It was everywhere.

It boiled into his skin, choked off all sense of where and when. He could feel its heat gushing in between his fingers as he pressed down harder, his hand clutched on the other's neck. Drowning in its stench, the cracks stretching from inside of his gut finally didn't feel so hollow; so painful. For once, he wasn't so helpless, so fragile as to need anyone...anyone.

Especially...him...

A slick, sucking sound filled his ears as Orion Erebus pulled at the stuck blade. The teen's mind continued floating on the growing, metallic scent coupled with a few pathetic whimpers. The body underneath his grip tried to move something, anything to stay awake. It was a losing battle. With each tug Orion's hands grew more wet, making it more and more difficult to get a firm enough grasp on the other's neck.

Finally, with a final tug the blade came loose and the boy tumbled backward. The crimson tide, held back by the pressure of Orion's body, flowed freely into the grass. Every instinct in his body told Orion to run as far as his legs would carry him. But something was keeping him tethered to that spot; something in his right hand that had come from the body. Orion had felt this before. The back of his hand, still clutching at his dagger, tried to clear away the damp strands of hair that had begun itching his useless eyes, smearing red into his dark skin as his free hand traveled along the chain. Slowly, his slick thumb raced across the broad, cool metal; the raised bumps forming into words:

Adonis Caskay

"Dysprosium."

Orion looked up, the weaving shadows that formed the world around him began to clear. His senses, clogged with the odor of blood gave way to light crossing the barrier of film that kept him weak; useless. Orion's mind, previously shut, spun faster and faster as the strange, new light cast a lone shadow.

"Can you hear me Dysprosium?"

The usual gusts of the fields became still as Orion listened. That wasn't his name and yet it seemed so familiar to him. So did the voice, which broke through that still with a icy resolve he had never heard before. He waited, his fingers still running along the dog tags in his grip as he watched the fields become clearer than he ever remembered. Everything had a form that tied to what he thought they were. The trees were tall, the grass and hills of Hugel were wide, and the body...that body. Orion had imaged that Adonis would be something like that; just as someone as aloof and adventurous as he acted should look. But his face was pale, drained of anything that would've tied it to the boisterous voice Orion so easily recognized. All that was left was horror: absolute horror.

"You cannot stay here." That wasn't Ado. Its lips may have moved, but it wasn't Ado. It was that voice again, reaching out from Hell as if it knew Orion Erebus better than he knew himself. The dagger and dogtags dropped into the grass as he drew closer, unable to deny it. "...Dysprosium? Do you understand?"

That name again. It felt more and more familiar each time it was said. The body of Adonis took a deep breath, the blood ceasing as a morbid look etched into its face. His sight was fading in the worse way at the worse time. The familiar pitch black dark had begun to creep back in, pulling Adoinis' corpse into its depths.

"No...No...not now!" Orion cried out desperately, his stained hands trying to grab hold to the colourless world that was, nevertheless, better than what was coming. Finding only air at his fingertips, the young male fell to his knees as the darkness filled into the lighted spots, returning him to the familiar.

"Remember, you cannot stay here." That voiced said again from the shadows, shaking him. He knew...Orion knew that voice...a voice he was used to obeying. "No matter what...and whatever you do remain quiet."

"...Usoa..."

xxx

"Is he alive?"

"He's breathing." Omri Usoa sighed, cleaning his hands on a already crimson stained towel. This wasn't his first time cleaning up Dysprosium's blood. He was, by no means, a doctor of any sort. But, when push came to shove Omri would stitch the Stalker together to keep him functioning. He never had this audience though; especially someone as strongly interested as Adonis Caskay. "That's probably the best we'll get for now. We'll still need to get him to a Priest though..."

Those words may have comforted Kallistei, but Adonis definitely wasn't listening from his chair at the side of his bed. They had been lost, again, in the middle of following the Sniper's directions. It was then, searching for someplace to stop and rest for the night, that they found the Stalker unconscious and injured. Watching all of this from the sidelines, Omri was stricken by the seriousness that came over the usually aloof 'farmboy'. Biting his tongue, knowing exactly who the Stalker was on sight, he could only allow Adonis to carry Dysprosium to this abandoned house and treat him; trying his best to plan his escape on the fly.

"Who is he?" The female Gunslinger, Cherri, peaked over Adonis' shoulder to get a look at the Stalker who was wrapped in the bandages they found inside. Somehow she too had been pulled into this madness surrounding the map Caskay had. They shared the same Hugel accent and from all actions so far they knew each other; leaving Kallistei, Omri and Dante to keep now two insane bumpkins from dragging them into too much trouble.

