The investigation room was dead quiet.
Cold white lights hummed overhead, reflecting off metal walls scratched by years of use. Fang sat restrained in the reinforced chair, wings pinned tight, head tilted slightly as if he were bored instead of captured.
Danny stood in front of him, arms crossed, jaw tight.
“You gonna answer now,” Danny said, “or are we just wasting time?”
Fang chuckled.
“You wonder my name?” he said calmly. “Fine. I’m Fang.”
He lifted his head, eyes sharp and almost amused.
“And as you can see, I’m a mix. Falcon. Human.”
Danny nodded once. “Yeah. Not exactly subtle.”
He stepped closer. “Okay, I’m not stupid. Why did you attack me?”
Fang laughed. “Oh, I love how you say you’re not stupid and then ask why I attacked you.”
Danny frowned. “Watch it.”
“I was looking for a good challenge,” Fang replied. “If you may.”
Danny blinked. “A challenge? Do I know you? Like—did we meet or—”
Fang snapped, “Jesus Christ, are you dense?”
Shawny pushed off the wall. “Hey. Tone it down.”
“Oh my god,” Fang continued, ignoring her. “I already answered that.”
Danny clenched his fists but stayed quiet.
Fang leaned back as far as the restraints allowed. “Listen. I don’t know if you remember this, but I do. When I was younger. First in training. There was a massive surge of power.”
Big B’s visible eye narrowed.
“I looked into it,” Fang said. “A certain being defeated someone they called the Ancient.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Danny stiffened.
“The Ancient?” he said. “I didn’t fight that thing since I was fourteen. That was five years ago.”
Fang smiled. “Exactly.”
The air felt heavier.
“And for those five years,” Fang continued, “I’ve been tracking you down. Searching. Just to challenge you.”
Danny scoffed. “Worthy for what?”
Fang paused.
“…That’s the funny part,” he admitted. “I don’t actually know. I just wanted to find you.”
Danny stared at him.
“…Okay,” he said. “You’re weird as hell.”
Fang shrugged. “Say whatever you want. But if you’re not gonna fight me, I’m leaving.”
He leaned forward.
Shawny moved instantly. “You can’t leave.”
Fang glanced down at the restraints. “I’m tied up.”
“Yes,” Shawny said flatly. “That’s kind of the point.”
Fang smirked.
“…Am I though?”
With a sudden flex of his wings, the restraints snapped apart like cheap wire.
Danny’s eyes widened. “Oh, shit—”
Fang blasted upward, shattering the floor beneath him. Stone and dust exploded as he ripped through the structure, leaving a massive hole behind.
And then he was gone.
Silence followed.
Debris clattered to the ground.
Big B stared at the damage, stunned.
“…Do you have any idea,” he said slowly, “how much that cost me?”
Danny winced. “Big B—”
“That floor was reinforced!” Big B snapped. “Do you know how much reinforced demoncrete costs?”
“Big B,” Danny said, holding up a hand. “Calm down. We’ve got a bigger problem.”
Big B took a breath. “…Fine.”
Danny stared at the hole. “How does Fang know who I am?”
Shawny crossed her arms. “He literally just explained that.”
“Well yeah,” Danny said, “but how does he know where we are?”
Big B adjusted his coat. “He said he’s been searching for you his whole life. That’s not exactly subtle.”
Danny shook his head. “I don’t like this crap at all.”
“We need to follow him”
Hours later, they stood at the entrance of a cave far from the city.
The air felt wrong—thick, heavy. Symbols were carved into the stone walls, glowing faintly red. At the center of the cavern hovered a swirling mass of dark energy.
A portal.
Danny stared at it. “…Uh. Do you think this has anything to do with that Fang guy?”
Big B stepped forward immediately, scanning it. “No. Actually—let me check this.”
Shawny frowned. “You’re doing that thing where you don’t like what you’re seeing.”
Big B froze.
“Oh no,” Shawny said. “What is it?”
Big B lowered the scanner slowly.
“…It’s a portal,” he said. “To the Underworld.”
