"Kelix! Don't hurt them too much!" she shouted.
Kelix froze, his eyes wide and his fist sparking with electricity. "Hurt—them?! What… what about me?" he gasped, astonishment ringing in his tone.
Idalia didn't answer. She spotted movement—a blur of stripes, scales, and massive muscle pivoting toward her. Her stomach dropped. Jawclang. One of the Liorexes she recognized from her tribe, a senior with unyielding loyalty. Jawclang twisted from his lunge at Kelix, his tail arcing in a deadly crescent aimed straight for her head.
Instinct took over. Idalia warped just in time, the white-hot tip of Jawclang's tail narrowly missing her face as she blinked aside, evading what would have been a fatal strike. Her claws scraped the rocks as she landed, adrenaline screaming in her veins.
Confusion churned in her chest. She glanced toward Hirohowl, who was fiercely engaged against the Orun General, his teeth snapping, his foot smashing thunderously, and his roar shaking the mountainous terrain. Hirohowl couldn't assist her now.
Acknowledging that Kelix and Hirohowl were occupied with their own battles, Idalia whipped her gaze to her mad elder. "Jawclang! Why are you doing this?!" she roared, weaving and dodging, as the Liorex pursued her. "We're from the same tribe! Stop attacking me!"
Jawclang's amber eyes glinted, his tail lashing again as he smashed several boulders. "Vice Chief Bloombark says you are to be removed," he growled.
Before she could react and fully acknowledge what he had said, Jawclang lunged. Idalia's mind snapped into focus. She planted her feet, coils of raw energy vibrating through her body, and she too lunged forward. Headfirst, she barreled into Jawclang chest's midair, using her sheer momentum and strength. It was enough to activate her first {Headbutt}! But that wasn't all.
Through the peripheral sight of her focus, Idalia forced the conjuration of a shimmering {Portal} that erupted behind Jawclang as they collided, sending both dinosaurs hurtling through the spatial fold. Idalia's {Headbutt} resumed its slam into Jawclang with the force of a falling mountain, knocking him breathless. He crashed into a jungle terrain on the other side, vegetation snapping and splintering under his massive bulk.
Idalia landed, her guard up. Jawclang groaned, stunned, chest heaving in pain as Idalia rose, claws flexed and eyes glowing. She snarled, teeth bared, ready for the next attack.
But Jawclang's eyes burned with determination. Slowly, he rose, ignoring the pain. "I will not fail my objective," he growled, muscles rippling, tail coiling like a whip.
Idalia growled low, trying to catch her breath. She sized up the T-Rex senior looming before her. "Please… stop. I'm not your enemy," she said, hissing. Her body trembled with frustration and exhaustion. Her gaze swept over him, trying to gauge if he was truly serious. "I'm searching for my father!"
Jawclang snarled, his jagged teeth glinting fiercely and mockingly. "Your father deserved his fate, cub," he said coldly. "And you? You will learn what it means to face a true Liorex."
At those grim words, Idalia felt a surge of heat and anger igniting through her blood. The air around them sparked with tension. The jungle trembled with every step as they began to circle each other, eyes locked. With tails lashing and claws scraping against rocks and trees, the ground vibrated under their weight and ire.
The duel had begun—a Liorex initiation, an ancient and brutal rite of combat. Idalia's ears flicked, tail sharpened to a glowing edge. Jawclang mirrored her every movement, calculating, poised, ready to strike.
Idalia bared her teeth and growled, a low, vibrating sound that echoed through the jungle. It started off as a warning, but she wasn't backing down. Not from him. Not now.
The first circle completed. Eyes never leaving each other. Tails snapped like whips. Idalia realized to her dismay that the seasoned senior was not going to relent. So she declared, "You will not take me!"
Jawclang laughed, a deep, guttural sound that rattled the leaves above. "I will! This is tradition! This is initiation! Face me, cub! Vice Chief Bloombark wants you gone. Nothing personal."
