Situated within the lounge of the Cobalt house, Lucas sat scanning through a book that he had longed to read. With his eyes transfixed solely on the mountain of text before him, he felt as though he had reached perfect tranquillity. As the trio was preoccupied with exploring Ferradon and Marc hidden away voluntarily in his room, the older Cobalt had no intention of fulfilling any work obligations or house chores. He enjoyed every second of the blissful silence, not knowing when the next opportunity would occur.
Flip.
Lucas then turned to the next page, proceeding onto a new chapter. As he turned, an image embedded into the page caught his keen eye. The image was an old, rough sketch of a ruby jewel, illuminated freely on its lone pedestal. Platinum scales bordered its rim, as though expressing its unique artistry with the utmost pride.
Knock-knock-knock!!!
Just then, the front door echoed throughout the house, causing Lucas to jump out of his skin in fright. In swift motion, he slipped a bookmark on the page and snapped the book closed.
“That must be them.”
With him moment of bliss cut short, Lucas lifted from the couch casually and exited the lounge.
KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK!!!
“Alright! Alright! I'm coming!” He yelled back irritably as he stepped up to the door, feeling as though it would break open.
Click.
Lucas was prepared to lecture the trio upon opening the door.
“Guys, you do realise there is a-!”
However, he froze up in horror.
“What happened?”
Before him stood an exhausted Tobi and Veena, both with an arm slung over their shoulders as desperation covered their sweat-filled faces. Between them was a deathly-pale Zaron, his entire body held lifelessly by the support of his two companions. With his gaze was blank and unresponsive, there was no doubt that his life was hanging by a thread.
“Mantis ... g-got to him.” Tobi stuttered in answer, gasping for air as he was stricken with worry. “Please dad, he needs to be treated right now!”
Seeing the dreading fear eclipse his son's eyes, Lucas’ expression switched immediately to severity.
“Bring him into the lounge.” He ushered to Tobi and Veena, ensuring that he maintained a calm composure throughout the current dilemma. “Quickly.”
Without delay, the two hoisted the limp Zaron into the house, careful not to stumble or collide against the walls as they eyed the lounge entrance. Within moments, Veena and Tobi assisted Zaron into the lounge and laid him on top of the sofa at Lucas’ request, placing his body on his front with the laceration on his back in full view. At the same time, Lucas rushed up the stairs, racing to final all the necessary equipment for Zaron’s treatment. Through the unexpected burst of commotion, another door in the house creaked open slyly – listening in to the events unfold.
“We need to remove the clothing from his back and cleanse the wound immediately.” Tobi informed Veena sternly, acting on instinct.
As he spoke, the young Cobalt disabled the wing device on Zaron back before preparing to remove his bloodied jacket.
“It doesn’t help that he’s already lost a lot of blood, but ... the last thing we need is an infection.”
Veena nodded without a word, complying to the requests as she assisted Tobi.
With his wings returning to existence, the two carefully slipped the jacket off from Zaron. In response, Zaron's face scrunched up and shuddered, withstanding the unbearable pain react throughout his body with every forced jolt and shift. As they removed his jacket, Veena froze momentarily. Her horrified gaze caught a brief glance of Zaron’s full wounds, shock striking her internally as her eyes ran along the extent of the injury on his back and the additional laceration on his shoulder.
Rip!
In that moment, Tobi proceeded to tear open Zaron’s shirt, exposing both lacerations entirely. Veena switched to Tobi as she was caught off-guard.
“Tobi, what are you-?”
SLAM!
“Tobi! Did you remove the clothing from his torso?” Lucas questioned as he burst through the door in haste.
The older Cobalt arrived juggling a combination of equipment: a large first-aid kit; a small bowl of water; a large, freshly soaked cloth; and a mysterious metal suitcase.
“Yeah. He’s ready for the treatment.” Tobi nodded back to his father with a serious expression.
Setting the items down on the nearside table, Lucas wasted no time in treating the fatal injury before him. Tobi was also quick to leap into action, volunteering as the role of his father’s assistant. At the same time, Veena was left on her lonesome, feeling alienated by the situation as she watched the two Cobalts throw themselves into the work.
