The silence after the last explosion was short-lived.
Just when they thought the nightmare had ended, the earth split open with a deafening crack. Molten fire burst from the ground, swallowing trees and scorched earth in its wake. And then, from the searing chasm, three colossal Leviathans emerged—monsters not of this world, forged in torment, each the size of a tower, with eyes that burned with soulless hate and flesh scaled in obsidian and ash.
Their roars shook the sky. One let out a scream so piercing it shattered windows from over a mile away. The ground trembled under their weight as they stomped into Ivory High's territory, their whip-like tails tearing buildings in half, their claws carving the landscape into ruins.
"What the hell—?" Slyvia staggered back, her lips trembling. "This... this isn't normal. These aren't just monsters—"
Ava finished for her, voice steady despite the blood dripping from her forehead. "They're immortal. Lamia's corrupted them… fortified them with ancient magic."
Battle erupted.
Slyvia, regaining her composure, gritted her teeth. Her hands lit up with glowing sigils as she called upon the elements. A storm of wind and fire burst around her. Beside her, Ava conjured a lance of purified lightning, launching it at the nearest Leviathan, the bolt exploding on its armored chest. It roared and stumbled—but only for a second.
The Leviathan retaliated. Its massive tail whipped across the ground, smashing through a watchtower and sending Ava flying across the rubble. She slammed into the side of the chapel wall, a trail of blood painting the stones.
Slyvia screamed, her eyes blazing as she shot shards of ice like daggers, piercing the monster's hide, but they melted before reaching its heart. It charged at her with wild fury. She barely conjured a wall of rock to stop it, but the impact threw her backwards, crashing her into debris. Her world went black for a moment.
At the school's west wing, the second Leviathan charged straight toward the student dorms. Its mouth opened, rows upon rows of jagged, shifting teeth snarling in bloodlust. Students were still hiding inside.
"Not on my watch," Asher muttered, standing between the monster and the building, blood running down his arms from earlier battles.
Jeremy rushed toward him. "Let me help you!"
But Asher knew the truth—Jeremy wouldn't survive this.
He spread his palm, chanting quickly. A magic circle of light engulfed Jeremy and Emily, locking them inside a barrier.
"NO! LET ME OUT!" Jeremy yelled, pounding the walls.
Asher didn't turn around. He couldn't.
The second Leviathan thundered toward him.
This one was different—larger, angrier, spitting acid from its fanged maw. Its breath alone melted trees and steel. Asher's legs were trembling. Still, he stood his ground, channeling every ounce of power he had left into a celestial blade forged from pure light. The creature lunged. Asher dodged barely, slicing across its throat, but it only enraged the beast. The Leviathan's tail came crashing down on Asher's back, snapping bones and pinning him into the concrete.
He screamed. Blood gushed from his mouth. He couldn't move.
Across the battlefield, Rose screamed in horror, curled in a corner, unable to move, unable to breathe. Flames painted the sky. The world was ending before her eyes.
More students died.
The third Leviathan was smaller, but faster. It slithered between buildings, sniffing out hidden students. One by one, it dragged them out, devouring them in horrible crunches. Screams echoed through the night. Blood sprayed the walls. The courtyard was turning into a graveyard.
Asher saw it happening. He heard the cries. His arms were broken. His magic was failing.
He turned his head and saw Ava, barely conscious, dragging herself across the rubble.
He whispered, "Ava... our magic... combine it."
She looked up, eyes burning with tears. "Are you insane? That spell—it'll kill you."
But he was already chanting. The words were old. Forbidden. Forgotten.
Ava had no choice. She gripped his hand, their blood mingling.
The sky split open with celestial fire.
Light engulfed Asher's body. He screamed as his skin peeled, transformed, restructured into something godlike. His hair turned white. His eyes, once golden, now burned blue like dying stars. Feathers of molten light erupted from his back—wings, majestic and terrible.
He stood. The Leviathans turned, sensing something ancient.
Ezekiel burst from the shadows. "NOOO! DON'T LET HIM! HE'LL DIE!"
But it was too late.
Asher was gone. In his place stood a Celestial Executioner.
He raised his hand.
The first Leviathan exploded mid-charge. Its body didn't just burst—it twisted into itself, its bones screaming as if they were sentient, its insides boiled into black ichor, every organ crushed by gravity collapsing inward like a dying star. Its soul was burned from the inside out, howling in silence, and then it vanished into dust.
The second tried to flee.
Asher snapped his fingers.
Its limbs detached unnaturally, ripping from sockets as if a cruel puppet master had seized control. Its mouth gaped wide in eternal scream as flames laced with divine judgment filled its throat. It clawed at its own skin, but it could not stop it. Its insides burst from every orifice. It fell with a ground-breaking thud, oozing steaming tar.
The third tried to fight.
Asher flew high above, wings spreading like heavenly fire. He chanted a final word, and a spear of pure wrath fell from the sky, impaling the creature through its skull. Its head exploded in a sickening splatter of bones, brains, and screams. The body convulsed, then crumbled into ash, vanishing with a fading howl.
Silence.
Ashes rained down like snow.
And Asher fell.
He hit the ground with a heavy thud, body torn open. The wings shattered. The light faded.
"ASHER!" Ezekiel and Jeremy ran to him, pulling him up, holding his hand, begging him to stay awake.
They rushed him to the sick bay.
He didn't respond for hours.
Sylvia—her hands shaking—placed herbs, symbols, healing spells across his body, whispering prayers as blood soaked the white sheets. Slowly, his breath steadied. His eyes fluttered open.
But something was wrong.
He sat up, and the moment he tried to conjure magic—nothing. Not even a spark.
He fell to the ground, clutching his chest. "No... No, it's gone. All of it—my powers... gone!"
Rose was pacing the room, trembling. She stopped. "What do you mean gone?"
Asher looked up at her, eyes haunted. "I'm empty. I can't feel anything."
Everyone froze.
Ava turned to the window. "Then who's going to stop Lamia?"
As if in response, the ground beneath the sick bay rumbled violently. Cracks appeared in the walls. Lights flickered. A pressure unlike anything they had felt descended on the school.
And Ava gasped, clutching her chest. "It's Lamia... we wasted too much time. He's unlocked the Phoenix Stone… and the Dragon Sanctuary."
Outside, the sky turned red. Dragons roared in the distance. Magic raged like a storm.
The end had begun.
And their strongest warrior… was powerless.