Revenge: A Path of Destruction
Chapter 153: Almost Human

Chapter 153: Almost Human

As the bird’s feet hit the obsidian ground with a soft crunch. Immense heat radiated from the environment in pulses, as if the mountain itself still breathed beneath their feet.

But even the molten breath of Mount Blanc wasn’t enough to distract him.

His gaze remained fixed on the woman before them.

The Firebird.

Or rather... the woman who had been the Firebird.

She looked human.

That was what unsettled him.

If not for the crimson irises—slit like a hawk’s—and the faint shimmer of heat distorting the air around her, Alex would’ve mistaken her for an ordinary human. No wings, no tail, no flame-etched feathers trailing behind her. Just a barefoot woman in the center of a molten arena, wearing a flowing red gown, wrapped in power like a second skin.

Alex had always imagined the beast retained some trace of their true form in their humanoid state. Nyxara, for example, had never transformed in front of him despite his constant prodding and curiosity. She always gave vague excuses, grumbling about how "too much effort" or "too annoying" it was. But more than that, she was evasive.

A thought echoed in Alex’s mind

’If this was what they became when they transformed...

She could walk into a human city without drawing so much as a second glance. The only thing that might give her away was her eyes—and even that could be solved. Colored contacts. Sunglasses. Enchantments. Any number of solutions.’

The implications slithered through Alex’s mind like a cold whisper.

’Is she the only one who can take this form... or can they all?’

That thought lodged in his mind like a seed of unease.

Then, as if reading the very question off his face, the woman’s voice flowed across the platform—smooth, confident, and undeniably amused.

"Don’t be so surprised," she said, her gaze locking on his with an unnerving sharpness. "Just because most don’t... doesn’t mean we can’t."

Her tone held no pride, only truth.

Nyxara’s tail flicked slightly—her only visible sign of tension—while Alex held her golden eyes in his periphery.

The woman lifted one hand in a lazy gesture, flame dancing idly along her fingers like a familiar pet. "To be honest," she added, her voice softening with something that almost resembled nostalgia, "I prefer this form over my beast self. It’s cleaner. Simpler. Easier to move in."

She turned slightly, the flicker of fire dying out between her fingers as her attention shifted to the horizon.

Alex and Nyxara didn’t speak as they dismounted. The obsidian cracked softly beneath their weight.

As soon as their feet touched solid ground, the birds who had carried them gave one final, synchronized beat of their colossal wings—and then, without a word, they took off into the burning skies. One by one, they vanished like shooting stars back toward the summit, leaving only wind and silence behind.

The Empress—because that’s what she had to be—tilted her head, watching them with something like fondness. Or perhaps command.

Her attention slowly returned to the pair before her.

She smiled again, and for a moment, the heat of the mountain seemed to dim.

"Come," she said, turning her back on them without fear. "We have much to discuss."

Alex and Nyxara exchanged a glance before silently following the Firebird as she turned and began ascending toward the mountain’s peak.

Each of her steps was deliberate, unhurried, and utterly regal.

The wind howled faintly, brushing against Alex’s cheek like the breath of a sleeping god, and yet despite the roaring heat, the path ahead was surprisingly... tame.

That was because, for some unknown reason, a wide staircase had been carved directly from the mountain’s dark stone, spiraling gently upward.

They were smooth and evenly spaced, clearly shaped by power, not erosion, but intent. More curiously, the stairs were designed for feet, not talons or claws. As they climbed, Alex’s sharp eyes noticed subtle details: flowering vines coiled through the crevices of the stone railings, and occasional resting platforms were marked by benches of obsidian and cooled magma.

It looked like a place meant to be lived in. Meant to be walked through.

And that... didn’t make sense.

Nyxara’s voice rang through his mind, laced with suspicion.

’Alex, don’t you find this strange?’ Nyxara’s tone was calm, but edged with curiosity. She’s the first beast I’ve seen who prefers her human form over her actual one. And what’s with all these stairs? She can fly.’

Alex didn’t answer immediately. His gaze scanned the towering path ahead, the Empress’s figure swaying like firelight a few steps above them.

Nyxara didn’t press, sensing his silence was thought, not dismissal.

After a few moments, he replied, ’Can’t say much yet, as not enough data. She’s only the second, no third, Legend-rank beast we’ve met, including you.’

Nyxara huffed mentally. ’You’re forgetting her.’

Alex’s eyes narrowed, memory sharpening. ’Yeah... I remember. Hard to forget someone who almost killed us.’

He paused, then added, ’Still... she doesn’t count. That situation was different. The Thunder Wolf didn’t do this either. And you hate the idea of walking on two legs, so... my theory? Either she was once something close to human before mana ever came and evolved her... or she’s just weird.’

Nyxara snorted in his head. ’I’m voting "weird." Weird.’

Their short conversation was interrupted as they reached the summit.

And both of them stopped short.

As they looked at where they were.

As they were both surprised at what they were seeing.

The peak of Mount Blanc... was nothing like what Alex and Nyxara had envisioned.

Not a molten nest or a searing crater of fire.

Instead, it was beautiful.

An elegant structure stood at the mountain’s crown—its walls crafted from polished volcanic glass, its roof gently curved like ancient temple eaves.

Vines and blooming flowers, vibrant with impossible color, wove across the edges of the building, fed by glowing water that trickled down from unseen channels in the rock.

It looked less like the lair of a beast... and more like the home of a queen.