Après The Serpent's Wrath.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Men x men, beware.

R18+ contents. Read at your own risk!

_

"Get out, you fool!" He uttered while panting.

Theon froze and couldn't move an inch.

This man was slumped on the ground, its ridiculous heat was emitting the walls of the cave and he was a total mess. His member was out and Theon just widened his eyes in shock.

The man looked like it was suffering while trying to fap its member. He gritted his teeth and groaned in frustration. His long black silky hair was touching the ground.

Theon's knees was about to give up with the view his seeing. He could not grasp the reality he was facing at the moment.

With eyes full of worry and brows met.

'How did things turned out like this?' Theon thought.

Now, let's move backwards. Where everything was still vaguely pleasant.

THE evening sun cast long shadows on the ground. The slanting rays of the setting sun gave a warm orange tinge to the sky. As the people gathered at the centre of this ruling village.

One of the many people was named Theon. A warrior who serves and protect the people of his village. Despite his sensitive features like pale smooth skin, grey coloured pupils and black-haired. His strength was like any other warrior; For, although he suffered in vain with the people who lived and lost, he tightens the wall of his heart to not forlorn to death.

It was the moment that Theon decided to disarm all his weapons; Swords, shields and even his bow and arrows. The man was convinced that this night will be covered in tranquillity. He stared and rejoiced the looks of the people. Such a rare view to see how such sereneness can be cast in a few blistering smiles. Endless wars now and then.

"Theon, you should come and join us dance!" A woman with brown skin indicated to him.

Theon smiled and shook his head. "Don't worry about me, Mikka. Why are you dancing tonight, if I may ask?"

With blistering eyes she answered, "Well, Zynthia once told us that we should feast once in a while after a long tiring day. The woman of our village then decided to celebrate it today."

Thom was still confused. He furrowed his brows.

Mikka saw his face's movement so she continued.

"Can't you feel the air? Somehow, it brings us tranquillity and sereneness. We deserve this at last."

The woman, Mikka tapped his shoulders and went back to dancing.

Theon thought, 'Indeed, a time so unreachable should be celebrated'.

Even so, his smile faded as a memory from the past has reminisced from his mind. It was never forgotten, he supposed.

"Should have not let mother Zynthia tell me that story."

A sigh was released. The man sat by a rear trunk of a tree, bowed his head to not ruin the mood of the joyous people circulating the set fire. After all, the man was still weak for his thoughts intention.

He was called by a man with a husky voice later on.

"Theon!"

When he caught the attention of the one he tries to peak its advertence, Theon, he asked, "What's this melancholy I sensed from you?"

Theon glanced at his footing. Brown-haired man, a notch taller than he is and still armed. The man sat right next to him, gazing as though he waits for his response. He shook his head once as he beamed a slight smile reassuring him.

"Everything is alright, Eliaz." 'Twas Theon who responded.

"Are you truly alright? I know you Theon, come on and tell me." He convinced.

"It's Zynthia's stories about my kin." Theon muttered.

"Ah, is that so? You should let it go and focus on what's in front of you." Eliaz inferred to him.

Realizing it, Theom thought that Eliaz was right. There's nothing good in suffering over the pass. He should focused more on protecting the villagers peace and happiness other than the deaths that happened just after his birth.

"You're right, Eliaz. I won't do it again."

Eliaz was relieved. As his head slanted and shrugged his shoulders.

Eliaz and Theon grew up together in this village found in the midst of the woods. His mother raised Theon and was trained to be a warrior by his father, chief of the village. It was taught to us that to acknowledge the strength and acquire it will grant us the peace that we longed for. The peace that they have never had owing to the land conquerors who wishes to take over every land and murder those who oppose them.

Yes, conquerors. A massive group of subduers that's been roaming around the land and opposing adversaries. These conquerors never met their equals and it explains the never-ending war innocent people including Theon are fighting for.

Theon forces himself to believe that this night people will be able to share each other's laughs, vividly looking at each other's eyes and be able to declare a reunion between different families. To share supper with, commemorating success that says that they had finally surpassed a bloodbath fight.

However, as if fate abhors their feast. They fell over a murderous corollary.

As the people in front of him was dancing. Shouts and yells were heard from afar. The downfall of a few men from the front was seen.

"The conquerors are coming!" A young man from their village warned him and Eliaz in his trembling voice.

With immediate instincts, both stood up and Theon began to wear his armour that supports his uppermost body and grabbed the weapons used. Eliaz on the other hand hurriedly ran to protect the people and his family near the entrance.

"Mikka, head to the river!" Theon relentlessly instructed the Mikka and the others who were feasting a while ago.

