Alexia peeked at him through her fingers before coughing, trying to smother her embarrassment. 'I am still a pure maiden, damn it! I am not losing my innocence to an ancient statue.'
Taking a steadying breath, she lifted her chin. "MY attire is scandalous," she repeated, gesturing to her tattered, bloodstained gown that clung to her frame by sheer stubbornness. Torn fabric revealed glimpses of pale porcelain skin beneath.
Thrakos studied her for a long moment, his molten eyes unblinking. Then, with a solemn nod, he said, "I understand your concern. This attire restricts the art of battle. However, if your worry stems from its revealing nature, you may rest assured."
She blinked. That was... surprisingly understanding? "My Lord, what do you mean?"
"You lack the necessary physical attributes to invoke primal urges," he stated, voice completely void of malice—just cold, objective fact. "Therefore, you are safe."
A strangled gasp escaped the blue-haired man.
Alexia's playful mask faltered.
For a heartbeat, there was silence.
Then, with the stillness of a predator locking onto prey, she smiled.
"Oh?"
The blue haired man slowly inched away, sensing the impending disaster.
"Safe?!" Alexia's face flushed a deep red, her eyes shimmering with barely-contained anger. "Turn around, you block of ice!"
Thrakos paused, his molten gaze flickering as he frowned. "I am currently made of flesh. But why the sudden hostility?"
Alexia's breath came in ragged gasps, her hands balled into fists. "Turn around, or I swear, you won't learn a damn thing from me! You hear me?"
Thrakos sighed deeply, clearly reluctant. His glowing eyes softened just a little. "Very well," he muttered, turning his massive form around. "This battle art... is too important to lose."
' Safe?! Safe he says.' Alexia's cheeks flushed red, her eyes brimming with indignation. " I'm still sixteen, still developing! I'm not safe, alright! I'm a seductive spirit in human form, no one can resist me.' She kept on grumbling in her mind while she removed her tattered blood stained dress.
On the sidelines, the blue-haired man fumbled to shield his eyes, his face flushed to an almost comical shade of crimson, smoke nearly rising from his head.
Standing in her equally tattered inner wear, Alexia comforted herself, face flushed. ' The man is still dazed, this is not considered improper.' A deep crimson aura began to swirl around her, illuminating her features with a glow as her armor materialized, piece by piece, encasing her in gleaming red.
Thrakos, his expression unreadable, hesitated, then spoke with a reluctant sigh. " You may claim to be a spirit in form, but still... young."
Taking the opportunity while he wasn't looking, and as her armor continued to form around her, Alexia yanked the blue-haired man by her whip and tugged him toward her. With a quick, stealthy movement, she pulled him along, moving towards the tunnel behind them.
"My Lord," she called back, her voice teasing. "I think you're only saying that because you're incapable of acting on those primal urges. What could a statue possibly do about it?"
Thrakos visibly stiffened, his molten eyes narrowing in confusion. "I may have once been stone, but I am now temporarily human," he replied, his voice tinged with a slight edge.
Alexia, speeding up toward the tunnel, threw a glance over her shoulder, a smirk dancing on her lips. "Please," she scoffed, "When was the last time you even saw a woman, you celibate stonehead?"
Thrakos furrowed his brows, his expression heavy with thought. "Why just today." His gaze travelled to the grotesque remains and smears on the cavern floor. " Though they are dead now. And you don't really seem like one."
He hesitated, his tone turning conflicted. "I would have safeguarded my honor by proving that I am, indeed, human." His voice softened, laced with inner turmoil. "But I fear I am too... substantial for you. There could be... losses."
Alexia's turned wide eyed, choking on air, her fists clenching at her sides. " Did he say what I thought he said? I never knew ancient guardians were this dirty minded'. "My Lord, please, stop." She said in a deadpan tone. Her expression numb.
A sudden commotion erupted at the entrance of the cavern. Like a whirlwind of death, it tore through the remaining survivors, cutting down anyone still foolish enough to be hiding.
Thrakos tilted his head, his molten gaze flickering with curiosity as his tattoo blazed fiercely against his skin.
Alexia barely spared him a glance. This is my chance.
With a sharp inhale, she bolted toward the tunnel, the blue-haired man slung over her back like a sack of rice. "Little Flame—showtime."
The tiny ember at her side wavered, almost as if sighing, before expanding in an instant. It swelled into a towering inferno, flames roaring as they consumed the cavern's air, transforming the space into a blistering hellscape. Heat waves shimmered in the air, distorting everything around it.
