The wind rustled through the canopied leaves as the two figures stood before me. The soft rattle of scales filled the now-tense silence as I lowered my head towards the male, lips parted as a snarl raced through the back of my throat.

Humans this far into the forest? You’ve got to be kidding me. These people must be complete idiots. The Druid stared up at me in mild boredom and curiosity.

“A dragon.”

No fucking duh. I snapped my head up as he released a snarl of his own, pushing the brunette to the side. The girl looked to be astonished and rigid, but with fear? I couldn’t be sure as she pulled her face into a stoic-expression. These two were odd and weren’t fleeing as other humans usually do.

“Kagin!” The girl hissed, grabbing the half-elf by the back of his shirt. “Don’t pick fights with dragons! We need to leave!”

That would be the smartest idea. I’ve already killed once today. I stepped forward as he ignored his companion. He looked straight up at me with a look that startled me. My wings flared behind me as his form shifted to that of a black lion. His eyes were now fully crimson as he glared up at me with an unwavering determination.

He wants a fight? Odd. I lowered my wings before swinging my head forward, teeth bared. Tendrils of black smoke curled from my jaw as a burning heat began to grow at the back of my tongue. A low hissing sound vibrated through the air as the creatures that I shared the forest with seemed to grow still, waiting for the battle looming over their heads. Something stopped the white fire that burned in my core. The lion spoke, his voice now holding a graveled and rough edge.

“Katsai, I don’t believe this is a full-blown dragon.”

I froze as the lion and I continued to stare off, the short girl that stood to the side repeating my thoughts.

“What?”

With the tip of his tail, the lion pointed to my back legs where a leather bracelet curled around my right ankle-joint. An orange orb was held neatly in place, polished to a fine glow with the silhouette of a broken wing glaring at the broad daylight. With a quick motion of my tail, I quickly hid the piece of jewelry from view, but it was too late.

The brunette took a cautious step forward, looking up at me with peaked interest.

“A Holder. That’s what you are?” She looked between the lion and me before something seemed to light up in her mind. Her facial features tightened as she looked up at me with an anxious but furious glare.

“You wouldn’t be working for him, would you?!” Her voice was laced with pure venom as she took a step back, raising her left hand as if prepared to fight.

Him? What is she on about? And why are these two not running away? I looked to the side before opening my mouth, smoke flying from my jaw straight into the air. The lion, who I’ve determined to be called by the name of Kagin, gazed at the brunette before speaking again.

“I don’t think they work for Galterius, Kat.” I stiffened.

Galterius?! Why are they talking about him?! What has that disgusting bastard done now?! I whipped my head back towards them causing the girl to jump. I snapped my right wing out as my talons stomped at the ground, nearly knocking the poor girl over.

“Galterius?!” I rumbled, shocking both of them as my low tone echoed through the forest. “Why are the two of you in these woods and how do you know Galterius?!”

The girl let out a little squeak as she jumped back from my lashing tail.

“Watch where you swing that! First the vines and now this?!” She shakily stood back up before brushing herself off.

“I could ask you the same question.” Her tone switched almost instantaneously as she looked up at me. Kagin, who happened to morph while the girl picked herself back up, seemed to know what caused the shift and took a step back. He looked at me and shrugged as if to say: She’s all yours.

I lowered my head to look at her eyes. Cold ice blue irises met my ocean blue ones as she glared at me with intense, but almost concealed, malice.

“How do you know the King and how do we know you won’t snap our heads off?” I narrowed my eyes as I lifted my tail, swinging it toward the carcass that loomed in the background.

“I already killed today so I am not eager to do it again, but I will do so if provoked.” With one of my front talons, I poked her in the stomach before lifting my head.

“I have no relation to the King at the moment nor have I seen any other humans in years, to answer your question. I do, however, have a strong resentment towards him and his men. So, I would very much like to hear your explanation. Make it a good one or my friends are feasting on a cat and a girl tonight.” Kagin made what sounded like a snort before looking away.

“Make that two cats.” He snickered as he muttered that line. I looked back at the girl to see if she had a reaction, but I only seemed to hear it. I gave him a questioning gaze but he only shook his head. My head whipped back to the girl as she spoke.

“I am not sure I find you trust-worthy in that form to spill our history and why we are in this forest. You see, I am not in a very trusting mood at the moment.” She matched her tone to mine, speaking formerly and with coherence, which by the lion-boy’s reaction, was a rare occurrence.

I raised my head, looking down at them through the corners of my eyes. Should I let them see me? Can I trust them? They could be just like those men. I looked at Kagin, my eyes narrowing. Something was off about this duo. I’ve been watching over them for the past few hours and no other sign of a troop or army has trailed them. Yet.

