"The civilization I once knew is in utter devastation. Our own leadership made an ultimate betrayal, for they permitted our life's end. They had caused that the Creegian spread over all the face of our planet. I witnessed my brethren become their terrible hosts... feral shells of themselves. Yet, I'm on that same path. Feeling its thorns stab through my chest and into my heart, living through my own slow, painful conversion. But it is a sacrifice I'd rather suffer, than to watch a beloved face become what I soon will be. But each passing day I forget her more and more. The only thing that remains of that angel, is the recollection of that I knew she was my beloved... and that this was my sacrifice for them."

- - - - -

Baren wastelands encircled a former civilization, winds howled by and ashes passed over. A malformed figure watching as the suns descended behind the horizon. No time was worse than this, for this was the beginning of another skirmish. The remaining leaderships would send their Hunters, their mercenaries, to commence a hastened siege.
Only to have what remained of Creegian infected to be rounded up and exported someplace distant. To evidently breed more ravenous beasts.

Only to also bring Vistese civilians, young and elderly, to be subjected to slaughter or infection. That was the source of the watcher's conversion... captured and subjected to infection. For several months, they were the only sane Vistese in that cage. Though unbothered seeing that figure resisting, these abominable beasts appeared to wait patiently, inviting him to give in.

For several months, they held on for their dear life. But it was barely fruitful, for a half portion of his body from head to feet corroded with a Creegian likeness. Thr veins in the portion shown forth in violet hue. Whilst the pigment descended into a darkest blue on said side. From said portion also, thorns of varying and terrible grandeur sprouted.

The toes of a foot were no more than just two inward facing hooked talons. There had been no previous experience of such excruciating pains in his lifetime! Only recently, some week prior, something had caused that the walls of the enclosure crumbled. Causing that those completely lost in themselves to scour and mutilate guarding Hunters.
Taking no part in such a massacre, the figure fled. Never peering back. Only to now be amidst a broken city... watching as the suns now submerge behind a baren landscape.

Left in darkness, a surge of gnashing teeth and the merest patters of steps rumbled gradually like a wave from about the city. Later in the time of darkness, gentle hums emerge over head until the faintest of silhouettes swing down.

Hunters!

With swiftness, the resistor quickly found themselves opposing six. With one of them ramming their feet upon his chest, resulting in him tumbling back into a wall. Only moments later as it seemed like, they had come to the realization the suns had emerged over the skies once more. Not long after this, felt something foreign and chewy within their mouth.

Holding up a hand before his lips, they spat out what once seemed a mere gelatinous object. But came upon the sight of a Vistese ocular and even a portion of an organ! Striken with racing thoughts and inability to look away for an eternal moment. They force his gaze to peer back... only being welcomed to a massacred Vistese corpse.

A great blanket of ill feelings did he feel loom atop their head caused by immense grief. Enabling that he may have will to once more to look away and flee. Zooming passed building after building without rest, even when reaching the city's outskirts, his retreat hindered not.

Several hours pass, but still he attempted to run. To flee. Letting not the constant wrath of the suns of the alien planet get to them, yet his body screams for him to stop in agony. But in the end, must yield. For the heat brought forth from the heavens above and the agonizing aches of the warring body yeilded not.

They, no longer able to keep on their feet, fell upon his hands and knees. Yet unwillingly sprawled out fully. Using what will he now had left to push himself on his back. Where he weakly glared at what the heavens bear, for they reveal the sight of neighboring planets. Not long after, his emotions prevailed also, and wept. Wanting death, yet fearing the body will continue on and cause that more brethren be turned into monsters to repeat the process.

Interupted in this thought, intense pain fluctuated from the chest and throughout his body! The thorns about it crept further, and his teeth narrowed as a side of his lips receed away. "No" He pleaded, endlessly persisting the demand. The agony did not cease, save it be external changes. For the pain had shifted internally now, causing that the air of his lungs to dwindle coming out.

It was minutes later that the pulsing agony stopped, leaving him curled up and rested upon a shoulder. Weeping on, they weakly stumbled back onto his feet, hugging their torso. For it remained pulsing with lesser aches. Somehow rejuvenated from the event, he walked onward, in which they continued on for several more hours. Though the heat's wrath slowly but surely grew, he found myself continuing to march on.