“I-is there anything I can help out?” She asked the two cautiously, hoping not to overstep her boundaries.
As he slipped on a pair of nitrile gloves, Lucas glanced at her calmly.
“Not to worry, Veena.” He reassured her. “Between the three of us, your role will be the most important.”
Veena stared at them warily.
“Which is…?”
“You’ll be restraining him whilst we treat him.” Lucas then answered, removing packages and bandaging from the first-aid kit in the process.
Veena’s eyes widened as she heard the answer, switching to where Zaron laid as she could only imagine the further pain that awaited him. Watching him shaking violently as the discomfort overwhelmed him, Veena grew anxious over the possibility that she could further injure him accidentally. Just then, Tobi proceeded to clean the injuries on Zaron’s back and shoulder with the soaked cloth in hand, placing light pressure on the wounds as he wiped to remove any potential debris.
“Ngh! HNNGH!”
Zaron lurched abruptly in instant retaliation, his grip on the sofa locked as the unrelenting pain shot through his wounds.
“Sorry, mate.” Tobi apologised earnestly as he continued his sweep, feeling the guilt engulf him. “Just bear with it for a little longer, okay?”
During this time, Lucas prepared the needle, thread, and antibiotics – ready to close the wound as soon as the lingering bloodstains were removed from the young Draiken. Veena knelt beside Zaron, holding his hand to soothe him and distract from the eternal torment.
“Forget about whatever’s happening behind you, Zaron.” She assured him, her sights fixed solely on his eyes. “Just stay focused on me, alright?”
Zaron nodded back with a clenched jaw, avoiding any temptation to speak. In that moment, a sharp sting struck deep into his wound.
“Urk!” Zaron jolted reactively. “HAAGH!!!”
With preparations complete, Lucas showed no mercy as he proceeded to apply the antibiotics and close the wounds. Every jab. Every pull. Every ounce of movement was unfathomable for the young Draiken. And yet, as he continued to wince and squirm, Zaron focused primarily on Veena. He complied with her instructions, feeling her warmth pushing him to endure no matter the pain.
“It’s almost over.” Veena assured him once again as she pressed her forehead against his soothingly, keeping a firm grasp of his hand in caring support. “It’s almost over...”
Watching the two Draiken with a curious gaze, an odd sense of realisation struck Tobi. Over the two weeks of befriending the two Draiken, he questioned their relationship frequently. Whilst they demonstrated their close friendship clearly throughout their stay, there were rare occasions where Tobi felt the two’s interactions could be interpreted beyond a platonic relationship. Until that moment, the interactions felt far too vague to determine the stage of their relationship. And yet, witnessing Zaron and Veena’s relationship thrive before him, Tobi believed he finally arrived at his desired conclusion – it amused him immensely.
...Snip.
After what felt like an eternity, Lucas clipped off the end of the stitching and sighed out in satisfaction.
“Done.”
Veena and Zaron switched to him, both displaying expressions of joyous relief.
“Ha-ha-haa...! That didn’t seem too bad in the end, right?” Veena expressed in delight, ruffling Zaron's hair as though he was an obedient pet.
“Heh…! Yeah, I guess so.” The pale faced Zaron chuckled back, resting his head on the pillow weakly as peace was set in his mind once more.
However, the sense of tranquillity was too good to be true.
“Who said I was finished?” Lucas questioned the two Draiken curiously.
Veena glanced pat Lucas in abrupt confusion. On the other hand, Zaron jolted on the spot, his already-paled face now as white as a ghost.
“But ... you just said you were ‘done’.” Veena answered back cautiously, echoing the exact word he had uttered.
“Yes, I said ‘done’ ... not ‘finished’.” Lucas verified casually, correcting their initial assumption.
“What’s the … difference?” She then murmured in a low tone, although regretting the question instantly.
Lucas then smirked.
Click! Click! ... Creak!
Without speaking another word, Lucas proceeded to unlock the suitcase beside him. The two Draiken watched as a small glass vial emerged from the case, both recognising the similar design in an instant.
“Isn’t ... that...?”
Zaron was the first to speak, muttering woozily as he peered behind his shoulder as he struggled to focus on the revealed item.
