Star Crossed Haters

Chapter Ten (Kaeda)

Trigger warning: blood!

Huff...huff...huff...

Damnit. I thought I was making some good progress, but as I made the final stretch, sunlight peeked through the clusters of trees in front of me – but behind it was the next infuriating obstacle the gods had decided I so desperately needed.

As I finally enter the light, the wide expanse of a river is in my way of moving forward.

The Thappu River is probably one of the most famous rivers in all of Dodomi – the water boiling, but frozen platforms of pure ice so cold that it floated on the river's surface with no intention of melting.

The whole river itself defied the laws of science – but the collision of varying temperatures shrouded the whole border in steam, separating the two nations. And now I had to cross it. The extreme heat of the water would most definitely melt my flesh off if I even touched a droplet of it – so that wasn't an option.

Damnit.

Maybe if I pool my strength together and channel my Reya through my feet, I could freeze the water underneath me as I walk.

But if it doesn't work... Wait. I have a freaking ice Reya - I'm an idiot.

I could jump onto one of the ice platforms and control the ice molecules to drift across the river. Usually though – around the summertime – my Reya's full potential gets stunted by the heat- infuriatingly so- meaning I'd have to drain a little bit of my life energy to even gain control of a few molecules of ice to make it across.

Better than dying.

Taking a deep breath, I spotted the nearest ice platform, thankfully big enough to bear my weight. Here goes nothing. Crouching down, I get a running start before propelling myself off the grass, landing on the platform with a thud – the momentum causing the water to splash up onto my skin.

Damnit!

Furiously rubbing at the spots where the water made contact, my eyes threaten to water in pain, scalding droplets of river water feeling like pure magma.

But I had to keep moving. With some difficulty, I manage to stretch my hands, flexing my fingers, as I draw power from my core, from my life source, already feeling it being drained as the ice platform starts moving across the river, water churning, and my heat beating. It was exhausting, and the pace was painstakingly slow, my lungs burning as if I was running out of breath, desperately trying to gulp in fresh air but I had to keep going.

Halfway there... Damnit.

My head starts to spin slightly as black spots start dancing across my vision. My thoughts begin to lose some clarity – but I know if I rest soon, my life energy will replenish.

Must...get to...Princess Apex...

Come on- only 4 feet left...

My mind in a haze, I'm jolted back to reality at the sound of the ice platform bumping the edge of the other side of the river. Too tired to do anything, I stumble onto the soft grass, and fall asleep.

***

Shit.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

My head spins as I sit up far too quickly for my brain to process, but I don't care. The sky is an inky black, stars twinkling above. How long was I asleep for?!

Thankfully, my life energy feels replenished, along with newfound adrenaline coursing through my veins. Standing up, I look back at the ice platform I had used to get over – not too far from where I left it – meaning I've only been asleep for a few hours – if I had slept longer then the platform would've been further, the river's current taking the ice with it.

Right now, I was in Fujimura, home of the Pyracents. This was going to be interesting. An ice princess in a fire kingdom.

As I step closer to the new forest that led to Asraxvale, I regretted my decision to pursue Apex instead of Cari. Speaking of Apex...was she safe? She better be. If she didn't, then this trip would be for nothing. And I did not drain my own life energy for nothing.

As much as I hate to admit it though, she's strong. And I know she can fend for herself, as irritating as it is. But as my mind continues to wander, I picture the princess of Fujimura lifeless on the ground, flesh and muscles torn to pieces just as my driver was. The few bites of the apple I ate earlier threaten to resurface and I painfully swallow down the bile that rises in my throat. I can't think like that.

Entering the thicker and humid forest ahead of me, the sounds of animals and wildlife start to pick up nearby.

Damnit.

I can't take shelter again; I've already wasted too much time. I need to be quiet. In the corner of my eye, I see an animal carcass, rotting with dried blood everywhere. I wanted to throw up again, but at this point, I'd gotten used to it. Didn't make it any less gross though.

This virus...could it affect espyns too? It would explain why the main trading route was barren. But the thought of that was terrifying... My mother, my friends, shit, even Dyor would've all been infected by now.

The gravity of the situation finally registers in my mind as harsh reality fully hitting me, like a slap in the face. At first, I thought everyone was dead, but if all the espyns on Dodomi are just like that leopard... I feel sick again.

I don't want to do this. Damnit Damnit Damnit.

"Shit..." I mumble out loud, believing that thinking out loud would reprieve any of the thoughts racing through my head.

Note to self: It didn't. But like I had told myself just a day ago, I had to do this. For me, for my mother, and for my people.

I look back at the animal. It seemed to be a koala, if I could even call it that anymore. It looked more like a disfigured rat. Countless creatures hunt by smell... but out of all the animals I've seen on the way here, infected animals never attack other animals, despite species... So that means this koala (I decided to name it Mabel – weird coping mechanism be quiet) was attacked by an espyn. Were there any espyns in the forest right now? Gods, I hope not.

But if I could make the animals around me think I wasn't an espyn, my chances of survival would increase a lot more.

Kneeling at Mabel's side, I brush my fingers through her fur, her blood coating my fingers. There was no possible way to ensure this would work, but if any animal smelled me, they would hopefully assume I was a carcass and move on. Given that Mabel wasn't devoured entirely, these animals most likely only feed on the currently living. Did they feed off life energy? The thought of that was almost enough to for my apple to make a reappearance. Looking at the crimson that stained my fingertips, I reach up to my face, coating the skin underneath my eyes, just like war paint.

I'm not dying today. 

A/N: on the document kae and i use, we have a whole "Kaeda damnit count" lmao
it's currently at 17, but we have more chapters written than those published as of feb 1st :)

hope you enjoyed!!