Zazel runs up and pulls me, and the deer shakes and jerks as my jacket sways back and forth. I try to keep him steady, but my hand is shaking. My arm is shaking. My whole body is shaking.

"Brisket! What's the matter? Let's go!"

I barely hear her. I'm focused on the deer. He's not moving, not breathing. I shake my head and bite my lip.

"We must leave now!" Zazel shakes me. "What's going on?"

I look at her. "The deer. He's not moving." My voice is shaky. "He's not fucking breathing..."

Her eyes get wide. She stands on her tiptoes and looks down at the deer, then back at me. "Oh..."

She looks past me at Raelith, who is going to town on the beast, then back at me.

"At any rate, returning to the Elemental's lair is the best option for us, even though we probably just failed the trial. We must go while War hast that giant nuisance distracted."

I stand there, staring at her. Then, I feel my core starting to cook and churn. The anger starts to spread, radiating out to my muscles and joints. My fists start to clench. My jaws lock.

No. No, no, no!

My face is on fire. My hands and arms are on fire. My feet, legs, and back are on fire. My whole goddamn body is on fire. It's coming, and I can't stop it - I'm not even sure I want to.

I unzip my jacket and hold out the baby deer to Zazel. "Zazel, take him!"

She swallows and hold our her hands, and the baby deer falls into her arms.

"B-Brisket? Where are you-"

"Take him and run."

"Fool! This is your trial-"

"JUST FUCKING GO!"

I don't have time for her stupid-ass gum flapping. Motherfuckers've gotta pay. That's all there is to it. Motherfucking cultist? Gotta pay. Motherfucking robot? Gotta pay. Motherfucking monster? You guessed it.

"RRRRAAAGGHHH!" Fire blasts from my throat, and I blow through the trees like a gust of fire, leather, and steel right at the furry fucking asshole who ruined everything and got my little buddy killed.

Raelith is running her sword along the length of its back when she sees me coming. She pulls out it out just in time and jumps off right quick -She knows what's about to happen.

I clear the distance, and pounce like a tiger leaping out of the bowels of hell and connect with the giant dick-faced bastard with a fiery wrecking ball of a right hook. The beast lets out a pained cry as its long cock-snout explodes off in a massive blast of burning thunder, which sends it spinning through the jungle, knocking trees over. It slides to a stop on its side, and staggers back onto its feet.

"DIE YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" I blitz at it again and throw a flurry of machine-gun hooks and jabs, pummeling it with a storm of exploding punches. The beast starts to twist and bend from the force of the hits, which thunder one after the other in successive ear-splitting roars.

I punch and punch and punch and punch and punch and punch, each strike burning and chewing up the face and chest of the big hairy asshole. I'm deaf as shit and green blood and gristle explode all over me, but I don't give fuck.

"FUCKING DIE!" I can't even see my own punches - my arms become blurs and my vision burns with a hellish glow.

YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT, BOY! GET THAT SON OF A BITCH!

What?

MOTHERFUCKERS HAVE TO PAY, RIGHT? ONLY ONE WAY TO COLLECT!

No.. No! I ain't givin' you what you want!

WHAT I WANT? OH, NO. THIS IS WHAT WE WANT. YOU JUST AIN'T ACCEPTED IT YET.

Fuck you! I ain't no goddamned psycho!

My body strains and tenses as I do my damnedest to stop hitting the huge animal, but it's like trying to stop a speeding semi on black ice. My core flares and burns, but I force the scalding energy down as much as I can.

Then, I feel the punishment for putting on the brakes.

I feel the fire in my muscles and joints. Then, I feel it under my skin, in my guts, and on my face. Every fiber, muscle, organ, bone, and cell in my body burns like an inferno at a kerosene refinery. It's the worst pain I've ever felt in my life. I can hardly think or move. I can barely even breathe.

"RRRGGGAAAAHHHHHHHH!" I fall on my ass as the pain overwhelms me. I try to scream, but the pain is so intense I can barely even breathe. I can't even tell where I'm being burned.

I feel a great pressure in my chest, and small, fleshy pop.

"FUUUUCK!" I scream through my teeth as something hot beyond all belief rips its way up my throat and toward my mouth.