"He's a Stalker...can't be anyone good." Kallistei murmured, also circling Adonis to try and get a better look. For his part, the Sniper remained quiet...even morose. From behind Omri finished cleaning his cold hands, watching them all gawk at Rekenber property. Separating Dysprosium from the rest would've been easy if the Sniper wasn't hovering over him like a guard dog.

Sneaking him out when everyone goes to sleep may not be possible. But what other option do I have? If I can get everyone else out of the room, Dysprosium can take care of the rest on his own. The Scholar bit his tongue, trying to figure some better option at as he slung a clean towel onto Caskay's back. "You still got his blood on you."

"What if he wakes up and tries to attack us?"

"That'll be his mistake then." Cherri flipped her pink hair back over her shoulder, patting the pistols at her waist as Caskay turned to her.

"I don' think we have to worry 'bout that. He won' be a problem." Cherri blinked, taken aback by the weariness seeping out of Adonis' violet eyes. "Where do you think we are Uncle?"

Uncle. It was funny looking back on it now how little time it took for the Scholar to become familiar with that role. All of this started with a lie; Kallistei's lie. In his determination to find adventure he had pulled them all together. Omri and Kallistei were supposed to be family and had, somehow, made the act believable to the rest of them. Now, Omri answered to 'Uncle' almost on instinct; only afterward mentally checking himself of who he really was and what his intentions for them all would lead to. "I think we're outside of Geffen. Probably take us less than a day to get into town. I would try carrying him again though. We have a better chance if he wakes up and can carry his own weight. He's not a child. Once he gets up, he'll have enough strength to walk."

"Couldn't we just leave him here?" Kallistei said suddenly, poking Dysprosium's body with the end of his bow. "He looks like he doesn't need anymore help."

"Ya mean other than being held together by tape and string?"

"He's probably used to it..."

"Don't tell me the Stalker creeps you out kid." Cherri grinned evilly, which stoked Kallistei's temper immediately. "Although I guess you wouldn't last too long in a fight with 'im."

"I'd survive just fine thank you! In fact he's not that tough! I can beat him with one arm!" Kallistei declared loudly, more than enough to get a grunt out of Dysprosium. The entire room came to a sudden stop, all eyes turned to the better waiting for more but instead the Stalker continued his slow breathing.

"That's enough. We need to give him space to recover. That won't happen with all of us in the same room." The Scholar announced softly, looking to Dante. The last, hapless member of the group, the Assassin Omri considered a living, breathing idiot was nodding off in the chair nearest the door. Abruptly his nap ended when Omri hurled a handful of blood-soaked towels at him. "C'mon. Make yourself useful."

"Wha-go where? Hey!" Dante sputtered, coming back to full alertness and paling at the sight of the bloody objects he was holding. "Ewww..."

"We should all go downstairs. Do you think sticking around will make any difference?" Omri muttered, looming over the Sniper. "Let him rest Ado."

But still the Sniper remained. Cherri and Kallistei continued their bickering under their breathes but nevertheless headed the Scholar's words. Yet, Adonis remained in his seat. Silently watching, waiting for something that Omri couldn't rationalize. But he didn't like it. It was too emotional...to intent to find a conclusion and from what little time they spent together, for all of his criticism of Adonis Caskay Omri knew enough that once the Sniper's mind was on something it was near impossible to shake him out of it.

I guess I'll have to Plan B it...once I get a Plan B.

"...Ado."

"I'll be here."

"...I see." Omri sighed, not bothering to even put up an argument. He needed the air to think, not waste it on this guy.

"Uncle?"

"Yeah."

"You Scholars believe in finding things out right? Gettin' answers..."

"...You're trying to ask me a question Caskay?"

"...Not exactly."

"..." Omri's dusky eyes looked from Adonis back to the sleeping Dysprosium and back to Adonis before narrowing coldly. "The funny thing about asking a question...you won't always get the answers you want. Are you ready for that?"

xxx

"Mr. Uncle? Mr. Uncle sir?"

The back of Omri's head began to radiate pain as Dante, still clutching those bloody towels as the two walked to the well they had seen coming to this place. Last time either of them checked, Kallistei and Cherri were still bickering just on the outside of the house. That left the Scholar and Assassin to begin lugging water back into the house to try and survive for the night.

"Do you think that Stalker will join us?"