Idalia froze, tail lashing. "Not personal?! I'm not the enemy! You know me!"
Jawclang lunged forward again, teeth bared and tail swinging like a blade. Idalia's claws dug into the dirt as she dashed forward. In a burst of feral ingenuity, she conjured a shimmering portal beneath her and another in front of her. She lunged through, channeling her momentum with a roar, headbutting both Jawclang and the portal simultaneously.
The force carried them forward like a battering ram. Jawclang's body slammed against the trees within the new jungle terrain, vines snapping, trees splintering under the impact. He groaned, breathless and dazed, his tail curling in confusion, eyes wide.
Idalia scrambled back. Her ears twitched, but there was no time to breathe, because Jawclang was recovering. Despite the shock of the strike, his predatory gaze remained, and he rose on all four. His eyes glittered with lethal determination. He would not fail his objective.
"Jawclang… please!" Idalia cried out, sniffling. "Stop! I'm not your enemy!"
"Yet you're mine." His maw snapped open, and without remorse, he unleashed an {Atomic Burst} from his throat that detonated on impact against her.
Idalia's claws found purchase in the soft soil as her {Abyssal Veins} bestowed upon her the resilience to endure the destructive force that obliterated the area around her in an astonishing cacophony of sound and fury. The blast engulfed everything in its radius, darkening the sky and shaking the very ground beneath her.
Disorientingly, Idalia felt the heat wash over her, but the {Abyssal Veins} wrapped her in a protective shield, allowing her to withstand the torrential chaos. As the smoke began to clear, Idalia struggled to her feet, her body aching but her resolve unbroken.
She looked around, surveying the destruction. Jawclang was still on the other side, largely unscathed but visibly winded, steam rising from his nostrils, his breath heavy. The air reeked of singed earth and charred foliage, but she couldn't let herself be intimidated.
"Is this really how you want to honor the Pride?" she shouted, her voice cutting through the haze. "Fighting me instead of assisting me? I'm a cub!Do you have no shame as a Fangborn?"
Jawclang shook his head in disbelief, as if her words had struck him as absurd. "How are you still—? You talk of shame? Ridiculous! The Vice Chief knows what's necessary. You are a liability, Idalia!" He braced himself, his claws digging into the ground, ready to charge again.
"No! Listen to yourself, Jawclang! You're not yourself! There's something wrong with all of this! We can't turn against each other—"
The elder Liorex dashed forward, laughing in a wild, manic rhythm that echoed through the jungle. "You think you can sway me with your words, cub? You are just a child playing at grown-up fights!"
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Idalia's heart raced as she prepared for his next move. Seeing him charge in with that feral gaze, she conjured a swirling portal beside her. As Jawclang closed the distance, she opened another portal behind him, hoping to disorient him. If she could just get him off balance… However, she was startled by the tears that began to gather in her eyes, disrupting her spatial vision.
And this time, Jawclang anticipated her trick. He sidestepped just in time, turning with a speed that belied his size. His claws slashed through the air, grazing the edge of her shoulder as she barely evaded him. "You've grown, Idalia, but you're still too green!"
Pain lanced through her side, but she gritted her teeth and pushed through. "I won't let you do this!” she cried, anger mingling with fear. She wasn't just fighting for herself anymore; she was fighting for her father's legacy and for the tribe that had become blighted by a corrupt force from within its ranks.
Frustration flared within her because of that blistering mean Bloombark. This was her fault! Yet Idalia was too sapped to {Rage} anymore. Her irritation felt normal, lacking the benefits that usually made her feel formidable whenever {Rage} surged. It clicked when she remembered Alpha Pawail and Mama mentioning that once anger surfaced, it took almost an entire day for it to cool down—whatever that meant—for most Liorex. Was she supposed to wait a day for the warmth of her fire to return?
No, she thought fiercely, resolve hardening like steel. She refused to be a mere participant; she would dictate the terms of this fight.
