Red: Oooooh! Cool!

  Raioten: Could you.... tell me your name now?

  Red: Of course not.

  Raioten: What? You said-

  Red: I said that if you told me your name BEFORE we escaped, I would tell you mine. You were just barely too late. Sorry!

  Raioten: Thats not fair...

  Tor began to squirm out of Red's and, trying to get to Raioten. Raioten sat him up on his head so Tor could play in his hair.

  Red: You can call me Morgan. It's not my first name though, I'm still deciding on telling you that.

  Raioten: Morgan, I like it.

  Morgan: Right! Now time to go!

  The group traveled into the forest in order to get to the shoreline across the island. They had to descend down the large mountain that the tower was built on. Slowly moving through the trees, they only stopped when they found an adequate spot to set up a camp. Jugo took command as they gathered under their newly built shelter. They sat around a warmcfire under the stars.

  Jugo: As long as things remain relatively quiet around here, we should rest for the night. In the morning, we make way for the shore.

  Jugo fell asleep next to their fire rather quickly. Morgan sprawled out directly next to the fire while the boys looked on in confusion.

  Kagura: Does that not burn?

  Morgan: Eh, I'll be fine.

  Kagura sat down a ways away from the flame and began to relax. Raioten kept darting his eyes back and forth, looking towards something he couldn't see.

  Kagura: Hey man, can you relax already? You're starting to creep me out.

  Raioten: How can you guys be so calm right now? We're practically surrounded.

  Morgan: Wait... Wut?

  Raioten: I'm not really sure how to explain it but I can just feel it. There's something all around us.

  Kagura: Something bad?

  Raioten: I don't really know for sure. It's something, and our best bet is to assume its hostile.

  Morgan sat up and began staring at Raioten.

  Raioten: Something wrong?

  Morgan: You know, you're really well spoken for someone who hasn't talked in years. A little too well spoken.

  Raioten: Right, sorry. I always knew how to speak just fine. It's just like the words never came out.

  Morgan: hmmmmmmmmmmmm........ whatever! Goodnight!

  The boys were shocked at how quickly she passed out. Raioten refused to relax, still feeling the presence of something just beyond view. Kagura decided to stay up with him. He loved the darkness of the night but was excited at the thought of an enemy lurking in the shadows. The two stayed up throughout the night, talking about whatever came to mind.

  Kagura: Yo, bro!

  Raioten: Yeah?

  Kagura: Where do you think we'll go once we get off this island?

  Raioten: I have no idea. Those books didn't really describe the world very well. If I had to choose, I think I'd like to live somewhere up in the mountains, what about you?

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Kagura: I want to travel the world and fight the strongest people around!

  Raioten: *chuckle* sounds about right. Those island in the sky look really cool too. Maybe we can go up there one day.

  Kagura: I wonder if I could jump off of there into the ocean.

  Raioten: You're a special kind of crazy you know that?

  Kagura's gaze immediately shifted and he prepared to lay down.

  Raioten: Is there something out there that you can sense?

  Kagura: The sun. I think it's gonna come up soon and I want to be asleep before that happens.

  Raioten: Really? It's that late? I'll stay up and keep watch until Jugo or Morgan wakes up.

  Kagura: Cool, wake me if there's a fight!

  Raioten: Sure thing.

  As the night went on, Raioten lost the feeling that the group was surrounded. He propped himself up against a tree to finally allow himself to relax. Before he could go to sleep, he got an odd feeling coming the path they traveled before. Raioten turned his head to the sky and saw a mid sized drone headed towards what he had sensed. He decided to run after it to investigate. He left Tor with the group and left the campsite. When he arrived back at the top of the hill, taken saw Toshiro tossing something into the drone.

  Raioten: You!

  Toshiro: Shit!

  ?: We need to go now sir, get rid of him!

