Trouse is startled awake by Gole’s loud roar, and he sits up to hear Poole’s voice call,

“Cyagenians!”

A jolt of alarm shoots through Trouse and he leaps to his feet. He rushes outside.

Cyagenians are an elven species which are viewed as monsters that commit unspeakable acts, and act in many ways like their relatives, the milities. They only help to cast a longer shadow on the elven family and are considered a synonym to evil. They are widely despised and feared.

“Of course the cyagenians would still be alive.” Poole mutters as Trouse comes to stand beside him.

“There are too many for us to fight. I can cloak us and help us slip by.” Teemu says as she comes out of the house she and Gutu had been sharing.

The cyagenians, possibly hundreds of them pick up speed as they spot the group, their armor glinting in the morning sunlight.

“Wait, I forgot about Gutu’s broken leg! We will have to stay and fight.” Teemu exclaims, her eyes widening in horror.

“Sounds great, I could stand to swat around a few cyagenians.” Gole growls as she unsheathes her claws, and Trouse frowns as he studies the marching lines of cyagenians.

“There’s more than a few. There’s are hundreds of them and…not very many of us.” He says and Poole glances at him sharply.

“I forgot that you don’t know how to count.”

“We were born in an overrun glishen city. We’re lucky we can speak at all.” Teemu defends and Trouse looks to her gratefully.

“So, if we’re all going to die, should we not die surrounding Gutu since he’s injured?” Poole asks and Teemu nods briskly.

“Yes and no. Yes, we should guard Gutu, but no, we are not all going to die. I hope none of us die.”

The group hurries into the building Gutu is inside.

“The cyagenians can’t catch these building ruins on fire since there’s nothing left to burn. We should be able to fight them off. Anyways, there’s always that saying ‘one alterna in battle is worth a hundred trapen’.” Poole says as he looks around and Thee frowns,

“I believe it was a thousand trapen. Regardless, I see your point. However, our alterna is not fully grown yet. And we have a wounded comrade, so we must be extra careful where we swing our weapons. I lost my potions in the crash, so I myself do not have a weapon.”

“Here, take my sword. I found that I’m really good with a bow and arrow somehow.” Gole offers as she unstraps her sword sheath from her neck and drops it on the ground.

Thee hurries over and draws the stone sword.

“I hope I remember my sword practice.” He remarks as he practices slicing through the air and Gutu solemnly says,

“They are converging on the village ruins now. The battle is upon us.”

The group goes silent and the marching of metal armor-clad feet fills the air.  Suddenly, a line of feathery-haired cyagenians with manes of hair ranging from white to red appear in front of the burned ruins’ wall, wielding maces of various colors and sizes. The cyagenians charge in their black metal armor towards the group, and the battle begins. Trouse leaps to and fro like a cat using his golden claws on the cyagenians. Gole shoots until she runs out of arrows and then charges into the swarm. Poole wields his lance like a club and bats around several cyagenians.

“Everybody stand clear!” Teemu shouts into the fray and immediately the ground splits, swallowing up many cyagenians.

The cyagenians flee.

“We should go before they return.” Thee says breathlessly and Teemu gestures to Gutu.

“We cannot leave Gutu here.”

“We could carry him on the lid.” Trouse offers and Teemu looks at him doubtfully,

“He is too heavy for us to carry him very far.”

“Then leave me.” Gutu commands and Teemu turns on him,

“Never! I will never leave you!”

“I could build Gutu a wheel to attach to his back so he can walk with his front two legs.”

“With what material?” Trouse asks.

“Why, the lid of the platform, of course. I’ll have to be creative with the wheel, however.”

“Alright, Thee, go ahead and make the wheel. We’ll stand guard against the cyagenians, in case they come back.” Trouse says and Thee nods.

Gutu painfully crawls off the platform’s lid using his front two legs, and Thee drags the lid away.