Intermission Two II

Zero had been sprinting none stop away from the light until darkness and alike slowly enclosed them. Soon they stood deep within the cavernous forest, quadrupedal footfalls around them. Zero stood in the dark, sure they were being surrounded. They could hear their retreat being blocked and other pursuers taking positions around him. These creatures were intelligent and coordinated with each other with chirps and chattering. Silence fell over the surrounding area. Everything but the insects fled at the presence of these creatures. Zero released some gathered Ether in hopes of better seeing their targets.

In response, the darkness riders fire their toxic needles. Zeros' reaction time is good as they form a wall of flames catching the first volley. The flames illuminate the surroundings well enough to show one of the creatures before they begin fleeing the light source. Its body resembled a feline form, agile and quick while being daunting in size, leaping from tree limb to trunk with ease. The light glinted off two sets of eyes though Zero could make out a pair of eyes on the tail that writhed like a serpent.

They fled deeper into the cave. Zero was losing their chance to catch one, and every second here put Loki closer to death. So Zero gave chase deeper into the forest. These creatures were fast and could clearly see in the darkness, an advantage that Zero lacked. They soared through the canopy Zero, closing in on one and entangling it in their crimson web. The beast falls to the earth, struggling to break free. Now that Zero has had the chance to see one up close. They could make out what their attackers looked like.

A strong feline form wrapped in jet-black reptilian skin. With sharp talons that pulled and kicked against Zero's threads. Zero came closer to the beast, preparing to analyze it to find the organ that creates the toxin but was forced back when they noticed the tail taking a sharp bite at them. To Zeros' surprise, the tail of this creature was alive snake-like eyes peered at Zero before spitting a set of needles that they had to dodge.

Zero superheats a set of threads that effortlessly glide through the head of the tail, severing it from the body an automatic response to realizing where the needles came from. What followed next was something Zero could not prepare for. A soul-piercing screech escaped the feline portion of the creature immediately after a barrage of needles hailed from the canopy. All Zero could manage was a flame wall to protect themselves. When the storm ended, they could see that the on-lookers had pelted the body and severed head of their comrade with needles killing the rest of the beast.

Was this purposeful?

Did they understand what Zero wanted, or was this a mercy their kind afforded each other?

Zero had even less time to wonder. Rage filled them, and they were running low on Ether and time. They couldn't keep conjuring flames to protect themselves. That's when they noticed some of the needles were toxinless. All the ones that hit the beast were without toxins, while the ones near Zero that had hit the ground were still covered. Zero pushed a ring of flame outward, causing the creatures to back away again.

They knelt next to the feline portion of the body and could immediately feel the creature's skin was still giving off Ether even after death. They must know how to naturally gather ambient Ether and express it through the skin to allow a form of protection from each other's toxins. Zero didn't have the time at all to learn this skill. They barely manipulated Ether well enough to sense a presence.

"For Riley." Zero whispered before initiating assimilation mode for the Mothers Mold.

"PROGRAM SKILL GLUTTONY PERMITTED: Devour." The Mother Mold rang out in Zeros' ears as a longing filled their belly, a yearning they hated. The crimson fabric that covered their lips slowly unraveled and shifted until forming a beastly maw with sharp rows of red teeth. Zero began eating, tearing flesh from bone. As they devoured the corpse, they could hear what sounded like whines and cries of anger from all around them that slowly made more sense as they ate. Zero hated this part. It always felt like the Mothers Mold was changing them, making them less of who they were and more challenging to remember what that meant.

"They dare devour us!" A voice in the darkness screams.

"A lowly Red Ape should know its place!" Another voice from the circling darkness. Zero started to remember something at the mention of Red Apes, a familiarity from their past.

"POSSIBLE LINEAGE CONNECTION ACQUIRED." The Mother Mold said, interrupting the gripes of the creatures from the dark. Zero's stomach curled. Something about this thing was part of its family?

"Classify!?" Zero demanded quickly, concern gripping their chest tightly.

"APEX PREDATOR OF APEX PREY GENUS: Human. VARIATION: Red Ape." Calm returned to Zero at the sound of that. So this creature had eaten something connected to the Zeros family.

"The Napa Juma will not stand for this!" A cry from the darkness caught Zero's attention.

"Must Alert the Napa Juma!" Zero heard one of the voices that held the line blocking their retreat break formation to start running deeper into the forest. Time had slowed as Zeros' body began the acclimation, thoughts racing through their head. They weren't sure what the Napa Juma was, but if they alerted it, that would leave no time for Zero to capture one of them and return to Loki. Zeros body had begun gathering the ambient Ether that the creature had stored and expressing it over the Mother's Mold like a thin veil. Their body felt lighter.

Zero could feel the flow of Ether around them better than before, and the Ether stored could be directed quickly to the legs and hands. The creature that broke formation was now about to pass Zero before it could, though Zeros' body reacted, the stored Ether springing their body like a bullet into the side of the creature crushing ribs and sending it deep into a tree trunk. Zero uses the impact as a springboard to land on a tree limb, expressing Ether outward so they can count their targets.

"One down, nine to go." Zero said, priming more Ether in their arms and legs.