Trevor opened his eyes to a dark ceiling, his head pounding with a severe pain that made him feel like he had been hammered. The only light in the place seemed to be coming from his left, a soft blue glow that illuminated the unfamiliar surroundings. He tried getting up, but a wave of agony washed over him, forcing him back down. His whole body ached and strained like never before. "Ugh!" he groaned, his voice barely a whisper.
"Trevor? You're awake? Thank God you're awake," a familiar voice exclaimed, filled with relief. Ethan's face came into view, his eyes filled with concern.
"Wh... what's going on?" Trevor asked, his voice still weak.
"A lot, but it's okay as long as you're okay. I'll explain everything to you once you fully recover. For now, you must rest," Ethan replied in a soothing voice, his hand on Trevor's shoulder.
Trevor nodded, closing his eyes to rest. 'Sigh! He's okay. Are you sure it will work?' Ethan thought, his mind racing with worry.
'Yes. You must relax. He will be okay,' Zark replied in an assuring tone.
'He nearly died...' Ethan's thoughts trailed off, still concerned.
...
Before Trevor's near-death experience,
Ethan had scanned the small forest close by but found no presence of his friend. He then proceeded to leave the island and head to the next one, his perception abilities heightened to cover a kilometer and a half. But it was all futile; there was no sign of Trevor.
"Where else would he appear if not... crap! Don't tell me..." Ethan muttered to himself, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios.
*45 Minutes left...
With only 45 minutes left, Ethan knew he had to act fast. He dashed back to the island, his aura abilities leveling up to increase his speed. Yellow lightning appeared on his heels and elbows as he bolted across Babel's Hive, jumping from island to island. The wind rushed past him, his hair flowing behind him like a banner.
In no time, Ethan had reached the edge of the first island he appeared on when he first came to Babel's Hive. He turned off Boost, the yellow lightning disappearing from his body. He crouched, blue energy gathering on his feet as he prepared for the next stage of his journey.
THOOM!
Ethan jumped, shooting from the ground and flying across the gap between islands. He landed on a tree, uprooting it from the force of his landing, but ignored it as he dashed into the forest. Powerful winds blew behind him, rustling the leaves and snapping branches.
He was still far from the thermalion habitat, about 60 kilometers away. Ethan ignored the system's warnings and increased his speed, his heart pounding in his chest. He had been running for over 100 kilometers, but he felt like he was still slow. The thought of Trevor suffering or battling unknown beasts, especially the sneaky thermalions, made him shake with anger.
After running for 20 kilometers, he spotted a huge beast in his path. It had grey fur and looked like a mix of a rhinoceros and a bull, its red eyes glowing in the moonlight. Like it had sensed Ethan, it charged at him, its silver horns glinting menacingly.
A black war hammer with red designs suddenly materialized in Ethan's hands as he jumped high into the sky. "I don't have time for this!" he exclaimed in rage, swinging the hammer down towards the beast. The weapon hit the beast squarely on its head, causing it to cave in as it got blasted into a line of trees, shattering them upon impact.
Ethan just blasted away a Silver Rank beast with little to no effort. Before he could land on the ground, a blue glow appeared under his feet as he blasted through huge trees, causing a strong shockwave to blast outwards, uprooting some trees in the process.
*15 Minutes left...
With only 15 minutes left, Ethan suddenly grabbed hold of a slim but strong branch and swung upwards with it, passing through the leaves and branches above him into the sky. The weapon had disappeared after he blasted off the beast. His eyes zoomed far ahead as he searched around him. As gravity finally kicked him back to the ground, he spotted smoke and a giant tree about 10 kilometers from his position. He landed on a branch as blue energy gathered behind him.
He was now 10 kilometers away from the thermalion habitat from what he could see. As the gathering energy reached its peak, Ethan crouched on the branch, his muscles tensed. Wind started blowing around him, forming a blue-colored gale, then he pounced.
PAH!
BOOM!
He shot forward at an insane speed, breaking the sound barrier and causing a powerful shockwave that blew the tree he was on into pieces. His body flew forward, protected by a light silver glow...
His body flew forward, protected by a light silver glow that shielded him from the intense forces generated by his acceleration. The wind rushed past him, creating a sonic boom that echoed through the forest. He could see the trees blurring together as he shot towards Trevor's position, his heart pounding with excitement and worry.
As he approached the thermalion habitat, he could hear the sound of battles and the hum of thermal energy. He could sense Trevor's presence, his aura faint but unmistakable. Ethan's fists tightened; his mind focused on the task ahead.
With only minutes to spare, Ethan burst into the clearing, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of Trevor. The air was thick with thermal energy, and the ground was scorched and blackened. Ethan's gaze locked onto a figure in the distance, his heart skipping a beat as he saw Trevor, battered and bruised, but alive.
"Trevor!" Ethan shouted, his voice carrying across the clearing. He sprinted towards his friend; his fists balled and ready for action. The thermalions, sensing Ethan's presence, turned towards him, their eyes glowing with malevolent intent.
Ethan charged forward, his aura blazing with determination. He would not let anything happen to Trevor, not now, not ever. The battle ahead would be fierce, but Ethan was ready. He would face whatever challenges lay ahead, armed with his courage, his strength, and his unwavering loyalty to his friend.
Sprinting toward Trevor, Ethan's yellow lightning-infused speed left a trail of blurred trees and startled beasts in his wake. With a powerful leap, he launched himself into the heart of the fray, landing amidst the snarling, snapping horde. The beasts recoiled, momentarily stunned by his sudden arrival.
Ethan swiftly scooped up an unconscious Trevor, cradling him in his arms as the yellow lightning continued to crackle behind him. A fierce determination burned within him, driving him to protect his friend at all costs.
With a swift motion, Ethan unleashed a burst of blue telekinetic force, striking the encircling beasts with a blast of energy. The creatures stumbled back, momentarily repelled while the weaker ones were blasted away as Ethan seized the opportunity to make his escape.
He charged forward, with Trevor secure in his grasp, the yellow lightning still crackling behind him. Beasts lunged from the shadows, their jaws snapping wildly, but Ethan dodged and weaved with incredible agility, avoiding their attacks by mere inches.
A thermalion, its body a mass of writhing, pulsing tendrils, lunged at him with a screeching cry. Ethan sidestepped its attack, using the momentum to fuel his own counterstrike. A swift kick sent the beast crashing into a nearby tree, its tendrils flailing wildly.
As he ran, the beasts gave chase, their roars and snarls echoing through the forest. Ethan's breath came in ragged gasps, his heart pounding in his chest, but he refused to yield. Trevor's safety was his sole concern.
In a flash of inspiration, Ethan recalled the thermalions' unique energy signature. With a swift mental shift, he altered his aura to mimic the creatures', blending his own energy with theirs.
The pursuing beasts faltered; their senses confused by Ethan's sudden transformation. They sniffed the air, unsure of their quarry's location, as Ethan continued to flee, Trevor still clutched in his arms.
The forest grew denser, the trees twisting around them like sentinels. Ethan's aura continued to shift, adapting to the surroundings, allowing him to move undetected through the thermalions' midst.
Finally, after an eternity of dodging and weaving, Ethan saw a glimmer of light ahead – the edge of the forest. With a burst of speed, he emerged into the moonlit clearing, the thermalions' roars fading into the distance.
Breathless, Ethan slowed to a stop, Trevor still secure in his grasp. He gazed down at his friend, relief washing over him as he saw Trevor's chest rise and fall with steady breaths.
For a moment, Ethan simply held him, the tension and fear of the past few hours dissipating. Then, with a gentle smile, he whispered, "You're safe now, Trevor. I've got you."