[ Zetens 45/100 ]
Ned gasped on the ground, clutching his bloody hands against his chest. His breaths came in short, ragged bursts as pain wracked his body. His mouth was smeared with red, a testament to the beating he'd endured.
"Ned! Hold on!" Atlas sprinted toward him, his body a blur of speed. He dropped to one knee, immediately channeling his Neba into Ned's battered form. His hands glowed faintly as the Neba seeped into Ned, the wounds on Ned's hands and torso knitting themselves together slowly.
"I'm fine," Ned muttered, though his trembling voice betrayed him. "Worry about that bastard."
Atlas's jaw tightened, his sharp eyes flicking toward their enemy, Geno.
The towering man stood several paces away, his fists shimmering with a green Neba. His knuckles had transformed into jagged emerald, catching the light like fractured jewels. Beneath his feet, the ground was a chaotic mess of craters and shattered stone, evidence of his raw, destructive power.
"You're not going anywhere," Geno growled, slamming one fist into the other with a deafening crack.
Atlas rose to his feet, his eyes narrowing. "Stay here, Ned. I'll handle him."
"Be careful," Ned said weakly.
Atlas dashed forward, his movements a blur of speed fueled by his Neba. Geno swung his massive emerald fist at him, but Atlas ducked beneath it, his agility unmatched. He retaliated with a powerful kick to Geno's side, sending the man stumbling back.
"You think your speed's enough to stop me?" Geno barked, slamming his fists into the ground. A wave of destruction rippled outward, shattering the earth and sending debris flying.
Atlas leapt high into the air, narrowly avoiding the quake. He came down hard, his fist glowing as he drove it into Geno's jaw. The impact sent Geno reeling, but the man's emerald-covered fists quickly dug into the ground, steadying him.
"Annoying little pest," Geno spat. He swung again, this time breaking through a large rock behind Atlas as the latter sidestepped.
"Keep breaking the ground, and you'll sink this whole island," Atlas retorted, darting around him in quick bursts. He delivered a series of rapid punches to Geno's midsection, each one forcing the larger man to stagger back.
But Geno grinned, his teeth flashing. "If I have to tear the whole place apart to win, so be it!"
He slammed both fists into the ground, creating a massive tremor. Atlas was thrown off balance, stumbling as the earth cracked beneath him.
Ned, still slumped against a rock, looked up with wide eyes as a massive chunk of debris hurtled toward him. He tried to move, but his body refused to cooperate. "Atlas!" he yelled, his voice raw with panic.
Atlas turned, but he was too far away to help. His eyes widened as the boulder descended, and for a split second, time seemed to slow.
Then, a blur of motion streaked through the air.
Dune appeared, Nebastep igniting beneath his feet as he propelled himself forward. He collided with the Ned mid-air, using his platforms to speed up so they both could dodge rock. He landed far away with Ned, his sharp eyes scanning his wounded brother.
"Dune…" Ned's voice was weak but filled with relief.
Atlas glanced over, a rare smile breaking his focused expression. "About time you showed up."
Dune gave a quick nod. "We'll talk later. First, we deal with him."
Geno roared in frustration, slamming his fists together. "More of you? Fine! I'll bury all of you!"
Dune joined Atlas in the fight, their combined speed overwhelming Geno. Dune's Nebastep allowed him to dodge the man's powerful strikes while delivering precise, explosive attacks, while Atlas's relentless speed and strength forced Geno on the defensive.
But Geno wasn't finished. Desperation fueled his next move as he channeled all his Neba into his fists. The emerald glow intensified, and with a guttural scream, he slammed both fists into the ground. "Die!"
The impact was catastrophic. The ground beneath them shattered, a massive explosion ripping through the island. The force split the landmass in two, sending chunks of earth plummeting into the black Neba below.
Dune, Atlas, and Ned were thrown backward, clinging desperately to the remnants of the crumbling island. "Shit!" "Hold on!"
The part of the island they clung to floated precariously, slowly sinking into the black water. Dune gritted his teeth, holding onto a jagged piece of rock as the remnants of the larger island drifted further away.
"We're running out of time," Atlas said, his voice steady despite the chaos. He crouched near Ned, who was still too weak to move on his own.
"We need to get back to the other side before that gap becomes impossible to cross," Dune said, glancing at the widening distance between the two sections of land.
"What's the plan?" Atlas asked, his tone edged with urgency.
Dune's mind raced. *We'll need a way to get across before the sinking speeds up…
But they didn't have anything to cross the water. Few minutes passed without a solution.