“I’m not surprised you both recognise this.” Lucas chortled proudly upon noticing their expressions. “I found essence of a Regen Potion on both of you after your first encounter with Mantis. So, I assumed you both used one at some point during the battle.”
The two Draiken gazed to each other briefly, reflecting on the battle they both endured two weeks previous.
“That being said ... this vial is vastly higher in potency. Once it’s applied, it'll close the lacerations at an absurdly fast rate.” Lucas then exclaimed, holding up the vial as though advertising it to potential buyers. “In fact, I guarantee Zaron’s injury will be healed up completely by the morning.”
Hearing Lucas’ words, the two Draiken nodded in awe that such a potion existed. And yet, they felt as though there was a catch to the magnificent marvel.
“I only have nine of these in my possession – and they weren’t easy to acquire either.” Lucas admitted with a light chuckle. “Also, in order for the Concentrated Elixir to be applied effectively ... the patient must be restrained.”
And then, before either Zaron or Veena processed Lucas’ last statement, he poured the elixir onto the stitched wounds directly.
What followed was a sensation unlike anything Zaron had ever endured.
“AaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAARRGH!!!”
He erupted instantaneously. His eyes shot open; hands clawed against the fabric of the sofa as the elixir slivered into his wounds.
“HRRAAAAAAAGH!!! IT BURNS!!!”
His body thrashed on instinct. His hands dug so hard into the sofa that they tore through the surface fabric and punctured into the cotton fibre.
“Veena! Restrain him! Now!” Lucas bellowed in demand, his voice booming over Zaron’s agonizing shrieks. “Tobi! Grab his legs!”
Frozen from witnessing the horrific reaction, Veena snapped out of her trance and complied with Lucas’ command immediately. She latched his erratically flapping wings against his own shoulders, pressing her full bodyweight against him to immobilize his body. She watched his wing-talons cautiously, avoiding any complication that would result in a laceration of her own. Tobi also leapt into action instantly, throwing the wet, blood-soaked cloth back in the bowl and pinned Zaron's legs down forcefully.
He soon realised his mistake.
Whack!
“OOF!”
Before he could react, a foot struck Tobi square in the jaw, causing him to stumble back and cup his chin in abrupt pain.
“Dammit Zaron! Stay still!” Tobi yelled out as he soothed his throbbing jaw.
With a second attempt, Tobi wrapped his entire arms around the young Draiken's legs. Albeit the immense resistance from Zaron, the young Cobalt was successful in his second attempt on restraining the legs.
“A little more warning would’ve been nice!” He then complained as he glanced over to his father, counteracting the constant thrashing as he spoke.
“And spoil the element of surprise? Not a chance.” Lucas laughed back as he continued to apply the elixir. “Besides, maybe this’ll teach him not to be so reckless next time he decides to chase down Mantis.”
“I MAKE NO P-PROMISES!” Zaron roared out in manic response, breaking momentarily between his ongoing screams and bellows.
Out of spite, Lucas poured another batch of elixir on his back.
“GAH-HAAAAAGH!!! THIS SUCKS!!!!!”
***
As time passed, the room eventually died down. Zaron was lying unconscious, his eyes whited out as he lost all resistance against the unfathomable pain he had endured previously. Lucas was preoccupied in wrapping bandages around his shoulder and lower torso, removing any remains of the young Draiken’s shirt whilst also ensuring no stitched injury was exposed. Veena and Tobi separated themselves from Zaron’s body in gradual retreat, hoping not the wake him up. Both were exhausted beyond belief, their arms aching after withstanding the nightmare of his brutal thrashing. Additionally, Tobi’s jaw had swollen up, showing off a reddish-purple glow.
“Man, I’m surprised Zaron had so much fight left in him – considering what he’s been through.” Tobi sighed out as he soothed the numbness in his jaw.
“Yeah, he certainly has that charm to him.” Veena added lightly amongst her raspy breaths, stretching out her aching arms.
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“…I wouldn’t call that ‘charm’.” Tobi then murmured with a low sigh, finding Veena’s choice of words odd.
Once Lucas finished with the bandaging, the three proceeded to pack the numerous medical items and equipment, realising dusk was setting through the lounge windows.