  Raioten ran forward in hopes of stopping Toshiro from escaping. Despite his best efforts and Toshiro's injuries, Raioten was defeated. After having knocked Raioten down, Toshiro bought his pilot enough time to fly off into the night sky. Raioten struggled to stay conscious, the damage of the fight and his lack of sleep weighing on him heavily. He passed out trying to make his way back to the camp the group of escapees created.

  In the late morning, Raioten woke up in pain from the night before. He trudged along towards the camp to rendezvous with his allies. As he finally made his way back, they weren't there. The camp was also in terrible condition, looking as if something had tried to destroy it. Raioten jogged around the forest, searching for them.

  Raioten: Crap, please be ok.

  A ways away, the group was being chased through the forest by a group of gigantic insects. Morgan was in charge of protecting Tor, as she was the only one he would let hold him besides Raioten.

  Morgan: The textbooks did NOT say bugs got that big!

  Kagura: Jugo, what the hell is going on?!

  Jugo: I'll explain later just run!

  The trio ran out into a large clearing. In the center was a large mound that they decided to climb to gain a strategic advantage over their pursuers. When they reached the top, the earth beneath them began to shake.

  Morgan: Wait.... those may be bigger, but don't they build nests?

  A massive amount of insects erupted from the earth beneath them. In just a few seconds, they were surrounded by hundreds of insect soldiers. All of the bugs waited patiently, as the largest of them had yet to arrive. Their queen ripped through the earth and roared out to intimidate them. Raioten was able to hear the roar amd ran in that direction.

  As he grew closer, he was able to sense a large group beyond the trees, but had no idea what was waiting for him.

  Raioten: I really hope they found help.

  A group of the insect soldiers turned to discover him as he approached their nest. Hundreds of them were sent out to hunt him down. The car sized insects could dash their the forest at a blinding pace, but Raioten was able to keep away from them with his own trademark speed.

  Back at the hive, the Queen stepped forward to the group. She was still largely underground and still was the size of a small building.

  Jugo: I've heard of these creatures. They are special variants of wildlife that were tainted by the Eximi project.

  Morgan: So its an Eximonster? We can take em!

  Jugo: No! We need to find a way out of this!

  The Queen aimed her pincers at the group and lunged at them. Kagura stuck his hand out in fear. When he opened his eyes, the Queen was bound in a black substance.

  Morgan: Uhhh fucking what?

  Jugo: Kagura... you're an Eximi?

  Kagura: Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's what they used to call me back in that dark cell.

  Jugo: You must have realized your element. Keep that hold!

  Kagura: I don't exactly know what I'm doing but this thing is fighting it!

  Jugo picked up Kagura and the three slowly walked backwards out of the crowd. Without the command of the Queen, the soldiers looked on in fear.

  Morgan: How the hell are you doing this?

  Kagura: I don't know but I can't hold this much longer. We need to run now!

  The binding in the Queen dissipated and she roared out loud. Her massive body was completely unearthed and she gave chase with her army behind her.

  Raioten shuddered at the feeling of a monstrous presence at that time. The soldiers chasing him ran off towards their Queen, giving him a moment to rest. After a short break, he decided to follow the insects. He believed that they would lead him to his friends if he stayed a comfortable distance being them. As he trailed behind the insects, he caught view of the massive Queen above the trees in the distance. He immediately knew that she was the reason for the dreadful feeling in his chest.

  The kids ran for their lives, following Jugo towards the shore. As they approached the beach, they vaught sight of armed soldiers.

  ?: What are you doing here? Hey, freeze! We've got questions!

  The trio, being closed in between to groups of aggressors, ran out to the side. Jugo got the groups to engage with one another while they tried to run and hide away from the commotion. The soldiers used their ranged weapons to take down the horde of insects. The captain of the soldiers ordered a missile launch when the Queen threatened to sink their ships. The powerful missiles weren't able to truly harm the Queen, but she was annoyed enough by the explosions and her lost soldiers to retreat back underground.

  Captain: Alright, send the search and rescue team after that group that ran off. Do NOT lose their trail.