Silah

A worn-down waste collection cart hastens across the field of snow. Multē's hands fumbled over the gears. He didn't know what was worse, the smell, the cold, his stress, or not learning how to navigate. His eyes were watering, his sweat burned, and he could feel both his hearts beating out of sync. He struck the command board several times, finally bringing on the headlights. He glanced back to where he secured the pod and took a deep breath. Returning his focus to the task at hand, he was suddenly surprised by several giant eyes burrowed in the snow- "Jitus!" he shouts-mountain giants. Multē accelerated, quickly maneuvering to evade their hurling snow asteroids along his path, "Just get across the field," he whispered. The giant's relentless hurls flipped Multē, leaving the cart scattered in the snow. With no place of coverage, his path was no longer discrete; Multē was injured, and the pod was damaged. Sirens howled into the night, and both his hearts became two separate storms within his chest, the blood beings finally realized what he had stolen from them, and it wouldn't be long before their military would be close behind and without mercy. Multē made an effort to shift into a snow beast the size of a bear with a lion's mane and moose's antlers and retreated into the forest Misitu.

Misitu is warm, covered in vibrant colors, massive trees, and flowers, with lushes of greenery. Her trees groan and close in on Multē the moment he enters the forest. He quickly reveals his true face and kneels. "Misitu, please! I mean you no harm. I only wish for sanctuary and safe passage". He pleaded, "Lies," the wind whispers, the trees begin to shake, and the soil releases the roots wrapping around both Multē and the pod, crushing them to swallow them into the earth. "Silah! Misitu. I would not lie to you; the revolt sent me to retrieve-" He exclaims. The trees stop, and the roots unravel their hold on his neck. Misitu has become calm, and she waits. "Misitu, please, there is such little time, I beg of you-" his face to the ground. She reveals a safe passage for him to enter. He rises and quickly moves the pod through the path, the trees close behind him.

Soon after, the blood beings army, the mountain giants, and the loggers led by lieutenant Robert approached the outermost of the forest. The Lieutenant is quickly briefed by the firing soldier. Without a word, he motions to the most prominent loggers. Loggers and blood beings are similar in the face; although blood beings are a witty and brilliant race, a logger is superior in size and power. Smaller than giants and larger than men. Before magic and war, the forest was their home, wielding soul axes made from the bones of their ancestors with the power of a thousand Vikings, cutting a path in just moments. Misitu cries out. The trees uproot themselves and begin to strike back. "Get me a clear path," demands Lieutenant "yes, sir," replies the firing soldier. Some blood beings pass the chaos and pursue on foot after the pod. At the same time, others burn down the trees allowing the Lieutenant to pass through.

At the heart of the forest, Multē takes a knee; his injuries are becoming more difficult to ignore; he examines the pod when he hears a roar from the belly of the forest. He says a word of love for the trees wishing them success and thanking them for their sacrifice. Then it goes silent; the wind has stopped, no creatures, no flowing brooks. Strange. Multē is not alone, but watched, by whom? or what? He has no time or strength to find out before a weapon fires at his head. The blood beings have caught up to him. Multē cuts down the path and The trees drop their branches falling upon the soldiers and crushing their skulls; flowers let out poisonous fumes causing the men to hallucinate and turn on one another. The firing soldier is relentless and continues at Multē's head. Multē is hit and fumbles down into a thicket losing his grip on the pod. "Fan out! Find the pod!" The firing soldier shouts out commands. Suddenly Lieutenant Robert emerges from the forest, calling out orders to the remaining team, "soldiers, you heard the man! Search everywhere". Scattering them in different directions of the woods. "Lieutenant Robert, Sir, I missed the shot, sir." The firing soldier bowed, "My apologies; I will not fail you again." Lieutenant Robert walked over to the solider, "Apology accepted, now, I believe this area has not been searched-" Lieutenant Robert gasped for breath, staggers back, collapsing to his knees. The firing soldier has left a dagger in his chest. "I have never known the Lieutenant to accept an act of failure, nor have I ever known him to show an act of kindness. Even as a child." The soldier watches the "Lieutenant" change into Multē. "Ah, there you are." The soldier's condescending expressions, Multē tries to keep it together and focus his breath on one heart. "I've heard a chang-ling has two hearts; is that true?" Multē tries to make his way to the pod; he attempts to recite a spell of safety for the pod but can't utter the words; he collapses to his back, staring at the tops of the trees. The soldier circles him waiting for his end, when he notices Multē is whispering. "Armistice? Do you wish for mercy?" The soldier raises his weapon to take Multē's last heart; when a shadow of darkness so heavy casts over his head, he turns to face Muna, the eldest of land dragon beings. She takes the soldier into her belly in one bit, leaving no evidence behind. Muna shifts in her humanoid form and bends to comfort Multē, who whispers in her ear and gently points towards where he stored the pod in the thicket. Muna goes to find wrapped in rags. A small crippled child. "What have they done to you, Silah?"