“Zaron will need some company overnight.” Lucas informed the two as he closed the suitcase. “I’m sure he’ll wake up once the elixir takes full effect. When that happens, he’ll likely be disorientated and manic. I need one of you here to calm him down before he causes more damage to himself.”
Tobi was inclined to volunteer, shuffling forward in confidence. However, he was beaten to the punch before he could utter a word.
“I’ll do it.”
Veena offered her assistance immediately, her expression firm as she took a step forward. Lucas nodded in acceptance, appreciating the commitment.
“I-I’ll help too!” Tobi called out in haste. “I mean, he’s my mate. It’ll be wrong for me to ignore him.”
“Fair enough.” Lucas grinned in response, amused by his son’s stubbornness. “I’ll leave him in your hands.”
With that, the three gathered the remaining medical items and headed out of the room. As the trio passed the door, Veena nudged Tobi nonchalantly.
“Dibs on the couch tonight.” She whispered with a devious grin. “…I hope you don’t mind.”
“Argh! Dammit!” Tobi blurted out in sudden frustration, almost tossing the bowl of blood-soaked water in a tantrum. “I had my eye on that couch!”
As they entered the hall, the three had immediately split off in their own directions: Lucas and Veena proceeded up the stairs, returning the vial case and first-aid kit to their rightful location; whilst Tobi stepped over to the kitchen, planning to clean the blood-soaked bowl before it stained. As she approached the sink, Tobi poured out the water and commenced with cleaning the basin. At the same time, he soaked up a clean cloth with cold water and applied it on his throbbing jaw directly.
“Tsk…! The guy kicks like a damn bull.” He murmured in a tut, feeling a cast of relief as he soothed the bruise.
Just then, he felt an ominous presence watching him from behind, causing him to grow cautious.
“Would it kill you to lighten the death glare for once in your life, Marc?” He called out in a darkened tone, unaffected by his twin-brother’s daunting aura.
Emerging from his room, Marc leaned against the kitchen’s doorframe, hands buried in his pockets as he watched his brother in silence. As Tobi noticed him, he proceeded to speak his mind.
“You should’ve let him bleed out.” Marc suggested intimidatingly, acting disappointed in Zaron’s outcome. “It’s less problematic that way.”
“Oh? And what…? I should just watch my friend die? You’re having a laugh.” Tobi scoffed in a baffled response, amused by his brother’s attempt of morbid hyperbole.
Marc observed without breaking his condescending glare, an irritable sigh escaping his breath.
“Maybe you need to get your head out of the sand and look at the bigger picture.” He refuted mockingly, showing no restraint in his rebuttal. “Or are you too deluded to realise that those two Draiken will get us all killed.”
SLAM!
“What’s your problem?!” Tobi yelled out as he broke his composure, slamming his hand against the surface. “Two weeks you’ve hidden yourself away in your room! Two weeks you’ve acted like an absolute asshole!”
“Don’t be dumb. You already know the answer.” Marc murmured as he brushed off the criticism.
Tobi switched to his brother directly, his temper at boiling point.
“You're ignoring the issue!” He spat in protest. “If you’d at least try to socialise, we wouldn’t be having this conversation in the first place.”
“What’s the point? Why should I get along with those Draiken when I want nothing to do with them?”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe because … they’re living with us!” Tobi snapped in disgust.
Marc smirked amusedly, finding his brother’s reasoning insufferable.
“And … the sooner they leave, the better it is for us to continue with our lives.”
After hearing his brother’s advice, Tobi snickered as a thought crossed his mind.
“Ok then, here’s an idea…” He pointed out casually. “Why don’t you leave the house? If it bothers you that we’re housing Draiken, wouldn’t it make sense for you to just move out entirely?”
Marc fell silent, his piercing gaze refusing to shift from Tobi. Noticing he struck a nerve, Tobi decided to double down on the opportunity.
“Oh man … and here I thought you were the smarter one, Marc.” He chortled sarcastically. “It must be embarrassing to see your idiot brother come up with such a great idea.”
Marc rolled his eyes, hearing enough of his twins constant gloating.
