He slowly let go of the woman's cold hand…
And collapsed to his knees beside her lifeless body.
He bowed his head. Whispered something. Prayed. A silent moment—an apology to a soul taken by fate's cruelty.
Behind him, the girl still sobbed, her cries echoing under the weeping sky.
Alex stood, sighed, and turned away. He left her alone with her mother, walking silently to the shade of a tree where Leo waited. He sat beside the beast, rain dripping off his shoulders, and watched her.
She cried. For hours. As if the sky wept with her.
Eventually, Alex stood, his voice steady but urgent.
"We need to bury your mother. And we need to leave. Now."
The girl turned to him, tears streaking her muddy face.
"Leave me! Let me die here! I'll go with my mother!"
Alex exhaled, jaw clenched, eyes hard.
He walked over, crouched beside her, and said, "Listen carefully. This is the most dangerous island you'll ever see. You may have survived this far by luck, but luck runs out. If we stay here even a few more minutes, beasts will come—ones that won't care if you're mourning. And this rain? It's soaked in demonic aura. We need to move."
But the girl shook her head violently, clutching her mother's body.
"Go away, you savage! I'll die here if I must!"
Crack!
Thunder rolled. And then—
Slap!
Leo and Darcy peeked from behind the tree, both stunned. Eyes wide, mouths hanging. Even the rain seemed to pause.
Alex stood above her, his voice rising with frustration and desperation.
"You want to die for a dead woman?!" he shouted. "I get it—you're a girl, you're grieving, but we don't have time! You'll understand later!"
He knelt, grabbed her shoulders, and wiped the tears from her cheeks.
"I didn't want to do that. But please… live."
She tried to cry again.
"Hey! Stop crying!" he barked, pointing behind him. "See that fool hiding behind the tree? Go sit with him! That's Leo!"
She hesitated, trembling, but eventually dragged herself through the rain and slumped down beside Leo. He was silent, staring straight ahead, as if unsure what emotion was appropriate.
"Leo," Alex muttered. "If she starts crying again… burn her."
Leo let out a low grunt that might've been a laugh—or a threat.
The girl blinked, startled, then sniffled and went quiet.
Alex tossed her a jacket.
"Put that on. Cover your head."
Then he gently picked up her mother's body, cradling it in both arms, and walked toward the bamboo forest. The storm followed, whispering through the trees.
He cut bamboo. Dug deep into the earth. Made a resting place.
Then he called them over.
"This is the last time you'll see your mother," he said quietly. "Say three lines. That's enough. Then throw some mud on her."
The girl wept softly and spoke a few shaky words. Her hands trembled as she dropped dirt onto the body.
Alex stepped forward, placing his hand over his heart.
"I promised her—I'll protect you. No matter what happens. And I'll get you home. That's my word."
Leo padded over and pushed some sand with his paws, then let out a low growl at the girl.
Alex groaned, hiding his face. "Leo! You're being dramatic…"
Surprisingly, the girl let out a shaky laugh. "Your lion… just scolded me."
Then, with a beat of wings, Darcy—a dragon—descended from the clouds and landed beside Alex. The girl jumped, eyes wide in shock.
"She's my bond too," Alex said calmly. "Don't worry. She doesn't bite. Unless I tell her to."
She stared at him like he'd grown horns. "You have two beasts bonded to you?! What are you…?"
Darcy nudged the grave, gently pushing some mud with her snout before letting out a rumbling roar.
"Darcy! Quiet! You'll attract beasts, you big idiot." Alex smacked her on the head. She grunted, sulking.
He stepped forward and summoned his earth magic. The soil rose and thickened, forming a firm mound over the body. Then he rolled a massive boulder over it, sealing the grave.
The girl frowned. "Why'd you put a giant stone on her?!"
Alex turned to her, face solemn.
"Beasts… they smell death. They'll dig. Tear the body. Feed. I won't let that happen. She deserves peace."
She stared at the grave. Then at Alex. And for the first time, she looked at him… differently.
Not like a savage.
But like a protector.
Alex said nothing.
He pulled out a massive hunk of meat, bigger than her head. With a flash of lightning from his palm, he scorched it in seconds. Smoke rose, the aroma filling the air—crispy outside, juicy inside.
With precise, practiced swipes, he sliced the meat into clean chunks.
He handed her a piece, smirking.
"Eat. It's good meat. Wild beast. Cooked medium-rare—tribal style."
The girl hesitated, then took it. She nibbled. Eyes widened.
"This is… really good," she whispered.
Alex handed out more to everyone, silently eating his share while watching the rain.
Once finished, he stood up and checked his cracked, old-school wrist clock.
"4 o'clock," he muttered. "Damn. We've gotta move. Rain's only gonna get worse."
He turned, calling out, "Darcy, follow Leo! We're heading out, now!"