Jawclang lunged again, but this time, Idalia was ready. As she blinked back to reality, she conjured a flickering spectacle of energy around her, creating several swirling portals that coalesced into a dazzling protective barrier. It glowed with an otherworldly hue, and she felt it pulse with life in her mental grasp. With a swift gesture motion, she unleashed a cascading wave of energy toward Jawclang.
The swirling barrier launched forward in the shape of a sphere. Idalia had drawn inspiration from the "ball" that Wanderans used to play with, but most importantly, from the dome barrier that Forje had used to protect himself from her attacks.
Now, it was through her memory and imagination that she unleashed her very first {Portal Sphere} attack at Jawclang. The Liorex's expression was one of disbelief and fear as he saw it hurtling toward him, his body freezing as if he couldn't process the existence of a ball that should never have been created in the first place through manipulating portals.
Trees bent and swayed, and like a greedy maw suctioning food, the {Portal Sphere} pulled him forward as if gravity were demanding he take the hit. Jawclang tried to roar up a {Portal} before him to escape before contact— but it was too late.
The air cracked with a deafening crack. The explosion lit the world like a whirlpool of flames and light, sending shockwaves through the jungle. Idalia braced herself as the blast consumed Jawclang, the force reverberating against her chest. She collapsed to the ground, her bones slowly stopping their trembling as the energy dissipated.
{Mana: 53% → 23%}
For a moment, all was silent. The jungle held its breath in a serene pause. Idalia's heart pounded in her ears as she stared at the spot where Jawclang had been, disbelief washing over her. Had she actually done it?
As if the jungle itself exhaled, the dust began to settle. Idalia squinted through the haze, searching for the elder. What had she done? Had she gone too far? She wasn't sure if she had obliterated him, and that thought made her chest curdle with dread. The stillness felt heavy, and her ears perked up, listening for any sign of Jawclang's presence. She took a cautious step forward, her eyes scanning the wreckage. There was so much mist that it almost seemed impossible to see with {Spatial Sight}.
Suddenly, a roar pierced the air, ferocious and unyielding. The ground trembled as a figure emerged from the smoke—a battered and bruised Jawclang, his scales singed and smoke billowing from his mane. He staggered but stood firm, his eyes filled with a mix of rage and respect. "You… are stronger than I thought, cub… But the mission isn't… over."
He collapsed and gasped for air, his eyes glazing over as he struggled to crawl. Idalia's heart sank; he was hurt, but he still possessed the determination of a warrior. Could the force of his creed truly be the result of Vice Chief Bloombark manipulating him?
"Jawclang!" Idalia shouted, her voice breaking with concern. "Just stop! We can talk about this. Vice Chief Bloombark is leading you down a dark path!"
Jawclang's eyes lidded as he shook his head, still trying to regain his footing. "I won't betray my brothers and sisters… not for you!" He braced himself for another attack, but she could see the cracks in his resolve.
"You're not betraying anyone! You're protecting what it means to be a Liorex! We don't have to keep fighting each other!" Idalia pleaded. "Listen to me! I don't want to hurt you. I just want to find my father!"
The elder stared at her, breath coming in heavy bursts. His expression flickered for just a moment, revealing uncertainty beneath the layers of anger. "Your father… he was a traitor." Even his words were laced with doubt. "He—"
"Was wronged!" Idalia interjected, stepping closer despite the danger. "I can show you what really happened. The truth is out there; Vice Chief Bloombark is lying. This fight isn't about loyalty—it's a distraction from something far more sinister!"
With a grunt, Jawclang lowered his head, the fight momentarily leaving him. "You think so? You believe we can just forget this bout?" His gaze scrutinized her, sharp and assessing. "You've changed… When did you gain such power?" He trembled and writhed in a coughing fit. "I'm very hurt. Be a good cub, Idalia, and step closer. I have something to tell you."
She didn't budge. His eyes were wrong; his aura didn't match surrender. Idalia hesitated because—
"Because your blood is about to spill too!" A guttural voice cut through the air—the voice of Hirohowl.
