MARVEL
The moment Kaiser finished speaking, the forest erupted into motion.
Five against five.
No more words.
Marvel moved first.
He lunged straight toward Gioia just as she rushed at him. The fur lining around her shoulders suddenly rippled unnaturally, the soft material stretching and twisting before exploding outward into two massive, feathered wings from her back.
With a sharp thrust, Gioia snapped one wing forward like a blade, the feathers hardening as they shot toward Marvel’s chest.
Marvel reacted instantly.
He twisted his body sideways, the wing narrowly missing him by inches. The second wing came slicing from the opposite direction, but Marvel pushed off the ground and flipped backward in a clean backflip, landing several meters away to create distance between them.
The feathers slammed into the dirt where he had been standing moments ago.
Marvel straightened up, fists raised, eyes locked on her.
Gioia slowly lifted her wings again, the feathers shifting like living weapons around her.
Neither of them spoke.
Then both charged again.
Marvel’s fighting style was fluid.
Fast, controlled, almost graceful.
He moved like water.
Quick kicks snapped toward Gioia’s ribs, punches darting toward her face, each movement flowing into the next. Every time Marvel struck, Gioia’s wings responded instantly.
Feathers hardened like blades.
She blocked strikes with them, swiping Marvel’s attacks away with powerful sweeps of her wings, the metallic sound of feather-blades clashing against fists echoing through the trees.
Marvel ducked under another wing swipe, sliding past it and delivering a rapid kick toward her side.
Gioia hissed, the sound sharp and animalistic.
Suddenly she beat her wings and launched upward, trying to take the fight into the air.
But Marvel reacted instantly.
As her feet lifted from the ground, he grabbed both of her ankle's midair.
“Got you.”
With a powerful swing, Marvel hurled her straight downward.
Gioia smashed through the trunk of a nearby tree, the wood splintering apart as she burst through it and crashed onto the forest floor.
Marvel didn’t hesitate.
He charged forward immediately, sprinting through the falling debris. As Gioia pushed herself up from the broken wood, Marvel leapt into the air and drove forward with a launching kick aimed straight for her face.
But Gioia saw it coming.
Her eyes flashed.
She hissed again, and both wings exploded outward, firing dozens of razor-sharp feather blades toward him.
Marvel reacted mid-air.
Instead of pulling back, he spun his entire body, rotating smoothly as he continued his kick trajectory. The spinning motion allowed the feather blades to whistle past him harmlessly, slicing through the air where he had been moments before.
He completed the rotation just as they closed the distance.
Marvel thrust both palms forward.
A sudden invisible force erupted outward.
Telekinesis.
The blast struck Gioia square in the chest before she could react.
Her body was launched backward like she had been hit by a cannon.
She slammed into another tree, the trunk cracking loudly as her body smashed into it.
Leaves and bark exploded into the air.
Marvel landed lightly on his feet, sliding back a step as he steadied himself, eyes locked on Gioia through the settling debris.
Gioia slowly pulled herself up from the broken tree, splinters falling from her wings as she straightened.
Her face twisted with fury.
Marvel stood a few meters away, steadying himself, but for just a moment, his eyes flicked away from her.
He glanced behind him.
Crystal.
He needed to make sure she was alright.
That single second was all Gioia needed.
With a sharp hiss, her wings snapped open, and dozens of razor-sharp feather blades shot toward Marvel like arrows.
Marvel’s eyes widened as he snapped his head back toward her.
The blades were already on top of him.
But his body reacted instantly.
He twisted sideways, spinning on one foot, letting several blades slice past his shoulder. Then he flipped backward, landing on one hand before kicking himself upright again. A second volley of feathers came flying toward him, but Marvel smoothly rotated through them, his movements almost acrobatic, spinning, ducking, and flipping between the deadly projectiles.
The last blade sliced past his cheek and embedded itself into a nearby tree trunk.
Marvel straightened.
Above him, Gioia had already launched into the sky again.
Her wings beat powerfully as she soared overhead.
Marvel looked up at her, irritation flickering across his face.
“Stay still for a second…”
He raised both hands.
The ground around him trembled.
