The day passes afternoon. Still I continue to fight and kill. As the sun leaves the sky and night threatens I keep fighting. Zynna and I get separated. Still all this time I don’t see Lock.

As the fight continues I see the end. The soldiers from Thaan are arriving. Lancers ride down the escapees on the edge of the battle. Then I see something that freezes my blood. One broke away and is heading straight for Zynna. I try to scream. I try to push my way to stop the one on the horse. I try to put myself in the way.

I can’t.

The horseman gallops full out as he lowers his lance. The scream is in my throat, choking me. She does not see that vicious steel tipped death. The lance goes straight through her. She falls to her knees; the lance keeps her from falling over.

Rage fills my heart.

Red veils my eyes.

Hate burns my soul.

There is nothing left but to make ever last one of those monster pay. I leap at one. It thrashes about trying to buck me off. Not this time. I sink my sharp teeth into it’s soft, exposed, neck. They rip through the warm flesh but stop on the hard bone. I open my jaws only to snap down again: and again. Finally I feel a satisfying crunch.

But no, that’s not the monster; I see it over there. It changed shape, now it is a two-leg monster but that does not fool me. I lash out with my claws. They rake of its hard shell; I have to get at its soft exposed flesh. Again I lash out but this time I hook into it. I pull it close so that I can gut it with the claws on my feet.

Again I see that the one I killed is not the monster that needs to pay for its crimes. I pounce on this one. But just as I do the red veil parts enough for me to see my brother. He is fighting near the riverbank. A Dragon he is fighting lands a stunning blow. This knocks him out. He limply rolls down the bank towards the river.

“No! No!” Is all I hear. It takes a minute to realize that it is me that is screaming it over and over.

I have to get to my brother. He is the only one that’s left, alive. I have to save him.

Geysers of mud erupt ahead of me. Mud knocks over some, still other leap out of the way. I run flat out. There is no pain in my body. All the cuts, stabs and the broken bones mean nothing. I don’t know if I receive anymore wound along the way.

Nothing matters: I have to save my BROTHER!

As I make my way to the river, I have a vague idea that others are following me. Perhaps the see is as an escape from the death on horseback. Perhaps they see it as a command decision. I don’t care.

The water is icy cold; no amount of bracing can prepare me for the shock. Right when I hit the frigid water, my breath gets slammed out of my body. I claw up for air but the breath I take is half water half air. As I am swept away by the raging torrent, I have to fight for every breath. I have no chance to try and save my brother. Keeping myself alive is all I can handle.

The raging water is alive with many things. Rocks are cared along, each seems to enjoy slamming into me. Branches also are among the stuff that the water is pulling, ever one is sharp with many splinters. Quickly my body becomes numb, I can no longer feel the pounding of the flotsam and jetsam.

It’s too much I can’t keep awake.

It is as if my mind is a deck of cards. And it is starting to shuffle.