The sun had just been sinking down under the horizon when the scream that just barely escaped the shadows of the trees reached the spaceman's ears. His head snapped up, worry striking through his bones and into his very soul. It was not often that such a sound would reach over the lands Xephos and his pals called home, but one never knew with the drama a particular three always seemed to create. But this was different, this wasn't either of those three. This was Xephos's pal, his best friend... Something was wrong. If it made Honeydew scream, especially in such a bloodcurdling manner, there was no way it was just something silly as to be expected from any of them. No, in the one sound, so much was conveyed, and it could all be summed up into one word: Help.
"Honeydew...," Xephos breathed with worry from where he stood outside their home, the very tips of his fingertips still lingering on the cold, curved handle of the dark wooded door. Not a single thought traveled through his mind other than the fact that he had to find his friend. Completely unarmed, completely focused, and completely distraught. None of his emotions completely matched, yet they all focused on the same thing. He ran towards the darkness, his shoes sinking and slipping in the mud as he traveled. After blinking a few times, his eyes adjusted, just as any human's eyes would do when switching between light and dark areas. The only difference for him was simple, his enlarged pupils could let in much more light, just... differently. With the world around him nothing more than dulled grey-ish colors, it was hard to make out the differences between the trees, branches, and leaves, and because of it he found himself getting snagged in the plants over and over. Still, it mattered not. He wouldn't stop, he wouldn't give up. Not now. Not when Honeydew's life could be at stake.
The should of the arrow slicing the air was the only indicator that told Xephos who it was before he busted free into the clearing, a hole of destruction marking the path he had taken from their home to where he had found them now. "Honeydew!" Xephos screamed breathlessly, unable to hold back the emotion that shot through his body at the sight of his dwarven friend, who was against a tree and would not be leaving it anytime soon.
"Xe...Xeph... Ru... Run...," he had sputtered through the blood that drained from his mouth, causing him to cough, which only led to him choking on his own blood. He went to put a hand over his mouth instinctively, but that made him cry out in pain as he pulled against the arrow in right hand.
True tears appeared in his eyes as he looked up to the arrow, then to the ones that pieced his other limbs, one in his right leg and another in his left, which had also been over his gut. All three arrows went through the dwarf and into the tree. The one in his midsection was causing him the most trouble, and it was clear he would not survive if he did not get medical attention immediately as he spat up even more blood onto his already soaked beard.
Anger ran through Xephos as an adrenaline at the though of carrying out Honeydew's orders and leaving his friend. He wouldn't leave him like this, he wouldn't leave him to die! What type of friend did he think he was?! He had to save him! But he had to make sure they were safe first. The brunette looked around, searching for the pasty white, bald menace that had doubtingly not done this. It was the only reason Honeydew would tell him to run... But Honeydew knew Xephos could run off Israphel. Why would he warn him so?
"Where is he?!" Xephos shouted, his hands fists at his sides. The hair stood up on the back of his neck then though, and his senses told him exactly where Israphel was, and also why Honeydew told him to run. Why hadn't he heeded his friend's warning? Why hadn't he run?
Xephos spun on his heels, ready to attack, knowing he could win fist to fist with his strength and speed. But as he laid eyes upon who he knew would already be there, once more horror ran through him as he realized there was a plus one.
Israphel stood there, both mob boss minions at his said, with his bow not readied, but instead holding a different weapon: a lead. Upon that lead was a man on his knees and shaky arms. A quiet whimper escaped the man as he looked up to Xephos with his dulled green eyes and light hair falling in front of his face, which was now a sickly green-tinted color along the rest of his malnourished body, and guilt became ever so present in his expression, as if he felt that Xephos was in a worse situation than he was, as if Xephos was the one who should be felt bad for. Once might say it was true. It definitely was in his eyes, and that was saying a lot since they already had a bright red overpowering the green. It was obvious he had been bitten by none other than the mob boss that stood behind him.
"Oh Notch... Lalna...," Xephos murmured. "What did they do to you...?" "That's not... Not what you need... To be worried about...," responded the blond, it taking quite a time for him to get his words thanks to his words be drawn out, something that only could be drawn back to his... problem. "Wha... What do you mean?" Xephos asked in response, trying to hide his worry but failing as his voice cracked. "I... I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to...," wined Lalna. "I... I just-" He was cut off as Israphel yanked back on the leash, choking Lalna as he reached up in an attempt to pull the rope away from his neck with pitifully weak hands and even pulling him from the ground a bit. "Enough talking," paleface spat darkly. "It's time."
"Time...? Time for what?" Xephos questioned, struggling to keep his anger out of his voice, knowing it would not help his situation any. "Why, that is for me to know and you to find out...," Israphel chuckled darkly. "It might have something to do with this though." With an dark grin, Israphel put his free hand into his jacket, pulling Lalna's journal only inches into view before flipping it open to a specific page with nothing but a flick of the wrist. He held it up and gave Xephos a quick glance, smiling at the sight of Xephos's fear as the hero recognized the book. Xephos had no idea what was in there about him... But something wasn't right here. Something was off. With a quick glance to Lalna, he would see it in his eyes, that this was his final trick. Only a slight smirk went along with the look on his face, but it was gone again in the next second as he finally collapsed, having conveyed his message, done his last deed... Xephos tried to ignore the pain of watching his friend just die before him, he knew there would be time for mourning later... If he survived that was. At least he knew Lalna had done something for him though. Just that something... What was it? What advantage had Lalna given Xephos with his last breath? What he he died for?