Several nearby trees suddenly ripped free from the earth, roots tearing violently out of the soil as Marvel lifted them with his telekinesis. Dirt and roots dangled from their bases as the trunks hovered in the air around him.
With a sharp motion of his arms, Marvel launched the trees upward like giant spears.
They shot toward Gioia one after another.
But she was fast.
Her wings carried her through the air with incredible agility. She twisted, dipped, and darted between the incoming trunks, weaving through the airborne trees with graceful aerial movements. One trunk passed inches from her wings, another spun past her head before crashing into the forest floor below.
Marvel clicked his tongue in frustration.
“Seriously?”
Gioia answered with another attack.
While circling high above him, her wings fired another storm of feather blades downward.
They rained toward Marvel like metallic hail.
Marvel quickly dropped the remaining trees and changed tactics.
Instead, his telekinesis grabbed every loose rock and stone nearby.
Dozens of rocks rose into the air around him.
As the feather blades came flying down, Marvel hurled the rocks upward, smashing them into the incoming feathers.
Clack.
Clang.
Crack.
Rock collided with blade midair, knocking them off course or shattering them entirely before they could reach him.
More feathers came.
More rocks flew up to meet them.
The forest clearing quickly turned into a chaotic exchange of projectiles, feather blades slicing through the sky while stones shot upward to intercept them.
Gioia kept circling above, launching volley after volley.
Marvel stood below, deflecting them with precise telekinetic throws.
Neither side was gaining ground.
For now, the fight had turned into a deadlock of ranged attacks, both fighters testing the other's limits.
Gioia suddenly stopped circling.
For a brief moment she hovered high above the clearing.
Then she folded her wings tightly around herself.
Her body began to spin.
Faster.
Faster.
Like a razor-edged drill falling from the sky.
Marvel’s eyes widened as he realized what she was doing.
She was diving straight at him.
He quickly lifted his hands, sending another wave of rocks upward to intercept her, but as Gioia spun through the air, her steel-like wings deflected the stones, knocking them aside as if they were nothing. Pebbles shattered, larger rocks bounced off and crashed into the ground around him.
The spinning projectile kept coming.
Marvel prepared to dodge.
But Gioia was just a fraction faster.
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At the last second her spinning form opened up, wings snapping outward like blades.
One of them drove straight through Marvel’s right shoulder.
“AAAGH!”
Marvel screamed as the wing pierced deep through the muscle.
The force of the strike dropped him instantly to one knee.
Before he could react, Gioia lunged forward and grabbed him by the throat.
The blade was still buried in his shoulder.
With a powerful flap of her wing, she launched them both into the sky.
Marvel choked as his feet dangled helplessly in the air.
Blood ran down his arm.
Gioia glared at him with pure hatred.
“You heathens disgust me.”
Her grip tightened around his throat.
“You dare reject Kaiser’s offer? Reject salvation?”
Marvel tried to pry her fingers off his neck, his hands weakly grabbing at her wrist, but her grip didn’t budge.
“You are nothing,” She sneered.
“Nothing but a lost animal pretending to be strong.”
She leaned closer to his face, her voice dripping with contempt.
“A heretic.”
Then suddenly...
She ripped her wing out of his shoulder.
Marvel gasped in agony as blood sprayed from the wound.
Now she held him only by his throat.
Marvel struggled again, kicking weakly in the air.
Gioia smirked.
“Don’t worry,” she said calmly.
“I’ll let you go.”
Then she suddenly folded her wings and dove downward.
Straight toward the ground.
Faster and faster.
Wind roared past them as the earth rushed up to meet them.
Marvel’s eyes widened in horror.
Then...
BOOM.
Gioia slammed him violently into the ground, choke-slamming him with all her strength.
The impact shattered the earth, sending dirt and debris exploding outward as a crater formed beneath Marvel’s body.
The forest floor cracked under the force.
Gioia released his throat and landed beside the crater.
Marvel lay at the center of it, barely moving.
His vision blurred.
His body felt heavy.
The world around him started fading as the pain in his shoulder throbbed violently.
His hearing dulled.
The sky above spun slowly.
And as darkness crept into the edges of his vision...