With a sudden gust of wind, Darcy leapt into the sky, Leo following.
Alex untied the heavy weights strapped to his arms and legs. Clink.Clunk. They hit the ground like boulders.
"Looks like it's time to take the gloves off," he smirked, rolling his neck. Then he stretched, flexing muscles under his soaked cloak.
He walked toward the girl—but as he reached for her—
"W-Wait! What are you doing?!" she yelped, stepping back. "You… you pervert!"
Alex blinked.
"PER-WHAT?!"
He stared at her in disbelief, almost offended.
"Miss, we're about to fly through a demonic storm, and you're accusing me of flirting?! I was just gonna fix your jacket!" He sighed dramatically. "Why is every girl like this…"
He stepped forward calmly, eyes locked onto hers. She froze.
Then—zip! He pulled up her jacket. Flip! Pulled her hood over.
He turned, crouched down, and barked over his shoulder, "Climb on. We don't have time for tantrums. And for the record—I'm not a pervert!"
Still blushing, she muttered, "W-Why am I blushing over this jungle man…?"
She climbed onto his back, arms wrapping gently around his neck.
Alex burst out laughing.
"Relax. I've got zero interest in you. You're not my type. Plus—survival first, flirting later."
Suddenly—his body began to glow faintly.
A strange smoke coiled around his arms and legs like mist drawn to magic.
Then—
Boom!
He launched into the sky with explosive force. Trees bent under the shockwave.
"Ahh—!" She nearly slipped, but tightened her grip around him.
He caught her legs. "Hold on tight, princess."
They soared through the sky, diving through the treetops with unnatural speed. Rain whipped past them like falling needles.
She looked down at the jungle blurring beneath them.
"How… how is he this fast?! In this terrain?! In this storm?!"
Alex's voice echoed through the rain.
"Don't question the legend, girl! Just enjoy the ride!"
She held on, heart pounding.
And somewhere, in the cold bite of wind, in the stormy roar of the forest…
She felt oddly safe.
"How... how can he move so fast?! In this cursed forest! In this bloody rain!"
She clung tighter to Alex's back as he weaved between trees, rain blurring everything around them into streaks of green and gray. His movements were unnatural—no, inhuman. The very forest seemed to step aside for him.
Two hours later, soaked and shivering, they finally reached a barricaded cliffside. A camouflaged cave lay just behind it.
As they soared over the barricades, the girl glanced down—Leo and the dragon, Darcy, were playing in the rain. Splashing in muddy puddles like oversized toddlers, completely ignoring the tension.
"...What are they even?" she muttered.
Alex landed gracefully at the cave entrance and gently set her down. He didn't look tired. He barely looked winded.
He walked into the cave, brushing past her like a storm cloud on legs.
"You know magic?" he asked flatly, not even turning around.
She blinked. "Um... yeah. Basic stuff. Why?"
He tossed a bundle of clothes at her. His clothes.
"Clean yourself. Wear that. Then give me what you're wearing now."
She frowned. "Excuse me?!"
He turned his head slightly, eyes cold.
"You smell like lavender. Perfume. It'll attract beasts. Strong ones. The kind that want you more than they want food."
That shut her up. She took the clothes and ducked deeper into the cave.
A few minutes later, she stepped out—wearing his oversized jacket and trousers like a child lost in her father's wardrobe. Her soaked clothes were bunched in her arms.
Alex took them without a word, walked outside, and burned them in front of her. No ceremony. Just flames and steam rising into the twilight.
He disappeared with Leo for a while—clearing tracks, erasing signs, covering their trail with practiced precision.
When he returned, night was crawling over the horizon. Rain still poured, heavier now, like the sky was trying to drown the world.
He opened the cave flap and stepped inside.
She was crying. Quietly. Curled into herself.
He didn't comment. He just stood there, water dripping from his hair.
With a sigh, Alex raised one hand. A soft gust of wind circled him, drying his body in seconds. He pulled off his jacket and wrung it out.
"Hey," he said, voice low but steady.
"Did you dry your jacket?"
She looked at him, confused. Then glanced at her soaked jacket clinging to her shoulders.
Before she could answer, he walked over, tugged it off gently, and hung it near the fire.
He didn't scold her. Didn't mock her. Just handled it.
A fire crackled to life. He sat beside it, warming his hands. Leo curled up next to him like a golden wolf-pup, tail twitching. Darcy snorted and blocked the cave mouth with her body, shielding them from wind.
In the firelight, the cave was still. Safe. Warm.
She watched Alex from the shadows—this strange, savage man from the ocean forest. A warrior who cooked meat with lightning, barked orders like thunder... and quietly dried her clothes when she cried.
"Who is this guy?" she wondered.
And for the first time that day…
She didn't feel afraid.