"This heat doesn't let me think!" Sky exclaimed as he stood near Haywire by the lake. I swear I'd love to tear off my ripped jeans and my flimsy green T-shirt! "Why don't we go for a ride? The three of us. What do you say, Haywire?"

His winged friend let out a cheerful chirp.

Hazel squatted by the water and cleaned her face and arms a bit. "Why do you call him 'Haywire'?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she combed her hair with her wet fingers and tied it in a high ponytail. In doing so, she accidentally stained her slim-fitting, dark-red tank top and her blue denim shorts.

"Because I accidentally hit the hardware component which controls his balance with my sonic gun that first night. As he crash-landed here, he also hurt his tail. I fixed both, but as we got to know each other, I saw him flying awkwardly and... I don't know. It made sense."

Hazel stood up and smiled.

Haywire showed Sky his back, where his leather saddle was. With an inviting nod pointing to it, he let out a joyful whistle.

Sky jumped on his back and turned to look at Hazel with a smile and an extended hand towards her. Hazel's untrusting gaze exposed her inner doubts.

"I promise it'll be safe... and amazing. Trust me." Sky's smile broadened, and Hazel took his hand.

She sat behind him and she suddenly let go a shaky, deep breath she didn't realise she was holding. "I've never ridden on any animal's back. Not even a motorbike."

"Just hold on tight, Hazel." Sky then addressed his winged friend to exclaim, "Let's go, big fella!"

With a few powerful beats of his wings and a race along the lake's curvy shore, the Sonic Echo Ranger took to the skies. The wind combed the teenagers' hair back with the force of a storm. Hazel shrieked, making Sky laugh―but what didn't make him laugh but shut up and blush was the fact that she was hugging him tightly, afraid she might fall from that friendly beast's back.

This feels so good right now. I'm on cloud nine with Hazel! I wish I had told her about Haywire earlier.

Hazel, nestled right behind Sky, felt an exhilarating rush, her heart beating in sync with the rhythm of their flight as they soared in the sky, leaving the lake behind.

With each beating of Haywire's wings, the Hovering Hive and its surrounding crops became more distant and insignificant.

In a moment of pure bliss, they hovered above the glistening sea, feeling the cool mist as it playfully splashed against their faces that evening. Drops of water danced upon their skin, mirroring the twinkle in their eyes. Hazel let out a giggle, making Sky smile.

The rhythmic flutter of Haywire's wings provided a soothing backdrop as they hovered above the sparkling waves. The water sparkled like diamonds beneath them, reflecting the fading light of the setting sun. It was a scene of sheer beauty and serenity.

As they continued their journey, the golden hues of the setting sun painted the sky in a breathtaking tapestry of colours. Haywire's wings carried them higher, allowing them to soar among the clouds. The world below transformed into a mesmerising mosaic, a patchwork of land and sea stretching into the horizon.

In this ethereal realm, time seemed to stand still. Sky sighed. They embraced the magic of flight, their spirits lifted as they experienced the sheer joy of being unburdened by earthly constraints. Together, they revelled in the beauty of nature, feeling a profound connection to the vastness of the world around them.

Their flight continued higher, ascending towards the highest clouds that were painted with hues of pink and orange. With each gentle swoop and soar, they flew over the open expanse, their laughter echoing as they corkscrewed and twirled between the clouds.

Then, Haywire glided down. Zigzagging between towering mountains and flying over lush forests, the wind whispered secrets in their ears. The scent of pine trees and grass filled their nostrils.

Time seemed to slow as they embraced the romantic essence of their flight, witnessing the world from a perspective few could comprehend. They revelled in the symphony of nature, the symphony of life itself, as they stooped low, caressing the treetops with the tips of Haywire's wings and scaring away some distracted squirrels and birds.

"I can see why you meet him every day!" Hazel shouted, afraid he wouldn't hear her.

With their hearts brimming with excitement, Sky and Hazel embarked on another exhilarating adventure, soaring through the depths of a majestic canyon.

Wow, we've never been here before! Amazing landscape. Eager to impress our lady friend, aren't we? Sky smirked at Haywire, who was too busy to even notice his human friend's reaction.

