I had been walking around the forest, collecting plant samples at each step I took, flowers and grass of all colours, blue, yellow, gray, purple... and I even got a blue butterfly.

My mood had become slightly better since the start of this "trip" because I could focus on researching things to use, and because I was sightseeing. Damn, it's already been three times Markus could piss me off- it seems he always finds the right time to do so. Right after my change with Diana, after the chip sent me to hell because of weapon overload... the last one he created the right occasion, he even got Karah and Scarlet pissed.

Oh well, hopefully it'll get better like Scarlet said- hadn't it been for her, this mission wouldn't have happened, and I'd have beaten Markus to a pulp.

Each passing day I grew in strength and speed, probably because of Diana's blood, still. My hearing and vision got even better.

I knew this because I'd seen through the map that Karah was a hundred meters from me, and I could still hear her breathing and stepping.

I kept collecting my samples, and scanning the area with the watch for around one hour, keeping track of my surroundings with my hearing. Eveything had been peaceful... until I heard a small thud from afar, and Dia sent me "panic". 

Instantly I got an adrenaline rush, and begun speeding my way to where I felt Diana.

I didn't even see the trees or grass I passed by, everything a complete blur. I think I even jumped on some trees- I don't know, everything became hazy until I reached the intended location three minutes later.

The world stopped for a moment, when I saw her on the floor, pain apparent on her complexion. A red and yellow flower, that looked like a rose was fixated on the side of her shoulder, and vines grew from it, making a spiral of blood down her arm, where the thorns ripped her skin.

I was about to take in my arms to go back to the seed, but Dia sent me the image of the flower, along with "fear" and "panic"

It seems the flower was dangerous for anyone who touched it...

Still, I couldn't leave Scarlet on the ground anymore, and risked myself- I took her in my arms, letting the parasited arm fall down to the side opposite to me, and ran back as fast as I could, with the wolf on my heels, sometimes getting left behind because of my speed.

Soon I reached the seed, and let Scarlet down, over her bed.

Then I told the seed to analyze Scarlet's vitals and body condition, along with the flower, and left all of my samples in the analysis tube, so it'd be analyzed in the meanwhile.

I touched Scarlet's head, to check her temperature, and realized she had a fever. I ran around, got wet towels, and put them over her eyes, tied one to each of her feet, and over her stomach, wich I'd exposed, pulling her shirt slightly up.

Seeing the pain she was in, I ran to the storage, got painkillers, mashed them, mixed to water and gave her- hoping to appease the situation.

It wasn't long until Karah got to the seed too, worried about the situation, then I explained what happened, and began discussing ways to solve the problem.

We reached the consensus that we needed another sample of the flower, to devise a way to fight the one on Scarlet.

Then while we were discussing ways to boost her immune system, to help, Markus came in and began throwing a fit.

I didn't even hear what he was talking, as I was lost in thoughs, until Karah moved fast, and sent him flying.

I knew I could do that, but how did she? That speed was unnatural even for us.

Anyway, I got back to the real world, and saw Markus speeding inside the seed. And I panicked- he was impulsive, and would surely touch the flower.

Thinking that, I ran with all my speed, stopped in front of him when he was about to touch it, and pushed him away. He was startled at me appearing so fast, and began shouting and throwing stuff around.

I tried to tell him what happened, but he wouldn't listen, and blamed me.

Karah lost her temper- and I had to calm her down

I told her "Hey, it'll be alright, shorty. She'll be fine"

After this the seed began lockdown. 

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I tried to convince Markus to stay, but couldn't do it.

He stormed outside alone, while me and Karah stayed inside.

The only thing I could do was hope for the best, that he'd come back safe, while Karah hoped he didn't.

I sighed and began collecting antibiotics and all the anti-venom serums I found on the shelves.

In half an hour I found around ten of them, and injected intravenously on Scarlet. Now I could only wait.

And I did for ten minutes.

My ears caught the noise of something flying from far away- then it hit the hull.

I heard air leaving lungs, bones being smashed, and blood splattered.

Panicking I shouted

"Override protocol! Change leadership from Markus Eden to Nathan Eden! Initiate heavy defenses! Terminate lockdown until command "Close" has been given"

The seed lit up in red light and the blinds opened.

I told Karah to fetch all of the explosives she could in the arsenal, while I went to get Markus, and told Diana to stay.

I ran outside, my veins filled with adrenalin. The world was in slow motion as I saw Markus bloodied all over, with a bone coming out of his knee. Several gashes displayed themselves on his arms, and head- and there was a big cut that crossed his torso. I looked around, trying to find what had done this... and I did.

An enormous snake made her way to our camp in ridiculous speed.

Not knowing if I could fight it, I decided to run. I threw Markus over my shoulder, and got his backpack- that strangely seemed important. My instincts screamed for me to take it.

I got what I wanted, then left, reaching the entrance of the room at the same time Karah did. We jumped inside and I shouted "Close!", initiating the lockdown again.

I told Karah to get me blankets, and told Diana to go sit beside my bed.

When she came with the sheets, I threw them on the floor, and put Markus over.

He was still breathing. Alive.

I ran to the kitchen wall, and grabbed one of the medkits.

I opened it, pulled out iodized alcohol, suture thread, a needle, and some kind of white powder, that stopped bleedings.

I called Karah closer, and told her to spread the alcohol all over his wounds while I corrected his bones and closed them.

She began doing what I said, then I pushed his bone back inside the leg, making sure no splinters were left, stitched the gash, and threw the "clotting powder" over it, wich made the bleeding stop instantly. I proceeded to stitch all of the other cuts and repeated the process with the powder.

The minutes that took me to do this felt like hours- and all the shooting, exploding and slithering noises outside didn't help.

When I finally finished, correcting his broken ribs, and putting his dislocated shoulder back in place, I asked the seed to analyze his vitals

"Subject Markus Eden analyzed...

Vitals: stable in overall

Blood: high erythropoiesis, low volume- stable

Heart: stable

Brain: swelling on meningis

Marrow: no damage.

Diagnosis: all medical procedures have been done correctly to keep the subject's body structure. But subject will stay in a coma for four months before swelling in brain tissue reduces, allowing him to wake up. Please enable life support for said subject. Life support apparatus may be found under each bed."

I let myself breathe out in relief out of the perpective of Markus staying alive- misunderstandings aren't enough to make me want him to die.

But still... four months unawake, I think as I place Markus on his bed, and plug all the needles, coming from under the bed, on his veins.

The booming and shooting noises still hadn't stopped, wich made me fear the creature that moved crazily outside, dodging bullets and grenades. And the sound went on for who knows how long... until it happened.

The seed shook all over, and I heard something crashing on the ground far away.

Then the shooting sounds stopped, and only heavy breathing could be heard from the animal outside.

It broke the defense system.

It broke our safety.

Then it coiled itself around the seed, as if waiting for us to come out.