The shield began dissipating, Alloy advancing slowly toward Peril, her swords gripped on her hands, she was ready to end her reign over the night. But she stopped once she was startled by what she saw, the lightning that hit her began sparking around the shield that was leaving her side. She was sure that the lightning was destroying her. But Peril glared at her, a smile forming on her face. Alloy didn't like this.
"Damn that king. He's powerful, but he only struck two streams??!!" She coughed as she struggled to stand upright.
Alloy gazed her eyes at Ivy, forcing Peril to look at her and realize. "So… it was to protect this one… annoying."
She held her swords, ready to slash through Peril and get her friend back. Peril held her palm up, "It's pointless. I feel it…" she began. Alloy watched as the shield fully dissipated, however, Peril's body had began moving toward Ivy with sparks around her, blue sparks, lightning sparks. They weren't against her as the king was, they were flowing around her, enough for her to realize that she had control over it, but not enough, seeing as the sparks were flaring faster and more uncontrolled than what she had just seen in her spar with him. A spark of lightning managed to land next to her feet, thanks to the sensation she felt from it, she figured out Peril's drift. She felt it when she kicked her through the shield, 'the particles she felt weren't sand, they were from Ivy's drift.'
"No… what are you doing??" She began, brought back to reality as Ivy's tunic collar was held by Peril's hand. She began dragging her to where Alloy could see her perfectly, she was hurt, bruised all over, too exhausted for her body to gain the energy she needed to wake up. Alloy began feeling helpless, seeing her best friend taken was one of her nightmares, she was everything to her, she was as important to her as more of a sister, she couldn't let it happen. She charged into the shield as her bracelet only held a quarter of ebony left to its demise.
"PERILIUS!!" She lunged, her swords clashed against the air, releasing sparks of lightning that began burning her through her swords, she grit her teeth, holding on to her only chance to save her. Just then, Peril watched her.
"You would risk burning yourself to save this one?? Impressive." She held Ivy up by her collar, showing Alloy her passed out friend. In that moment, her eyes began opening, her weakened self managing to open only half her eyelids. She saw blurry images… and soon after, she saw Alloy, her flesh searing against a barrier of lightning.
"A… Alloy??" She struggled, still carrying a concussion, she didn't know what was going on, all she knew is Alloy came for her, Zed came for her, they cared, that was all that mattered. However, Alloy couldn't accept anything less than getting her back.
"IVY!! Take your hands off her!!" She demanded.
"Take a good look… Alloy… was it??" She taunted, ignoring her. "Say goodbye to her."
"Where do you think you're going??!!" She shouted, streaks of her skin burnt all the way to her elbows.
"Away from here," She said, placing Ivy back down.
"How do you think you're going to do…" Alloy's eyes widened, realizing that she copied Zed's drift. "You don't mean…""You're smart. Yes. If you got here through that king's power, I can leave through the same, or similar means. Also…" She pointed at Alloy's left, the thorned kareki had risen and was immediately at Alloy's face. The lightning, the anger, everything had deafened her hearing of its horrid sounds. It punched her away from the shield, throwing her across three trees.
"A… A… Alloy…" Ivy muttered as she tried to get up, the kareki was still regenerating its arm, it only had baby-sized needles on it, they hadn't grown enough to damage her lethally. Alloy watched Peril hold her hand up, calling to the lightning in the dark clouds that loomed above them all. Instantly, a massive bolt shot down above them, striking both her and Ivy, they both shrieked and yelled in pain, telling Alloy something else about her abilities.
"I…" Ivy struggled. "I'll be back…" she shrieked once more. "Before breakfast…" She smiled. Leaving Alloy echoed with the last sarcastic words she thought she'd never hear again from Ivy."No…" the ebony began dissipating, cracking, she watched as the light covered both of them. "Ivy…" their silhouettes disappeared. "No…" The last crack was heard from her bracelet as well as the lightning that took both of them into the dark night. The moonlight shone on Alloy's tearing eyes as she watched them both leave her sight.
On the entrance of the forest, Zed was fighting the cheetah, overpowering it, but it was too persistent, heading for the knights around him, he knew it was a distraction, but once the blue light that filled the air for literally a second was seen… he knew why. He had made a blunder, however, every second he spent trying to get back to them was wasted on the cheetah's abnormal regeneration and speed. He was held back, forcefully. However, where he realized he made a serious blunder, was what he and everyone in the forest heard next.A loud roar was heard throughout the entire place, it was followed by a huge gust of wind and an eerie presence left behind. Confused, the knights felt a never before felt chill down their spine. 'What… what is this…' One thought. Instantly, another loud roar was heard, combined with the sounds of multiple trees falling, this time, they were sure something else lurked in the forest.
"What was that??!!" A knight panicked.
"Is there another monster??!!"
"What is this presence…"The questions kept piling up, their heart rates rose, they were bundled with sweat and uneasiness. Whatever was there… was definitely way more dangerous than anything they had ever encountered in the kingdom let alone that night. Their thoughts and questions were halted when Zedlis threw the cheetah down and in his urgency, he used his drift, summoning lightning instantly from the clouds and striking it continuously, he charred it and left it to get struck constantly. Then, he landed next to his knights.
"Head back to the palace… NOW!!" He commanded.
"YES ZEDLIS-SAMA!!" They all agreed, saluting simultaneously, the air was filled with the sounds of horses' neighs as well as the metallic movements made from their armor. As they prepared, Zed took a glimpse of where the beast-like sound came from… he knew Ivy was gone, and there was no other reason to explain that deadly presence.
"Alloy…" he muttered under his breath.