"Hey!" Armin shouted, stretching his arm out desperately, fingers brushing against the edge of Bao's robe. It wasn't enough. Raiden disappeared into the abyss before Armin could react.
Yui dove into the pit, her wings struggling to flap within the narrow, rocky confines. Without hesitation, Daiki followed, launching himself after her.
Darkness swallowed them both. The cries of the two men echoed around them, punctuated by the dull thuds of bodies striking jagged rocks as they plunged deeper into the pit Daiki had created.
Yui pushed herself forward with sheer determination, her movements directed by the faint grunts and the chaotic noises below. In the suffocating darkness, a pair of golden eyes pierced through, locking onto hers with an intensity that made her chest tighten. The eyes were otherworldly, unblinking, and magnetic. They pulled her forward as if beckoning her closer.
Yui let herself shift back into her human form, though remnants of her azure dragon identity remained—scales scorched her sides like lingering burns, and her wings stayed intact. She ignored the pain, focusing on the golden eyes as all other sounds faded away. Her hands finally gripped a robe in the darkness. Pulling the figure toward her, she examined him under the dim glow emanating from their eyes—hers icy blue, his radiant gold.
"This… this isn't the guy," she murmured, her voice low and uncertain. The man in her arms had a shaggy beard and eyes brimming with a strange energy that seemed to radiate from his very soul. For a moment, Yui froze, her thoughts eerily calm, like an undisturbed stream.
"Raiden!" Armin's desperate cry echoed through the pit, snapping Yui back to reality. She glanced up to see Armin's face illuminated above, his expression a mix of fear and hope.
Without a second thought, Yui tossed the injured man aside like a discarded garbage and soared out of the pit. Her wings flared as she landed with grace, her face a mask of indifference.
"What the hell? Where is Raiden?!" Armin bellowed, storming up to her. His voice cracked with frustration and anger as he glared at her.
"I don't know any Raiden," she replied coolly, brushing past him with disinterest. Her focus shifted to Daiki, who was holding a disoriented Bao close, whispering something inaudible into his ear.
"Give it to me," Yui demanded, extending her hand toward Daiki, her intentions as transparent as the clear sky.
Armin, boiling with anger, grabbed a rock and hurled it at her back. "Hey! Bring back my friend!"
The rock struck Yui, her patience wearing dangerously thin. Just as she whirled around, ready to lash out, Shiro placed a steady hand on her shoulder. His voice was calm but firm as he whispered, "No."
Yui's jaw clenched. She swore to herself that if this meddling bird kept telling her what to do, she'd tear him apart. As if sensing her thoughts, Shiro added softly, "You'll have your chance."
Daiki leaned closer to Bao, his voice like poisoned honey. "Listen, if you go with her, she'll make you suffer. She'll drain the life out of you, qi by qi. Is that what you want?"
Yui's lips twitched into a snarl as she spoke up, her tone deceptively calm. "He's lying. He'll use you and toss you aside when he's done. If you want to die with dignity, then come to me." She stood still, refusing to meet Daiki's smug gaze, her patience stretching thinner with each moment.
"No, human, listen. If I were you, I'd choose to live for a while and die later, rather than die immediately. What do you say?" Ping chimed in from Daiki's side, his tone oddly cheerful.
"What?" Bao stammered, panic etched across his face as his eyes darted frantically between them.
Daiki stepped on Ping's foot and hissed under his breath, "Shut the fuck up." Turning to Bao, he added quickly, "I'm not going to kill you! See? I'm the one who saved you!" His voice carried an exaggerated reassurance, though it only seemed to deepen Bao's confusion.
Meanwhile, Shasha approached Armin, clearly trying to find a way to help him. "I'm sorry for your loss," she said softly, her voice tinged with an awkward sympathy.
Armin's head snapped up from staring down into the pit. "What?"
"Raiden… he was your best friend," she continued, her tone drenched in misplaced consolation as she reached out to pat his shoulder.
"He is still my best friend!" Armin shot back, swatting her hand away. He turned toward the pit and shouted, "Raiden!" His voice echoed down into the void, carrying both desperation and defiance.
Shasha flinched but couldn't help feeling heartbroken at the sight of her ex-lover's denial. "Armin," she said gently, "he's not coming back. Look at Bao—he's already heavily injured."
Armin glanced briefly at Bao, who was indeed slumped against Daiki in a semi-conscious state, with the elemental beasts around him bickering over who would claim him. But Armin tore his gaze away, focusing back on the pit as he yelled again, "Raiden!"
Even Jin, the stoic centaur, knelt before the edge, his expression clouded with sorrow. They all had their differences, but the shared experiences among them had been enough to bond them. For Jin, that alone was worth mourning Raiden's supposed loss.
Bao, seeing his friends grieving in front of the pit, stumbled forward, brushing aside the hands that tried to steady him. "Armin…" he croaked, his legs giving way as he fell to his knees. Dragging himself closer, he gripped Armin's shoulder firmly. "My man…"
"What are you guys doing?" Armin snapped, his voice raw with frustration. "Raiden is not dead, for God's sake!" His eyes burned with fear and uncertainty.
"With that fall, he will be soon," Ping said, his tone oddly contemplative, earning a sharp glare from Shasha.
Suddenly, Yui crept up behind Bao, her movements calculated and casual. Without warning, she swung her leg back, aiming to kick him straight into the pit. But just before her foot connected, Daiki's hand shot out, gripping her leg and halting the momentum.
"Take your filthy hands off my leg," Yui snarled, yanking his hair with her free hand, forcing him to stumble back as his grip on her leg loosened.
"Bitch," Daiki muttered under his breath as she released him.
"Say that again. I dare you." Yui's eyes glowed an icy blue as she glared at him, a snarl curling her lips.
Sensing the tension escalating into another confrontation, Shiro stepped between them. "Perhaps we should focus on helping them to help ourselves," he said, gesturing toward the grieving tamers.
Yui narrowed her eyes but begrudgingly agreed. With a huff, she launched herself toward the pit, ready to dive in and retrieve Raiden herself. However, before she could act, Daiki raised his hand, bending the earth beneath him. With a smooth motion, he gestured upward, summoning a pillar of rock that emerged from the pit. On top of it, Raiden's disheveled form lay sprawled, after which it was tossed on the ground near them.
"Raiden!" Bao, Armin, Shasha, and Jin gasped in unison as they rushed toward him, their grief instantly replaced by a sense of lingering hope.