“Very well. But, I want both of you three yards away from me until I know exactly why you’re here.” The girl nodded in agreement to the plan. She backed up, pulling the boy after her. She gave me a thumbs-up.

I sighed, letting a cool feeling wash over my body. The cracking and splintering of scales filled the air as they fell from my body. The black jewels faded like smoke in the wind as they fell, leaving no trace of their existence behind. My height changed drastically as my form shrunk.

Deep brown hair fell to my shoulders in waves as light-tan skin replaced the scales from before. A sleeveless but hooded top covered my torso while deep blue pants reached down to my ankles. The only feature that didn’t change about me was my eye-color. Ocean blue irises opened to find the two staring at me with awe.

I quickly untied the fur-lined cape that was tied around my waist and wrapped it around my shoulders, clipping it right under my chin.

“What?” I mumbled as the two quickly snapped back to the main focus. My voice had lost its edge, much like that of lion-boy.

“I would like you to answer my question now.” I hummed as Kagin turned to poke the girl in the side.

“Katsai, you do the talking.” She coughed before turning back to me with her arms crossed.

“Right. Any weapons you have, I want in plain view first.” My eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping into my veins.

“Only if you do the same.” Katsai reached down to pull two daggers from her combat boots; the latter looked suspiciously like that of the royal guard. She then pointed to her left hand where a silver ring wrapped around the middle finger. She gazed at me before slowly slipping the ring off her finger and tossing it with the daggers. Kagin looked at her with slight shock.

“Kat…” He warned, but Katsai held up her hand.

“Your turn.” I gazed at them before slowly reaching down to untie my ankle bracelet. I swiftly placed it on the ground to my right where it was easily reachable if needed. I looked to the lion-boy, arching my brow.

“Nope.” He grunted, folding his arms. “One of us has to stay armed in case something happens.” Katsai stared at him before she sighed.

“He is right but since he wants to be stubborn, he can go stand by that tree over there in plain-sight.”

“Hey what-“ He started.

“It’s only fair, Kagin.”

“Fine, but you still owe me that roll.” He growled, slowly making his way to the tree before leaning against it. He went silent as Katsai turned back to me.

“Alright, to make things short. We are on the run from King Galterius.” Katsai slowly sat down with her legs crossed over each other. I stayed standing, looking down at her with peaked curiosity.

“Care to explain?”

“We,rather I-,“ She looked towards Kagin before continuing. “Stole something from his little castle.”

Katsai reached underneath her cloak. I tensed, preparing for a sneak attack or weapon to be thrown my way, but something else surprised me even more. A small leather sack was thrown in the middle of us with something green pulsing inside.

“Go on, take a peek.” She motioned towards the sack as I reached down cautiously. With slow movements, I untied the bag. I looked inside before quickly dropping the bag and kicking it away. Katsai let out a deep sigh.

“That bag has seen too much trauma.”

“That’s his aiteho, isn’t it..?” I looked towards Kat, seeing that a psychotic grin had replaced the stoic gaze from before. My hands shook as her next words seemed to echo across the forest.

“Yep. And that bastard is having separation anxiety.” She chuckled, placing a hand on her knee. “He fucking deserves it anyways. I am the one and only: The thief who stole Galterius’s little friend.”

I looked to Kagin who was still leaning against the tree to see if what she was saying was honorable, but he was looking off to the side as if lost in thought. I looked back to Katsai who had resumed her stoic gaze. She switches so fast….

“So you guys are criminals?”

“Basically, if you go off of actions.” She shrugged. “At the moment, we are the highest of highs. We are basically on death row if we are caught. Which is why we are in these woods. We were being pursued by his eagles and troops before entering the forest. The village of Maelstrom, which lies just Southwest of here, burns to the ground as we speak and we are certain it won’t be long before his troops march through here in search of us. We were going to leave at dawn before Kagin stumbled upon that Hellhound back there which leads me to another question. Were you the one to kill it?”

I stared at her for a long second, still processing her story before the question dawned on me.

“Yeah, I was the one to kill that beast. The King's armies are getting braver. The various necromancers and demon-summoners have been getting reckless in their magic. I’ve been finding more and more entities exploring this forest at their bidding. The demons and undead have been targeting the creatures and plant life so I did what I had to for my home. I’ve been hunting them for the past two months, but they just keep coming.” I ran a hand through my hair as Katsai stared at me with interest.

“I thought demons and the like were extinct.” Katsai tilted her head as she asked the question. Kagin finally seemed hooked on the conversation as he looked up, his elven ears twitching.

“So did I, but it seems that isn’t the case.” Katsai held up a hand.

“This just opens up more and more questions that’ll take weeks to answer. We got what we need for now. This must mean that his armies are getting stronger. This isn’t good.” I shook my head in agreement. Katsai looked to Kagin.