Haywire guided them skilfully between towering rocky formations, their wings slicing through the air with grace and precision. As they glided effortlessly left and right while dodging those towering column-like rocks, the wind whistled through their hair, carrying their laughter and cries of pure exhilaration. Haywire's wings effortlessly adjusted, allowing them to navigate through narrow passages and around sharp corners.

"That was fun!" Hazel commented.

Hovering momentarily, they marvelled at the breathtaking vistas spread out before them. The canyon stretched endlessly, its rugged beauty a testament to the raw power of nature. From that vantage point, they felt like mere specks in the vast tapestry of the world.

A moment later, like a kite carried by the wind, they soared high above fields of swaying grass, their eyes catching glimpses of wild goat herds grazing peacefully below. With a gentle stoop, they dipped closer to the ground, feeling the rush of air against their cheeks as they skimmed over the earth's surface and scared the herd away.

As the sun almost finished descending, casting a bright golden glow upon the darkening landscape, they continued their aerial dance. I'm glad we shared this experience. It will bring us together. I hope she doesn't go back to being that harsh and untrustworthy girl ever again.

"This is amazing, isn't it?" Sky asked Hazel, loudly so that she could hear her.

"No, you are amazing!" she replied with a wide smile. "Both of you."

Sky smiled back at her. Now, nothing will take her away from me.

As the Hovering Hive came into view on the horizon, a booming, crushing sound startled the three of them.

"What was that?!" Hazel asked.

Then, a fireball crossed their path and missed them by very little. Haywire flapped his wings and dodged it, changing the course of their flight.

Sky raised his eyes to the source of that fireball. "A phoenix swarm is behind us!" he yelled, his body tensing up.

Hazel gasped as her pupils shrank and her skin went pale. A small swarm of a dozen phoenixes of different species was hot on their tails.

The killing order that Endurance issued must still be active. How did they find me?! Can they track me somehow?

"What do we do now?!" she asked in panic.

"Haywire!" he shouted. "We can't fight them. We need to find a safe place where we can hide!"

A frenetic chase ensued. Haywire, with Sky and Hazel clinging tightly to his back, soared through the darkening sky, their hearts pounding with a mixture of adrenaline and fear.

The phoenixes' fiery-coloured eyes blazed with intensity, leaving trails of bright light as they soared through the air. There were five Ironshafts, two Thunderbreakers, one Deepdiver, three Steelvanes, and one Airshark among them. Their sharp talons reached out, eager to strike their targets, while their beaks glinted menacingly. With each beat of their powerful wings, they closed in on Haywire and his human friends.

However, Haywire, agile and swift, deftly manoeuvred through the air, dodging the relentless onslaught of attacks. He weaved and twisted, executing tight turns and corkscrew movements to evade the scorching fireballs, the strong wind currents, the venom spits, and the basalt darts hurled their way. Their screeches echoed through the early night sky.

Sky and Hazel clung to Haywire's back. Their bodies jolted with every evasive manoeuvre. The rush of wind whipped through their hair as they held on for dear life.

The chase led them through a treacherous labyrinth of jagged rock formations, where Haywire deftly navigated the narrow gaps and soaring heights. The phoenixes, undeterred by the challenging terrain, swooped and stooped with relentless determination, their fiery eyes fixed on their prey.

Haywire got into a long but narrow, rocky passage between two steep mountains. The Deepdiver shot water at full pressure, while the Steelvanes shot basalt darts, both making large rocks from the walls fall. Haywire could dodge them all, but it was a hard task.

Despite the mounting pressure, Haywire's unwavering focus and skill kept them ahead of the relentless pursuit. His glide was graceful, and his movements calculated.

The chase continued as the sun disappeared and only the moon and the stars could shine on their escape route. They reached the coast, where steep cliffs met the angry waves of the ocean.

"We need to find a hideout, Haywire!" Sky urged him.

The undulating landscape allowed them to hide at least for a moment as Haywire, flying close to the wall of the cliff, took a sharp turn and made the three of them disappear.

"Look, there's a cave down there!" Hazel shouted as she pointed a finger. In fact, a few caves of different shapes and sizes appeared.

"Haywire, do you think you can fly us down there and hide?!" Sky asked.

His winged friend had already swooped down. Sky and Hazel held tightly onto Haywire.

Sky turned his head to check on their pursuers. I can't see them. Good, they're still lagging behind us. Come on, Haywire! Enter the cave, fast! Before they can see us!

