The chronicles of Phoenix Zach

Chapter 26:THE CHASE

DAMIEN'S POV

The cat leapt into Zach's arms.

She clutched him against her chest.

"...Come on."

The tiny cat looked at me once.

As if he understood.

Then Zach turned and ran.

Good.

Cassian watched her disappear between the trees.

His expression never changed.

"...Interesting."

He looked back at me.

"Still protecting the weak, how disappointing ."

I didn't answer.

He wasn't worth speaking to.

Not yet.

A familiar presence entered my senses.

Dreyson.

Right on time.

He landed lightly beside me, hands tucked into his pockets as though we'd met for coffee instead of an ancient Firstblood.

He glanced at Cassian.

Then at me.

"...You know..."

He sighed.

"I was really hoping you'd misidentified the smell."

Cassian regarded us both with quiet amusement.

"So..."

His gaze drifted lazily between us.

"The House of Black sends boys."

Dreyson smiled.

"I was going to say the same about you, but judging by the wrinkles, I figured I'd be respectful."

Cassian's smile didn't falter.

"You mistake age for weakness."

"No."

Dreyson rolled one shoulder.

"I mistake arrogance for stupidity."

I stepped forward.

"Dreyson, pay attention", i said as i thought of Zach running

His smile disappeared immediately as he moved.

No further discussion.

None was necessary.

Cassian exhaled softly.

"...Finally."

He vanished.

The ground exploded beneath my feet as I moved.

His fist met empty air.

Dreyson's kick swept toward his legs.

Cassian lifted effortlessly over it.

I appeared above him.

Palm strike.

He caught my wrist.

Strong.

Stronger than the reports suggested.

His other hand shot toward my throat.

Dreyson intercepted, driving an elbow into Cassian's ribs.

The impact echoed through the clearing.

Cassian barely shifted.

"...Better."

He sounded almost pleased.

I twisted free.

My heel struck his shoulder.

Bone cracked.

He healed before landing.

Fast.

Very fast.

Dreyson clicked his tongue.

"Oh,I officially dislike him." He said cracking his shoulder back in position.

Cassian disappeared again.

Too fast for human eyes.

Not ours.

I caught him first.

Blocked.

Countered.

He smiled.

"I've watched kingdoms produce warriors greater than you."

Dreyson appeared behind him.

"We are so happy for you."

Cassian backhanded him away.

Dreyson flipped midair, landing cleanly several metres away.

I attacked before Cassian finished turning.

Three strikes.

Neck.

Solar plexus.

Jaw.

He absorbed two.

Dodged one.

His retaliation forced me backward.

The ground split beneath us.

Trees collapsed from the shockwaves.

For the first time...

Cassian stopped smiling.

Only slightly.

"You're competent."

"I wasn't seeking your approval."

He almost sounded disappointed.

"I simply expected more."

His hand closed around my forearm.

The pressure increased.

Enough to crush steel.

I twisted.

Escaped.

Dreyson slid between us.

"Mind if I borrow him?"

Cassian's foot drove into Dreyson's chest.

He flew backward.

He coughed once.

I didn't take my eyes off Cassian.

"Dreyson."

"I'm fine."

"I know."

He was already moving again.

That was the advantage of fighting beside someone you'd known for centuries.

No planning.

No hesitation.

He saw openings before I created them.

I created opportunities before he recognized them.

We fought...

Like one mind occupying two bodies.

Cassian noticed.

His crimson eyes narrowed.

"...Interesting."

For the first time...

He attacked seriously.

The clearing disappeared beneath a blur of movement.

Stone shattered.

Earth split.

Entire trees vanished beneath the force of our collisions.

His strength exceeded expectation.

His speed matched ours.

His experience...

Surpassed both.

Every feint we attempted...

He'd seen before.

Every combination...

He answered effortlessly.

Centuries.

He'd fought for centuries.

Dreyson landed beside me.

"...I hate to admit it..."

He rolled his shoulder.

"...The fossil's good."

"Focus."i said

"I am focused."

He paused.

"...He's smiling."

I saw it too.

Cassian wasn't struggling.

He wasn't tiring.

He was...

Waiting.

Then...

His gaze shifted.

Past us.

Toward the trees.

Toward where Zach had run.

A chill ran through me.

No!.

He wasn't trying to defeat us.

He never had been.

We were...

A distraction.

"Cassian."

For the first time that night...

I raised my voice.

He smiled.

Then vanished.

Not toward me.

Not toward Dreyson.

Toward the forest.

Toward Zach.

"No!"

The word tore from me before thought.

I was already running.

Beside me...

Dreyson's expression had lost every trace of humor.

The race had begun.

And for the first time that night...

I wasn't certain we'd make it in time.

ZACH'S POV

My lungs burned.

Branches whipped across my face as I ran.

Haru clung to my chest, his tiny claws digging into my pajamas.

"It's okay..."

I wasn't sure whether I was talking to him...

Or myself.

"It's okay."

Behind me...

Nothing.

No footsteps.

No voices.

Only the sound of my own breathing.

Maybe...

Maybe I'd lost him.

I slowed.

Just enough to look over my shoulder.

Empty.

Relief flooded through me.

"I think we're—"

Something cold wrapped around my wrist.

I gasped.

The force spun me around before I even realized someone had grabbed me.

Cassian.

He looked almost bored.

His crimson eyes dropped to Haru.

"Give it to me."

My heart pounded.

"No."

"You misunderstand."

His voice was quiet.

"I was not asking."

I tightened my arms around Haru.

"You're not taking him."

For a brief moment...

He simply looked at me.

As though trying to understand why I was making this difficult.

Then he sighed.

"So be it."

His hand moved.

I barely saw it.

One moment he was standing there...

The next—

Something struck the side of my face.

Pain exploded through my head.

The world disappeared.

I didn't even feel myself leave the ground.

Only the impact.

My back slammed into something solid.

A tree.

The c***k echoed through the forest.

Suddenly...

Everything sounded far away.

My ears rang.

Warm liquid trickled down the side of my face.

I tried to breathe.

Nothing happened.

My fingers refused to move.

"...H..."

Haru.

Where was Haru?

My vision blurred.

Shapes doubled.

I could hear him.

Growling.

I'd never heard him sound like that before.

It didn't sound like a cat.

I forced my eyes open.

The world swam.

Cassian stood over me.

Haru stood between us.

His tiny body trembling.

The fur along his back stood straight.

He looked...

Furious.

Then—

The forest exploded.

The ground shook.

Someone shouted.

I couldn't make out the words.

Everything sounded muffled.

A familiar figure landed between me and Cassian.

Black hair.

Dark clothes.

Broad shoulders.

Damien...

The air around him felt...

Different.

Heavy.

Cold.

Wrong.

I wanted to call his name.

To tell him I was okay.

But...

My mouth wouldn't move.

Everything went black.