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"Jacques?" I asked myself confusedly. The young boy skipped along the river bank, picking up pebbles and casting into the flowing water just beside him. I started walking up to him, and slowly broke into a lightly paced run.

"No fair!" another boy called from somewhere behind him, "You're faster than us!" I stopped mid-stride as I looked to the child that had just spoken out. I couldn't make sense of it, I remembered this place. The boy that spoke out was... Me... Only, I was younger, a younger Otto was easily keeping up with "me" and I could remember that day. But that was so long ago. I took a deep breath in, catching a whiff of the salty scent of the sea.

"Gotta run faster if you wanna be strong like me!" Jacques yelled back. I was back in Port Vahlen, back as a youth. I could see the dark cloud of smoke that rose from the blacksmith, whiter smoke rose from the bakery on the opposite side of the cobblestone streets. The town was alive and bustled with the business of the day, merchants arrived and left to sell their exotic goods all across the continent. The town was never dull, never quiet; there was always something to do, some place to go, a sight to see... An adventure to be had.

I looked back at the children playing on the river banks. "Hey!" I yelled to them, I ran towards them with a glad heart, reminiscing about the days when I lived with my family. They spun around and looked at me, the younger me looked confused and so did little Otto.

"Look! It's another Otto!" young Lukas yelled excitedly, but Jacques was terrified, a pale look of pure horror settled on his face. He was old enough then to understand what the empire taught about Nephilim. I looked around, but it was only me, there were no Nephilim around. Then it hit me, I was the Nephil he spoke of. So I was cursed even in my dreams?

"No you idiot! That's a Nephil! You know what pa said about the older ones! run!" he exclaimed and they all dashed away from me, back the way they came.

"Don't run! It's me!" I called after them, but they didn't even look back.

"No!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. I was back in the tent Otto and I had set up, my breathing was heavy and I was sitting upright, sweating. Otto, who was sleeping at the other side of the tent, woke up quickly and reached for his sword.

"What is it? Are we being robbed?" He questioned, jumping nimbly to his hind paws, head swiveling this way and that. He breathed in a deep sigh before dropping the weapon and lying back down. "Bad dream?" he asked sleepily.

I shivered as a breeze blew through our crudely constructed shelter, it was still quite dark outside; another sign winter was on its way. "Yes... Just a dream. I think it's time we got packed up, we don't know where the next village is from here and the only maps that I know of are within the archives in Richard's Folly."

"Aye, that's true I guess. We also have to..." He hesitated, "to find a 'cure' for you," he said with a tinge of resent. We both got up and started dismantling the tent, I put the furs we used as blankets into my bag since they were mine, and then I helped Otto to put the rest into his pack. Sunlight became less sparse as we worked, but the forest became no more familiar than it was when it was still pitch black. "Wait, keep quiet for a moment" Otto said hurriedly, "Do you hear that?"

"Dogs!" I said in a panic, immediately I grew tense, the town guard was after us and they were using the bloodhounds.

"We'll be fine for now; they're a little over a half-mile away, but we'd best move fast,"

I looked at him strangely "how can you tell?" I asked doubtfully.

"Do you see my ears? I've been Nephil all my life, I know how to use them and pretty damn well," he explained making me chuckle. "So we need to move, obviously away from them. Where do we go?"

I paused to think. "Well, we went south-west of the lake, right? So we should head North-West to the road I figure, they may be searching for us along the main road but I know that we can make it to a town. It'll be many days' journey and we'll have to watch our backs but that town is our only hope. Their dogs will have our scent so we can't linger anywhere for too long," I suggested, drawing a crude map with a stick in the dirt.

"Alright, North-West it is. By the way, you didn't think to bring any food, did you?" Otto asked, looking down at his empty stomach and making me aware of my own hunger.

"No, I... I forgot about it in the rush to get away," I explained, "but the village can't be more than a week's walk away, even if it is I'm sure we can hunt small animals, maybe rabbit, on the way there," I mentioned, gesturing with the crossbow that occupied both of my hands.

