A fierce storm blew overhead as Aetos ran, ran like it was all he had left, and was only until his body failed him did he stop. With sweat and dew glistening on his skin, Aetos with one big puff of air fell to his knees, his weak body racked with exhaustion.
As he lay there staring into the thick mud which rested beneath him, the rain cascading through the canopy of tall oak trees which surrounded him faltered for a moment, and the faintest of noises struck his ears.
Rapid footsteps, as addled with exhaustion and desperation as his own, and approaching at an alarming rate. Without hesitation Aetos drew himself to a stand, unable to run any longer, Aetos reserved himself to fighting, putting his fists up in a sign of defiance.
Soon a hulking figure erupted from the tree line, chains draped from his wrists, and tattered clothes barely keeping themselves together under the intense power contained within the body that wore them.
Neither spoke, merely their eyes meeting had drawn the vigor from their body and the hope from their mind. Unlike himself, this figure was anything but human, quickly Aetos recognized him as an illustrious Beastkin, a being renowned for its powers of shapeshifting and inhuman strength.
Aetos kept his fists held forward, the shake which possessed them however made his intent clear that all he held was overwhelming fear for this monster.
The Beastkin's expression shifted from its initial concern to instead serenity. Within mere moments, the hulking figure that stood before Aetos crumpled into a short man with brownish hair, the wounds afflicted upon him now clear as day.
Speaking slowly and carefully, the Beastkin asked in a soft voice, "Who are you, frail one?"
Aetos' fear slowly subsided, and he realized that this thing wasn't his enemy, eventually responding with a fearful stutter, "Ae-... Aetos Asulon."
Looking Aetos up and down one last time, the Beastkin's head jerked behind him, "They're close!"
His head lurching back to Aetos, the Beastkin's form enlarged, fur stretching across his body, limbs crackling and breaking themselves into a new form, and his energy flowing freely once more.
Reaching forward with an eerily human hand, yet covered with the guise of a beast, the Beastkin earnestly asked, "We can both escape whatever evil we are running from, grab my hand."
Looking at the beast's hand, Aetos' expression grew empty, falling to the ground hopelessly.
"I can't escape what I'm running from, just leave me, I deserve what is coming..." Aetos said with an exhausted expression.
Grumbling, the beast's chains took on a life of their own, blue energy possessing them. The chains whirled around him in a violent torrent, striking into nearby trees, and producing a dreadful noise.
The beast looked conflicted, on the edge of an answer, eventually shaking his head, "If you can't run, then fight, don't just give up!" The beast yelled at Aetos.
Grabbing Aetos by the shoulder, he raised him to his feet, wrapping chains around his fists.
"It's the least a man can do..." the beast said earnestly, turning his gaze back to where it emerged from.
Within moments, a group of five well-suited men sat atop horses appeared, each equipped with a lethal-looking weapon.
Their supposed leader dropped from the back of his horse, breaching the treeline the other men drew nearer, their confidence oozing freely.
"Grohl...♫" the roughly bearded leader sang in a hoarse sing-songy tune.
Drawing the broadsword from his back, its glare struck their transfixed gazes, sending a shiver down Aetos's spine.
Confused to see Aetos, the roughly bearded leader pointed his sword toward him, "Aww, look at that, our little Grohl made a friend!" He said with a false affection tingeing his voice.
Grohl's mane flared in aggression, his eyes honed to a razor edge toward him.
"Ya know Grohl, it's considered bad manners to not introduce your friends!" He roared as he lunged forward with a wide arcing swing, clashing against Grohl's chains which began to shine a deep red.
Jumping backward, the man commented jokingly, "Seems our little Grohl learned a few tricks."
A light laugh trickled through their rank, the leader's tone suddenly shifting, "Alright, you had your fun, you're coming back now," pointing to Aetos, he continues, "And your little friend is coming along as interest." He finished with a commanding tone.
This comment sent Grohl over the edge, his chains writhed in anger as they ripped forward toward the leader.
"Same ol' Grohl!" With a deft strike the chains were shattered into fragments, Grohl lunged toward the leader with fangs and claws bore.
Growing bolder, Aetos yelled as he reached toward Grohl desperately, "Don't fall for his trick!"
The chain held in Aetos' fist swirled alive, lunging toward Grohl and wrapping around his wrist, pulling him back as the leader's sword smashed into the ground where Grohl would've been.
Grohl calmed himself as Aetos rested a hand on his arm, Grohl's gaze calming, "Thank you..."
More chains slowly appear from Grohl's hands, swirling around him as he steels his gaze.