"Grab the children and head to the river!" He repeated once more.

He and Mikka stared at each other. Mikka's eyes says it all; Sadness and misery. It was not a joyous night after all.

He chased after Eliaz. Mikka guided the people out of the village.

Theon and Eliaz's couldn't believe their eyes as for a moment they had thought that everything was at hand. However, soon after collapsed.

He kept following him to the front where the conquerors might be. But bombs were thrown to each home right after the other and his heart began to palpitate at a ridiculous speed as he set his foot almost near the entrance. Smokes started to get visible above the wooden homes as he realized that Eliaz entered one which belonged to the chief, his father and his mother. Soon after he headed right back outside whereas Theon was waiting.

"The chief is dead." He uttered as his eyes blurred in tears and anger was common to his position.

Theon's eyes slowly widened in shock as he process Eliaz words. "How about your mother?" He asked in grief.

Eliaz just shook his head and that's when Theon realized that none of his presumptions could be true. Like a cycle he avoids with all his strengths, he has lost it.

Nervously, he questioned. "What will we do now, Eliaz. I will take orders from you at this moment."

Eliaz was in much arduous pain, his family has lost and died in a flick of an eye. As though, he wants to be deranged. However, the thought of Theon and the other people still breathing brought him back to sane.

He walked near theon, held his shoulder tightly and stuck their heads. Stared at his eyes and said, "You have to save the people, that's what we have to do. Guide them at the other side of the mountain."

Theon nodded continuously. "What about you, Eliaz?"

He spout nothing but air as he took the man's arrows.

Theon narrowed his brows in confusion seeing Eliaz fixed its armour and his.

"I have to stay here and fight. You have to save the people. There's not much time."

His words stabbed Theon like a sharpened sword. Without a doubt, Theon started to shake his head.

"No. I have to fight as well. Chief trained me for this day to come, I can't leave you here. My conscience will chase after me 'till death. I'm a warrior, escaping will deduct my honour of strength, Eliaz, I have to fight--"

"No!" He stopped Theon at the middle of its sentence and avoided looking at his gaze. "Escaping is not what I instructed you. The protection of our people is what I asked of you as a warrior."

Eliaz saw that Theon was determined to stay with him. However, Eliaz's side no longer accepts any loss from someone he treats as family. So, he refused to ask Theon to help him at the battle.

"Do this for me. You're the only one I have."

Theon was about to give him an opposition when they heard a cacophony brought by another explosion.

"Go on now, Theon. There's not much time left." He heard Eliaz muttered.

He had no choice but followed what he said. This was what the night has brought upon Theon's future. He despised Eliaz' selfish demand. For the years that the men have been through together- Thoughts of fighting with him was easily thorned down by the conquerors. He was just like a brother to Theon, a family and a friend. But with one night it disappeared like a mere autumn leaf.

He is unsettled by it but no longer has the control to make a change.

As instructed, he guided the people out of the village, will be headed to the other side of the mountain. But before they had left the village. Theon faced it one last time.

"I'm sorry, Eliaz." Was the only words he could have uttered.

It was this village. Endeavoured to forfend from the conquerors, but failed.

Farewell to Eliaz.

He felt a cold and delicate palm grabbed his hand. He turned around amd saw that it was Mikka, trying with al its might not to be shaken.

"We have to go. Staying here will only worsen our side." She managed to speak without a hint of nervousness.

He tightened his grip on the sword as if it could ever escape his grope. He glanced back facing his people. Theon then ran. Though, regret was there, the unfazed excruciating feeling and the shallowness grievance. He remains to stand. To be the man, the people trust.

"Run faster, Mikka!"

Meanwhile, the conquerors were currently subducting their land.

"Young man, you should have just run like those rats. How amusing 'tis to see a weakling mocking us." One of the enemies spouted.

Eliaz, the last man standing did not even jolt. For, his emotions have begun to turn monotonous and blank. He remembered his father's words before.

'Fight for the living not for vengeance'.

And as though, he kept it marked in his heart. He knew that those words were solemnly meant for him, perdure 'till this day.

He closed his eyes and made a stance taught by his father while handling his sword.

Afterwards fiercely open his eyes to stare at the enemy. Eliaz avowed his father in protecting their land. Seeing how there's a burlesque upon their slight movement of the lips, he, was not pleased.

"Don't make me laugh. This is my land you're stepping into." Eliaz uttered in a firm voice. "I will not allow you to just take out lives without a gruesome punishment."

The conquerors laughed at him.

"You're land? Yet, you can even land a finger on us. What an encumbrance." An enemy spoke.

"He even dares to do a stupid stance. To whom will you use that for?" And another.

