Two figures sprinted through the dense forest, their speed unmatched, weaving between trees like wild hares evading a predator. Branches snapped beneath their feet as Elijah and Kai raced toward the shoreline where the sea met the land.
The open ocean stretched before them, but something was wrong. Their eyes scanned the horizon, searching desperately for the ship, but it was nowhere to be found.
"Where's the ship?" Elijah shouted, panic creeping into his voice. He could feel the ominous killing intent behind them, closing in fast.
"Shit! I… I don't know!" Kai cursed, his eyes wide as he pointed toward the sea. "Wait! Who set the ship to sail?" His voice cracked with urgency. Their vessel, their only means of escape, had already drifted far from the island. Without a second thought, both men dashed toward the water, not wasting a moment.
"Run, Kai! He's coming!" Elijah yelled, his voice barely audible over the roar of the ocean.
"I'm not stopping!" Kai shot back, but his legs were burning, every muscle screaming as they pushed forward.
Above them, the sky darkened. Clouds churned violently as Zen appeared, his figure ominous and commanding, riding the storm. The heavens seemed to respond to his presence, swirling into a massive, menacing tornado.
In mere seconds, Zen had covered the 3 kilometers between them, his gaze locked onto the ship where the bear-like beast, Tank, stood at the helm, oblivious to the chaos unfolding.
Elijah quickly placed Julia on the deck and turned his eyes skyward. Zen's arrival brought an overwhelming surge of wind and power.
Elijah's body tensed as he absorbed his Three-Leaf Silver Lotus, a brilliant aura surrounding him before his form shifted. Dragonic scales spread across his body, glowing with a ferocious energy.
Kai pulled his mask over his face, his twin katanas flashing as he slashed at the sea, while Elijah threw a powerful punch. The combined force of their attacks created a shockwave that propelled the ship a kilometer away from the tornado's devastating winds.
As they steadied themselves on the deck, Zen hovered above, spear in hand, his expression calm but deadly. "Spear Art," he murmured, preparing to strike.
Elijah's scales shimmered, turning deep blue, and his eyes sparked with electricity as lightning intensified around him. 'Reiju,' Elijah thought to himself, channeling his power.
Beside him, Kai's form seemed to sink into darkness. His two katanas were now enveloped in shadows so dense they swallowed the light. 'Two Sword Style,' Kai focused, his muscles coiling like springs.
Zen thrust his spear a hundred times, each strike accompanied by wind that split the air. The shockwaves from his attack stretched a hundred meters in length and width, tearing through the atmosphere. "Bull Thrust!" Zen's voice boomed as the attack surged forward.
"Lightless Slashes!" Kai countered, his swords cutting through the air, sending twin arcs of dark energy toward Zen's assault.
"Wave!" Elijah roared, launching a torrent of lightning. This time, he was stronger—faster. The electric current surged, more dangerous than ever before, colliding with Zen's wind attack.
The three attacks met with a thunderous explosion, shaking the very sky. The shockwave knocked Zen back, his feet skidding mid-air. In that brief moment, before the energy fully dissipated, Elijah's Lotus dimmed, its power spent.
Blood dripped from his mouth as the overwhelming force of the clash took its toll on his body. The space around the ship twisted, and with a final, desperate pull of power, they vanished from sight.
BOOOOMMMM!!!
The sky erupted with the sound of the explosion. A shockwave rippled outwards, slamming into the island 3 or 4 kilometers away.
Townsfolk stumbled, windows shattered, and even the sea recoiled from the force. Zen hovered above the wreckage, his eyes narrowed as he looked at the calm sea where the ship had disappeared.
"They're gone," Zen muttered to himself. His hand relaxed as he released his spear from the burst range. He sighed, exhaustion creeping into his voice. "They were more powerful than I thought."
He gazed down at the island, his face darkening. "Killing the people here won't serve any purpose now," he mused aloud.
Zen sighed again, frustrated. "I've lost my strongest commanders. Even the weakest ones are nearly gone. This has been a huge setback for our organization." He cast one last glance at the sea before vanishing into the clouds.
Meanwhile, far away on the open sea…
A ship cut through the waters, its passengers safe but weary. Kai stood on deck, glaring at the large bear-like beast steering the ship. "You seriously left us for dead back there, didn't you?" Kai shouted at Tank, his frustration bubbling over.
Tank, the massive creature, hung her head, letting out a low growl, "Gaw gaw gaw…" (I was screaming, you know.)
"What do you mean you were screaming? We almost died back there!" Kai retorted.
Adan, standing at the helm, looked a bit pale but otherwise fine. "Give Tank a break, and… wait, how do you even understand her?" Adan asked, raising an eyebrow.
Kai paused, realizing he had no idea. "You know, that's… actually a really good question."
Tank lowered her head further, grumbling under her breath. "Anyway, Elijah's still out cold, Julia hasn't recovered her mana yet, and Stella's still asleep," Adan reported, shifting his weight as he added, "So, where to?"
Kai scratched his head. "One: how can I understand you, Tank? Two: how did you recover your mana faster than Julia? And three: how is Elijah even alive? He looks like he's been drained by a vampire or something!"
Adan chuckled, coming closer to sit beside Kai. "Not sure about Tank or Elijah, but as for me, I have amazing control over my mana."
Kai blinked in surprise. "Dude, if you're better than Julia at mana control, you're on another level!"
Adan shrugged, though Kai couldn't shake the feeling something strange was going on.
"Alright, Tank, how can I understand you?" Kai asked, more curious now than frustrated.
"Gaw gaw gaw," Tank responded again. (I don't know. You're the one who can understand me.)
"What did she say?" Adan asked.
Kai paused, blinking. "She said… wait, she's a she?" he asked, completely caught off guard.
Adan looked at him, baffled. "You didn't know?"
"No! How was I supposed to know Tank's a girl?" Kai asked, flustered. "Anyway, she doesn't know either."
"Maybe it's because you've spent the most time with her," Adan suggested.
"Who knows," Kai sighed, standing up. "I'll take over steering the ship for now."