Sifu and Grov dashed urgently toward the top of the wall, their feet pounding against the stone steps as they climbed. Beneath the towering walls, within the heart of the city, thousands of animals had gathered, their eyes fixed on Grov—placing their final hopes upon him.
Las and Eli remained below, their faces tense. Vroom, Piu, and Skav drew closer, joining their side. A heavy silence fell over them all, thick with unease, as they waited for what was to come.
Sifu and Grov finally reached the top of the wall, their hands clutching their chests as they gasped for breath, exhaustion etched across their faces. Beside them, the city guards stood frozen, fear painted in their eyes.
One guard rushed forward, panic in his voice as he looked at the two of them.
Guard: "Are you all right?!"
Neither Grov nor Sifu answered. Instead, they moved closer to the edge of the wall. Their eyes stretched into the distance, where the horizon was swallowed by darkness.
And then they saw it—thousands upon thousands of Black Wolf hordes, their shapes crawling like shadows across the land. From within that demonic, nightmarish void, only one thing shone through…
The golden silhouette of Icarus, his vast wings blazing with light, piercing the horrific darkness like a beacon of hope
Icarus stood tall and unyielding, his golden wings spread wide, gleaming like a divine shield amid the sea of darkness. All around him, thousands of Black Wolves howled and snarled like demons, their cries shaking the night.
At the front of the horde, the Marshal waited. A cruel, mocking laugh spilled from his lips as he raised his jagged blade, its edge catching the faint glow of Icarus's light.
The Marshal raised his jagged blade toward Icarus, his voice slicing through the night like a blade itself.
Marshal: "Give me the papyrus !"
Icarus let out a mocking laugh, his golden wings flaring as he tossed the scroll into the Marshal's hands.
Icarus: "Take it, little puppy."
The Marshal snatched it, his eyes narrowing as he clawed at the parchment, trying desperately to pry it open. But no matter how he struggled, it would not yield. His gaze darkened, veins pulsing with rage.
Marshal: "What the hell did you do, chicken?!"
Snarling, he pressed harder with his claws until, in a furious outburst, he slammed it to the ground. With a savage stomp, he crushed it beneath his boot, shattering it into pieces.
He bent low, tearing through the fragments, searching for its secrets—only to find emptiness. Slowly, his head rose, his furious eyes meeting the towering figure of Icarus, who loomed above him like an unbreakable wall of light.
The Marshal stared up at the towering figure of Icarus as he rose to his feet.
Icarus: "That's all you are—a puppy bowing its head, a mere pawn on a chessboard. Nothing more."
The Marshal began to snarl like a wolf, his teeth grinding with fury. Veins bulged across his forehead as he clenched the jagged blade tight in his fist. His voice, deep and feral, cut through the tension:
Marshal: "Tell me where the papyrus is! What have you done with it?!"
Icarus: "The light is coming to rule, puppy. A light so strong it will burn you—and every demon you serve."
Marshal: "Religious nonsense… philosophical trash. Do you really think you can save a world already destroyed? Do you really believe in a myth— in a god that doesn't exist?"
He raised his blade and pressed it against Icarus's chest. A thin line of blood trickled out, but Icarus's expression did not change—his eyes unflinching, his body unshaken.
Marshal: "Tell me… where is the papyrus?"
Icarus: "I destroyed it—so it would never fall into your hands."
The Marshal's gaze shifted toward Rock City, and he let out a cruel, mocking laugh. But before it could echo long, Icarus moved. With blinding speed, his massive hand clamped around the Marshal's throat, his grip strong enough to snap it in an instant.
Yet suddenly, Icarus's eyes widened. His breath hitched—heavy gasps escaped his beak as a sharp sound of pain filled the air. The Marshal's grin stretched wider, triumphant, as blood gushed between them.
The jagged blade was buried deep into Icarus's chest. With a savage pull to the side, the Marshal ripped the weapon across, tearing through flesh from heart to shoulder. A fountain of crimson burst forth.
Icarus collapsed to the ground, lifeless. Blood spread in a growing pool around his fallen body, staining the earth beneath him. Drops of red dripped from the Marshal's blade, his fur soaked in gore, as he stood over the slain eagle like a beast baptized in blood.
Grov and Sifu stood frozen, their eyes wide with shock at the horrifying scene before them.
The Marshal let out a mocking laugh, his gaze turning toward the city wall. His voice cracked with fury as he barked at the Black Wolves:
Marshal: "
PREPARE...THE BLACK REDEMPTION!"