Rise of The Fallen
Ch 50- calm before the storm

–Elazar–

Faux! My arm throbbed in pain as blue blood streamed down from my bicep to my fingertips and dripped on the ground.

I know I'm lucky to even be alive, getting hit by the humans strange weapon could have been fatal had it hit me in the chest, stomach or any other area with vitals then things would've turned out much worse.

Immediately after Dispatching the two humans I had encountered before, I made my way back towards the cave. I needed to stop the rest of them, before they found kora and kion.

Bringing kora and kion to safety was my first priority, once I could be sure they were out of harm's way then I could take care of the humans and-

"Elazar!" A familiar voice shouted from ahead, slowing my pace. I could see Kion rushing towards me. Wait what is he doing out here alone?! How did he get past the humans? Where's Kora?!

"El t-theres a group of humans they came to the camp looking for your mate a-and they looked dangerous! Kora said they were after her and told me to hide! I didn't want to but we couldn't fight all of them-"

My stomach sank as he continued sputtering. The humans already got to the cave, Kion looks unharmed but what about kora? What did they do to her?! I quickly grabbed Kion by the shoulders to stop him from rambling. "Kion, where is she?!"

He looked at me with so much worry and guilt in his eyes. "T-they took her… b-but they couldn't have gone too far! We can still track them! They went this way!" Kion started running, moving away, ushering for me to follow him.

Thunder and lightning cracked through the sky as a heavy downfall started pouring down on us and I cursed under my breath. The rain could wash away any scents and the tracks if I don't hurry. Snatching Kion's wrist I quickly pulled him back.

"Go back to the cave, gather our things and take them to the southern cavern."

He seemed surprised and disheartened by the order. "But I can help!"

"No, not like this. Please kion just do as I say, humans are too dangerous. I'll get kora back and we will meet you at the cavern. make sure to have some warm try blankets and medicine ready just in case. "

He grit his teeth and his tail thumped against the ground but he nodded as I let him go. After a moment he ran back to our campsite. I looked in the direction kion said the humans went and gripped my spear tightly while silently praying to myself. 'Hold on Kora please!'

Rushing through the forest I tried to stay on the trail left behind by the humans but the heavy rains were making it harder to track. Visibility was low and the mud was slowing me down. As I entered the twisted forest I nearly lost all signs of the humans and started becoming desperate in my search.

Where did they go! Where! Where?!I pushed forward until I finally caught sight of the group. I hid behind the thick base of one of the twisted roots and watched the group. They were idling standing outside the entrance to a scalworg nest, looking for something. Almost instantly my eyes locked onto Kora as she tripped and fell.

I was seconds from throwing my spear and impaling one of the men beside her as they attempted to roughly pull her back to her feet, but before I could do so I was surprised to see her take both men down.

The rest of them turned on her after hearing the commotion and I came out from behind my hiding spot to rush towards them to help her. My eyes followed kora's movements as she turned on their leader and lunged for him. I stopped in my tracks horrified as she tackled the man and they both fell into the pit, disappearing from sight.

"Kora!!" I shouted out and ran faster. My shouts were muffled by the thunder rolling through the sky.

'No no no!' I made my way closer to the group as they began frantically depending down into the cavern to rescue their own. Four of them made it down into the hole while two were left standing by the entrance looking down into the depths.

Closing in on them as thunder rolled through the sky, drowning out the sound of my attack, I swiftly sliced through one's neck with the blade of my tail as he turned to look at me then stabbed the other through the chest with my spear.

Both humans fell dead and I moved towards the pit. Screeching, the sound of human weapons going boom and the screams of men could be heard below.

Multiple scalworg rushed out of the cave, lured by the scent of blood and I had to jump back to avoid the swarm as dozens of the creatures rushed towards the two dead humans.

One jumped towards me and I swatted the creature away with my spear as two more came up and tried biting at my legs. Snarling at the creature's I quickly decapitated them and tried to get closer to the pit but more and more of the swarm came rushing out to start gorging themselves on the dead. With the occasional few coming after me. Faux!

I pushed through some of them trying to get close to the nest and two pounced on me biting into my arm and shoulder. I threw them off and slashed at the others that lunged at me. I didn't care how many wounds they inflicted. I needed to get to Kora!

More screams from down below momentarily drew my attention away from the swarm and within that split second two more jumped me knocking me to the ground. I swatted one off as a group of them rushed in biting at my leg and tail. A snarl was ripped from my throat as one bit into my side.

Managing to shake them off I retreated a few feet away and hissed at the swarm that gave chase but they quickly stopped their perfume after a mere two feet because of some vel'vhe growing beneath my feet.

