Crimson reacted instantly. With a sharp twist of his body, he swung his blade, and the clash of steel and crimson energy reverberated through the tunnel. Sparks flew as the force of the strike pushed him back a step, but he held firm.
"Gale! What the hell are you doing?!" Crimson shouted, his voice laced with anger. "You said you wouldn't hurt them! You would just arrest them!"
Gale's eyes gleamed with fury, his lips curling into a sneer. "I don't care about promises anymore. Not after the stunt that bitch just pulled!"
"Go! Get out of here!" Crimson barked at Lilith and Nox, his eyes never leaving Gale. As he turned to block another strike, a flash of red streaked past him.
"Wait, what—?!" Crimson spun around, but it was too late.
Gale's inhuman speed carried him straight toward Nox. She barely had time to react before his hand clamped around her neck, lifting her off the ground with terrifying ease.
"Nox!" Lilith screamed, reaching for her friend, but Gale moved again—faster than their eyes could follow.
He dashed out of the tunnel with Nox, the wind howling in his wake. Trees blurred around them as he slammed her back against a thick trunk, the force rattling the branches above. Nox gasped, her body shuddering as she struggled against his iron grip.
"You shouldn't have done that," Gale snarled, his voice low and menacing. His grip on her throat tightened, cutting off her air as her fingers clawed at his hand in desperation.
Gale's blood-forged blade materialized in his free hand, the weapon glinting with a malevolent crimson glow. He raised it high, his intent clear as his eyes bore into hers.
"You've brought this on yourself," he growled, the blade poised to strike.
Nox's vision blurred, her breath shallow and strained as Gale's grip tightened around her neck. The bark of the tree dug painfully into her back, her struggles weakening with every passing second. Desperation surged through her, and with her last shred of strength, she screamed a single name, her voice raw and trembling:
"Sebastian!"
Across the battlefield, Sebastian's ears twitched.
The roar of flames and the cracking of Grey's barrier faded into the background as Nox's cry cut through the chaos. His serpentine eyes darted toward the source, sharp and unwavering. In the distance, he saw her—Nox pinned against a tree, Gale's blood-forged blade raised to strike.
Sebastian's pupils narrowed to razor-thin slits, and a surge of rage boiled within him. His coiled body snapped into action, abandoning Grey without a second thought. The world around him blurred as he sprinted toward Nox, his massive frame tearing through the forest floor with each step.
Grey, disoriented and still recovering from the shattered barrier, stumbled to his feet. "Where the hell—?" His sentence trailed off as he saw Sebastian bolt in the opposite direction.
Sebastian's form began to shrink mid-stride, his towering drake figure receding as his muscles tightened and his scales faded. He cursed under his breath, his chest heaving as the transformation faded. "Not now… Damn it, not now," he growled, his voice strained.
Reaching into his pouch, his fingers found one of the last remaining vials of crimson liquid. Without hesitation, he uncorked it with his teeth and downed the contents in one swift gulp.
The transformation was instant and violent.
His body convulsed as sharp, jagged wings burst from his back, each one gleaming like polished obsidian. His skin turned scaly once again, a deep, shimmering black that reflected the faint sunlight filtering through the canopy. His feet and hands morphed into deadly claws, each razor-sharp and ready for battle.
Sebastian roared, the sound echoing through the forest like thunder. With a powerful beat of his wings, he launched himself into the air. Trees swayed violently in his wake, their branches snapping as his razor-sharp wings sliced through them effortlessly.
The forest below became a blur as Sebastian zeroed in on his target. His glowing yellow eyes locked onto Gale and Nox, fury radiating from every fibre of his being.
Nox gasped, her vision fading as Gale's blade hovered inches from her throat.
"You know I have always liked you but that was in the past," Gale growled, his voice low and menacing. His grip tightened further, his expression twisted with rage as he prepared to strike.
But before Gale could move, the sound of rushing wind and splintering trees filled the air.
A massive shadow swept across the forest floor, casting everything into darkness. Gale's crimson eyes snapped upward just as Sebastian descended like a vengeful spectre, his razor-sharp wings slicing through the air with deadly precision.
"Nox!" Sebastian's guttural roar thundered through the forest as he plunged toward them, his claws gleaming like obsidian.
Before Gale could react, Sebastian snatched him up with one powerful strike, slamming him into the ground with a bone-rattling impact. The earth cracked beneath Gale's body as the force of the blow sent shockwaves through the air.
