The moon hung high in the sky as Hadrain and Jayden pressed onward through the dark forest, the fear of the Black Dragon cult's wrath looming over them. Their footsteps were swift but cautious, every rustle of leaves putting them on edge. It had been a grueling journey already, but they knew the cult wouldn't give up easily. The air was thick with tension, and both men were alert.
Suddenly, a faint crack echoed through the forest. Hadrain froze, his senses heightened as he listened carefully. It was then that the smell hit them—decay, rot, and something far worse.
"Stay close," Hadrain whispered, his voice tight with urgency. "Something's wrong."
Jayden swallowed hard, his heart beginning to race. "What is it?"
Before Hadrain could answer, a figure leaped from the shadows, claws extended and eyes glowing with malice. More emerged, their skin pale and twisted, their teeth sharp and stained with blood. These were no ordinary foes. These were the cannibals—the flesh-eating savages sent by the Black Dragon cult.
"Jayden, hide!" Hadrain shouted, shoving him behind a large tree.
Jayden didn't need to be told twice. He scrambled behind the thick trunk, his heart pounding as he watched the scene unfold. Hadrain stood tall, his stance firm as the cannibals circled him like wolves ready to pounce.
"Come at me," Hadrain growled, his hands glowing with a vibrant, pulsating energy. "You'll regret this."
The cannibals rushed him all at once, their shrieks filling the night. Hadrain's magic surged from his palms, sending a wave of fiery energy crashing into the nearest cannibal, burning it alive in seconds. But more took its place, leaping and slashing at him from all sides.
Hadrain fought with unmatched ferocity, his magic crackling through the air, lighting up the dark forest like a storm. Bolts of energy flew from his hands, slamming into the cannibals, sending them flying in every direction. But these creatures were relentless, clawing and biting, driven by an insatiable hunger.
Jayden peeked from behind the tree, his heart racing as he watched Hadrain fight. He had never seen anything like this before—the sheer power Hadrain wielded was terrifying, yet mesmerizing. But just as Jayden began to think they were safe, he felt a hand grab him from behind.
Before he could scream, something hard struck the back of his head, and everything went black.
---
Hadrain stood over the mangled bodies of the last cannibal, his chest heaving as his magic flickered around him. His entire body trembled with exhaustion and rage. But when he looked around for Jayden, his heart stopped.
"Jayden?" His voice was shaky. "Jayden, where are you?"
He sprinted toward the tree where he had told Jayden to hide, but there was no trace of him. Panic surged through him as he searched the clearing, his eyes darting around wildly. And then, he saw it—a trail of blood leading deeper into the forest.
"No…" Hadrain's voice cracked as he followed the trail. The blood led him further into the depths of the forest, where the stench of decay grew stronger. He couldn't lose Jayden. Not now. Not after everything they had been through.
With a trembling hand, Hadrain muttered an incantation, his eyes glowing as he cast a locator spell. The spell led him through the trees until, in the distance, he saw it—a massive bonfire surrounded by dozens of cannibals. And there, tied to a post, was Jayden, his face pale and his eyes wide with terror.
"Jayden!" Hadrain screamed, his voice full of desperation.
Jayden's gaze locked onto Hadrain's, tears streaming down his face. "Hadrain! Help me!"
The cannibals were preparing to roast him alive, their leader standing at the edge of the fire, holding a bow loaded with a poisoned arrow, ready to strike. Jayden's body was limp with fear, his skin glistening with sweat as the heat of the fire began to lick at him.
Hadrain's vision blurred with rage. A deep, primal scream tore from his throat, and something inside him snapped. He had never felt anything like this before—his body trembled with an uncontrollable force, and the very air around him seemed to vibrate with power.
The fire roared, reacting to his fury. The flames twisted and surged, growing taller and hotter as if feeding off Hadrain's emotions. The cannibals looked around in confusion, their leader stepping back as the fire threatened to engulf them.
With a guttural roar, Hadrain unleashed a wave of magic so powerful that the earth beneath him trembled. The sky darkened, and the wind howled as the fire exploded outward, sending burning embers flying in all directions. The cannibals screamed in agony as the flames consumed them, their flesh melting from their bones.
But Hadrain wasn't done. His magic swirled around him like a storm, uncontrollable and wild. The leader of the cannibals, now trembling in fear, tried to flee, but Hadrain's rage was unstoppable. With a single flick of his hand, the leader was lifted into the air, his body crushed by the sheer force of Hadrain's magic.
The remaining cannibals scattered, but there was no escape. Hadrain's magic chased them down, burning their homes, slaughtering their offspring, and leaving nothing but ashes in its wake. The entire cannibal territory was reduced to a smoldering ruin, consumed by Hadrain's wrath.
When the dust finally settled, Hadrain stood in the center of the destruction, his chest heaving, his magic still crackling in the air. But then, as his rage began to subside, he realized something—Jayden.
He rushed to the post where Jayden was tied, his heart sinking as he saw the state of his friend. Jayden's body was limp, his skin pale and slick with sweat. His breathing was shallow, and his eyes were barely open.
"No, no, no…" Hadrain muttered, his hands trembling as he untied Jayden from the post. He cradled Jayden in his arms, his voice shaking. "Jayden, stay with me. Please, stay with me."
Jayden's eyes fluttered open, and he looked up at Hadrain weakly. "H-Hadrain…"
Hadrain's heart broke at the sight of him, so fragile, so weak. "I'm here. I've got you. You're going to be okay."
But Jayden shook his head, tears slipping from the corners of his eyes. "I… I don't think I can make it…"
"Don't say that!" Hadrain shouted, his voice breaking. "You're not dying on me, Jayden. Not now, not ever."
Jayden's lips trembled, but he managed a weak smile. "You always were… stubborn."
Hadrain's throat tightened, his eyes burning with unshed tears. "You're going to make it. I promise you, you're going to live."
With trembling hands, Hadrain lifted Jayden into his arms, holding him close to his chest. "I'll save you. I swear it."
And with that, Hadrain took off, moving faster than he ever had before. His magic surged through him, pushing him beyond his limits as he sped through the forest with Jayden cradled in his arms. The wind whipped past them, the trees blurring as Hadrain ran with the speed of light, desperate to reach safety.
Jayden's body was growing colder in his arms, but Hadrain refused to give up. He held him tighter, his voice soft but firm. "Stay with me, Jayden. You're going to make it. I won't let you die. Not like this."
Tears streamed down Hadrain's face as he ran, his heart pounding with fear and determination. Jayden was everything to him—his best friend, his love, his reason for fighting. And he would move heaven and earth to save him.
As the first light of dawn broke through the trees, Hadrain whispered a final vow, his voice filled with hope. "Jayden Smith will not die. Not today."
The world blurred around them as Hadrain ran faster than ever before, determined to save the one person he could never live without.