Ā Ā Noctis gave a small snicker. So, the child had a sense of humor? It was always more fun that way; snarky children were amusing. He didnāt mind playing escort to a kid with some bite.Ā āGood, good. Wouldnāt want you to take me lightly.ā he mused, his smirk tugging crooked on his lips.Ā
Ā Ā It faltered, however, at his follow up. He paused in his step, quirking a brow.Ā āMalak?ā he echoed, a hollow quality to his voice betraying his confusion.Ā āThe hell is aāā
Ā Ā Noctis knew immediately there was a problem- that throaty growl, the crackling of underbrush. He didnāt give the boy an opportunity to be collateral. He dashed forward, half phasing to make the gap in time as he shoved the boy aside. Heād apologize for his rough behavior later once they were both alright. But-
Ā Ā He was less prepared than he expected. The impact caught him in the chest, the Voretoothās menacing growl suddenly echoing close enough to him that he could feel a stab of panic in his body. He could manage- it was natural response to an attack, adrenaline racing through him in an instant as his mind caught up to what was going on around him. But his primary concern was less with proximity and escape, but with the spike of heat, the sear of pain that shot up his arm as the beastās teeth sunk in to the flesh there. It ripped itās head side to side with vicious intent. He gave a shout, resisting the urge to pull his arm away from the pain ( that will only make the bite worse, he heard the warning call of Ignis in his head ). Instead, he focused with himself, phasing again out from beneath the beast. In an almost acrobatic move, he pressed his shoulders against the dirt, flipping his legs to propel his momentum up and onto his feet.Ā
Ā Ā But the beast was nimble. It caught its talons in the dirt, shifting itās inertia in an instant to pursue. Noctis put his good arm in front of him, conjuring a polearm into his hand and directing it to catch the bite. It was hardly a stable defense- the Voretooth shot through it like tissue paper, and he glanced to the side to allow it through- but at least it took a bite out of metal and not the soft tissue of his side like itād been aiming for.Ā
Ā Ā With a moment to recollect, Noctis shifted his weaponry again. Itād be a pain, navigating without his dominate arm, but heād at least become proficient with a cutlass on his left. He flipped the lengthy dagger in his hand, grimacing as he steeled himself for it to come back for him. This he could handle. OneĀ he could manage. But with the child, and his knowledge- Voretooths were packĀ animals. Where one drew blood-
Ā Ā A howl in the distance affirmed his fears. There would be more.Ā
Ā Ā He took to the offensive, darting forward and weaving his blade beneath the creatureās guard. The weapon caught purchase, slipping through the hide of its shoulder with a tug of resistance. The agonized bark pushed him forward, and Noctis withdrew the blade, bringing it back down again over the back of itās neck. One down-
Ā Ā Clattering feet- they were already closing in. Noctis held his bleeding arm closer to himself, scowling as he looked over his shoulder. Where was the boy? Cobalt rested on the blond finally, and he sternly called,Ā āKid- take cover. Get behind a rock or something, okay?ā He sank into a defensive stance again, eyes scouring the black expertly.Ā āIāll handle this.ā He just had to keep the kid safe, then get back to campā¦ no big deal.
In the dark, made even darker from the sudden lack of light, Laphicet could hear clearly the sounds of battle close, so terrifyingly close. The boy remained frozen with fear --fighting was scary, it hurt so much if you got injured-- knowing any moment he would have to act but unable to yet.
The humanās words caught him off guard. Take cover. That-- that wasnāt how a fight was supposed to work. When a fight broke out, Lady Teresa sent him and Number One in first. They were supposed to use their artes to fight. It was their job, their function and-- it wasnāt anymore, was it?
Eizen had said he should make his own decisions, take control of the wheel of his own life. Does that mean he shouldnāt do what was asked of him though? As much as the fight scared him, he didnāt want to see the human hurt either. He needed help, humans couldnāt fight daemons on their own.
He could hear another one of the creatures stalking around behind them, the snap of a twig all the warning that they got. Laphicet threw a ball of light behind them, blinding it with the sudden brightness before sending the light up above again to provide vision for himself and the human.
It was then that he saw the blood. Wide-eyed, Laphicet ran forward to stand behind the human, bringing his hands up to the wound. Healing light infused it, and magic stopped the flow of blood.
āDonāt worry about me! Just focus on the daemons!ā Once the wound was closed he spun around to face the creature heād blinded earlier, now coming in with a leap. Heart pounding, his fear didnāt show as he pulled off an arte perfectly, blasting the beast back in mid-air.
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