“Yeah, I'd say that’d be rather mortifying.” He agreed casually.
Just then, Marc’s hands emerged from his pockets as he stepped forward to Tobi.
“It’s a good thing that I've thought of a better idea.” He then admitted with a forced grin, holding up an item he retrieved from the depths of his pocket.
In an instant, Tobi's expression dropped in sudden horror, eyes widened immensely as the colour in his cheeks fell pale. The item in Marc's hand was a simple flip-phone, identical in design to his own yet highlighting a light-grey colour scheme. However, its appearance spoke volumes in context regarding Marc’s alluded intentions.
“You wouldn’t dare.” Tobi breathed cautiously, his heart racing as he was stricken with fear.
“A simple press of a button...” Marc muttered coldly, pointing his finger at the number-pad. “…And we’ll never have to deal with those pests ever again.”
WHAM!
In that moment, Tobi struck Marc directly in the jaw, losing all sense of composure in the process. The unexpected retaliation sent Marc stumbling back, falling on the floor as he was caught off-guard.
“THIS ISN’T A JOKE!” Tobi roared out at his twin in fury. “You may see them as pests but they’re my friends! There’s no way I’m going to let you treat them like shit!”
Marc watched on in bewilderment as his brother released an onslaught of emotions, cuffing the blood from his mouth upon biting his tongue accidentally on impact. Although the two had fought constantly over ridiculous subjects in the past, this was the first time Marc had seen Tobi lash out in pure anger.
“How precious.” He murmured in low mockery, a silent chuckle escaping him as he returned to his feet. “You’ve lost your mind if you consider those ‘things’ your friends. I’ll be honest, it makes me wonder if you should be locked up in an asylum.”
Hatred seething from his teeth, Tobi grasped Marc by the collar and forced him against the nearby wall.
SLAM!
“Urk…!”
“Keep going, Marc … see where it leads.” Tobi threatened maliciously, veins popping from his forehead as he awaited the response.
Marc stood his ground, his breaths heavy as he expected the dreaded outcome.
However, as he opened his mouth to speak, his eyes darted away from his brother – noticing a figure approach the twins hastily. And then, Tobi lurched back without warning, causing him to release Marc from his grasp reluctantly.
“Tobi. Stand down.”
In that moment, Veena stood between the two brothers, preventing Tobi from yielding to his anger.
“Veena, let me go!” Tobi demanded furiously. “This scumbag needs his head realigned!”
“Oh? So now you’re acting hard because your Draiken friend is here to intervene?” Marc jeered as he regained his posture. “Do as you please, Tobi. It doesn’t change the fact that you're two friends screwed our family.”
Swish!
Within a split second, Marc froze in place. He felt the colour in his cheeks drain as a wooden katana’s tip appeared mere centimetres from his throat.
“You can keep quiet.” Veena murmured in warning; her piercing eyes set solely on Marc. “This may not be as sharp as Kurama … but it’ll hurt all the same.”
Marc shuddered in immediate reaction; his body tensed up in sever caution as he held his silence. Veena then switched back to Tobi.
“You’re only letting him get in your head. All you need to do is walk away.”
“Like I’m going to back down after the crap he spouted from that revolting mouth!” Tobi denied in bitter refusal. “I’ll only let it slide if he apologised!”
“You want me to apologise? Good luck with that.” Marc then sneered, finding the thought nauseating. “There’s no point in me apologising when it’s our lives on the line.”
As he spoke, the tip of the wooden blade edged closer to his throat, touching his skin lightly. Veena locked on to Marc, her intentions as clear as day.
“Another word out of you and you’ll forget how to swallow.” She threatened menacingly, edging closer to the antagonistic Cobalt. “One. More. Word.”
“THAT’S ENOUGH!”
An abrupt booming voice echoed throughout the hall, causing all three to leap out of their skin.
“STEP AWAY! NOW!”
Veena lowered her wooden blade in a snap, glancing away from Marc with a bitter click of the tongue. Marc let out an elongated sigh of relief, his shoulders relaxing as his racing heart calmed. Finally, Tobi backed off, lowering his gaze to hide his temper as he switched away from his brother. The stern Lucas stepped up to the trio, showing no hesitation in intervening with the rising conflict.
