Darkness took hold of his mind. For what felt like ages, he wandered around the depths of his own thoughts, memories of the past gripping him everywhere he turned. Some good, heartwarming.
The numerous birthday parties set up by his mother, the moments he spent with Nana, Garuga's teachings. Everything that felt warm, felt pure in his heart, was on full display for him to watch. Behind him were painful memories.
Ripping apart his childhood home, when he murdered one of the orphaned kids, killing Blake, Jewel's ex, taking Shink's, the former Mystics leader's life and causing Raia to become secluded in her room. Worst of all, at least currently, being too late to save Shine and Frannie from a breeding obsessed werewolf.
He clutched his chest, shutting his eyes tightly. He felt tired, oh so very tired. Once he lay down, exhaustion swept through his body.
A small nap wouldn't hurt.
A… Bi…
His right eye twitched.
W… P… Boy!
Warmth.
Com… You can't…. Here, Takabi!
"Just let me sleep," He replied.
Takabi. His eyes went wide.
"Nana? Is that you?"
Light broke through the darkness above. Shielding his eyes, he allowed himself to adjust to the warmth of the setting sun in the distance. He was back on the mountains of Dreulara, surrounded by familiar faces, all holding a heavy worry in their eyes.
Shine, Frannie, Porrelth, Hailey, all peering down at him.
Hailey was the first one to speak, lowering her hand and touching his chest. "We were so worried."
"What happened," He asked, standing up and holding his side. White hot pain rushed through every muscle in his body, but he sucked it up and choked it down. "Last thing I remember was getting struck by lightning."
"We were hoping you could tell us. We're just in the dark about stuff as you are," She said.
Takabi looked around at their expressions. He pulled up a boulder, sitting on it as steam rose from his body. He was healing, but it came very slow. His hand brushed his hair back, taming the wild locks and deep breath entered his lungs.
He began to recall events. Passing Julius' trials, then getting hunted down by a Shadow Dragon. As he explained in as much detail as he could, his ears picked up the sound of footsteps behind him. His words paused as he looked back, and eyes went wide once he spotted Garuga's tired face.
The Dragon coughed into a cloth in his palm, before placing it in his pocket.
His attire was strange to see. For as long as Takabi knew him, he wasn't one for casual wear if it wasn't in black, and yet, here he stood. Dirty blue jeans, hiking boots and a dingy yellow T-Shirt with a thin gauze wrapped around his arm.
"Did I hear that right," He asked once he finally got close. "A Shadow Dragon attacked you? For what purpose?"
"I…" Takabi averted his gaze and shook his head. "I have no clue. I can't think of anyone who would want to join the Kult, especially after what happened during the ceremony."
"We'll find out once we find them," Frannie said. Her tone was strong. She seemed collected, focused, more than she had been recently.
She dropped to her knees in front of Takabi, raising his chin and looking into his eyes. It was a little startling at first, but he kept himself collected. "Where did they go?"
He pointed up the mountain. "There's supposed to be a building I need to meet them at. No doubt, it would've been a three on one, maybe more, if you guys didn't show up and find me."
Porrelth touched his shoulder. While he looked stable on the surface, his eyes held a lingering fear. It was something Takabi wondered about, wondering what Julius could have possibly done to him to leave Porrelth so traumatized.
"Can you move," Shine asked suddenly.
Takabi rubbed his arm then legs. The pain faded away, as well as most of his exhaustion. Nodding, he stood up, punching his fist with flames.
"Yeah. In fact, I feel… Way stronger than before." He looked at his arm and stomach, before raising his head and smiling. Frannie stood up straight, nodding at him and facing Shine.
"Let's go then. They're waiting for us."
Takabi led the way. While the others followed behind him, Porrelth stopped Garuga, waiting until they were out of earshot reach and asked, "You have to tell him."
"I'll do no such thing," Garuga replied angrily.
"Listen, I'll only say this once. That boy is like a child to us. He helped you at your lowest, and he's fighting now to keep you alive." Porrelth sucked in a gust of air, before stating, "You need to tell him that even if he recovers the flower, you'll still die."
Garuga tightened his fist, eyes falling on Takabi's back. "I can't. That boy has enough heartache."
"And he'll have more in the future, I'm certain. As a mentor, you should just be upfront with him. He's nineteen now. He's an adult, keep that in mind."
