Soon Aryu was drifting down to the ground. The same move he’d used a hundred times emerging from Tortria Den over the valley below. A move he'd perfected. Further proof of his lies. Nixon, careful not to lose Esgona, followed, his wings of fire folding back and streamlining themselves like a bullet. Soon he was following Aryu perfectly, and moments later he was gaining.
Aryu didn't look back and couldn't see the approaching rocket behind him. He simply assumed Nixon would follow him, his youthful arrogance letting himself fly faster and harder than he'd done so in the past while his worry and purpose justified the act despite his body protesting. He was nearly bowled over by shock as Nixon blasted past him, close enough to touch, at a speed he was certain he would never be able to match. He could only watch as Nixon became a blur ahead of him, followed by the slipstream. When the slipstream hit it was like being kicked from behind by a horse. It carried over Aryu like a funnel cloud and forced him forward like he was being pulled. In a few seconds, he was starting to match Nixon’s speed, being carried behind while trapped in a bubble of circling wind.
It was nearly impossible to control at first. He was just a ragdoll along for the ride. After the initial shock passed and he had a better grasp of what was happening, he was able to balance himself in the turbulence and ride along with it. It was no wonder he had made it so far so fast, and this was likely not even his top speed. Aryu’s spirits rose as he thought about how this kind of speed was possible and how it could get them back to Johan that much faster.
Aryu felt himself press against a heavy wind below him as the slipstream moved with Nixon back upwards. Although not as fast as the dive, Nixon could still keep an incredible speed as he moved, making Aryu labor to keep up.
Eventually Nixon slowed, landing to allow Aryu a moment of rest. Aryu caught him, heavily out of breath and looking very tired.
“Ha, a good show, sir. I'd not expected one who loathes wings as ya do t’ know how t' keep up with me. Well done.”
A trick. A god damned trick to rub the lies into Aryu’s face. Aryu didn't see them as lies. He did not say what he said about them to hide his true feelings. He did hate them and wanted them gone, and he would still trade them away in an instant if he could. But Nixon had done a very good job of showing him that he was just as likely to be lying to himself as well as others, and that realization made Aryu’s tired face that much deeper a shade of red.
“Can ya keep up tha pace?” Aryu wasn’t sure but nodded anyway. “Very well. We continue like tha’ until I say t’ stop. Esgona twitches, so we may be short on time and I’d like t’ find yer friend quickly.”
It was like he was reading Aryu’s mind. He took a silent laugh at the thought of Esgona coming to during a dive, finding himself plummeting to earth at a shocking speed while in the arms of a fire-born demon-man. That would be truly fantastic.
They carried on like this, with Nixon falling, climbing, and repeating with Aryu at his heels riding the wave of wind. The whole time Aryu thought of reaching the village and its bar with the pleasant, fat bartender. (What was his name? Pauly? Sully? It was so long ago in his life that Aryu couldn't remember much before the last few days.) He daydreamed of walking in and seeing his friend sitting there. Soon, he’d know for sure if that were true.
Not yet though, as Nixon began the fall and did not pull out, allowing each of them to fall farther and farther until they were barely off the ground. Soon, from their left, leading out of the south, a dirt road came into view, and Nixon began slowing himself with clear intent to land on or near it. Aryu broke away, following him down to a grove of low grass and eye-high scrub bushes just off to the side of the road.
“Break time already? I was just getting warmed up!” A playful lie, as Aryu was so out of breath and sick with exhaustion he couldn't even stand, and he found a spot across the grove to sit down almost immediately.
Nixon smiled, which returned that peaceful feeling to Aryu. “Oh, of course, sir, my apologies for not bein’ as up t’ snuff as ya, but we're 'bout t’ have a nice-sized problem present itself.” Nixon looked back to Esgona, passing on his meaning to Aryu with a thoughtful, silent look down. Esgona was waking, and they had not made it to Johan. Aryu looked on like a Great Stalker following his prey. He had no wish to face Esgona like this, but if this meeting went anything like their last, he was damn sure he'd be coming out swinging. Aryu unsheathed the sword and held it before him, the power of the blade starting its surge through his exhausted body. Soon, it fueled his strength enough to stand again.
“You'll have no need of tha’, Aryu. This man will be no threat t’ ya as he is.”
“I'll be the judge of that. You just do what you do, but forgive me if I stay as I am.”
“Suit yourself.”
Moments later, Esgona’s dark eyes opened.
With Nixon doting over him as he roused, Esgona slowly came around, groaning as he did so. Nixon never left his side as the minutes ticked by as
