Creation Of All Things-Chapter 175: Power Boost 1

"Run, brother!" the older boy shouted, voice sharp with panic.

The younger one's feet pounded against the forest floor, breath shaky, eyes wide. Leaves slapped his face as he pushed through the thick brush. Behind them—shouts, dogs barking, the crunch of boots.

"They're getting closer!" the kid cried.

"I know!" the older one snapped, grabbing his brother's arm and pulling him sharply to the left, down a slope. "This way!"

They slid, dirt and rocks flying behind them. The forest around them blurred—trees flashing past like streaks of green and black.

Crack!

A bullet tore through a branch above their heads. Bark exploded. The younger boy yelped, stumbled, but the older one caught him.

"Don't stop. They're not gonna show mercy," he said, eyes glowing faintly now. Just for a second. A soft shimmer—like starlight rippling under his skin.

More men appeared at the top of the slope. Guns raised.

"There! Don't let them escape!"

The older boy cursed under his breath. He turned, one arm stretched out behind him protectively. "Keep running. Whatever you do, don't look back."

"But—"

"I SAID GO!"

The younger boy hesitated, then ran again, eyes brimming with tears.

The older one clenched his fists. His whole body lit with that same shimmer again—celestial light weaving along his arms like glowing veins.

"Come on then," he muttered.

One of the humans fired again.

But this time, the bullet stopped mid-air. Just hovered.

The hunters froze.

Then the bullet shattered into particles.

The boy stepped forward, light now pulsing out from him in waves. His hoodie ripped at the sleeves as his form flickered, just briefly, between boy and something far more divine.

The sky above started to swirl.

But even then—he didn't attack. He just stood there, a glowing wall between the hunters and his brother.

Far ahead, the younger boy tripped and looked back. Just in time to see his brother… shining.

"…Brother?"

And then—everything lit up.

Back To Adam

Aurora suddenly stopped in her tracks. Her eyes narrowed, and her smile faded.

"…You guys go on without me," she said quietly, turning her head slightly.

Draken immediately frowned. "What?"

Before he could ask anything else, Aurora spoke again without looking at him. "I can see the future."

That shut him up.

The others turned, confused. Even the air around her felt weird now—still, but heavy, like time itself was holding its breath.

"What do you mean?" Draken finally said.

Aurora's gaze was distant, almost… blank. Like she wasn't really there. "Something's coming. If I go with you, it changes everything."

"Changes what?"

She blinked, eyes slowly clearing. Then smiled again—calm, too calm. "Don't worry. I'll catch up."

"You're being weird again," Aria muttered.

Aurora tilted her head. "I'm always weird."

Then, with a small wave, she stepped back—vanishing into a ripple of light like a reflection breaking on water.

The others stared.

"…She just dipped," Alfred muttered.

Alexandria let out a low sigh. "Tch. I hate when she does that."

"Wait, are you all not going to talk about the fact that Aurora just laughed?" Adam said, still smirking as he stared at the spot where she vanished.

There was a moment of silence.

Then Joshua blinked. "No, yeah—she did. That was… that was a laugh, right?"

"Definitely a laugh," Aria added, tilting her head. "And not the creepy kind. Like… an actual happy laugh."

Alfred just nodded slowly. "I've known her for over 15 years. I've never heard her laugh. Not once. I thought her voice box skipped that part."

Adam chuckled. "Guess she's full of surprises today."

The wind rustled the grass, and for a moment they all stood there, the faint echo of Aurora's laugh still lingering in the back of their minds.

Draken crossed his arms, muttering, "Weird girl…"

Joshua smirked. "You like her."

"Shut up."

The group started moving again, the mood lighter than before—even if no one wanted to admit it.

Somewhere far ahead, Aurora smiled to herself without even knowing why.

Veyrion exhaled sharply, arms crossed. "Alright, enough standing around. We don't have time to dillydally anymore."

Everyone turned to him.

He raised a brow. "…Why are you all looking at me like that?"

No one answered. They just kept staring—expecting him to lead.

Veyrion sighed, then slowly turned his head toward Kael'Thar.

Kael'Thar, the massive towering dragon, immediately narrowed his glowing golden eyes. "No."

Veyrion didn't even say anything.

"I said no," Kael'Thar repeated firmly. "Only my father rides me."

He shot a glance at Adam, who simply gave a small nod, hands in his pockets.

"Yeah," Adam said casually. "He doesn't do passengers."

Veyrion groaned and turned away. "Fine… just an idea."

Draken caught the look in his eyes and stepped in. "And don't even think about asking me."

"I wasn't going to," Veyrion muttered.

"You were definitely going to," Draken replied, pointing a clawed finger at him.

Veyrion raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright."

He looked back at the group. "No ride, then. Which means we fly. All of us."

"Fly?" Aria asked, her face flat. "To where?"

"Karyon Sol."

A sharp silence dropped over the group.

"That's… that's across the continent," Alfred said slowly.

"Yeah," Veyrion nodded. "It is."

Joshua sighed, cracking his neck. "This is gonna be a long flight."

Then a quiet voice broke in from the back.

"…Can I see it?"

Everyone turned.

Alice stepped forward, calm as ever, her hands behind her back.

"I mean the place," she said. "Karyon Sol. Just a mental image. If I can see it clearly, I might be able to teleport."

Veyrion's face went deadpan. "No."

Alice blinked. "Why not?"

"You'll die."

That was blunt.

Alice frowned slightly. "You don't know that."

"Yes, I do." Veyrion's tone was sharper now. "You're good, Alice. But not that good. Not yet. You try to teleport that distance in your current state, and you're gonna split yourself in half, or get stuck halfway in a mountain. Or just… pop."

Joshua winced. "Please don't pop."

Alice went quiet again.

Veyrion turned back to the sky, eyes narrowing.

"The safest way… is still the long way," he said, voice low but firm.

"Alice Catch."