Marvel lost consciousness.
For a moment, there was no pain.
No battle.
No sky.
No screaming wind.
Only warmth.
Marvel found himself sitting at a wooden dinner table.
The room was softly lit by a lantern hanging above them, its warm glow casting gentle shadows across the walls of their small home. The smell of cooked vegetables and roasted meat filled the air.
Marvel looked down at himself.
His legs were shorter.
His hands smaller.
He was seven years old again.
Across the table sat his family.
His mother stood beside the table, smiling gently as she placed plates down in front of everyone. Her movements were calm and practiced, like she had done this a thousand times before.
His father sat at the head of the table, speaking to Crystal.
“And how was school today?” He asked casually.
Crystal, a little older but still very much a kid, shrugged slightly as she poked at her food.
“It was fine,” She said. “Math was boring though.”
Her father chuckled.
“Math is never boring. You just haven’t learned to appreciate it yet.”
Meanwhile, Marvel stared down at his plate.
There were vegetables.
A lot of vegetables.
His face scrunched up in protest.
“Moooom,” He whined dramatically.
His mother looked over with a knowing smile.
“Yes, Marvel?”
“I don’t wanna eat these.”
He pointed accusingly at the vegetables like they had personally offended him.
His mother gently folded her arms.
“You need to eat them.”
“But they’re gross.”
His father leaned back in his chair, watching the exchange with amusement.
Then he spoke with a teasing tone.
“Well if you don’t eat them,” He said slowly, “I guess we’ll have to add extra training tomorrow.”
Marvel froze.
His father continued counting on his fingers.
“Training… chores… cleaning the yard…”
Marvel immediately grabbed his fork.
“Okay okay okay!”
Crystal snorted with laughter.
Marvel shoved a piece of vegetable into his mouth like it was a heroic sacrifice.
Everyone at the table began eating.
The quiet clinking of forks and plates filled the room.
His mother sat down.
His father smiled slightly.
Crystal continued eating.
For a few peaceful moments, everything was normal.
The warmth of the moment lingered.
Plates clinked softly.
Marvel’s father leaned back slightly in his chair, looking across the table at his son.
“So,” He said casually, “how’s school going for you?”
Marvel shrugged with a mouth half full of food.
“It’s going okay.”
His father smirked.
“Just okay?”
Marvel nodded.
“Yeah. We had reading today.”
“And?”
Marvel shrugged again.
“It was boring.”
Crystal rolled her eyes slightly. "Copycat."
Their father chuckled.
“I see.”
Their mother coughed softly beside them.
Not a small cough.
A tired one.
The table went quiet for a second.
Crystal immediately looked over, worry on her face. Without thinking, she gently pushed her plate toward her.
“Mom… you can have mine.”
Their mother blinked in surprise.
Then she laughed softly.
A warm, tired laugh.
“Oh sweetheart… no.”
She slowly stood up from her chair, placing a gentle hand on Crystal’s shoulder.
She leaned down and kissed Crystal on the forehead.
Their father smiled gently at the scene.
“She's okay, sweetie.” He reassured.
Crystal still looked uncertain.
Marvel watched quietly.
Their mother took another small breath, steadying herself.
Then Marvel asked quietly,
“Mom… are you gonna be okay?”
She turned to him and smiled.
“Of course I will.”
She opened her arms slightly and gestured him over.
Marvel hopped off his chair and hugged her.
Crystal joined a second later, wrapping her arms around both of them.
Their mother held them tightly.
“You two are my babies,” She said softly.
“Momma’s babies make her feel okay every day.”
Their father stood up and walked over as well.
He wrapped his arms around his wife from behind and gently patted both of their children on the head.
“Everything will be fine,” He said calmly.
“We are Valemires.”
After a moment, their mother stepped slightly aside.
Crystal stood beside her.
Their father crouched down in front of the two kids.
He placed one hand on Crystal’s shoulder.
The other on Marvel’s.
He looked at them both with a calm, serious expression.
“We are the seers of this world,” He said.
“We expect everything… and inspect everything.”
He squeezed their shoulders gently.
“And one day, you two will become the future seers of this house.”