"I don't think so." Omri grunted, forced to manually pump the water himself as Dante sat back and watched the night sky. "We barely know him."

"But we barely know each other..."

"Still!" Omri stopped, leaning against the lever and glaring at Dante in that 'enough of this conversation' face. "I don't think it is necessary."

"...Mr. Adonis seems to like him."

" 'Mr. Adonis' couldn't be trusted to think his way out of a sock." Omri stretched his arms, trying to restrain from throwing something at Dante. "And shouldn't you be helping me? How exactly is this helping?"

Dante blinked, completely aloof as the Scholar waited for a response, watching as the brown haired Assassin fidget in his spot. "I-I'm keeping you company!"

"See? He's keeping you company. With someone as wretched and ugly as you, isn't that enough?"

The field grew quiet, calm; leaving Omri and Dante to feel the color drain from their bodies. Omri because he knew exactly who that new voice belonged to while Dante was left to be concerned. The Assassin rose to his feet quickly before a solid smack rung through the open air, turning Omri's gaze just as Dante crashed into the grass: unconscious.

"And just like any other ugly thing, you spend all of your time with such lowly things; hoping to never be judged." That airy, haughty voice...was really annoying. Omri took a deep breath and watched as Thorium, the familiar hat keeping his pink hair in place as he walked (stalked really) the other Scholar. Really, the venom between the two could slaughter an entire town at best. Omri usually did his best to avoid Thorium and the pink Scholar wouldn't be caught dead taking orders from the older Scholar. However by some sickening twist of fate there they where, in the same space, within arms reach of one another. "You really don't do any justice to our class...'Father'."

"Thorium." Omri stated simply, feeling the ground bend and quake under his feet. It was a sure, subtly sign and as Omri looked over his shoulder he could see the bits of moonlight get blocked by the looming shadow of the Paladin he had come to trust as a student. Unlike Thorium, Praseodymium couldn't be bothered with such things as narcissism and sadism. Much like Dysprosium, the towering blonde's only concern was with whatever mission placed in front of him...usually by Omri himself. Maybe this will make being around Thorium a little more bearable. "And Praseodymium."

"My Lord." The Paladin's voice rumbled softly as he dropped to a knee in front of Omri, getting an irritated sigh out of the pink Scholar. If his eyes were open, surely Thorium would be rolling them in front of this show of respect. It was enough to almost bring a smile to the older Scholar's face.

"What are you two doing out here?"

"Isn't if obvious?" Clearly it wasn't, getting another exasperated sigh out of Thorium as he petted the head of that monstrous illusion: Terentios. "Dysprosium. It seems the little blind stray has gotten loss around here when we were supposed to be heading back to Lighthalzen. You wouldn't happen to have seen him would you? I'm afraid if I'm not their to hold his filthy hand he'll just end up lost in the woods..."

He knew. Of course Thorium knew. The innocent way he had thrown out the question was only further proof that Thorium knew that Omri and the people he was with was harboring the Stalker. In fact, he had probably been watching over the Stalker the entire time, after whatever happened to injure him so badly, reveling in the possibility that Dysprosium might succumb to his wounds. Such twisted voyeurism sent a wave of nausea through Omri's body. It was incredible that science could create such a warped creature. Trying to buy himself time to avoid vomiting onto Thorium, which would only create more problems, he instead turned to see Dante still unconscious and Praseodymium still kneeling. "They have you paired with these two now Praseodymium?"

"Your little soldier is no fun at all Usoa." Thorium giggled, watching as the Paladin seemed just as annoyed and ill with Thorium as Omri was. "And you still haven't answer my question."

"Your question isn't valid in any possible sense."

"Oh but it is. Especially when you are trusting all of your new friends to help keep an eye on our poor, wandering mutt."

"You're starting to speak out of turn...you twisted bitch." The older Scholar did his best to conceal that last part but that didn't mean Thorium still didn't hear him. He had a knack for knowing the exact moment he got under Omri skin and always, always the only sign he would give was a pleased smile that the older Scholar could only do his best to avoid.

"How much do they know?"

"Nothing. And we have to keep it that way by getting Dysprosium despite his condition."

"I can do that easily." Thorium grin widened as the snake on his shoulders hissed. "Just stand aside and-"

"Hold on Thorium. I still need these people. They are useful idiots to me right now as long as they believe I am on their side. And more than that..." Omri sighed, reaching down and seizing the bucket of water. "I need them in their right mind and alive."

"You sound as though your word is final Usoa."

