Finally

I sigh, looking down at the rather unassuming horned rabbit Isadora shoved in my direction. I swear, between Isadora and Biana, a moment's peace seems like a luxury these days. As I try to rotate my shoulder, a sharp pang runs through it, earning a deep groan from me. God, even a twitch feels like hell.

Peeking over, I notice Isadora's already set up a makeshift grill using a rock she so effortlessly sliced and propped above a fire. I can't help but let out a dry chuckle, "Just what the hell happened to her while we split up?" Cooking isn't usually her style, and yet, here she is, acting like some prehistoric version of Gordon Ramsay. But given the way she's eyeing the rabbit, I realize, she's just hungry. Desperately so. "Hungry or not, why is she so... primal today?"

Sneaking a glance to the side, I'm relieved to see Biana's asleep. I'd take a thousand Isadoras in 'hunting' mode over one Biana on a warpath. Let's not poke the sleeping dragon. Or devil. Same thing, in her case. Hahaha, it would be funny to see what Biana would do if she became a commander in war.

I muster my strength, raise the rabbit, and call out, "Hey, Isadora, catch!" Tossing it back to her, I wince, feeling a twinge in my back. "Help me skin it, please?" I mean, she's the one with the agility of a cat right now.

As I struggle to my feet, gritting my teeth against the discomfort, I spot Ilka hovering nearby, her tiny mouth opening, probably about to launch into another of her snarky comments. Before she can get a word out, I smile and trigger her return to Umbra. She doesn't go quietly. "No! Don't! You can't do this to me!" She's dramatically begging, her voice echoing as she's sucked back into the void. That'll buy me some peace.

Surrounding me is... well, not much. No herbs, no spices. Heck, even a pinch of salt would be a luxury. Right, so it's 'Primitive Cooking with Kael' today. Let's get started.

Taking the skinned rabbit from Isadora, who surprisingly didn't botch the job, I inspect it. Not too shabby. A bit gamy, but hey, when you're in the wild, you can't be too picky. "Alright, Mr. Rabbit," I murmur, "I'm going to make you delicious, even without the luxury of seasoning." The rabbit, understandably, offers no protest.

Time to beat it till it's tender. The rabbit is probably thinking, "First, you kill me, and now you beat me? Overkill, man!" But hey, at least it's therapeutic. Each strike releasing a tiny bit of the tension built up in my system.

After what feels like hours (probably just minutes), the rabbit is ready. "Okay, next step: cook evenly over low heat," I mutter to myself. Carefully placing the meat on the rock grill, I listen to the delightful sizzle as it makes contact. The sound is music to my ears. Cooking always had a therapeutic effect on me, but this? This is more like survival.

As the aroma fills the air, my stomach growls, echoing in the silent expanse around us. The smell of cooking meat has a way of making you forget your woes, even if it's only for a short while.

Sitting back, I watch as the rabbit slowly turns a golden brown. The anticipation is maddening. My mouth waters, and I feel like a kid staring at a candy store's window. At this point, I'd probably eat it raw. But patience... patience is key. Fuck that, I've been too patient, I need food.

Eventually, I deem it ready. Carefully pulling the rabbit off the stone, its juices dripping tantalizingly, I hold it up in victory. "Bon appétit, Isadora," I say with a flourish, trying to sound as dramatic as possible.

Isadora blinks her eyes and says nothing. She just grabs a piece and starts eating. At least someone's enjoying my culinary masterpiece.

Sitting back, I take a moment to appreciate the peace – fleeting though it may be. It's just me, the open sky, the smell of cooked rabbit, and the soft snores of a sleeping Biana.

Looking at the wild sleeping Biana, my thoughts dance mischievously. Mmmmh, what to do, what to do. I really don't want to deal with waking Sleeping Beauty over there. But then, it'd be a crime against humanity to let her wake up on her own and realize she's missed a meal. She's already unbearable when she's well-fed. Hungry? We'd all be doomed.

Why, Kael? Why are you even contemplating this? But alas, my sense of...not exactly duty, more like self-preservation, wins over. I stand up, using the least painful posture, and dangle a juicy chunk of rabbit meat over Biana's nose. There's no way she can resist this, I reason.

As the scent wafts over her, I watch with bated breath as she twitches her nose. It's kinda cute, in a demonic sort of way. But then, faster than I anticipate, she snaps forward and takes a massive bite, almost taking my fingers with it!

"Fucking hell! You sick bitch!" I yelp, releasing the meat and falling back. Of course, I don't land in a graceful heap. No, I plop down rather unceremoniously, sending a jolt of pain through my already sore body. Groaning, I glare upwards, only to see Biana, now wide awake, meat hanging from her mouth. Like a dog that just nabbed the Thanksgiving turkey.

"You! You fucking bastard!" I exclaim. But honestly, what was I expecting?

Biana's eyes glint with mischief, but before she can react further, I use what little energy I have to move my foot, hooking it around her ankle and pulling. With a yelp, she goes down, joining me in the dirt. See? Misery loves company.

She looks stunned for a split second before her glare sets in. "You'll pay for that."

I raise an eyebrow, trying my best to look nonchalant despite the pain. "Consider it payment for almost making me fingerless."

Clicking her tongue, Biana retorts, "Fine. But only because I'm hungry," she says, rubbing her reddening forehead. "I'm adding it to the tab."

The tab? That scam? Fuck that, she's insane.

Taking a moment to collect myself, I turn my attention back to the task at hand. "So," I start casually, though with an edge of curiosity, "Did you guys find anything while we split up?"