No sooner had he thought those words that Haywire masterfully twirled before they would crash-land into the waves. With his wings spread wide, he gently glided into the cave and landed on the rocky shore a few feet inside.

"Thank God we made it!" Hazel exclaimed as she climbed down from Haywire's back.

"Hush, Hazel," Sky urged her, whispering as he climbed down too. "Our voices echo inside this cave. We don't want them to spot us."

"Sorry," she replied also whispering.

They waited for a few seconds as they stared at the entrance of the cave. It was not particularly high but deeply set.

The crashing waves echoed against the rugged cliff face as the beatings of their hearts played the symphony of angst. The air within carried a bone-chilling chill and the powerful scent of salt.

The rocks forming the cave's walls, dark and imposing, seemed to absorb what little light managed to penetrate the shadows. Their rough surface held the remnants of ancient tides, evidence of the ceaseless battle between land and sea. The dampness of the surroundings mingled with the salty tang of the ocean.

The sound of massive bodies flying erupted in the air, coming from outside and echoing from wall to wall. The moonlight, dancing over the waves, got disrupted for a moment by ominous, giant shadows.

Sky gulped as he put a hand on the mossy wall beside him. Please, God, don't let them know we're here.

Hazel clung to Sky's arm. Her eyes held a flicker of unease. But in the depths of her gaze, he could glimpse the unwavering trust she held for him, as if he were her anchor in a turbulent sea.

As she looked into his eyes in the semidarkness, a sense of reassurance washed over her. She saw the strength and determination in him, so she intertwined her fingers with his. He responded by clutching her hand with the same eagerness and worry.

A faint glow from the moonlight cast eerie shadows, playing tricks on the eyes as it filtered through the narrow opening. The rhythmic lapping of waves against the rocks created a haunting melody that reverberated through the cave's chambers.

The shadows over the waves reappeared. It was hard to count them, but there definitely were a few large bodies soaring in the air in circles outside the cave, as if they were inspecting the area and waiting.

"They must suspect we're hiding," Sky concluded with a furrowed brow. "They will find us sooner or later."

Haywire took a few steps towards the entrance of the cave, his feet touching the salty water and his wings flapping in take-off mode.

"What are you doing, Haywire?!" Sky asked with concern. "You're not thinking that–"

Haywire let out a prideful, low-pitched whistle as he stared at Sky with a bittersweet look in his eyes.

"He wants to fly out alone and distract them," Hazel whispered, reading the Sonic Echo Ranger's mind. "To save us."

"You've got to be kidding!" Sky whisper-shouted. "Haywire, don't!"

But it was too late. By the time he had urged his winged friend not to leave, Haywire had already taken off and crossed the cave's entrance, leaving Sky and Hazel behind.

"HAYWIRE!" Sky shouted, taking a couple of steps ahead and extending a hand as if he could touch his dear friend to stop him from getting in danger because of him.

The tips of his boots touched the water. That made him realise he could do nothing to stop Haywire.

The phoenix pursuers spotted him and wailed with aggressiveness. The chase resumed, that time without Sky and Hazel.

"Your phoenix is stunningly brave, Sky," Hazel said with a sad kind of pride.

"He's not mine to begin with," Sky replied with his eyes fixed on the watery horizon. The hectic rhythm of his heartbeats was insufferable. "I don't own him. True companionship is rooted in trust and mutual respect."

No sooner had he said those wise words that they saw a bright red light shining on the ocean waves. Next, they heard a loud explosive sound, making them gasp.

"What was that?" Hazel asked with a furrowed brow.

The next few seconds were the dawn of true agony.

As they witnessed a lonely, dark golden phoenix surrounded by angry flames crash-land into the ocean far ahead in the distance, Sky's eyes widened. A circling, vulture-like dance of a dozen phoenixes scanned the area. Words were stuck in Sky's throat as he clenched his fists.

"Isn't that...?" Hazel feared to ask, so she didn't finish the question as she put her fingers over her mouth.

Sky's body lost strength, letting him fall on his knees into the water. The protruding veins on his tense neck and shoulders were the prelude to a heart-breaking wail.

"HAYWIRE!"

Hello, my sugar cubes!

Did Haywire survive?

Stay tuned!

XOXO

Mar