Arlen wakes up about an hour later and panics when Luca is still knocked out. Also, there was a loud bang against the entrance of their hideout. He had no doubt it was the creature sniffing out Luca's injury. Animals such as these are like vultures; they can smell death. "Hey, Beaumont...Your Highness, wake up!" Arlen shook him several times, but he would not budge. "Hey, you can't die now; we must leave here. Damnit!" Arlen jumped back, angry and afraid. He paced the confined place, feeling tense. It is one thing to be alone and another to watch Luca die in this place. Giving someone spirit energy meant sharing a part of him. And so far, he only shared himself with Julius. But that was done with a lot of caution and practice. He is not like other mages and beastmen. Instead of transmitting light, he would be giving out darkness. It is not that he couldn't possess light- he was born with a core as red as the darkest ruby. "How do I help without polluting him? Think Arlen, think!"

Clive waited till dawn. "Well, they didn't show up. Let's return home." He climbed up his steed and signalled his men to wrap up. He spent less time looking or waiting for Luca and the men he sent to find him. Just as he shook the reins on his horse, a loud cry came from behind. " They're coming! They are here!" Clive turned, his face contorted in a frown when he saw the soldier he instructed to look for Beaumont. "The barrier. The barrier is broken!" The second wailed as he kept sprinting. Clive's men became alarmed and took up their weapons. "What nonsense are you two spewing! Did sleeping in the forests turn you into a madman?" Clive held tightly to the reins, too annoyed to pay attention to his horse kicking its hoof into the ground to register an impending danger. Only when the men drew closer did he see the army of the dead chasing after them. "That's impossible." Clive's eyes could fall out of their sockets. His men immediately formed a circle around him, awaiting orders.

"Julius...Julius." Luca struggled to get the omega to wake up the next day. Arlen had gotten too relaxed in his spot and didn't budge until Beaumont tugged the rope on his wrist hard enough. The omega's scowl was short-lived when he stared at a fruit. He looked up at Luca, confused. "Eat this." Luca dropped a handful of ripe mangoes. Arlen took them, surprised the alpha went out of his way to get him food. "Where did you get these?" He asked after taking a bite. Luca had returned to his sitting place to tune his mind for the journey. "Wait, you left me here alone to find these?" Arlen raised his head sharply after his belly received some portions of the refreshing treat. He did not sound grateful. "I said feed me, not put my life in danger! I was tied up; what if a corpse or a demon barged into this place?" He threw the half-eaten fruit at Luca. In truth, it wasn't his safety he was worried about. Arlen didn't trust Luca to be safe by himself after landing in trouble so many times

Arlen shared a therapeutic moment with his tiny friend, pouring his thoughts and concerns over a jar of wine. The Razzordra snapped at most of his words, but its company brought comfort to the lonely omega. "The wine here is not bad at all. I miss Ari so much. Do you think I'll ever get to see her again?" He moped. "Maybe I should retire to bed. Off you go, into your pouch. We wouldn't want that mean ol' Alpha to find you," he rubbed the creature's head as the world went a little woozy before him. The creature shortly craned its neck at the door, alert. The spikes on its head spread over its spine as it rattled strangely. Arlen repeatedly fought with his eyelids since Luca had not returned. "Oh, what the heck, I could use the nap," he claimed. The Razzordra rebelled against the idea. It swiftly climbed up Arlen's arm, growling and pulling at his bathrobe. "What's wrong little dragon? Why so feisty all of a sudden? Auch, hey," Arlen endured a couple of nibbles to catch it. "Into the

Luca ran like the wind, carrying the young flower on his back. The faint drizzle in the night dampened their clothes as he took shade under canopies of people's homes. He was angry. For some sick reason, this omega always attracted the wrong crowd and constantly landed in life-threatening situations. Luca feared the worst. No. He knew the worst would have happened had he not found Julius. 18 hours ago... "Where is he?" Luca glared daggers at the servant before he could even set the food on the table. Axel had to step in to keep Luca from overdoing it when he aggressively approached an innocent caretaker. "I didn't help him get away, I swear. He asked when you would return, and I said soon. I just left him to get this." The servant took cover behind Axel. Axel: "Brother, he couldn't have gone far. You still have his sword, right?" "No, I don't... but he barely touches his weapon; unless," Luca suddenly recalled the pouch the omega kept clinging to. He dashed to the drawer to ch