Dawn at the Wild Rift (Book IV)

Chapter 27

(This chapter is dedicated to Friend_Squad)

Hanabi did not expect that within a short span of time of traveling, they'd already been at the Ironspike Mountain. First of all, she is not prepared to face Hanzo. She just didn't know what to do if she sees him.

She simply stares at him, thinking if he is simply an illusion. He is no longer the same as the last time she saw him. His scarlet hair, which she likes very much, is now silver just like Talon's. His Akuma ninja apparel turned into a formal suit, plus, the pair of glasses that she didn't expect to suit him well, are all new to her. It makes her feel that he is indeed seeing an illusion. However, Gusion appears behind Hanzo that makes her believe that they are indeed there to save her.

"What did you do to her, scumbag?" Gusion asks. His forehead creases as he stares into the eyes of Nephila. She seems to be possessed that it makes his blood boil, especially that he knows how Hanabi feels being manipulated yet again.

Talon, who is the most thrilled among them, flashes a grin to the men who'll do anything to save Hanabi. He holds Hanabi's hand and leads her towards Hanzo.

"You can have her," he replies.

They are all in shock with the unexpected action coming from the one who kidnapped the Scarlet ninja. Still, they suspect that Talon is up to something.

"What the hell is this?!" Evelynn yells in a rage that even her head is on purple fire.

Talon lets Hanabi go and walks towards the demoness. He lifts her chin and leans towards her.

"We should get going to let them have a reunion," he responds to her before putting his arm around her shoulder and walks away from the three.

Gusion pushes Hanzo aside and holds Hanabi by the shoulders. He asks her if she is hurt and what they did to her which only makes Hanabi smile. Though she is weak as the spearhead of their squad, Gusion still came for her sake.

"I'm fine but before anything else, I must tell you everything I have gathered," she states.

She knows too well that Talon is up to something more dangerous and while she has the chance, she'll spill every ounce of information she has. She tells them the root cause of her kidnapping, which is not that surprising since they already have that idea upon knowing where her clan truly came from. She also tells them about the Black Dragon, what it had done to Runeterra as well as her connection to the main goal of Talon's team.

"We have to get out of here as soon as we can. These people, these warriors are too dangerous," Hanabi states. Not only are they in their territory but they do not have enough knowledge of what the Runetterian warriors are capable of. It's too risky to fight them.

Though it hurts his pride to admit that fact, Gusion agrees, especially that he didn't want anyone on the team to be lost in their mission. He takes the lead to reunite with the others while Hanabi and Hanzo follow him behind.

"I picked this up along the way," Hanzo states to start their conversation. He summons the cross blade he stole from the ruined temple and Hanabi recognizes it.

"This is Sivir's," Hanabi mumbles to herself.

But before she could even take a hold of it, it suddenly vanishes in thin air. This prompts Hanabi to just stop on her tracks. There is no time to waste so Hanzo simply tells her to forget about it since it does not really matter at the moment. He grabs her by the hand and follows Gusion before they would lose sight of him.

Running through the woods, Hanabi could not ask for anything else but to stay and keep holding the hand of the man she loves. However, such a wish will always remain a wish so long as this huge obstacle is there. And even if they do succeed in leaving Runeterra, she still doubts that she'd be alive upon stepping foot on the Land of Dawn.