BAM!
Emily, with a final, decisive strike, felled the last of the red, avian monstrosities. She exhaled, the tension slowly draining from her body, and then her gaze lifted, settling on the towering, skeletal eagle that remained, a crimson bone structure silhouetted against the sky.
"Who is Aaron?" The eagle's voice, a gravelly, resonant tone, echoed across the training field, sending a shiver down the spines of those who heard it.
"Huh?"
"Did that eagle just speak?!"
"It's understandable," Chief Egon responded, his voice laced with a grim understanding. "That monster is a Cursed Demon... so learning our speech isn't difficult."
"What do you want with my boy?!" Aurora demanded, her voice ringing with maternal ferocity. Dark lines etched her face, a testament to her worry and the raw power she held in check.
The massive bird shifted its gaze, scanning the assembled villagers. "OK then, due to no reply. I'll just have to level this village."
"Hey, you bastard!!"
All eyes snapped to the source of the interruption. Aaron stood, his expression a mixture of defiance and curiosity. "I'm Aaron! Do you have anything for me?!" he asked, his voice cutting through the tense silence.
"The Master said you are a powerful adversary, so instead of a battle between our territories... let's form an Alliance," the eagle responded, its tone surprisingly reasonable.
"You fucking attack us, and you're asking for an alliance! What makes you think I'll accept?!" Aaron retorted, his voice laced with incredulity.
"Calm down, Aaron," the Chief said, quickly stepping forward. "That bird said 'Master,' that means... there is someone who is a legendary realm behind it, maybe even a great demon." Egon whispered, his voice laced with caution.
Aaron nodded, absorbing the information, then turned back to the eagle. "Ask your master to come and apologize for this attack, then we'll talk about the alliance."
"Huh?"
"..."
A wave of stunned silence washed over the villagers. Aaron's words, so casually spoken, were audacious. The eagle alone could have decimated ninety percent of them, and to demand an apology from its master was beyond comprehension.
"What are you doing, Aaron?" the Chief asked again, his voice strained with concern.
"That fool who is this birdbrain's master used this as a test. I want to show him I can't be looked down on; to even be tested."
"Isn't that dangerous?" The Chief was visibly on edge. The eagle was a formidable foe, but its master was an unknown entity, a being of immense power.
"Apologize?" Even the eagle seemed taken aback by the request.
"Let me guess, your territory is located at the center of the forest, and mine is just beside yours. And if the Griffins and you make an Alliance, you'll be able to enter my territory without restraint," Aaron stated, his voice calm and analytical.
"Territory?"
"Griffins?"
"What is going on here?"
"I'm confused, just listening to them."
"To have a territory, you need to be a ruler. Is this young man a ruler?"
"I don't know."
Aaron smirked at the eagle and asked, "Are you ready to show yourself?"
"What a kid?!" Dark flames erupted around the eagle, and in the next moment, a middle-aged man with piercing red eyes, clad in a crimson Taoist robe, appeared, levitating above them.
"How do you know?" he asked, his gaze fixed on Aaron.
"You killed my people, and destroyed my village!!" Chief Egon yelled, his fear momentarily overridden by rage.
"I wasn't the one. The eagle who killed your people has been killed by me. That's my skill, I can take the form of anything I kill," he said, slowly descending toward them.
{All Seeing Eyes.}
{Name: Alter.}
{Realm: Sky.}
{Class: (None).}
{Race: Unknown.}
{Strength: 6,000.}
{Agility: 8,500.}
{Defense: 5,000.}
{Endurance: 7,500.}
{Affinity Mastered: Fire, Wind, Death.}
{Attack: 1,500. Critical - 3,000.}
{Health point: 8,000.}
"This guy is both powerful and mysterious," Aaron muttered, his eyes narrowing.
"I apologize for the attack, it's just how I am..." Alter landed on the ground, his eyes scanning the assembled villagers. "I heard you formed an Alliance with Talon, so I tracked you down. Imagine the shock I got when I knew you are in the third Continent." He looked at the still stunned Soldiers.
"Don't be scared everyone, if I wanted you dead... my birds would have attacked you."
"Attack? I see you don't like them."
"I didn't, those bastards are irritating." He fixed his gaze on Aaron. "What do you say, Emperor Aaron?" He smiled.
"Hahaha... Talon isn't the silent type, the whole forest has heard of you by now." The man was clearly amused.
"If I form an Alliance with you, what will I gain?" Aaron asked, his eyes gleaming with shrewd calculation.
"Talon also said you never form an Alliance without getting something in return, so... I'll give you the 'Wings of Death.' It's a high-class spell which could make you fly," Alter said, his smile widening.
'This Talon,' Aaron sighed inwardly. 'But... this spell will be useful to me. I can fly in the air while being invisible. That's a good advantage.' After a moment of consideration, he nodded.
"My rule, you and your people won't enter my territories without my permission, or else..."
"Don't worry about that, Emperor Aaron." He looked around in confusion. "Where is King Protean?" he asked.
"Not here," Aaron said, even though Protean was perched on his shoulder.
"OK--" Alter froze, his eyes widening as he saw Aaron begin to draw the Alliance's magic circle.
"How...?" He was utterly speechless.
'Another advantage I discovered with the All-Seeing Eyes. As long as I observe what anyone is doing, I'll instantly know how it's done and created; and even perfected it,' Aaron thought, finishing the last stroke of the intricate design.
"Done. But... if you enter any of my territory without permission, you and your people will be struck down. These are the terms and conditions," Aaron explained, his voice firm and unwavering.
'Terms and conditions? The only way I'm agreeing to this is to have an ally. We monsters are hunted by not one but countless enemies, especially the races,' Alter thought, and placed his palm on the circle. He felt a slight sensation, and it was done.
"It's done," Aaron said after placing his palm and shattering the circle.
"I hope to see you in the meeting, it'll be fun!!" Dark flames engulfed his figure, and he transformed into a massive black phoenix.
"We'll see again, Emperor Aaron; and this is the spell."
With that, he soared into the sky, disappearing into the clouds, while Aaron caught the piece of paper, storing it in his space without a glance.
"That ended... unexpectedly," Protean said, his voice laced with mild surprise, and added, "Time to answer questions, I'm leaving it to you."
"Don't you dare fly away, Protean!"
Protean, who was about to make a swift escape, froze upon hearing Aurora's angry voice.
"Mom is angry with us, it's your fault!" He hissed at Aaron.
Aurora stopped in front of the two, her expression stern. "You two have a lot of explaining to do," she said, her hands resting on her hips.
"It's all Aaron's fault!" Protean quickly said, pointing his feather at Aaron's face.