Monty rushed to the nearby stakes pinned in the ground, where red flags waved with the dusty wind as they blew carelessly around. Ryan could feel the pain growing deeper in his shoulder with every minute. He had to be tough, he had to be, for Jacob. Slowly the two children guided Monty back to his stall. They didn't wish to get caught, that would mean they would get in trouble. After all, only adults were aloud outside the border. Ryan had come back with HICS hoping the computer would be able to help. His eye wasn't sore, but he certainly felt discomfort. He hadn't had much time to think about it before now.

Once Monty was tied up, the fateful question was asked, "How do you expect to save Jacob, Ryan?"

Ryan hadn't even thought about that. He just said yes so he could have a chance, even if it was a small one, of saving Jacob's life. He didn't even know how HICS would be able to help.

"I'm not sure. Yet," Ryan quickly added. "HICS hasn't told me yet."

"Sir, I cannot perform the surgery for you, but I can provide exact information, and coordinate your efforts with precise measurements. My display hud can meet the highest of requirements, and help guide your actions. I can display outlines for you to follow and highlight applicable areas, and also increase vision magnification."

"Can I help?" Emmeny asked, "I want to help."

Ryan shook his head, "No it's best you go home or we might get caught."

Emmeny gave Ryan a hug, "Okay."

Ryan gave her a pat on the back as the two split off. Ryan ran as fast as he could trying to ignore the pain he felt in his shoulder. Soon, the school was once more in his sight with all its glory. He snuck back into the window he had escaped from and rushed to the door. Ryan could hear nose from the other side and slowly opened the door. He saw Tabitha crying into Akoma's arms. Jacob was nowhere to be found.

"Where's Jacob?" Ryan asked in disbelief.

Akoma looked over at the boy. He had known he had been gone, but the wound in his shoulder caused him to have alarm. Tabitha was slowly guided to a chair as Akoma made his way to Ryan.

"Jacob is gone." Akoma replied, "Where have you been?"

"What!" Ryan yelled back. "No he can't be gone! What did you do to him! Jacob!"

Ryan's mouth was covered before he could repeat the name. "You are badly injured. Don't yell when I take my hand away."

Ryan nodded as Akoma's hand was lifted from off his mouth.

Ryan looked over to Tabitha, noticing bruises on her body. He looked back at Akoma. "Why is aunt Tabby hurt?"

"Jacob panicked. When I left the room for a second he lashed out and crawled out the window." Akoma replied.

"He's a wraith." Ryan spat out. "He has to be. There's no way he would do this willingly!"

"Where did you even hear about wraiths!?" Akoma had a small tone of anger and outrage.

"Why does it matter. I can save him!"

"No Ryan. No one can." Akoma replied. "No one can."

"You got'ta let me try!" Ryan begged.

"No. And that's final." Akoma stated. "Wait for me outside."

Ryan held back his anger as he bit his tounge and stomped off. He folded his arms as he pouted on the steps outside the school. He watched the sun begin to rise as metallic clacking was heard.

Off in the distance Ryan spied metal soldiers. The Kish had come. Metal and ceramic clanked against each other. Spears were held in hand, and a formation which seemed uncountable marched forward. Ryan's jaw dropped as he watched arrows fling out towards the marching men.

The city bells rang as the alarm echoed through the ears of all who could hear. Seconds later, Akoma rushed out side, startling Ryan. His lance was in one hand and his other had gripped thr door frame.

"Ryan, go inside." Akoma stated as Ryan rushed in.

Ryan ran strait into Tabitha as he quickly ran through the door. The woman pulled Ryan back by his shoulders, stopping the boy from further movement.

"Ryan, what's going on?" Tabitha questioned.

"What's happening?" Al echoed, walking over to the scene.

Emmeny rushed on forward, looking at Ryan with big eyes. Ryan looked on back before glancing into Tabitha's  glare.

"The Kish have come." Al whispered under breath.

