💎A Collision of Fates💎 (Straight to Gay) (MxM) (18+)

42 - Landel and Adam

Landel grimaced as Kullver cleaned the wound in his shoulder.

"I never thought I'd see the sun again," Adam said. He was sitting beside Landel and was staring out at the ocean, at the horizon.

The sun was dipping below the edge of the waters. It blazed an angry red, casting the clouds in brilliant hues of pink and violet. The purple waters of the ocean reflected it all, the mirrored image stretching towards them, reaching for the land.

Breck and Nick were standing at the entrance to the cave, watching the interior for any signs of pursuit. Timot was casting a big ball of light, illuminating the darkness inside.

Adam's dad turned to his son. "You'll see it millions of times before you're done, Adam. It's my job to make that happens."

"Especially with Esteck on your side," Kullver said, pulling away. He grabbed a large roll of bandages from the bag next to him and began to apply it to Landel's cut. "He'll mobilize an entire army for you."

"I... I don't know how I can repay you guys," Adam said, voice shaking. He gulped. "I would be dead without the five of you." He turned to Landel.

Adam's gaze, when directed towards him, never ceased to make his heart pound, but he pushed through it, reached out, and squeezed Adam's arm. "You being alive is payment enough."

"Damn right," Nick said. "It only pisses me off that that shadow man got away."

"And all his little sycophants," Breck said from beside Nick. "Those cultists."

Adam breathed out. "You wouldn't believe the shit they told me." He paused then, shaking his head for a moment. He ran his hands through his hair. "There is someone they call The One. Apparently, they are collecting soul for this person, so they can absorb it and become a God."

Whoa. That was... something. Landel rubbed at the bandage that was wrapped around his shoulder, thinking. "The Shadow Knight isn't absorbing the soul?"

"No," Adam said. "He's doing the bidding of The One."

"The One..." Kullver wrapped up the roll of bandages again and stuck it back in the bag. "Sounds bad."

"Who is it?" Nick asked, fingering the hilt of his sword. "Did they give any hints?"

Adam shook his head. "None that I could tell. They were cagey. All I figured out was that one of the cultists, the head cultist, is named Grang."

"The one with the scars and the beard?" Landel said.

"How did you know?"

"I saw him helping the rest escape through that back passageway," Landel said. "He was the only one with his hood down. Well, other than the dead ones."

"We need to tell Esteck," Kullver said. "This thing is bigger than just the Shadow Knight."

"It's a fucking conspiracy, is what it is," Breck said, eyes still trained on the interior of the cave.

Kullver grunted, slid the bag over his shoulder, and turned to Landel. "How are you feeling? Think you can move?"

"Yeah," Landel said, moving his arm around. There was a little sting of pain, but nothing agonizing. Kullver had always treated him like a breakable little boy. "I'll be fine."

"I say we try to put some distance between us and this cave," Kullver said, standing up and walking over to the other three. "I don't like it. I don't like being so close to it."

"Yeah, I agree," Nick said. "Who knows what those crazy motherfuckers have planned."

Landel turned to Adam. The man was still staring out at the ocean and, when Landel looked at him, he turned and smiled back.