When his mother came awake relief flooded into him, he had restrained the red-head but it easily became apparent she was unresponsive along with Elisa.

Elisa for her part seemed dazed, she was out of balance stumbling and confused, Eian, however, kept his eyes on the threat.

Upon waking the redhead's head crashed into he chin and Eian had braced himself for a fight, which never came, the woman simply trembled and struggled to get free.

"Let go!" The woman screamed.

Surprised Eian did just that, she scampered away from him, he focused on her face for animosity, only fear was there.

"You are?" The redhead's voice weak and dry, as though she hadn't drunken water in weeks.

"Uh..." Eian held his hands forward ready to grapple and restrain her.

"Back! Don't think I won't call the police!" The woman stood and looked ready to run, she seemed to have gotten the wrong impression.

"I...don't think that'll work," Eian explained, watching her for sudden movements.

Without warning the woman bolted the other direction, she was pretty slow but Eian figured it was for the best, talking to a crazy lady would be a hassle anyway.

Eyeing the crazy woman disappear around the corner Eian helped his mother stand on injured legs, she leaned on him for help.

"What happened?" Eian demanded, anything weird could be of danger and he wasn't happy not knowing something.

His tone earned him a light smack on the cheek, barely more than a pat really, it would not have hurt him even before forming his core.

"Son, watch your tongue." Elisa's scolding reassured him slightly.

"Ehehm, sorry. What happened?" Eian asked in a much more subdued manner.

"....I'm not sure." Elisa's eyes were staring off into space, thoughts elsewhere.

"Are you hurt?" Worried as he was Eian wanted to know.

Elisa shook her head clearly more confused.

"I think it's time to take you back ma." Eian was definitely worried about her now.

"..No. We still have to help Ezrael." Elisa said.

"Aye, ma...it's getting pretty late, plus you can barely walk." Eian looked towards the declining sun for emphasis.

"Well let's hurry then." Elisa insisted.

Frustrating as it was she refused to quit, which while admirable was disturbing to Eian.

The dream world HAD told him night was more dangerous than the day, but that was also meant to test them and it was still early into the upheaval.

Also, he had noted how those rats had targeted them immediately, he was not an expert, but animals behaving that way towards a greater foe went against instinct in his opinion.

Still, Ezra DID need help, and Eian was grateful for his help so he would go along at least for now, he was confident in his prowess after-all, if things got bad he could outrun almost anything.

*****

They found another nest of pests inside a home, this one was infested with ants the size of golf balls.

Clearing the house proved impossible as the monsters swarmed them, but they managed to kill plenty before and while fleeing.

Elisa had cursed as the stinging critters were worsening her mood, Eian's protection proved beyond the overgrown pest problem.

The sun had begun to set, Eian scanned the surrounding houses, searching for more manageable prey, he evaded larger targets for fear they were aggressive humans.

Something brushed Eians scans, a single large vibration touched the floor far behind him, more to his left side, it vanished quickly after running towards them slightly.

Eian turned and kept his scans running and his eyes revealed nothing but houses and trees, his mother asked him what happened and he explained, after moments of no movement he gave into the possibility it might be imagined.

'Might just be stress.' Eian made sure to keep his guard up though, nothing was about to catch him off-guard.

The street lights were not turning on despite the encroaching darkness, which was odd, their previous captors had not lost electricity, so why this area?

The overgrown foliage coupled with oncoming dark was not a real problem, his earth senses and acute vision were more than enough to overcompensate.

As he passed Eian observed, the suburbs were mostly regular one-story houses with small lawns, only an occasional two-story house was around and never a three-story, they were still more luxury than anything they had ever owned.

Wondering, Eian imagined over what that would have been like, living with a father that actually wanted him, maybe even brothers and sisters, going to high school without part-timing.

Time to go out and have a steady girlfriend, instead of just on and off relationships that failed due to lack of time on his part, girls tended to think he was not interested when he said he had to go work after the third or fourth time.

He remembered being small and wanting a popular gaming console once, the name of the console and the game had long faded but the memory of his mother crying when he asked for one was still fresh and he didn't understand why till he was older.

'Shit!' Thoughts distracted Eian almost missed when something was charging at them.

A barking growl was already hurling towards them, Eian's reflexes allowed him to turn, channeling Qi into his arms, and cover his mother.

Claws, fangs, and saliva were all he saw before his hands were wrestling with the monster, its tackle tripped him to the floor.

Teeth were flashing and Eian cupped its jaw and held it away from his face, this left one of the beast's claws free to rake across him, though his flesh resisted leaving only scratch marks.

Wrestling the monster's arm, and pushing its face away he rolled atop the bulk of the beast.