For days or perhaps even weeks we trudged through the darkness of the Duskwood, much of it almost completely transformed to soggy marshland by the recent downpour of rain. Still being pursued by the patrol from Richard's folly we had to move with quickened pace. The days seemed endless, the nights were just as unforgiving, if not even more so. So long without seeing any signs, at all, of evolved life, so long since we'd spoken with anybody other than amongst ourselves. We'd been walking the road for the better part of two weeks and we could feel insanity setting in, both Otto and I were starting to feel uneasy about the fact that we hadn't run into any patrols or travelers, especially since this was a well-traveled pathway.

I stopped to examine the road. The trail showed signs that wild horses had trodden here, not extremely recently but surely not older than several days. "Otto, do you hear anything?" I asked, running a large paw over the muddy tracks. He motioned for silence, raising an ear to the wind, nothing. He then slowly made his way to the ground, placing his ear right against the overly damp soil. For a moment we both waited in silence, just listening for something, anything.

"Nothing out of the ordinary... I think we should keep going, we never know what might..." Otto started but before he could finish I was toppled when something, or rather someone ran into me at what I could only assume was their full speed.

"Are you daft?!" I exclaimed, trying to disentangle us and checking that I hadn't accidentally fired my crossbow or run the poor thing through with the sword hanging at my side.

"Sorry mate, I have to run, I've got a bunch of bloody ratbags after me" The person said in a very female voice. I shot a glance to Otto, and a silent conversation went on between us. Eventually he shrugged his shoulders, even he didn't know how neither of us had heard this woman coming. At last we were both standing once more and I could get a better look at her; she was a good few inches shorter than me, though she was standing flatly on two paws that were rather exaggerated in length and I estimated that she could probably rise to about a foot higher if she wanted to, she was covered in short auburn to light brown fur with shoulder-length brown hair, she looked strongly built with a tail that could easily knock a man off his feet... Or hind paws. She looked around nervously, "Where are you blokes headed?" she asked.

"There's supposed to be a village out here somewhere, why do you ask?" I returned, eliciting a strange look from the stranger Nephilim girl.

"Elder wood?" She said giving it momentary thought. Perhaps she could help us get there, "It's better than nowhere I guess... Mind if I tag along? Just so I can lose the dipsticks that are after me," she pleaded. She and Otto both looked to me, awaiting my answer.

"I don't... No I don't think it would..." I began but the way this girl stared at me showed such desperation, like she was in serious trouble. "Look, maybe it's because you ran into me so hard that you've addled my brain or maybe it's because I think I can trust you but either way I... You can come with us. But _only _to Elder wood, from there you make your own way," I said, allowing kindness to cloud my judgement. I couldn't just leave her at the mercy of whatever she was running from.

"Really? Thanks, I owe ya!"

"But you still haven't answered my earlier question, why did you want to know where we were headed?"

"Lukas, she's in trouble, besides she'll only be with us until we reach Elder wood," Otto reminded.

"Well, the name's Sheila... So Elder wood is around two clicks west if we travel along this road, up for a little bush bash?" she offered, perking up.

She spoke with such a strange accent and the words she used were even more confusing "Sorry, what? I don't understand half of what you're saying, I've never heard anybody speak quite like yourself... bush bash..." I returned, muttering the last bit under my breath. Otto and I felt a small relief in enlightenment as Sheila explained as best she could. Alright then, if she thought she could best us in a race then we'd have see her try. Even though Otto and I were burdened with our packs we figured we could easily beat a woman, especially since she didn't seem quite so agile on her paws, them being so elongated as they were. The three of us lined up, giving us all fair, or relatively fair chance at least, at getting to Elder wood first. "So this is it," I began, "We race to Elder wood, the victor awaits the rest at the city gates, agreed?" I confirmed with the others.

"You got it mate, good luck," Sheila agreed, a small arrogance in her tone.

"Seems fair," Otto chimed in.

