Nate and Madison walked in silence for a while, the sound of their boots crunching against the forest floor the only thing filling the air. The dense trees seemed to press in around them, casting eerie shadows even though it was still daytime.
As they navigated through the uneven terrain, Madison glanced at Nate. "So, do you have anyone back home that would miss you?" she asked casually, brushing a low-hanging branch out of her way.
Nate shook his head as he hopped over a fallen tree branch. "No, I don't," he replied simply.
"Really?" Madison raised an eyebrow. "No girlfriend? No family?"
"Nope," Nate said, his tone light but carrying a hint of finality. "I'm an orphan. My foster mom found me on the street when I was little."
Madison hesitated for a moment before speaking. "You must hate your real parents so much for abandoning you like that."
To her surprise, Nate shook his head again. "No," he said firmly. "I don't hate them. I like to believe there was a reason they left me there. You don't just give birth to a child and throw him out into the cold unless you have a reason for doing it."
Madison stared at him, her expression unreadable. Before she could respond, her gaze shifted, catching sight of something ahead. She stopped abruptly, her eyes narrowing.
"Nate," she said softly, pointing ahead. "Dark blue hoodie... it's her. It's Amara."
Nate followed her gaze and saw the figure lying face down on the ground, motionless. His instincts flared, but before he could say anything, Madison had already bolted forward.
"Wait!" Nate shouted, but it was too late. She was too fast, already dashing toward the figure.
Suddenly, a loud, guttural roar echoed through the forest, freezing Nate in place. His eyes widened as a massive beast leapt out of the shadows, its black fur glistening and its fiery eyes locked onto Madison. The creature had been lying in wait, drawn by the sound of footsteps.
The beast lunged, its jaws snapping toward Madison's head, too fast and too powerful for Nate to intervene. Time seemed to slow as he watched in horror, expecting blood to spray and Madison's lifeless body to fall.
But nothing happened.
The beast's jaws clamped shut, but they didn't connect with Madison. Instead, she suddenly appeared behind the creature, touching her head in shock.
"How did I get here?" she murmured, her voice trembling as she stared at Nate with wide eyes.
Nate's heart was pounding as he tried to process what had just happened. The beast snarled, turning its glowing eyes on him, but his gaze remained fixed on Madison. Something was happening—something neither of them understood.
The beast roared and charged toward Nate, its claws tearing through the dirt as it lunged. Nate clenched his fists, and flames erupted from his hands, flickering and dancing as if responding to his determination. He stood his ground, his jaw tightening. There was no point in running now.
It was fight or die.
As the creature closed the distance, Nate hurled a fireball directly at its face. The flames exploded on contact, forcing the beast to recoil with an ear-splitting snarl. Its fur smoldered, but it wasn't enough to stop it.
The beast circled him, low to the ground, its glowing eyes locked on its prey. Nate mirrored its movements, the fire in his hands flaring brighter. It lunged again, swiping at him with razor-sharp claws. Nate ducked and countered, sending a stream of fire along its side.
Madison, still reeling from her newfound ability, shouted, "Nate! I think I can teleport!"
He didn't have time to process her words fully. "Do you think you can distract it while I hit it from behind?" he shouted back.
Madison hesitated, her eyes flicking nervously between Nate and the beast. But then she nodded, determination hardening her features. "I'll try!"
As the beast lunged again, Madison disappeared in a blur, reappearing a few feet away. The creature snarled, confused, and turned its attention toward her. She vanished again, popping up farther away.
"Over here, you ugly thing!" she taunted, her voice trembling but loud enough to draw the beast's attention.
With the creature momentarily distracted, Nate seized his chance. He ran toward its flank, flames trailing behind him like a comet. He leapt, striking the beast with a fiery punch that sent it staggering.
But the beast wasn't done yet. It recovered quickly, swinging its massive paw toward Madison. She teleported just in time, reappearing a short distance away, but the close call left her shaken.
"Madison, keep it distracted!" Nate yelled, his breath coming in short bursts as he prepared another attack.
She nodded, teleporting closer to the beast, then farther away, keeping it spinning in confusion. But her movements were growing slower, less precise, as exhaustion set in.
The beast, realizing the pattern, lashed out in frustration, nearly catching her mid-teleport. Madison stumbled as she reappeared, falling to her knees.
"Madison!" Nate shouted, seeing the creature rear back to strike. He didn't think—he acted.
Ignoring the burning pain in his legs, Nate launched himself between Madison and the beast. The creature's claws raked across his side, tearing through his shirt and leaving deep gashes. He gritted his teeth against the pain and thrust his flaming hands upward, catching the beast's head in a blaze of fire.
The creature howled, thrashing wildly as Nate poured every ounce of his power into the attack. Flames consumed its head, and with one final, guttural roar, it collapsed in a smoldering heap.
Nate fell to his knees, clutching his side as blood seeped between his fingers. The fire in his hands flickered weakly before dying out.
Madison stared at him, her chest heaving. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she scrambled to his side. "Why did you risk your life for mine?" she whispered, her voice breaking.
Nate looked up at her, his face pale but calm. "Because... I promise myself to take responsibility for all of you," he said simply, his breath ragged.
Madison's heart clenched as she knelt beside him. A few seconds ago, she had been sure she was going to die. When the beast's claws had been inches from her, she had felt a cold, crushing fear unlike anything she had ever known. But then Nate had been there, shielding her without hesitation, putting himself in harm's way for her sake.
Her fingers trembled as she touched his arm, the weight of his sacrifice settling over her. "Thank you," she murmured, her voice barely audible.
Nate managed a faint smile. "Don't mention it," he said, wincing as he tried to straighten.
Madison watched him, her emotions swirling—gratitude, guilt, and something deeper she couldn't quite name. She had always thought of herself as tough, self-reliant, but in that moment, she realized how much she owed to the man sitting before her.