All eyes rushed over to the man as he turned around. The gravity of the situation was felt in the very air they breathed. Heavy lounges with a thick tension a knife could cut hung over each shoulder like a cinderblock.

Al grabbed Emmeny by the hand as he lead her back towards his room. "Let's go Emmeny. Tab, join us soon. Do not wait for Akoma.

Tabbitha nodded in response but stayed standing where she was. She looked eagerly towards the window. Along with Ryan. She glanced back only once, reassured by the fact that Emmeny and Al were out of view.

Ryan's head rushed over towards the shudders as he recognized a loud, shattering boom. The sound was that of a thunder-lance's ball making contact with ceramic.  The loud noise echoed off in the distance. The town went from the sounds of war to complete silence in mere seconds. The echoing ringing sound slowly faded. The villagers paused in awe and horror of the new sound.

The silence was deafening, and didn't appear to have an ending. Ryan looked up at Tabitha, after only a few minutes, despite it feeling like hours. He reached for the door but his hand was restrained.

"NO! You can't go outside. Not until Akoma comes back." Tabitha held Ryan's wrist.

Shadows were seen through the shutters, clanking boots followed. Tabitha pulled Ryan close as she wrapped her arms around the boy. The door swung open as a Kish Soldier stood at the door with his machete. The off-tone colors of the copper armor were stained by the desert sand.

The man didn't say a thing. His manners were that of an expert soldier. His movements were swift and reserved, and his stout build was menacing. He moved closer to Tabitha about to hack her hand off the very second an arrow shattered against the Kishite's back.

The kish turned his head as he pushed Tabitha to the ground. Ryan was in shock until his body hit the floor, his arm still gripped by Tabitha. Despite feeling like minutes, the whole thing was only seconds.

At the door was Benjamin with his bow redied and quiver by his side. He let loose another arrow. The shaft splintered and the blow glanced off the ceramic armor. A curse was delivered under the heavy breathing of the heavily, armored foe.

Benjamin squirmed as the square shaped machete came towards him. His bow was held to block the attack, but snapped in half. A good sized cut went most the way before the chop ended and the fray of splinters began. The light drop of the machete just barely missed Benjamin altogether.

"You're lucky my blade is dull from killing your kin, boy." A echoed voice sounded off from the kishite soldier.

Benjamin stumbled backwards, regaining his balance as he looked at his bow. He tossed the useless instrument to the ground as he drew his knife. The knife had a bone handle with a stone edge.

The kishite scoffed, "Knife against sword, stone against metal. Don't worry it won't hurt, much."

Ben stumbled back onto his back, unsure of what to do. He was frightened. Alarm crossed his eyes as the Kishite began dragging him within reach of the machete. It was like watching a bunny run from a dog, both equally hopeless for the bunny as it was assured victory for the dog.

Ryan grabbed his knife and hit the kishite as hard as he could. A crackling snap was heard as the stone blade of Ryan's knife flew out into the distance. There was little but shards of rock mixed with broken bone to inform an investigator of the once intact blade.

The kishite back handed Ryan, the boy falling once again to the floor. Tabitha lept up on the man's arm trying to control the machete in his hand.

"Run Ben!" Tabitha yelled.

Ryan's face was bleeding, and a pool of blood began to form around the rocky floor. He began freaking out, as he saw his own mortality. Death had not crossed his mind as an event so near to him ever before like it did in this moment. Panick spread across his face, entered his breath, and escaped through his voice. The boy began shouting as he threw himself off his own pool of blood. He could feel the split in his cheek where the metal gauntlet broke the skin. He heald it with both hands as he crawled into a corner in horror.

Tabitha tried to hold on, but the soldier kept beating her with his free hand. "Let go!"

He began to curse as blood drew out from Tabitha's flesh. Bruises and cuts formed from the force of the blunt metal, and its dull edge.