Thrakos exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders as sweat dripped down his temple. He turned to face the fire, his expression unreadable—until, with deliberate grace, he bowed.
"My Lord," he murmured, his deep voice reverent. "There is no need to antagonize me. I respect your will."
Straightening, he gazed at the inferno, its flickering light reflected in his amber eyes. His voice remained steady, though something unreadable lurked beneath it.
"Whether she survives or not…" His fingers curled slightly at his sides. "That will be up to fate—and the will of my master, the goddess Astra."
The flames roared, their heat distorting the air, but Thrakos remained unshaken. He inclined his head slightly, his molten eyes gleaming with understanding. "I trust my Lord will not hinder me in fulfilling my duty this time. My master would not be pleased."
Even as he spoke, his form began to shift, muscles hardening, limbs elongating—flesh turning back into the impenetrable obsidian of his true form. His towering figure cast a monstrous shadow over the battlefield, exuding an undeniable sense of divine authority.
From his great height, he scanned the chaos below. Amidst the flickering heat waves, neon pink and blue flashed like scattered embers. He observed the scene with practiced patience, waiting for the moment of judgment.
Then, he moved.
With effortless precision, his massive obsidian pincers lashed out, seizing the blue-haired man was flung unceremoniously outside the circle of protection. Thrakos barely spared him a glance.
"Not fated," he rumbled. His voice carried the weight of an ancient decree. "Unworthy."
Then, without hesitation, he brought his blade-like pincer down upon the nearest intruder, his duty resuming without question.
***
The moment Alexia stepped into the tunnel, she let out a breath, staring at the white markings on the cavern floor. Safe zone confirmed. She ran a hand through her hair, shaking off the tension.
"He's not chasing after me?" she muttered. Her golden eyes narrowed in suspicion. "At this point, that guardian is highly questionable."
With a sigh, she untied her whip, letting the blue-haired man collapse to the ground in an unceremonious heap.
"Alright, time for—"
A dagger pressed against her throat.
Alexia blinked. Seriously? Again?
She turned her gaze downward to see the blue haired man, now wide awake, his grip on the weapon firm, his eyes sharp with barely-contained panic.
"Who are you? Where am I? Why am I here? What happened to my team?" he demanded, breath uneven, muscles tense like a cornered animal.
Alexia arched a brow. "Baby bird, so many questions."
The man didn't budge, his hand steady despite the dazed look in his eyes.
Alexia let out a dramatic sigh. "Why does everyone go for my innocent neck?" she pouted. "Do I have a sign on me that says stab here?"
The man squinted at her, visibly trying to make sense of the situation while still threatening her life.
Alexia tilted her head slightly, the cool steel pressing deeper against her skin. "Listen, baby bird, if you're gonna pass out and wake up all stabby, at least let me give you a proper recap first."
His eye twitched.
The tension between them crackled.
Then, after a long beat of silence, his stomach let out the loudest, most pitiful growl imaginable.
Alexia blinked.
He blinked.
The dagger wavered.
"...So, snacks first, then murder?" she offered.
"My name is Azure, not...baby bird, and in the name of Queen Nerissa, I hereby authorize your arrest."
Alexia tilted her head, her golden eyes gleaming with amusement. "Azure, huh?" She tapped her chin. "Well, if you haven't noticed—"I" saved you."
She leaned in slightly, watching his grip tighten on the dagger. "Your team, on the other hand..." Her lips curled into a slow, knowing smile. "Well, let's just say—they went for a nice, long swim. With the sharks."
Azure's breath hitched. His hands trembled, his knuckles white against the dagger's hilt.
That was all she needed.
With a flick of her wrist, her whip coiled around his arms, yanking them behind his back before he could react. He barely had time to gasp before she tightened the hold, stepping in close.
She grinned, watching realization dawn in his emerald green eyes. "What's wrong, baby bird?" she whispered, her voice mocking. "Did I ruffle your feathers?"
"You... you're lying." Azure's voice cracked, his breath coming in sharp gasps. His wide, frantic eyes locked onto Alexia, searching for deception, for anything that could prove her words false. "How… how did a squad of elites DIE? HOW COULD THEY ALL DIE?"
His body trembled, his hands curling into fists as he dropped to his knees. His breaths came in ragged, uneven bursts, his chest rising and falling too fast.