"To monkeys, probably."

They laughed once more and even louder this time.

Eliaz patience was tempted and he ran to attack them. But, the amount was madly added as a pack of supports shoot him numerous metal items that pierced right into his skin. The poor Eliaz did nothing but kneel the pain. He knew that was going to happen, even so he still thought that he'll make a difference.

Even after his last breath. He silenced the conquerors with his last words.

"He slept for so long and now he's awake. This will be your last."

And thus, Eliaz completely succumbed to this unforgivable death.

Theon held his chest as if he felt Eliaz's mourning death. He turned around only to see the smoke arising. It was done and gone.

"Theon, we have to go!" An old man held Theon's hands as he slightly pulled him to wake him up from the unexplained feelings.

He nodded and went after the old man.

As they ran deep into the woods, it ate their shadows and they could hear their breathes. They have run long enough but the forest refuses to show them the end. Exhausted, he held unto a tree to support his body. However, he lost sight of the people and this cause him to paranoid.

For a moment there was silence. Somehow, the silence was deadly to his ears. He started walking and recognizing the road to the other side of the mountain. Until he heard a loud noise. It was not from a human, he concluded, nor from the bombs that were landed to the village but an Anomalous noise coming from a creature.

Frightened, he ran as fast as he could. Step to another step. However, the forest has played him a trick. Stumbled his foot from a rock and found himself falling from a short cliff.

'When was there a cliff in this mountain?' He thought.

He could not avoid screaming but immediately breakdown as he reached the bottom.

He was awakened by the sound of the insects that distracts the appeals of the night. He checked himself to see if he did not hurt himself. The man was lucky to have a small bruised on his knees. Nevertheless, his body was still intact. He stared upward and saw that the cliff was not that high.

"All tragedy has passed in one night." He gripped his knees.

He was a man but failed to stop the tears that were already racing to his chin. He thought that he could have made a change of fate if he had just persuaded Eliaz to escape together with him and the people. Eliaz could still be survived. He flooded himself with the pressure that he never thought would be brought upon his head.

"Eliaz, will it be right if I end my life here?" There was no end to his tears.

He was there alone, sitting in the depths of his misery. Crestfallen, he realized that his chance to bring peace into their land was gone. He was lumped.

But then he heard a stump just nearby. His eyes widened, wiped his left faint tears and stood up. He got alerted and grabbed the sword that fell together with him. As if he wasn't gonna bring an end to his life way back, now he is much more furious. The thought of the conquerors might be making this noise was far from his conclusion. This was unheard of before.

Setting the matter aside he narrowed his brows remembering the reason for his fall.

"It was that noise or was I just hallucinating at that time." He whispered to himself.

But an even louder stumped was made. He could feel it so near him. It was still midnight. The brightness of the moon bringing a light for him was not much of a help. The obscurity of the tall trees brings darkness into it so he barely sees the one who's making a loud stump.

"Nope. Not my hallucinations. I'm sure of it."

He could have been much more frightened but he was even more curious and more cautious as to what lies at the other side of these tall and horrendously looking trees.

Stump after stump. However, he felt that it was not walking towards him but in a horizontal manner of direction. When he filled up his courage. He then decided to follow this mysterious creature that's been lurking near him.

He slowly walked deeper into these woods and followed the trace of that creature. The light was no longer accompanying him. Leaves above showers him a thick shadow. He can only trust his hearing at this point.

And then he brought himself to another side of those thickening trees. He glanced from left to right and saw nothing but a cage.

"I remember this cage. When was it?" He whispered trying to remember the place of the event he had.

It was dark inside the cage. Theon contracted his vision to focus on seeking this creature.

Theon then gasped as he felt a rustling behind him. He thought that his senses might have weakened and sworn himself.

"Blood and ashes."

He turned around to face, not a mysterious creature but a bear. Still, his eyes were widened and made a stance to protect himself. Now he's regretting his decisions. He should have just looked for his way back to the other side of the mountain.

The bear growled but to his shock. It sounded nothing like the terrifying noise he heard when he was still running with the people.

Even so, the idea of a hungry bear struck him. It was about to attack him when it saw something behind Theon's back, envisioning inside the huge cave.

Shivers ran down Theon's spine as he felt hot smokes from his back. This time he gasped even dramatically. He saw the bear ran for its life as if its size is no match for its kin. He slowly turned to face it filled with apprehension he looked upwards. His soul immediately left his body when he could finally see the creature up close. His eyes widened like it never had before. Hands trembling like a child. His knees that were bruised started to shake.

Even after his affrighted state, he said.

"What are you?"

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ABYSSCESS