The cloaked man didn’t mind tracking the time. All he knew was there was the blurry image of the sun behind the gray clouds. He rested his hand on a tall tree to feel the rumble getting stronger- that must mean he was getting closer.

If Wayde’s research is correct, he thought. The time has almost come.

He walked on to the haunting winter forest. By staying quiet, he must step foot on the snowy ground slowly. Over a tree branch, a pileated woodpecker flew off to the sky before it vanished with bright red dusts.

The bird later appeared again on top of a right hand. And that hand was no other than the weird old lady yesterday. Gazing the snowy side over the mountains while standing on the cliff, the weird old lady chanted the ancient tongue over and over again. Although, this time, not in a whisper. She later turned to Red, who was eager for orders as it titled its head.

“Go to MaXabiere, he will sense you as you come. After that, bring him here.” The weird old lady launched the pileated woodpecker into the air once she tossed her hand. After she watched the bird vanished with bright red dusts, the weird old lady returned to look at the forest below her.

Red appeared above the large town of Yardsville. The bird may not be an eagle, but it knew where exactly Xabe may be. Over the vast winter forest, what awaited the cloaked man was an unknown doom, for the people over Yardsville however, it was Tuesday.

Meanwhile, in the Meadow Orphanage, The Bert couple and Holly were cooking lunch.

“Visitors?” Holly asked as she was stirring the crab and corn soup.

“You heard right, Holly.” Allanda chopped off a chunk of meat on a wooden board right next to her. “When it was just your momma working here years back, those two visitors lived here as orphans before.”

“Whoa, seriously?”

“Yeah. Come to think of it,” Brandon said as he served the sausages on a huge platter on the table. “You may have seen one of them.”

“Hmm,” Holly pondered. “I’ve only come to see them when my mom decided to bring me along in the Yard’s Marketplace.”

“Oh, I remember that!” Allanda gleefully said. “I even brought those two older orphans there like a field trip. While Brandon here stayed to guard the little ones. They even cried when we left.”

“Hehe, you tell’em, honey.” Brandon grabbed a glass of water in the fridge.

“And I think you remember what happened next.” Allanda leaned to Holly.

“I’m starting to see a pattern here,” Holly said. “When you and mom met at the plaza, you introduced me to those kids that were the same as my age.”

“Mhm,” nodded Allanda and spun his hand to keep going.

“I was freaked out from the kid who looked like a hippie with style, he had some balls to flirt with me, while the blond boy kept his distance.” Holly smoothly stirred at the thick texture of the soup.

“He can see ghosts after all,” Brandon muttered.

“Our meeting was brief back then, we parted ways and I didn’t even bother to remember their names,” said Holly.

“I see,” said Allanda. “For a friendly reminder, our visitors names are Sean Kenslin and Claes Vortecse.”

Holly stopped stirring and quickly turned to Allanda, who immediately backed away with her never-ending grin. “I knew it,” Holly reacted. But her surprised expression turned to puzzle. “Wait, did you just say Vortecse?”

“Mhm,” nodded Allanda. “That blond boy you mentioned, he’s one of the family of Flash guardians. Such a tragedy of what happened to them.”

“Ey, ey, ey, no need to mention it again,” Brandon put his hands on his wife’s shoulders.

Allanda’s sudden serious expression vanished as she slightly shook her head. “Sorry, dear. But on a bright side, they’re doing well. Like their parents, the Vortecse brothers became Flash guardians after they were adopted by-”

“Hey, sis!” Xabe peeked through the kitchen. “I’ll just be heading out.”

The three of them turned to see Xabe wearing his olive jacket, brown pants, especially his stretched red scarf. “Huh, why? It’s almost lunchtime. And why are you wearing your scarf. Afraid the kids will play it again?”

“No.” He furrowed his eyebrows. “It’s just drafty here. I can use some warmth right now.” Refusing to elaborate, he left.

“Drafty?” Brandon exchanged looks. “Haruko hasn’t been playing weather at a time like this.”

In fact, she was not, she was busy chatting with Terrance and Aden. Over a corner, the odd quiet kid, Elliot, watched Xabe as he went outside, hoping the sun would warm his chilling feeling. However, as he looked up, he noticed the clouds were dark and… angry. Lightning began to show itself as a blur. That’s odd, he thought. Too odd.

There it was again, the sound of rumbling, but this time he also heard… distant footsteps. Xabe’s vision enhanced when he saw one particle. He reached out to it and took a good look. It was… snow? Xabe couldn’t help but having a bad feeling.

