'Gahhh,' huffed Kleos, sucking in the delicious air, staring up. Then he let out a yelp of confusion and pain as bright sunlight dug into his eyes, made them tear and blink. He held them closed as strange purple shapes danced over his vision.

With Soul Sense, he was still able to see, and he enjoyed the sensation of the sunlight warming his flesh. Opening his eyes warily, he found it better this time. His human eyes were adjusting, and pretty fast, too.

The outside world at last. Air that wasn't corrupted by someone else's filth. Even as he dragged himself out of the Coffin and settled onto the rubble beside it, he could feel very similar emotions coming at him through the connection. (At last, out of that stinking brutes filthy residue!) He scowled at the intruding thought, a thought that wasn't his own, and shot a glare at the figure beside him.

Maric glared back. (What does he want now?)

'Your thoughts are leaking again,' hissed Kleos.

'Well, so are yours. Stop thinking so loudly!'

'I'm thinking much more quietly than you! My thoughts are a whisper, yours a shout!'

'Sshhh, shhhh,' hissed Maric, peering around with concern. 'Where are we?'

Kleos followed the gaze, saw the rubble and ruin extending around them. It seemed the castle had collapsed. His gaze caught on a tall and slender tower. The Trade Link.

'Ah, you're right,' said Maric, shading his eyes as he took in the same tower.

Kleos made a face at the realisation he'd shared those thoughts. (That's where we need to go. Food and safety over there,) he thought, only to realise, no, Maric had thought. He sighed, miserable.

'What?' snapped Maric. 'We need food! We were in there far too long. I'm starving.'

'I wasn't upset by what you thought but the fact I heard it,' said Kleos. 'We do need food.'

'Me more than you,' muttered Maric, and Kleos felt the man's jealousy as they eyed one another.

Kleos was heavier of body, tall and muscular, with long black hair. Maric was just as tall but very skinny, his hair a wild tangle of wispy blonde.

'You did it on purpose, didn't you?' growled Maric. 'You found some way to be awake, to make sure you got more of what was in the Coffin. Admit it!'

They had been arguing about this for much of their time stuck in the Coffin. Kleos just gazed back at the other man, an expression of vast disinterest on his face. If it weren't for how things were, he would have silenced Maric's whining long ago.

Maric's eyes widened. 'You just thought about killing me! Again!'

'Maybe I'd think about it less often if you were less annoying?' suggested Kleos brightly, thinking that Maric ought to consider himself lucky they shared this condition.

'Yes, lucky my Soul has been tied to… yours.' Maric sneered. He turned to glare at the Coffin, gave the dark stone an irritable kick. 'How did this even happen? It shouldn't be possible!'

Kleos frowned. 'We went over it already.' Countless times, but I suppose I'll have to reiterate for him, again. 'It must have been something to do with all the demonic happenings—that True Demon, the Blade, Nicolai and… what was up with him. A lot of strange beings and energies around the Coffin when we were thrown into it.' He looked thoughtfully at the rubble around them, something else occurring.

'And the Castle Core was destroyed while we were metamorphosing?' said Maric, voicing that very thought, but now at least he sounded thoughtful, rather than whiny.

Kleos frowned. 'It could be a factor. It doesn't matter, anyway. We are what we are.' His face screwed up with irritation as he confronted something he'd been avoiding for a while. 'We have to make the best of it.'

They were both aware that if one of them were to die, then the other might also die. Maybe, maybe not. Their Souls had been fused—perhaps permanently—together across their two separate bodies. Thus the leakage and merging of thoughts and emotions.

Kleos decided, then and there, to follow his own words and try and make the best of it. 'Let's see if that trick still works,' he said, and extended his Soul Sense tendril toward Maric.

The other man sighed but after a moment extended his own tendril.

The two met between them, and seamlessly merged, forming one Soul Sense. To Kleos, it didn't feel at all strange. If anything it felt oddly good, like this was how it was meant to be. Their Souls (Soul?) were now properly joined.

He took a step back, observing, and smiled at the very fact of having a true Soul Sense, after so very long. The Soul Senses stretched but that was all. He kept moving until both he and Maric had to strain to touch, but they still managed it just fine. He took another step, and the Soul Senses separated.

'What are you testing? Obviously it still works,' called Maric. 'The real question is—how far apart can be from one another, and still hear each others thoughts? And if we go too far… might something happen? Might we die?'

'I thought they might be able to extend further toward one another,' muttered Kleos, annoyed. It'd just been a random hunch. His brows drew together, and he felt an identical worry as his own being radiated from Maric, knew he was sending his own at the man. The questions Maric had asked were concerning. 'We will stay together, for now,' he said. 'Until we can do further tests.'

Thinking on that, he extended his Soul Sense again. Not for a purpose, not really. Just to move it around, now there was some space. Stuck in the Coffin their Soul Senses had been sandwiched together and he'd struggled to know where his started and Maric's began. He sent his tendril out, and felt the sphere of Soul Sense around him reducing. He pulled the tendril back in, and felt the sphere growing. A pleasant pulsing sensation. His people had done this exercise to prepare their Soul Senses before a fight.