Inexplicably, a rift opened behind Jawclang. The elder's eyes widened as realization dawned just as he turned to face the source alongside Idalia. There stood Hirohowl, his eyes glimmering with malicious intent. In his jaw, he chewed on an armored leg and swallowed. "You see, Jawclang, it's too late for that now. You've served your purpose."
Without another word, Hirohowl's jaws clamped down on Jawclang's neck. With a swift thrash of his head, a snap reverberated through the air, and Jawclang went motionless.
Idalia's heart plummeted as she watched the scene unfold in disbelief. Hirohowl had become something unrecognizable, a predator devoid of conscience. The jungle around her suddenly felt suffocating, the vibrant colors of the leaves and blossoms dulled by the shock of betrayal.
"Hirohowl, why?!" she screamed, pushing past the pain radiating through her body. She stumbled forward, her claws digging into the damp earth as she fought against the surge of emotion threatening to overwhelm her. "He was one of us!"
Hirohowl turned, blood dripping from his maw, his expression void of emotion. "Idalia, you've always been naive. Jawclang was nothing but a fool in search of power." He wiped the back of his claws across his mouth, the remnants of his gruesome feast glistening. "And now, you stand too."
Rage boiled within her, but it was a cold fire, sharp and unyielding. "You're mistaken if you think this makes you strong, Hirohowl. You don't have to listen to the Vice Chief. She's manipulating you! We need to unite against her, not tear each other apart!"
"Unite? Against my mother…." Hirohowl laughed, a harsh, mocking sound that reverberated through the clearing. "Do you know how absurd you sound? Your father was once a champion; yet he brought dishonor upon our name after his capture. I will not let you or anyone else tarnish the legacy that my mother has built with blood and sacrifice! To unite is to become weak. I am strong, and I will not waver."
The tension crackled in the air, and Idalia felt her heart quicken, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She couldn't believe the words spilling from Hirohowl's mouth. This was not the fierce protector she had grown up alongside, not the ally who stood by her side against outside threats. This was a twisted reflection of him, warped by malice and blind allegiance.
Idalia swallowed the lump in her throat, aware of the precarious balance teetering between them. "You have to fight this! I can help you! We can expose Bloombark and break her hold on our tribe together."
He sneered, but the fire behind his eyes flickered with uncertainty. "You think you can face her?"
However, Idalia wasn't going to give him the benefit of the doubt. She glanced at Jawclang's body, and panic intensified in her mind. With a howl, Idalia summoned all the energy she could muster. "I won't let you hurt anyone else! This isn't who you are, Hiro!" In a quick, decisive motion, she conjured several smaller portals, spinning them into a chaotic flurry that surrounded Hirohowl as they roared with feral energy. Each portal crackled, the very fabric of reality tangling and twisting as she directed them to converge on him.
But Hirohowl was faster. He charged forward, his body a blur of muscle and speed, and in one swift motion, he leaped through the circular formation of swirling energy. With his shoulder outstretched, he slammed into Idalia, sending her crashing to the ground with bone-jarring force.
"No, you're the one misunderstanding me!" he roared, towering over her as the shadows of the jungle swirled dizzyingly and malevolently around his frame. "Jawclang! Mother! They're all—"
"Ida!" The voice that rang through the field belonged to Kelix. He was already diving toward Hirohowl when a lightning bolt arced like a scythe and crashed into the back of Hirohowl's head.
The noise boomed like thunder through what remained of the forest, and the shockwave nearly swept Idalia off her feet. But Hirohowl? He didn't even stagger.
No. Instead, he growled, and his eyes followed Kelix as the boy landed beside Idalia.
When she tried to lift her head, several vials of liquid slipped from Kelix's hand. Her friend's body was trembling. "Drink quickly! General Raurgo's gone… because of him." He glanced at Hirohowl. "But I'll protect you, Ida."
Quantumoon for the bonus side story! Expect the chapter to be released on Jan 15th!