"FUUUUUCCCCKKKKK YOOOOUUU!" Ren screamed in frustration, staring into the sky at the Sky Whale with teary eyes.
....
Ren looked around frantically, trying to find any sign or indication that his parents escaped before the Slette got them. However, what he saw was the worst possible outcome.
The streets were untouched, clean and spotless not even a garbage bin was out of place. The sight was serene but yet all Ren could see was horror incarnate
Ren stayed there, silent, on his knees, faced down almost as if he had lost his spirit.
...
But by bit, the Slette approached Ren's figure, getting closer and closer with each second that passed until finally, the daunting black curtain landed in front of Ren.
Milliseconds away from touching his head, Ren's life flashed before his eyes, showing him all his memories, like his brain is trying it's best to push Ren away from the Slette
*Waaaak* Suddenly, Ren dashed backwards, scraping his shoes on the asphalt.
Stumbling a little bit after that, Ren stood up, turned around and ran back through the carnage he created, looking like he had suddenly regained his vigor.
...
"It's fine, it's fine," Rekka repeatedly told herself, trying to calm down as she nervously looked at the expanding void-like pillar from a distance.
By now, Rekka had closed the gap between her and her brother/house quite significantly, but unfortunately, the Slette has as well.
Looking at the Slette from up close, Rekka couldn't help but feel terrified by its nature. She never thought that she'd ever that in her whole life, that she'll one day experience a Slette first hand, let alone up close like this. But yet, here she is, going against the tide of her own instincts.
Jumping from building to building, Rekka left behind half bridges and pillars made from solid earth on the side of numerous buildings most
(I'm almost there...) Rekka gulped in nervousness as she began recognizing the buildings around her.
*Hhhuuuuuuaaaarrrrrrgggggg* an agonized wail reverberated through the air, permeating into Rekka's mind, causing her to hesitate mid-jump.
"Urg!" Rekka held the side of her head while falling down the building she was trying to jump to
For a moment, Rekka's mind blanked as the sky whale's wail permeated through her cranium; it was as if the wail attacked her mental state directly.
*Wu wooosh!* Cyclones of wind whirled beneath Rekka, catching her in midair.
Floating in the air, Rekka jostled around in panic. All she could remember was confidently jumping to another roof before her mind went blank.
Forcing herself to calm down, Rekka shakily suppressed her panic before looking around her, analyzing her current surroundings, she turned her body all around and when she looked below her, she saw her brother standing with a glowing green hand outstretched, moving his fingers
"Ren?" Rekka questioned as her eyes widened in surprise.
Without even looking at his sister, Ren lowered Rekka as quickly and as carefully as he could.
As Rekka looked at her brother while gradually being lowered, it was like Ren's face was covered in a veil of shadows.
"Where—" Before Rekka could get a word out, she was cut off by a familiar yet foreign-sounding voice.
"Bring us to the roof..." Ren commanded sternly, leaving no room for argument.
Rekka was surprised by the tone of her brother's voice; she couldn't believe that that voice came from the mouth of her usually shy and timid brother, but even so, she found herself unable to refuse his command.
Whether it be because of concern or cowardice, Rekka seemingly forgot about their parents at that moment and instinctually started to move her fingers to carry out Ren's command.
Ren walked closer to his sister without saying anything, and right as he did so, solid brown earth appeared beneath their feet and quickly extended, carrying the siblings up to the roof of the building beside them.
*Bung bung bung*
As the siblings stepped onto the roof, the pillar of earth Rekka created began to lean and eventually snapped apart, causing the alleyway to be filled with dust particles and debris as it came crashing to the ground.
"Where are Mom and Dad..." Rekka asked, snapping out of her daze.
...
"Let's go, Rekka..." Ren said in a dark tone
"Where are Mom and Dad!" Rekka asked with anger this time, not being discouraged by Ren's tone
Almost as if he's ignoring her words, Ren turned his back to Rekka, grabbing her hand in the process.
Suddenly, Ren yanked his sister's hand, pulling her toward him.
"Ow-"
Rekka was about to complain, but when she looked behind them, her mouth froze.
The Slette was right behind Rekka, and if Ren hadn't pulled her back at that moment, she would've been caught by it, dooming her to quick but terrifying death
*Badump badump* Rekka's heart pounded.
Eyes widened, Rekka frantically breathed in and out, but she had no time to waste. Lowering her resistance, she allowed her brother to pull her along.
*Weeeeung, Weeeeeng*
Rooftop to rooftop, Ren cast blasts of wind to propel them forwards and in any direction at high speeds.
*Haaaah, haaaaf, huuuf*
Landing on a rooftop that is fairly far away from the Slette, Ren put his hands on his knees as sweat trickled down his red-orange hair.
Rekka looked worried about Ren; she went up close to him and tried to act as a support before he fell. Even so, she couldn't help but constantly look behind them, though every time she did, she couldn't hold her emotions together.
"Rekka..." Ren said called his sister in between heavy breaths.
