You may never know what the future holds. And sometimes with your mind worried about the present. You're better off not knowing, anyway. Stuck between a hard place and a rock, I rose from the ashes that surround me. The pain that throbs at my feet matters no more. And while my eyes open, they reveal an extended row of teeth.

Two quick steps to the left, and another to the right, I jump to the wall. And leap over the creature's head. Its arms then extend upwards and form into the shape of a snake. That spits bluish flames at me before I could even land. I pull a dagger from my waist, and with a whip of the wrist. A green haze comes from the blade, and the fiery flames become frozen. And with my right leg first, I fall on the rubble of concrete. Using my momentum, I dart towards the half-man/ half-snake creature. Slide between its legs and cut at the knee.

The horrid screams from the creature echo throughout and pierce into my ears. Causing me to fall to the ground, and the knife slides from my palms. It tortuously reverberates throughout my body, and like pins and needles, it attacks the very cells. And a slimy object wraps around my neck, lifting this frail body into the air. The noise ceases, but the tightness becomes more reinforced by the second.

My eyes become dim. And my petty fight for air, grabbing at the object at my neck, brings joy to the creature behind me. It smashes my body into a wall, then into the ground and the ceiling. Blood splatters from my mouth on impact and my eyes seem to loosen from its socket.

At that moment, a child's voice squeals, "Commander, save our leader!" And a bright light outshines the sun, which develops into a loud thud and a screech. The thing releases its grip, and without delay, I free myself.

"Don't stop attacking it!" Yelling with a husky voice, I search for my knife, turn, and rush into its direction. Five children, two girls, and three boys surround the creature with staff, shield, photon beam, a hammer ax, and spear. And I join the foe with my dagger and continue with my instructions. "Lorena, use your staff of rejection and halt its movements. Joel, Rick, and Mitis follow me before it gets up!"

Leading the five, I launch my attack at the center, as its arms are divided into four and whips at my body. Joel comes up from behind, doing a backflip, strikes its limbs, with the photon sword. While Rick transforms his hammer ax into a shield, blocks, and throws Mitis's spear. Which becomes a red color, with a black mist enclosing it, that aims for the creature's neck. With quick reflex, it bends it's back to the ground and avoids a direct hit.

"Lorena, hold it down, will ya!" I yell as it retaliates with a breath of blue flames at our feet. We scatter while kicking dust to block the creature's vision. Which causes more issues for us than it. The flames become hotter by the second and continue to close in on us.

"Commander, I can't hold it any longer. It's too strong for me!" Lorena yells as we draw close. With her back against the wall, and hands shaking, out of breath.

And Mitis shouts the word, "Levitate,' and with a turn, our body rises.

"Time to hunt!" Rick throws his shield toward the creature and blocks its flames. While I slide through the sand and use the smoke as a cover, I appear at its body. And two arms attack me. They beat at my blade with every swing I make, to cut. And with a whistle from Mitis, the spear arises from behind the creature. I leap at it one last time, and my dagger extends into a frozen sword. That sever and freezes its limbs, and the spear pierces its head before it could counter.

"What the hell was that? It took all of us to kill it." Rick screams, and the others fall to their knees with a lengthy sigh.

"Dammit...This is way too much." Leaning my head backward, while thinking of our earlier battles. I can hear my heartbeat pounding into my skull while the heavy breathing continues. And the others lay their heads in the dust from exhaustion. And even though the weapons given to us are custom to our measurements. Fighting creatures triple our size, is no minor feat yet, we must endure. Or so I tell myself, and convey to the others, with reasons unknown to them.

The two tall creatures stand before me within the tent; While two children cower in fright, in a corner. Their teeth gnash with tears running along the cheek. And I gaze upon the beats with black scaly skin and elongated heads. My heart races but not in fear, and they could tell. As it lowers its head and gaze into my eye and speaks, "Just because I saved you from that wolf-man doesn't mean I won't eat you."

"Uh...I know that is true. But I think we could be of better use. If you refrain from having your fill and listen, I could explain further." Words that come from my mouth, yet my mind scrambles for ideas. To defer my death, while I try to produce a plan.

"Are you suggesting, we allow them to fight?" He questions as his body reverts to a human.

"Heavens no, but...(place a hand at my lip and conjure something somewhat realistic.) What if we train them to become scouts? Some of them couldn't retrieve any drops, leaving them to be hungry. Giving them something extra, along with assured incentives, will keep them motivated."

Jack pauses for a moment and lights a cigar. While the other stays in its monster form and shakes its head with a chuckle. "This shrimp will say anything to save its tail." It proclaims with a scoff staring at me then turns to Jack. "The choice is yours boss."

Jack exhales a puff of smoke, clicks his tongue, and turns to the children. Then back at me, saying, "If you can make cowards like those into our scouts, you can keep your life."

