Welcome to Gaia! ::

Conciousness returned, though the light did not. The Boy's eyes were filled with black, like permanent sunglasses, as he got painfully to his feet. His head pulsed painfully, and his legs suddenly sprang forth. His body was not under his control.
The Shadows were too close.

It was as though he were watching a bad movie with fire coursing through his veins. He felt his arms vault him over a broken window frame, felt himself bleed on broken glass, watched as people fled before him, cried on the floor as the presence left him.
His hands were smeared with blood. Not his.

The Boy gazed sadly around the room. Noises, bangs, smashing rang in his ears, but it didn't register at all. He merely slumped down against the wall.

Cereah nodded, "Yes, I know, I'm sorry. I was just on my way back to the Derelict and I got... distracted." Cereah looked down, ashamed that she let herself get into such a vunerable situation. "I usually don't leave the Derelict, but I needed to go get something from Espon City..." Cereah's eyes met Cal's. "The city is completely destroyed now and people are frantic. We should probably head back before someone else catches up with us." Cereah paused before asking, "So why are you out here with everything that's going on?"

Tao gasped for a quick breath. Now would be the worst time on the planet for a panic attack or a case of the shakes to come on. He shrugged off the lack of breath and the shivvers that shuddered across his spine and ribcage. Letting his grip upon the barrell of the shotgun loosen and the weapon slide down into his hand, he looked at Ksrugi. He closed his eyes for a moment, drew one more breath. As he was about to take off out the door he realised that by leaving Ksrugi there, he would be condemning him to death. He quickly lifted Ksrugis magnum from the floor, slid it into his belt and hoisted the unconscious friend up by his arm. He gritted his teeth, K was heavier than Tao thought- or else Tao was weaker than he had once considered himself to be,

"I thought... with the lack of... uh... food... you would have... lost weight..."

Tao headed out the door, the shotgun swaying over his shoulder by the mud encrusted strap. He looked around, not a sign of anybody. Not a single soul.

"Dont tell me your tripping too."

Tao dropped Ksrugi to the ground. He stared at him, his face flustered and his eyes filled with nothing but sorrow and grief.

"Thier-"

Tao broke off. He stepped back, it wasnt safe to be in range of this area. Let alone standing in the middle of the street as they were doing right now. He grabbed Ksrugi by the arm and dragged him hurriedly into a building. Glass shards littered the ground. He looked at Ksrugi,

"DL. Weasel. You dont remember."

Tao hung his head.

"Their dead man. They have been dead for a long time now- years. Dark is gone. Their all dead."

The glass cracked and scored the wooden floor as Taos feet shuffled uneasily.

Tao searched for words but came up short.

"I."

He didnt even know what to say. Or what to think. He reached behind his back and dragged out the magnum from its tucked away position underneath the belt,

"You. Eh you dropped this back at that house."

Tao turned on his heels, the shotgun still swaying silently by his hip. The glass continued to scratch away on the floor as he turned on his heels and looked around.

"K- I dont think we're alone here."

Tao raised the shotgun and his head nodded towards a blood stain on the window frame.

Ksrugi nodded and tightened the straps on his boots. Ksrugi accepted his magnum and he grinned at Tao.

"You know man, doing crazy s**t is something we've done since the beginning. I feel young again."

Ksrugi ran as hard as he could, pumping his legs like an expert track runner. He dove into the window frame and his arm straightened right away. Ksrugi had a perfect shot of the person hiding there. But he couldn't fire. Something about the boy kept him from pulling the trigger.

"R-Retloc?!"