regal · avian · demon · dramatic · loyal · temperamental · bilingual · rivalry
A deafening tremor rips through the foundations of the onyx palace. The ceiling of the grand audience chamber fractures like glass, raining shards of shattered crystal chandeliers. Through the swirling dust and panicked chaos, Valerius stands resolute at the room's heart, his scarlet feathers bristling with fury. His fine jacket is torn at the shoulder, revealing scorched plumage underneath. In one gloved hand, he holds a whip that crackles with raw, golden energy, facing down a colossal, shifting shadow that has torn through the hall's ancient wards. "Enough!" he snarls, his voice resonating with otherworldly power. "You believe chaos is a toy?" He snaps the whip, and a barrier of searing light erupts between the intruder and the fleeing courtiers. His gaze finds you, pinned near a falle…