“Tobi. Veena. Go back into the lounge and keep an eye on Zaron.” He commanded immediately, ensuring that he was in control of the scene. “Marc, I need a word with you.”
Suddenly, Marc flinched, dreading the very words his father had directed to him. Even so, he held his silence, preferring not to argue against his father's demand. Both Veena and Tobi noticed the abrupt change in attitude, eyeing the moody Cobalt curiously. Nevertheless, deciding not to speak a word, Veena nodded to Tobi and led the way back to the lounge.
Tobi was conflicted leaving the feud with his brother unresolved, fury still looming inside him as he desired to protest the decision. And yet, he knew walking away was the only justifiable way of defusing the feud. With a frustrated sigh escaping his breath, Tobi turned and followed Veena towards the lounge, trusting in his father. However, Marc opted to speak his mind one last time.
“I’m sure mum wouldn't appreciate being arrested out of the blue.” He muttered out nonchalantly, stepping into the kitchen. “Think it through, Tobi.”
Lucas followed Marc’s lead, closing the kitchen door behind him firmly. Tobi halted in his tracks upon hearing his brother’s sly comment. As though by instinct, he switched back in alert, preparing for a bloodbath. However, a hand snatched his shoulder before he could act on his desire, causing him to turn back. Veena stood before him with a firm glare, shaking her head.
“Let it go.”
Tobi stared back at the Draiken, holding back the desperate temptation to yell out in rage. His lips pursed, jaw tense, and eyes bloodshot red: he was a single step away from losing his patience entirely. And then, in a moment of silence, he groaned in unbearable frustration.
“Man...!”
Tobi drooped his shoulders as the built-up tension in his body deflated like a balloon.
“Fine. I’m calm. I'm calm…” He then waved off in response, joining Veena in the lounge. “He’s just an asshole anyway.”
Veena watched cautiously as Tobi passed her, feeling unconvinced by his words yet trusting he would stick by them.
***
As it passed midnight, silence loomed over the Cobalt house. Even with all the commotion earlier, Zaron had not moved an inch, sprawled across the sofa in his unconscious state. In fact, not long after Veena and Tobi returned to the lounge, they attempted to wake him whilst checking his overall condition. And yet, to the surprise of no one, they received no response from him. Close to Zaron’s position was an equally unconscious Veena, curled up on the couch and snoozing peacefully. Her wings hung loosely over the armrest, allowing her maximum comfort. On the floor was Tobi, snoring his lungs out as he had spread himself across his temporary futon – only a section of the crumpled bedsheets still on top of him. With no possibility of interruption, the room was perfectly tranquil – aside from the snoring.
Twitch…!
Just then, for the first time in hours, Zaron’s body finally reacted on its own. It was a mere jolt of the left wing, as though an electric pulse shot through the veins. After that, nothing happened for a few minutes.
Twitch!
“Mmn...!”
Another reaction emerged, Zaron’s entire body jolting in a brief snap. Whilst he was far from consciousness, the twitches and jolt were more prevalent by the second. And then, another few minutes passed.
“Ungh...! HNNGH!”
Zaron was tossing and turning on the sofa constantly, his face flushed and sweat pouring from his pores. With his breaths heavy and rapid, he was acting as though he was hyperventilating.
WHAM!
In that instant, Zaron was finally woken up with an immense jolt, rolling off the sofa as he felt the sudden surge of pain erupt from his back. The elixir had taken full effect on his wounds, working fast on mending the lacerations. At the same time, both Veena and Tobi woke in sudden alert, switching to the fallen Zaron groggily. Without hesitation, the two leapt into action as they rushed to Zaron's aid.
“Nngh! GRRRGH!”
Zaron fangs clenched down hard, reaching for the bandage around his back as he was desperate to soothe his reacting wound. He was in absolute turmoil, unable to comprehend the unique pain coursing through his wounds.
“Zaron, you need to keep breathing.” Veena advised him in panic, noticing he was holding his breath unwillingly. “I know it hurts, but you need to heal.”
“Grr…! It’s … it’s so itchy!” Zaron growled through his teeth, struggling to form a coherent sentence.
