Prepo plunged his knife into Ezo’s belly. The three of them cackling to the drake’s pained screeching as they carved into it.

Something snapped in Dreiki, his blood boiled in more ways than one. Fire magic surged through his body once more. So much that he thought his veins might explode.

He wedged his hand ax into it and used it as a lever, snapping the frozen bear trap with all the strength he could muster. He left his ax tangled in the jaws of the trap, taking out his knife and lunging with murderous intent.

He jammed it down into Prepo’s neck, but his skin was as tough as stone and didn’t sink all the way down.

A heavy chunk of ice slammed into Dreiki’s shoulder, shattering across the side of his head in a frozen slurry. Dreiki was too angry, hooking the butt of his dagger against Prepo's jaw.

Then another chunk hit him, and another, and another. Brutak slammed his fist into Dreiki’s temple and Dreiki woke up on the ground. He tried to get up, but his broken shin had him kneeling right back down.

Scio got a running start before punting Dreiki’s ribcage like a leather ball. “Damn, this kid’s got some strong magic. Stupid fuck! Stay down and watch.”

“Fuck! That hurt!” Prepo growled holding his wound, “Take a good look, you dirty fucking Noxa.” He spat, tossing Ezo’s crumpled body down in front of Dreiki. The drake let out a gasping labored breath, waterlogged in its own blood. The light fading from its eyes by the second.

Through gasped breath and shaky hands, Dreiki pulled the potion from his knapsack and poured it over the wound. He had to try. He couldn’t let it die here.

“Ah shit, the Noxa had a potion on him?” Scio said, “We could’ve sold that!”

Prepo flung another stone into Dreiki’s head with his magic, “After I finish beating his face into the back of his skull, we can take his stuff as payment for that cheap shot.”

Dreiki raised his palm, his eyes glowing with intense hatred. He wanted them to burn. He wanted them to be ash on the ground. His palm sparked, sputtered and fizzled out.

"Heh, guess the Noxa's magic isn't that strong after all. What's wrong? Did that last spell break your weak little spirit?" Prepo jeered.

The three of them loomed over Dreiki, grinning exactly like that pale monster from before. Dreiki cradled Ezo in his arms using his body to shield it from more magical stones. Dreiki only had a few more seconds before his spell ran out. He had to get away.
As he turned to run, Prepo grabbed his sleeve, “Where do you think you’re going, Noxa?”

Riiiippp!!!
Dreiki tried to get away, but the moment he stepped on his injured leg, he faltered, and that gave Prepo enough time to tackle him. “I’ll make sure you choke to death on that drake’s tongue after I’m done beating your ass!” Prepo shouted, winding up his fist.

Stones crawled up his arm and covered his hand like a glove.

Dreiki raised his guard, but that stone-covered fist blasted right through and broke his nose. Prepo rained blow after blow onto Dreiki who could do nothing more than recoil and cry out in pain like Ezo.

“Oi! Prepo! Prepo! His arm! Oi! Look at his arm! Don’t kill him!” Scio shouted, grabbing Prepo’s arm to stop him.

The blows stopped.

“Huh? What about his arm?”

Dreiki’s right sleeve, which had been torn off by Prepo only a few moments ago, had been hiding his tattoo. The silhouette of a blazing wolf embroidered on a coat of arms with draconic runes along the bottom.

“That’s a Venator Knight’s crest. You kill him, you're marked for death by his parents!”

Prepo’s eyes widened, “Shit! This Noxa’s a Venator Knight’s brat?” He clicked his tongue, “Fine, let’s just kill the drake and get out of here then.”

Dreiki had never heard of his tattoo being able to mark people when he died, but it gave him an idea.

He began to seize up, speaking in tongues like an angry devil. He spat out the blood in his mouth, and choked up vile black smoke. Seizing and foaming at the mouth in the most grotesque display he could perform.

“What did you do to him? You broke him!” Scio shouted

“I don’t know!”

“You beat him too hard, idiot!”

“Shut up! H-He’s probably faking it-”
A loud voice boomed through the forest, coming from every direction. Low, gravelly and rumbling, “My son, what have you done to my son?! I will hang your bodies from my spear for this!”

“Shit, he’s dying. Run or you’ll be marked!” Scio screamed.

“Don’t let it mark me! I didn’t kill him I swear! I’m just a kid!” Prepo squealed getting off of Dreiki, “ He died on his own! It wasn’t me!”

The three of them bolted as fast as they could in an attempt to avoid being marked. Dreiki didn’t know if running would’ve worked had he actually died, but his ruse paid off thanks in no small part to that voice.

He sat up, scanning the area for the source of the voice, “Hello?”

The voice spoke up directly behind him, “How does a kid like you know how to use magnesium dust?”

Dreiki jolted, turning to face the towering old herbalist from before, “What?”

“You sparked some magnesium dust earlier to blind me and get away. It’s a clever trick. I’m guessing your parents taught you that? Makes sense for a Venator Knight.” he gestured to Dreiki’s shoulder.

Dreiki covered it with his hand, “You’re mistaken, it’s not-”

“You don’t need to lie to me, kid. I know a Venator Knight’s mark when I see one. What’s it translate to…” He crouched, grabbing Dreiki’s hand and pulling it out of the way to examine Dreiki’s mark, “Wulkuniira… ‘Wolf of the Ivory Blaze’ huh? Now that nickname rings a bell. Your mother is Zesa Iriik, correct?”

Dreiki perked up, careful not to confirm his question, “Who are you?”

The xio gave him a sly smile, “The name’s Savekio.”