Xabe slightly lifted his head till he completely looked up. He saw a familiar flying creature who he let it landed on his hand. “Red?” he said. Elliot slightly opened the door to see where Xabe was heading to, however, at that moment, all he saw was the meadows and the grayish sky.

Shocked, Xabe found himself at the edge of the cliff. “What the-”

“Just in time, weird young boy.” The familiar voice came from the left. Xabe turned his head to see the weird old lady standing before him. His eyes widened as he couldn’t believe of what just happened right now. “Huh… how…” He stopped to look at the weird old lady. “Oh my god, where am I?”

Red flew to the weird old lady’s hand. “At the other side of Mt. Pike, you’re very far away from home.”

“Why am I here?” Abruptly, the sound of rumbling was present once more. Xabe stood near the edge to try to see what was out there. “That sound, did you hear that?”

“I do not,” she replied. “Only that gift of yours can sense the curse of danger.”

Xabe quickly turned to her without saying a word.

“I must ask you a question.” She walked slowly beside him. “Why do you keep such secrets?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Also, can you send me back home?”

“You have something within you, and yet… you're only focused on the small picture beyond the grand horizon.” The weird old lady opened her hands and spread them to the horrific view of the winter forest.

“Does it matter?” He furrowed his eyebrows. But, then, a deep sound erupted from afar. Now, it sounded more like thunder.

“Six years ago,” the weird old lady spoke. “You had felt danger before anyone else could. As if you’re drawn to it.”

Xabe’s eyes widened. “Wait a sec, how did you-”

“And it seems your senses have grown so much stronger than I could have ever imagine. For a young age, still, your powers had grown exponentially.”

“Look, weird old lady.” Xabe raised his hands to halt the cloaked lady. “It’s been nice seeing you again. It doesn’t matter how you knew my name. I know how much you miss me already, but I have to go back to the orphanage. Besides, whatever is in there, I’m sure the Flash guardians can take care of it.” He pointed at the source of the sound before walking out from the edge of the cliff.

But suddenly, something stopped him. It was the whispers he heard before in the Wooded forest, but not in the usual ancient tongue, but by a language he properly understood.

“‘In the darkest day,

Before the brightest night,

There pierced a single ray,

Of hope that shines bright,

The chosen has risen with awe display,

And such unspeakable might,

To the evils that he will slay,

That brought forth terror of fright,

Until the end he shall lead the way,

To a path of what is right.’”

Xabe felt something was coming for him. With a quick reaction, he caught what appeared to be a tarot card. He immediately saw the illustration of the Dragonslayer burning in flames. It was that same tarot card yesterday.

“You asked if there’s something for you,” said the weird old lady. “Well, there you have it, ‘A new beginning’. If you think the tarot cards as a mere game, ignoring my words, keep holding back what is meant to be unleashed inside you, or even not believing me in general, perhaps your father, Wayde, will.”

“You even know about my dad?”

“But telling you won’t be enough though,” shrugged the weird old lady. “You deserve to know the whole truth, the first step was to take that path.” She pointed at the vast forest.

“You want me to face whatever danger is lurking there?” Xabe raised his voice. “Are you nuts?”

“The danger is greater than any dangers, for the Devastrigon lays there.”

The boy was too stunned to speak. He shook his and reacted, “The Devastrigon. Are you for real, I saw the Dragonslayer killed the thing six years ago. There’s-” No matter how much he wanted to be in denial, that rumble, the sound of faded thunder, and the resting power was all too real to be true.

“You must keep trusting your senses,” advised the weird old lady. “You know it’s true. To face what lies ahead, you must also meet him.”

“Him? The Dragonslayer?”

“Who else would be brave enough to come closer into danger alone.”

“This is too much to handle.” Xabe shook his head. “This means that everyone in Yardsville will be in great danger.”

“Whatever it is you're sensing, it won’t be gone. Red had seen Flash guardians back in that town, so the place may be well protected, but not for long until you meet the Dragonslayer himself. You’ll come to a full understanding once you meet him, especially with your father.”

Xabe must make a decision. After all, he did sense something from Wayde, something which he hadn't told him yet. You have a gift that one day can guard and support this family. So remember what I taught you, okay, promise me. When I come back. Get things done. I'll tell you everything. I promise. Did he mean by a much bigger perspective after all? “Oh man,” he muttered. He walked toward the edge of the clip. “I can’t believe I’m actually doing this.”

“Wait.” The weird old lady blocked Xabe with a short wooden sword. “You may need this.”

“Are you… are you serious?” Xabe gave her the look. “That’s a fricking short wooden sword, what am I going to do with it?”

