Agdrin bristled at that. How dare some boy accuse him of being scared. He curled his lip in distaste and prowled over to Runner, but stopped a good foot away, arms dropped to his sides as his claws flexed. "I am not scared, boy. I needed to know you weren't empty in the mind. You should be honored to be offered a chance to fight for the great being of Chaos." He cut a hateful glance towards Tessa. "You couldn't possibly be satisfied to settle with such an incompetent ally such as the pathetic Vanguard."
"You opinion seems to be a bit biased." He took a step towards the demon lord, his face twisted with a scowl. "You are the reason my mom had to send me away. You are the reason why my life was flipped upside down. And now you have the audacity to sit here and try to recruit me?"
"I cannot dictate what decisions Rhianon makes," Agdrin said simply, "It's not my fault she's a terrible mother that does not care for her offspring. But I can have a hand in forging your path to greatness."
By now, Tessa had woken up, possession-demon-free. However, she remained still and kept her breathing even, giving no indication to her conscience state. She was in no condition to interfere, a miserable realization that she reluctantly adhered to.
"She's a what?" Runner asked, something dangerous flashing over his eyes. He took another step forward, fearless from his anger.
Runner, don't, Tessa silently pleaded, hearing his footsteps on the sand. Her strength was slowly seeping back into her muscles, but not fast enough—she wouldn't be fast enough. Please, don't.
Agdrin rose an unimpressed brow, but he did take a small step back. "But I digress," he continued as if Runner hadn't said anything, "It's a one-time offer, as I've said. You either take it now, or leave it and make an enemy that you do not want to have."
"I suggest you leave while you still have your legs," he growled, taking note of the small step backwards.
Agdrin snorted. "Bold words for a boy. Fine, but don't come crawling back to me when you change your mind. You've made an enemy of Chaos, Runner. That is a grave mistake you'll soon regret."
The demon lifted his head, and he left in the same fashion that he showed up.
"Fucking bastard," he growled, putting a hand to his side. When he pulled it away, it was covered with blood. Shit, he thought, turning to the still limp form of Tess. How am I supposed to get her out of here?
(sorry. working on a drawing rn)
Tessa opened her eyes and glanced worriedly towards Runner. She couldn't speak as a dragon, so she settled with lifting her head and letting out a small whine in apology.
"Morning, sunshine," he said, giving the best reassuring grin that he could. The blood seeping through his shirt counteracted the smile. "Think you can change back?"
She winced as she stood up, her crushed wing hanging limp at her side. Once she was on her feet, she shifted back as much as she could—her wings were still there. She managed to come over to Runner, and she unceremoniously lifted his shirt to see the damage.
"I'm fine," he lied through his teeth, gently pulling her hands from his shirt. "For now, at least. We should probably get home."
"Liar. I know how much damage I can inflict." Her eyes and face became cold and unfeeling, masking the worry and guilt.
He rolled his eyes, trying to stay as casual as he could. "You're overreacting, Tess. Besides, it wasn't your fault."
"I was the weapon." She flicked her fingers and summoned a small ball of sunlight. "Can you make a portal?"
"I sure hope so." He planted his feet and beckoned her to throw it. "Go ahead."
She half-heartedly tossed the ball of sunlight at him, eyes still trained on his blood-soaked shirt.
He caught it and changed the magic into the portal just like he had in the castle. He sighed after he got it open, putting a hand on his side. "That was a bit more difficult than I imagined."
Tessa didn't outwardly curl into herself, but she wanted to. She gently held onto Runner and guided him into the portal, which led into the house they were staying in.
He gave her a thankful look as they walked into the home, turning around to look at the portal. "I don't know if I can close that."
"Don't worry about it," Tessa said, nudging him towards the bathroom to keep the mess to a minimum. "Worry about you." Her words were firm—though not quite harsh—but her hands were gentle as she urged him through the house.
"You're acting like my mom," he complained, but still listened obediently. "I can do this myself, you know."
"Now you're sounding like me," she said, shaking her head and ignoring his insistence. She opened the bathroom door and shooed him through ahead of her. "I know how to bandage wounds like that. I'm a street rat, remember?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he mumbled, making his way into the bathroom and sitting down on the toilet.
She looked around for the first aid supplies, then came over to him and crooked a finger, indicating for him to take his shirt off. "Kinda need access to it."