“Do you happen to know of the empires located to the West? I think they were called Annerwald and Baresdin?”

“Does it look like I know those names?” He responded, shrugging.

Katsai sighed, leaning back.

“Well, all I know is that Galterius has armies marching West from the news I heard in Maelstrom. Whatever he’s planning doesn’t look good for those empires or ours. And we know he’ll want his friend back before he goes all out.” She gestured to the orb that stood pulsing in the bag.

I stared at the orb as the conversation fell silent. Moments passed before Katsai spoke up again.

“That damned tyrant won’t get it though. He doesn’t deserve the magic he wields. I may be a fucking thief but that asshole is way more of a criminal than I’ll ever be.” Katsai stood up, brushing off her cloak. She strolled over to her weapons, picking the ring up gently before slipping it back over her finger. She didn’t leave room for either of us to speak up as she slipped the daggers into her boots.

“Which is why we need to leave as soon as possible.” She looked towards Kagin, who had lifted himself from the tree trunk, and then looked back towards me.

“I forgot one last question,” She smiled lopsidedly as she held out her hand to shake. “Name?”

“Oh. It’s Genesis.” I took her hand hesitantly as she shook it. She thought for a second before letting our hands drop.

“It’s unique. Suiting.” She turned to walk back to their little camp in the clearing. Kagin stared after her form for a full second before turning back to me.

“Her personality is strange, but you get used to the mood shifts after a while.” He chuckled. “Thanks for not chopping our heads off, it’s been a while since we’ve met someone who doesn’t want to kill us or rather, someone we don’t want to kill.” His canines flashed for a second before he let the small smile fall. Katsai had stopped meters away, watching through a bored gaze. Kagin waved before turning to catch up with her.

The trees seemed to have gone silent as I watched them walk away, their backs quickly disappearing in the shadows. I fidgeted with the hem of my cape for a second before sighing in a defeated manner.

“Wait!” I called after them. They stopped for a split second, peering back in confusion.

“I heard you guys didn’t pack a compass so you’ll need help getting through these woods.” I walked up behind them, shrugging lightly.

“Wait, how’d you know we didn’t pack a compas-” I ignored Katsai as I continued on, noticing her small pout.

“I’ll guide you guys to the other side so you don’t get eaten by the other beasts that lurk in the shadows.” Kagin frowned lightly.

“I can easily take care of whatever attacks us.” Katsai snickered, lightly punching his shoulder.

“Sure you can. Keep telling yourself that.” She laughed as she quickly dodged a jab to the side in Kagin’s attempt to retaliate.

“Hey!”

I smiled lightly as the two continued to bicker as I walked ahead of them, quickly leaving them behind. I heard the astonished cry of Katsai as she noticed I disappeared.

“Ah! No! Get back here! I’ll get lost!”

“The clearing is literally two yards away, Kat.”

“Still!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The soft chatter of songbirds filled the morning breeze as the humidity began to climb. Bush after bush and tree after tree seemed to roll at us continuously. They never seized as the day grew on with the rhythmic drum of feet marching against soft-jungle floors.

I practically grew up in this forest. Every broken twig and overturned rock nothing more than the familiar cracks that lined the walls of a childhood home. I have even grown fond of the creatures that share it with me. Every hare and tortoise a friend amongst the deep shadows of the forest.

Now, however, it seemed to be endangered by none-other-than King Galterius his-lovely-self. And who, might you ask, brought him here? Only the two criminals whom I just met; one not being able to keep her mouth shut.

“Holy shit. Kagin, I can’t believe the fucking size of that mushroom. I mean look at it! It’s almost my size.” Katsai was hovering over a mushroom that was rosy in color and stood at the height of four feet. It pulsed, not in an eerie way, but more like the kind of pulse that radiated from the sun.

“Mhm.” Kagin hummed, uninterested in the fungus. He straddled two packs over his shoulder as he trailed right behind me. He seemed unbothered by the load despite the obvious protest of Kat.

I pushed a fern to the side as I walked along an already trampled pathway. It was worn down by various years of use as I trekked through and explored my home. I was grateful for the past explorations. Now, I could easily transport these two to the opposite side of the forest.

“How long did you say it would take for us to reach the otherside?” Katsai popped up to my right, having successfully caught up. She carried a tiny sample of the mushroom, studying it in mild boredom.

“I didn’t.” I shrugged with a yawn. I heard a tiny sigh escape from her lungs.

“Okay then. How long will it take?”

“A day or two by foot. You guys do know I can easily fly us to the otherside, right?” Katsai seemed to fall back as I looked over my shoulder. Kagin gazed at me for a second before slowly looking at Kat through the corners of his eyes.

Katsai had grown slightly pale. Well, she was already pale, but now it seemed more ghostly and out of place. She quickly shook her head as she looked back up.

