Nox, in the form of an eagle, soared through the sky, relishing the sensation of wind rustling his feathers and the warmth of the sun on his back. Despite hours of flight, he found himself lost, having unwittingly strayed into the perilous territory known as the Lands of the Hidden Shadows. This was a realm zealously guarded by ruthless shadow dragons, who he failed to notice until their shouts echoed from below.

“Halt, descend immediately!” they commanded.

In a state of panic, Nox ascended higher and flew faster, hoping to evade their watchful eyes. However, these dragons were skilled hunters, trained to pursue intruders like him. They swiftly caught up, firing electric guns that sent jolts of pain searing through his wing. Desperate, Nox attempted to use his powers to transform back into a cloud of flames, but to no avail. He was trapped in his eagle form, vulnerable and exposed.

Frantically, he scanned the forest below for a hiding place. But before he could reach the safety of the trees, another shot hit him, followed by a net that ensnared him. Like a wounded animal, he plummeted to the ground, trapped and helpless.

Throughout the ordeal, Nox remained silent, not wanting to reveal his true identity. He knew these were Shadow dragons, creatures often described as formidable adversaries. He had to maintain the guise of a normal eagle, even if it meant risking his life.

An older scout, who also served as a chief, approached him and said, “Cease your struggles, giant bird. You’ll only injure yourself further. We mean you no harm.”

A second scout questioned, “Sir, why are you speaking to an animal? It can’t comprehend you.”

The older scout retorted, “This is no ordinary animal. This is a giant fire eagle. They’re intelligent and should understand us. Isn’t that right?” He fixed Nox with a piercing gaze.

Nox tried to feign ignorance, but the scout continued, “I’m certain you understand me. Do you recognize this?” He brandished another gun, explaining, “This weapon could end your life with a single shot to your head. But I won’t use it. You’re too rare a creature to waste. However, I am puzzled. What brings you here, all alone?”

Nox remained silent, expressing his frustration by lowering his head to the ground in a gesture of surrender.

The second scout asked, “What should we do with him?”

The older scout replied, “We’ll transport him to the containment zone.”

With ropes binding his beak and wings, and his claws severed, the giant bird was rendered harmless. The older scout spoke sternly, “Follow us. Obey our commands and your life will be spared. Understand?” Nox nodded in agreement and trailed behind. He was led to an old containment zone that had lain dormant for years. Inside, he was forced onto an iron table by the scout and his assistants. The room was designed for interrogation, adaptable to accommodate any creature, regardless of size. It even housed aquariums for aquatic beings. Bound to the table and immobilized, he was subjected to a glaring light. The scout began his questioning with a classic, “Who do you work for?” No answer. “Who are you?” Silence. The scout grew impatient after the first two queries met with no response. He threatened, “If you refuse to cooperate, we will resort to other means.” Nox uttered a birdlike sound. The scout caught that and asked, “You can’t speak, can you?” Nox blinked his eyes. The scout nodded and said, “We’ll find a way. In the meantime...”. A scientist was busy documenting every detail about the creature.

The scout hurried away, seeking someone who could decipher the language of such a peculiar beast. He returned with Raphael, a winged human who, at that moment, had taken the form of a Shadow dragon. Raphael glanced at the captive and asked, “What do we have here?”

The scientist answered, “It’s a male, healthy, of unknown origin, a giant elemental fire eagle. But for some reason, he can’t use his element here.”

Raphael nodded. “That’s normal. If he’s not from this continent, his element won’t work here. But why did you bring me here?”

The scout explained, “We want to know if he was sent by someone. If he’s a spy, we need to extract information from him.”

Raphael frowned. “And what do you want me to do? Talk to him?”

The scout nodded. “Yes, please. He seems unable to speak. He’s a wild eagle, but I’m sure he can understand us.”

Raphael shrugged. “Alright, let’s see.” He turned to the eagle and asked, “What’s your name, giant elemental eagle?”

Nox stared at them with wide eyes but remained silent. He didn't recognize Raphael, nor did Raphael recognize him. They hadn't crossed paths in a long time, especially in these forms.

Raphael tried again, “Would you prefer if they left? Would you speak then?”

Nox nodded. It didn't make much difference to him, but he hoped to gain some sympathy from the dragon.

 

In a mournful voice, he said, “I don’t have a name, unfortunately.”

Raphael asked, “Why not? Didn’t anyone give you one?”

Nox lied: “I never met my parents. Everyone always just called me Eagle.”

