𝖧𝗂𝗋𝖺𝖾𝗍𝗁 | 𝖳𝖷𝖳

𝗑. 𝖯𝗂𝗀 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗌𝖾

"Are you sure about this?"

"Don't worry about me, Ria." Kai weakly smiled as he patched up his damaged wing. "I'll regrow my feathers somehow. Besides, they don't hurt much."

"Can't you heal yourself?"

"No, I can't. But that's fine, I'll be better soon."

"How unfortunate." Beomgyu grimly commented and stretched out his leg. "Do you mind?"

Rolling his eyes, Kai approached the earth guardian. He briefly examined his twisted ankle and sighed. It did look awfully painful. Beomgyu bit his lower lip as the healer placed a glowing palm over the injury. The rest watched as his foot gradually shifted back to its usual angle. A few of Beomgyu's joints popped, causing him to hiss. Ria instinctively crouched beside him and patted his shoulder to reek comfort. Taehyun bluntly looked away. Soobin sat on the ground, staring at Yeonjun who remained unconscious.

"You'll be alright in an hour or so." Kai stated, tucking his wings to oblivion.

Beomgyu carefully stood. "Thanks."

"What about him?" Soobin jabbed a thumb towards the former hunter.

"Leave his ass," Ria halfheartedly suggested. "He nearly burned us to crisps."

"Come on," Taehyun lowly chuckled. "Let's carry him, darling."

"I'm not carrying that treacherous motherfucker."

"Yeah," Beomgyu limped. "Treacherous motherfucker."

SMACK!

To everyone's surprise, Beomgyu had slapped Yeonjun so hard that he jolted awake. The pink-haired wildly roamed his vision in alarm, one hand over his reddening cheek as his lips stretched into a displeased pout. Ria shamelessly cackled in amusement, making Beomgyu puff his chest with pride. Soobin subtly snorted. Kai and Taehyun exchange gleeful looks and shrugged. Yeonjun straightened up, confused. They all tossed their earmuffs aside.

"What the hell happened?" He grumpily asked. "Who slapped me?"

"You nearly killed us, that's what." Soobin stated, cocking his head back to the valley's exit.

Yeonjun blinked. "Don't be stupid."

"It's the truth." Ria seconded. "You were blasting shit a few minutes ago and we had to rush out, otherwise we would've all been burned alive."

"I sprained my ankle because of you!" Beomgyu added, a cute frown stamped on his dirt-stained face. "Who's the stupid one now, huh?"

"You didn't even budge the moment you saw those Valley Sprites," Taehyun scoffed. "Coward."

BLAG!

Taehyun swiftly dodged a chunk of limestone in which Beomgyu had summoned. Disappointed, the earth guardian clicked his tongue and turned. He tried to hold on to Ria but the girl busied herself with Kai. Hoisting the healer up, she bombarded him with questions regarding with his wings. Kai, although flustered, guaranteed that he will be alright. Soobin beckoned the group to move forward.

"Where do we go next?" The blue-haired boy inquired. "Taehyun?"

"Says here," Taehyun whipped out his map. "We're supposed to pass by the Serpent River."