Animegas (Editing)

A Stolen Part of Me

I woke up the next morning, refreshed. Everything seemed to be fine. Max was up before me, and kept whining.

“Sammy!” he groaned. “can I go fishing? I’m bored!”

“Only if you go with Erik.” Max nodded and ran outside I grabbed Erik’s arm as he began to follow. “If anything happens to him, I swear I will kick your butt so hard your Animega will have a tail for a nose.” he nodded and hurried to catch up with Max. I sighed and sat down. Winter was close, and that thing running wild wasn’t helping anyone.

I sat in silence for what seemed like hours. I did everything I could to entertain myself. Hunting alone wasn't an option, and I had to look after the small shack. It was a relief when the guys arrived back with a mountain of fish.

Erik helped my gut and dry them. Max showed Erik his spear and a bunch of other things around the shack. We shared stories and laughed and wrestled. It was the first time in years I actually had fun. I forgot to check my roots for intruders, I was having too much fun.

Erik tensed up in the middle of one of our matches. I pinned him to the ground, surprised at my sudden victory. The look on his face was the definition of fear. His silver eyes were as wide as they could be, his tan skin suddenly milky white. Max stopped laughing, he was dead serious.

I stood up and dug my feet into the earth. The roots were dying, I could feel it My underground eyes could no longer see. Erik and I went to work, we put out the fire and candles. I grabbed Max's arm we hid at the back of the shack. We were all pressed against each other, I couldn't hear anything except for Max's breathing.

"How far?" I whispered.

"Not even a 3rd of a mile away." he answered.

Max started to shake, he buried his head in my shoulder. We sat there in silence, hoping that the thing would pass. No such luck happened.

My home started to wither and die. The tree our backs were pressed against became brittle. I could hear something breathing at the door. It had found us. I looked around for my bow, I had forgotten it in th kitchen. My dagger was in my back pocket, I pulled it out.

The door flew off it's hinges. I stifled a scream. That thing wandered into the bedroom, the room we were hiding in. Erik's description didn't do it justice.

That things eyes glowed like red coals. It's black skin was covered in sharp scales. It's teeth were razor sharp and as black as it's scales. A purple tongue flicked in and out of the thing's mouth. It had a tail instead of feet and talons that looked as sharp as its teeth. It did indeed wear a cloak, but it was torn and covered in crusty brown splotches that looked too much like blood.

"General," it hissed, "I can ssssmell them, but I cannot ssssee."

A man entered the room. His hair was blacker than the thing's skin and his eyes were cold and black as well. The man's skin was as white as his perfect teeth. He wore a cloak that wasn't as ragged as the thing's. "Fool!" he shouted, smacking the thing upside the head. "The rat's are right there! Change so you don't kill them! The master wants the boy alive!"

The thing morphed into a man just like the "General" but he looked much younger and his tongue was still like a snake's.

"Sssssorry." he hissed.

The General pointed at Max, "YOU! Come with us now and you will not be harmed! But if you don't..." he smiled wickedly. "Let's just say your best chance is listening to me."

Erik stood up and stepped in front of us. "Fat chance!" he said. "You killed my little sister! You WON'T tear apart this family!"

The General chuckled. "You really think I would kill such a perfect little gem? She is already being put to use for his Majesty."

Erik looked like he was going to murder the guy. "Get out," he said through clenched teeth, "GET OUT NOW BEFORE I RIP OUT YOUR THROATS!!!!"

The General did not look amused. "Please sonny," he said, "don't make this get ugly. You don't want to fight with us Furies. We are a pretty powerful race."

These were the Furies? According to Erik, they killed anything they touched. And if even half of the legends were true, I was about to see something serious. But I couldn't allow Max to be taken, he was the only thing I had left.

I stood up and raised my dagger. "Back off. No pale-faced lizard men are going to take my brother away from me! I'll give you to the count of 3 to get your pale behinds out of my forest!"

The younger guy seemed pretty shaken, but Mr. General was cooler than a cucumber. "Kirk," he said. "Get rid of these maggots. I'll grab the boy."

Before I could even blink, Kirk was in his demon- snake form and Max was in the hands of the Satanic General. Max kicked and punched, trying his best the escape. Kirk lunged at me, I dodged him. The General was getting away.

"Erik!" I yelled, " get Max! I'll take care of this guy!" He didn't stop to argue. Erik changed into his Animega and darted after the Furie and Max. Kirk lunged at me again. I thrust my dagger into his side.

Kirk's eyes went wide. His fanged mouth opened, as if to say something, but no sound came out. His red eyes fell back into his skull and his scales melted. Nothing was under his skin except for a black mist that rose up into the sky and vanished. My dagger started to smoke and I dropped it at my side. All that was left of the Furie was the cloak and a pile of black sludge.

Max's scream brought me back to Earth. I changed into my Animega and ran after them. I arrived just in time to see Erik crumpled on the ground and a giant black eagle take my little brother far away. I changed back and kneeled beside Erik. He was alive, but barely. I was about to grab some Salus berries when he stopped me.

"It's too late for me Sam." he said. "I'm a gonner. Besides, you've gotta save your little bro."

Tears streamed down my cheeks. "Erik...I'm sorry I dragged you into this. I'm sorry..."

He wiped away a tear from my face. "Don't cry, please don't cry. I'm happy I get to die like this. I got to help someone."

"But, Max is gone, I have no parents and now I'm going to lose my only friend. I can't..."

"Remember how I said I could control the Earth?" he asked. "Well I can also create artificial life with it too. Right now, my real body is somewhere far away and safe...Sam,I..."

Erik's body stopped moving. His brown eyes stared into the night sky. I sat and watched as his fake body crumbled into dirt and rocks. I cried until I couldn't anymore. Nothing seemed real anymore...I went back to the shack and fell asleep, hoping to wake up and find it was just a horrible nightmare.

But...of course...it wasn't.