Biana makes an attempt to respond, but all I get are muffled sounds, seeing as her mouth is stuffed with rabbit meat. Moron. Isadora simply continues to chew but does pull out a folded piece of paper from some hidden pocket. She flings it in my direction.

Catching it, I unfurl the paper and give it a once-over. My heart lightens a bit. Finally, the test is over. Just a trip back to the beach and we're out of here.

I sigh as I continue to eat, the taste of the rabbit warming my insides and temporarily keeping the pain at bay. Every part of me rebels against the thought of moving. Ugh, I really don't want to walk. But it's not like I have a choice. The paper's instructions were clear, it's some stupid paper we're supposed to decipher together but fuck that, I already know where our destination is.

Once we've all had our fill, or close to it, I dust off my hands and announce, "Alright, we need to head back to the beach. If we're lucky, we'll make it in two days."

Biana responds as predictably as ever. She groans, falling back onto the ground with all the subtlety of a rock slide. "Two days? I've had nightmares more restful than this!"

I almost – almost – feel bad for her. But then, who am I kidding?

Isadora's reaction, however, isn't what I expected. Her eyes sharpen, her eyebrows knitting together. She takes a step towards me, and for a split second, I think she's about to shove me into the fire. But instead, she does something far more surprising.

Suddenly, I'm yanked off my feet, and the world turns into a blur. I feel a little like a ragdoll as I realize I'm draped over Isadora's shoulder. What the fu-

Turning my head, I spot a very unimpressed Biana on Isadora's other shoulder. Despite her recent meal theft and near decapitation of my fingers, she just yawns and starts dozing off. Seriously? What a lazy bitch.

I mean, I knew Isadora was tough and speedy, but this? This is a whole new level. Damn, Isadora is fucking fast. What the fuck? I know she's built different but this is crazy, she's using aura without a care in the world. Just what are her damn stats?

It feels like we're breaking the sound barrier, and I'm pretty sure if I tried to speak, my words would be left behind in the dust. We weave through trees, leap over streams, and dodge obstacles with an agility I don't think I'll have any time soon.

Biana, already deep into a nap, snorts a little in her sleep, drool forming at the corner of her mouth. The sight would've made me laugh, had I not been worried about getting whiplash from the sheer speed we're moving at.

I try to shout, but all that comes out is a pitiful squeak: "Isadora! Slow down!"

She doesn't. If anything, she goes faster. Clearly, whatever's driving her, it's more powerful than her sense of self-preservation. Or mine, for that matter.

Up ahead, the beach looms. At this speed, we'll make it there in... oh, twenty minutes? This is like fast travel in a video game. Or, you know, getting kidnapped by an ultra-athletic op classmate who's desperate to get off a shitty island.

As the sun starts setting, painting the sky with oranges and purples, Isadora finally starts to decelerate. The world stops blurring, and I can finally catch my breath. We're on the beach, the waves lapping at the shores, with that damned portal shimmering in the distance.

Isadora gently drops me to the ground – well, as gentle as Isadora can be – and does the same with Biana. Biana, despite the short nap, grumbles, "Wake me up when we're home."

I sit up, brushing sand off me. "Well, that was... enlightening." My heart is still racing. Damn that was kinda fun, shit I want to run that fast.

Seeing the group lounging on the beach, I almost feel a little jealous. Almost. They look about as worse for wear as I do. My attention shifts to Aira, Flora, Liam, Arin, Kaida, Rai, and Oliver. It's nice to see that everyone's alive, if not entirely well. Or, in Biana's case, passed out and drooling.

Flora and Kaida approach us, their faces showing a mixture of relief and anxiety. Flora, bless her heart, is practically beaming with joy. "You all made it! I was so worried. I wanted to look for you guys, but Liam and Aira said you were fine," she gushes. It's hard to hate on her when she's pure-hearted.

Before any further introspection, Oliver spots his sister, Biana, in her... pristine state. A mischievous glint appears in his eyes. He saunters over to her sleeping form and kicks sand right into her drooling mouth. Hahahaha, well done Oliver.

The reaction is immediate. Biana springs to life, coughing and spluttering, looking every bit like a beached mermaid with a sand problem. "YOU FUCKER!" she yells, but he's already laughing and dodging her half-hearted attempts at retribution.

Just as the scene threatens to devolve into chaos, a familiar dizzying sensation overtakes us, and before we know it, we're on the yacht. The luxurious one we had left behind. Everyone lets out a collective sigh of relief, which quickly turns into various groans of discomfort as the reality of our battered bodies catches up with us.

And there he stands, Professor Thaddeus, waiting for us, looking... proud? That's a new one. The deck goes quiet under his commanding presence. "Congratulations on surviving," he begins. "I have to say, you were all better than expected. We'll talk later. For now, your rooms are to your right. And V?" He adds, pausing for dramatic effect, "Miss Ayla would like to have a word with you once you get cleaned up."

Oh, great. Fuck, I knew this would happen. She won't demand anything right? I internally grumble, Honestly, can't a man catch a break?

As everyone disperses, Biana nudges me, a smirk playing on her lips. "Good luck with Ayla. I hope you suffer," she whispers before cackling.

I give her a deadpan look. "Thanks for the encouragement, Biana. Maybe next time, try not to eat my fingers, okay? Hey, how about you go annoy her a bit so she meets me another time?"

She rolls her eyes. "Why would I help you? Plus, you left me with Isadora! I don't know how to cook and neither does she! If you had fed me in time, I might have helped you."

I sigh. "So, everything is my fault?"

"Yep. Sounds about right."