"I THOUGHT NO ONE COULD SEE US WITH THIS GEM! WHAT A SCAM!" The blonde man screeched while carrying an unconscious body in his arms.
He was sprinting for dear life as a blood thirsty white tiger was pursuing them. Its white fiery body was swishing easily throughout the forest, barely even running.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!"
Sun could only scream helplessly since his magic was no use in close combat, or any combat really.
His stamina may have been great, but that thing's speed was greater. He made quick turns, calculated slides, and jumps to slow it down, at the cost of slowing himself down as well.
"BOSS!!! HEEEELLLLLP!!!" The man screamed at the top of his lungs watching this creature close in on him.
Just as it was about to leap at him a large shadow barrier appeared sending the creature back.
"You're not my boss, BUT APPRECIATED!" Sun beamed while stationing himself behind the dark elf.
"What's that thing?" Atlas questions while Azul pierces through the wall of darkness disintegrating it with ease, shocking them.
"OH MAN THAT'S NOT GOOD!"
"ANSWER THE QUESTION!" Atlas commanded.
"It's the missing boy Azul, or what is left of him." He explained while eyeing that thing up and down.
It pounced once more, sending the both into a retreat. "DROP THE IDIOT!"
"I CAN'T!"
"WHY!?!"
"HE'S AFTER HIM!!" Sun explained with a screech while making sure to be out of sight.
"ONE MORE REASON TO DROP HIM!"
Azul suddenly vomited out large pools of fire that began forming into smaller fire animals running at them.
Both Azul and the elf lunged towards each other, shadow and flames clashing against one another.
Darkness was supposed to swallow every bit of light that fell into it, yet nothing could extinguish these flames.
He quickly overpowered Atlas, sending him flying against a tree with a final fiery blast.
But instead of going after Sun, it instead flew past him.
"Where is he-"
His arms felt light. Too light.
Mikel was not in his arms anymore.
"WAIT-" Sun was about to chase after the creature but large shadows quickly surrounded his body sending him to sleep.
The captain was breathing heavily, his energy felt so drained.
Chasing after Azul was dangerous.
Mikel's eyes fluttered open, realising a stream of water was floating him through the air. His view was a large white tiger pursuing him burning down everything that touched its paws.
"UNHOLY SHIT!" He screamed while feeling his legs move to run yet he wasn't touching the ground.
The stream of water was on par with Azul's speed, not gaining any distance nor losing any. Suddenly he shot out a large chunk of flame evaporating their water and heating up the entire area to a boiling temperature.
Before Azul could pounce once more an ear piercing shriek sent him a few steps back.
Mikel screamed, his ear drums ringing violently as a kid ran out to grab onto him.
Naia!
Mikel took a peek but every bit of water the boy summoned evaporated immediately.
The teen prepared to let out another ear piercing shriek until a beam of water shot straight through Azul.
The creature didn't even budge as his body of water went through and out from behind.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?" Naia exclaimed clearly confused.
A familiar merman jumped from behind grabbing both of them before gliding away on a cool stream of water.
Azul shifted his shape into something smaller and continued his pursuit.
"Why isn't your water evaporating!?" Naia complained while Mikel sighed.
"His water is cold, takes longer to evaporate."
"Not fair!" The teen fussed before he let out a scream. "IT'S GAINING ON US!!"
The merman turned back clearly confused until it saw the flame was almost touching them.
He was about to quicken his stream but thin lines of flame suddenly appeared before them cutting them off with a large explosion.
All three of them were shot in different directions. Naia gagged and coughed up a bit of blood. His stomach collided with a heavy branch leaving him hanging in a tree while the other was back first against a tree, his head dizzy from the impact.
"Fuck.." Mikel cursed trying to get himself up from the floor but a large man approached him. His eyes burned an empty red while the dark blue of his hair seemed to glow faintly.
He seemed out of breath yet fully prepared for another round.
"Listen-"
Before Mikel could even begin to negotiate this man transformed for a second round grabbing the thief with his animalistic jaw before pouncing out of the forest from platform to platform until he was well above the tree crowns.
He turned left and right swinging Mikel dizzy before continuing his escape.
I didn't fail! I'm not a failure!
I DIDN'T FAIL HIM!
He seemed ecstatic, all the more reason to be concerned.
Mikel was about to throw up but decided to just hold still. Since the beginning of coming here he had been thrown and grabbed, a little more won't kill him.
Azul let out a big stretch when suddenly an ice shard aimed straight towards him, pierced through his flames, only to come out his other side as a tiny dripping ice cube.
His flames shifted shut once more as if nothing happened, turning towards the direction the projectile came from only to find nothing.
More and more ice shards attempted to injure his body yet each came out smaller and smaller until nothing but steam was left.
The projectiles seemed to come from all directions yet none of them could really harm him.
Azul tilted his head left and right, his prey shaking beneath his iron bite.
Suddenly large chunks of flames aimed at him yet the more hit him the larger he got.
A fiery laugh escaped the creature, amused by their weak attempts.
Instead of sitting idly by, he decided to just continue his return to Kemal and impress him with his bounty.
Each platform was brighter than the last when the mysterious attacks finally ceased, his coast finally turned clear.
—
"That tickles.." Kemal chuckled with a mumble when suddenly his eyes shot open.
He was in an unfamiliar room covered in the smell of herbs and wood.
Mike was sound asleep in Kemal's arms, tightly embracing his friend.
His eyes wandered to spot a large dragon man who was clearly displeased with the current situation.
"Nope." Kemal suddenly shoved the unconscious man aside and sat up.
Kier's expression seemed to relax.
Extending his hand he gently grasped his mate's hands and pulled them up to rest on his chest.
Kemal gasped as he felt the pounding of the dragon's heart.
"You scared me." He commented with an exhausted sigh.
"I'm in perfect condition." The smaller man reassured before reaching up to grasp his man's face pulling it down to his level.
"Do I have the right to feel uncertain?.." His voice came out in a whisper, implications hanging heavy in the air.
This was supposed to be a romantic moment but it was cut short.
For the first time ever Kemal could feel himself stuck.
He's just a friend. It was an accident. I don't know him.
Such bare boned lies.
His mouth opened as if about to speak but he reluctantly shut it.
"Nothing to say?" Kier's voice shook.
"What do you want me to say?" Kemal asked.
"The truth." He growled only to get shoved aside.
"How do you expect me to do that!?" Kemal hissed.
The larger man was taken aback.
"Is being honest such an impossible task?" His hands reached to grab onto his beloved's arms.
Kemal immediately jolted away, his body shifting to face the asleep prince behind him.
"I.." His arms dropped in defeat. "Don't understand."
His heart stung seeing a large dragon show such immense disappointment.
Am I wrong here..? No!
Kemal shook his head.
I'm never wrong! He just doesn't get it. Besides, I'm not lying. I'm just holding back the truth!
Despite those convincing thoughts he still couldn't believe what came out of his mouth.
"I will explain to both of you later."
His heart skipped a beat when he saw the dragon's tail perk up, almost enthusiastic.
All of a sudden screaming and yelling could be heard from outside.
"What's going on?" Kemal asked, not realising this would lead him to find out.
A pair of strong arms grabbed the smaller man and sprinted up the stairs before bursting through another door revealing the blinding sun and even brighter fire shifter.
"Azul!?" Kemal called.
Azul's head immediately turned to face his pal's call with doe eyes and prey locked in his jaw.
"Heyy…" Mikel called out dizzily with a wave, which only earned him a glare.