Garuga nodded, holding his bandaged arm. Mulling it over, all possible reactions, he bit his lip and finally said, "I will tell him after we save the others. Right now, he needs to focus and steel his mind."
Porrelth agreed, and jogged after the others.
-------------------------------------------
Nana stirred. Slowly, she opened her brown eyes, glancing around the dark room. Stone greeted her at every angle, a staircase present in front of her. It was difficult to tell where it led to, as the ceiling was just low enough to block her field of view. From what she could currently make out, it looked like a wooden door.
Her dress was in tatters, exposing her stomach and legs, but leaving private areas covered. She growled in disgust. "What is with these sick fucks?"
The door up the stairs opened, light shining down until it faded with a slam. Someone stepped down the stone staircase, and once he was visible, he ignited a lantern. He was dressed in a black cloak with a hood covering his face. Shadows were oozing off his presence, and made the air cold. Nana narrowed her eyes but said nothing.
"How are you feeling?"
"Sick," She replied, looking at her outfit. "What's with you people and taking advantage of women like this? It's like a trend."
"Apologies. Just following orders. Can't deny it is truly a vision though. You're stunning."
"Don't compliment me, it makes me want to curl up and die."
"Don't say such harsh things," He said, placing the lantern down and walking closer to her. His fingers brushed the hair from her shoulder. Nana pulled her head back, then snapped forward in an attempt to bite his hand. He brought his arm back, sighing. "This isn't my style, but I don't exactly have any ill will towards it. I need an outlet, and Carlos was nice enough to let me play first."
"If you fucking touch me again…"
The man shook his head. "Sorry, nothing you can really do. Those chains are of sealing stone. No mana for you to tap into."
Nana blinked, looking at her wrists and sighed. "Of course. Not like normal chains would do much, right?"
He smiled under his hood and approached her again. "Don't worry, I'll be gentle with you." He attempted to close the gap between their lips. Nana smiled, pulling her head back and slammed it hard against his nose, breaking it with a nasty, wet crunch. He stumbled back and fell on his rear, holding the blood spewing between his fingers. "You BITCH!!"
Shadows bent and twisted, before shooting towards her and ripping through her stomach. Nana's eyes went wide and she coughed blood, vision blurring intensely. He stood up, twisting his palms, the shadows spinning around in Nana's intestines, blood splattering on the floor. Her limbs felt weaker, and her head suddenly felt too heavy for her shoulders. Tears welled in her eyes from the pain, and for a moment, she truly wished she was dead.
The Shadows tore from her stomach violently. Steam rose faintly from her wounds, much to the man's surprise.
"What's this? Do you have a healing factor as well?"
"No," She said dryly.
That was the truth. She never had the ability to self heal without magic before. Right now, when she should have been dead, something ticked in her, kept her alive. Warmth coated her body, as if the deepest depths of chilling darkness wouldn't faze her.
His warmth.
His power.
She chuckled to herself. She truly couldn't live without him.
Her head picked up. In the darkness, her brown eyes flashed a bright violet, before flames burst around her arms and melted the chain down. She hopped on her feet, standing up right, steam ceasing as her wounds healed completely.
The fire, while white in color, was different. A faint, green hue, as if it were in unison with the air.
"What the fuck," He yelled. "You shouldn't be able to do that!"
Nana closed her eyes. Her change now, she knew what it was and what it meant. A smile spread wide across her face, tears continuing to fall. Not of pain, but of happiness. "I agree. I shouldn't."
She pulled her fist back, fire dancing around her knuckles, before she threw it forward. The flames consumed the man, burning through his cloth as if it were simple paper. She rushed ahead, digging up dirt with her foot, bringing her leg up in a blindingly fast kick.
It struck the Man's head, snapping it back as he flew towards the wooden door. Slamming against it and crumbling to the floor, his dark eyes went wide as Nana leapt up and slammed her other leg down.
The door flew off its hinges, a shadow dashing away down the hallway. Nana stepped out, using the wall to hold herself up.
She looked around, blinking at the trees outside the windows across from her. The shag carpet, covered in dirt and dust, as well as the faint singed portraits of people along the walls. She sniffed the air, and groaned loudly.
"Guess that needs training. I can't smell Jewel or Aqua." Snapping her head left to right, she nodded and decided to rush to her left.