"Etsu..." It was impossible to know for sure what she had in mind, but he had to trust that she had a good reason for not wanting him to carry her other than that she'd be embarrassed.

He put his arm around her shoulder like she wanted, supporting her weight. However, they couldn't move very fast like that; whatever she had in mind would have to work, as their lead on the creatures was steadily diminishing...

Once Eld complied with her request, she began to prepare. This took a great deal of concentration and effort on her part. She couldn't focus on running, and required Eld for that measure, but she also needed contact with the ground--which made things a bit difficult. As they slowed in running, the ever amounting shadows started to catch up with them. At this, there was little they could do but hope Etsu's gambit would actually work as well as she hoped. It took several seconds of her steady, slow breathing, and attempts of calming herself before she started to feel it.

If only for a moment, she paused and consciously slowed down, only to kick the ground as hard as she absolutely could. Immediately thereafter, she nearly fell limp in Eld's arm, but then put forth all the effort she absolutely could into running again--though she needed Eld's help indefinitely . . .

As they continued, Etsu took in a deep breath and looked forward at long last.

"Don't look back," was all she said then.

It took only several more seconds of running before the creatures caught up with them enough. The very first step over the line she drew ignited it, and there was a sound. It was small at first, but when a burst of light ignited the road, spread and touched the sky, it sounded almost like a scream--and it truly would have been seen for miles away, perhaps even documented in Hillcrest . . .

Eld couldn't helped but be concerned for Etsu, especially when she nearly collapsed after kicking the ground. But he couldn't exactly tell her not to push herself in these circumstances; if she didn't, chances were they both wouldn't be around much longer. He could only hope this would take care of it.

Any doubts he had were soon erased; for several moments it was practically daylight, and he was nearly blinded even though he was resolutely facing forward. That had been much, much more powerful than anything he'd ever seen Etsu do; if that wasn't enough he wasn't sure what would be.

Only when the last ray of light had faded into the night did he risk looking back to see if she had taken care of their pursuers.

The rays of light, however, were intended to be permanent: and thus the nature of Etsu's momentary handicap. She created something that, while not powerful in force, was supposed to actually stay. It was a tower of light, pouring up and falling down and spreading and illuminating the whole path from there to Hillcrest. The creatures, as she discovered when Eld was out of it, had adverse reactions to light. So, why not give them a lot of light? As much light as they could possibly want. More light than they could possibly deal with . . .

The only problem was that they actually could deal with it.

The living shadows seemed to pile on top of one another. They crowded around the light, balled around it, pressed their bodies so tight about its cover that they blocked out every ray. They climbed atop one another and dedicated their existence not to chasing after Eld and Etsu, but to snuffing out this source of light for all it was and all it was worth. When Eld looked back, there was no light, only a tower of living shadows.

Etsu strained. That was not the desired result, but she had little choice but to live with it. "A-at least they're stopped for now. Let us continue . . ."

Indeed, the light had not, as he hoped, somehow annihilated the shadow creatures. It only dimmed because they were completely surrounding it from all sides.....but at least they'd stopped chasing them. Perhaps they ate light or something?

"Yeah..." Wherever the creatures had come from, he could only hope they went back there soon. He didn't look forward to going back to Galaens with them still on the prowl.

"Are you alright?" he asked Etsu, continuing to support her while they walked if it was necessary.

"I-- I am okay . . ." Etsu sighed weakly. It was probably going to be a few minutes before she was able to walk on her own, let alone use her power again.



As they slowed with Etsu's fatigue, Etsu started to feel something . . . off. It wasn't behind them. That was almost starting to feel normal. But ahead of them, somewhere, something new. Yet, it was so faint. She released a sigh and disregarded it initially. The shadows, as far as she knew, were constantly trailing behind her. They were in the forest, on every side of them, until they really started to run. Then and only then had Etsu and Eld put the darkness behind them, and now that's where it remained.

But this was a feeling she couldn't shake--and inevitably, it would become a feeling that Eld would experience and feel likewise powerless against.

And then, it happened.

At first, it was nothing, just a stopping mass before them: a hulking shadow; a mist very similar to those left behind by shadows defeated, lingering before them all at once. But it did not simply set before them and fade just as quick--no, it formed. A hulking set of legs became more and more defined; a bulky torso took shape, and thick arms, reaching down to the ground even when the monster stood at full height, slowly but surely took shape. Scarlet eyes formed at the top of it all, so many feet above them--ten, fifteen, twenty feet above them, set atop a mountain of shadows and bulk and muscular structure, guided into creation by some unseen force.