“A-ah, no thanks. The ground is much safer and if you fly above the treeline, we could be spotted by Galterius’s eagles.” She seemed to fall back even more as her voice grew quiet. I didn’t find anything wrong with her explanation but one look at Kagin told me that it ran deeper than just staying out of view. I slowly rolled my head forward, staring at the endless foliage that stood before us.

“Alright then. Foot it is.” A deep sigh was heard as Kagin quickened his pace.

“We might as well hurry up then if we want out of here by sundown.” He brushed past me, following the trail that slithered deeper into the forest. Silence followed as we continued our march.

Even after passing multiple strange creatures and anomalies, Katsai remained silent. I looked back over my shoulder to see her staring at the ground. Her trademark stoic expression stretched across her face but the slight slump in her shoulders was evident of her mood.

I slowed my pace until I was matching her stride. Why do you have tiny legs?! I glanced at her from the side.

“You good?” Katsai jumped as her head whipped up to see me walking beside her.

“Oh, yeah. Fine. Just thinking of plans for once we get out of here.” She mumbled, staring ahead. I followed her gaze. Kagin was a few feet in front of us, silent as he continued down the trail.

“Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask,” I dropped my voice to a light whisper. “What’s under his skin?”

Katsai kicked at a rock. She stared after it as it skittered into the underbrush. It took her a moment to answer. Her voice dropped to a whisper as well as she sighed.

“He’s just a bit salty, I guess. I didn’t tell him the reason for something and now he’s like this.” She shrugged, staring back at the ground. “I wouldn’t bother him about it at the moment.”

Silence fell over our trio once again, the distant hum of a bumblebee sounding like a cannon shot in the tense atmosphere.

“So, you’ve lived here for a while, I presume?” I looked back at the short brunette as she tried to change the subject. She brought her voice back to its original monotonous volume.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah. Been here for years.” I yawned as I stretched my arm back, hearing a satisfying pop.

“Which brings up another question, why are you helping us?” I looked over to find her staring at me, her cold eyes inquisitive. “Two criminals randomly show up in your home, running from a tyrant King who could very well destroy this place, and yet, you decide to help them. It is rather odd.”

I continued to stare at her for a second before sighing. I brought my hand up to rub my upper arm.

“You two are odd in yourselves.” I retorted, hearing a small hum of surprise coming from Katsai.

“You two didn’t run when faced with my dragon form, unlike other trespassers.” I hummed in thought. “And second, you two don’t actually seem like criminals to me.”

That comment seemed to shock her as she looked up at me with a startled gaze.

“What do you mean?” She began to laugh. “We are criminals if you read into it. I’ve stolen many things over the years, including these boots.” She lifted her foot to make a point. “I’ve lived in the shadows for years, both metaphorically and literally. Stealing Galterius’s aiteho is pretty much my last big stunt. That makes me the worst criminal by morale standards. You steal from a King? Immediate death sentence right there.”

“Only one thing can determine that. Why’d you do it?” I looked forward to hear Kagin scoff, one of his ears twitching as he listened in on the conversation. Katsai went silent as she chewed on her lip. After a few moments of awkward silence, she spoke up.

“Revenge.” I looked at her, waiting for her to elaborate.

“King Galterius has done some really shitty crap so he deserves a little payback.” She shrugged. “For the people he killed and for the people he will kill in the future, the one thing that can stop him is if he is distracted on something more important. Me, the thief who stole his most prized weapon, is the perfect distraction. Look, I get that both you and Kagin want to know exactly what he did to me, but that is irrelevant at the moment. Right now, we just need to survive, especially if we want him distracted. The longer we are alive, and the longer we have his aiteho, the more likely he is to put more and more of his resources into us. You guys know you don’t have to come with me. You are putting yourselves at risk if you stay with me.”

A growl erupted in front of us as Kagin stalled. His hands were placed in his pockets but it was evident by his stature that they were clenched.

“Will you quit talking shit?” He looked over his shoulder, crimson eyes glinting in the dark forest. “We are coming with you, so stop trying to convince us not to. Two: you’re not the only one with a revenge-list towards the guy, so quit acting like you are. You cannot do this alone and you know it, so why try to do it alone? For a strategist, that is a pretty stupid-fucking idea.”

Kagin sighed, turning his head back to face the trail before continuing to walk forward.

“Whatever plan you have for doing this alone, it won’t work. You know that and yet, you still try to push us away. I don’t understand why, but enough. You may be stubborn, but I am equally as, or better yet, more stubborn than you. You won’t get rid of me that easily.”

Kat stopped along the trail, staring after us with a melancholy expression. She bent down to pick up a rock before starting after us again, tossing the rock up and down with her palm. I looked back to Kagin who was now walking in a stooped matter. I quickened my pace to catch up with him.