He attempted to reach his shoulder wound, scratching away relentlessly to satisfy the craving itch. However, no matter how deep he scratched, the itch prevailed as the irritation escalated. Tobi was swift to react, slapping away Zaron's hand before it could interrupt the healing process.
“Don’t scratch.” He ordered his friend in caution, feeling both sympathetic and concerned. “I know it’s bothersome, mate. But you must resist the temptation to scratch.”
“NNGH! I ... can't!”
Zaron shuddered unbearably as he yelled out, wondering when the immense itch would recede. Both Veena and Tobi secured his arms in swift succession, refusing Zaron any further reactive scratching. They felt his immense self-restraint, hoping he had enough willpower to ignore the temptation.
“Tobi, what’s happening to him?” Veena questioned worriedly, shifting frequently as she held Zaron’s arm in place.
“It’s called the hornets itch.” Tobi responded firmly. “The positive side is that the healing process is in overdrive. At this rate, he'll be healed by the morning – just as dad predicted.”
He then paused momentarily, feeling sympathetic to his Draiken friend.
“The negative side ... is that thousands of unbearable hornet-like stings are running throughout his back by the second – hence the name. The stings are so deep that it’s impossible to get rid of itching sensation no matter how hard you scratch.”
Veena's brow rose in an instant, horrified at the thought of withstanding the described sensation. Zaron continued his howling in the process, unable to concentrate on the conversation.
“How long will it last?” She then questioned.
Tobi shrugged back blankly, “I have no idea.”
***
Daybreak emerged. After hours of constant restraint and resilience, the Cobalt house was soundless once again. Veena and Tobi were left slumped in complete exhaustion. Their arms were resting by their sides lifelessly, unable to move a muscle after restraining Zaron for hours on end. It was tough night, yet they endured the struggle to the very end. The two continued to sleep blissfully, unaware that the Draiken in question was missing from the room.
Creak...!
The door to the lounge gradually opened. A figure stepped through into the room, placing duvets over Tobi and Veena whilst hoping not to wake them abruptly. The figure then shifted to the sofa, a glass of refreshing water in hand as he perched. The topless, bandaged Zaron slumped forward in his seat, allowing his back and shoulder some required relief. After the torment of the hornets itch, he was unable to sleep. He was increasingly restless, watching the clock ticking with no hint of drowsiness. Additionally, he was dehydrated. His throat felt like sandpaper and his mouth was beyond dry.
…Slurp.
Sipping away his water in tranquil silence, Zaron was left deep in thought. He reflected silently on the second encounter against Mantis, his body tense as flashbacks of the fight filled his mind. Every strike. Every lunge. Every attempt to evade. From the moment he spotted her in the Ferradon's town plaza; to the moment she escaped from the battle: it was all fresh in his memories. Just like his first encounter with the assassin, the recent battle continued to cycle through his head on repeat – haunting his thoughts as though taunting him of his ongoing failures. And yet, that was nothing compared to the damning words whispered deep in Zaron's ear.
“I ... slaughtered her.”
Zaron shuddered as he remembered when the statement was uttered. The words were engraved in his mind as it sent him into a cloud of despair, contemplating of the possibility that his mother was succumbed to her opponent’s arm-blades. He shook his head hastily, reminding himself that his mother would never fall in battle – such a scenario was impossible.
And yet, the thought refused to disperse.
“Why...? Why isn’t it going away?”
Letting out an agitated sigh, Zaron’s eyes wavered around the room, attempting to distract himself from the unnecessary negative emotions. His body fidgeted, palms sweating and heart beating anxiously.
He was in anguish.
(What if she’s right? What if mum died that night?)
He could not comprehend the thought any longer.
Crack-crack!
The likelihood was unbearable.
Click!
...Creak.
“Ah! I had a feeling you were awake.”
A familiar voice then spoke out to the young Draiken as he heard the door to the lounge open. Zaron leapt up in abrupt fright, switching his gaze to the door in an instant.
“How’re you feeling, Zaron?”
Standing before him was an upbeat Lucas, relieved to see the Draiken boy had fully recovered. However, he then noticed Zaron’s bloodshot, tear-filled eyes along with the cracked glass cupped in his hand.
