Stolen Enchantment

Indirected Battle

Kaveh swung his head down in hopes of not having his neck chopped right off. The figure appeared to hesitate halfway through their swing, they pulled it up as far as they could. It split the green emerald feather sticking just barely out of Kaveh's hair in half. Only a second later did Kaveh realize he wasn't dead, nor struck. His balance was off and his body leaned forward. About to fall he put one arm over his face and closed his eyes. A draft of wind pushed against his back and a strong arm wreathed around his waist. Halting his fall, Kaveh turned his head and could see Alhaitham holding him close, his eyes were narrowed as if he were almost confused about something. Unsure, puzzled, his brows furrowed wrinkling the split between his eyes. He was wincing in pain.

"Alhaitham-?"

Kaveh was even more confused, was Alhaitham the one attacking him just then? But why? He grunted at first in response before pulling Kaveh back up to his feet. His warm arm released his waist as he took a few steps back. Kaveh unconsciously touched his own waist from being grabbed so suddenly. But he managed to collect his thoughts.

"Now you're surprised to see me? I should've known something like this would happen, 'illusion.' Directly in front of our eyes as well...If you hadn't shouted like a little girl I could've killed you."

Kaveh tightly clenched his fist in response to that statement. Alhaitham gently scratched the back of his neck, thinking about the close call they had was disturbing. He wouldn't be able to live with that type of guilt, he silently thanked him for shouting his name. Kaveh placed his hand under his chin, pondering lightly over the details he had noticed throughout the time in this room. Actually, now that they both took a moment to consider their surroundings, the room was still entranced with mist. Less thick, but seeing anywhere over 5ft in front of each other was difficult.

"I do not scream like a girl! And hold on just a moment, you didn't see that it was me? Did it appear to you that I wore a cloak?"

Alhaitham's eyes raised, and he nodded quietly. He gestured with his hand towards Kaveh, the two grew quiet before he nodded his head as well. They both observed the same person from their own perspectives.

"This temple is messing with our heads, before that did you experience anything else?"

Kaveh asked patiently, his hands fiddling with one another anxiously.

"I did, I'm assuming you as well? I'd rather not go into detail, but was it something you might've feared?"

Kaveh didn't need to speak another word before he nodded back, the two had experienced the same scenario. Kaveh's eyes widened and he took a few steps back, Alhaitham's figure slightly disappearing in the mist, but he didn't want to go too far as to not see him. But rather keep a safe distance. Alhaitham on the other hand turned his gaze from the ground up to Kaveh, raising an exhausted brow. He raised his hands up and gestured them out.

"Kaveh, what are you doing?"

He asked suspiciously. A moment or two would pass before he responded with an arrogant tone.

"What does it look like I'm doing? For all I know this is just some sort of trick, you might not even be real! Just a fake talking to me. Luring myself into a trap!"

Alhaitham understood his logic but groaned under his breath. For him, he knew that Kaveh was the real thing, after all not even magic could copy his personality. Alhaitham took a few steps toward Kaveh, which caused him to back up more. Alhaitham kept a neutral expression, but the longer the backing up and approaching continued the further his irritation unraveled.

"Many temples hold magic, if I remember right this mist can make you see, feel, and hear things that aren't real. It's nearly impossible to create an illusion to duplicate something as complicated as us. Especially you."

Alhaitham mumbled the last part under his breath, but even with his explanation Kaveh still felt uneasy about the situation as a whole. His shoulders tensed up and his breath hitched, he appeared irritated that Alhaitham wouldn't back down.

"What'd you say? No, repeat it again, I want to hear it."

Alhaitham sighed, his arms sinking down before he pressed a finger to his own temple. Rubbing vigorously, how long were they going to spend standing around and waiting for something to happen? They needed to escape as soon as possible.

"That's Kaveh alright, ugh, here, listen if there's something I can somehow prove-"

He dug into his pockets, maybe he had something that could substantiate his own identity. After a few tense seconds, he pulled out a hook of keys, only then realizing that he had accidentally taken Kaveh's key that he had left back at the house as well. He raised them up, the lion keychain gently jangling from the hook. Kaveh's ears lit up in embarrassment. He stomped over and snatched his key off the hook stuffing it into his own pocket.

"Next time don't steal my things, now then let's make haste and get out of here."

Alhaitham sighed, he was annoyed but didn't think it was necessary to argue. Kaveh traveled through the mist, keeping an eye on Alhaitham so he wouldn't suddenly disappear. Each time he looked back Alhaitham kept getting further and further until he stopped to check on him.

"Why are you moving at such a slow pace? We need to-"

Only upon looking closer did Kaveh realize there was a clean slice across Alhaitham's thigh. He realized that when he swung his blade it must've caught his leg causing injury. Just then Alhaitham got on his knees and took in a long gasp of air. The pack toppled off his shoulders as he leaned back, using his arms to keep him at a sit.

Kaveh got down and searched through his pack, he found a bundle of bandages ready to be used. Following that he pulled out Onikabuto to help the wound heal. His hands stretched out as he attempted to take off Alhaitham's shoe so he could roll up his pant leg for a better angle on the wound. Alhaitham gripped his wrist and shook his head, he looked like he was in foul pain. It must've been a deep wound. His hold on his wrist was cold, he could have easily broken Kaveh's hand if he put enough strength into it.

"I'll do it, there's no need."

Kaveh respected his decision, but he couldn't help but sit back and watch, assessing how Alhaitham would tend to his wound. He sat cross-legged with his arms folded.

"You understand that I can help correct? Not everything has to be done on your own, after all, I was the one who struck you in the first place."

Alhaitham took off his shoe and rolled up his pant leg, the wound was bleeding profusely. He grabbed a bandage and ripped off a specific length and tied it above the wound to stop the bleeding. His eyes twitched each time his hands just barely grazed his own thigh. Making the process look twice as grueling as if Kaveh did it. Alhaitham wiped the sweat off his forehead, shakily he reached out for the bottle of Onikabuto, but Kaveh briefly stopped his hand by snatching it first.

"Here, let me do this part."

Alhaitham opened his mouth to protest, but Kaveh wasn't up for argument as he leaned forward and opened the bottle. He put the opening over the wound and poured. The liquid stung like hell, equal if not worse compared to running alcohol over a wound. Alhaitham winced and shouted, Kaveh instinctively placed his hand over his mouth and shushed him. His anxiety was raised because of the mist, who knows what could be wandering around ready to kill? The two were in a vulnerable position, I'd be dangerous to give themselves away. Alhaitham's groans and shouts were muffled by Kaveh's hand.

Eventually, when the stinging pain subsided Kaveh took his hand off Alhaitham's mouth. He looked exhausted from the pain and barely gestured for Kaveh to do the rest. Thus he continued, cautiously bandaging his thigh. He finished by wrapping an extra bandage over the pant leg to seal it completely. At this moment Alhaitham was on his back looking up at the mist. Kaveh leaned forward toward Alhaitham, a mocking smirk curved on his lip.

"I've never met such a pancy person before, it wasn't even that bad."

Alhaitham tugged at his own hair, at a slow pace he sat up with a light groan. Attempting to get up, Kaveh immediately came to his aid and put the pack on. He pulled Alhaitham's arm over his shoulders to put off some weight on his leg. The two silently nodded at one another, pacing their way through the thick mist.