A grin played on my face, while I was not the fastest I definitely took long distance with ease. "Ready? go!" I yelled and our "bush-bash" had begun, I'd settled my now unloaded crossbow into my pack and held my sword by the hilt at my side so as to keep it out of my way as I ran. I quickly fell behind, Sheila taking an obvious lead with an amazing display of speed and agility that seemed unattainable given the way her legs and paws were formed. Otto was only slightly ahead of me, I figured I could beat him and, assuming Sheila lacked endurance, possibly her too. The road scarcely twisted, I occasionally lost sight of Sheila with the distance and slight bends, Otto was slowly falling behind as we ran. One kilometer... Two kilometers... Three Kilometers... Slowly the distance between us and the town closed, by four kilometers we'd all lost sight of each other in the dense Duskwood, I could hardly run and had slowed my pace to a walk. My paws ached, battered by the sticks and stones that lay buried in the mud, without any wraps to protect them. I stopped to take a breather and massage my beaten paws. The road seemed to track on forever as it disappeared on the horizon, it and the trees melding roughly into the sky at a distance I simply couldn't judge. A few birds that had remained for winter were chirping happily in the trees, singing their joyful songs to the barren trees with the wind carrying their frivolous voices out for ages and ages, giving the forest a peaceful tone. "Why did I let myself react like that? He was just a beggar, Couldn't I have spared a few coins, just then?" I sighed, disappointed. No, but I guessed I was stuck like this, for a short while at least. "No, of course I couldn't..." The Duskwood was a nice enough place, I always dreamed I'd live here, though I never quite imagined that I'd have no choice. My chances of returning to human civilization were near completely botched, and as for living with the Nephilim... Well I didn't know anything about them! The only Nephil I'd ever known was Otto, and he didn't even know anything about his race. Frustration had set in and I considered perhaps punching something, though I imagined I'd look insane for punching the ground or a tree. I took a swig of water from my gourd and stood up to continue the race. Suddenly I again became aware of the pain that sat dully in my paws, I put it out of mind as I moved on, wondering as to where Otto and Sheila were just then.

"Hey Lukas!" Otto yelled from behind me, panting as he ran. How did he catch up? Did I perhaps take too long of a break? "Getting old Lukas? Or maybe it's those paws you're sporting!" he taunted.

"Better keep running Otto, I've only been Nephil for a few weeks! That technically makes me a pup, you wanna be beaten by a pup?!" I yelled back, proud that I was able to form such a snappy return. It was hours before we reached the town of Elder Wood, Sheila had already started a fire a few metres away from the town's perimeter. She uttered a hearty laugh when she saw us come up the road. She'd beaten us and she was enjoying it thoroughly.

"I thought you'd died!" She joked, now stoking the fire.

"Damned paws!" I called back to her. Otto and I hurried to her, darkness was falling quickly and the fire was a brilliant source of warmth and light. Her face creased in thought.

"What would be wrong with your paws? They look fine to me," she asked confusedly as I regained my breath. Otto began setting up a tent.

"Well I... Hey wait, wait, you explain yourself first. What were you running from? Where were you going?" I questioned, leaning in to the fire to warm myself. Sheila looked at me quizzically, as though she hadn't understood me. I stretched myself out gingerly next to the fire.

"Ahh yeah... S'pose that'd be about fair wouldn't it?" she said at last. She shifted into a comfortable position before doing her part and explaining. The fire crackled in the cool night air, its lapping flame warming us gently. "Alright, I was running from a bunch of thieves... I was uhh... I decided I'd liberate a few items, mostly coins but I got a few more things, like this amulet, before one of those dipsticks caught me rummaging through their loot. Damn near bailed me up before he pulled his sword on me and tickled my arm..." she said, displaying the light cut near her shoulder, "he wasn't fast enough to kill me though, jumped back, up on my tail and kicked him. Fell straight on his arse, and then I did the Harold Holt... I reckon they're still after me, but soon after that I quite literally ran into you. As for where I was going, I was thinking I'd rest up for a while in just about any town I could find before heading back to... back to The Warren," she explained. She hugged her knees to her chest now, staring absently into the fire as it blazed through its destructive life-force.

"Oh so you're a thief?" I mocked.