“To use it, duh, weird young boy. Your father even taught you the basics of swordsmanship before he departed.”

Xabe sighed, “Of course you know about that. He taught me swordsmanship, so we could play sword fight properly. Holy shit, did he actually teach me for a situation like this?”

“Just take the sword, boy,” the weird lady urged.

“Alright, alright, just because I feel bad for not taking it, okay.” Xabe wrapped the scabbard around his waist and sheathed the short wooden sword in it. “I can’t even believe I’ll miss lunchtime. Oh, well… dad has so much explaining to do. Destiny awaits, huzzah,” He raised his fist in an unenthusiastic way. “Hang on, can I at least finally know your name?”

“Just go. Oh, and you can keep the card.”

“Ugh.” And just like that, after he pocketed the tarot card inside his olive jacket, he straightly jumped over the cliff and down to the winter forest he went.

Red started to peck her neck. “You seriously grew fond of him?” she asked. “Very well, you may look after him. But trust the boy, his Dragonslayer senses had becoming stronger. Report back to me when you’re done.”

Red the pileated woodpecker flew down to spectate MaXabiere. By the gods, I hope my plan works, she thought. Give him strength in his upcoming trial.

Below the cliff, Xabe patted off the snow from his clothes and rearranged the scabbard from the left side of his waist. He looked up from where he came. As much as he really wanted to go back, the weird old lady (whoever she was) had a point. A new beginning, he thought. Awww, shiiiiiiiiit.

Xabe was aware how extremely far the rumbling was, but judging from his strong tingles, it felt so near. He turned around and looked up to a tree branch to see Red.

“Wish to accompany me in my kick-start of destiny?” he asked.

The pileated woodpecker didn’t think twice to land on the boy’s right shoulder. “Alright then.”

The two began to walk on the winter forest. “I just can’t believe the Devastrigon is back,” he said. “To meet the Dragonslayer and finally seeing my dad- hopefully. I have no idea what’s going to happen next once we arrived at where we’re going. And I’m talking to a woodpecker.”

Very far ahead, the cloaked man had reached his destination and found a ginormous black crater. In it laid the humungous body of the three-headed dragon. It was piled with ashes and quite immobile. Wings and limbs were broken, and its chest was cracked open- only to show the abyss within. The three heads’ sunken eyes were barely seen, and so were the insides of its opened mouths.

“It’s still lives,” said a deep, hollow voice behind the cloaked man.

The cloaked man turned to see a man wearing everything black: a black scaly vest, black loose pants, armored combat boots, armored gauntlets with full finger gloves, and beneath the scale vest was a long robe with mini punctured holes. His face was barely seen from his black helmet with its horns formed backward on top- it was almost as if his helmet resemble the middle head, death, not to mention his hood covered the half portion of his head. He held a dragon engraved atgeir by his side. His ripped crimson cape was gently blown by the wind. “The end of death, chaos, and destruction will almost come into an end,” spoke the cloaked man.

“Indeed,” replied the dragon armored man. “Now you see how unavoidable the great Devastrigon truly is?”

The man threw his cloak to reveal under it was none other than the Dragonslayer himself, readying his sword and shield. “All I see are a bunch of lunatics.”

“Fool.” The dragon armored man lifted his atgeir and pointed it to the slayer. His sunken eyes began to burn bright. “We shall awaken the Devastrigon and put an end to your miserable life. You and the Flash guardians’ efforts were meaningless. No Void, no prison, and no lack of dragons can stop the Darken clan. For we can see everything. And you know it.”

Suddenly, two more individuals emerged from the swirling snow storm beside the dragon armored man in the middle. On the left was a bigger man with four arms. His bronze, jacked up body did not need something to warm him up. All he wore and needed was a black loincloth, heavy boots, four braces, and a helmet with horns pointing forward, resembling chaos. He gave out a wild and savage mannerisms as he growled and moved his arms constantly from the urge to crush the Dragonslayer’s head. “Shrouded with darkness of chaos.” he said with a deep, gurgling voice.

On the right had an appearance of a dark knight: fully armored with black dragon scales. His dragon helmet completely sealed of his face except a straight hole as a visor with horns on each side pointing backwards- resembling destruction. At the back of his long cape was a black great sword that could slice an entire forest with one blow. “All will fall with inevitable destruction,” he said in a husky voice.

The man in the middle titled his head. “With a bliss of urging death. Soon, the old Drakoroarian legend will die. You will never be awakened again.”

Removing the cloak with such force, the Dragonslayer armed his bronze shield and steel sword. Behind his helmet, he couldn’t help but smirk and muttered, “You haven’t thought of the new one?”