His face was blank but there was a hint of irritation by the twitch of his ear. I brought my hand up to rub the back of my neck.

“Well, that was harsh.” I hummed. “By the way, you’re about to head down the wrong path.”

Kagin stopped in his tracks, looking at the fork that split in opposite directions. One bent towards the right with branches and rocks darting from the sidelines. The other flowed left with ferns and vines grabbing at the ground below. He inhaled before taking a step back to let me lead.

“Don’t be too frustrated. We all have our secrets, Kagin, and we need the right moment to express them. She’ll open up in time, but don’t hold it against her. After living so many years in the woods with animals you can’t communicate with; you learn to read body language. We both know she has a backstory, but not every story is meant to be read.” I whispered while walking past him. A small smile crept onto my face as the lion-boy stalled like he was taking what I said to heart. After so many years, I still got it.

We trekked on as the hours waned. The occasional startled chirp of a rabbit, that feasted on roots which littered the forest floor, would break through the silence that accompanied us. Katsai had gone back to studying unknown foliage that intrigued her. The buzz of dragonflies as they flew past her head would cause her to gasp and watch in awe as the unusually large insects whizzed off in a startled manner. Kagin, himself, had taken to gazing at the surroundings, although not as keen as Kat to study them.

It’s weird seeing two people so intrigued in a place you have known for years. Everything that you thought to be normal seeming out of place to them. I ran my hand against each fern that flowed past us. Their familiar brush like that of a calming embrace of a family long past. I tilted my head as I walked, closing my eyes to listen to the songs of songbirds that perched in the trees above. The call and response of their melodies filling the forest with the unique tune of mother nature.

The crack of a branch brought me back to reality as I looked behind me, noticing Katsai had snapped a branch from a nearby tree. The end of the branch was incredibly sharp, seeming out of place. Katsai seemed to notice this.

“I have a weapon now. How the hell did this branch become so sharp?” She looked up as both I and Kagin stared at her. She gazed back down at the stick before a grin spread across her face.

“I have a fucking stick of death. Fear me, mortals!” She cackled, charging at us with the branch in a playful manner. “Hyaahh!”

Kagin leaped to the side, staring at Katsai in confusion. Katsai turned around, swinging the stick towards me. I ducked, watching as the branch flew over my head.

“Kat, why?” Kagin grumbled, dodging another swipe.

“Why not? Trying to lighten up the mood and I was getting sick of the silence. Dragonflies can only provide so much.” She laughed, stopping her assault by letting the branch fall to the ground. “But, in all seriousness, why is it so sharp? It looks like a knife carved the end to the point.”

“You sound experienced.” I hummed.

“Yeah, I made mini spears when I was little. Genesis, did you carve this branch?” She looked at me, tilting her head.

“I do not need a ‘stick of death’.” I muttered, squatting down to pick up the branch to examine it. The flat but irregular shapes that slowly moved towards the tip of the branch signified the branch had been cut from a horizontal edge. The creator had used quick and sharp movements which left frayed and very sharp little pieces on the spearhead.

“The person who created this was in a hurry.” I let the stick drop once more. Katsai hummed, looking back at the tree where she had snapped the weird spear off of the trunk. Her eyes narrowed as she brought her finger up to chew softly at the knuckle.

“Why leave it on the tree?” She walked back over to the tree, examining the grass and trunk. As she did this, Kagin turned to me, his face blank.

“Why are we sitting here looking at this? It’s obvious someone, who wasn’t supposed to be here, was here. We should keep moving in case whoever it was comes back.” He leaned back against another tree.

“We don’t know where they headed or if they are still here.” I responded. “If we continue on, we could run into them. Also, you try and pull her off that tree. I am not going to do it, she looks completely concentrated.” I moved my head to where Kat had moved to the other side of the tree, eyes narrowed.

“Think soldiers are here?” Kagin spoke up again.

“Hard to tell, but I wouldn’t call it impossible.” I stretched, lowering myself to the ground. “We might as well rest here for now; we have been traveling for a while.”

Kagin nodded, sitting down as well. After a few minutes, Katsai returned with her face holding both concern and confusion.

“There are two possibilites. Nothing out of the ordinary stood out about that area except for bent grass blades and wood chips everywhere. No sign of struggle or a hurried escape.” Kat sighed, sitting down to my right. She looked down at the ground, her brows furrowing as her hair fell over her eyes.

