"Hey!"
"Stop running."
"Gino, there is no escape."
The forest floor crunched beneath their hurried steps as they raced through the dense foliage, dodging gnarled roots that seemed to latch onto their feet. The scent of damp soil reached his senses and when Luciano took a furtive glance down, he could see his toes sinking into the dark mud. Orders and shouts echoed all around the open space, the voices of their pursuers drawing ever closer.
Adrenaline coursed through his veins, fuelling his desperate flight with the mortal. Low hanging branches whipped at their faces and he would constantly hold in a flinch each time a few sharp ones painfully ripped some skin off his arm. His heart pounded in his ears, the sound nearly drowning out the frantic rustling of leaves and snapping of twigs all around them.
He glanced back, his eyes wildly searching for any sign of their pursuers, but the shadows of the towering trees concealed them.
His senses felt muted.
Pushing onward, his lungs burned with strain and his legs ached. Luciano had never used his legs as much as he had the past few days, and it was beginning to feel like absolute torture. This was why he dreaded not having his wings. Not having his wings limited his options. All his fighting he had done with his wings. All his escapes he had done with his wings.
Using his legs left him feeling inept.
Through his peripheral vision, he caught the mortal. His temple was stained with a trail of his red essence, but his brow was furrowed with determination, his muscles visibly straining as he pushed himself to the limit.
He blamed him for this.
What was he thinking when he got in the stolen car with him? He knew how this mortal liked to get himself in situations where it was more likely than not that he could end up dead.
Suddenly, the mortal's hand clamped around his arm, yanking him to the side. "This way," he hissed, his voice barely above a whisper.
Without a moment's hesitation, he followed the mortal, placing his trust in his instincts as they veered away from the trodden trail, delving further into the heart of the dense forest. The distant echoes of pursuit faded into the background, but he remained acutely aware that he could not afford to lower his guard. Their footfalls were muted by the spongy, moss-covered forest floor until, at last, the mortal halted, signalling for silence with a raised hand.
They both held their breaths.
The treeline ahead thinned.
"We need to reach the clearing," the mortal whisper shouted urgently past his ragged breathing. "We could lose them there."
His gaze immediately focused on the bleeding wound on his temple. Without a word, he stepped forward, the distance between them closing with each measured stride. As he neared him, he felt an inexplicable pull, an unseen force drawing him nearer almost as if driven by something innate.
Gently, he reached up to place his hand over the injury, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath his fingertips. Their eyes met and his thumb brushed lightly over the slight abrasion on his temple. A flicker of concern flashed across his features and when the mortal gave him a weird look, he wiped his expression and applied the lightest of pressure as if his touch alone could mend the breach in his delicate flesh.
"What are you doing?"
"I can't heal you," he whispered, his voice laced with regret.
The mortal looked up at him, brow furrowed in confusion as his deep greys blinked up at him. "What the hell are you on about?"
His jaw tightened in frustration and he clenched his fist in the air, trying to reach for the familiar smouldering embers of an immortal power within him. Nothing.
With a renewed vigour, he grasped the mortal's hand firmly and surged forward with him trailing behind him, feet pounding the earth in a frantic rhythm.
As they burst from the trees, the vast expanse of the dark forest gave way to rolling hills and a winding stream down below.
The closer they looked though, the more they realised what the clearing was and their relief was a bit short-lived. They stood at the edge of a deep ravine, their eyes immediately fixed on the narrow gap that stretched out before them. The steep sides plunged downwards, a descent that seemed to dare them to attempt a crossing.
Casting a desperate glance around, he realised that their pursuers were still closing in on them.
"We have no choice," he eventually said to the mortal, his voice tinged with a hint of trepidation. "We have to get across."
"I was hoping you wouldn't say that," the mortal muttered under his breath, the colour draining from his face at the prospect. Then after swallowing a gulp, he masked his fear behind a blank look and slowly nodded at him in agreement.
He surveyed the scene. The ravine yawned wide, its depths cloaked in shadows that hinted at unseen perils.
With a deep breath, the mortal bravely made the first move towards the edge of the ravine and carefully began his descent. He quickly followed closely just in case, his footsteps cautious and deliberate. The path was narrow, forcing them to move in single file, clinging to the rocky outcroppings that lined the edge.
The air felt thick with the earthy scent of lush grass and the faint whisper of the wind echoing through the crevice.
He could feel the strain in his muscles as he lowered himself, inch by inch, his heart racing with the knowledge that a single misstep could send him plummeting into the unknown. Previously, the idea of death did not faze him, having experienced it and returned multiple times. However, with his powers depleted by the spell cast by Indra, the uncertainty of his immortality weighed heavily on his mind.
He kept a vigilant eye on the mortal as he steadily made his way across the ravine with meticulous caution, offering a guiding hand whenever the oncoming step seemed a little uneasy. His focus was unwavering as they inched closer to the opposite.
Halfway across, the mortal suddenly let out a startled cry and he watched as he lost his footing. His arms flailed around as he teetered on the edge, gravity pulling him towards it.
Without hesitation, he reached out and grabbed his hand, his fingers tightening around his wrist.
"Oh, fuck!"
"I've got you," he yelled, straining to pull him back against the wall while simultaneously trying to balance against the thin strip providing footing for him.
With a stammer, he pleaded, "Don't let go."
"I won't."
His greys were wide with terror, but Luciano clung to his hand with all his might. Inch by inch, he hauled him back to safety, his muscles straining with the effort. With a great heave, he managed to hoist the mortal back against the side of the ravine. The mortal leaned against him with his hand tightly fisting his shirt in what seemed like fear, eyes pinched shut.
Luciano kept a firm grip on him and he could feel his body trembling against him slightly, his breaths coming in short ragged gasps.
"It's alright, you're safe," he murmured, his voice low.
After inhaling a few deep breaths, the mortal slowly opened his eyes to gaze up at him with an expression of such profound relief and gratitude that it sent an unexpected jolt through his chest. His eyes stuck on him, sinking into the dancing pools of a grey storm. For a moment, they stood there, suspended in a fragile moment where the possibility of death was much too high for comfort.
The air around them hummed with palpable electricity, a tension that threatened to consume him.
After blinking himself out of the daze, he mused, "You think you can make it down?"
Silently, he nodded.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, their feet found purchase on the solid ground. The mortal instantly took a tumble onto the grass, swallowing what seemed to be a breath of relief.
"That was… way too close for comfort," he gasped, his voice trembling underneath the chuckle of disbelief he released.
Emerging from the ravine even his body still felt weary. He paused to trace the details on the mortal's expression, taking a moment to catch his ragged breathing. He was surprised by how afraid the mortal seemed to die there.
Had his pursuit of death long ended?
"Thank you," he said while staring up at him.
Feigning irritation, he questioned him, "Must I always save you?"
"What are you on about? This is the first time you have ever saved me."
If only the mortal knew what he knew.
"Get up," he demanded after taking a glance up to see the silhouettes above them. "We need to keep moving."