. A beam of fire erupted toward my face. I dove right. Hit all fours. Sprint. Leap. CHOMP. I landed directly on its head. The Hydra roared and slammed me into a T. Rex skeleton. Bones detonated everywhere. Before I could recover, another head snatched me from the air and body-slammed me into a wall. Dust exploded outward. I jumped back onto its spine and sprinted across its back. Then I bit down again.

The beast thrashed through the museum like a maniac, smashing fossils left and right until I slashed another eye. The Hydra bucked violently. I went flying. CRASH. Straight into a triceratops skeleton. Pain shot through every bone in my body. I growled. Charged. And slammed into its side. The monster staggered— Then grabbed my tail. Uh oh. The Hydra spun me around like a ragdoll and YEETED me across the museum. Glass exploded as I skidded to a stop. Slowly, I stood. Bruised. Bleeding. Absolutely furious.

The Hydra stalked toward me, equally wrecked. Bones, glass, and shattered fossils were embedded all through its scales. I roared. It roared back. Then we CLASHED. Purple blasts erupted from its mouths. I juked left. Right. Left again. The attacks barely missed. I launched straight at its face. Mid-air, I spun and tail-whacked it across the skull. The impact sent the monster crashing through a display of ancient armor. A head snapped forward and grabbed my neck. It slammed me through another glass wall.

I rebounded instantly. Claws flashed. Sparks flew. Thunder shook the heavens. I opened my jaws. A celestial fire beam erupted point-blank. BOOM. The explosion launched the Hydra through the back of the museum, tearing through layers of history and wreckage. I charged after it. Beam after beam blasted from my mouth. The entire museum lit up like daylight. Walls shook. Relics toppled. The Hydra stumbled through the chaos, caught between collapsing displays and relentless celestial blasts. I curled into a sphere.

Energy crackled around me. Faster. Faster. FASTER. LAUNCH. I became a celestial comet. Mid-air, I burst from the sphere, screamed at the top of my lungs, and unleashed one final beam. The blast consumed the chamber in radiant light. Silence followed. The Hydra rose slowly from the wreckage. Blood poured from countless wounds. Bones protruded from its scales. Glass glittered across its hide. It was dying. But still standing. We locked eyes.

Outta nowhere, Ella, in her Desert Cat form (way bigger than expected btw), pounced from above, tearing into his back with claws and fangs.

"I GOT IT!" she shouted, feral. Olsen dropped in next in full Rockslide Ankylosaurus mode, chomping down on the Hydra's neck and slamming him to the floor. Sophia, in her Musical Tiger form, joined Ella, double-teaming with a barrage of slashes and roars. Prince zapped the monster mid-air, a blinding bolt of lightning striking him in the chest. Archie dove in next. Then Angel in Warping Owl form. Javier reshaped matter and fired plasma energy blasts. Then Power, he was just standing there—watching.

They all piled on, beating the beast into the floor. And that's when I knew. This was it. With one final surge of strength, I dashed forward, jaws glowing with celestial fury. I bit down on one of the Hydra's necks, and RIPPED IT CLEAN OFF. Blood sprayed everywhere. The head didn't grow back. I dropped it. It was over. I shifted back to my regular form, panting, trembling. One by one, everyone else morphed back too. I stared at the fallen beast.

"What the heck was that?" Prince, still sparking with electricity, shook his head.

"I don't know, but whatever it was… it was definitely from the Lunaranites. I mean, look at it!" And then, fwump fwump fwump, the sound of wings. I looked up. A full Lunaranite army soared through the storm clouds, spears raised, scanning the city. I pulled my daggers free.

"This is not a safezone anymore."