“What’s wrong?” He questioned in worry, lowering to the boy’s level.
Realising the reason behind the older Cobalt’s question, Zaron wiped his eyes hastily. He then placed the glass on the floor, keeping a cool head.
“…I’m okay.” He shrugged back in ignorance, preferring to avoid any unnecessary melodrama.
At first, Lucas was wary of Zaron’s half-hearted answer, wondering if he should pursue the issue further. Yet, he decided against it, feeling it best to avoid the headache. Respecting Zaron’s wishes, he changed the subject.
“Seeing as those two won’t be waking up anytime soon...” He proceeded to suggest, acknowledging the dozing Veena and Tobi. “Would you mind if we had a chat?”
Noticing the awkwardness in Lucas’ tone, Zaron gazed at Lucas with looming uncertainty. However, after a moment of consideration, he accepted with a small nod. Zaron stood and followed Lucas out of the room in a hobble, praying not to wake his two friends during their peaceful slumber.
Click.
Closing the door behind him, Zaron and Lucas stood vacantly in the hallway.
“So, what do you need?” Zaron wondered curiously, leaning against the wall to support his weakened body.
“Well … there’s an issue.” Lucas admitted in a bother, fidgeting on the spot. “Mantis has you tracked down.”
Zaron’s eyes widened, shocked by the sudden revelation.
“What do you mean?” He uttered breathlessly, his heart leaping in horror.
Instead of informing him outright, Lucas held out his right hand. Zaron peered over his hand, noticing a miniaturized, blinking device at the centre of the open palm. The device was almost microscopic to the naked eye if not for the blinking light. The young Draiken fell pale, doom set in his mind as he realised the purpose for the device immediately.
“…A tracker.” Zaron murmured soundlessly.
Lucas nodded solemnly.
“I was repairing your jacket when I spotted it.” He revealed in frustration, pinching the device as he held it to Zaron’s eye level. “I have no idea when she slipped it in, and I’ll be perfectly honest … I’m surprised I even found it in the first place.”
“What should we do with it?” Zaron then asked, considering their options. “Do you think we should go somewhere and break it?”
However, Lucas shook his head instantly.
“There’s no point. Mantis already knows where we live.” He answered truthfully, aware of the inevitable outcome. “Plus, we don’t know when she’ll attack again.”
“Fair point.” Zaron sighed out in disappointment, expecting the denial. “Do you have any suggestions?”
“It’s a long shot ... but I do have an idea.” Lucas admitted, a hint of confidence glimmered as he spoke. “Instead of removing the tracker from the house, we remove ourselves from the equation until the issue is resolved.”
Zaron’s brow narrowed as he processed the odd suggestion. On the one hand, he understood that leaving the house was their best option, expecting the assassin had planned to attack the house eventually. On the other hand, he was unsure whether the issue would simply resolve itself once they leave.
“Where would we go?” Zaron wondered as he considered the benefit of the doubt.
Lucas smirked in response, acting as though he expected Zaron’s question. He then retrieved a book from his back pocket, throwing Zaron completely off guard in the process.
(Wait … is he a magician now?)
As Zaron continued to stare off in disarray, Lucas flipped through the pages of the book as he located the bookmark set for the occasion.
“Have you ever heard of the phrase: ‘Killing two birds with one stone’?” He asked the Draiken curiously.
Zaron nodded cautiously. Lucas passed the book to the Draiken boy, highlighting the bookmarked page. In that moment, the young Draiken focused immediately on the large sketch that engulfed the paper. The drawing was of a ruby jewel, perched on a lone pedestal as platinum-carved scales bordered its rims. Although a simple sketch on paper, the depiction of the jewel seemed heavily inspired by the Draiken species – the artificial scales representing the Draiken wings especially. From initial observation, Zaron considered the jewel as an artistic marvel.
“What … is it?” Zaron murmured, his gaze shifting to the page of text beside the sketch.
“That’s our ticket to restoring Xaphire’s unity.” Lucas answered in anticipation.
As he heard the older Cobalt’s upbeat response, Zaron read the page’s title: ‘The Dragon’s Eye.’