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His palms began to sweat. His eyes looked around quickly, his pupils darting from one side to the other as he watche the beasts grab and slice at his friends. Rain dodged and slid around as best she could, but every step seemed to see her slower than the last. Every leap left her a bit more sluggish. She was mortal her energy had bounds, and her stamina was slowly beginning to wane with each sidestep and roll.

Their time seemed so limited now. They would surely die here. Remnant saw the blade fall from Rain's hand the small kangaroo mouse being tackled to the ground. The lizos seemed to sneer down at her, like a feral cat would a bird in its cruel claws. It raised its spear high, the slim wooden end pointed down at her. He brought it down swiftly upon the mouse who screamed. She began to cry, the spear had penetrated her ear, near the edge. Just enough skin left to leave her pinned to the ground as blood colored the sand below her. The beast reached up to take the stone spearhead off his weapon. Hr planned on gutting this non Lizos.

The beast lowered its now knife, dragging the blade along Rain's belly. Remnant heard her squeal once again. Finally Remnant snapped. He had seen this before. Scaled faces bearing down upon smaller creatures. Weaker creatures. The dragons had done the same, killed innocents... Butchered them. There was a horrified scream from the wolf hybrid. The Lizos finally looked his way, curious as to what had caused such a horror filled scream. Even the girl before him had better composed herself.

It decided that the male was of no concequence, his allies would take him soon enough. It turned back to the squirming mouse before him, a wicked grin on its face as it began to drag its knife across her belly, the blade so low as to shave a line of fur off her. It hissed and snarled as it erected the knife in the middle of that shaved trail, a tickle of blood pooling around the blade as he began yo sink the tip in. Rain clenched her eyes tight, and screamed as she felt warm blood spatter across her face. But there was no pain... No more than had been given already. She opened up a timid eye and looked up to the creature. Its eyes were fogging over and the knife it held dropped from his claws. A sword stuck from the beasts maw, the blade slipping from between its teeth like a second tongue. As the creature began to cunvulse and gasp for air, it fell to its side. Rain caught a glimpse then of her hero. Remnant. He had struck down the beast with a mechanical precision. The others didn't even know how to hurt these beasts through their thick hides but Remnant had struck the beast down with little effort. But the Remnant that Rain had seen was different than the broken man she had seen in the village.

As soon as the beast fell dead Remnant pulled his blade free. He looked more like animal than anything. A blood thirsty beast. He picked up Rain's dropped blade and lunged for another beast. His use of the blades was clumsy, showing how inexperienced he was with them. He was used to axes. The heavy ended weapons were obviously what he knew how to use and he was trying to use these weapons in a similar fashion. But he made up for his lack of knowledge in the use of his blades with an unending energy and rage, as well as plenty of experience in dealing with scaled, thick hided foes. Where other blades bounced off the beasts before them, his cut deep every time. He sliced easily Into every neck, looking almost crazed as he moved quickly over the sand. Three of the Lizos fell to his spinning blades, a fourth striking out at him before his blade slid up between the scales on its belly, digging up into the creature's heart. It let out a hiss as it fell to the ground, dead.

Remnant turned to the fallen beast, raising his blade and bringing it down on the corpse, screaming furiously. He mutilated the body with every strike, cutting deep into the flesh, leaving a pulped, bloody mess.

Dust slithered over to Rain, pulling free the spear stuck in her ear. He helped her sit up and hugged her tightly. "Its okay... We made it. We made it.". He said as he gently stroked her head. The little kangaroo mouse sobbed as she hurried her head in his chest, her tail curled around herself, she just wanted to hide away from the world. She just wanted to not exist for a while. If she didn't exist then maybe the fear would go away.