Raphael pondered his words, then asked, “They suspect you’re a spy. You better tell the truth now. Otherwise, they might hurt you.”

Nox felt a surge of fear. He said quickly, “I’m not a spy. I don’t even know this place. I got lost in the ocean, and this was the first land I found.”

Raphael wanted to believe him. He said softly, “So you’re here by accident?”

Nox nodded eagerly. “Yes. And I need to get back to the main continent. I don’t belong here. I’m lost.”

Raphael paused and then said, “Alright, I believe you. But we can’t let you go. You’ve seen too much already. I’m sorry.”

Nox didn’t protest. He knew that if he revealed more details about himself or his mission, they would think he had connections with someone important.

He just pleaded, “Please, let me go home. I won’t survive here. There’s no prey for me, and I’ll starve.”

Raphael replied, “I thought you hunted dragons. There are plenty of them here.”

Nox shook his head. “No, I don’t hunt dragons. I hunt stupid prey, not smart ones. Unless you’re a stupid dragon who kills himself, then I might make an exception.”

Raphael grimaced. “That sounds terrible. But come on, let’s move somewhere else. The interrogation is over for today.” He was about to free Nox from his bonds when he added, “Please don’t try to fly away now. Your wings are still tied, but I won’t tie your beak. I hope I can trust you.”

Nox replied sincerely, “Alright, then I won’t.”

With Raphael and the scientist as his guides, he was led to a different area, a vast space enclosed by iron nets that crackled with electricity on every side, even above. Raphael spoke to him in a solemn tone. “This is where you will stay until we complete our investigation. It shouldn’t take too long, hopefully.” Nox looked around with dismay. “So I’m trapped in this cage? For how long?” Raphael shrugged. “Maybe a month, at most. You will have to answer all our questions,” he said, before turning away. Nox approached the nets cautiously but recoiled when he felt a jolt of pain. He decided to keep his distance from them.

Raphael was soon joined by the dark lord, who eyed him with curiosity. “Who is this new creature on our lands?” he asked. Raphael shook his head. “I don’t know yet. I’ll try to find out.” The dark lord nodded. “I’ll give you some time to finish your investigation. In the meantime, I think I have an idea who this eagle is. Maybe I’ll have a chat with it too.” Raphael frowned. “Do what you want. Just don’t harm it. It’s one of the few left of its kind. I’d rather not cause another species to go extinct.” The dark lord smiled thinly. “Don’t worry, I won’t harm it.”

He had lied to himself. The dark lord had been tracking Nox all along, and as soon as he caught up with him, Nox felt a surge of dread. He recognized the dragon from his nightmare and tried to keep a safe distance, but he remained silent. He still hoped that his identity was unknown. The dark lord wasted no time and greeted him with a mocking tone. “Hello, Nox. I hope you’re enjoying your stay in our lands.” Nox stared at him with feigned confusion, pretending not to know the name he had uttered, but the dark lord continued. “Don’t look at me like that. I know you didn’t want to come here. I’m not here to harm you. On the contrary, I want to apologize for that dream. I almost died too, you know?” Nox retorted, “What? It was just a dream. It wasn’t real.” But the dark lord explained, “It was a glimpse of reality. If either of us had perished, there would have been repercussions in the real world as well. It’s a complex psychological phenomenon. Anyway, I’m glad to see you alive and well, but why aren’t you shapeshifting and fleeing?” The dark lord didn't need to ask. He knew perfectly well why Nox couldn’t. It was because he had control over the elements on the entire continent, but Nox said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The dark lord smirked and said, “Really? Then let’s test your elemental abilities. This shouldn’t hurt you.” He conjured a thin arrow and shot it with his hand at the eagle, who was hit in the chest. Nox panicked and tried to run away, but the dark lord said, “See? It doesn’t work. That wouldn’t have hit you if your elements were functioning properly. Something is wrong with them.” Nox, terrified, said, “Stay away,” and pulled out the arrow that pierced him. He felt blood dripping from his feathers, and the dark lord said, “Sorry, I just had to prove it to you. Come here, let me heal you, just like you do.” Nox gathered his courage. He feared that if the dark lord touched him, he would die instantly, but he reluctantly approached him. The dark lord healed him with his powers, and then Nox said, “Thank you, I guess.”

The dark lord smiled and said, “You’re welcome. But tell me, would you like me to fix your elements as well? I have a better method than Erebus’s. It won’t cause you any pain, I promise.”