"I prefer to think of myself as a 'liberator' since I was 'repossessing' goods already stolen,"

"Nice way to put it, the goods are still stolen though, "mate" I teased, poking fun at her accent. "One last thing before I tell you my sob story, what are you?" I asked edging closer to her.

"What am I? Well we think of ourselves as being different from most other Nephilim, almost something completely different but still, we're Nephilim like yourself just the same," she explained, not quite answering my question. My vacant expression ushered a more detailed explanation of what she was. "Oh, sorry, I'm a kangaroo. Sub-species isn't the word I like using but it's not like the bloody humans care, they label us Nephilim anyway," she said, spitting out the word humans with resent.

"Sounds like you've got something against my... their kind," I commented.

"Bloody oath!" she replied. "Anyway, what's your story?"

"Can't get help if nobody knows the problem I guess. Well, my story starts about two weeks ago, Otto and I were out at a lake near Richard's folly, Lake Aston I think. Anyhow, we happened upon an old beggar. Not quite extraordinary, am I right? Problem is I used to be human, the beggar cursed me and now I'm Nephil, all because I refused him some food or coin. So now my own friends want me dead and I'm stuck as Nephil until I can find a cure," I explained. She quirked an eyebrow at me, then gave a chuckle.

"Have you been hitting the turps?" she questioned, stifling another laugh, "an old beggar transformed you from a human, to a Nephil?"

"What's so funny? Don't believe me?"

"It's true, Sheila, I was there. Even scolded him for it" Otto added, putting forward some vague, and quite ridiculous, idea that he was in charge.

"Well I don't know if I can believe all that, and if you really were human we're already off to a bad start but... On the off chance you weren't talking a load of bull, I know a sage back at the warrens that could help, it'll be a few months before we get there, even longer to convince him to help transform ya back, being human and all. We'd never let you in though, you'd have to camp quite a distance away, can't trust outsiders. Or, if you're more for getting it done quickly you could always see Mordecai," she offered. Dead silence fell on us; even the guards that stood watch at the entrance of Elder wood stopped their incessant chatter and were glaring at our campsite. It felt as though the eyes of the village and forest were on us, the wind itself refused to blow. Otto and I found ourselves shifting about restlessly. Nothing happened, for a moment I could swear the Earth itself stood still.

"Who's Mordecai?" Otto questioned in a hushed whisper. I didn't like the sound of this; just his name was enough to still everything.

"You don't know?" Sheila said with incredulity, eliciting the obvious no from both myself and Otto. "Legend has it that he's the harbinger of one of the old gods. They say he's been around since before the first Era, nobody knows much about him, only that he went rogue and proclaimed himself a demi-god and that he has powers far beyond even the most accomplished mages of the North. Hearsay around him says that his powers rival those of the old gods', never heard it from anyone other than blasphemers, of course. Mostly he leaves everyone alone but I've heard rumours about disappearances around his area... But he can help ya, without a doubt he can."

Otto and I were staring into the fire, by now everything was returning to normal, though the guards were still eyeing us suspiciously. "So where exactly is this... 'Mordecai'?" I asked, looking around to see if his name would have any effect on the surroundings again. Nothing this time.

"He... Wait, what was that?!" Sheila exclaimed, springing up quickly onto her hind paws. I stirred, reaching for my sword. The sound of rustling bushes pierced the air, originating not far, getting nearer. The three of us stood poised, ready for battle, prepared for what was to come. I sighed in relief as a hare emerged from the shrubs nearby.

"Look at that! It looks dangerous, should we run?" Otto called in mock fear. Our small band laughed nervously, startled by a wild rabbit, what were we coming to?

"That's not actually funny mate, you forget th-ARGH!" Sheila cried out. Instantly my gaze snapped to her, I was horrified to notice the arrow that had pierced her Shoulder. It stuck there, half the arrow had run her shoulder through with its vermillion tip sticking out of her back. She dropped to her knees, clutching at the intrusion in her body, eyes wide with shock.

"Move and you'll end up worse than her!" called a voice from the dense foliage. "Drop your weapons!" called another.

