My Wild Beast-Chapter 166: Together

{Music Recommendation: Warriors by League of Legends, 2WEI and Edda Hayes }

Nova scrambled backwards on her hands and knees, chest heaving, heart racing to the point it was almost bolting out of her chest at the monstrous wolf standing in front of her. It was three times bigger than a bear. It tipped its head back and howled, quietening the nearby fighting. Lightning flashed beyond it as the rain poured down on it.

Its jaw snapped at the vampira’s neck, but he blocked it with his arm, the bone breaking instantly as it growled, gnawing and shaking its head from side to side, almost lifting him entirely from the ground.

Quorai hissed at the beast and kicked it off him, only flinching as the creature ripped his arm out of its socket before crashing into the dirt.

"Zahrek!" Quorai called out, snapping to his feet with inhuman speed.

A man appeared before him, bowing his head as he presented a battered Vohraki warrior whose head lolled forward, blood already drained from his veins. Quorai’s fangs sank into his throat, and as he drank, a black mist poured from his wound, coiling from his torn shoulder, swirling into the shape of an arm before snapping solid with a crack.

"He just regrew his arm..." Nova whispered in horror, rising to her feet, unable to look away as Yoa protectively stood in front of her, eyes glowing fiercely.

How the hell were they meant to kill that thing? Was killing him even important? Didn’t they all worship Akura?

At her words, Quorai smirked, dropping the lifeless body and turning his head in Nova’s direction, ignoring the blood trickling from the corners of his lips and dripping along his lean, muscular torso. He took a step towards her, but the giant wolf leapt in front of them.

Yoa tugged Nova further behind him, his body tense as the smell of brine wafted back to him from the wolf that he’d never seen before, but recognised from drawings of the "Akhlut," he murmured.

The wolf bared its teeth, growling at the name, but didn’t turn to face them. Its attention was on Quorai.

"Akhlut?!" Nova whispered in shock, staring at the mighty beast. Of course, it had to be an Ancient. There was no other creature she had seen like this.

Is this what it looked like then?

Wasn’t it meant to live in the ocean? She expected some type of shark or fish-type creature.

"Every. Single. Time... You get in my way..." Quorai snarled, glaring at the creature. "If you’re so insistent... Then I will oblige you..."

The vampira then whistled. "Get her and kill Yiska!" He ordered into the darkness, raising his arms just as the Akhlut lunged for him.

Yoa didn’t miss a beat. He scooped Nova up and turned just as a horde of vampiras burst from the bushes and leapt from the trees, charging in their direction.

In a blur of motion, Quorai appeared behind the Akhlut, mid-air, wings spread wide as he punched the top of its head, the sound like a crack of thunder rumbling into the earth as the creature slammed into the dirt, something breaking as a crater was made from the force.

Nova’s breath whooshed out as the wolf got up, snapping its jaw towards the vampira leader, undeterred.

The vampiras streamed past them, red eyes gleaming in the dark, cackles following as fear gripped her chest. There were so many. The jungle blurred around them as Yoa picked up his pace. Her breath hitched as she sat up in his arms, grabbed one of her hatchets and threw, the weapon taking out a vampira that got too close.

The clearing started to go out of focus as the statues of the Sacred Lands came into focus ahead. Three warriors landed just behind them, raising their weapons.

Nova’s mouth parted, heart clenching in fear as Atia, Aiyana and Vulcan charged towards the colony of raging, bloodthirsty vampiras.

"We can’t just leave them!" Nova shouted, her heart leaping, voice catching, watching their friends fight for them.

Electa...

Yiska...

The wind whispered along their skin in the language of the ancient stars. Bats circled in the air, then dove in their direction as Nova struggled out of Yoa’s hold and pulled her weapons free. She tilted her chin as she faced her Serakai, ignoring all those who were charging towards them.

"We stand together," she said, her voice unwavering. "If we die... we die together..."

She couldn’t stand the idea of him dying, but she couldn’t live in a world without him. Yoa’s golden-red eyes sparked, his beast surging forward at her words. He cupped her cheek as fire broke out beyond them, lightning striking down some of the vampiras. "Together," he promised and fiercely crushed his lips to hers.

Her heart squeezed, melting into him as he gripped her shoulders and pulled away, leaning their foreheads together, breathing each other in before they turned back to their foe. Darkness descended on them swiftly as they slammed into their opponents and fought side by side. The air was humid, thick with the smell of blood as they fought.

Nova’s shoulders and legs ached from the movements of slicing through their enemies. Atia and Aiyana shouted out to them, but she couldn’t pay them any mind; her focus was solely on surviving. She and Yoa moved as one, unaware of the golden sparks circling them.

The Akhlut’s whine echoed through the jungle as the creature collapsed in the distance, and laughter rippled through the swarm, victory tugging at their lips. Even as they fell into piles of bodies, their eyes shone back eagerly, staring up glassy-eyed, happy in death as they were alive.

Yoa looked around, at a loss as he saw his friends and Nova fight. It was almost like everything had slowed down so he could make one final decision.

The vampiras were pushing forward, making them push back, drawing closer to Luna Lacus, their intent to kill those remaining and take Nova from him. More and more were joining the horde like they’d been called over from the rest of the island to help them in their goal.

Even as the harpy eagles came to help their leader, and the Oncari chasing after the vampiras in the far distance, it looked impossible.

This was the end.

He’d made a promise to die together...

How could he let her die...?

He turned to look at Nova, his light, his Serakai, his little mouse...

As though sensing his eyes on her, she turned to him and saw the look in his eyes.

Their hair swept back from the sudden wind.

Beating drums echoed through the trees.

The lake started to glimmer behind them.

’Even if the skies split and the gods fall silent... I will find your soul. You are written into me, Nova. I will always find you...’

"Don’t-"

"I’m sorry."

Yoa pushed Nova as the lightning forked the sky and the vampiras closed in around them. They tried to lunge for her, but swiped out with their claws, killing them instantly as their gaze remained on Nova, hoping it worked.

"Please," he whispered. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Nova crashed into the water, shocked and hurt, freezing her as she drifted deeper into the shimmering lake. She watched Yoa, his golden eyes shining vividly even beyond the surface of the lake, his sharp jawline, his straight nose, those lips that had kissed her fiercely, sealing their promise to stay together until the end...

Then he was lost to the vampiras.

"No!" She screamed, bubbles bursting past her lips as water burned her lungs, hands reaching towards him.

No! This is not it! ’Yohuali!’ She screamed through the bond with the sound of glass shattering.

She moved her arms to swim back.

She swam and swam. Her body ached from the sudden weight pushing down on her. Her lungs screamed, her eyes burning. But she wasn’t going anywhere. She was swimming against an invisible force.

Drums thrummed along her mind.

No!

She was thrust back suddenly as the stars shimmered and glowed.

Please no!

Cold and hot swept through her, and like a rope around her mid-section, she was yanked suddenly as the light blinded her eyes.

Her arms and legs flailed as she fought to return to Yoa.

The drums pounded in her mind, and she grinned, relief surging through her as the light faded away and the weight withdrew. She swam to the surface, sunlight streaming through clear water.

She burst through the water, gasping for breath, and squinted at the sunlight and the silence.

Breathing heavily, Nova turned her head at the sound of a click and stared down at the barrel of a gun. One of many pointed at her face.

Gone was Tempakar’s rage, the swarm of vampiras and the ones she loved. In its place was daylight, strangers with guns and the sense of dread that only meant one thing...

"Nova?" A familiar voice called out her name. "Nova Winslow?!"

She was no longer on the Isla De Tayun she’d come to love.

She was no longer with Yohuali, her Serakai.