Gaelus

Chase

This was the worst assignment that he’d ever been assigned on. It was considered an honor to work with the Knights, to support the alliance forged against the wicked influence of the Shade. Yet here he was, saddled with the most immature and inconsiderate among them. Battered from their scuffle, and now cornered by their quarry. Still, Gaelus was laughing.

Niko growled under his breath. It was his fault that they were in this mess.

“This is no time for petty jokes! Stand and fight, if you can!” He commanded. The armor clad Imperial scampered to his feet, his ears perked for the direction of the noise. Despite the dire straits, the Knight maintained an expression of confidence.
“Hey, calm down. Yelling will just draw its attention. I’ve got a plan to get us out of this mess.” Niko huffed. Gaelus had blindsided him with his little trick, but his idiocy could hardly yield a solution against a powerful Shadebeast. Still, he was intrigued as to what he had come up with. If they were going to die, maybe he could get some amusement before going down.

“And what is it, may I ask?”

“RUN FOR OUR LIVES!” The Knight shrieked, before launching off into the woods. The purple Imperial stared at his fleeing companion, an expression of exasperation written on his face. He didn’t think Gaelus could be even more ridiculous, but he somehow pulled it off. How exactly a dishonorable coward became a Knight was beyond him. Still, the shaking footsteps behind him spurred the Hunter to follow.

Despite the heavy armor, Gaelus moved surprisingly quick, mowing through branches and vines with little difficulty. Niko caught up, his agile movements in between the branches keeping pace with the trail mowed down by his companion. The Hunter opened his mouth to berate the cowardly Imperial, until his eyes caught the direction of their movement. They were not fleeing to the edge, where escape would lie. They were carving a path straight to the heart of the forest.

“What exactly are you doing?! Are we fighting or not?” Niko hissed at his companion. Gaelus looked at the Hunter straight on. Despite his manic grin, there was a glint of steel in his eyes.

“I never said we were going to keep running. We’re almost where we need to be. I need your help to make this work. So, truce?” Niko bit his lip, silent as they continued their path towards the center. He didn’t know what kind of half-cocked scheme Gaelus had come up with, but it had to be slightly better than being mauled to death. Maybe.

“...Fine. What do you need of me?”

…..

Niko quietly waited in the bushes of the glade. Sunlight from above pierced the canopy, an oasis of light in the shadowed woods. The breeze gently ruffled the leaves and branches, carrying the scent of freshly cut grass. Most importantly, the winds spread the scent of wisteria, ringing the arena. In the middle of it was Gaelus, on guard with his claymore brought to bear. He had offered himself as bait to their particular trap. Niko did not appreciate being derided for wearing ‘half-baked paper armor’, but he had to admit the cocky Imperial had some courage.

The ground shook, as their quarry came closer, lured by its sharpened senses. They were fast, but they couldn’t outrun a beast empowered by such foul powers. Not forever. Despite the imminent danger, Gaelus still stood proud.

“Hey! We’re still here! We even got some seasoning for your meal you big ugly furball!” The armored Imperial continued to crow, as the rumbling came even closer. Niko bit his lip, as he watched the display. In any other situation, this was nigh-suicidal. He muttered a prayer to the Deities under his breath, that their trap would strike true.

With a deafening roar, the twisted beast crashed into the glade. Its slavering jaws were filled with teeth, and its muscular limbs crushed trees beneath its feet. All four of its pitch black eyes were focused on its prey, standing on the opposite side. Slowly the two circled each other, sizing each other up, the air thick with tension. Just as Gaelus moved into position, he glanced at his companion in the bushes. A silent signal.

The aroma that coated their arena intensified, as the grass began to move and twist. Vines on all sides, coated with their deadly toxin lashed forth, drawn to their quarry in the middle. Niko launched himself from his perch, his blade a flash in the dark, indistinguishable from the net they had woven. The beast snarled and struggled, entangling itself more and more, as the wisteria’s poison burned into its flesh. Gaelus grinned, as he admired their handiwork, a web woven from the forest’s life.

The two Imperials looked upon their quarry, and nodded. The web would not hold forever. They got to work, carving and slashing the hide of the entrapped beast, black ichor staining the forest floor. Soon, its struggles weakened, and it fell limp, life seeping out of its many wounds. The two panted with exhaustion, collapsing onto the soft, aromatic grass.

“...I didn’t think that would work. How do you even come up with something like this?”

“Hah! Have a bit more faith in me, Niko. You didn’t think all of the Knights were stuck-up statues did you?” Gaelus laughed, as he popped a canteen from his pack, drinking up the life-giving fluid. Casually, he offered the drink to his weary friend.

“No, I suppose they aren’t, Gaelus. But someone has to keep an eye on your shenanigans.” Niko smiled, as he accepted the drink of water. He had to admit, he was wrong about his companion. He had his own sense of honor, in a way. Even if he seemed rather brash at first. The purple Imperial closed his eyes, as he took a big gulp of water.

Niko’s eyes snapped open, as he felt wriggling in his mouth. He gagged, and spat out the drink. An earthworm, freed from the dark cavern of his mouth, squirmed in the dirt before burrowing to safety. Niko could only glare at Gaelus, who still had a mischievous smile on his face.

“Gotcha! That means I win!” The brown Imperial stuck his tongue out, relishing his ‘victory’. Niko shook his head and sighed. Maybe he could work with him, but he’d still find a way to be a pain. He’d just have to get used to it.