Three of them sat in silence, the crackling of the small fire between them their only comfort. The dark, toxic water lapped at the edge of the shrinking piece of land, its surface shimmering with an ominous black sheen.
Dune sat cross-legged, staring into the flames, his mind racing. He could feel the tension radiating from Atlas and the quiet, labored breaths of Ned as he lay propped against a makeshift seat of driftwood.
He had thought of a dozen possibilities, a dozen ways to escape, but none seemed feasible. Dune could cross water, his Nebastep made that possible, but Atlas and Ned couldn't follow.
Dune wanted to speak, to say so much to Atlas and Ned but the words wouldn't come. His throat tightened as memories of all that had happened since he'd woken in the Trial flooded back. But it was Ned who broke the silence, his voice hoarse but warm.
"That's a cool ability you've got there, Dune," Ned said, shifting to sit closer to him. He winced slightly but managed a small smile. "I'm proud of you, brother."
Dune glanced at him, caught off guard. A chuckle escaped his lips despite the weight in his chest. "You're proud of me? Look at you. I should be the one saying it."
Atlas leaned against a nearby rock, arms crossed as he spoke. "I think we're all just glad we're alive." His sharp eyes softened, and he looked at Dune. "I didn't think I'd see you again, Dune. Not after what happened to us."
"I've been searching for you two ever since I got my memories back," Dune admitted, his voice quieter. He glanced at the fire, his expression distant. "There wasn't a day I didn't wonder if you were alive."
"We're here," Atlas said firmly, though a hint of something unspoken lingered in his tone.
The three shared a rare moment of quiet, the bond between them rekindling despite the grim reality of their situation.
Atlas broke the silence again, his voice lower this time, as if the very name carried weight.
"Matiane…" he said, his fists clenching. "I'm going to kill him. For what he did to us. For what he did to me."
Dune's jaw tightened. The firelight reflected in his eyes as memories of Matiane's cruel smile and the pain he endured flashed through his mind.
"Not only him, but the gods themselves too, we need to get stronger together and take our revenge," Dune muttered, his tone filled with venom.
Ned glanced between them, his expression somber. "If we survive this first," he said, gesturing to the dark water surrounding them.
"at this point we won't," Atlas said bluntly, his voice edged with resignation. He glanced out at the shimmering black water surrounding their shrinking island.
"Not unless a miracle drops out of the sky."
Dune stared at him, his mind racing. He didn't want to admit it, but Atlas wasn't wrong. The toxic water was rising faster now, their part of island shrinking with every passing minute. His heart sank. They were running out of time.
He glanced around, his thoughts tangled in the whirlwind of everything that had happened over the past few days. His body ached, his mind felt heavy, but sitting still wasn't an option. He exhaled sharply and pushed himself up to his feet.
Atlas and Ned exchanged glances before turning their attention to him.
"Where are you going?" they asked in unison.
Dune barely looked back. "I'm going to look around."
Atlas furrowed his brows. "What's the point of that? Wandering aimlessly isn't going to get us to the other side of the island."
Dune gritted his teeth. His hands clenched into fists at his sides. He wanted to snap back, but he stopped himself. Instead, he let out a slow breath, steadying the frustration bubbling inside him.
"I can't just sit here and do nothing," he muttered, his voice strained. "Listen… even if it doesn't make sense… I have to keep trying."
As the words left his lips, he paused, a memory surged forward, Nely's voice, determined and fierce, telling him that standing by and doing nothing wasn't an option. That even when things felt hopeless, she'd rather fight, rather try, than simply accept defeat.
A dry chuckle escaped him. He shook his head and took a step forward, then another. "Just wait here for me."
He wasn't sure what he was looking for, wasn't sure what he hoped to find. But walking, moving, was the only thing he could do right now. If he stopped, if he let himself sink into the weight of failure, he might never get back up.
So he walked, deeper into the forest, his only companion the whisper of leaves and the distant crash of waves against the shore.
Dune walked for several minutes, his frustration growing with each step. He didn't even know what he was looking for anymore. He just needed, something, some kind of answer, some kind of way forward. But the deeper he went into the trees, the more lost he felt, not just in the forest but within himself.
His breath came out in a sharp exhale as he suddenly lashed out, slamming his fist against the trunk of a nearby tree.
"Damn it!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the quiet woods. He leaned forward, resting his forehead against the rough bark. His hands trembled slightly as he whispered under his breath, "I don't know what to do…"
"That's the most emotional I've ever seen you be." From above, a familiar voice broke through the silence.
Dune's eyes snapped open, his head jerking up in surprise. Sitting on a thick tree branch above him, looking down with a tired but amused expression, was Nely.
