After what felt like hours of endless questioning and receiving nothing but cryptic responses, Devyn finally gave up trying to get any useful information from Malakai.
The man was a brick wall, and every question Devyn threw at him bounced back with vague answers that only left him more frustrated.
The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the devastated landscape as they trudged onward in silence.
They were heading to Devyn's secret location.
The visions had shown him places where chaos reigned, monsters, rifts, destruction as far as the eye could see. But this one spot had been different.
Untouched, almost like it was shielded from the apocalypse. No rifts. No monsters. Just safety. That was why Devyn had chosen it as his secret place to store supplies, a safe zone, somehow out of the reach of the nightmares plaguing the world.
The tension between Devyn and Malakai was palpable as the walk in silence.
The ruined city loomed around them like a graveyard of the past, debris scattered across streets that once bustled with life.
As they rounded a corner, a scream pierced the air. Devyn froze, his heart leaping into his throat. Ahead of them, a family, a man, a woman, and two children, were desperately trying to fend off a group of monsters.
The creatures had them cornered, their grotesque forms lunging at the family with claws and teeth.
Devyn's body moved before his mind could catch up. Without thinking, he sprinted toward the family, ignoring the gut-wrenching fear that gripped him. He couldn't stand by and watch them die.
"Devyn!" Malakai's voice snapped through the chaos, cold and sharp. He grabbed Devyn's arm, pulling him back. "Don't."
Devyn jerked his arm free, his eyes blazing. "We can't just leave them!"
"They're not our concern," Malakai said, his tone as icy as ever. "Keep moving."
Devyn stared at him, disbelief and anger surging through him like wildfire. "Not our concern? Look at them! They're going to die if we don't help!"
"You mean if I don't help them?" Malakai sass.
Devyn's jaw clenched in frustration. His blood boiled. He couldn't believe the indifference in Malakai's voice, the utter lack of ccompassion
Without warning, he bolted toward the family, refusing to abandon them.
Malakai cursed under his breath and followed, but not before shooting Devyn a murderous glare.
The creatures turned their glowing eyes on Devyn as he rushed forward, a makeshift weapon, a broken pipe, clutched tightly in his hand. He raised it, ready to swing, knowing full well he didn't stand much of a chance.
Before he could make contact, Malakai was at his side, moving faster than Devyn could track. Without a word, Malakai unsheathed the black sword at his hip and moved with lethal precision.
The sword flashed through the air, cutting down the creatures in swift, brutal strikes. He didn't use his powers, just the lethal efficiency of a sword in the hands of someone who knew exactly how to kill.
In mere moments, the creatures lay dead, turned to ash beneath Malakai's blade.
Panting, Devyn turned to the family, his heart still racing. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly. "You need to get out of here, head northeast. There's a military safe zone that way. They'll protect you."
The man nodded shakily, holding his children close. "Thank you… thank you so much…"
Devyn nodded, trying to keep the guilt from creeping into his chest. He turned back to Malakai, his frustration flaring again. "We should take them with us."
"No," Malakai said flatly, sheathing his sword. "They're not coming."
"Malakai, they need help," Devyn insisted, motioning to the family. "We can't just leave them."
"We can," Malakai said, his tone final. "And we will. They'll slow us down."
"I don't care if it slows us down," Devyn snapped, his temper rising. "They need help! You saw them, they wouldn't have survived without us!"
"They survived because I stepped in," Malakai countered, his tone dark. "But if you want to save everyone we come across, you'll be on your own. I'll leave you behind, Devyn."
The words hit Devyn like a punch to the gut. He stared at Malakai, disbelief and anger warring in his chest. The man was serious. Dead serious. As much as Devyn wanted to argue, wanted to fight for the family, he knew he couldn't afford to lose Malakai now.
He turned back to the family, swallowing his guilt. "Head northeast," he said quietly. "The military zone is your best bet. I'm sorry…"
The family nodded, their eyes filled with fear and confusion, but they didn't argue. They quickly gathered what little they had and hurried off in the direction Devyn had pointed.
Devyn clenched his fists, his entire body tensing with frustration and anger. He couldn't believe Malakai had forced him to leave them behind. Without another word, he stormed off, stomping ahead of Malakai and refusing to look back. He didn't care if the man followed or not. Right now, he didn't want to see his face.
Behind him, Malakai watched with a faint smirk tugging at his lips. He's just like him… He thought to himself, the memory rising unbidden.
Hiller.
In another world, another time, Hiller had been Malakai's soulmate.
They had shared a bond unlike anything Malakai had ever known. Hiller had the same face, the same stubborn spirit as Devyn, though there were differences, Hiller's long silver hair had flowed down to his ankles, catching the light in a way that had always mesmerized Malakai.
Malakai's smirk softened into a wistful smile as the memory took hold.
"You can't just make all the decisions, Malakai!" Hiller had said, his voice sharp with frustration. His long hair whipped in the wind as he stomped away, pouting. "We're supposed to be in this together!"
Malakai had sighed, running a hand through his hair. He knew Hiller hated feeling like he was left out of decisions, but sometimes it was necessary. Malakai had responsibilities Hiller didn't understand. But that didn't make it any easier when Hiller got upset.
"Hiller, wait," Malakai had called, jogging after him. Hiller had ignored him, walking faster, his arms crossed in front of him like a shield.
Malakai had reached him in a few long strides, wrapping his arms around Hiller from behind and pulling him into a tight embrace. Hiller had tried to squirm away at first, but Malakai held him close, his lips brushing against Hiller's ear.
"I'm sorry," Malakai had whispered softly, his breath warm against Hiller's skin. "You're right. I shouldn't have made that decision without you."
Hiller had huffed, still pouting, but Malakai could feel the tension leaving his body as he leaned back into the embrace.
"You always know how to make me forgive you," Hiller had muttered, glancing up at Malakai with a playful smile. His lips curled up at the edges, the anger fading from his eyes.
Malakai had smirked, leaning down to kiss Hiller's forehead. "I can't help it," he said softly. "I hate seeing you upset."
Hiller had turned in his arms, standing on his toes to plant a quick kiss on Malakai's lips. "Don't do it again," his lips quirking into a playful grin.
Malakai had chuckled, leaning down to press a kiss to Hiller's forehead. "I promise… until next time."
Hiller had rolled his eyes, but the smile on his lips hadn't faded. He had turned in Malakai's arms, standing on his toes to give him a quick kiss on the lips. "You love ruffling my feathers, don't you?"
Malakai had smirked, his heart swelling with affection. "It's my favorite pastime."
Hiller had shaken his head, laughing softly as they stood there, wrapped up in each other.
When the memory faded, Malakai's smirk returned. Devyn was so much like Hiller. Stubborn, fiery, but with a heart too big for his own good.
And just like with Hiller, Malakai knew he'd never truly abandon Devyn. No matter what he does. Malakai would always be there for him.
His thoughts were interrupted by Devyn's voice, cutting through the quiet.
"We're here," Devyn said, his tone clipped, still brimming with anger.