Later that night, the village was silent, the eerie glow of the distant lava casting long shadows. While Safari snored loudly, sprawled across the floor, Nate sat awake, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Zack, lying nearby, peeked one eye open. He noticed Nateās restless state.
Zack: "Canāt sleep?"
Nate shook his head.
Nate: "No."
Zack scooted closer, curiosity flashing in his eyes.
Zack: "You scared about tomorrow?"
Nate sighed.
Nate: "Not exactly. Iām just... thinking."
Zack smirked.
Zack: "Thinking about the girl who totally flustered you earlier?"
Nate immediately stiffened, his face turning bright red.
Nate: "S-Shut up!"
Zack laughed.
Zack: "Relax, Iām just messing with you."
After a moment of silence, Nateās expression grew solemn.
Nate: "Itās not just tomorrow. Itās everything. Magsui didnāt just take my family ā he took my pride, my peopleās hope. Every time I think about it, it eats away at me."
Zackās smile faded.
Zack: "Yeahā¦ I get it. Loss changes people."
Nate clenched his fists tightly.
Nate: "I wasnāt strong enough to stop him. But tomorrow, I will be."
Just then, the sound of clinking utensils came from the small kitchen corner. Jen was preparing a simple late-night meal. She carefully stirred a pot over a glowing ember, the faint aroma of something warm and savory filling the air.
Noticing Zack and Nate's conversation, she glanced over.
Jen: "You two should eat something. Itāll help calm your nerves."
Nate instantly tensed, his face burning red once more. Despite all his bravery against Magsui, one thing remained his greatest weakness ā girls.
Nate (thinking): "Sheās looking at meā¦ Sheās talking to me!"
Frozen in panic, he tried to avoid eye contact. Jen noticed his awkwardness, but smiled kindly.
Jen: "Youāve been through a lot, Nate. But youāre not alone now."
Nate opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. His throat dried up as he stared at her, his face flushed.
Zack: (grinning) "You gonna say something, hero? Or just stand there like a statue?"
Nate stammered.
Nate: "I-I, uhā¦ yeah. Thanks."
Jen: "Come on, sit down. You can tell me more about your family while we eat."
Nate nodded quickly, trying not to trip over his own feet as he followed her to the table. Zackās grin widened.
Zack (thinking): "This is gonna be fun."
As Jen ladled warm stew into their bowls, Nateās nerves gradually eased. Despite his lingering fear for tomorrow, the warmth of the meal and the quiet presence of his newfound allies brought a sliver of comfort.
After almost an hour...
The cold breeze of the Gorvax night swept through the village, carrying with it the distant rumble of the dormant volcano. The embers in the volcanic cracks glowed faintly, casting an ominous red hue over the land.
While the village remained silent, Nate was wide awake. He lay on his straw mattress, staring at the stone ceiling above him. The echoing memories of Magsuiās laughter rang in his mind ā the twisted grin of the demon general as he dragged away his loved ones.
Nate (thinking):
"I canāt let them suffer anymore. Itās my fight. My vengeance."
Determined, Nate sat up carefully, making sure not to wake Safari, Zack, or Jen, who were still fast asleep. Safari was snoring loudly, sprawled across the floor, while Zack mumbled something incoherent in his sleep.
Nate pulled on his jacket and slipped out into the night. The air was thick with sulfur, but he ignored it. He took one final glance at the house.
Nate (whispering):
"Stay safe, guys. This is my fight."
Without a second thought, he sprinted toward the dark outline of the volcano in the distance.
_ _ _
Far away, in the vastness of space, Angeleva was having an entirely different kind of struggle.
Her elegant fairy wings fluttered rapidly as she soared toward Planet Gorvax, following the red blinking dot on her tracker. But despite her celestial grace, her face twisted in frustration.
Why? Because clinging to her legs, arms, and even her hair were the humanoid weirdos she had run into earlier ā a gang of bizarre creatures who seemed endlessly fascinated by her.
Weirdo 1:
"Miss! Miss! Please, tell us the secrets of your sparkling wings!"
Weirdo 2:
"Can I braid your hair? Itās glowing!"
Weirdo 3:
"Marry me!"
Angelevaās eyes twitched as her flight speed was reduced to a crawl. Every flap of her wings felt like dragging a hundred-pound weight.
Angeleva: (gritting her teeth)
"GET. OFF. ME!"
She darted left and right, but the weirdos stuck to her like glue. One of them was gnawing on a strand of her hair, while another clung tightly to her waist.
Angeleva: (fuming)
"Iām not your personal fairy doll! I swear, if I wasnāt in a hurryā"
One particularly overzealous weirdo began serenading her mid-air.
Weirdo 4: (singing terribly)
"Oh, fair maiden of the stars, how you shine so bright! Let me be your knightā"
Angeleva: (interrupting)
"Iāll turn you into a shooting star if you donāt let go!"
She attempted to shake them off with a series of sudden twirls and spirals, but they clung on tightly, giggling like fools. Her flight had slowed down by tenfold, her once-graceful journey turning into a ridiculous aerial chase.
Angeleva (thinking):
"At this rate, itāll take me forever to get to Gorvax! Ugh, these guys are impossible!"
Back on Gorvax
The sun was just beginning to rise, painting the sky in shades of orange and crimson. In the stone house, Safari groaned, rubbing his eyes as he sat up. His horns glinted faintly in the dim light.
Safari: (grumbling)
"What a lousy sleep. Zack's snoring could wake the dead."
Zack, still fast asleep, had sprawled across the floor, half-covered in blankets. Jen, meanwhile, was sleeping peacefully, her breathing soft and even.
Safari stretched, yawning loudly, when suddenly his gaze shifted to the corner of the room. Nateās spot was empty.
Safari: (frowning)
"Huh? Whereās that stubborn kid?"
Just then, Jen stirred awake, rubbing her eyes.
Jen: (sleepily)
"Is something wrong?"
Safari: (seriously)
"Nate's gone. And I have a bad feeling about it."
Jen's eyes widened in concern.
Jen:
"You donāt think he went alone, do you?"
Safari: (gritting his teeth)
"That idiot."
Zack mumbled awake, stretching lazily.
Zack: (yawning)
"Maybe he just went for a morning walk. You know, to get his heroic vibes going."
Safari shot him a glare.
Safari:
"Or maybe he ran off to get himself killed."
The words hung heavy in the air.
Jen: (clenching her fists)
"We canāt waste time. Letās go find him!"
Safari nodded. Despite his gruff demeanor, a pang of concern twisted in his chest.
Safari (thinking):
"You better not do anything stupid, Nate."
Without another word, the three rushed out, the fiery landscape of Gorvax looming ahead.