"I killed them," he whispered, horror sinking into his voice. "They were my responsibility, and I let them all die. I don't even know how it happened. What Kind Of Leader Am I?!"
Tears slipped down his face, crystal pearls, falling freely, but he didn't seem to notice. He was trapped in the moment, in the unbearable weight of failure pressing down on him like an iron chain.
Alexia watched in silence, the usual playful gleam in her eyes flicking, dimming.
Alexia tilted her head, watching with quiet curiosity. 'Why is he blaming himself?' Her golden eyes darkened. 'Their own desires killed them. People with such filthy urges deserved their fate.'
A spark of something unreadable flickered across her face, but before she could speak, Azure suddenly gasped.
"Wait," he choked out. "Maybe—maybe there are survivors. They're elites. They—they wouldn't just—" His shattered voice trailed off before surging with desperate conviction. "I need to check. I need to be sure!"
Without warning, he lurched forward.
Alexia barely had time to react before the force of his movement yanked her forward, nearly wrenching her arm out of its socket. "Tch—DAMN B-RANKERS!" she hissed, her boots skidding against the rough stone as she struggled to hold him back.
Her whip, still wrapped around his wrists, tightened dangerously, but Azure didn't even flinch. He kept running, his desperation turning into raw, unrelenting strength.
'If I don't stop him, he's going to charge straight back into the flames.'
Gritting her teeth, Alexia braced herself—and with one brutal yank, she ripped him backward.
Heaving, Azure collapsed against the cold cavern floor, his body shaking. 'My body is still weak', he thought briefly, before it was drowned out by a much heavier feeling. Despair. His chest tightened as he stared at the destruction before him—carnage, a wall of fire, a giant scorpion, onyx shards scattered across the ground. The weight of failure crushed him, each breath growing heavier.
Alexia watched him, her gaze unreadable. She tilted her head, a curious spark in her eyes. 'Why does he blame himself?' Her lips curled into a small, mocking smile. "It's good to come to terms with reality," she said, her voice strangely soft. "It dulls the pain."
Her gaze softened as she glanced at the aftermath outside, the wreckage of battles fought. But then, just as quickly, she snapped out of her contemplative mood. "Anyway, you're under my watch now. So you're not allowed to die," she added, her tone light and teasing. She yanked him back toward her with a forceful tug of the whip. "Get up."
"You definitely won't need this." She swiftly took the dagger from his hand.
Azure lay still, his blank gaze fixed on the ceiling. Then, in a whisper so fragile it was barely audible, he asked, "What do you want?"
Watching him, Alexia felt a fleeting pang of guilt. She shook her head before speaking, her tone softer than usual.
"I honestly just want you to live. I think your soldiers would have wanted the same."
Slowly, Azure turned to face her.
"I deserve to die." His voice was barely more than a whisper, raw and broken. "You don't understand. Sometimes, I just wish..."
Azure's breath hitched. His fingers twitched against the cold stone floor, his chest rising and falling unevenly. His eyes, distant and unfocused, stared past the cavern ceiling—past everything.
"I just wish it would stop." His voice cracked. The words trembled out of him, a confession too heavy to bear.
Tears slipped down his face, small, translucent pearls spilled from his eyes, rolling down his cheeks before clinking softly against the stone.
He didn't bother to wipe them away. He just lay there, hollow, drowning in a sea of regret and grief.
Beside him, Alexia's golden eyes flickered. She didn't mock him this time. Didn't smirk. Instead, she spoke—softly, knowingly.
"You just wish to be... free?"
Azure's head snapped toward her. His emerald eyes, still wet with sorrow, locked onto hers with something unreadable—shock, confusion, maybe even the barest flicker of recognition.
"How did you..." His voice faltered.
She exhaled, standing up. "Since you don't want to follow me, then stay here," she murmured.
Then, without another word, she turned away, her gaze lifting to the flickering ember that had just arrived—silent, patient, waiting.
A tiny flame in the darkness.
Azure stared at the tiny flame before shifting his gaze back to her. His voice was quieter this time, more measured. "You still haven't explained what you, a dragon, are doing here."
Alexia smirked, crossing her arms. "This is Aethera—the kingdom of dragons. The real question is, what are you merfolk doing here?"
Azure let out a slow sigh, tugging at the whip still binding his wrists. "At least set me free."
"Oh no." She wagged a finger at him, grinning. "You're staying right here. Whip and all."
Then, with a playful flick of her hair, she turned and strode deeper into the tunnel, leaving him bound, hungry and utterly exasperated.