Hearing her name, Rekka quickly turned around and focused on what her brother had to say.
"Do you remember how to do the Sequence: {castle in the sky VOL. 2}?" Ren asked in a slightly desperate voice.
Hearing her brother's question, Rekka was surprised for a moment but quickly understood his plan.
Nodding, Rekka flared up her node in preparation. She knew that, to cast this sequence, her earth resonance path is a requirement.
Seeing this, Ren felt relieved. He dismissed his fire resonance path and began making preparations to ensure that the sequence succeeds.
*Wuuuu wuuuu wuuu*
*Tuuuuuuu tuuuu tuuu*
Two separate-sounding notes played as the siblings moved one finger at a time, trying to get in sync.
*Wtuuuu twwuuu wuuuuut*
Steadily, their sounds began to sync up. Right on time as well, because during their practice session, the Slette had crept its way far too close for comfort to them, and now that Ren's Node reserves had recovered enough, they proceeded as planned before they got swept up by the Slette.
*Fuuuuuuu*
Before they begin to cast the sequence {Castle in the Sky}, Ren used wind to blast them further away before casting, since it takes time.
After landing, Ren raised his glowing green hand, and his sister instantly understood what he wanted.
Instantly, the siblings began to move their glowing left hands and fingers, matching and complementing each other's movements, creating a fantastical but somber melody to reverberate as both of their sounds combined.
*Wtuuuu, tuuu, tuu, wuuuu, twuuu*
In front of the siblings, a disk-like structure made from solid earth slowly formed, slightly levitating off the ground, building itself bit by bit from walls to buildings, until finally, the castle. Creating a structure resembling a small scale medieval kingdom.
When the structure was finished, Ren and Rekka quickly climbed onto it, not caring about how rough and uncomfortable it is.
Once the structure is formed, the siblings repeated the same motions over and over again without stopping even when they were climbing onto the floating miniature kingdom
When both of them were safely atop the structure, Ren flared up his wind resonance path on his other hand, and with a swift movement of his that hand, the kingdom that they were sitting on began to levitate higher and higher until no buildings within it's trajectory could touch it
Ren had to spend a tremendous amount of effort to do this, not only because of how battered and burnt his hands were but also because of the difficulty of maintaining a sequence while also conjuring wind to push them forward.
Although the difficulty of this task is high, it is significantly more efficient than blasting themselves with wind until they get to the safe zone.
...
Flying above buildings and people, it felt peaceful even though it absolutely shouldn't.
Screams of those below them, stuck in the crowd, reverberated, but due to the compounding of their screams, it sounded more like white noise than screams.
After all that has transpired, there is finally a moment of calm for the two siblings, but yet neither one of them felt it
The speed of their flight was barely faster than a car, but it was more than enough for them to outpace the Slette.
On top of the floating castle, Ren stood in front of his sister, guiding their flight trajectory using his right hand, as well as maintaining the structure they're floating on with his left, keeping up with his sister.
During this whole time, ever since Ren had reunited with Rekka, he hadn't faced her even a single time.
Consciously or unconsciously, Ren hid his face constantly until now.
His red-orange hair blew backwards as winds pushed against the natural flow of his hair, revealing a set of orange eyes that reflected all types of conflicting emotions. Fear and determination, sorrow and relief.
His face, combined with his eyes, displayed his true emotions. Gritted teeth, drooped cheekbones, and a face filled with deep regret and fear.
"Ren...." Rekka's voice dawdled and lingered, downcast.
Even though it was just one word, neither one of them needed more than that to understand that the worst outcome had become reality.
The air between the siblings was quiet but yet so clear and audible, like they were talking into each other's ears despite no words being exchanged.
Staying quiet, the two siblings concentrated on their mode of transport as emotions of pain and sorrow festered in both of them.
...
In the sky, there were several other people who were traveling by air as well, quite a few in fact.
Hundreds of people in the air, using several different modes of transportation; some in groups and some alone, and some even flew low, trying their best to save as many people as they could.
*Ugggghhh, urrrrrrrgh* The Sky Whale desperately let out insignificant wails.
It is a wonder how the whale stayed alive, or in the air for that matter, since the Slette had already consumed half of its body, leaving only its head and tail in the air, still immobile.
...
After flying for a while, the siblings were finally out of the danger zone.
Looking around, Ren spotted a familiar park on a hill top and quickly redirected their trajectory to go toward it. Ren even provided one last boost so they could get there faster.
*HAAAAAH* Ren let out a loud breath of exhaustion.
After landing, Ren couldn't stand anymore; he fell to the soft ground and laid on the grass, desperately taking in air like it was his first time breathing after a decade of holding his breath
On the other side however, although Rekka wasn't as tired, but her state could be arguably worse than her brother's.
Although Rekka's body wasn't as wasted as her brother's, she couldn't control her body at all; she didn't even try. Her body felt numb, her hearing blanked, and she breathed roughly in unequal droves.
"Rekka... I'm sorry." Ren, who was still lying on the ground, suddenly said in a small voice