Chapter Five: Enemy In The Dark

Sorry it's been so long, guys!

Williams fired straight at the creature, with Davis following suit and Riley watching in absolute horror, Davis became overwhelmed with rage seeing the resemblance of a Meaola in the creature and charged at it. Before Davis could land a single blow, the creature caught Davis by the shoulder and began squeezing it with immense force, causing Davis to shriek in pain loudly. His armor teared like paper before the creatures strength while Williams watched in terror. A sudden tear is heard, like a ripping of a sheet of paper, through the creatures abdomen, a light red light tears through the creature slowly and a yellow furred Meola covered in silver armor throws it to the side, freeing the injured Davis, the creature quickly gets up and charges at the Meaola on all fours, the Meaola swiftly dodges and strikes the creature in the head, killing it and destroying it's skull.

The Meaola looks away from the creature and onto the hurt Davis, aswell as the other soldiers, without moving a muscle, the Meaola speaks deeply "I thought I had contained them." before turning and walking torwards Davis slowly. Davis tries to look angry and get up to stand against the Meaola, but his shoulder is nearly broken. The Meaola speaks to Davis "You need rest, please, I am not your enemy." Before turning to Williams and Riley and saying "Aetheling, Commander Aetheling of the 9th-..." Williams cuts his words off and says "Why did you save him, why are you here?" While stepping towards the Meaola, gun lowered. The Meaola spoke once more "I've been here for 5 years, human, I saved your friend because he is among the living, That creature was not alive, He was one of my soldiers." Williams spoke once more "The war has been going on for 3 years, you've been here that long?" The Meaola showed its first emotion: confusion and shock. "We are at war, human?" Davis laughed through the pain and said "You murdered my entire family, you destroyed my planet, If our people are not at war, I am at war with you." Before gathering the strength to get up.

"Our people have never been one to wage war.." Aetheling said defensively before Davis cut him off and raised his gun, saying "You killed my mother and father right in front of me, my sister, and my little brother, I am the only survivor of my family because of you!" Williams stepped in "Stand down, Davis!" As he grabbed Davises gun and lowered it, with Davises eyes locked onto the Meaola. Aetheling replied swiftly "I am not your enemy, Davis, My people do not speak for me." Davis agreed to stand down and went to Riley to comfort her, Williams looked to Aetheling and asked "What do you know of this place, Have you seen any other humans here?" Aetheling replied "I have not seen any other humans, I am searching for the rest of my soldiers, aswell, perhaps we should work together." Williams agrees and briefs Riley and Davis on the situation.

After awhile of Aetheling informing Williams of what he knows of the facility, Aetheling begins to drag the carcass of his fallen soldier to a nearby room, asking to be left alone to give his fallen Meaola a proper death ritual, to which the group agrees. After half an hour Aetheling emerges from the room, saying "We should keep moving, search for our group." Williams replies "Yes, we should, let's go." The foursome headed down further into the facility, arms ready, Davis still eyeing Aetheling from behind. Williams asked "So, since you've been here this long, how have you survived without food?" "With one Meaola left and rations for a hundred, you tend to last awhile, for awhile, I was in cryosleep in attempt to escape the infection, but I woke to them tearing the machinery."

Williams stopped, asking "Infection?" Aetheling responded slowly "What you saw was the Y-Sood infestation, a parasite that spreads unbelievably fast and morphs the body into a weapon for the parasite to spread and feed, I'd rather not get more into it, and hope that our group has not succumb to this ye-" Aetheling was cut off by sounds of gunshots in the distance, Riley being the first one to charge into it, with the rest following. Riley saw Cornette in a makeshift fort made of metal, firing at two infected Meaola who were trying to claw into the fort. Riley instantly fired at the Meaola, screaming for her brother, the remainder of the squad follows in combatting the two, Aetheling jumping torwards one of them and dueling it with his sword, Davis and Riley cornering one with Cornette and firing multiple rounds at it. Williams onlooking the rest of the room in search for more infected.

After the infected were dealt with, Cornette emerged to immediatly draw his pistol and put it to Aethelings face, Aetheling not reacting. "Cornette, stand down, he's with us." Williams orders, with Cornette standing down. "A warrior knows his allies and enemies." Aetheling said before eyeing his fallen Meaola. Cornette spoke to Aetheling "So there's more of you?" Aetheling immediately responded "You've seen my comrads?" "Yes, one introduced themselves as Thegn and another as Corpus." "My soldiers live!" Aetheling responded excitedly, and the group followed Cornette to where he last saw the two Meaola.

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