Blasts sounded through the forest, as the Ark Knights and the Celsior SF units were ambushed by a Luuris strike group.

Keltir unloaded a volley of golden plasma bolts, flooring several soldiers, though the Reapers were able to deflect the shots with their strange biotic swords, which vibrated every time they came into contact with the energy. Keltir belted his blaster, and attacked with his laser sword. He cut down several standard soldiers, but the Reapers put up unexpected resistance, and only with some luck, did he manage to keep their weapons at bay.

Raelin ducked under another swing and dispatched his foe with a diagonal cut through its torso. He looked over at Keltir, and to his surprise, noticed him holding off three Reapers at once, though barely. For all his childishness, Keltir was actually a pretty good fighter. But he clearly needed help. Raelin rushed over, taking advantage of the special gadgets in his armor.

He skewered one of the Reapers through its back with his golden sword, and killed another with a retractable blade in his forearm guard. "Thanks", Keltir forced out between gasps, withdrawing his laser sword from the third, before doubling over coughing. Raelin clamped his hand on his shoulder, getting his attention. "You are breathing too hard. You need to slow down", he said, but Keltir did not seem to register his words.

"Hey, kid! Stay with me!" Raelin ordered, alarmed. Keltir's left leg buckled, and Raelin barely caught him in time. "Freya, Keltir needs urgent medical help! Irma, Giarna, Reyna, guard them!" he said, when Keltir didn't respond.

They did as instructed, while Alezur and Akala kept the remaining Reapers at bay. The Orlan kicked one of them in the chest, knocking the wind out of it, before decapitating it. He snapped another's neck in his powerful grip, and hurled his saber staff at a group of soldiers, and retrieved it with the push of a button on his forearm guard. Raelin was grateful the massive warrior was one of them.

Akala's laser sword was a blur of purple light, cutting down Luuris soldiers left and right. Even the Reapers were careful, not daring to get too close.

Oreana downed another group of creatures with her cannon, and Torzun's plasma spear skewered two more. Kaleor and Zaeron blasted 8 more with their pistols, and Raelin fried a few more with the built in fire launcher in his forearm guard.

Giarna aimed her bow at another Reaper, and fired, striking it before it could attack Raelin. Irma and Reyna blasted two more with their rifles, and Oreana killed the remaining four with her cannon.

Everyone gathered around Freya and Keltir. "Anything?" Alezur asked. "His respiration rate stabilized, but only just. He is in a stupor of some sort. He is not reacting at all. I have no idea what is it", Freya replied. "Hold on", Raelin said, activating his forearm torch. "What are you doing?" Freya asked, alarmed. "Let me try something", Raelin replied, slowly moving his torch above Keltir's body, watching for any signs of an interference. Keltir twitched once, and then froze again, completely still, as if controlled by something. Then, he twitched once more, and Raelin swore he saw something move with him. He blinked, but the slight, barely detectable motion continued. Freya and Alezur backed away, in a barely noticeable motion, and Raelin knew he was not the only one.

Keltir's body began vibrating, and whatever was controlling him followed suit. To his horror, Raelin realized whatever was controlling him was not doing so from the outside- it was inside him. It began moving more erratically, and Keltir's whole body jerked, seizing up everywhere, as if whatever was inside him was trying to break out.

"Ark save us", Torzun muttered, clutching his spear.

"Move!" Freya ordered, pushing Raelin away and slammed an e-pulser against Keltir's chest. His body twitched once more, before freezing.

"We have to move quickly. Otherwise that thing will recover from the shock, and we will lose him. Someone hold him up, with his torso pointed down, so I can push that thing out of him", she instructed. Kaleor did so, holding his limp body in place, as Freya, Raelin, Irma and Giarna worked, dragging e-pulsers down his back and chest. The thing moved down with the pulses at a painfully slow rate.

"Raelin and Irma, move your e-pulsers together. Giarna, pull yours away from mine", Freya said.

"Good", she said, as they did as instructed. "Now, Raelin and Irma, hold your e-pulsers steady at his sides. Giarna, switch to his back. We pinpointed the thing. Now we just need to move it down between the electric barriers, and get it out", she added.

Bit by bit, the thing was moved down to Keltir's trachea. "Good. Now shake him, but not too rough." Raelin, Irma and Giarna did as instructed. Freya wrapped her arms around his chest, and pulled hard, before tipping him over once more. Keltir's eyes snapped open, and they all resisted the urge to gag, as something dropped out of his mouth. The creature awakened, but Freya blasted it with her pistol, killing it on the spot.

"What in the Ark is this thing?" Oreana exclaimed, recoiling in disgust. "Suuron larva. I should have known", Alezur cursed. "These things are hidden in a live host, usually a large animal, often a human, especially in more remote areas, by an adult Suuron. It only takes a day or two, sometimes three, but never more than four for them to reach this development stage. And then they burst out of their host through its chest, killing them on the spot. We should check ourselves for these. Freya, how much Cerionic Acid do you have with you?" he continued.

"Just 4 tubes. Enough for 8 dozes for each of us. Maybe 10 if each of us takes only the absolute bare minimum", Freya replied. "Alright. Each of us must take a doze now. The Cerionic Acid will kill any larvae that is inside us, completely dissolving it", Alezur said.

Freya distributed the medicine, and even Keltir, who usually stayed as far away from anything medical as he could, accepted it with no resistance.

"We will know just how fucked we could have been by morning", Freya said. As if on cue, Torzun, Oreana and Raelin collapsed, wheezing. Freya, Irma and Giarna tended to them, though they and the rest were feeling a little nauseous themselves.

At last, after another hour, everyone seemed to be fine. Even Keltir was moving, though he was constantly on edge, jumping at practically every sound. Raelin sighed, observing him. Their situation was now looking quite a bit bleaker.