In a defeated and final attempt Tabbitha yelled again, "Ryan! Run! Get far away from here!"

No sooner did the words leave her grasp did she get thrown to the floor. In an unintended act, the machete slid across Tabitha's right arm severing the limb from her body. She writhed on the ground in pain as the soldier pasted around her.

"You've caused me a fair bit of trouble." The man took in a breathe from exhaustion, "How should you die?"

He threw his helmet to the ground to reveal a dark complexion with dark curly hair. His eyes were a soft amber color, matching the same shade as the red desert sands. He knelt down to Tabitha as she yelled, grabbing her by the hair and pulling her up. Then, do to the unending screaming, hushed her with a swift clasp over her mouth. The metal hand was held there in an uncomfortably fashion, intentionally so to exact as much revenge as possible.

"Such a pity something so young and pretty has to die." He continued. He let Tabitha's head loose, dropping her face to the ground. "I'll let you bleed out, covered in your own blood, all alone, and with a cowering child soiling himself."

Ryan made eye contact with the Kishite, the devilish grin capturing the boy's attention. Ryan closed his eyes, curling into a ball. He heard boots shift on the ground, and looked up to see Al crawling around a corner.

Al was a heavy set man, but under his round exterior was a good bit of muscle. On his left hand was one of his tinkering brojects. Metal was strapped to his arm with a blade and cross bow attached. Daniel rushed up to the Kishite, but failed to catch him completely off guard.

The soldier growled, "Get off of me!"

Al grunted as the two wrestled. The violent exchange slowly left both men rolling on the ground trading blows with their fist. The kishite got the upper hand, kneeling over Al with his machete. Al grabbed the helmet of the soldier and slammed it into his foe's face. The kishite staggered back as Al turned the tide. He placed his hands around the Kishite's throat as he began to strangle the man.

"Why!? Why are you making me do this!" Al yelled in anger. "I don't want to kill you!"

Al whispered as the soldier's body went limp, "I, don't want to. I don't, want to."

Al was in shock, looking at the corpse, but he didn't linger in that state for long. He shook him self, and rushed over towards his daughter, Tabitha. Ryan had watched everything take place, and had slowly crawled over to Tabitha during the fight.

"Tabs! Tabs, are you okay?" AL asked uselessly. They both knew she wasn't okay. He quickly tore his shirt off his body and applied pressure to the wound. Tabbitha was barely conscious.

"Ryan!" Al called out, "Go to my workshop and grab a round, metal disk. Do it now!"

Ryan, shook up over his fear crawled to his feet and ran. He made his way over to the work shop glancing over the weird gadgets. He shifted the accessories around as he mumbled to himself.

"H.I.C.S., I need to find a metallic circular disk, a little help!"

"Initializing, search protocol." Round objects were highlighted on Ryan's vision, along with anything metallic. The crossing colors of blue and red made purple. Soon Ryan found the disk, as H.I.C.S. anylized it. Ryan rushed back, handing Al the gadget.

Al looked over the gadget, placed it over Tabitha's arm, and looked over to Ryan. "Stand back.".

A twist of a small wind up on the side of the device released a pressured gas alone with a spark. A combustion was seen as fire crawled up Tabitha's arm. The wound had been instantly cauterized.

Ryan watched Tabithe writh in pain, waking just enough to let out a broken yell, followed by growning. Ryan watched Al toss the metal disk to the side.

"What is that?" Ryan asked.

"I haven't given it a name. But the air inside the small canister combust into flames, I added a spark mechanism and it instantly cauterizes a wound."

Ryan sat back, worrying about Tabitha as Al bandaged her arm. Al gave out a sigh as he looked over to Ryan. "Are you okay?"

Ryan nodded, "yeah."

Al picked up Tabitha as he beckoned to Ryan with a nod of his head. "Let's go."

"But what about Ben?" Ryan asked.

Al's eyes went wide. "Benjamin is out there?"

