Zero's voice rang out until it transformed into a raging inferno that reached high into the night sky. The flame's brilliance illuminated all around the island and could be seen from many miles away.
He continued the flame for a second longer before pulling his head down and directly aiming it at the Ravenger.
The pure heat caused welts to cover Zero's face, but he continued his attack and flare for as long as possible. This short outburst was rapidly draining his Vie, and he would not be able to maintain it much longer.
In the final moment of flame, he redirected it away from the Ravenger and towards the ground all around, setting foliage ablaze.
Zero stumbled onto the ground and tried to scream in pain, but his throat was too dry. Ripping the helmet off his head, he lay there for but a moment. Painstakingly, he finally pushed his hand against the ground and stood up.
Fighting against the burning sensation, Zero peeled his eyes open and took in the sight before him.
In front of him, the whole area was enveloped in flame, with only a vague silhouette remaining as proof of the Ravenger's existence. In the sky above, flames still lingered among the stars.
A shrill scream came from before him, in neither a voice belonging to him, Alice, or Caelum.
The unfiltered screams of the Ravenger rang out as it struggled in place and rolled violently on the ground.
Now that it was using its own voice, Zero could hear Alice's voice once more.
"Run, Run, Run, Run, Run, Run, Run…"
Zero scanned for Caelum and saw him and Alice together already running towards him, but around the Ravenger. It seemed like Caelum had healed himself already.
Zero wanted to scream out that he could hear her, but it just came out as a dry cough. Not that she would hear him over the Ravenger's shrilling, anyway.
When they caught up to him, Zero began sprinting into the darkness with them. Regretting not dismissing Valiant Blade earlier, Zero resummoned the sword into his hands and used the little remaining Vie he had left to illuminate the ground before them.
"I'm taking it you can hear me now. Turn west now."
Zero changed his direction and led the way west. His lungs were on fire now from lack of water. It felt like his throat was closing up. But his blood was Abyssal, and the oxygen it could carry was well above that of a normal Seeker, so he managed.
It was only a little while before Alice announced grim news about what was behind them.
"It's already freed. I'll send another flare into the sky."
Alice resummoned the meteor hammer into her hand and began spinning it. Tossing it into the air, the rock shortly after exploded then flew back down to the ground. But the 3 of them were already far away from where it landed.
Behind them, an encroaching fire was on them, fast as a flaming blur. Through pure defiance, the Ravenger ignored the flames around him and zealously pursued the 3 humans.
Out of the corner of his eye, Zero could see a flaming mass slowly get bigger, and from his instincts, he could feel the stare of the creature approaching.
There was simply no way they could outrun such a being. Their only hope was that the flaming message was received.
Zero ran too low on Vie to use Valiant Blade's shine and dismissed it. Since he was the only one who could see in the night, Zero had to guide them through the terrain.
Reaching out, he pulled Alice and Caelum closer to him as he guided them through the weaving forest.
This slowed them down considerably, but there was simply no other option. Without his voice, Zero could not call out what was before them, and even if he did have it, there was no guarantee they would not eventually mess up.
And mess up they did.
Attempting to weave between a boulder and tree, Zero pulled in Alice too late, and she went tumbling onto the ground.
'shit.'
Zero pulled Caelum to a stop and ran back to get Alice. But they had lost too much of their lead already. The flaming mass approached so quickly that soon they could all see again. Caelum summoned his staff and stepped forward.
"Go Zero! Take Alice. I will be the wall, so maybe some of us can survive."
'Like hell I will!'
Zero could not speak, but he made his intentions clear by stepping forward with Valiant Blade.
"You are a fool… let us leave our names in the wind."
"Hey! None of us are dying tonight, listen."
The flaming mass approached with its shrill scream, but there was another sound in the air.
There was something in the air!
Right before the flaming Ravenger plowed through the three of them, a large winged creature descended upon the Ravenger.
The Wrath was only illuminated clearly for a moment before rolling into the ground with the Ravenger.
Large wings were folded inward, with two hind legs and two bulky front legs. Spikes protruded from its back, and its eyes were filled with a mad fury. The fury of a mother who lost her kids.
The drake and Ravenger sprawled across the ground, then quickly went at each other's throats.
Their battle occurred like a blur for Zero. In one moment, the drake stood over the Ravenger, and in the next, the Ravenger was pushing the drake through a large tree.
Before Zero could see what happened next, Alice grabbed his and Caelum's hands and took off towards the west.
Zero was once again doing his best to guide them as they traversed around rocky cliffs and tall grass.
Alice manifested her Growing Tree Remembrance and plucked an apple before dismissing it.
"Zero, suck the juice out of this."
They slowed down for a moment, and Zero took the fruit. Raising it above his mouth, he crushed it and let the juice flow down into his mouth.
"Break right, tree ahead!"