Maven narrowed his eyes at Bahamut as he lashed his head back. The blinding lights erupting through the dragon god's fangs caused his scales to tingle and his brain to imagine the agony he would feel when annihilating rays crashed on him.
"We won't reach him in time!" A throaty roar erupted from his contorted lips, his wings flapping desperately.
Mounted on his back like a fiery dragon knight, Ifrit spat through gritted teeth. "Even ashes won't remain if we let that hit us. Faster, Maven!"
Bart sighed; his friends' care, their refusal to look down on him, though he had grown much weaker than them, vanished in smoke—replaced by bitterness. "At least we'll die together..." His voice dropped to a mutter. "It's not that bad, but being alive is better. Sorry Shihan. I count on you to raise Mariah and Noah. And Adam..."
"Shut up!" Maven and Ifrit snapped at Bart in the same exasperated voice, veins throbbing on their foreheads.
