Season 2 — Episode 18: The King Descends
Cold Open — The Throne in the Sky
The sky was still burning.
Shattered fragments of the Skyborn Queen's crystal wings drifted down through the thin upper atmosphere, each one spinning slowly, catching the pale moonlight. They glittered like dying stars before vanishing into the roiling clouds below. The oceans of Elysium Prime churned under the storm she had left behind, waves colliding in chaotic spirals.
Xavier hovered above it all, chest heaving, the golden fire of Aerial Apex still coiled around him like a living storm. His heartbeat thundered in his ears. His knuckles were white against the hilt of the Skyfall Fang.
One vow burned in his mind like molten steel.
The King's next.
And then, far beyond the curve of the planet, something moved.
The moon's light dimmed, blotted out by a vast silhouette. Not a ship. Not a beast. A presence. Rings of blinding white light radiated outward in perfect symmetry, bending the fabric of the void itself. Slowly, like a god choosing to reveal himself, the Skyborn King stepped forward from the darkness between the stars.
His armor was a cathedral of crystal and light, each plate etched with constellations that shifted with every movement. Galaxies seemed caged within the facets of his pauldrons. His face was hidden behind a crown-shaped helm, its visor pulsing faintly with silver fire — yet even without seeing his eyes, Xavier felt the weight of his gaze.
The space between them vibrated. The void itself seemed to bend in deference.
Xavier's grip tightened.
Act 1 — Arrival of the King
The King did not descend to the battlefield.
He pulled it to himself.
A deep hum reverberated through Xavier's bones as gravitational waves erupted from the King's core. The upper atmosphere twisted, clouds spiraling into titanic whirlpools. Far below, the ocean surged in unnatural tides. The pull gripped Xavier's entire being — not just his body, but his existence — and tore him upward.
"Kai—!" Static roared in his ear as his comm unit strained.
"Xavier! Your vitals just— You're gone from every sensor!"
"I'm where I need to be," Xavier said, voice calm, even as the acceleration made his muscles scream.
They stopped exactly one mile apart, suspended in the black between moonlight and planetary glow. There were no words. Only silence.
And then — both vanished.
Act 2 — Godspeed Clash
The first collision was like the death of a star.
A shockwave exploded outward, ripping clouds apart across half the planet. Lightning spiderwebbed along the horizon. From the surface, it looked like a cosmic light show — civilians stared upward, never knowing they were watching gods fight.
Xavier struck first. Volt Breaker Overdrive ignited, his velocity multiplying until his form blurred into a streak of gold. Apex Hunter Mode surged through his veins, every nerve alight with lethal purpose. Mid-flight, he pivoted into Aerial Apex, turning each strike into triple-lethal arcs.
His blade sang as it cut the vacuum.
The King met him with an unhurried grace, wielding jagged arcs of condensed light — crystalline energy blades that sliced through mana barriers like silk. Every parry left the space around them scarred, shimmering fractures in reality itself.
They became phantoms — afterimages flashing in and out of existence. At one point, twelve versions of Xavier crossed blades with ten mirrored projections of the King, each strike landing with enough force to annihilate cities. Sparks burned into constellations that would fade in seconds.
Act 3 — Shifting the Fight
Xavier lunged, aiming straight for the King's heart.
Two fingers caught the blade mid-swing.
The grip was absolute — momentum meant nothing. The King twisted, and Xavier's body spun into the void, tumbling toward a drifting meteor fragment the size of a city block. He struck it like a cannon shot, carving it into incandescent debris.
Before he could recover, the King extended a gauntleted hand.
Solar energy condensed from nothing, crystallizing into dozens of lances. Solar Lance Barrage erupted — a storm of molten-white beams, each so hot they sliced through asteroids like butter.
Xavier darted between them, his limbs burning with strain. One beam grazed his shoulder, leaving scorched armor and flesh. Another clipped his left side, peeling away half his chest plate.
The final lance came too fast to dodge. He twisted the Skyfall Fang into its path, invoking Redirect Fang. The beam split around him — then curved back, slicing across the void toward the King.
It struck with the fury of a sunflare, cracking the King's chest plate.
For a heartbeat, the monarch looked down at the damage, and the stars seemed to dim.
Act 4 — Final Exchange
They hovered again, energy bleeding into the void.
Xavier's breathing came harsh, ragged. "Next time, you won't walk away."
The King's voice was deep and resonant, echoing like a cathedral collapsing in slow motion. "Next time, you won't breathe."
Xavier raised his sword. The Skyfall Fang Sever overcharged, its silver edge flaring molten gold. Lightning coiled around him, shredding debris into dust.
The King called forth the Celestial Breaker — a crystalline greatsword burning with the light of dying stars. Its sheer presence warped the space around it, bending light like liquid glass.
They launched forward.
The impact birthed a light brighter than the sun.
Act 5 — The Tie
When the light faded, both still hovered — wounded, drained, but standing.
The King's armor was fractured along his chest and shoulder. Xavier's aura flickered weakly, his Limit Break spent.
The King turned away first, stepping back into the abyss between stars. "Until the Final Sky."
And then he was gone.
Gravity reclaimed Xavier, dragging his battered body into reentry. He streaked through the atmosphere, a burning comet of gold and white, before crashing into the sea.
Ending Scene — The Shadow Beyond
Xavier floated on his back, letting the waves cradle him. Salt stung his wounds. His breaths were shallow but steady. Above, the stars shone cold and indifferent.
Then — Beast Sense flared.
Something vast moved beyond the edge of the solar system. Bigger than the King. Big enough to swallow constellations whole.
A faint smile tugged at Xavier's lips, blood mixing with seawater.
"Guess the universe is bigger than I thought."
The world faded to black.