The wind blew wildly. Lucas watched the four-foot-tall bats encircle the tall trees, giving high pitched squeaks. The path back to the base required using this route. Any other route meant even more danger.
"Hope you all got the same mission. These are very docile beasts," he said, swinging his blades. A thunder strike in the dark clouds made the bats move more. "They however attack when panicked." He slashed two bats that were moving toward their path.
Loki watched the bats that had been sliced. Black with blue stripes over the body. Their insides poured on the ground. The high-pitched squeaks stopped. The bats looked at them, their glowing eyes turned in their direction, making clicking sounds.
Ken had his pistols out, ready to shoot at any moment. The bats seemed to be preparing a coordinated attack. He moved closer to Lucas and whispered, "What now, sir?" He stared at the path underneath the tall trees.
"Run. Follow me," Lucas said. He ran toward the trees. Thunder erupted. The bats descended downward to meet them as they dashed toward the barks of the tall trees, heading for the base.
Lucas held the ends of both blades together. The crystal handles gave a buzzing sound as they combined. Holding the combined blade in one hand, he said, "I will take the front. You two intercept any that get past me."
As he ran, thunder hit hard. The bats swarmed down to block the path toward the base.
"Fang of the honey badger," Lucas said. He began rotating the blade. The blade glowed with a blue humming sound as he approached the bats.
Loki followed Lucas. His black eyes grew with a blue hue as he prepared to use his control ability at any moment. Lucas slashed through the front. Blood flew in all directions as the bats in front of them were dismembered.
Loki's nose picked up a smell from behind. He turned. "Ken!"
He raised his hand. The gloves on his hands gave a buzzing sound as his blue eyes shone more.
"Howl of the Alpha." He clapped both hands. A howling sound erupted in the direction of the bats. The bats released an echo that met the howl. Loki shouted as he clapped again, a much louder howl with traces of blue sparks erupting from his hands toward the bats, breaking the echo barrier of the approaching bats.
"Now, Ken!" Loki ran behind Lucas who was ahead.
"Target of the angry bird." Ken fired his pistols. A spark of lightning from his fingertips touched the trigger as crystal bullets shot out, targeting the bats that were closing in from behind. Loki's howl had messed with their senses and they were stationary. He killed the five bats that were approaching.
Lucas ahead continued slicing bats as they ran toward the open green grass field. They needed to get out of the tree canopy into the open field. After that was the stream valley, then the base. Getting to the stream would mean safety. Ken and Loki, who had intercepted the bats coming from behind, were by him now. He felt his mind hover. What stream? Shaking his head, he shouted.
"Aim for the green field. Don't stop. Let's head toward the stream," Lucas said, slicing a bat open. Ken shot at some bats in front.
Loki stared at the green field. He felt his head spinning. Green field. Green grasses. Mari, is this the green fields I promised we would walk together on one day? He ran forward, punching a bat that flew his way. Why? He ran forward, clapping his hands and howling at the bats that approached. "Get away!" He jumped and punched a bat.
Lucas watched as Loki took the lead and ran, heading for the green field. What was he doing?
"Hey, Hothead! These things aren't as weak as you think. Fall back!" Lucas said as he followed Loki who was ahead. The bats that intercepted them were all rank ones. It seemed the rank two bats used them to test their strengths. These bats did not even use their attributes, just swung in. He thought, preventing them from leaving the canopy unless they...
"Loki!"
Loki was filled with rage. "Weak!" He tore apart a bat with both hands. The exit of the canopy, the green grass blew in his sight. The sky was already dark with clouds. Thunder and lightning raged. After throwing away the bat, he neared the exit. He could hear someone calling for him, but it was distant. He saw Mari standing in the green field.
"Mari! I'm coming!" Loki continued running toward the figure. His leg touched the grass.
Lucas's eyes opened wide as his hood flew off. The bats were not trying to just prevent them. They must have hypnotizing properties. How could he have forgotten? A clicking sound made him turn to face Ken, who was now standing in the green field.
"Damn."
A blue crystal bullet was heading for him.
Lucas dashed into the green field to avoid the bullet. His leg gave a cracking sound under the pressure. Above him, about five six-foot bats were swirling and echoing. His ear finally picked out the low pitch. It seemed both Ken and Loki were under the influence. He grunted in pain. As a bullet hit his shoulder.
"You are already dead, Collins," Ken said. His hood was off as he aimed to shoot Lucas once again. He placed one pistol in its holder and prepared to reload the other.
Lucas watched Loki run toward the eight-foot bat that had its fangs open, waiting for him to run into its embrace. "Mari, Mari, the green fields are real!"
Lucas watched Ken trying to reload his pistol.
"The honey badger knows no fear." He tore off his eyepatch. His left eye grew yellow in color. He sprinted on his broken leg, grabbed Ken, and knocked the pistol out of his hand. Ken tried to free himself, grabbed Lucas's hand, and bit into it.
"Damn, Ken!" Lucas punched Ken in the face, knocking three of his teeth out, sending him to the ground unconscious. He held Ken's body and looked at Loki, who was just a few feet away from the bat with its fangs out. He grabbed Ken's heavy body and, shouting, threw him toward Loki, then ran after him.
Loki saw Mari standing in the green field. Her black hair blew in the air. "Loki, I don't feel so good." His head ached, which made his steps slow down. "Ahhhh!" He heard Tars scream. Looking at the figure of Mari, he saw a face with tall ears, glowing eyes, and fangs out. He turned to see a fast object heading his way. It hit him in the face and knocked him off his feet. He lay on the ground as a heavy weight landed on him. He felt blood on his forehead as his vision faded. He saw a man with one glowing yellow eye, his hair white and blowing in the air. Then his vision faded.
Lucas watched as Loki closed his eyes. He moved Ken's body off him. The elder bat that stood in the grass field gave an echo, and one bat descended toward him. He tightened his fist and punched the six-foot bat into the ground. He removed his jacket and placed it to cover the faces of Ken and Loki. Taking a blade off his back, he drew a circle around the two boys. Screaming, he inserted the blade into the ground. The circle grew blue flames as the crystal in the blade ignited.
He swung the blade in his hand and inserted it before him. The bats above gave echoing sounds around him. Some rank one bats swarmed toward the blue flames, but they were sliced the moment they neared it. Looking at the elder eight foot bat with its fangs still out, he pierced his ears with his fingers. Blood gushed out. He took his blade and shouted, "The honey badger never dies, you bastards!"
The elder bat echoed, baring its fangs at Lucas. It flapped its wings. Lucas moved backward under the pressure of the wings, steadying himself. The four rank two bats in the air stretched their wings. Long hair like lightning strikes shot out of their bodies toward Lucas.