Myriad

Chapter 5

Confused and tired, both children clumsily awoke against a damp log. "What...what happened brother?" Charla murmured. Ceren was confused himself - all the events of last night had seemed to jumble together in a huge blur. "Brother...It's cold..." Charla murmered. "I know. We'll just have to find some shelter somewhere, but..." he trailed off. The forest seemed completely endless and he couldn't see any signs of an exit. A cold chill shot down his spine. For perhaps the first time in his life, he was completely overwhelmed and directionless. He looked down to his expectant sister. He couldn't fail her, not now, not ever. "Let's just start moving this way, It's in the opposite direction from...where we came from. He heard Charla whisper "Home..."

They had been aimlessly trudging across the muddy forest floor for what seemed like hours. They had been mostly silent the whole walk. Ceren was still worried however. What was that with Charla back there, that light? How could this...thing exist within her that he'd never even noticed? It was so powerful too. "Do you think Corem is okay?" Charla hesitantly asked. Ceren felt a pang in his heart. "Corem...is very intelligent and resourceful." he replied. "But it doesn't matter anyway, because we're are going back for him soon. "Really?" Charla asked. "Of course. He's family after all." he reassured her.  He didn't tell her about his final conversation with Corem. He still believed that his good spirit was in there somewhere."Cer, there's lights over there!" Charla chimed happily. It was true, from amongst the deep vegetation they could see a faint warm glow. They burst into the clearing from where the light was coming from. A shadowy figure was hunched over a rather small fire but immediately jumped up a pointed a strange device at them when they came into view.. "Who are you? What are you doing here? Were you followed? Both children yelped. "W-we were just looking for somewhere warm to rest, and no, we weren't followed, we just, um..." Cer was lost for words. What exactly was he supposed to say? That he ran away with his little sister from his only home after being chased by a demonic being? It didn't seem like a very good idea. "Whoever you are you shouldn't be out here." he warned. "The Endlings are going to hatch soon, and you don't look very protected." "Endlings?" Ceren asked. "Ugh...look, I have business here, but this forest is a very dangerous place. It's no place for children especially." "Well can you at least how to get out then?" Ceren questioned. "No...you won't have enough time to get out..." W-what?" Charla responded, terrified. "Well then can you, erm, give us something to protect ourselves?" said Ceren desperately. The figure growled. "Just...stay behind me. I'm not gonna have the blood of children on my hands, so don't die, okay?"

They started their prowl. The children were remarkably stealthy, but the man moved without a sound. "Now, the Endlings can smell your aura, so try to dampen it as much as possible. "Aura?" Ceren asked, confused. "What? You don't know what aura is? I thought all kiddies were taught that these days." "Well not us, actually" Ceren murmured anxiously. What more was there to this world that he didn't understand? "Well stay behind me and don't you dare get in my way" the man snapped. A ear shattering screen echoed in their ears, bouncing around their heads and shaking them to the core. "It's begun." Not a second after, a snarling, hairy ball of fury launched itself at them and the man shot it with his device, squarely in the head. "This one is clear." He called back to them and kept on moving. This continued. Bang, a bloodcurdling squeal. Bang, a screech and the splatter of blood. The whole time both children were mortified. Was this cruelty, or self defense? Either way it was pretty traumatising. Ceren had to consistently reassure his sister, attempting to protect her. 

Then the trio ran into another clearing. Beady, red eyes surrounded them, watching from the trees. In fact, their number was increasing. Before long, they were completely cornered by the little monsters. The children got a better look at them for the first time. They were like huge, fat, putrid rats but with bright red eyes and curving, yellow horns. Every one gave off a foul stench like the worst kind of mould. "Damn..." said the man. "Why are there so many? This is insane..."  "Sir, are we going to be okay?" Ceren whimpered. "S-sure kid, just shut up". He sounded scared now too. The screech echoed in their brains again, and a wave of black bodies began hurtling toward them. "RUNNN!" the man shouted.