Otto and I grudgingly complied, violently throwing our weapons to the ground with a heavy "thunk." We raised our palms to the sky, offering our resignation. "Psst! Take this, I'll be back for it, don't worry about me, I got away before and I can do it again. She'll be apples, mate," Sheila said weakly, discreetly throwing me the trinket she'd stolen. I stepped cautiously on it as it landed just in front of me, concealing it from our assailants' view.

"Thought you could get away from us, did you?" the otter approached from his shadowy cover, followed by four brigands. He was massive, standing at least a foot and a half higher than myself and built as wide a war-horse. "Get up!" He yelled at Sheila, kicking her violently across her face. I near had to restrain Otto, reminding him we couldn't take them on unarmed. We stood by idly as the otter forced Sheila to her hind paws "You're gonna suffer, girly, and this time... You won't escape," he whispered into her ear making her shudder, he laughed sadistically, bordering maniacally as he tore the arrow from her shoulder, eliciting a painful and enduring scream from the distressed kangaroo. "As for you two! Hah! Well you're damn lucky I'm in such a fine mood, else you'd be wolf food tonight," he taunted. "Aaron! Fetch the mounts and the rope!" he barked at one of his underlings who obeyed without question or delay.

I felt my blood boil as I eyed him angrily, I could sense the same tension in Otto as his tail occasionally flicked aggressively from one side to the other. The wind gusted briefly, sending a chill down my spine. The otter smirked, looking over Sheila, the gods alone could possibly know what must've been going through his mind just then. "Don't even think about following us," he threatened, hinting at the broadsword at his side. I tore my gaze from him, looking to Otto who returned the glance. We watched as Sheila was bound and "packed" onto a horse and the small band of thieves rode off along the road, disappearing as they veered off of the path and into the trees and foliage.

Reality had by then caught up with me, I'd lost... No, what had I lost? I didn't know her, I didn't owe her. This had almost nothing to do with me... So why then did I feel something gnawing... "Lukas, we have to help her," Otto said desperately.

"What? Why? Our agreement was that we'd help her to the town, from here we're supposed to forget entirely about her. We've done our part." I protested. Otto's face creased into a disbelieving frown. "Why do you insist on helping everyone and everything we meet?"

He gave me a stern look, "So I have more of a heart than I should, but Sheila was the first person who didn't, take note did not, try to kill us on sight. Lukas, I respect you but if you won't help me I'll go on my own, I can't turn my back on her even if I don't know much about her. With or without you, I'm going," he said with a determination that was foreign to him. At that moment I felt my heart sink, there was no convincing him, was there? We were startled, but not surprised, by an ear piercing scream that rang throughout the forest. Sheila, they were punishing her, using her, abusing her... No, she was not my problem, she never was.

"I t-think... Otto, I can't go with you. I can't stay what I am; I just can't be Nephil for the rest of my days. I think this is where we go our separate ways," I fought back some tears, trying to look strong. I barely succeeded. "Just promise me one thing at least, keep your hide safe and meet me back in Elder wood when it's all over?" I said, extending a paw.

He looked down at the gesture, and then shook his head, he wouldn't bring himself to shake my paw. "So that's it then? Shake my paw and let me go off on my own? I can't make that promise. Lukas I thought you cared, at least a little more than that." He was crushed, but held true to his word, he was going after Sheila. "Goodbye, sir, I hope you... Hope you find what you're looking for," he said, turning slowly and gathering his own items to pursue the bandits. I shut out the sounds of Sheila's distant screams, her cries for help that would never come. I stood motionless as Otto vanished in the tall, dead trees. I bent over, picking up the necklace Sheila had asked me to guard. Golden, with emerald and ruby inlays, resting on ample silver chain.

"Goodbye, old friend," I said softly to the air around me. I turned to what was left of the tent and put the furs carefully back into my leather sack. The guardsmen did nothing, how could I have thought Richard's folly's town guard to be useless? I made my way into the town, unchallenged by the guards, unchallenged by cold night air, unchallenged by anything. I slumped down against the wall of a building, weary and worn, I needed rest... badly...