The Forest Prince

XIII. | "Houston, Are We the Problem?"

...Naturally, that encounter went about as well as you'd expect. Gabe presented his sword and displayed a ready stance. Because of course, he did. The guy tried approaching him with a crazy grin and a burning hand. You'd be lying to yourself if you weren't freaking out in that moment, too.

"Whoa, whoa, hold on," The man hadn't realized how hostile he might've looked until he watched the boy go on the defensive. "Sorry about that. Fire has a mind of its own, y'know. Doesn't always go out when you want it to." He quickly patted out the fire ignited betwixt his fingers before stretching the hand towards the boy.

"What's your name, kid? It wasn't in the papers. I'm Adrian." Gabriel didn't even think of checking any source of news since he's been in the park, so the occurrence of such of mention threw him off a bit. "I'm Gabriel. Call me Gabe." He spouted his signature introduction in reply, far too mentally distracted to notice Adrian's hand. "...What else was in the paper?" He continued.

"It was an article about your grandmother. It was on the news last week, too. The scene sounded...pretty gruesome. Sorry you had to witness all that." Adrian explained. His sympathy seemed genuine to the boy, and he lowered his sword.

"Yeah..." Gabe awkwardly replied with a sigh, letting the news hang in the air. The universe didn't seem to have the patience to let boy mourn in any sort of way, as the air surrounding the two filled with a sensation of dread. Red Ash sprung from her hiding position and paced towards the two. "Gabriel, wrap up this conversation. Now." She demanded urgently, grabbing for the boy's wrist. She could feel it too; another attack was imminent. "Now just a sec, green giant-" Adrian began to explain but was cut off by the woman.

"Leave our park immediately, Fireborn. Your presence is bringing every-damn-thing out of the woodwork. You're going to get someone killed!" She began to raise her voice. Instead of raising his voice alongside her, Adrian kept his voice regulated and calm.

"Well, I'm here for him." He thumbed lazily towards the Harvestchild, which made the boy jerk back in surprise and confusion. "What? Why-" Gabriel was cut off by the appearance of a small mob of feral non-humans.

"Shit." Red Ash muttered, staring down a quartet of harpies. Ravenous cries exited the beaks of those beasts, and they all seemed to affix their sights on the youngest Demigod. "Stay close, Gabriel!" The tall nymph commanded. "Yes, ma'am." He replied clearly, heart pounding in his chest. The fear and adrenaline intermingled within the boy, and his hands began to shake as he brought his sword close. Adrian, on the other hand, seemed entirely disappointed by the small mob.

"That's it? Just harpies? I mean-" WUMPH! Far too caught up in his cocky boasting, the Fireborn didn't notice a snake-like naga rushing into his peripheral vision. As the beast snapped him up in the coils of her tail, the birds took the opportunity to lunge at the nymph and boy.

The harpies began into a wild sprint, flapping their wings about as if they were beginning to take flight. If Gabe was their target (as the nymph was anticipating), then the plan of action was going to be a simple smash n' grab. Red Ash intended to interrupt that. The birdbrain leading the charge barrelled towards the Harvestchild, only to be halted by that wall of a dryad. Red's massive paw secured the bird's face in a single-handed grasp. And in a single, swift motion, slammed said face into the asphalt. With a splatter and splutter of black blood, the harpy was incapacitated.

The attack didn't stop there, however. As Red took that one bird down, another simply continued towards the young boy. Using the kneeling nymph like a springboard, the next harpy vaulted towards the boy with a mindless lunge. Gabriel replied with a leap of his own, meeting the bird in the air with his blade at the ready. A reckless move, the harpy crashed into the child, and the two tumbled to the ground. The bird's body went limp, Gabriel noticed, as he realized he managed to insert his sword into her neck during the collision.