𝗔𝗘𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗔𝗡 | 𝗗𝗿𝘂𝗶𝗴 𝗫 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗢𝗖

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"This morning, an unprecedented global earthquake swept nation-states across the world causing damage and panic. Many have speculated its connection with the Blip...."

The news reporter reported the entire current happenings of the world. Gale lay on the couch, an extremely tiny tornado at the tip of his finger while Sprite searched the drawer and unsheathed a dagger.

"That deviant healed itself." Sersi mused, leaning against the wall, "They could never do that before. And it's coming after us instead of the humans. What's going on?"

"I came to check on your because of the earthquake." Ikaris said, putting on a navy blue jacket, "That deviant is news to me."

"Something's happening to earth. It can't be a coincidence." Sersi murmured.

"We need to find the others."

At Ikaris's suggestion, the tornado vanished and Gale jolted up. Sprite groaned and put a hand over her head at the drizzle that begun to pour in the house. A sheepish grin fell over the culprit and he sighed in frustration. "Shoo! Go on!" He walked around and waved his hand to the vapors around.

Sprite snorted and Ikaris and Sersi chuckled. "I haven't seen some of them for centuries." She turned back around to face him.

"I doubt much has changed." He shrugged.

Knowing that another apology or something sappy was incoming, Gale slumped his arm around Sprite's shoulder and dragged her out, grinning at her raised brow. He was being a good friend. Also, he did not want to console a sad Sprite because he was terrible at it.

.

South Dakota

The journey continued for hours. Gale was not trusted with driving the vehicle as simply because he had once produced a hurricane because of frustration from a slow driver at the highway. He felt it was unfair but did not complain and instead sat beside Ikaris, grinning at the man's stiff posture due to Sprite's asleep head falling on his shoulder.

"Still texting your students in the class group?" Sersi asked once she snapped off her daze. Probably reminiscing about the past.

Gale craned his neck up from his phone and nodded. "I'm trying to convince them that they don't need to bring me soup. I took a sick leave." He chuckled.

"You're a teacher?" Ikaris questioned. After all, they hadn't seen each other in over centuries.

"Temporarily. But I do enjoy it."

Towards the night, the vehicle finally reached a medium-sized, two-story house in a green plain. It was isolated with no other houses around it. Gale raised a brow at the open door but entered nevertheless. He disliked it. The house was too silent and dark even for only one person living in it.

"Hello?" Sersi called, following in with the rest, "Ajak?" They were met with no response. It was unusual for Ajak to disappear.

Gale gulped at the howling of the wind. It brought back the eerie aura with it. And the windows and doors remaining wide open were never a good sign. Who did that?

Gale and Sersi exited, squinting their eyes and analyzing the area outside. The curly-haired tilted his head to the side in confusion at the dark figure laying on the ground. His eyes widened in recognition when the light of the lamp finally fell upon it. "AJAK!!!" A strained cry escaped his mouth followed by the winds roaring. "NO!! Please, no!"

He ran to the body, bending down and shaking it vigorously as if he was expecting for it be some sort of a delusion. The rest of the three followed, all sharing the same horrified expressions at the pale and lifeless body of their leader.