Maric was nodding absently, eyes on the tower. Then he glanced to Kleos, who felt the man come to a decision, knew the words he'd speak before he even said them. 'Let's get moving,' said Maric, the same words he'd heard in his mind. 'A warm welcome awaits!' Maric started off in the direction of that looming tower, taking a few ginger steps over the torn stone and crushed rubble that formed their surrounds for miles around.

Kleos grabbed Maric by the arm before he could go far. 'We have no idea what's out here,' he hissed. 'I doubt Nicolai left things in a tidy state.'

'What's to worry?' Maric waved at what surrounded them. 'It's all crumble and ruin. He probably killed everyone. You know how that psychopath was…' With those words, Kleos felt a pulse of terror from Maric and the man abruptly crouched down then awkwardly crab-scuttled into the shadow of the Coffin. 'He could still be around!' Maric whispered loudly at him, and the man's fear was something worming into Kleos's mind and making him feel afraid even though he knew there was nothing to be afraid of—or at least, that in this case Maric's fear was misplaced.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

The whites of Maric's eyes shined out of the shadow of the Coffin, and Kleos received a pulse of worried thought. (By now he's probably turned into a Demon!). 'You remember how he was, at the end!' Maric hissed.

'He'll be long gone,' said Kleos dismissively. He wasn't sure how to cut off the fear Maric was feeding into him, so instead he just behaved as if he felt none of it, acted calm and unconcerned in spite of it. Maric might be willing to give in to fear, but he was better than that. He raised his arms and stretching to the left, then the right. He smiled, luxuriating in the movement of his body after so long without one. The fear was fading, though he wasn't sure if that was because he was managing to be less affected by it, or because his display was making Maric less afraid.

'Not one to stick around,' he added, squinting at the tower rising in the distance. 'I told him he'd find ways to grow his strength in the jungle, and I wasn't lying. By now…' Kleos pondered. He could all but see it, in his mental eye. Nicolai would be out there, fighting and killing and pillaging, and, generally, being the strange, bloodthirsty madman he was. Even if he'd been turned into a Demon, he'd still have gone off out there—though perhaps he'd have killed everyone here before departing.

'Either everyone's dead… or they're up there,' Kleos concluded, gazing up at the Trade Link. 'If he didn't turn then he'll have just left them there, like he left us. If they're dead, then the Trade Link is free for us to make use of. If they're alive, well…' He trailed off. If that were the case then he wasn't sure what to expect, what it might be like up there.

'Then they're all dead,' said Maric shortly, and rose to his feet once again. The man's fear was replaced by a total confidence. 'Come on, let's go. Maybe there'll be some tags lying around up there.'

'I don't think he turned,' replied Kleos. 'I think he won. You didn't know him as long as I did.'

'Well, even if you're right then let's still go there! They could help us,' said Maric eagerly.

Kleos;s mind was invaded by the skeleton-turned-man's suddenly hopeful thoughts. Of warm beds, food, and conversation.

'We have no idea who'll be in control of the humans,' he cautioned his suddenly overeager companion. 'Maybe Vikrum, maybe Maxine, maybe someone else entirely.' He experienced a brief moment of satisfaction as he felt Maric's half-formed fantasy shatter, then refocused on the tower. He didn't like the idea of heading over there without checking things out. 'We'll take our time, have a look. Depending on what we see, we'll stick around, or run.'

Maric opened his mouth, clearly angry (perhaps feeling Kleos's brief satisfaction), and Kleos prepared to argue. He couldn't let the man risk his life. If Maric died, he might die. But Maric's expression softened, suddenly thoughtful.

'You really are worried,' he muttered. 'Okay, fine. Let's do it your way. I don't want to die either, by the way.' He paused, appearing to chew over his words, and Kleos could feel that the man didn't really want to speak them. 'I suppose I should cede to you in matters like this,' admitted Maric at last.

'Surprisingly smart,' muttered Kleos.

'Let's just go, shall we?'

'Follow in my wake.' Kleos slid into shadow—the rubble was constantly up-and-down, full of places to hide—and crept around chunks of rock, keeping as low as he could. A faint smile formed on his face as he felt his own movement, the movement of his new body. Smooth, steady, well balanced. He crept on the balls of his feet, glad that human feet were nearly the same as his own races. It'd been a long time since he last moved like this, but he was glad to find he hadn't lost the knack. He could feel Maric behind him, and to his surprise it wasn't a bad sensation. Almost felt as though he had a second set of eyes. Their Souls and minds were in constant communication, and he knew that Maric was watching the area ahead of them warily, but hadn't seen anything yet.

He was also surprised to hear little sound from Maric. The man was almost as quiet as Kleos himself.

It's because of our bond, Maric said, beaming his thoughts directly into Kleos's mind. I can feel how you move, your awareness and knowledge of what to do… I'm able to just mimic those thoughts and feelings, follow along exactly in your footsteps.

