By daybreak, Konnor hadn't managed to find Mikey. The pair had split up the evening before to find a cure for Daniel but the endeavour became more troublesome than expected.
"Konnor, come in," came Leo's voice from the walkie talkie Konnor had strapped to his side.
"Hey, what's up?" Came his response.
"Daniel has disappeared," replied the worried cat.
"But you were supposed to be watching him!" Snapped the swordsman.
"Yeah, yeah, I know but he just magically disappeared and nobody even noticed," Leo justified.
"Okay, you know what? I'm finding Mikey and we're coming back. He should have everything we need by now," Konnor pointed out.
With that, Konnor took off into the crowded woods. It had went from night to day and the hours had passed unusually quickly.
Konnor had not managed to come into contact with Mikey after a couple of minutes had passed into the hunt the night before. He couldn't have been dead because of his amazing marksmanship but still, Konnor felt something was definitely wrong.
The forest was quiet, the morning dew covering the grass in a slippery coat. Occasionally, a bird would chirp a lovely little song before abruptly stopping and flying off somewhere else.
This was Konnor's most feared type of place. The woods. The place where nature was the master. The only place that could trigger his feral side which cared for no man.
As he got deeper and deeper into the forest, Konnor had begun to hear groaning sounds. He readied his sword for any attacks which would most likely come at barely a moment's notice. He cut away at a few leaves that blocked his view and found Mikey, battered and bruised, tied to the trunk of a large tree.
"Kon... its a... trap," Mikey mumbled. "Get out of here..."
"You're first priority, Mikey," Konnor explained. "Now let's get you outta here..."
Suddenly, in a blinding flash of purple light, the Cloaked Reaper stood before Konnor.
"Hello," came it's ominous voice.
"You did this to Mikey, didn't you?" Konnor asked through gritted teeth.
"Only 50% of it was me... the other half he caused on his own... isn't that right?" The creature asked as he looked towards Mikey who's head was hanging in pain.
"You're a seriously unstable guy, you know," said Konnor.
"That's what my dear mother once told me," the creature laughed. "Then she was taken and I was put to better use," the cloaked monster explained.
"You make it sound so matter-of-fact," Konnor responded.
The creature suddenly rushed Konnor, who in turn then swung his blade towards the creature's waist. The blade cut clean through and Konnor felt satisfied.
"It hurts that you would try to separate me and my better half," sighed the creature as he's severed halves began putting themselves back together.
The Reaper laughed manically as he raised his scythe into the air. He brought it down quickly as Konnor blocked the blade with his own.
The man-beast pushed the Reaper back with immense force, causing creature to knock into a tree. He then pulled the dagger from his side-strap and dropped it at Mikey's side.
The battered marksman grabbed the blade and used his last remaining strength to slowly but surely sever his bonds.
As Mikey worked his escape, Konnor was caught in a clash of blades with the Reaper. Anytime Konnor could land a deep cut or sever a limb or two, his attacks would be rendered useless as the monster quickly regenerated the wound.
The monster laughed as it put Konnor on edge with each swing of its sharpened scythe. Beads of sweat fell from Konnor's head as he concentrated on each swing and turn of the Reaper, trying to counter each movement with another flawless movement of his own.
The Reaper finally managed to find an opening and quickly kicked Konnor in his side. The fierce warrior dropped his Claymore and clutched his side.
"Did I mention that I have the touch of Death?" He laughed. "if I've got hold of you for too long, you just might end up dying," the Reaper explained as he twirled his scythe with a slight chuckle.
As Konnor's hands were covering his sizzling skin, the Reaper used his Force Magic to blast Konnor to the ground.
Konnor grunted in pain as he dug small bits of rock from his exposed flesh. He searched for his Claymore but found it at the feet of the floating Reaper. He laughed manically as he approached Konnor, his scythe extending into the air.
The blade crashed down but could not find Konnor's chest before it was blasted from the Reaper's hand by a plasma blast.
"Ha!" Came am exasperated laugh from Mikey who was lying on the floor wielding a plasma rifle.
"You incessant piece of-" the creature said before he was knocked down by Konnor.
"You're nothing without your damn scythe," Mikey grunted as Konnor retrieved his Claymore.
The Reaper smirked beneath his skull mask as Konnor prepared a decapitating slash. As Konnor's sword rose, so did the tension as he delivered a powerful swing. Just as it seemed that the two young men had won, they're joy was short lived. Once more, in a blinding flash of purple light, the Reaper disappeared as suddenly as he had appeared.
"The bastard got away," sighed Konnor.
"We'll get him next time... If there even is a next time," grunted Mikey. "Now please get me home," he sighed.
Konnor walked over to his friend and slung him over his shoulder.
"This is gonna be a long walk home," sighed Konnor once more.
