His dark, sleepless eyes squinted against the sunlit horizon as he softly gasped for air. Each breath of the filthy forest oxygen he inhaled caused his stomach to quiver, but he seemed indifferent to it. The intense summer sun smoldered the diamond-cut sword against his thigh, but he could not move for fear of being noticed. A flash of motion caught his attention, and he cautiously reached for the hilt of his blade, his eyes flickering back and forth. His enemies were bound to find him, he thought. The plausibility of a safe escape was next to impossible. He softly gulped and took a small step to his right, entering deeper into the forest. Dry leaves crackled with each pace he took. Sensing another movement, he halted and positioned himself against a thick, old tree, hoping against hope that the Kadez outside had not heard him. He closed his eyes and prayed… His mind raced against the status quo, knowing the end was near; it withdrew to the good times of his adolescence and dwelled in on them. What is more joyous than the moments of innocence in the past? He asked himself, and shook his head nostalgically. Footsteps stampeded about the forest, and he opened his eyes with rapidity and quickly drew his sword. I am not going down without a fight; he thought to himself and edged about the tree, tightening his grip on the silver sword, which sweated in his hand. He twisted his neck sideways and peered at the motionless forest about him. It was suspiciously quiet. He took a slight step towards the horizon, and then stopped and looked about. No movements. Quickly tucking his sword away, he dashed deeper into the forest. This is my only chance at escape, he thought, sprinting faster. He did not get very far when the ground below him abruptly split and five jagged swords emerged, encircling him. He looked about as the five Kadez calmly eyed him. They were dressed in homogeneous black and each equipped with a slender but sharp sword. Zephryn clenched his fists and said, “You’re not going to take me alive…” His bright green eyes burnt with fury. To be continued.

Text_THAO.