The fire crackled, sparks rising into the dimming light of the forest as Rayon set the deer Vorthalaxis had hunted atop the stone grill he had quickly fashioned. The air smelled of smoke and raw meat, but there was a strange satisfaction in the simplicity. He moved with effortless precision, slicing and preparing the meat in a way that left nothing wasted.
Iris Solmek knelt nearby, watching with a quiet curiosity. "You're… meticulous," she said, her voice soft, yet confident.
Rayon didn't look at her. He skewered a chunk of meat and tossed it onto the fire. "Not meticulous. Efficient. If you waste, you die." He smirked faintly. "Try to keep up."
She chuckled lightly, brushing a strand of crimson hair behind her ear. "I'm not used to people speaking like that… casually."
Erethon hovered just above Rayon, arms crossed, a grin tugging at his lips. "He's always like that," Erethon said to Calythar, who had manifested beside Iris, exuding a soft violet glow. "You'd think he'd care about manners now that he's… you know, a Black Primordial. Nope. Still the same arrogant prick."
Calythar smirked, his aura flickering as if amused. "And yet, there's something… undeniably charming about it."
Rayon spat a small ember off the side of the fire, cutting his eyes briefly to them. "Charming? You two need to shut the hell up. I'm trying to cook here."
Erethon raised an eyebrow, floating lazily. "Cooking? The Black Primordial, cooking meat over fire like some mortal? I'm… mildly impressed."
Rayon grunted and flipped a piece of meat, smoke curling around his face. "Mildly impressed is about the best you can get." He handed a piece to Iris, who took it carefully. She bit into it, savoring the flavor. "It's… excellent."
"Good," he said flatly, tearing into his own portion. "Eat. Watch. Don't interrupt. If you open your mouths again, I swear…" He left the threat unfinished, letting the weight of his tone hang in the air.
Erethon and Calythar, clearly amused by the tension, exchanged a glance. Calythar's form shimmered slightly. "Do you know what I've been wanting to do?" he asked Erethon, voice low but teasing. "It's been too long since a proper spar."
"Finally," Erethon replied, smirking. "I was getting bored watching you sit there like some… celestial ornament."
Rayon groaned, tossing a piece of meat into the fire with force, sparks flying. "You two are impossible. I swear, if you get any closer, I'll—"
"—We'll what?" Calythar asked, eyes glinting with amusement. "Hit you? Challenge you? I don't think that would work too well."
Rayon's eyes narrowed, and his lips curled slightly. "Try me. But move somewhere else. Far enough that I don't have to listen to your constant bickering."
Erethon laughed, the sound low and amused. "Ah, he's annoyed. Finally. I thought you might have lost that old charm, Black Primordial."
Rayon didn't reply. He turned back to the fire, but not before muttering under his breath, loud enough for them to hear: "Noise. Stop making noise, damn it. I'm eating."
Calythar chuckled softly. "Fine. But we'll spar. Just… not too close." He manifested a glowing violet blade of energy, a casual display of power that didn't harm the surroundings yet carried the latent strength of his Primordial authority.
Erethon smirked, manifesting a sleek aura around himself, each movement radiating confidence and subtle menace. "You asked for it," he said.
Rayon took a deep breath, chewing slowly, watching them with a mild irritation and amusement combined. The air filled with the tension of powers testing one another, of subtle competition. He was aware of every twitch of muscle, every movement in the aura surrounding them.
"Move further," he growled finally, standing and tossing the skewer aside. "I don't care about your little display. Far. Enough."
Calythar and Erethon exchanged a glance, then a slight smirk. "Far enough?" Erethon muttered under his breath. "That's vague."
Rayon's eyes gleamed with a dark amusement. "Figure it out. Or next time, you'll see how fast I can cook someone instead of a deer."
A faint laugh escaped Iris. "You really don't waste a second, do you?"
Rayon tilted his head at her, expression flat but a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Time is short. I don't see the point of idle chatter. Unless it's important. Or amusing."
The spar began, the forest echoing with the clash of powers. Energy rippled across the clearing with subtle shockwaves, leaves scattering as Erethon and Calythar tested their techniques against one another. Rayon, half-sitting against a tree, watched intently, focusing on every move, every technique, analyzing, but maintaining his casual, almost bored demeanor.
Erethon jabbed, Calythar blocked, sparks of energy colliding midair. Rayon muttered under his breath, a low chuckle escaping him as he flicked a glance. "Pathetic. Could be faster. Could be stronger. But I guess practice makes perfect."
Calythar's form shimmered, and Erethon's aura flared with intensity as their sparring escalated. Rayon remained calm, observing, calculating, while a faint sense of irritation tickled at him. "Noise," he muttered again. "Focus somewhere else. You're too loud. I can hear every exhale. Every step."
Erethon laughed aloud, this time fully, "The Black Primordial! Still grumpy and impatient!"
Rayon didn't reply. He merely leaned back against the tree, crossed his arms, watching as the spar intensified. The forest air thickened with energy, the hum of power vibrating through everything.
For a moment, everything felt normal—in a dark, twisted, powerful way. The fire crackled. Vorthalaxis moved silently in the shadows. Erethon and Calythar sparred with precision and grace. Iris watched from the edge, intrigued, not a hint of fear in her eyes.
Rayon smirked faintly to himself. "Maybe I'll let them tire each other out. Then the real fun begins."
The sun dipped lower behind the trees, casting long shadows across the clearing. Rayon's presence alone seemed to command the forest, the clearing, and the very air itself. Even amidst distraction, he remained calm, observant, calculating—but the faintest glint of amusement lingered in his gaze.