• Giant In The Room

"What are you guys doing here?" Nero asked. "And who's this?!"

He spun Linne around and gave her a proper look, scrutinizing her features. When it clicked, he gasped. "You!"

Linne released a nervy smile. "Yes, me."

Before he could say anything in response to that, Nero huffed as Cerene immediately capsuled him in a warm, tight hug. "Heavens, Nero! I was so worried."

"Ouch. Easy, easy," the boy moaned.

Cerene frowned, releasing him from her tight grasp. "What's the matter?"

Hissing in pain, Nero let Linne go and slowly pulled up his shirt, revealing three giant slashes of torn flesh through his chest and stomach.

Cerene gasped, "By the Gods."

"Ew," Linne sneered in disgust.

Spheris only grimaced, it was a really hideous wound.

"What happened?" Cerene asked, tracing her finger over the edges of the wounds.

"Beast attack," Nero replied. "Killed the bastard, but it got me good."

"Nero, how are you still alive?"