forum At War // OxO // Closed

Started September 19, 2021 by @ElderGod-Icefire

tune

Kaylum’s sweat mingled with the water as it enveloped his vitiligo skin, his muscles limp and half submerged as he floated along. Small cuts and scratches that he also hadn’t notice littered his body. A few stray air bubbles left his full, slightly agape lips. His milky-colored locs had long been free from the bun he had put them into earlier, and they floated just above the water’s surface. The only movement from him was a small, desperate twitch of his ears. Water seeped into his lungs.

Nik didn't have the strength to pull himself from the water, since his leg couldn't support him and his back was hurting so badly. So he wrapped his arms around the root and prayed that Kaylum would be alright.

Luckily, or unluckily, for them both, Seren's men had managed to follow them. Some split off to get Kaylum, getting into the water to haul the dragon shifter out, hands rough and voices loud as they dragged him from the stream and dropped him on the ground. They were not any kinder to Nikolas, hauling him from the water and setting him unceremoniously on the ground. Kaylum they bound to keep him from escaping. Nik they did not bother binding, knowing he couldn't walk on his own anyway. He was hobbled better than any rope could have confined him.

All the rough sensations and loud sounds slowly lifted Kaylum into the land of the living. When he hit the ground, his body convulsed, spitting out the water that had been lodged in his lungs, and he remembered to breathe again. He tried to open his eyes, but his vision was still blurry and everything he saw confused him. So he quickly ditched the land of the living for the realm of spirits.
When he opened his eyes this time, he clearly saw what was happening to his now limp body. When he followed the glowing thread attached to his soul, he realized how far from Nikolas he had ended up. He watched the human prince, invisible and formless.
Well. That was stupid. I’m sorry.

Nikolas just lay on the ground, staring at the sky through the leaves and tried to breathe. He coughed faintly, swallowing and shaking his head. He knew that Seren would be furious about this escape, and knew that there would be repercussions. Severe ones, for the both of them, but perhaps more so for him. Seren was more careful about harming Kaylum because he did not yet know enough about how the dragon shifter's throne was transferred.

As for Kaylum, he wasn’t particularly concerned about Seren’s reaction. He figured that things would only get worse from here, but he was too busy analyzing the situation and berating himself for what had happened. He hovered near Nikolas, but the physical world flickered in and out of his perception.
He was so stupid. This is what he gets for being so reckless. Maybe he wasn’t quite stronger than Nikolas like they had thought. The lack of food and water, as well as a warmer environment than he was use to, seemed to have weakened him greatly. In addition to being flightless, it would make leaving much more difficult than he had initially thought. He wished he could have remembered that earlier.
Well. At least they know there is a river nearby now. Hopefully they could take advantage of it again. Or maybe not. Maybe Seren would anticipate it.

Nik didn't know what would happen from here, but he knew escape would be far more difficult from now on. They would be watched closer, bound tighter. Probably healed less after any pain that was inflicted, too, to make it harder on their bodies to even function. He swallowed faintly, chest rising and falling with his breaths.

Kaylum’s mind drifted, his thoughts dribbling into nothing. He focused back on Nikolas, lying on the ground. His eyes (or what he thought were his eyes) followed the motions of his throat as he swallowed and coughed. Then they drifted to his face, the sweaty, but pale cheeks, the limp strands of dark hair on his forehead. The small cuts all over him. Kay turned away. This was no time for foolish thinking, but he found himself turning to it whenever things got bad like this. His gaze briefly traced the shape of Nikolas’s lips.

His grey eyes flickered faintly; he was in a lot of pain, and he was exhausted. Everything in him just wanted to sleep. To let the pale arms of unconsciousness swallow him whole, drink him in like ale in a cheap tavern. He shifted faintly, but didn't try to get up or move. The guards were watching him, though not closely. They knew he couldn't get far on his own.

It didn't take too much long until the guards came to take both princes back to the camp. Nik was carried because he couldn't walk, though the soldiers were none too gentle in their treatment of the human prince. Kaylum they forced to walk, keeping their swords drawn to ensure that he would continue walking and wouldn't try to run away. When they reached the camp, both princes were put back into the cell, with Nik dropped in an unceremonious heap on the floor of it. He drew into himself once he was dropped, a faint pained sound escaping his throat.