"Kill it!" Holding the monster down Eian held it's ugly face down.

Then the monster surprised Eian, it's arms gained otherworldly strength, its free claw raked his chest and parted earth-enforced flesh reinforced in Qi.

The arm he was holding was wrenched from him, and its head slapped him silly before its bulk pounced on him.

Channeling empower cost Eian most his remaining energy, summoning rock armor set fire to his fumes.

Using the last of his energy Eian browbeat the monster with his added weight from the armor while Qi-enhancing his muscles, the creature's bones snapped and the sidewalk cracked from his impacts.

Eian's armor crumbled within seconds a and he threw himself atop the monster, holding it down and randomly punching it through its violent thrashing.

Once its injuries grew severe the beast alternated between whining and growling, only then did Eian get a clear view.

The monster was some form of a large cat if a cat's paws could stretch and become similar to clawed fingers and its fur was grey with strips of black, it's hind legs claws were similarly stretched.

Eian had broken one of its arms and it was dragging itself away from him, grabbing it's left hind-leg Eian stomped down enhancing his stomp, bones cracked eliciting a piercing howl.

Eian repeated his stomp through its violent rolling, ignoring its razors sharp claws as he worked.

The monster's growls grew weaker and inoften, finally, only mewls and whining remained.

The stupid cat thought it could one-up him, well he showed it and its pitiful begging wasn't fooling him, this thing was a killer through and through.

Only one limb was working and only just, still the beast tried to drag itself away from them, these animals apparently fought to the bitter end.

'If nothing else at least it's got a strong will to survive.' Eian didn't pity it, it was either them or it and Eian knew he'd choose himself a hundred times over.

"Ma, kill it." Eian pointed at it, blood following down his injuries.

"Your bleeding!" Elisa stressed and she tried to stop the bleeding.

His mother had been screaming and stabbing the creature throughout the fight, but she hadn't been much help as the target had been rolling and grappling with him.

Wincing at the brief touch on his injuries Eian pointed at the dying monster.

"I'll be fine. Kill it, you need to get your spirit up." Eian reminded her.

"I already have enough," Elisa said finally.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Eian rubbed his face exasperated.

All he wanted was to lay down and sleep and a bath wasn't out of the question.

"...Eian, I'm going to lash you if you keep talking to me like that." Elisa gave him a disapproving look.

"Well just kill it anyway." Eian shrugged, the simple truth was he was better at killing things.

Without answering, Elisa huffed and begun stabbing the cat with gusto, venting frustration.

Elisa muttered something about misbehavior and stupid insect bites under her breath, but Eian heard it well enough his five senses were beyond good.

*****

On the way back Eian hurried them along, his core was empty, his senses impaired, unable to use eyes of the earth without spiritual energy.

He did, however, manage to help his mother quickly get back to the house, even with his core empty his body's natural strength was a magnitude higher than a pre-apocalyptic human.

Elisa's legs were still injured so finally Eian relaxed as he saw her try healing herself, it was a resounding success.

Now they were waiting for her spirit to grow stronger, she could heal herself at spirit one, but healing others needed more, Eian still remembered that.

'I just hope it'll be enough.' Eian was worried, as much as he wanted to be optimistic he was no doctor and knew not how much care Ezrael's injury needed.

"I think it's time. Try healing him." Eian pointed at Ezrael.

He was in a bad way, sweating and feverish, pallid and weak.

"...take the bullet out." Ezrael wheezed.

"Is...that a good idea?" Elisa looked at his weakened body.

"...better than...opening me up again to take it out. Eian. Take Ez away. Please." Ezrael asked he looked tired.

"One sec." Eian motioned his mother.

Once slightly out of hearing range, from Ezrael and his son, Eian explained what he hoped would help.

"From what I understood try focusing on his major injury first. Alex would always do that so the worst heals and the lesser hurts don't really matter till later. Can you take the bullet out?" Eian explained and finished with a question.

"I...I don't know. This is all so sudden...We have pliers to try." Elisa played with her hair.

"Ma, you can do this," Eian reassured her.

"Right...That's ...right." Elisa didn't look convinced.

They both went back to the couch where Ezrael was laying.

While guiding young Ezra away Eian felt a pang of guilt, this might be the last time the poor kid saw his father.

Eian did not know what it was like to have a dad, but he knew what having a parent was like and the thought of losing that was scary, more-so considering Ez's age.

The only things he could do now was wait, and pray, and if necessary try to calm the kid.

Then Ezrael's screams started and Eian had to hold his son down, the kid's desperate cries were like sandpaper on sunburnt skin.

'Let's hope this works.' Eian bit his lip over the chilling sound.