His eyes softened.
“And you’ll both make us proud, won’t you?”
Crystal nodded immediately.
“Of course!”
Marvel hesitated a little.
Then he asked quietly,
“Is the future scary?”
His father smiled slightly.
“It is.”
He paused.
“But so is everything else the first time.”
Marvel tilted his head slightly.
“You just have to stop being scared.”
Marvel frowned a little in thought.
“How did you stop being scared?”
His father chuckled softly.
“That’s a good question.”
He leaned forward slightly.
“I stopped being scared… when I followed this.”
He gently tapped a finger against Marvel’s chest.
Marvel looked down.
Then back up.
“My heart?”
His father nodded.
“Yes.”
“Follow your heart, son.”
His voice was calm, but firm.
“There will be many people who judge you.”
“People who stand against you.”
“People who won’t have your best interests at heart the way your mother and I do.”
He paused.
“And you will meet many seers who will call my advice weakness.”
“They will call you weak.”
Marvel listened carefully.
“But it's important,” His father continued, “That you follow this.”
He looked directly at him as he tapped his chest again.
“Okay?”
“Do you promise me, Marvel?”
Marvel nodded.
“I promise.”
His father then turned to Crystal.
“And you?”
Crystal nodded eagerly.
“I promise too.”
Their father smiled warmly.
“Good.”
He pulled them both into a hug.
“And always remember something.”
He spoke quietly now.
“Your mother and I?”
“We’re with you every step of the way.”
Their mother joined the hug again.
The four of them stood together.
For one perfect moment.
His mom smiled softly.
“And as you both grow older, never forget to take care of each other aswell, okay?”
Marvel and Crystal both nodded quietly.
“Okay.”
The memory lingered there.
Warm sunlight, their parents’ voices, the quiet feeling that everything was safe. That nothing in the world could ever break what they had.
Marvel felt a tightness in his chest.
This… this was perfect.
A life where they were all still together.
A life where nothing had gone wrong.
I wish…
I wish I could stay here forever.
But the thought didn’t stay peaceful for long.
The questions crept in.
What happened?
His mind searched the memory like it might find the answer hidden somewhere between the laughter and the soft voices.
What ruined all of this?
His chest tightened.
Did mom and dad know?
Did they know it would end like this?
Maybe that was why they smiled so much.
Maybe that was why they told them to take care of each other.
Were they just trying to keep us reassured?
Marvel’s thoughts spiraled deeper.
Why did you leave, dad?
Silence answered him.
Why did you leave, mom?
You both said…
His voice in his mind trembled.
You both said you were with me.
With us.
With me and Crystal every step of the way.
The warmth of the memory started to crack.
The sunlight dimmed.
Marvel felt something in his chest break open.
Why?
His thoughts echoed into the quiet.
Just why?
A long silence followed.
Then one final whisper in his mind.
Why?
Marvel’s voice in his mind grew quieter.
I think... I think I'm tired of following my heart, dad.
The warmth of the memory began to fade.
The sunlight dimmed.
The voices disappeared.
The world around him slowly emptied, like the dream itself was giving up.
Soon there was nothing left.
No house.
No parents.
No warmth.
Only an endless quiet.
Marvel and Crystal sat beside each other in the emptiness.
Marvel stared forward.
The only heart I have left now... is my sister.
Crystal said nothing. She simply sat there next to him, the same way she always had.
Marvel exhaled slowly.
And I think... the only thing left inside me now is... anger.
His voice grew rougher.
All I feel is anger.
Anger at myself.
Anger at you, dad.
Anger at not being able to help mom.
Anger at being useless for Crystal.
His voice cracked slightly.
I can't even protect her.
A bitter laugh escaped him.
I can't even fight a stupid bird bitch.
The emptiness around them stretched forever.
Marvel lowered his head.
I don't even know why I keep going...
Silence answered him.
...Why do I keep going?
Another pause.
Then realization slowly crept into his thoughts.
Oh... right...
He looked over at Crystal beside him.
I forgot.
Crystal still needs me.
His expression softened for a moment.
But to be honest...
His voice became quieter again.
I think I need her more.