Sebastian's glowing, draconic eyes darted to Nox, who lay on the ground, gasping for breath and clutching her bruised neck. His voice rumbled with command. "Get out of here—now!"
Crimson and Lilith burst out of the tunnel, their faces flushed with panic. "Nox!" they shouted in unison as they spotted her.
Sebastian's gaze didn't waver as he pinned Gale beneath his clawed foot. "Crimson," he barked, his voice laced with urgency, "get Nox out of here. Keep her safe."
Crimson hesitated for only a moment before nodding. He ran to Nox, who was still dazed and disoriented and scooped her into his arms. Her pink eyes fluttered open, her voice weak but defiant. "Sebastian… we can't leave him!" she exclaimed, her fists weakly pounding against Crimson's back.
Crimson's grip on her tightened as he glanced back at Sebastian. "We don't have a choice," he muttered, his voice thick with frustration. "He can handle himself. We have to believe in him."
Lilith grabbed Crimson's arm, her expression heavy with worry. "Come on. Let's go!"
With that, the three disappeared into the dense forest, the trees swallowing them whole.
Sebastian turned his full attention back to Gale, who lay pinned beneath his massive claws. His red hair was matted with dirt, and his sneer was gone, replaced by a grimace of pain and defiance.
"You're a fool," Sebastian growled, his voice low and venomous. His claws pressed down harder, the weight threatening to crush Gale's chest. "You thought you could do this and walk away?"
Smoke curled from Sebastian's nostrils, the heat radiating from his body growing more intense. The air around them shimmered, and a deep, menacing glow emanated from the back of his throat.
Gale struggled against the crushing weight, his armour creaking under the pressure. "You think killing me changes anything?" he spat, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "No matter what we would find Nox and the others and execute them for helping an outworlder!"
Sebastian's mouth opened wide, his chest heaving as flames gathered at the back of his throat. Smoke billowed from his nostrils, coiling into the air like serpents. With a deafening roar, he unleashed a torrent of fire, the inferno blazing forward in a searing storm of orange and red.
Gale's screams tore through the forest as the flames engulfed him. His armour glowed red-hot, and his once-vivid red hair burned away, leaving patches of smouldering flesh exposed. The ground beneath them cracked and blackened under the relentless heat, reduced to a field of ash and scorched earth.
Sebastian's glowing, serpentine eyes locked on Gale's thrashing form as the flames subsided. But his victory was short-lived.
From behind, a feral growl erupted, followed by the thunder of pounding feet. Sebastian's keen senses flared too late as Grey leapt onto his back, his arms wrapping tightly around Sebastian's thick, scaled neck.
"You think fire makes you untouchable?" Grey snarled his voice a venomous whisper in Sebastian's ear. His grip tightened, his muscles straining as he attempted to choke the beast.
Sebastian roared in fury, thrashing wildly as his massive claws clawed at Grey's grip. His serpent-like tail whipped through the air, coiling around Grey with deadly precision. With a powerful flex, Sebastian flung Grey off his back, hurling him to the ground with enough force to send cracks spiderwebbing through the dirt.
Grey grunted as he hit the ground, but he quickly rolled to his feet, his grin sharp despite the impact. "Looks like you're searching for something," he taunted, brushing dust off his singed armour.
Sebastian's glowing eyes narrowed, his head snapping toward the spot where Gale had been moments ago. His claws scraped at the ground in frustration. "Where is he?!" he growled, his voice shaking the air with its intensity.
Grey laughed, his head tilting back as if the entire situation amused him. "Above you," he said, his tone mockingly cheerful.
Sebastian's head jerked upward, his eyes scanning the sky just as a shadow descended upon him.
Gale came hurtling down, his body battered and burned but fueled by pure, unrelenting rage. Smoke still rose from his scorched scalp, his face a grotesque mask of charred flesh and blistered skin. His blood-forged weapon gleamed in his hand, its crimson blade pulsating with a sinister glow.
Before Sebastian could react, Gale drove the weapon downward with all his strength. The blade pierced through Sebastian's scaled hide and stabbed into his remaining eye.
Sebastian let out a guttural, ear-splitting roar, the pain radiating through his entire body. Flames erupted uncontrollably from his mouth, licking the air as he thrashed in agony.
Gale leapt from Sebastian's writhing form, landing unsteadily but with a victorious grin. His body was trembling, his breath ragged, but his satisfaction was unmistakable.
Sebastian staggered, his vision lost to darkness as blood oozed from his wounded eye sockets. His massive body swayed, but even blinded and injured, his presence radiated danger—a beast on the brink of unleashing hell.