The leader's expression shifts and a hateful gaze pierces through Aetos, "The master doesn't know about him, whoever kills him will get extra from my next payment."
The four goons steps forward, holding their weapons in hand, and an eager look sits on their face.
Aetos started to cower, but Grohl placed a hand on his shoulder, chains rippled across his body, covering him from head to toe.
"You're not invulnerable and it won't last forever, if you stay alive I promise I'll come to save you," Grohl said with an earnest look.
Uneasy, Aetos shook his head, "I'll do my best, but don't be afraid to leave me behind..."
Grohl rushed forward swinging a bundle of chains from a distance at the leader who lunges backward into the tree line, and Grohl makes chase as Aetos watches them both leave his view.
Aetos is reminded of the imminent danger quickly, as an axe rips toward him from above. Throwing his hands up the axe clashes on his chains, bouncing off.
"Damn chains," a bulky man complained.
From behind the bulky man, a lanky man wielding a spear struck at Aetos' chest, pushing him back as another man wielding a shortsword struck at his neck, chipping at the chains protecting it.
Suddenly a large force smashes into his right side, glancing over as he is flung to his side he spots the fourth man wielding a large warhammer.
"Not fair Rez, your weapon way better, stabbing and slashing ain't doin' shit!" the bulky man whined.
Rushing toward Aetos, Rez retorted, "I'm not your mama, don't complain to me!"
With another smash, Aetos is slammed up against a tree, nearly vomiting from the impact.
Leaping toward Aetos, the bulky man roared, "He's mine!"
A sudden pole smacks the bulky man out of the way, the lanky man commanding, "Like hell he is!"
The shortsword-wielding man slips past them all, diving in toward Aetos with a stab.
Nicking his chest, the chains protecting his chest loosen from the impacts. Aetos winces in pain, shouting, "Just leave me alone!"
Rez draws his warhammer above his head, "Sorry, not happening," he said as he brought his warhammer down.
Aetos reaches forward in desperation, and a sudden slash appears on Rez's cheek, his hammer smashing into the tree above Aetos.
Jerking his hammer back, Rez slams it into the ground, placing a hand over his cheek in pain, "Who the fuck did that!" Rez roared as he glared at each of his teammates.
Confused, they pause for a moment, "None of us hit you, you just got nicked by some debris probably dumbass."
Rez fumes in anger, pain coursing through him he lifts his hammer from the ground, swinging it toward his lanky teammate, "I bet it was you, you shitty asshole!"
Striking him in the chest, he is sent tumbling backward, his spear flying out of his hand to the ground.
"Rez, we aren't allowed to fight each other!" The shortsword-wielding man reminded loudly.
Rez quickly turned to the man, "Oh so was it you?"
Guarding with his shortsword, the man shakily retorts, "No, it wasn't, now calm down!"
"Don't tell me..." Rez started to lift his hammer above his head, "To calm down!" Rez yelled as he brought it down on his teammate's guard, clashing against his sword and forcing it into his face.
Dropping to the ground dead, the bulky man came up behind Rez, trying to put him in a headlock, "Now you're in trouble dumbass, master's gonna have our ass!"
Aetos watches as Rez grabs at the bulky man's head, unable to get ahold, eventually bringing him to his knees and laying him on his back.
Sighing, the bulky man rests his hand axe on his shoulder, commenting, "Looks like I get the bonus."
Turning around he spots Aetos sitting at the base of a tree, handheld on his side and heavy breaths being had by him.
"Before I kill you, I have to ask, did you do that?" The bulky man asked.
Aetos didn't respond, merely glaring at him tiredly.
Scoffing, he raised the hand axe above his head, "Should've figured you wouldn't respond."
A chain wraps around his hand axe, tearing it from his grip, quickly being flung away.
"What!" Is the only thing the bulky man could say before another chain wrapped itself around his neck, dragging him to the ground.
Aetos looked to the treeline, spotting a large figure slowly approaching, with Grohl soon coming into view.
"I made it..." Grohl said as he slumped against a tree.
The bulky man fought to tear away the chains, but soon the strength had faded from his body, leaving him splayed out on the forest floor, no more than worm food.
Grohl hobbled his way toward Aetos, a large slash across his leg greatly dampening his movement.
"You okay man," Grohl asked.
Nodding, he brought himself to his feet, the rain finally coming to an end, leaving little more than dew in its wake.
"Let's get the fuck out of here," Grohl said through exhaustion.
Transforming into a human, Grohl's hobble didn't leave him, stretching an arm to Aetos, "Walking hurts right now, care to help me?"
Without hesitation, Aetos quickly slung Grohl's arm over his shoulder as they both walked away in search of safety.