His shock quickly turned into mild irritation. "What the hell are you doing here?" He wasn't mad, just caught off guard.
Nely stretched her arms above her head, yawning. "Trying to sleep," she said lazily. "But you don't even let me rest, Dune."
Dune shook his head, exhaling sharply. "This island is sinking. Come down. We gotta go."
Nely's expression shifted, her teasing demeanor fading as she looked at him seriously. Then, without hesitation, she pushed off the branch and landed gracefully beside him.
"Alright," she said simply. "Let's go."
They walked in silence toward the end of island where Atlas and Ned waited. Dune stole a glance at her, unsure if he should say anything. After everything that had happened, after Lucas, he didn't know what the right thing to say was. But even so, he forced himself to speak.
"How… how are you feeling?"
The question caught Nely off guard. She blinked, looking at him as if surprised he'd even asked.
"I… I'm feeling better," she admitted. Her voice was calmer now, more steady. "Thanks for asking."
Dune only nodded, unsure what else to say.
Then, out of nowhere, Nely exhaled and spoke, her voice softer than usual.
"…I'm sorry."
Dune didn't stop walking, but he glanced at her from the corner of his eye. Nely kept her gaze forward, her fingers curling into fists before she forced them to relax. She kicked at a small rock on the path, watching as it bounced away into the undergrowth.
"For what?" he asked, his tone calm, almost indifferent.
"For everything," she admitted. "For calling you heartless. For leaving you behind in the forest. For—" she hesitated, her voice tightening, "for taking my anger out on you."
Dune remained silent.
Nely let out a small, bitter laugh. "The truth is… when Lucas… He reminded me of my sister. She died not too long ago, and I—I couldn't do anything. I couldn't protect her, just like I couldn't protect Lucas. And I hated it. I hated feeling weak. I wanted to scream at someone, to blame someone." She swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper now. "And you… you were the only person there."
A breeze passed through the trees, rustling the leaves. The forest suddenly felt quieter, as if nature itself was listening.
Dune kept his eyes on the path ahead, but his pace slowed. For a second, he almost spoke, his lips parted slightly, but he stopped himself, processing her words in his own way.
Nely turned to look at him, her expression filled with regret. "I regret it. I really do. And I know it's selfish, but… will you forgive me?"
For a moment, there was only silence between them. Dune didn't answer immediately, but he didn't seem angry either. He was just… thinking.
Then, finally, he nodded. His voice was as calm as ever, but there was a weight to it. "You were right."
Nely blinked. "What?"
"Sometimes, making stupid decisions because of our feelings is the only way to keep moving forward," he said. "Even if it doesn't make sense." His gaze flickered toward her, a rare glint of something softer in his usually unreadable eyes. "If I didn't believe in your words back then, I wouldn't have found you here now."
Nely stared at him, her eyes widening slightly before a small, genuine smile formed on her lips. Without hesitation, she lifted her hand, extending her pinky finger toward him.
"Then let's start over," she said.
Dune looked at her hand, his expression unreadable. Her pinky wavered slightly, as if she was afraid he would reject it.
"That's stupid," he muttered.
Nely rolled her eyes. "You're stupid." And before he could pull away, she took his hand, locking her pinky with his.
Dune sighed, shaking his head like he found the whole thing ridiculous, but there was a tiny, almost imperceptible smirk on his lips.
The forest didn't seem so heavy anymore.
They continued walking, the weight between them lighter now as they made their way toward Atlas and Ned.
When they finally reached the beach, Atlas and Ned were waiting near the shoreline. Dune stepped forward, gesturing toward Nely.
"This is Nely," he said. "She's the one who—"
"Oh, so you finally found them," Nely interrupted, a small smile tugging at her lips as she looked at the two boys. Then she turned to Dune, her smirk widening. "You've been talking about them nonstop."
Atlas and Ned chuckled, exchanging glances.
Dune sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, yeah. Let's just get out of here."
Without another word, Nely stepped forward, raising her hands toward the water. Green neba flickered around her fingers before shifting into something more tangible, a boat, forming itself from the surrounding shadows, solidifying against the waves.
Atlas and Ned's eyes widened.
Nely turned back to them with a smirk. "Well? Hop on."
With no other choice, the four of them climbed aboard, their makeshift vessel cutting smoothly through the dark water as they drifted away from the sinking island.
Dune looked behind him, seeing the sinking part of the island they just left. "Miracle," he muttered under his breath.
"What was that?" Nely asked, glancing at Dune.
"Nothing," Dune replied, leaning back with a rare sense of relief. For the first time in days, he allowed himself to breathe.