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Chapter 58

Maybe it's the hunger. Perhaps the extreme dehydration. Possibly the agonizing exhaustion. But something, something makes me do something crazy.
I've entered a sort of haze, like a dream. My pain vanishes, like that. My limbs are still leaden, I feel that, but somehow, I find the strength to stand and slowly stride across the small plain, right into the midst of the chaos.
I know what I'm going to do, and there isn't an ounce of doubt in my mind that it's the right thing, that it isn't entirely insane.
Never once do I begin to regret it, to have second thoughts. It's as if I've been possessed by a determined spirit, an anything I may think will have no affect whatsoever on my actions, which I've already planned out, and nothing, nothing can change my course.
Unconsciously, the fighting Beasts seem to move out of my way, leaping in the other direction at another creature which has angered it simply by being there. These great, winged Beasts which tower five or six times my height, they somehow avoid rolling, falling, or even stepping on me, merely a bug in the battle.
But, again, that doesn't surprise me. It's exactly as it should be. Once, one of the huge white creatures is thrown into my path, blood matting the dirty fur. Slowly, it gets up to it's feet with a long, low growl, it's low-set eyes falling on me.
I stare plainly back at it, looking the thing squarely in the eyes- Well, eye, I now see, the other one being a scarred mass of bloody tissue. I never stop walking, though, and as I approach it, never withdrawing my gaze, it begins to quiver, slightly, until it's quaking madly with some emotion by the time I'm feet away. Then, unable to control itself, it springs away with a fresh ferocity, plunging into the thick of the battle with the intent to kill.
I keep walking, calmly, and patiently, watching for my target.
Then I spot it.
There, larger than the others, sporting many more scars than the rest, trophies from countless battles before- Obviously the leader- swiping with huge paws at a quick, dark flash on the ground, continuously missing, though it's only a matter of time... And Coal, repeatedly stabbing and swiping at the creature's already bloodied leg.
I rush forwards to join the battle, when I'm hit with a sudden, cripplingly agonizing pain that sears my skull, and I crumple to the ground, unconscious.