Marvel took a slow breath.
...I should get up.
Another breath.
Yeah.
I should probably get up.
Marvel suddenly gasped awake, his body jolting upright.
Pain immediately tore through his shoulder.
Blood was still seeping from the wound.
His breathing was heavy as reality rushed back in around him.
The dream was gone.
But the pain…
The pain was still very real.
Marvel looked around wildly.
His eyes immediately locked onto the fight in the distance.
Crystal.
She was fighting Gioia and Kaiser at the same time, but it was clear she was struggling to keep up.
Something inside Marvel snapped.
His eyes went bloodshot.
Veins bulged along his neck and temples.
His brows furrowed as rage flooded every inch of his body.
He screamed at the absolute top of his lungs.
“GET AWAY FROM MY SISTER!”
Using his telekinesis, Marvel launched himself forward, rocketing through the forest like a missile.
Gioia noticed him at the very last second.
Too late.
Marvel slammed into her, grabbing her by the throat with both hands, and carried her forward at full speed.
They blasted through tree after tree, splintering trunks as they tore through the forest.
Crystal saw them streak past.
“MARVEL!” She screamed.
Marvel didn’t hear her.
The pain in his shoulder didn’t matter anymore.
Adrenaline drowned everything out.
Gioia screeched in fury.
Her wings lashed out, slicing across Marvel’s sides, his arms, and even grazing the side of his face.
Blood sprayed through the air.
But he didn’t stop.
He kept driving her through the forest like a battering ram.
Then...
SHUNK.
One of Gioia’s wing blades stabbed directly into his already wounded shoulder.
Marvel screamed in agony.
The pain finally broke his grip.
They both crashed violently into the ground, tumbling across dirt and roots before rolling to a stop.
Dust rose into the air.
Slowly…
Both of them stood.
They stared each other down.
Marvel’s right shoulder hung uselessly, barely able to move.
Blood ran down both of his arms.
Gioia screeched.
She launched a barrage of wing blades straight toward him.
Marvel planted his feet into the ground.
He raised his left arm, palm forward.
The blades slowed.
Then stopped.
They hung in midair between them.
Held in place by his telekinesis.
Gioia screeched again and kept firing.
More blades.
And more.
And more.
The pile grew larger and larger; a floating storm of razor wings suspended between them.
Slowly…
The mass of blades began pushing forward.
Closer.
Closer to Marvel’s palm.
His arm trembled.
He was exhausted.
Some of the blades began sliding into his hand, piercing his palm.
Marvel grunted through clenched teeth.
His control was slipping.
Then with a sudden burst of strength...
He whipped his arm to the side.
Every floating blade was hurled violently away, scattering through the trees.
But several blades still remained embedded deep in his left palm.
Marvel staggered slightly.
His right arm bled heavily.
His left hand was full of metal.
He huffed painfully.
Gioia tilted her head, cruel satisfaction in her eyes.
“Goodbye, heathen.”
She launched her final barrage.
A storm of wing blades screamed toward him.
Marvel closed his eyes.
“…No.”
He whispered to himself.
“Fuck you.”
His eyes opened again.
They burned with pure rage.
The incoming blades suddenly froze in midair.
Not by his hand.
By his mind alone.
Marvel began walking forward.
Slow.
Unstoppable.
The blades either stopped completely or were violently thrown aside as they approached him.
Gioia’s screech turned into something closer to panic.
Marvel kept walking.
Step by step.
Closing the distance.
When he finally reached her...
He lifted his bleeding, trembling right arm.
His fist clenched.
He poured every ounce of strength he had left into one swing.
Then...
CRACK.
Marvel’s punch slammed directly into Gioia’s jaw.
The impact shattered it instantly. And ended her.
Her corpse crashing and tumbling through the forest.
Marvel instantly fell to his knees, groaning in immense pain.
He slowly, one by one, pulls out each blade from his left palm.
And looked behind him, faintly seeing Crystal in the distance with his blurry vision.
"Need... to get up," He tries to get one knee.
But it's no use.
He lets out a deep sigh.
And falls to the ground. Face-first.
And passes out.
CHAPTER 5 END