Etsu stopped walking entirely.

". . . we . . ."

Etsu gulped. Even more sweat set upon her brow as she gazed up to the beast forming before them, blocking their path indefinitely. She looked back to the creatures still preoccupied with the light she had lay, and then back to the new threat. There was only one conclusion to draw:

"We are going to die, aren't we?"

It was apparently too much to hope that they were in the clear. As they marched forward, Etsu tensed, and soon an overwhelming sense of...something...overcame him as well. And then as a veritable giant of a creature formed before them, he slowed to a halt along with her.

A familiar feeling began to twist inside him, calling to him, beckoning for him to give into it...

...but he refused. He'd decided long ago that he'd sooner die than stop fighting it. "Not if I can help it. Watch my back, and if you see an opening, run for it." He raised the scythe stepped forward, prepared to face the monolithic predator. What he could do to something that size, he wasn't sure, but he wasn't going to just give up and die.

In no time at all, the intangible sections of the beast filled in. It hulked forward with its shoulders, setting its knuckles into the earth like anchors. In the continual accumulation, it gathered in strength and size, amounting to a thick, solid concrete tower of darkness, as tall as twenty five feet over their heads. Its maw was filled with edged and serrated teeth and its head was a swollen mass. Its body was mostly comprised of muscle mass, but while massive, it was not out of proportion . . .

"B-but . . . how?" Etsu asked. She was out of ideas, now. She had no powers, not for now. There was nothing supernatural she could throw at this supernatural monstrosity. All she had was her spear, and against what? Would it even notice if they stabbed it?

She looked up to Eld for answers.

Unfortunately, just as Etsu did this, the beast made the first move. It slammed one arm down upon the earth and leaned forward into it, its entire forearm spanning the width of the path. And then, it slammed its other forearm upon the first, layering them together. Without sparing a moment, it pushed its forehead against them and ever forward moved with its legs, its powerful legs that drove it forward at a constant and impressive velocity. It tore forward, piling in towards them at a tremendous speed, with absolutely no room to move away. To the side? No, that would put them into the forest, and there was no telling what kind of darkness may still lay in there . . .

He'd expected the creature to try and smash him or stomp him or something--a slow, easy to dodge attack that gave him time to think of a way to defeat it. As it was, he didn't even have time to answer Etsu's question, as he needed to act quickly if they didn't want to be smashed and trampled flat.

"Sorry, Etsu!" He didn't have time to ask for her permission; balancing the scythe on his leg, he grabbed her and tossed her high into the air--she wasn't capable of avoiding the charge on her own, so he had to help her.

He took up the scythe again and jumped just as the creature reached him, landing on its arms, and then he jumped again, this time swinging the scythe. He raked the weapon across the giant's left eye and up its head, and as he didn't jump very high he continued to tear it all down its back until it was past him and he landed lightly.

Sticking the scythe into the ground for a moment, he caught Etsu as she fell and set her back on her feet. For now, the way to Hillcrest was clear once more. "Let's go," he urged her. "If that didn't stop it, it's going to be pissed."

Etsu furrowed her brow. "What are you apologizing f--"

Her question, of course, was broken when she suddenly gasped--something which turned quickly into a cry, and then a scream, as she was quite literally taken off her feet and . . . well, thrown. She choked up almost a half second later, shut her eyes tight, and anticipated the coming end of the her life.

Eld rushed the beast and succeeded, mostly. A slash across its eye caused it to skid to a stop and let out a grunt of displeasure. It didn't like that. It didn't like that at all. Such a jump, however, was only possible by virtue of the beast's stature in the rush. It had leaned forward and cut its height by half to charge at them.

The feeling of choking suddenly went away when Eld had her again. In a flash, she was in his arms, then back on the ground. Shaking, she almost clung to him. Equally, she almost slapped him once they were on the ground. That was such a dangerous . . . just what if he didn't catch her! Just what would've happened! She'd have fallen, broken her legs, and then where would they be?! She'd be too injured to go on. He'd have to carry her and that'd slow them down and he wouldn't be able to fight, and then they'd both be dead soon enough.

But she'd have to yell at him about that later. For now, they needed to get the hell out of there before the creature caught on.

Although hesitant and still winded by what just happened, Etsu weakly nodded to Eld. She was slow to start, though--still obviously shaky from his risky tactic, she lagged in running at first, which unfortunately became the sole proprietor of a new and somewhat unexpected problem:

The beast could jump. Backwards.