Nox shook his head and said, “I don’t know. I’d rather live with this curse than endure another dark magic spell.”

The dark lord persisted and said, “Are you sure? It’s a simple procedure. I’ll let you go after that. I only want to help you.”

But Nox looked away and said, “You’re still the dark lord. I can’t trust you.”

The dark lord frowned and said, “Don’t be afraid. You were once a Shadow dragon too, and yet you were accepted. Your people respect you in your kingdom. Your lovely queen adores you. And your daughters are living a normal life.”

Nox narrowed his eyes and said, “Wait, how do you know that?”

The dark lord shrugged and said, “I know many things about you. Forgive me for that. It’s beyond my control.”

The dark lord persuaded Nox to follow him to a secluded chamber. He ushered him into an empty room and said with a false smile, “Stay here and relax. It won’t hurt at all. Everything is fine. If you feel any discomfort, just let me know and we’ll stop, alright?” Nox nodded innocently and remained in the room as the dark lord exited and sealed the door behind him. A door that blended with the wall. The room was soon filled with shadows, similar to the ones that Erebus had used on him but with a different purpose.

Raphael was looking for the dark lord. He was searching for the eagle, and he was curious about his whereabouts. He asked some of the scientists in the area, and they pointed him to the chamber. He approached it and said, “What’s going on here?” The dark lord answered, “I’m fixing the eagle’s elements. Something is wrong with them.” Raphael said, “Really? That’s good to hear. Can I see?” The dark lord hesitated, but then said, “Fine, stay here and watch,” and resumed the process.

The shadows began to dissolve Nox’s body, and the room grew darker and darker. Nox felt a sharp pain and a surge of fear. He tried to tell the dark lord, but he ignored him. He knew what was happening, and he enjoyed it. It was all part of his plan. Nox begged for mercy, pleading for his life. He saw his flesh disappearing, and he coughed up blood. Raphael noticed that and said, “Is that normal, sir?” The dark lord said, “Yes, it’s a painful process, but he’ll be fine,” but Nox thought otherwise and screamed, “Make it stop! Please!” Raphael felt uneasy, but he did not intervene.

Then Nox closed his eyes and suddenly transformed into his Shadow dragon form. Raphael gasped and said, “Wait, is that Nox?” The dark lord said, “It might be. Why do you ask?” Raphael said, “What are you doing to him? Are you killing him?” The dark lord said, “No, I’m just helping him,” but his eyes betrayed his true feelings: he was proud of his work and eager to finish it. He increased the power of the shadows and smiled wickedly. Raphael said, “But did he consent to this?” He said, “Yes, he did,” but Nox kept shouting, “Please, stop! I have a family! I want to live!” Raphael said, “I don’t think he consented to this. Can you listen to him and stop?” The dark lord said, “Listen to me. I’m taking his powers to give them back to you. I’m doing us both a favor. To you by restoring what’s rightfully yours, and to me by eliminating this anomaly, as you also called it.” Raphael was afraid and said, “But will he die?” He said, “I’m afraid that’s the only way to do this.”

Raphael did not want “The Glitch” to die. He saw him as a part of himself that deserved to live. Nox pressed his hands against the glass wall of the chamber, leaving a trail of blood behind. Raphael moved closer and placed one hand on the glass too, as if he wanted to reach him but did not know how. Then Nox closed his eyes again and lost his dragon form. He took the shape of a human: Raphael’s human form with wings. When Raphael saw him crying with a mutilated face, he yelled, “Stop it now! This is wrong!” But the dark lord said, “Sorry, it’s too late. The process can’t be stopped now.” But Raphael thought differently, and when Nox sobbed and whispered with a dying breath, “Please,” he turned into his human form too. Nox saw him and shouted, “You! I know you! Help! Please!” Raphael said, “I will.” The dark lord heard him and said in disbelief, “You will what?” Raphael went through the glass wall like a ghost, and as soon as he touched Nox, a bright light erupted from them, and they vanished.

The dark lord scanned the scene with a furious gaze, unable to comprehend the sudden turn of events. “Raphael?!” he called out, but only silence answered him. He raised his voice to a roar. “Raphael!” But his fake ally was gone. All that remained was a bracelet on the ground. He snatched it up and examined it closely, then put it on one of his horns. He did not know if Raphael had perished or escaped to another realm. Something about the sight stirred a familiar ache in his chest, and for an instant, he saw his brother’s face. The light that enveloped him was the same as the one that had torn them apart. The Fall of Zeno.