"Yeah, Aunt Tabby told him to run."

Al nodded. He moved around the boy as he spoke. "Ryan I need you to be brave. I need you to watch over Aunt Tabitha and Emmeny. You got that?"

Ryan nodded to reassure Al's stern glare. "Yes. I can do it!"

Despite being scared and worried, Ryan felt a burning passion in his chest. It was his duty to protect Aunt Tabby and Emmeny now.

Al guided the boy to a metal hatch. After instructing Ryan to open the metal door, they climbed down into the cool concrete bunker. The shelter was small, and had only two beds available. Al laid Tabbitha on one of the beds, adjusting her head as Emmeny rush up.

"What's going on? What happened to Tabby's arm?!"

"She got hurt." Al answered. "Stay put and don't move. Watch over Aunt Tabby. Ill be back before long."

Emmeny nodded, and looked over towards Ryan. "What's going on?"

Ryan was afraid, and he could see fear in Emmeny's eyes as well. He was a bit spooked still, causing Emmeny to repeat the question after calling his name. Ryan swallowed. "The Kish are attacking. They nearly killed me, Aunt Tabby, and Ben."

Emmeny emitted a harsh energy as she visible began panicking. "It's happening again..."

"What's happening?" Ryan asked, as he also started panicking.

Emmeny wiped her tears as she turned her back to Ryan. "Everyone I love is dying again."

Ryan felt his heart fall to his gut. He placed his hand on Emmeny's shoulder, "I'm still here, Aunt Tabby is still here, and Uncle Al will be okay."

Emmeny embraced Ryan as she cried softly.

Both of the children froze. They heard boots walking on the floor above. The children coward, hiding in the corner of the room. They both flinched when the trap-door swung open. Light ran down into the nearly pitch black area. Ryan nearly had a heart attack as a voice called out.

"Ryan, are you down there?" Akoma asked.

Ryan hesitated, taking a moment to register the situation. "Y-Yes."

"Come on up, we need to go. Now!"

Ryan heard the agency in his mentor's voice. "What about Aunt Tabby and Emmeny?"

"We don't have a choice."

"No!" Ryan defied.

"Aunt Tabby and Emmeny will be fine, but only if we leave now."

"Aunt Tabby's arm got cut off! She's not okay!" Ryan yelled back.

Boots slapped against the ground as the battle-worn Akoma caught himself. A metal mask covered his face and his blood, stained long coat was pink and red more so than the base white. Akoma unbuckled the straps from his helmet. He pulled the metal contraption off as Ryan looked up at him.

Ryan paid close attention to his mentor. Akoma knelt down beside Tabitha, looked over her arm, placed his back hand against her forehead, then two fingers along her neck. After about ten seconds of holding his fingers on her neck, he turned around to Ryan. "She'll be well enough. The Kish will come back. They're here for me, and you, so we must leave."

Ryan looked over towards Tabitha remembering HICS. As he thought about wanting to know if she was okay, Ryan saw numbers and other displays in his vision. "Hello Sir, actively displayed on HUD is the adult female's vitals. Further explanation can be provided."

Ryan looked around, talking in his head "Is she going to be okay?"

"She is not currently dying. Hypothesizing that she has medical care and treatment, she will be alright. Prosthetic replacement is suggested for the patient.

Satisfied enough to obey, Ryan nodded, "Where are we going?"

Akoma looked over towards Emmeny, "You'll want to say your goodbyes."

Ryan's eyes went wide.

"They'll burn this village to the ground unless we leave." Akoma reinforced. "Haste is required."

"Bye Emmeny. I'll see you again someday."

Emmeny gave Ryan a hug, holding him tight. "Please don't go. Please. Stay, I beg."

Akoma pulled the two apart. "I wish we could."

Ryan was dragged by Akoma as he looked back at Emmeny crying in fear, and loneliness. Ryan didn't want to go.

"Good bye, Ryan." Emmeny sniffled.