“This person either intended to leave that spiked branch on the tree, which doesn’t make any sense. Why make a weapon just to leave it on a tree? Or this person left it as a warning or bait.” She looked back to the tree. “What is even more confusing, or rather terrifying, there is no sign of an exit. No impressions in the grass, no impressions in this soft soil, no broken branches or twigs, and no sign that this person stuck around to rest. He could’ve covered his tracks, and if he did, which I am assuming is a he; don’t quote me please, then he is extremely good at it. This person could be a hunter or bounty hunter, but what could be an even more terrifying conclusion, another Holder that has the ability to hide their tracks. There is one more possibility that I don’t want to be true.” Katsai looked up, pausing in her ‘little’ explanation. After a few moments of tense silence and Katsai clearly thinking over whether to speak or not, she spoke up again.

“He’s still here.” My eyes shot into the tree as I stood up. Katsai and Kagin followed my lead as we looked around.

“Kat,” Kagin muttered. “You happen to see anything strange with the bark?”

Katsai hummed, looking at the tree.

“No, why?”

“Ever consider that they could be in the trees?”

“Yeah, I considered it, but I am not one who is willing to check.” She grumbled.

“They are not in earshot. If they were, they would be attacking us right now; if they are here. Which means, we can make an escape without confronting them.” I interrupted them. Both of them looked at me.

“No conflict? If they are still here, and if they hear us-” Kagin brought a finger to his lips, silencing Katsai. He narrowed his eyes as his elven ears twitched. He slowly pointed to the south of us, careful not to make any noise as both me and Katsai looked in the direction. Katsai squinted, trying to make out what she saw, but what I saw was clear. A shadow or two lay crouched in the distance. Translucent bodies seemed to flicker as yellow eyes stared at us. The creatures seemed to converse with each other before disappearing into the bushes.

Kat’s breath seized as she quickly turned around.

“Kagin, transform. Now.” She hissed.

“What, why? And what about Genesis, she’s a fucking dragon!” My lips pursed.

Katsai looked at me, her eyes filled with thought and concern.

“Does your dragon form have soft padding on its feet?”

“What?”

“I’ll take that as a no. Kagin, you need to transform in like, three seconds.” Kat huffed, looking incredibly anxious and impatient. Kagin only sighed, quickly morphing into his lion form. He gazed back at the bush where the figures once were. His gaze swiftly turned to Katsai.

“You need to explain this.”

“I will, but we need to leave, I’ll explain on the way. Ok, Genesis, hop on. I’ll get on after you.” My eyes narrowed but I nodded, quickly pulling myself onto Kagin’s back. I looked back, offering my hand to the short brunette. She nodded in gratitude as I helped her up. Katsai looked behind us as alert as an antelope with a cheetah on its tail.

“Kagin, move as quietly and swiftly as you can.” Katsai whispered, knowing that the lion-boy could hear her. Within a second, we were plunging through the undergrowth silently. All three of us were silent along with the forest itself. The forest seemed to hold its breath, helping us with our goal.

“I don’t know where I am going.” Kagin rumbled softly. I looked back to Katsai, brow arching. She nodded, seeming to know what I was asking. I bent down, whispering directions into Kagin’s ear.

“Keep heading straight for now, you won’t need to turn for another kilometer or so.” He nodded, continuing on.

After a few minutes of travelling, Katsai spoke up; albeit, in a whisper. She looked behind us as she spoke, eyes searching the shadows while her left hand twitched. I looked down at her ring, noticing it glowing a soft gray.

“Alright. Both of you saw those figures, right?” Both me and Kagin nodded as the druid slowed down to a trot.

“Well, Genesis, remember all those hellhounds? Well, those figures are from the same summoner.” Her voice died off as she closed her eyes. She took in a breath before continuing.

“They are called Shadow People, or shadow entities. They aren’t classified as demons o-or ghosts, they just are there. Much like demons, though, many think they aren’t real or that they were real but aren’t anymore. All of us know, now, that this isn’t true.”

“How do you know all of this?” I looked back at her, confusion and curiosity building.

“You can say I took a great deal of interest into scrolls and books when I was young. Day and night, I would read. I read the whole library where I once lived which, mind you, was very small, but they had everything about creatures and foliage that they could find, so I read.” She chuckled softly. “I am a bookworm, but that’s beside the point at the moment. Shadow People aren’t supposed to be summoned, neither are Hellhounds. It’s forbidden and can take a heavy toll on those who are able to summon them. The spell castor’s go insane or-or die on the spot. Someone is summoning these and I don’t understand how. But, whoever it is, does not have good intentions.”

Both me and Kagin were silent for moments on end before the half-elf spoke up.

“Experiments?”

“What?” Katsai looked down at him in shock. My eyes widened. Experiments? What is he talking about?

“Experiments. Think that Galterius or someone else managed to devise some way for magic to go over and beyond?” We both looked at him before looking at each other. Katsai chewed on her bottom lip for a split second.

“I don’t want to come to that conclusion just yet, but you might not be wrong. Galterius has something else going on, and it’s not good for any of u- Shh!” Katsai instantly looked behind us. Her brows furrowed.

