The spring night was cold in the wasteland. High Marshall Byorg Broynison was warming himself by one of the fires, as were the rest of his men. There was only two hundred of them left after the tragedy which befell them two days ago.

Byorg Broynison took the remnant of army into the 'Southern Wasteland' to escape the 'Five Realms' where they were wanted for their crimes. He, and his soldiers were no longer in the known parts of the 'Southern Wasteland', but were in fact several leagues inside the 'Forbidden Zone'.

Byorg raided, and conquered the border territories of the five realms for over a month, and south escaped of the realm toward the wasteland more than a week ago. Some of them galloped away on just horses, others in carriages, and wagons, while he, and some of them had the luxury to drive off in steam cars. He lead his one hundred strong bandit gang into the 'Forbidden Zone' in the hope that the pursuers would eventually not risk venturing so far.

Although he knew that it was not uncommon for or scientists, explorers, and even military personnel to venture once in a while into the 'Forbidden Zone', but only for one or two leagues no more. He estimated that they were currently atleast six leagues in. Byorg didn't expect their enemies to pursue them further, especially since the 'Five City States' hated each other, but he was wrong.

After only traveling one league into the 'Forbidden Zone', the gang found an abandoned fortress, which looked to be very ancient, possibly built many centuries ago. They settled there to rest, and to ponder how to return to the realm undetected. The next morning Byorg and his men were surprised to notice a unified military force of the 'Five City States' in the distance heading towards the fortress.

The Nahkirem, Zani, Surrians, Sie-mocs, and even the Mulam have arrived. Such unity amongst them was such a rare sight. He must have truly struck fear into the entire realm since they were able to temporarily unite against him beyond their own borders. It looked like they brought three thousand soldiers to destroy him, and his bandits. Canons, mortars, catapults, and even armored steam cars were present.

The fortress was being bombarded, the enemies were also preparing to surround them to prevent any chance of escape. Byorg knew they would not last long, and simply gave the order to "Retreat south!"

Now here he was, six leagues inside the 'Forbidden Zone' with only twenty of his men who survived the onslaught. They were going to eventually run out of food, and steam. They only had a few more gallons of water left to power up their cars, and to consume for themselves.

Were they meant to die out here? Was this there fate? To die a death without glory in this waste?

He kept looking into his own campfire that was burning. He remembered stories about the forbidden zone, the old legends. About the wild creatures from beyond the southern wasteland who tormented the realm four thousand years ago. How nobody who went far enough into 'Forbidden Zone' would ever return.

Why would they never return? Were they devoured by the mythical creatures? Maybe they found the 'Holy Subterranean City' of Agartha on the other side of the world? For Byorg though, all of this was nothing but a children's fairy tale, despite being a Zani himself, and being raised to believe in such legends. For him these were nothing more, but stories to scare little children.

He didn't believe in the creatures, nor in some mythical city of Agartha. Though he did wonder, what truly lay beyond. Why was the 'Forbidden Zone' truly forbidden? How far south can they go? . Will they be able to find more food, and water? Another question that was going through his mind was how long before his men turn on him if he cannot lead them to safety anytime soon?

Something. Something has to be done. He was still their leader after all, but for how long?

" Do you hear that?" one of his men interrupted his thoughts. Byorg, like the rest of the men stood up to hear the noise of loud thuds coming towards them. Could it be their pursuers? No it couldn't be, the sound and the red lights were coming from the southern direction.

Byorg and his men were all looking at those red lights getting closer, and closer, and those thuds were getting louder, louder, and louder, and closer, closer, and closer. Those were not lights! Those were eyes of beasts on four legs!

For being the fearless leader of this gang, he truly felt fear for the first time in his life. "No!" he thought. " It cannot be",.he said to himself. One of the beasts ran so fast that he got knocked onto the ground, his head hitting a rock, and Byrog passing out. Instantly the entire world for him went black.

He opened his eyes. It was still night time. The fires were still burning, but his head and the rest of his body ached. He layed their trying to understand what was going on. He turned his head to the side . What he witnessed was indeed terrifying. He denied their very existence, but hear they were, eating the flesh of his men.

Fear fully engulfed him, these were not some feral beasts, they were sentient, and were capable of having speech amongst themselves, and they mocked his men. The sentience, and the mocking itself was not what terrified him, but what they were doing to his men. Eating their flesh, and very slowly while they were still alive. They were taking pleasure in the hearing the men screaming in extreme agony as they were being eaten alive very slowly.

Byorg was so terrified that he lost the will to do anything. He didn't know what to do. How to run? How can he run away from such evil? The very existence of such evil was worse than anything he has ever done in his life.

He was hoping, he was praying to whoever, and whatever was out there. Wanting someone to save him. The mighty Byorg Broynison has finally discovered something much more evil than himself. "Please, I hope they don't notice me" he said in a mental prayer to whatever powers existed in the universe.

Nothing, nothing happened. Salvation never came to him. He continued laying their in a pathetic state full of fear seeing the dark terror of his gang being tortured to death in such a manner. The screams of the tormented continued. He was closing his eyes praying that all of this will soon end.

Byorg opened his eyes for the last time, and there it was. Staring at him with those red eyes.

"No, no, no no" Byorg whimpered. The mighty, and fearless Byorg whimpered. This was not the death he wanted, nor the death he thought he deserved.

The beast opened it's jaw, and uttered to him

" I hope you didn't think we wouldn't notice you?" The beast asked in a mocking tone. Byorg was now whispering "Please , please, please, please"

The monster responded to him, "Yours will be a quick death". Immediately the foul creature bit into Byorg's face, and continued to devour it.