Even with a ringing head, Pearl could hear the boom that meant someone had just broken through the sound barrier. It never occurred to her that someone was on their way to save her. At the moment, her only real concern was staying conscious long enough to escape from the murderous god-birds trying to kill her.

"It'd be a shame if Xelqua was to arrive and find nothing but a corpse, don't you think?"

Her injured leg was still screaming in pain as she became acutely aware that the only reason she was still alive was because they wanted her to be. By the sounds of things, they were starting to question her usefulness. Why would they not? She was just bait to them. A leverage point to ensure Grian would obey.

The wounded hermit tried to crawl away, even if it meant her diet was better than bringing down her friend as well. She almost made it to the mouth of the cave. Maybe she could call for help. No, then someone else would be endangered due to her actions.

"Where do you think you're going, Evolutionist?"

"I say we kill her now. These forms can't restrain her very easily. It'd be more trouble than her worth at this rate."

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She was a metal rod in a lightning storm. Incalculable volumes of power were charged behind her. This was it. At least her death would mean they didn't have anything to hold over him.

+++++++++

Grian could not let the other evolutionist die on his watch. He barely noticed the sound barrier breaking like the fourth wall as a consequence of his mad dash. He'd never fly at these speeds under normal conditions but these were far from normal conditions. He might've failed the Evo server as a whole but he'd be damned if he couldn't protect one of his players while they were under his care.

He spotted a bloody mass crumbled by the base of the mountain. The air smelled acidic. The birds looked just as horrifying as when he was a spectator. They were mutated and just so wrong. He could recognise the energy of the lethal spell that was being aimed at the opening of the cave.

With a ghast-like war cry, the avian dove for his targets with his feet first, bird of prey style. The alleyway looked like a feathered tornado hit it as the three became locked in a cycle of godly destruction. Some part of his brain screamed at him to prioritise checking on Pearl but he shushed it in order to focus on the enemies in front of him.

Whoever was possessing the birds clearly had no real experience in a real fight. They used way too many flamboyant attacks as if they thought they were the main character of an anime. A new recruit? No, they seemed too strong to just simply be a new graduate. They definitely seemed powerful, just not enough to beat him.

Even between the two of them, he managed to overwhelm them with his superior plot strength. The birds became pinned beneath his feet as he push down onto their tail feathers. He didn't want to kill them or give the Watcher within them a chance to escape and report back to their director.

I already have a few eyes on you! The words that Alova had spoken to him not too long ago burned in his mind. Was this what she meant? His companions were nothing more than her eyes and ears. They were so easy to beat, and Grian couldn't tell if that was because he was an overpowered bitch or if she had really sent two underprepared students to spy on him.

Maybe they wanted me to win, he thought with a shiver. He didn't want to think about what that possibility would entail.

For now, he just needed them to stay sedated and docile until he could interrogate them. The birds could be freed later. They still squirmed under his foot like bugs. Best put them in storage while he helped Pearl. Conveniently, he had some rather large glass bottles on him that would suffice for the time being.

"Xelqua! Xelqua, the council demands your immediate return. Are you even listening to me!?"

"I can hear you, I'm just ignoring you." He scooped the loud bird into the jar that was currently being enchanted through his palms. It pecked at the glass but got burned instead. "No sound can get through there until I let it so you can stop shouting now."

The other was much quieter. Allowing itself to be picked up without much of a fight. It stared at its counterpart and said, "I think he gets the point, ̇/╎⨅⨅|| ̇/⋮ᔑ||." He chose to ignore that comment and put the bird in another glass prison. With the two tucked safely in his inventory, he allowed himself to let out a deep breath he had been holding in.

There was a reason he was so frantic to get here, right? Oh yeah, Pearl! Wait where was she? He whipped his head around to see four men huddled around the crumbled female on the floor. The fight must have been louder than he'd thought for everyone to get here in such a hurry.

The smaller builder promptly ran over to check on her, all thoughts of the previous battle gone and now solely focused on his injured friend. The others barely looked up at him as they were more occupied by the surprisingly challenging task of coaxing Pearl into drinking a health potion.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks while the wound on her leg glistened in her own slimy blood. It wasn't just that concerning thing anymore. Grian must have been a few seconds too late because there was a rough ravine travelling up her back and across her spine. The wound glowed faintly in the dark, flaunting its magical message.

He was going to fail to protect the last of his original players. She was sitting here right in front of him and dying before his eyes. No. He couldn't let that happen. He refused to. He reached for her back the see if he at least could remove the magic and give it a chance at healing.

He barely brushed against the damaged skin, but it seemed to ignite under his touch. Pearl gasped in pain as Grian snatched his hand back. Her back began to glow. Not just anything though. A very distinct pattern. ||𝙹⚍ ∴╎ꖎꖎ ᔑꖎ∴ᔑ||ᓭ ⎓ᔑ╎ꖎ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 !¡∷𝙹ℸ ̣ ᒷᓵℸ ̣ ∴⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ||𝙹⚍ ᓵᔑ∷ᒷ ⎓𝙹∷ ╎リ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ᒷリ↸.

When everything died down, Pearl lay limply on the ground, unmoving. He couldn't even tell if she was still breathing.

_______________________________________

Mhhh...
To kill, or not to kill.

That is the question I guess.

As you might be able to tell, we spend a lot of time thinking about names around here