Sometime later, the resistor glanced up from the once sleek roads, squinting, his eyes beheld the faint sight of an area occupied by something. Taking the risk, he began to stride towards it, for he was unable to extinguish any greater detail other than a mass. After great distances, he'd realize the mass' greater details... it was forested lands! Overtaken by the mere sight of it, their pace hastened. Shade! shade! shade!
All brought forth from hot red and violet leafs!

Overcome with emotions, the resistor ran further from the desolate street and towards a welcomed sight. Several times they have stumbled from past exhaustions, feeling more tears trickle down their deprived face out of the joyous feelings that blanketed him this moment. Soon, he slowed to a crawl once standing at this forest's doorstep, feeling the well nourished grass underneath their feet. The coolness of the gentle breeze that emanated from it's shade softly hit graced his face. His breathing was rapid and nigh beastly.

After a moment of soaking it all in, the resistor ventured forth into the quiet wilderness, besides the occasional chirps of the winged creatures. Wiping away tears, sniffling, he crept further into the shade's embrace. Within under an hour he caught the faint noise of a flowing stream, promting a stride in its direction in interest. Soon the sight of what truly was a flowing stream filled his sight.

Nearly overwhelmed with exhaustion, they lumbered his way near a tree that stood within the stream and sat against it. Watching the suns begin to set behind the innumerable leafs, their eyes drifted down as they, the suns, did. Now becoming to heavy too keep open, he could not help bu finally drifting to sleep. Listening to the faintness of the water that gently flowed over his legs... so peaceful... quiet... reassuring...

Ever since the Creegian infestation, it appeared they could finally stop running... running from the Hunters. From the monsters that sprouted. Finding rest. True rest!
.
.
.
Faint beams of warm light came through the tree line, with one having gently graced the resistor's face. His eyes open slightly as they began to sit back up, groggy. Feral yawning had escaped his mouth as he began stretching their limbs. And with the ending exhale, got up to his feet. They glanced at the gentle gleaming from the stream, feeling his mouth felt dry as dry as to what was beyond this eden. He knelt down beside it's bank and extended forth his Vistese arm into the pure water and took a sip.

It had been long since they've last drank such clean water also. Thus absentmindedly, cupped both hands into the stream. Sinking them down before bringing them back up, partaking of nature's honey. Feeling satisfied after a dozen handfulls, he decided to venture further into this forest, admiring such a remainder of life. The deeper the resistor went, the more life this forest revealed. One of the most graceful was the Flutterer, a creature bearing a fragile serpentine body, broad wings, and illuminated with a limited but beautiful display of colors.

Later on his my venture, they heard a snapping of a twig. Whipping around frantically, his eyes panned across all directions. Even in the tree line. His heart racing to the point the beating became conspicuous through the rest of his body. With nothing occurring in these moments, their heart's storm calmed.

Exhaling in relief, the resistor's eyes lessened in alertness. Retracing his intended path, a young vistese girl stood before him! Her skin was a darker green, with glossy blue eyes staring back at him. With an infectious smile, she held up a bioluminescent orange-pettled flower towards the half infected vistese.

Offput, he glanced around out of suspicions brought by the priot years. Finally, their gaze came back to the young vistese, but still approached them in a fearful manner.
She hadn't flinched at all! Still extending the flower high. Now essentially face to face, his eyes and hand came upon the flower
Upon grasping gently by the stem, the vistese girl released it. Her innocent eyes becoming boldly apparent. With the softest of tones, she asked, "What's your name, mistor?"
Having became choked up, his reply was a shaky - "Adrelan."

Not much time passed before her gaze traveled to my arising thorns, and the rest of the abominable body. "Hey mistor, what are those pokey things?"
She asked. His eyes closed partially, remembering what they're  becoming. Not wanting to lie nor reveal, "I - I'm very sick, do you happen to know where I can acquire strong medicine?" Adrelan said meekly.

"May I know of your name?" He asked. Her gaze looked upon Adrelan once more while her smile reappeared. Her antenna started to vibrate, signaling a form of joy. "I'm Moreenea! I think I now a doctor that can make you un-sick!" With surprising excitement bursting in her eyes, Moreenea had grasped only two of his fingers upon the infected hand. Finding themselves being marched off with by the youngling.