Kleos frowned, not entirely happy with the idea of Maric stealing his skills. Still, if it made the man less likely to die he supposed that was good. With luck, there might—just maybe—be some benefits to the oddity the Coffin had wrought between them. He could already see several uses for the seamless communication and knowledge of what the other would do, not to mention the ability to combine Soul Senses. It was just a shame Maric was the one so bound to him. He'd have liked someone a little more capable.

I heard that! You wouldn't have been my first choice, either. I imagine you wish you were bound like this to Nicolai, so you could all go off killing everything together.

Kleos shivered at the thought. No. That'd be even worse. He's too… dangerous.

Maric was silent in response to that, but Kleos felt the man's agreement. And his surprise that Kleos was of like mind with himself.

Gradually, the two wound their way closer to the tower, creeping and sneaking. For a time, they didn't see any movement.

'Stop!' hissed Kleos, his gaze caught by something in the sky. Something small, skimming quickly by. It flashed in the light. Made of metal. 'Into the shadows!' He reached for Maric but found he didn't even need to, the man had moved as though controlled by his will and gone right Kleos would've told him to go, into a small, shadowed lee beneath an overhang of toppled wall. Kleos darted over and hunkered there beside him. They waited to see if they'd been seen.

'Will this work? Just hiding? These humans have such strange technology…' murmured Maric.

Kleos wasn't sure. The lee wasn't deep enough for them to be completely underneath, but they were unmoving and in the shadows. At this distance, his experience told him they should be safe; so long as it hadn't glimpsed them in that first moment.

He tried to recall the various bits of information he'd learned from Nicolai and the rest of the group, but there had been so much and in such a disorganised mass, most of it just overheard or coming across in conversations on other matters. That thing above must be a drone, and he'd seen plenty of those. They saw through machine-eyes, but he wasn't sure exactly how good that eyesight was, couldn't recall any humans mentioning it. But they certainly did put a lot of stock in the drones, that had been obvious. Nicolai had touched on the dangers of them when telling the others about his new protocols regarding leaving and returning to the safe place, said that drones could spot them easily.

He shared a glance with Maric, and for once they had the same, mutual thought. All we can do is wait and see. They both extended their Soul Senses, and, again acting with mutual agreement, combined their tendril into one. With them side by side, the tendril was able to stretch far up and above, reaching twice as far as normal.

After only two minutes, they saw movement. Figures creeping over the rubble. Figures holding guns and wearing the same kind of dark combat armour as Nicolai's group and the Chosen had worn. Above two of them, Soul Sense tendrils roamed in the air. Tendrils which had clearly spotted their own, as the approaching figures stiffened.

'Do something!' hissed Maric frantically.

Kleos stared at his partner blankly. 'Like what? We've got nothing, and we're naked.'

'I don't know, I thought you were good at this kind of thing.'

Kleos made a sour face. 'Normally, yes.' But with no Symbiotes, no Shield, against guns… He knew enough, by now, of the tools and technology possessed by these humans to know that all he and Maric could do was hope these humans were friendly. He grimaced, thinking that they should have just gone straight into the jungle. At least he would have had some kind of chance out there. The humans had moved fast and already they were surrounded.

'Alright, come on out of there,' called a voice. 'We see you, we're pretty sure you're unarmed and, uh, naked, but put your hands up anyway, where we can see them.'

The voice was authoritative, cool, and above all, familiar.

Kleos stepped out, Maric beside him. He squinted in the sunlight, bright after hiding in the shadow. They gazed about, sharing the same desperate thought, trying to work out which of the dark figures looking down on them had spoken. The figures, all pointing guns at them, all standing on the rocks above and around, each wore visored helmets which rendered them ominous and unknowable.

At least, visually. But Kleos could sense some ripples from them, some thoughts and feelings. He mostly just felt curiosity, which was reassuring.

'Were you guys sideliners or what?' asked one of them, a man. 'Don't think I recognise either of 'em,' he added to the others.

Kleos licked his lips, and looked towards the figure he thought had called out first, a figure hefting a long gun he knew as a sniper rifle and wearing an outfit somewhat different from the others. He recognised it as a skinsuit. 'Jo?' he attempted, and all the other figures looked between him and, hopefully, her. Maybe-Jo had a weird looking tube-like contraption attached to the side of her tight-fitting helmet, covering one side of her visor, and seemed to be staring at him through that tube.

'I know you?'

Kleos and Maric exchanged wide-eyed looks and grins, both equally jubilant. The voice was unmistakable.

'It's me, Maric!' cried Maric, and Kleos quickly echoed him. 'And me, Kleos.'

After a confused pause, she pulled her helmet off and stared down at them, frowning uncertainly. Kleos felt she looked much the same, golden hair, fair skin, young, but her eyes seemed older. Those eyes found Kleos and she looked over his face thoughtfully, and he felt he saw familiarity blossom. He'd seen himself with Soul Sense and knew that his new human face bore quite a resemblance to his true features.

'You know these guys?' asked one of the others.

'Yeah,' she said at last, a smile working its way onto her face. 'Yeah, I do.'

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.