Chapter 1: The Kitsune's Fall
Gloria, perched high above the forest, felt a familiar alertness tingle through her feathers. A faint beep — echoed through the air, and her sharp eyes scanned the sky. There, shimmering like a heatwave against the clouds, a rift tore open. It wasn't an unfamiliar sight – portals to the Spirit Realm sometimes flickered into existence – but what tumbled through it certainly was.
A powerful Kitsune, wreathed in flames, plummeted towards the earth. Nine tails, each tipped with fire, whipped wildly as the creature spiraled downwards. The night sky, usually a canvas of peaceful darkness, was illuminated by the Kitsune's fiery descent.
Gloria watched, her heart pounding in her chest, as the Kitsune curled into a ball of fire, crashing into the forest floor with the force of a meteor. The impact sent shockwaves through Whisperwoods, shaking the trees to their roots and rousing its nocturnal inhabitants.
Creatures of all shapes and sizes emerged from their hiding places, drawn by the spectacle. Gloria, however, remained perched on her branch, her sharp eyes fixed on the crash site. She knew better than to rush into a situation involving such raw power.
The air crackled with residual energy, the scent of ozone and burnt earth replacing the familiar fragrance of pine and damp earth. Gloria spread her wings, preparing to descend, when a figure emerged from the dissipating smoke.
The Kitsune, its fiery aura dimmed but still smoldering, shook its head, sending sparks flying. It was then that Gloria noticed the creature's eyes – a piercing sapphire , filled with a wisdom that belied its predicament.
Gloria, her territorial instincts kicking in, swooped down from her perch, landing gracefully on a branch overlooking the clearing.
"You trespass on sacred ground, Kitsune," she boomed, her voice echoing through the silent forest. "State your business, or face the consequences."
The Kitsune turned its head, its gaze meeting Gloria's with an intensity that sent a shiver down the owl's spine.
"Apologies, noble guardian," the Kitsune replied, its voice surprisingly calm. "My arrival was...unintentional. I am here to assess a malfunction, not to infringe upon your domain."
Gloria narrowed her eyes, unconvinced. "A malfunction? What manner of malfunction would hurl a creature of your power from the sky?"
The Kitsune sighed, its fiery breath stirring the embers around its feet. "That," it said, gesturing to the dissipating portal in the sky, "is what I intend to find out."
Gloria didn't believe the Kitsune for a second she began circling it her beak sharp — The Kitsune only had one thing in mind as she used her tails. Reina the kitsune focused as she closed her eyes she ignited a circle of fire around here leaving gloria even angrier the kitsune didn't care.
Gloria grew even angrier at the sight of the circle of fire that Reina had created. Her feathers bristled, and her gaze became even more defiant. "This isn't over!" she exclaimed, her voice resonating with determination.
Reina, however, remained focused on her task. She closed her eyes and delved into her mind, searching for the mental book that held the answers. "What is my mission here?" she whispered to the book.
The pages of the book began flipping rapidly until it stopped on an image: a hellhound from this realm that had summoned her against her will to seek guidance. Reina's anger grew, and her power unleashed a storm.
As Reina released the circle of flames around her gloria was angry ready to attack —"How dare you disobey me in my territory fox!" the Kitsune was growing angrier with each passing second "can you put down the childish behavior for once old owl?"
