The dark sphere enveloping Simalaun erupted in a blasting shockwave, sending Palademes flying.
Warghhhh!!
Simalaun's transformation was complete: his body was sheathed in glassy white scales, his head twisted into a crocodile's maw, and his size had doubled! The pair of piercing red eyes, filled with killing intent, fixed on Palademes.
With a burst of speed, he charged, hurling Palademes high into the air. Simalaun followed instantly, a powerful leap bringing him right behind his airborne target. A dark Shakti erupted around his scaled wrist, and he hammered Palademes back down to the ground. Without pause, Simalaun continued his assault, unleashing a barrage of dark elemental power. Then, he gathered a dark breath and launched it toward his fallen opponent. The blast, a destructive force, was intended to end Palademes for good.
A wave of blinding light intercepted the dark beam, causing an explosion that shattered half of the eastern Avalon area.
"... thy fate... is sealed, Simalaun..." Palademes chuckled weakly, his energy depleted.
Simalaun spun toward the source of the attack, his gaze falling upon Suria, a figure shrouded in a mighty shadow.
Behind Suria, a guardian bird of colossal proportions loomed over the battlefield. Delicate, almost ethereal armor crafted from unknown metals adorned its shoulders, waist, knees, and chest. An intricately wrought iron helm concealed its face, leaving only a narrow slit for its piercing eyes. A waist cloth embroidered with a mesmerizing pattern of diamonds swayed gently in the draft. Its plumage was the color of burnished gold—a force to be feared: the legendary giant bird, Jentayu.
Jentayu swooped low, offering Palademes a glowing orb of emerald light. The orb pulsed with an inner radiance, recovering his Shakti.
Suria glared at Simalaun with burning intensity.
"Is... is she... the bird princess?... No, it can't be!" Simalaun shivered.
"Jentayu! Illuminate the darkness!"
Jentayu unleashed a torrent of iridescent light from its wings. The beam, a blinding wash of color, struck Simalaun directly. Before the Puaka could retaliate, Suria leaped, unleashing a volley of light arrow attacks.
Blinded, Simalaun instinctively focused his dark Shakti and countered with a dark breath. Suria evaded the blast and landed gracefully, a growing sphere of light already forming in her hand.
"It's time to end this, Jentayu," Suria declared, releasing the luminous sphere toward Simalaun.
The dark creature attempted to disperse the light with a blast of darkness, but the relentless sphere continued its trajectory. Slowly regaining his sight, Simalaun narrowly dodged the incoming attack.
"HAH! Is that all a bird princess can do?! It looks like the legend got it wrong after all!" Simalaun taunted.
A second glowing sphere enveloped Suria as she advanced. Simalaun was prepared to counter, but the feeling of a sudden, colossal surge of power directly behind him stole his focus.
"Heck yeah, this is what a bird princess can do!" Suria replied, her Shakti light intensifying. Her form shimmered, her movements accelerating.
Positioned behind Simalaun, Jentayu held the missed light sphere, infusing it with an even greater surge of Shakti.
"NO! This can't be happening!" Simalaun exclaimed, overwhelmed by the rapid assault that moved at tremendous speed.
"Double Light Cage Explosion!"
The spheres converged, trapping Simalaun within a blinding cage of light. A series of explosions erupted within the cage, reducing Simalaun's transformed body to its original, mortal form. The defeated creature fell to the ground, unable to resist.
Suria approached the fallen Simalaun and, without wasting a moment, instructed Jentayu to transport him to the Gari prison. A celestial vortex formed, signaling Jentayu's departure. The guardian bird, carrying the fallen Simalaun, vanished into the vortex.
Suria and Palademes lay on the ground, gazing at the remnants of the destroyed tower.
"Let's hope the others are doing well, Palademes," Suria murmured.
The battle in East Avalon had concluded with their victory over Simalaun.
Across the battlefield, Purnama saw the celestial vortex dissolve and Jentayu vanish, a silent but clear confirmation of Suria's triumph.
"You see that old hag? Simalaun is defeated, and you are next."
Energy coalesced in Purnama's hands. He unleashed a mighty King's Fist, which shattered the ground and sent a deadly volley of rocks flying toward Kelembai.
Kelembai, however, effortlessly deflected the debris with a powerful gust of wind. Seizing the moment, Purnama advanced, launching another King's Fist. Anticipating the attack, Kelembai vanished, reappearing above Purnama to strike him down with her staff.
Suddenly, a whirlwind of icy particles erupted around Kelembai, freezing her attack in mid-air and trapping her in a crystal of ice.
"The Kelembai army has been defeated. The knights are escorting the humans to safety and are en route to assist Suria as you commanded," Zirko announced, having swiftly dealt with the remaining forces.
"Good, but I think Suria is fine. Now it's our turn to get this wretch down."
Despite being encased in ice, Kelembai's eyes flickered, a sign of her impending escape. The ice began to crack and melt under the intense heat radiating from within. Kelembai, having miraculously escaped her icy prison, then morphed into the form of a young boy and summoned a magnificent green six-legged wolf.
Zirko unleashed a barrage of ice crystals, each a shard of frozen fury aimed at Kelembai. Mounted on the creature's back, Kelembai navigated the blizzard of ice with uncanny grace, the wolf dodging each attack with effortless agility.
Purnama closed in on Kelembai, aiming to deliver a powerful King's Punch. Kelembai leaped from the wolf, hopping toward Purnama with playful ease. In one mighty leap, it transformed again—this time into a fierce gorilla that landed with such force that it sank nearly half its massive body into the ground.
"What?!" Purnama gasped, stunned by the sudden shift.
Kelembai let out a roar, flinging debris at Purnama with every movement. Purnama darted from rooftop to rooftop, skillfully punching through the flying rubble as he tried to close in on his foe while Zirko dealt with the green wolf.
Elsewhere, Gema's senses were on high alert. Following the trail of shattered stones, he stumbled upon a sight that chilled him to the bone.
In the center of a desolate clearing, a massive black sphere pulsed with an eerie, malevolent energy. It hummed with a dark aura that seemed to drain the life from the air, pulling nearby rocks and boulders inexorably toward its malevolent core. A crushed, emptied suit of armor lay scattered around the sphere, grim testaments to the ferocity of the attack.
Nearby, Lancelot, his armor dented, was struggling, barely holding his sword.
Gema rushed to Lancelot's aid.
"Sir... G-Gema... the golem... It's becoming immense... and... Kay..." Lancelot gasped.
Gema hurled a lightning-infused stone at the sphere, but the dark aura repelled it. From his experience battling Darkseeds, he knew their transformations within these spheres rendered them invulnerable. The intensifying transformation provided a fleeting opportunity to plan and retreat.
Rescuing Lancelot, Gema returned to Arthur's side to lend his aid. He guided them both away from the pulsating sphere, seeking a safer distance before the full force of Bota's power could be unleashed.
"Gema, art thou forsaking us? The shadows gather! Where is Kay?!" Arthur's voice, though strained, held a regal command.
Gema shook his head, a silent acknowledgment of the dire situation. Without a word, he hoisted Arthur onto his shoulder and turned to flee.
"Nay, we shall not retreat! Set me down; I shall face Bota myself! Set me down, thou Celestion cur!" Arthur struggled, his voice filled with righteous fury.
A flash of lightning crackled beneath Gema's feet as he leaped high into the air, disappearing beyond the city walls.
"Coward!!" Arthur roared, his voice echoing through the desolate landscape.