"Oh, pity," Israphel had said when Lalna fell before looking back to the book he now held. It was something he had worked hart to get from the scientist... Why did he have reason to believe it had been altered between torturing sessions? He believed every word on the page, a grave mistake, and one Lalna had counted on when he altered the entries. "Ah, here we are... Xephos... Overview, power, height, agility, blah blah blah, don't care... Weaknesses! Honeydew, and, of course, a fatal health complication that is controlled only by a drug secreted by his badge every few seconds... When removed, the hero shall fall dead within a minutes' time. Oh, how wonderfully helpful these notes are..." Israphel folded the book closed and shoved it back into his jacket, a wide, dark smile upon his face as he stepped forward towards the slightly confused Xephos, who quickly caught on and put a hand over his badge. Was this what Lalna had planned? To let Xephos get the jump on Israphel? How did he even know about his badge? It didn't matter now, Xephos thought. He just had to make sure Lalna didn't die in vain now.
"N-no!" Xephos said, backing up warily, trying to keep up the act. "You can't do that!" "I can," Israphel replied as he stalked forward. "And I will." "Xephos!" the pained and barely conscious Honeydew shouted from the sidelines as Israphel jumped forward, not with weapons, but just his hands. Xephos let the man rip the badge from his chest, only pretending to try and stop him. Honeydew's shout was a harsh reminder of why he didn't want to do this, but the good had to win, and this was the only way. Irsaphel only laughed as he stepped back and watched Xephos go to his knees, clutching his midsection.
"I will kill you...," growled Xephos as he looked up slightly so he could glare at the pale monster. "Unless you have powers beyond the grave," Israphel started. "You won't be doing anything." He kicked Xephos in the guts, making the hero yell out in pain, then turned around, waving his hands to signal the departure of him and his team. Little did he know, the moment he looked away, Xephos let himself go. It took only seconds for him to change fully, for his scales to rip from beneath his skin and for his bone structure to reshape itself, for his new body to completely take over. Although the roar of pure anger and fury Xephos let out certianly did the trick. Slowly Israphel turned his head, and his dark eyes widened, the badge he held in his hand falling to the ground with a soft thud, all that could be heard in the silence of shock. He started to run as he always did, but it was too late. Xephos was already upon him. With a slash downwards at his back, Xephos's claws shredded through his black ropes, throwing blood everywhere. A cry of pain escaped Israphel as he reached out towards his "allies."
"Minions!" he screamed from where he was pinned beneath Xephos's morphed hand. "Help me!" The zombie and creeper only exchanged glances before stealing a quick look at Xephos, then disappearing in the darkness, leaving their "master" behind to die.
Xephos dragged his hand back, not caring enough to give Israphel the time to realize what had happened, how devoted his followers truly were to him, to see that he had been betrayed by those he thought of highly enough to be his family.
"DIE, ISRAPHEL!" Xephos shouted before giving into his instincts, picking Irspahel up and only looking at the fear in his eyes for seconds before tearing him apart with his mouth like any true predator would, leaving nothing but a worn black bow, Lalna's book, and a few drops of blood to say the man was ever there. Xeph breathed heavily as he realized what he had done, how he had done it, and, after a moment, who he had done it in front of.
"Oh Notch! Honeydew!" Xephos exclaimed, turning to his friend, who stared at Xephos with fear and shock. The dragon bounded over, reaching forward to help. Honeydew pulled away from his friend's hand, worried, and cried out once more. His eyes fluttered at the pain, and then they were barely open once more, which was what Xephos had originally seen from him. The sight pained Xephos, but he had no time to calm himself. He had to act, and he had to do it quick. Determined, he reached forward again, pulling the dwarf free slowly as to cause the lease amount of pain possible. Still, the ginger was screaming again at the even moment, but it had to be done.
"Xe... Xephos...," whimpered Honeydew incoherently as his friend tried to hold him in a way that would not cause him too much pain, which meant Xephos was cradling his ginger friend as he bled out over his scaly arms. "Y-yes, Honeyd-dew?" Xephos responded with tears in his eyes, not caring if he could be understood or not. The response seemed like enough for the dwarf though. "Y-you're alr-right...," the ginger mumbled, grinning as he leaned closer to his friend, just wanting to be with him in his final moments.
"Wake up, Honeydew!" screamed Xephos, not even caring that his friend was accepting him like this. "You are not allowed to go to sleep, you are not allowed to die!" Honeydew could hear his friend's distress faintly, and it hurt slightly, but he forced his eyes open just so he could give his friend a supportive smile. "Th-thank you," he choked, coughing up more blood. "For f-finding me when I w-was in that d-dark p-place... For b-being my f-frined, for ch-changing it all... I... Ha... I l-love you, buddy..." Xephos, who had tears the size of buckets rolling from his eyes as he sobbed, just shook his head all through his friend's words. The light was fading from his eyes, he could see... "I... I love you too, friend...," he cried. "But we- we don't need to say that, ok? Because you're going to be alright, you're going to be alright..." Honeydew only smiled once more at his friend before his head slowly lolled to the side, never to move again. Xephos clutched his friend's body, unable to accept his fate. "NO! WAKE UP, HONEYDEW! YOU'RE GOING TO BE ALRIGHT! JUST WAKE...! Just...! Just wake up... Please..." Honeydew did not hear though. Only the dark night that swallowed his yelled words, the ones that had faded into sobs. It did not good though. Nothing could change what had happened now. After all this... It was over. Honeydew was dead.