Back in the rainforest outside city Locis:

A few days had passed since Blake and Alex’s battle. They had taken shelter somewhere on the mountain range close to the forest. They were currently inside a cave, taking shelter from the rain.

“Who knew there’s rain on this planet too!”

“It’s no big deal, anyways just shut up and let me sleep. It’s bad enough that we don’t have any food.” Blake complained in annoyance.

“Well, we were chased for so long, Prexa’s fuel got over, we didn’t have the chance to collect fruits and we are forced to sleep on hard floor.” Alex said as he looked out at the rain.

“You don’t have to remind me every time.” Blake scowled.

“Jeez alright I get it you turn into a mad bickering kid when you are angry. Anyways we at least got these big leaves to cover ourselves.”

Suddenly there was a grumbling sound. Both Alex and Blake looked at each other. Both of them didn’t show it but their stomachs said otherwise. “Just sleep on we’ll find something to eat first thing in the morning.” Blake said as he turned to his left his back facing Alex.

Alex rested his body against the walls and closed his eyes trying to get some shut eye. Small dark bags had appeared under his eyes. For some reason the past few days after their battle he had been seeing some people he didn’t recognize. They seemed much like memories. They start happy but soon turn miserable as Alex could see the people in the memories suffering.

An hour or so later the still Blake quietly glanced back to check whether Alex had slept or not. He saw his chest heaving up and down as his breath seemed to have stabilized indicating that Alex was asleep. He then removed something from his pocket that seemed like a folded paper until he opened it.

It was a photograph of a little girl laughing heartily. That was not all she seemed to be holding the hand of a younger Blake. It wasn’t difficult to put one and one together. That girl was most probably his sister.

‘Sorry, Catherine… your brother missed an opportunity to score big this time. I’ll just have to find another way to get some money for you…’ Blake thought to himself as he solemnly looked at the photograph.

With his sister suffering from some major illness, Blake had to hustle for money as the two siblings were on their own in this cruel world. Even Blake’s reason to join Black Cloud was so that he could find an opportunity like this. And just when he had the chance to acquire a legendary treasure and sell it on the black market, Alex’s bond with the stone completely ruined his plan. Regardless he had made his mind to at least send Alex back to earth. How he further deals with the danger that’ll come with people’s knowledge of him having a bond was up to him.

“She sure is cute unlike you.”

“Woah!” Blake got up with a jolt, startled.

“What are you peaking at human?!” Blake asked angered.

“I said she’s cute… unlike you.” Alex said rolling his eyes. “Hmph” Blake kept the photo back inside ignoring him.

“Your sister?”

Blake replied with silence. Suddenly he heard the sound of a wrapper and next moment a half snicker bar fell in his lap.

“I was thinking of saving it for extreme emergency. But it looks like if we don’t eat and sleep now, we won’t be so quick on our feet tomorrow.

“Huh I don’t want your pity you human.” Blake scoffed as he ignored the snicker.

“Oh, you don’t want my pity or are you just scared that I have laced it with poison. Well, I knew you would be scared and here I thought you were some tough, hotshot. What a pathetic man.” Alex said without hesitation in an inducing voice.

“What? you think this poison can defeat me, dream on human.” Blake said as he immediately took the wrapper and ate the half remaining snicker.

“You see I am n-not dead; I am fi-fit as a fiddle.” Blake said in between munching.

“Yeah, I see, now go to sleep, I don’t want your brooding anymore.” Alex said in an uninterested voice as he turned his back to Blake to sleep. Then came the realization on Blake.

“Y-you tricked me, damn you, you sly fox. Just wait after our agreement is over, I’ll kill you off in…”

Alex just covered his ears with his hands to avoid Blake’s blabbering as he pulled the big leaf upon him like a blanket and soon drifted to sleep.

…

“He…p He-hrllp m…e ...e... help me.” Alex suddenly woke up from his sleep when he heard those words. At least he thought he woke up but instead of the cave he woke up to a complete red background with a gloomy shade of red and black mixed.