Chapter 14: Living Armors
Kael gazed out over the strange horizon, eyes narrowed against the pale light of a distant sun that filtered through unmoving clouds.
> "This world overflows with magic…" he murmured. "But there's something else here."
No sooner had he spoken than a strange humming filled the air — a faint vibration, like a ripple in the very fabric of reality.
Suddenly, a man appeared in the middle of the plains, as if teleported from nowhere. His arrival was so abrupt that even Kael flinched in surprise.
The man, draped in a long black cloak, immediately knelt and began tracing intricate magic circles into the ground. His fingers moved at a blinding speed, drawing unknown symbols with mechanical precision.
> "Who is this guy?" Kael wondered, staying alert.
Then, a sharp cry tore through the sky.
— "I'VE FOUND YOU!!"
The voice came from above.
Kael tilted his head toward the sky — and saw it.
A massive black bird was gliding through the air. But this was no ordinary creature. Its movements were too perfect, too calculated… and it was carrying someone.
The metallic bird dove at breathtaking speed, heading straight for the mage working on the ground. The cloaked man narrowly dodged, leaping back just in time. The bird landed with uncanny precision, every movement smooth and deliberate.
And that's when Kael understood — this wasn't a magical familiar.
It was a bird made of iron.
Its wings folded in. Its body detached, reshaped, and reassembled… into a towering suit of armor.
A man stood at its core — at the heart of the transformation.
---
The Eagle Armor
Silhouette: Sleek and menacing, the armor clung perfectly to its wearer, a flawless fusion of elegance and power.
Pauldrons: Large metallic wings shaped like dark feathers flared from his shoulders, giving him a regal and intimidating air.
Color: A dark, almost black metal that shimmered with crimson highlights, pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.
Visual Effects: Trails of translucent red light followed his movements like flames or tattered veils of energy.
---
Kael stood frozen, awe spreading across his face.
But the scene was far from over.
The man with the magic circles wasn't defenseless. With a burst of blue energy, he summoned a massive iron wolf. The beast growled, then dissolved into shards of glowing steel… and merged with its summoner.
A second suit of armor took shape — wilder, heavier, more primal.
---
The Wolf Armor
Silhouette: Bulkier and more muscular, its design was brutal — shaped like fangs and claws.
Helmet: A snarling wolf's head with glowing electric-blue eyes.
Limbs: Reinforced with hydraulic joints that amplified each strike with terrifying force.
Aura: Wisps of bluish vapor hissed from its arms and back, like the breath of a wild beast.
---
> "They're going to fight…" Kael whispered, unable to look away.
And fight they did.
The clash began with a thunderous bang. The two armored warriors hurled themselves at each other at blinding speed. Every strike sparked explosions of light. The ground cracked beneath their feet, and trees nearby were uprooted by the force of their battle.
Kael could feel the wind of their blades pass him, though he was more than ten meters away. It was a mechanical and magical ballet — a deadly, elegant dance of force and finesse.
Minutes passed. The barrage of attacks continued — swift, savage, relentless.
Eventually, the Wolf-armored warrior staggered. Dropping to one knee, he tried to reactivate a magic circle… but he was too slow. With a brutal blow, the Eagle armor sent him crashing into a jagged rock wall.
Silence fell.
The defeated man slumped to the ground, unconscious.
Kael, still standing off to the side, finally understood what he had witnessed.
> "This world is unbelievably advanced…" he thought. "They don't use magic like the other realms I've seen. Not to cast fire or control elements…"
> "They use it as energy."
His fists clenched.
> "Magic powers their machines, their armor, their artifacts… They've fused technology and mysticism."
His eyes lit up with a new fire.
> "Now I know exactly what kind of power I need to master."