Angel Monarch

While Will and Sarah were 'sleeping', Sera went with Kastral to see a new arrival for their group.

When they were fighting the Colossal Sea Devourer, there was another fight happening in their camp, on a much smaller scale... One of the eggs finally hatched.

Kastral led her, Bea and Vicky to see the new baby hippogryph.

Near a few broken eggshells stood a very small hippogryph on shaking legs. Her feathers were a beautiful mix of light and dark brown, inherited from her parents. They were currently standing behind her, and let nobody get too close.

When Vicky tried to grab the little baby, Bea quickly stopped her before something bad happened. .net

Sera was grinning from ear to ear as she turned towards Kastral and asked with excitement, "What's her name?"

The voice that answered wasn't as happy, but more proud and wary.

"They haven't given her a name yet... They were waiting for their leader..."

She turned her head in confusion not understanding his meaning.

"Then what are you waiting for? Go ahead and name her already. Why are you staring at me?"

The face that Kastral was making seemed to say 'Are you serious?' He also made a sound that could be interpreted as a sigh.

"Why would I need to name her? Since when am I the leader of this group? We always follow your orders, and also I'm your mount which heavily implies a hierarchy in our relationship..."

"Fine-fine, I get it!" *sigh* Sera stayed silent as she thought of a good name for the baby.

'What would be a great name for her... I could name her after someone I lost, like my mother... What was her name again?... I-I can't remember... H-how could I forget her name?!'

Her breathing became faster and faster as she started to panic, but suddenly it all went away. She didn't find this missing information weird anymore and instead thought of a name for the baby.

"I think her name should be Memento. It means remember in an ancient language, and that is the most important for us to do, not forgetting our past and future..." What she said didn't seem to convince her. The tone in which she spoke was more like, trying to make herself believe that that's the meaning behind the name...

While keeping her thoughts away from the real message behind the name... Remember!

No one noticed anything strange about her or the name, and soon little Memento was playing with Vicky. It didn't matter how hard the parents tried to dissuade their youngling, she always found a way to go against their will, and reluctantly they let her.

The night passed without much else to note. Everyone stayed away from the area where Will and Sarah were supposed to sleep. Faith was the unlucky one who walked too close... She hasn't talked since.

By the time dawn rolled around they were already in the sky heading east. They flew above the sea, and kept the shore to their right, constantly in sight but not close enough for monsters to see them.

Their speed decreased a bit because of their new arrival, but hippogryphs were a very peculiar species. Little Memento didn't just born with the ability to walk, but to fly as well... And she wasn't even slow about it.

Her speed could've matched Sera's winged form with ease, the maneuvering wasn't that great, but she always stayed close to the parents in case of danger... And danger came faster than they had anticipated.

From the south right where the land was, came a strange noise. It confused the minds of everyone present, it was like a scream straight out of hell. But whatever made that sound was so far away they saw no trace of its existence.

Just in case they increased their speed, and soon they heard it again... This time closer.

There was worry building up in all their hearts, not because of the sound, but the presence of a being which out ranked them by far... A horror was coming in their direction, and it was much faster than they could manage.

"Kastral... I want you to relay a message to all of them... They go to our next stop and if we don't arrive they will continue the journey!"

Sera closed her eyes and calmed her soul. The decision was already made, even though the others won't know it until it's too late. In her mind there was the small voice of her mount.

"I... I understand... *sigh* They got the message... Shall we?"

Her eyes snapped open full of determination and purpose. Kastral turned in the air and flew towards the sound that at this point was very close to them. A small laugh escaped from her lips as their speed grew... This was truly a mad plan!

Behind them the hippogryphs increased their speed flying in the opposite direction. Memento couldn't keep up with the rest, but Alyrine, Bea's mount quickly grabbed her out of the air, and sped away faster than the rest.

By the time the group realized where Sera went it was already too late, their form was far away and getting farther each second. Non shed tears or were afraid... They fully believed in their capable leader and her powerful mount!

...

'Fuck!... Why did I decided to do this?! I'm a fucking evolved, not even an ascended yet!... And now I plan on distracting a horror?! Maybe Madness had already got me, that's the only explanation I have for making this dumb decision...'

Needless to say, she wasn't as confident in her abilities as the others.

The sound came again, it was very near and in the air... Just out of sight behind the horizon. It took them another few seconds to finally catch a glimpse of the monster, but as she was about to look at it came a shout inside her mind.

"CLOSE YOUR EYES! DON'T LOOK AT IT!"

There was no need to say her twice. Sera followed her mount's order immediately, and just as her eyes were about to lay witness to the beast, she closed them. But she didn't stay helpless and figured they could at least use more information.

"Watch! Scan!" Was all that could be heard from her voice which got swept away by the sound of the wind.

"Scanning complete... Classification: Stellar... Name: Amygdala... Suggestion: Avoid... Look at her... She is so beautiful...

Bask in her glory... Open your eyes, Seraphine... Don't you want to see my magnificent self?..."

Said the Watch inside her head, and some doubt appeared in her mind for some reason.

'Maybe I should open my eyes... I do want to see how she looks... She must be extraordinarily breathtaking judging by that magical voice inside my head...'

"Yes! Open your eyes and let's feast... I'm so hungry, I haven't met a tasty meal like you in a long time!... All that potential and strength, what joy that we meet!"

The flying speed of Kastral changed into a hover as they floated in the air. Both of their eyes gradually opened and instantly blood came pouring out of everywhere on their faces, like their whole being was rejecting the sight they saw... Which was weird because there was nothing in the air, just a very attractive young woman.

Her black hair seemed to disobey gravity as it flew around her, each strand was twice the length of her body. And how alluring that body was... She wore no clothes and instead strands of hair kept the most enticing parts of her body hidden, always teasing but never revealing.

She took step after step on empty air, until she was only a few meters away from them. Neither could look away from the beauty that brought only fear with her.

"Oh how pretty you are! I have to say from woman to woman you are the best looking one I have seen, well after myself of course! Maybe I will use your face next time!... It would be funny to use your form while I kill your friends wouldn't it?"

Sera had no way of responding since her very soul was paralyzed by sheer terror, and unlike the last time she felt something similar, she didn't pass out. Amygdala waited for her to respond, but soon realized that it won't happen. After sighing and rolling her eyes she made a hand movement that elevated some of her fear.

"So Serapihne, what do you say? Wanna kill some innocent people?"

Unlike anything Amygdala imagined for Sera's reaction to be, she wasn't prepared for laughter as an option. She turned her head sideways in confusion, the first thing she thought of was that Sera's mind broke from the fear... But soon she understood her mistake.

Around Sera a lot of little specks of light appeared weaving her armor and crown into existence. It gave her a lot of mental and soul protection, but they can only work while Amygdala wasn't using most of her power. The crown also gave her the ability to inspire Kastral, and get him moving again.

But the most important part and what truly stunned Amygdala was Sera's anger. It caused some fear to appear in her heart, it was very small and fully ignorable for any creatures... Except Amygdala.

She was the literal embodiment of fear, her whole nature revolved around it. But feeling fear even this small amount was something that nothing bellow ethereal can cause to her.

As Kastral was speeding away with Sera on his back, there was that sound again. Only now did she realize what it actually was. Not a scream of pain, or anger... It was laughter...

Fear itself was laughing, because there was something small that made her feel the very emotion she brought to the world... Terror.