Mythical Creature Form

Deep within the Berserk Sea, inside a mausoleum that could not be reached by any path in reality.

Azik descended the steps one by one, arriving at the center of the burial chamber. The black mist filling the area was slowly dispersing, revealing a gigantic thing that was half-illusory and half-real.

It was a Feathered Serpent whose coiled tail resembled a mountain and whose folded wings were like sheer cliffs. Blackness the same color as the mist seeped from its enormous dark green scales, while feathers stained with pale yellow grease emerged from the gaps. They connected to countless thin black tubes that pointed in every direction and extended into the void, leading to unknown places.

Countless complex symbols continuously surged forth and vanished within its somewhat illusory body. They seemed to represent all manner of mysterious knowledge, yet they also made Azik tremble from the depths of his heart.

But what shocked him most was the Feathered Serpent's head. Atop that head, as massive as a boulder on a mountaintop, was a human face with bronze skin. Its eye sockets burned with flames, its nose bridge and cheekbones were high yet softly contoured, and beneath its right ear was a black mole.

It had Azik Eggers's face!

Just as Azik stared at it, it stared back at him. The pale flames in its eye sockets gradually flared, and an invisible wedge seemed to pierce Azik's head. With a buzz, he swayed and lowered his head.

Amid the soul-rending pain, unfamiliar scenes from his memories resurfaced.

On a deathly silent land, beside mountains of corpses, floated a Feathered Serpent that looked exactly like him. Above it hung black clouds piled from countless skulls.

Pitch-black tentacles extended from within the clouds, wrapping around the Feathered Serpent's body. They pulled out its