"What I'm doing is authorized by the Corporation. You going on a spree, fulfilling your little wicked heart's desires isn't. But," Omri groaned, not liking at all what he was about to say. However, getting Dysprosium out of the Sniper's watch was absolutely necessary. "Maybe there's a way we can compromise...to reach a common goal."

The Paladin, who had been paying attention silent slowly stood to his feet as Thorium clapped his hands together. Sure he wouldn't be doing everything he wanted but Omri had bent just enough; which meant he'd get to basically do what he wanted anyway. Slowly he extended his body, pushing his face far into Omri Usoa's personal space as his bright, red serpentine eyes opened and bored into his dark yellow ones.

"Smile 'Father'. This is supposed to be the fun part."

xxx

"How long is he going to be up there?"

"Why?" Cherri muttered in between the long blade of grass sticking out of her mouth. They had decided to keep in place; not wanting to anger Omri by poking around Adonis and the injured Stalker. But, working at this time of night...yeah: much easier just to stay in place and keep guard. "It's not like anything gonna happen. We're in the middle of nowhere. Worst we got is porings coming around..."

The Hunter murmured a response, barely recognizable as he kicked the dirt around him. At least, before, when it was just him and Adonis and Omri he was in the loop. Now he was being treated like a kid all over again; told to be quiet and shushed away from whatever was happening. This is so messed up! If I wanted people treating me like I didn't know anything, I would've stated in Yuno.

"Hey! We should do a shooting contest!" Cherri shouted suddenly, her bright eyes shining in the darkness. "C'mon! Get your bow out."

"...Isn't it a little late for that?"

"Well I guess you were going to lose anyway. We don't have to."

"Wai-What?"

"I mean, you are a Hunter. I shouldn't expect so much from you." Cherri chuckled evilly, watching as Kallistei writhed in anger. She had been with the group just long enough to be able to pick out the right spots in the Hunter's temper. It was fun to mess with him like that; watching his more youthful emotions get the better of him. "Really, look at those skinny arms. How do you even hold your bow?"

"...I'll be right back." Kallistei muttered, his face completely red as he half-stormed, half-ran back into the house. The malicious, teasing smile soften as the boy disappeared from view. I don't even remember how this all started, yet here I am. Heh, I'll just add this favor to your tab Ado along with everything else you owe me for.

"Hey Uncle." Cherri's thoughts ground to a sudden halt as Omri returned, bucket in tow. He looked the same as every; serious and sullen to a fault. Yet, something struck the back of the Gunslinger's mind that she couldn't place. Something strange even for Omri. "What's up? Did Dante get lost again?"

"Of course. He'll be around whenever he gets tired." The Scholar sighed, his usual frustrated tone with anything dealing with Dante. "Any news from upstairs?"

Cherri shook her head slowly, bringing further agitation to Omri's face. Apparently, going through with Plan B was the only option: and, not surprisingly, the most painful of the options. Resigning himself to this, Omri watched as his 'nephew' scrambled from inside with his bow and arrows in tow.

"Just in time! Now I have witnesses!"

"That's not a good thing lil' Hunter." Cherri snickered, pulling out one of her pistols. Omri sighed, allowing his mind to slip from business to whatever these two were coming up with.

"...What in the bloody hell..."

"Shooting competition. Just to remind Kalli who's got the better aim around here." Cherri grinned, wrapping her arm around his head jokingly. "Last chance to back out."

"Right back atcha!" Kallistei shouted, pushing himself away from the Gunslinger as Omri took a seat in the grass.

"What, exactly, are you aiming at? I mean, you're not just going to be shooting into the open air are you?"

The two stopped, contemplating the lack of a necessity in their challenger when a sudden groan put a stop to all of their distractions. The night shook slight as the three of them watched their Assassin stumbled forward, a steady river of blood flowing down his face.

"Dante..." Cherri said as Kallistei recoiled away. Dante only made a few more steps before falling over to his knees. No one was able to make a move towards him before a loud clang sent an icy shiver through them all. Cherri and Kallistei's eyes widened as a towering set of armor became clear in the night. The Paladin was in no rush; slowly stomping his way across the rolling fields before reaching a stop in front of Dante's prone body, knocking the poor Assassin a few feet away with his over-sized lance. Kallistei, still too busy craning his neck up to try and see the Paladin's face, remained behind Cherri who had drawn both guns and pointed them forward.

"What is that? A monster?"

"...Yes." Omri said under his breath, looking up at Praseodymium. "It is."