“Genesis, do you feel that?” I stopped to think for a second, following her gaze. Nothing stood out to me but goosebumps rolled across my skin.

“It got colder?” Katsai nodded, growing silent. She slowly lifted her ring. Kagin let out a huff, picking up his pace once again.

“Kat!” He growled, gaining the brunette’s attention. “They are shadows, right? Can’t you manipulate them?” Katsai pursed her lips.

“I don’t know! Shadow People is just a name! They might not even be made of shadows. And even if I were able to, Shadow People are virtually mysteries. I don’t know if they could damage or possess me if I try to manipulate them. And plus, someone else can be manipulating them, I might not even be able to override that.” She looked into the undergrowth with anxious movements, trying to figure out what to do as the seconds ticked by.

“I have a better idea.” I spoke up. “Maybe they have a certain range or certain tolerance. I don’t know how powerful your shadow magic is, Kat, but if you can somehow create blockades to slow them down, it might give us a chance to get far enough ahead.” Katsai looked around, studying the forest.

“I am so goddamn lucky that this canopy is so thick.” She muttered. “In the middle of the day with this many shadows? Hell yeah.” Her smile changed. “If Galterius is behind this-”

“Oh boy, here she goes.” Kagin grumbled, plunging through another bush. “Prepare yourself. Like I said, her personality can get crazy at times.” I gazed at him as Katsai finished her thought.

“-Then it is time to mess up some ghost-fuck’s day.” I watched as she lifted her left hand where her ring seemed to brighten. Shadows streamed from the forest around us, wrapping around her hand in a furied frenzy. They spun in a vortex as Kat’s ice blue eyes darted around the forest, seemingly trying to devise a plan. Her eyes widened as she spotted something. I followed her gaze, seeing the golden eyes first.

The Shadow Person reached out, hand stretched to wrap around Katsai’s arm. Katsai’s eyes followed the creature’s hand with increasing malice. She grinned, cackling as a shield of shadows erupted from her palm, parrying the Shadow’s plan.

I looked ahead of us as Katsai defended from the rear. I searched through the paths, eyes darting from one direction to the other.

“Kagin, take a left! I know a way to lose their pursuit!” He nodded, taking a sharp turn. Long trunks met our eyes as Kagin weaved in between each tree.

“Can’t those guys fade through objects?!” He growled, quickly jumping out of the way as a tree erupted from the shadows.

A laugh answered him. Katsai turned to look over her shoulder, having finally lost one of the Shadow People, but others quickly emerged from the shadows.

“Nope! You learn something new everyday, don’t you?!” She snickered. “These demon fucks don’t seem to be able to flow through objects. If they could, I wouldn’t be able to block their attacks. Something is stopping them. It could possibly be their summoner keeping them under control, but it was a mistake on their part.”

A ghastly howl erupted to my left. I quickly turned my head, eyes meeting with a pitch-black hand that was reaching towards my face. My eyes widened as instincts took over. Adrenaline pushed through my veins as I leaned back, nearly pushing Katsai off. The hand whizzed past my face. I looked up, eyes meeting Katsai’s guard boots. Her daggers! If they can’t phase through items, maybe a weapon will deter them! With a quick motion, I whipped my hand towards her boot, pulling at the dagger that lay within.

A few seconds had passed and the hand was coming back for another go. I cursed as the hand flashed past my neck, nearly wrapping around my jugular with those thin, grotesque fingers. I shot my hand up, slashing at the forearm of the ghoul. The Shadow Person screeched like a banshee, pulling back its hand in a quick motion.

“Katsai! To the left!” I warned, seeing the hand reach out again. Ribbons of shadows flashed past my vision, wrapping around the Shadow Person and pushing it back. Katsai looked over her shoulder, grinning.

“These Shadow bitches are definitely restrained in ability. Someone doesn’t actually want us dead. Kagin!” She called down to the lion-boy who seemed focused on leaping over a Shadow Person.

“I need you to find some strip of sunlight or maybe even the forest edge if we are close!” Her head whipped around as her eyes met with a Shadow Person. The ghoul had no mouth but seemed to be returning Katsai’s grin. Katsai sucked in a breath as the Shadow Person’s arms wrapped around. She visibly shivered.

“This is gross. Shit.” She muttered, struggling against its grasp. She tried to clench her left hand, but the Shadow seemed to be sucking up her strength. I turned, ready to slash at the creature, but it had already pulled her off.

“Kagin!” I yelled, cursing. Kagin skidded to a stop. The motion threw me off his back and I landed on the ground with a harsh thud. I gasped as the wind left my lungs and I was left stunned. Shit. Where are they?! Within a few moments, I pulled myself off the ground. I looked around in slight panic, trying to locate the two ‘criminals’.