I looked to my bleeding side with a curse and looked past the swarm towards the entrance. More shouting could be heard from below but the screams and booms from the humans quickly grew silent as the swarm of scalworg overran the area.

I all but collapsed to my knees panting as I watched the pits opening with dread seeping into me. I can't get anywhere near the nest because of how many creatures there were outside the entrance, there must be hundreds more Crawling inside that cave opening and kora she's right in the center of the swarm-

I can't hear anymore fighting from within, the humans must've already been overrun. That means…

I dropped my spear and grit my teeth, sitting there on my hands and knees. "No, faux! Please, not like this! Why would she do that- why didn't she wait for me!

Shaking my head I snarled and jumped back to my feet gripping my spear once more. I can't give up I need to get in there no matter wh-

Something grabbed my tail from behind and I froze as my head snapped back to look at what had gripped onto me. A disheveled and muddy kora stood there one hand clutching her torn cloak over her head and the other with a firm grip on my tail. I could see multiple bite marks across her arms and legs as well as cuts and scratches, most of which I was sure, were covered up by all the mud.

How did she- looking past kora a short distance way I could see the other tunnel that she crawled out of. "Don't tell me you were worried?" She feigned a smile before her strength seemed to seep out of her body right before my eyes.

Dropping my spear I quickly gathered her into my arms, holding her close. I thought I had truly lost her this time… I was ready to jump into that death pit and go after her even if it meant it killed me.

"Why would you do something so foolish and dangerous!?" I scolded, grabbing her by the shoulders and looking down at her as rainwater poured down on us. "Do you have any idea how reckless that was!? You should have waited for me!"

"I had too." She spoke calmly and reached up to touch my cheek. "I'm not as weak and helpless as the first time we met. Elazar, you don't need to protect me." She smiled.

I grabbed her hand holding it close as I stared into her hazel eyes. I opened my mouth to speak but we were both silenced at the sound of another gunshot. Turning back we watched one of the humans crawl out of the hole kora had escaped from.

The same human who she had tackled into the pit.

They pushed aside the dead body of a scal and stood up panting with an infuriated look upon their features. Looking up they took notice of me and kora and I quickly pushed her behind me and snarled at the human.

"Damn you!" He pointed his weapon towards me but stopped as a group of scalworg noticed the human standing there next to another dead body they could eat. He saw them coming and hesitated to shoot us, unsure if he should attack us or run. It didn't take long for him to decide before he turned and ran into the forest with several scalworg chasing after him.

I grabbed my spear off the ground ready to chase after the human to prevent him from escaping but Kora grabbed my arm pulling my attention away from the escapee. Looking into her eyes I knew what she was saying. It wasn't worth it.

My gaze moved back to the forest as I watched where the human ran off. She was right. The swarm would finish him off. There was no need to put myself in danger by chasing after him.

As the storm beat down on us the swarm dragged any remaining dead bodies back into their nest, thinning out their numbers on the surface. We took the chance to escape the area and Took shelter beneath a large elder tree, waiting for the storm to pass.

Once the rain lightened up enough to travel we made our way south to meet up with kion. As we approached the campsite kion immediately jumped to his feet.

"Kora! You're okay!" He rushed over and Kora smiled before giving him a hug much to his surprise. He stuttered and seemed oblivious as to how to respond or react to the gesture, I could even see a blush forming across his face. Luckily she didn't hold on for long and pulled away once she realized how confused she had made him. "Sorry."

"It's fine! Uh- You look like a total mess…" kion stated. "What in the seven moons happened to you two?"

"Well… I might have crawled out of a scalworg nest after jumping into it head first." Kora laughed nervously.

"You what!?-" kion exclaimed but stopped as I grabbed his shoulder. "We may talk about it later for now all that matters is that we are all safe. My eyes moved to kora and she relaxed a bit, nodding.

Yes. All that matters is that we are all safe and alive. "I'll get the wraps and medicine! I also brought some clean water from the river! You can both wash off and we can tend to your injuries! Kion rushed away to grab the supplies as I stood by watching in deep thought.

I can't keep leaving Kora alone by herself, next time I really could lose her. It's too dangerous out here, I understand she can handle herself to a degree but there's too many unknowns to many things that could go wrong…

I need to bring kora into the tribe. She will be safe there among my brothers and sisters. We could both live peacefully without worrying about what might come for us by morning.

Looking back towards kora as she cleaned herself off and wrung out her wet clothes I felt more anxious now than I ever did before.

We can't keep living in secret like this…