SS rank Xalvathar: The Soulweaver

Rowan stood before the group, his voice firm and commanding. "Mastering Vera isn't just about power; it's about control and discipline. With focus, you can amplify your abilities beyond what you think possible."

Takumi shifted impatiently, cutting in. "Command! Where's Captain Finn and Amandla?"

Rowan raised a brow but maintained his composure. "Finn is on a hunt."

Zanele's curiosity piqued. "A hunt for what?"

"Creatures," Rowan replied simply.

Haruto's eyes lit up with excitement. "Can we join the hunt?"

After a moment's hesitation, Rowan nodded. "You can, but remember this—do not engage without orders."

The group straightened, responding in unison, "Yes, sir!"

Liyana smirked, leaning closer. "And where exactly is Captain Finn?"

"Ashvale," Rowan answered.

At the mention of Ashvale, Zanele froze, her face paling. "Ashvale? That's where our mother lives!" She turned quickly to Takumi, who clenched his fists tightly.

Takumi exhaled through gritted teeth. "No… X said he took her to a place with better healers."

Zanele frowned, her voice trembling. "Yes, but X called us not long ago. He said the healers couldn't save her left leg. That's why she returned home."

Rowan's expression darkened as he pieced things together. "Captain Finn mentioned the creature is a Valkor."

At that, Takumi's fury ignited. "A Valkor?!"

Rowan regarded him closely. "You know it?"

Takumi's voice quaked with anger. "It's the creature that nearly killed my mother and me! And now it's after her again?"

Rowan's gaze sharpened as realization dawned. "If it's a Valkor, it's not random—it's targeting your mother. But why?"

Without another word, Rowan barked his orders. "We move now!"

Takumi nodded firmly, determination burning in his eyes. "Let's go."

The team, infused with Vera, sprinted toward Zanele and Takumi's home. Rowan reached the house first, but the sight before him made his blood run cold.

It was too late.

The Valkor stood in the doorway, its monstrous claws gripping Thandeka. With one swift and brutal motion, the creature tore her head from her body. Rowan froze, horror paralyzing him. Moments later, the others arrived, their faces contorted in shock and despair.

Takumi's anguished scream pierced the air. "No!"

Zanele's grief erupted into uncontainable rage. Her eyes glowed an intense white, and her Vera aura exploded around her, surging with unrestrained power. She had lost all control—her mind consumed by a singular, primal drive: to destroy Valkor.

The beast turned, unfazed by her transformation. A malicious grin spread across its face. "Do you really think that's enough to kill me?" it sneered. But Zanele wasn't listening. With a roar, she lunged, grabbing the creature by the head and slamming it into the nearest wall with enough force to shatter stone.

The Valkor, dazed but unbroken, unleashed a powerful Vera blast at her. The explosion engulfed Zanele, but when the dust cleared, she stood unharmed, her fury only intensifying.

"You've made a mistake," she growled, her voice laced with raw power. Summoning a devastating blast of energy, she drove it into the Valkor's mouth. The resulting explosion obliterated its head.

For a brief moment, silence fell. Then, the Valkor's laughter echoed in the air as its body began to regenerate. Its head reformed, and it sneered. "You can't kill me that easily. But if I'm going down, so is this entire city!"

The creature raised its hand, unleashing a massive Vera blast toward the moon. The resulting explosion shattered it, sending meteors cascading toward the Earth.

Valkor's laughter grew, but Zanele had reached her breaking point. Her aura flared with blinding intensity as she grabbed the creature once more. Her voice was icy, filled with deadly resolve. "Regenerate this."

Pouring every ounce of her Vera into one final attack, she unleashed a blast so powerful it annihilated the Valkor completely. Not a single cell remained.

But the battle wasn't over. The shattered moon had sent a meteor shower barreling toward the Earth. Summoning the last of her strength, Zanele stretched her arms wide, releasing a wave of Vera that froze the meteors mid-air. Her aura flickered dangerously as she strained to hold them in place.

One by one, the meteors disintegrated, their fiery trails snuffed out. As the final meteor vanished, Zanele's body gave out. She began to fall from the sky.

Takumi caught her just in time, his voice breaking. "Zanele!" She was pale, her breathing faint, but she was alive.

The others gathered around, relief giving way to a grim realization. The absence of the moon had destabilized the Earth itself.

Rowan stepped forward, his tone resolute. "Enough. This is bigger than us." He raised his hand, summoning his Vera. "Remember, Vera is both creation and destruction. Let's create."

The air shimmered as Rowan concentrated, forming a bright, silver sphere in the sky. Slowly, it grew, solidifying into a replacement for the shattered moon. With a final exhale, Rowan collapsed to his knees, his Vera drained.

"You don't know how many times this has happened," Rowan muttered darkly.

Liyana stared at him in disbelief. "What are you talking about? This has never happened before."

Rowan's chuckle was bitter. "That's what you think. The king's Vera is the strongest of all. He erases events like this from everyone's memory—except for us."

Takumi held Zanele tightly, his voice trembling with worry. "That's great, but she still hasn't woken up!"

Rowan placed a hand on Takumi's shoulder. "She'll be fine. She just needs rest. She'll wake up tomorrow."

Before they could fully regroup, Finn and Amandla appeared, their expressions anxious. "What happened?" Finn asked.

Rowan glanced at them. "Zanele killed the Valkor."

Amandla looked confused. "How? We were still on our way."

Rowan's gaze narrowed. "Why were you late, Finn? You're supposed to be first on the scene."

Finn scratched his head sheepishly. "Well… Amandla got hurt."

Rowan frowned. "How?"

"She tried to break her Vera limit and crashed," Finn admitted. "Took out some trees, a couple of houses… okay, maybe eight houses. The city says we owe 8,000 gold."

Rowan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You mean you owe them."

"No, no," Finn said quickly, grinning. "The king owes them." He walked off, leaving Rowan shaking his head.

From the shadows, Xalvathar observed the aftermath, his crimson eyes gleaming with malice. "Good," he murmured. "The mother is dead, but they failed to bring me her head. No matter. The time has come to kill the king."

He turned to his subordinates, his voice cold. "Don't fail me this time."