My eyes locked on Kagin who stood at the edge of my vision. He morphed within the moments that I lay stunned, and he had managed to grab Katsai’s arm. She had seemed to lose consciousness, and lay limp. Shadow People swarmed towards her lower body, pulling at her legs. Why aren’t they surrounding Kagin? I then noticed something odd. Kagin stood in a ray of sunlight that was able to break through the canopy. The creature’s wouldn’t go in the sun.

I glanced around for Katsai’s dagger but noticed it had disappeared. I cursed, patting myself down in a search of a weapon, but came up empty. I looked towards my ankle, seeing my bracelet glow softly. I remembered finding this little stone years back. It was lodged into the side of a cave and took awhile to pull out. It seemed to be ancient in a way that not many stones or aitehoes were.

I quickly made a decision. Being quiet is irrelevant now. Pure fire raced through my bones as my skeleton cracked and reformed. The fire spread to my skin, quickly replacing the soft hide with rock hard scales and talons. My height grew as four legs touched the ground and wings grew from my shoulder blades. My teeth elongated and sharpened into those of daggers. A deep, earthly snarl materialized in my throat as I lowered my head to glare at the ghoulish beings.

This process is painful, always has been, but with so many years of morphing, I don’t mind it so much.

Kagin looked over his shoulder without letting go of Katsai. He smirked as he saw my form.

“Nice of you to help!” He called, turning to snarl at the Shadow People. “I can’t really transform or I risk letting go of her. Chase them off and stay in the sunlight! I don’t know how Kat managed to figure that out so quickly, but thank the gods she did or we would’ve lost her!”

I nodded, slithering up the edge of the sunlight ring. I shot my head out, snapping at the Shadow People in an attempt to loosen their grip. I cursed, realizing that if I used my fire, I could harm Katsai. I thought for a second.

“Kagin,” I rumbled, the deep, primal but elegant tone racing through the forest. “Secure her under both arms. Make sure I can get a clear shot.”

Kagin stared at me, his eyes narrowing. He didn’t hesitate, though, when he pulled Katsai further towards him and held her under both arms.

“Shot?” He questioned.

“I am going to surround them in a ring of Fire, but I need to loosen their grip first.” He nodded, prepared to pull Katsai from their grasp.

I felt a scorching heat build in the back of my throat. Sparks and embers flew from my jaw as I slowly opened my teeth, letting oxygen fuel the blaze at the base of my tongue.

“Are you sure it will work?” Kagin called, looking at the fire that was now threatening to burst from my throat. I only nodded, using my tail to point to the sun before pointing to my head. Light.

The Shadow People tightened their grip on Katsai, howling and crying as more erupted from the bushes to join the cause. I have to do it now or they will overpower Kagin. I took in a breath through my nostrils before exhaling and pushing the jet of flames toward the bush that housed the beings. The shot held true as the bush burst into an inferno.

The Shadow People hissed and groaned as they lessened their grip on the brunette. Kagin quickly pulled her from their grasp. They both fell back from the momentum and I was left to fend off the ghouls. Their hands reached forward but recoiled when the sun’s harsh rays burned against their forms. I hissed, igniting more of the foliage and trapping them in a ring of fire.

I studied them for a second before letting my scales fall. As I morphed, I heard a groan of pain, and turned to see Kagin and Katsai sprawled across the clearing.

“Why does a small girl have to hurt so much?” He grumbled, holding his head. He looked at her still unconscious form that lay in his arms and sighed. “How the hell did they knock her out so quickly? We were all pumped with adrenaline, it would’ve taken more time and power to do that.”

I shrugged in response. Whoever is manipulating these beings didn’t think their plan through accurately. They lessened the Shadow People’s power exponentially, but why? I looked back to Katsai’s body, seeing claw marks lining her legs. The creatures had ripped through her clothing.

“We will have to ask her when she wakes up.” I hummed. I looked back at the fire that burned and the howls of the creatures that lay within.

“How long will that fire burn?”

“The forest hasn’t had rain in a few days and with as much foliage as this is, it’ll take a while for it to die out.” I answered, lowering myself to the ground in exhaustion. “We can wait for her to wake up before we head out.”

“Let’s hope it’ll be soon because it won’t be long before his troops see that smoke.” Kagin hummed, slowly leaning back without disturbing the sleeping form of Kat. I nodded, looking up at the hole in the canopy. I chuckled as I noticed a peak in the sky.

“Lucky for you two, we are close to the forest’s edge.”

“It isn’t just us two anymore. With that little stunt and with that Holder out there somewhere, you are officially a part of this little WANTED team.” I heard Kagin chuckle.

A small smile formed on my lips as I let out a sarcastic sigh.

“Great.”