After defeating Irif, everyone assumes that the hardest part is over, and that they can finally relax for a moment. But while flying back to Enoria, Kaleth and the others are attacked by an ancient enemy, who they thought was long dead. And he has a...
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Kara didn't let just anything shake her—she couldn't afford to let it shake her. However, seeing a very dead looking Kaleth lying on the forest floor almost managed it. Mel kept insisting he was alive, and Kara believed him. When she concentrated, she could kind of see some movement of Kaleth's bandaged chest. What was that bandage even made of? His shirt?
That must have been Mel's handywork. But despite seeing evidence of him being alive, he just looked very...not that. Kaleth's skin was even paler than usual, his face and hair was covered in ash, his hair in general was messed up with some blood crusted in there. There was blood on his forehead as well, though that didn't look serious. No, whatever was making that dark red spot on the makeshift bandages was the problem.
"What happened?" Kara asked, clearing her throat when she heard her voice break ever so slightly.
"He..." Mel paused for a moment, his shoulders slumping as he sighed. Kara could almost see his currently nonexisting dragon ears drooping. He looked so small where he was kneeling next to Kaleth, so hopeless. "Kaleth and I were fighting an invasion in Irithara. And then Enor appeared. And, well, Kaleth lost."
Right, no new information there. "Yes, but what exactly happened?"
"Enor stabbed him with his sword," Mel replied, not taking his eyes off Kaleth. He put a hand over the stain on the bandages, his eyes becoming glossy. They glowed a tiny bit as he presumably tried to heal the wound better. There wasn't enough blood for a stab wound, after all—Mel must have already healed it at least a little.
"And then he just teleported out of there?" Kara continued asking, hoping that Mel would provide more detail. However, Mel clearly wasn't in the mood for a conversation because he just nodded, and stroked Kaleth's hair. Kara pinched her nose.
"Well, it's clear Relioth isn't here—that power surge must have been Kaleth—so I guess we need to bring him back to that safehouse in Imbera," Kara summed up, looking over at Alor. The man looked pensive. Or perhaps just trying to think his way out of confusion. Either way, he nodded at her.
Kara would have asked if he was okay, but right now they didn't have time for it. There was no way there weren't more Eternals around here, and she didn't feel like getting caught.
"Come on, we need to get going," Kara said. This prompted Mel to finally look up at her, and give her his puppy eyes briefly before nodding, and gently strapping Kaleth's armor back onto his chest. Kara was about to ask Alor to give Mel a hand moving Kaleth when the Eternal simply picked the comatose man up bridal style and kissed the top of his head.
Kara fought hard with herself not to roll her eyes at that. Kaleth would be fine, he always had been, even before getting all of these abilities. There was a twinge in her heart, though, as she watched Mel look down at Kaleth with raw worry and fear though—a twinge she ignored with the skill of an Imberan. Kaleth would definitely be proud of her, were he awake.