Her train of thought was broken as she heard Remnant screaming. He had dropped his blades and was screaming at the top of his lungs, his hands clutching his head as if he was in pain. And in a way he was. The voices of the dead plagued his mind. Memories of those lost to a dragon's blade or fire screamed their way through his head, tormenting him. Haunting him. If he could so easily save these new friends why was he so unable to save his family? His friends? His home? Could he really have just let it all go so easily when he could so clearly protect those around him now? Had he just been a coward? Running from the war, letting loved ones be slaughtered? No, he fought for years. He fought until the wolves gave in. But why listen to the survivors!? why listen to those who had backed away? He had lost so much. Isn't that enough to keep one fighting? Isn't the need to see a friend's death mean something worth his own life? Why did he leave? Why hadn't he hept fighting on, even after the others had left? What kind of coward let's his friends die a meaningless death? And what of his-

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted as a bloody, scared Rain hugged the broken warrior. "Remnant? Remnant we need to go home. The hunt is off... Dust has found our kill, we are leaving with just that..." She picked up his blades and stood him up, horrified at the sight of him. His front was covered in blood and flecks of gore. Dust pulled her back. "Keep your distance. Who knows if he is himself once more? He may yet turn on you like he turned on those beasts." Rain slapped his hand away. "He saved us! How can you say something like that!?" Rain declared angerly. "He killed our enemies. But by the look in his eyes I'm not sure I would say he saved us. He grabbed her and pulled her back again. "That looknin his eyes is not the look of a man who is currently... Aware of himself. He sees something beyond us... Likely a memory. Loved ones. Friends. Lovers. Who is to say. He may yet come back to his senses, but until we can be sure you keep your distance... And hold his blade."

Remnant's hands were bound, his body now restrained Dust used a rope to pull Remnant along at a safe distance. Or else risk the chance he sees an enemy in them next. "This isn't right..." Rain said through grit teeth. "You can't just treat him like some animal. He saved us. We owe him our lives." Dust gave her a father irritated look. "Look, I don't like this any more than you, but you have never seen a man like that. He may have saved us, but that may well have been just luck. He was killing those beasts, or whatever wartime monster he has yet to shake off. He was fighting on the instinct to fight and kill. A d until we know just what triggered it I'm not taking my chances with him."

The arrival at the village seemed normal at first glance, but quickly the villagers could see something was wrong. "Help!" Called one of the villagers, others rushing to see what he was calling out for. Word began to spread as the group approached battered and bruised. They were clearly attacked, likely ambushed. Their western refugee was believed to be on the brink of death by the villagers described him. Covered in blood and guts, the very sight of death itself. He had been a sweet individual, if not a little quiet. It was sad to think that he would come back so bloody and broken.

By the time they breached the village center the place was buzzing with questions. What had happened, who had attacked their party? Rumors of Lizos attack spread quickly. Had the lizos territory been breeched? Had they begun to expand again? Either way it may well spell the end of the village if worst comes to worst.

Mother Shilana pushed her way to the center of the village, looking to see the damage done. "Step aside. I said step aside!" Came the frustrated demands of the elderly woman. "My word... What happened to the lot of you?"

"Lizos." Said Dust plainly. "I'm not fully sure what they were doing out there but it wasn't their usual territory. It didn't look like a war party though. Just a sheparding party." Shilana nodded. "That much is lucky. Any more and you may not have been able to escape their clutches."

Dust shook his head. "We didn't escape. No... We were caught. Remnant, he killed them. All of them." The village grew silent. Even their best had trouble holding off one of these beasts. Killing a group was unheard of. "Is that was happened to Remnant?" Asked Shilona. "Yes... Well.. That is not Remnant's blood... He kinda lost it out there. He still isn't quite snapped out of it. We need to get him into a hut. Tie him down. He isnt stable right now. He may go off at any moment. I hate to say this about him... But he is dangerous. At least he is now."

Shilana sighed. "Get him too my hut. I'll get his cleaned up and see about breaking him of this trance. Everyone else... Go on home. Nothing more to see here.". As Shilana began to have Remnant moved into her hut Rain took hold of her arm. "Mother Shilana... What I saw out there... It was wild and crazed. He looked like a beast. But he fought like a warrior. Someone with skills. He knew not how to use our weapons, but despite that he knew how to kill these beasts. He could pierce their hides. I want to teach him to use weapons like ours. Maybe in return he can teach us how to slay the Lizos