When Souls Awaken

55. With Eyes Wide Open

The morning sun rose, and Allura prepared herself for the day before she made her way from the tent to join the others. Rune was nestled in Flora's lap as she toyed with the flickering shadows, and Axis stared at the fire while Basar was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Basar?" Allura questioned as she set her bow down on their makeshift table. "I want to get this trip over with," she grumbled, and Axis gave her a questioning look.

"I'll go get him!" Flora chimed as she hopped up, and she handed Rune off to Allura. "He just went up the hill, won't be a sec!" she smiled before jogging off.

"What happened last night?" Axis pressed with a slight frown forming.

"He tried to-"

"What did he try?!" Axis barked, jumping to his feet before hastily checking Allura over, and embarrassment warmed her cheeks.

"He- he tried to kiss me," she revealed, and flames flashed in rage over the phoenix.

"I'm going to fucking kill him," Axis vowed, but as he started to turn away Allura grabbed his arm, earning his ire.

"I smacked him once already."

"You should have stabbed him!" Axis snapped, defiantly meeting her gaze while his flames continued to spark, but she remained calm with a gentle expression for her protective phoenix.

"Calm down," Allura spoke sweetly, and he froze with the distant memory of a sweet voice saving him with those same words from Usko's nightmare. "I told him he's on his own if he tries anything again," Allura assured the dazed Axis before he grabbed her wrist, abruptly pulling her into a kiss.

Allura's eyes widened in the unexpected passion, and Axis happily lingered in the stolen moment. He held the back of her head, deepening the kiss while Allura sank into it until he gently pulled back, and his hand slipped over to her cheek. He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip, gazing lovingly upon her face with an undying warmth in his eyes.

"Ehnhhh," Rune threatened the moment with a complaint of a squeak as he was squished between the two.

"It was you, wasn't it?"

The sloth was ignored by the phoenix as Axis failed to notice anything beyond his hero, who was looking rather confused at this point.

"Ehnh."

"I can't believe I never realized it until now," he breathed as he held Allura close.

"What are you talking about?" she struggled to understand.

"You were the one that saved me from the nightmare.".

"Do you mean Usko's?" Allura's befuddlement grew indefinitely. "I don't-"

A scream pierced the air, and fear grew Allura's eyes as she began moving without thought.

"Flora."

She broke into a dead sprint with Rune clinging to her chest, and Axis did not hesitate to follow. Her heart was silent as she raced through the deafened world.

*Thud.*

A body fell.

Allura barely stood in the sight of Basar tossing Flora aside. Allura could feel nothing, but a single want as the light left her eyes.

"I'm going to kill him."

Every fiber of her being screamed for Basar's end, and each step drew her closer to his demise.

"EHNHHHH!"

Fear shook the sloth as he looked into the icy abyss that held Allura's eyes.

"Allura!"