With dark scarlet coating a gash across its eye, it landed in a brief stumble just feet before Eld. Etsu, a bit behind Eld, even came to an abrupt stop. The shaking of the ground nearly knocked her off her feet. The creature righted itself just as quick as it landed, too, and heaved a deep breath as it eyed Eld before it. This time, it did not bend down; it stood straight up. Eld wasn't going to leap over it again.

Eld couldn't help but let out a disappointed groan as the giant suddenly landed in front of them before they could start running. "We just can't catch a break today, can we?"

It didn't help that the creatures seemed to be getting smarter each time they encountered them. This one wasn't trying to charge them, and seemed determined not to let them get on the other side of it.

He picked up the scythe once more and started forward, considering how to approach the situation. The creature was too large to go toe to toe with--any blow that wasn't to some kind of vital area was probably not going to faze it at all. Even then, the only place that had any kind of features that looked vulnerable was its face, which was well out of reach.

In any case, he had to put some distance between him and Etsu, so that she wasn't caught in any attacks it made. He dashed forward, daring it to attack him--there wasn't much he could do as it was, but depending on what it did he could possibly counter...

Etsu wasn't sure why Eld was putting space between them. She withdrew her naginata without a second thought and started after him, but much slower. The creature had all the time in the world to react to Eld before Etsu was even in its vicinity.

The moment Eld was close enough, the creature kicked with its left foot, fully intending on driving its foot into Eld and throwing him back--and likely breaking his torso to pieces in the process. The problem was that the creature itself was not overly massive for its height; muscle did not weigh it down and reduce its speed tremendously. Instead, it moved with a bit of speed, about the most speed a creature of its size could formally muster. This not only made it tough to dodge, but even tougher to counter-attack if one managed to evade it . . .

It was at that moment that Eld might see something, though. Most of the creature's body was thick and bulky, though proportional. Only a select few portions of it seemed to have some degree of thinness to it. Its face, clearly, seemed to be have a bit of give to it, though Eld only knew that by hitting it. Two other portions could be discerned just by a look over: its knees. They were thin, bony structures that weren't founded on much muscle--potentially even weak, compared to the rest of its body.

Even as the kick was coming, he spotted it; there was a weaker spot on the creature, at the knees...perhaps, in fact, its joints in general would have less protection than the rest of its body.

"Go for the knees!" he shouted, leaping as the kick struck--but not to the side of it, as might have been expected. Instead, he leaped onto the leg itself, bracing against it and then springing off of it as the it reached the apex of its arc, sending him high into the air.

It wasn't entirely without consequence, as the force of it sent ripples of pain up and down his legs, but if they didn't take this creature down soon sore legs would be the least of his problems.

He rose well above the creature, and controlled his fall, intending to plant a diving kick directly on the creature's face. If Etsu managed to get to its knees quick enough, it was possible they could even topple the beast.

Eld's command was well timed. Etsu was already making her way for the creature, but as soon as it kicked at Eld, she was at a bit of a loss for how to proceed. Fortunately, Eld knew what to do, and used the shadow's leg as a painful springboard for its face.

She followed his command almost instantly. Rushing ahead as fast as she could, Etsu reared back her spear as far as she could, and as soon as she was in range, lunged with both her body and spear, throwing all she had into one stab to the shadow's knee. The odd part about it was the feeling. She barely felt any resistance. It was like she was practically stabbing the air--except much more practical. The attacks of both Etsu and Eld's were almost simultaneous, and the living shadow was pushed back, off of its feet, and quickly falling back into the ground. It landed hard on its spine and sent ripples through the earth about it, nearly knocking Etsu off her feet again.

It was down, but not defeated; its arms grasped for trees and anything it could possibly use to assist itself in standing. It was momentarily open for attack and stunned, but leaving it there just wasn't an option. It'd be in there way again as soon as it was standing.

Whether it fell or not, Eld had every intention of continuing his assault. After his first attack, it was apparent that so long as this creature lived they would not make it to Hillcrest, and one blow from the powerful beast would likely kill even him; he couldn't afford to be merciful.

After landing his kick, Eld immediately sprung off the creature's face, maintaining a high altitude as the it crashed to the ground. His body twisted in the air as he managed his flight, aiming for its face once more.

With a roar fueled by adrenaline, he dived at the creature and just as he landed swing the scythe into its face with as much strength as he could muster, backed by the full force of his inertia.