The glow that ebbed off the fur of one of the rats brightened as it jumped towards Falreath. On reflex, Falreath twisted his body to dodge. Instead he caused his friend to collide with the beast. The creature was sent flying end over end. In a panic, Falreath quickly looked over his friend for any damage, seeing little, a smile came to his face. Perhaps it wasn’t going to be as difficult to fight while carrying his friend as he thought.

He wrapped his friend’s legs around his torso and held him close. More of the beasts tried to jump towards him and he pivoted. Eldridge’s body spun out and hit the beasts in the air. Falreath could see a bit of blood drip off his friend, but he hoped it wasn’t bad. As he turned his gaze and looked at the countless little creatures, he began to wonder how it was he would see them out of this mess.

“Can’t think on that,” he told himself. He had to trust that his friend wouldn’t be too injured as he fought to find a path out. If anything, he could seek a hospital as soon as he broke free. His eyes scanned the surroundings as he hoped for a weakness in the mass of creatures. As he did, he realized he forgot which way it was that he entered.

“Any exit at this point is probably better than nothing.” His thoughts left him as he struggled to find a path. He continued to spin in a circle and send Eldridge out in an effort to keep the rats at arm’s length.

“Ahh,” Falreath screamed as a chunk of his flesh was ripped off his leg from a rat that darted in behind him. On reflex he pivoted and kicked. The creature flew, and Eldridge slammed into a few more rats as he swung out again. Falreath grit his teeth as he pulled his friend back. All the while his muscles cried out for rest. Eldridge slammed against Falreath’s body and some of his blood soaked into Falreath’s shirt. Despair filled him as he looked at the endless swarm of creatures and the blood that covered his friend.

The pain in his legs and the bleeding of his friend only reinforced the desperate nature of the situation. As it stood, they weren’t going to make it out of this. He fought to keep his mind focused against Eldridge’s weight as it numbed his body. He needed to find a hole he could burst through. His only hope was that tried and true intuition of his, that which has guided him well up to this point. As he sought it, the only thing he could feel in his gut was a predator beyond reason, in the outlying shadows. It was paralyzing. Somehow, he knew if he took a step in any direction his life was forfeit.

Falreath stumbled to the ground as another bit of flesh was taken from his body. He grit his teeth and prepared to dart out from the rats. Even if his life was forfeit, he wasn’t just going to wait for death to come.

A feral scream escaped his mouth as he took a step. The rats around retreated in caution from such pressure. A few of them opened their mouths, and rays of light burst out towards Falreath.

Falreath’s screams intensified as he felt his body scorch under the onslaught of light. The surrounding air began to smell of burnt flesh. Still he took another step, the weight of Eldridge caused his legs to wobble. Yet, the rats backed off in fear of something.

Faintly he heard hooves closing in. Death comes riding in like a thief in the night, His mind thought back to a poem he heard as he took another step. His body was once again blasted by the light and his legs gave way.

“I’m sorry Eldridge,” He mumbled as his friend's body hit the ground before him. He covered his friend's body and held with closed eyes as he waited for the coming pain of the swarm. The hooves grew closer and the earth shook. An instant later the forest grew silent. Falreath opened his eyes and looked around him at the empty clearing, all signs of the battle gone aside from the blood that now coated him.

A mild laughter rolled out from inside him. The certainty of death so near only to flee in an instant left his mind stunned. His only recourse was a laughter of stress and release. He set his friend down as he rolled to the side. Finally, he let himself fall into the primal reaction of his body. He was alive, and it was all he could think about.

***

Eldridge felt his head pound as he opened his eyes, the world around him rumbled. The sight before him caused him to shut his eyes as it felt like he was looking into a kaleidoscope. The more his consciousness returned the more his body screamed out in pain. He felt bruised from his head to his hip. Around him echoed a low rumble of laughter. Nothing made sense.

“Why did you interfere?” A familiar and powerful voice spoke around him.

“I’m sorry,” Eldridge said in reply, his only thought before such a majestic voice. “I meant nothing,” His voice whispered.

“That human, he holds an inner strength long forgotten.” A deep fearsome voice answered.

“Is that worth the energy you’ve spent to save them,” A scowling voice replied. “Even with the vacuum receding it only means you’re not slowly drained. It doesn’t guarantee generation.”

“So, my only option is the slow death of myself and my strength.” The deep voice almost yelled. “There was a time Ryu, when you would have scoffed at such a thought.”

“C, are you hearing,” Eldridge said as he tried to figure out the words that came to him.

“There was a time I was foolish enough to believe that our exile would only last a few centuries.” Ryu, the voice that had scowled, answered. “Our fates were settled when they banished us here Cyprus. And theirs were settled when they started to exhibit Xenoid.”

“I will not passively accept my fate,” Cyprus, the deep voice answered. “Not when Freki might have found a way.”

“A trickster if there ever was one,” The majestic voice replied. “Are you sure you can trust his information?”

“I watched him, though he is now weakened, he is generating again.” Cyprus answered.

“I will not weaken myself below a rank one like he has,” Ryu answered as if he was insulted. “It is beneath our station.”

“Given enough time, you will have no choice,” Cyprus answered. “Our exile has seen to that.”

“So, what is it you propose?” The majestic voice asked.

“I will bind to him who used his friend as a club,” Cyprus paused for a few seconds. “He has the heart of legion. I will lend him my strength as he lends me his. What about you, Ocel?”

“If what you say rings true, then there is some merit in considering,” The majestic voice replied. “Still I am wary to trust one such as Freki.”

“Freki is a trickster. yet, name one thing he did that truly harmed you.” Cyprus answered. “Most of his pranks stink more of adolescent humor than anything else.”

“C,” Eldridge said as he sat up through the pain. He once again tried to open his eyes. This time though his vision danced, he could understand the shapes. “Were you using me as a club?”

“What would give you that idea?” C replied, his voice weak as he stood to his knees.

“Them,” Eldridge replied as he pointed to the darkness around.

“Ocel, don’t pretend you haven’t been watching these two as I have.” Cyprus finally said and broke the silence. “You seek a way to renew that which is lost.”

“I concede you that point,” Ocel replied. “Fine, I shall bind he who hears our conversation.”

***

Falreath looked around the border of the dirt bowl with his eyes squinted. “I don’t see anything,” Though he said that as a dismissive statement his body fell into a combat stance. If there were more things coming to attack him, he would at least be ready.

The leaves rustled and drew Falreath’s attention. As he turned to face one of the largest darkest cats the man has ever seen in his life, he knew the cat had wanted him to know it approached. For with each step it took towards them, a single sound couldn’t be heard. The eyes though fierce held little malice. Before this creature, Falreath knew he stood no chance.

Then again, did a predator need to emit malice towards something as below them as he was? He thought as he took a step between the creature and Eldridge who was once again laying down.

“Hello?” Falreath asked as he slowly tried to move towards the beast. A flash of understanding passed over its face. “We mean you no ill will,” He continued, his hope to stop the beast from attacking. “We’re sorry if we intruded on your territory.”

The cat took another step toward Falreath as its tail swished silently. Falreath took another breath as the cat leapt toward him. He had survived a death by a thousand needles only to be taken out by such a predator.

The bounding cat flew over his head and drew his attention. He followed the beast as it dove towards Eldridge. “Noooo!” He screamed, his hand outstretched. The cat landed, if one could use that word, on top of Eldridge. Yet, instead of attacking it kind of melted around him.

Falreath had little time to consider the implications as a force from behind knocked him into the ground. Pain radiated through his body which drove him to unconsciousness.

hind knocked him into the ground. Pain radiated through his body which drove him to unconsciousness.