As soon as Imhe's strength failed, Lea panicked.
In an instant, she searched for an existence akin to a soul, and when she found it slowly drifting along with the burst of essences, her immediate reaction was to grab hold of it. And in the next moment, she couldn't see anything.
She could not feel any of her senses, neither the essences that were always within her since she learnt of them. There was only nothingness.
• • •
Victor was crouching on the ground as he anxiously stared at Lea's unresponsive body. He could feel his heart starting to ram hard in his chest. What was going on?
One moment, Imhe was back to normal. The next, she was gone. Even the remnants of her body disappeared with the gust of the wind. Then Lea was gonna collapse onto the ground if he had not made it in time.
Thus, holding her body, Victor remained placid as he couldn't fathom the situation. He tried reading the essences in the air, but it was normal.
Gently, he stood up with Lea's unconscious body in his arms. He didn't know what to do, but he felt Lea's essences leaving her body voluntarily. He knew that if she couldn't limit the withdrawal, she would not be able to sustain her core.
Victor then decided. As he looked on her flawless face, he stroked her cheek with his face and muttered softly, "I'll keep you safe, Lea."
Upon his words, he disappeared.
(A core can absorb the essences, but if the person uses up too many essences that his core can no longer keep up with, the core will start to crack— leakage will start until it will no longer be usable. On the other hand, if the core is forced to release a huge amount of essences than a person can handle, it would also crack and be destroyed in the process of the outburst.)
• • •
In one of the residential buildings, Bright was inside a room. It was dark, smelly and creepy. But he could immediately make out silhouettes in the darkness.
"Hello?" He called, and numerous whispers grew in volume.
"Are you together with the demon???" Asked an anxious old man.
Bright shook his head in disagreement. "My friend is taking care of it. Why don't you guys escape now?"
"We won't abandon our country for a measly incident such as this!" One of them spat.
"But there is nothing here anymore...."
"This is where we were born, this is where we die."
Bewildered, Bright could only shrug, observing the room more carefully. His eyes were more comfortable with the darkness now. And then he noticed some children, very young to pre-teen.
He frowned his brows and couldn't help but utter aloud, "It's all cool if you stay, but those kids are still young! You have no right to seal their life for your own selfishness....!"
"You can ask them yourself and they would agree with me. Now shut up and mind your own business."
Then another one of them voiced out as well. "That's right. That's right. You freak. Cajoling with the demon. You must want us to die too!"
And at her words, a few others gave their assent by their boos and gestures. Bright was very displeased.
"Suit yourself, but I'll take this!" He exclaimed, grabbing a baby from a dirty mother. Then he sped away from the place. Oliver was simply watching and observing the whole time.
Once they were outside, they both noticed none of the people chased after them. "Heartless people....!"
"Sabertooths have better family ties than them." Added Oliver, but he also wondered how they could manage bringing up a baby as they journeyed.
Bright was already absorbed at entertaining the baby in his arms like it was his own. "Da~ Da~? Coockoo! Haha.."
With a raised brow, Oliver was starting to suspect Bright's real intentions. He must have wanted the baby from the start...
But of course Bright didn't think things through. He certainly adored the baby. So innocent and harmless, he was instantly smitten.
Only, when they came around where Lea should be, there was nothing. No sign of either of the three. Deciding they must have gone back to Hamsphant and Phoenix, Bright and Oliver walked to where the beasts were.
There was no Lea nor Victor in sight.
".......How do you sense the surroundings again?" Asked Bright innocently while playing with the baby's soft and very small hand.
Oliver shook his head and shrugged. "I don't know. Let's find a place to stay for now. Maybe around the borders?"
"You mean the port?" Asked Bright as he looked up from the baby.
The image still remained ridiculous for Oliver to take in, but he nodded in assent. "Okay." He heard Bright say. [A/N: I can't... Bright... Why do I keep shipping you with guys instead!! Stop being cute!]
• • •
At the port, they saw devastation. Several ships were wrecked, and corpses floated on the surface of the ocean. Occasionally, a sea beast would grab one and blood would spread, but only briefly as it mixes with the seawater.
Bright gulped at the sight, unconsciously covering the baby's eyes. It complained by the obstruction. But Bright was rather keen on keeping the scene away from the baby's barely one year old mind.
Seeing this, Oliver couldn't clearly understand what kind of person Bright was anymore. He thought the guy was useless and Lea had to do everything else to keep the guy alive. Although that was true, he didn't expect Bright had what it takes to watch out for another person's life. He could only sigh to himself.
"Let's go into the last one. It's less damaged than the rest."
With Oliver's suggestion, the both of them strolled towards the very last house that was made of bricks and refined wood. Classic, was what Bright thought at the sight.
• • •
High up a mountain, a couple could be seen intimately hugging one another. The guy was holding unto the girl determinedly. Upon closer inspection, he was resting his forehead on the girl's head. He seemed anxious and desperate. He was growing paler by the minute. In contrast, the girl remained rosy and alive, but remained unconscious.
The essences in the air were absorbed desperately and transferred into the girl. The process continued for longer than a minute, to an hour, then by hours. Eventually, it became harder and harder to transfer essences as time went on. His focus was slowly drifting away with fatigue, but he couldn't leave the girl to her fate.
Left with no other choice, he drew his lips closer to her's. With the direct contact, his focus was intent and the connection more solid. It was no longer a strain on his part to keep her essences alive.
Soft lips clashed unto one another like there was no tomorrow. He would slowly move his lips slightly, only to discover a new sensation. Slowly closing his eyes, his attention was taken by her whole being, only wanting to keep her alive for his sake.
From the touch to the essences, they were connected, ever so intimately. A stable and comfortable cycle was then establish as their lips pressed against one another.
He nibbled on her lower lip, opening a path for his tongue to slip right through her small mouth. As his kisses deepened, so was the beating of his heart in his chest. He was invigorated by the sweet scent and sensation filling up his mind.
Craving for more, he adjusted his hand to push her head deeper towards him, while his other hand laced around her thin waist. The breeze blew, making their hairs intertwine.
Although breathless, he craved for her very much. He went deeper and deeper as if to engulf her red lips wet with his thirst. His tongue ravaged the inside of her mouth, eliciting unconscious soft moans. Hearing her reaction, he groaned, butterflies in his stomach spread like hell fire into his beating heart.
He kissed her until signs of awakening begun. Despite this, he did not want to stop. The essences were already beginning to stabilize within her and settling in her core, but he refused to end his fiery passion.
He then felt a small hand pushing him away as an indistinguishable frown graced her beautiful face. He had to abruptly stop, for she was truly awake at this moment.
He distanced his face from her, but not before licking her lips one last time. He kept her close in his embrace, not bothering to let go. He didn't want to let go.
The girl struggled to regain her normal breathing, her ruby eyes on him. ["Imhe."] She said into his mind. And he gently stroked her head as he hugged her head into his chest. By the sound of her voice, it seemed the consequences was not favorable.