As they went on, Adrelan's mind raced with questions, or responses when his brethren are welcomed to the sight of his abominable grandeur. However all of them were interrupted when his vision blurred. Everything they saw was harder to distinguish, their gaze eyeing down upon Moreenea's neck.

D E V O U R! Adrelan felt an overwhelming thought.

Gasping, he abruptly stop and grasped his head with a free hand to rebuke this thought.
I couldn't have thought that!
"Are you okay mistor?" Moreenea asked, shifting towards Adrelan.

Reopening his eyes, Adrelan panned across the scenery... all normal. With a sigh, they looked back at Moreenea with a weak reassuring smirk. "Let's keep going." They replied.

As the two walked, they both cherished every little sound, chirp, sensation, and witness of what this forest held. Later on, Moreena and Adrelan hear muffled conversations, casual conversations. Coming closer, hints of a spacious clearing could be inferred upon. Thinking back to earlier thoughts, he stopped again. Though this time, Adrelan knelt down beside Moreenea.

"May I ask a favor of you?" He asked, in which the young Vistese nodded happily. "Could you bring the doctor here? I'd be very thankful."
With that, he watched as Moreenea skipped her way into the clearing.
Alone once more, they couldn't help but curl up beside a tree instinctually.
Left only with his thoughts, and momentary flashes of feral actions in his recollection.

Not long after however, Moreenea had returned onto the trail and waved someone over. Adrelan, obliviously whirled behind the tree they curled up beside!

Moments later, another vestese figure emerged from the bush and stood beside Moreenea."Adi, you can come out." Moreenea called out.

With another shaky exhale, Adrelan slowly emerge from behind where they hid... and recieved a silent but appropriate reaction from the figure. Witnessing a gaping mouth and fear shoved at the forefront, Adrelan slightly reverted back behind the standing log.

"Y- you must be Adrelan, c- correct?" The doctor inquires.

With a low grunt, Adrelan confirmed with a nod. Though with a mighty *ulp*, the doctor slowly seemed calmer. "I'm Dr. J'ell. M- may I attain full sight of you, Adrelan?"

With as much hesitation, he re-emerged and reveal the resistant state in which they suffered. Which sparked a new expression from J'ell, one of dedicated inspection.

"How long have you been in this condition?" J'ell asked, urgency in his voice. Now looking back, Adrelan can only estimate "Months." Shock filled J'ell's face, his mouth gaping. "We must get you to my office! There's still a probability I can help you. This way!" Said J'ell, motioning Adrelan to follow. "And Moreenea, you may return to your quarters."

J'ell and Adrelan circled around the opening and neared the back entrance of an establishment. And upon entering, he saw a greater number of medical vistese, whom looked upon him in return with appropriate expressions, before descending down a flight of stairs and emerge into a spacious room. "If you will, enter through those doors and lay yourself across a table." J'ell instructed, preparing an assortment of tools.

In accordance, Adrelan entered through the doorway which led to a two part room. The furthest being the one which bore the plateform as described. He later lied atop its frigid metal surface. Followed shortly by J'ell's entrance, and placining the tools beside the plateform before exiting the room. the door slid closed. With a small delay, straps jut from the table and restrain Adrelan's limbs in place!

In sudden concern, he tugged at the strapes, "J'ell?" They inquired.

"Don't fret, I'm making further preparations." J'ell assured.
Just after, sections of the ceiling parted and let down mechanical arms, which unfurled and hovered right over Adrelan. A shot was administered, and he gradually dozed off to sleep.

As the operation progressed, the attempt of pulling out one of the Creegian parasite's legs, far after several injections to sedate it, strengthened its hold.
Causing that Adrelan to wake and scream in agony, feeling the tendril inserted into his heart to be infected further. Leading them to be convulsive and struggle against the restraints. They found themselves converting further into one of them. Loosing all sense of control over body and senses... only left to hear monstrous, screeching roars.

-----------

It felt as though Adrelan had only his thoughts, while it had his body. Sensing that their overtaken body attempted to break free from bondage. But they did not yield for it for some small time... hearing snap after snap. Hearing heavy banging shortly after. They've become one of them... a sense of overarching dispair constricted around Adrelan's conscious. Feeling as though he himself failed. Failed his brethren.

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

*Bang*

*Bang*


*bang*

"No."