The proud chorus of crickets fills Ivan's ears, harmonizing with the eminent crackling of a fire in his surroundings.
His brain and senses were now wide awake, processing everything around him but something was off. Though he could hear and smell for some apparent reason he could not see.
Even as the shutters of his eyes were wide open Ivan could not see a thing but the darkness before him.
``What is happening``; Ivan said aloud, his lips pressing against something soft and smooth, his ears only picking up muffled vocals.
These sounds confused the boy even more, what was going on?
Ivan's attempt to reach for his ears was thwarted by a tight, rugged restraint, immobilizing his arms and legs completely. Whatever this restraint was it nullified his use of magic and was strong enough to combat his raw strength.
It was clear what this was, the boy was captured. He had lost the fight and this was the outcome, such is the laws of the world.
"Screw the world!!``
Ivan rustled around in his confines like an asylum patient, letting out rabid, muffled screams every interval of his rustling.
He did this for minutes before his eyes were blessed with sight. As the confines of his eyes were taken off Ivan was instantly greeted by a peculiar, joyous face.
Cheeks reddened with blush, pupils as green as the grass below, a feminine character crouched before him with a wide smile on her face.
Her hair, white as a horrid blizzard and as long as her entire arm. Her lips looked soft and lush which completely contrasted with her muscular physique.
Her complexion leaned toward a paler hue compared to her companion's.
Unlike her comrade she wore no chestplate, most likely dismounting it, instead wearing a sleeveless white top on the margin of becoming a tank top.
Ivans gaze shifted to something else, her ears, finding that it had looked the exact same as the others did.
She turned her head to look behind her and uttered words Ivan could not decipher. It sounded like contorted gibberish but it clearly had meaning because soon after two more of these sharp eared beings emerged from behind her
Both wore the same armor as his assailant but wore different demeanors and looks with them.
To his right stood a tall, skinny being exuding an aura of toxic masculinity through their physique while their posture was more on the feminine side. Their hair gleamed with a golden hue, matching the faint stubble that graced their jawline that could barely be defined as a beard.
A playful smirk appeared on their face as they locked eyes with Ivan, their body poised in a relaxed yet effortlessly upright stance, devoid of any external support.
To his left a slender body woman that had no emotion on her face whatsoever. Her hair, akin to the woman before him and as blonde as the man to his right, a dark metallic band encircling her head.
Despite the lack of emotion in her demeanor, her stature commanded attention, standing visibly taller than her comrades, her bow and quiver ever at the ready, strapped securely to her person.
``There's more of them``; Ivan thought, his gaze shifting back to the woman before him.
``Poke!``
Just as he did so he felt a warm touch on his forehead. Looking up, Ivan would find that his captor had touched his forehead out of nowhere.
It felt...awkward.
She gently trailed her finger down from his forehead to his lips, obscured by a soft cloth. Simultaneously, her other hand tenderly stroked his left cheek, imparting a comforting touch.
Her touch reminded him of Aria and before he knew it he was leaning into her hand, eyes shut. This peace was disturbed by a tugging motion of his ear on the exact same side.
Ivan shouted out in pain before she tilted his chin up with the finger that once rested on his lip.
Disregarding personal space, she leaned in closely, studying his facial features intently before placing her opposite hand on his chest.
She lowered the hand holding his chin up and rested her head on his chest hearing the rapid beating of his heart.
``So close``; Ivan said to himself, his cheeks reddening not just because of her proximity but how awkward this situation was to him.
``Durlan, its chest keeps moving``; the woman said aloud in an accent similar to Scottish, her smile continuing to grow.
[Pronounced: D-er-land]
A/N:(Once more not english, different language from Ivans, just doing this for optimum reading experience)
``That's because it's breathing, you jackass`` the tall framed Durlan replied, his body leaning against the tree beside him.
``Meara, stop touching it, you don't where it's been``; the woman to Ivans left uttered in a commanding tone.
Meara lifted her head up from Ivans chest before getting up from her crouching position, demonstrating her small stature compared to them.
``Why are you always so stuck up Iona, it's not like it can hurt us``
Iona eased up from the tree and walked towards Meara, each step asserting her dominance amongst them.
``Did you not see Arwyn. If we had not arrived at the time we did he would've had a blade in his neck. That thing is not to be underestimated``
``Plus``
``It reeks of powerful mana``
Meara sighed while rolling her eyes in defiance.
``Are you scared or something because that lover boy of yours almost croaked?" Meara said while mockingly pretending to die.
That comment sparked a tense fire that Ivan watched his confusion piling up to be taller than a tower.
``Can you take this seriously for once``
``What, I'm just telling the truth. You were the first person to rush to him when he was attacked.``; Meara spoke, her sarcastic movements making what she spoke even more aggravating to Iona.
Durlan chuckled to himself upon hearing this hilariously outrageous claim.
``You do know he's into Norri, right``
That was the last straw for her and without hesitation Iona left her position by the tree to confront Meara.
Iona stood right before Meara, so close that the tips of their boots met. Her gaze peered down upon the smaller Meara but it was met with defiance.
The two were about to engage in a brawl before a figure emerged from the faint light of a campfire behind them.
``Enough``
An authoritative voice let out the command that instantly halted the emerging brawl. The voice was not deep but still held power behind its tongue.
All heads turned in unison towards the source of the voice, even Ivan's, and there, before them, stood a woman.
Her frame mirrored the curves of an hourglass, her gaze captivating with dim golden pupils. Cascading locks of mocha brown hair framed her face, reaching down to brush against her hips, while her lips beckoned with their soft, succulent allure.
It was dressed in several thin wire-like accessories making the image of several flowers.
She was also coated with armor, scaly in texture and colored in a metallic gold color.
Like Iona she kept her bow and quiver on her person, in a position where she could easily access it if the moment called for it.
The two that were once ready to brawl walked their separate ways as if nothing had just occurred.
She sighed at the childish behavior of them before her attention shifted to Ivan.
Gracefully she walked towards Ivan before halting after arriving a few centimeters away from him.
``Durlan, how is our captive?``; she questioned.
``It seems to be in a healthy condition, its wound has been healed and it seems to be well stocked with mana``
``Good``; she said before crouching before him.
``We cannot afford to deliver it in an awful condition ``