"And what about weapons?" I question, In hopes my planned insurgence would be easier, using the weapons they would provide.

"Don't push your luck kiddo, show, and prove first. (Turns to his companion.) Wipe their minds and leave it up to...Kiddo, have you not chosen a name as yet?" Jack questions and leans in my direction.

"They'll call me commander, however, you can call me whatever." I reply with a smirk, but deep inside I shake with fear, of the unknown.

XX

"Commander, commander!" a female voice beckons to me, tugging my worn shirt. I turn to my right, and there Leona stands with her staff resting on her shoulders.

"Commander, I did good?" She questions with pleading eyes, and Rick approaches with a smirk. "Look at these love birds, eh?"

Mitis pulls her spear from the creature and yells, "Rick, shut it. Commander, where to next? We've secured enough drops, and the Elites will show up soon." Pulling a bag of gems from the corpse and a large golden key.

"True, let's get out of here! Listen, we are only scouts nothing more, nothing less. We steal but fight, only if we need to." The moment those words leave my lips, the wall breaks, and another beast-man enters.

His face caves in with a punch from another. It enters with a smirk, standing 10 feet tall, with a massive cleaver. "Did someone s-s-said drops!" The pronunciation of its "S" stutters. And while searching for the room, its smirk then turns into a frown.

And transitions into a peal of laughter. "What are these low-level peons doing in this area? I'll have you know, I'm merciless."

"Guys formation A quick..." The words weren't fast enough, and this massive creature vanishes from my sight. And two large eyes glare at me from my left, with Rick floating in the air. Mitis and Joel become missing, along with the drops. I turn my head shouting, "Leona, stand behind me." Swinging my dagger while my eyes follow the speeding creature. And finally, I sense the blade cutting through flesh.

My blood-soaked hands tremble, watching Mitis stomach opening before me. The creature continues its taunt while it vanishes and reappears. And with a growl, its punch, covering my entire body, knocks me into a wall. My mind thrums with pain, as a cracking sound echoes in my ear, in slow motion.

This happens before Rick falls, headfirst to the ground. And the beast stands before Leona and strokes its fingers over her hair. Joel emerges from the ceiling with half of his body camouflaged. His legs resemble the walls, and the rest of his body bare. As he thrust the photon sword, at the creature's head. It dodges with a slight smirk as if enjoying the spectacle and flicks Joel into the ball beside me.

My body no longer listens. All the training I've done to the fragile shell has become meaningless before this being. And my heart not only aches from the screams of the girls. But what this thing would do to them before me.

And with a deep breath, biting my lips to hold in the pain. I pull my body from the wall. Rick then stands and commands the healing spell, and screams, "Come at me!" Provoking the being.

While a small message flashes in the corner of my eye. That reads "Protection- Enhance your teammates with buff." And another that reads (Straight hitter - Use this to create various hit combos. Also transferable to teammates.)

"If that's the case...Enhance!" I yell while pointing at Rick that shields the attacks from the being. His shield becomes bigger with a bright glowing green light. Every punch creates a ripple effect that stretches the shield. I rush to Mitts and press my hand at her stomach.

I yell the words "enhance and transfer hitter," while I gesture Leona to cast healing magic on her. In hopes, it would speed Mitis recovery directly.

While behind me I can hear the pounding fist against Rick's shield. And when I turn to him, he looks at me with a smile and halfway into the ground. Blood pours from his arms, as he whispers with a pained tone, "Are we ready yet?" And without a moment to lose, I rush towards him, tap his shoulder, and whispers, "Enhance."

And heave up into the air from his shield, extending my dagger I slice at its face. It blocks my attack with laughter, but I continue while Leona heals Rick. Pushing the creature toward the corner, Mitis Spear slides into his feet. He growls with pain, grabs it, and snaps the spear like a twig.

At that moment the surrounding air becomes dense with a black mist. And my body becomes heavy, with a sudden drop and immense pressure. The feeling of a tonne of weight presses my body into the ground. "Levitate" Mitis shouts follows by Leona that shouts, "Cast magic; bonus speed. Bonus strength. Light of my light within me, shine, and disperse." The mist soon fades while our bodies glow in a bright yellow color.

"Let's kill this thing!" I yell and my sword converts into a frosty mist after a phrase comes to mind. (Sword of revenge) And rush at the creature that swings its cleaver, Rick comes behind and blocks its attack. And Joel, after being healed by Leona, joins the fray. His photon sword transforms into a gun hybrid that shoots lasers, yet cuts on demand. The air around us becomes dense again. With my blade scattered, I focus them inside of the creature's body. Yet it vanishes, and returns spitting lava from its mouth. Rick protects us with his shield, and Joel switch places with me, swinging his photon sword at its head. Then shooting afterwards.

The beast leaps over our heads and with a set of wings protruding from its back. It vanishes for a moment then reappears with blood at its mouth.