II start to choke on my screams as I let it out: fucking molten metal. I collapse on the ground, and feel the hard, super-hot, metal cool in front of me. It burns a small mark in the ground. I struggle to my knees and cough it all out, feeling its searing burn as it passes through my throat and mouth. Once it's out, I fall onto my back and clutch my mouth, twisting and writhing.

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My vision blurrs and clears over and over again as my body debates passing out.

DON'T EVER TRY TO TAKE THE WHEEL FROM ME AGAIN, FUCKER!

I can't think about anything other than the pain. I can't even tell him to fuck off.

THAT'S RIGHT, BITCH BOY. SUFFER FOR YOUR FUCKING ARROGANCE.

Everything burns. I don't know where the pain begins and my body ends.

I TOLD YOU I WOULDN'T TOLERATE NO BACK SEAT DRIVING! BUT LOOK WHAT YOU DONE!

Fuck- Fuck you-

'FUCK YOU, ASSHOLE.' IT'S THAT WHAT YOU WANNA SAY? YOU'RE ALL DICK AND NO BALLS, BITCH -DON'T MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU GROW 'EM BACK!

The pain just won't go away.

YOU DIDN'T THINK YOU IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT, DID YOU? I'D KICK YOUR STUPID ASS RIGHT OUT OF THE CAR IF I COULD. BUT IF I DID THAT, I WOULDN'T GET DRAG YOU DOWN TO HELL WITH ME, AND THAT'D BE A DAMN SHAME.

No... Leave me alone...

WELL, I HAVE A FEELING OUR LITTLE TRIP ON THE HIGHWAY TO HELL IS GONNA END SOON, ANYWAY. YEAH, THIS IS THE LAST REST STOP, THAT'S FOR DAMNED SURE.

Get out of my head...

YOUR HEAD? THE GALL OF THIS FUCKTARD.

Please stop...

NO, YOU STOP PLAYING THE VICTIM, PUSSY. IT WAS YOUR CHICKENSHIT BEHAVIOR THAT GOT US HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

No... That's not true... It wasn't my fault!

I'M DONE DEBATING THIS. WE GOTTA GET BACK ON THE ROAD; SO BUCKLE YOURSELF BACK INTO YOUR BABY SEAT AND SHUT THE FUCK UP. AND IF YOU TRY TO PULL THE SHIT YOU DID JUST DID EVER AGAIN, I'LL PUMP THE BREAKS ON THIS BITCH SO HARD YOUR HEAD WILL COME FLYING OFF!

Why? Why are you doing this?

'CAUSE MOTHERFUCKERS'VE GOTTA PAY!

He laughs and laughs as his voice fades away. I call after him in my mind, screaming questions and insults, but they are all swallowed by the abyss.

Then, other voices -muffled and echoey- start to fill my head.

"Brisket! What's happening!"

"Master, please get up!"

"You heard her! Up and at 'em, Beautiful!"

My vision fades in, and I feel Raelith's velvety iron grip on my shoulders as she helps me sit up.

Zazel and Domina jerk back slightly when I turn to them.

Domina covers her mouth. "How awful!"

Zazel's face tightens. "That must be painful. But we must go now!"

"We can't give up!" Domina hold the deer tight to her chest. "This animal is a fighter. He can still make it!"

I bolt to my feet, but cringing hard as my wounds bite me agian. "So he's still-"

"Yes!" Zazel stomps. "But we have no way to heal him! Nature should have some way to help, but we absolutely must go now!"

I scoop the deer out of Domina's arms and start looking for the way. "Raelith! Which way did we come from?"

The points behind me and before anyone can say anything, I take off like a storm.

----------------------------------------

"Argh, why is this elevator so fucking slow!?"

The floating platform takes its sweet ass time as it slides back down to the Elemental of Nature's underground cavern. Raelith, -the only Elemental who could keep up- nods, and we jump down dozens of feet down to the bridge. I cradle my precious cargo from the shock of the landing and haul ass, my metal feet clanging hard against the stone.

Raelith sprints next to me. She nods toward the the little island.

I look and see the magical hourglass still floating in the air next to the Elemental of Nature.

"We can make it! Let's go!" She pumps her arms and legs even harder.

But not as hard as me.

The massive cavern fills with the intense sound of flesh and metal against the huge stone bridge.

"Hold on, little guy! Almost there!"

We leap over the threshold of mushroom-covered island, and skid to a stop in front of the Elemental of Nature, who is sitting cross-legged on her big mushroom.

Three. Two. One.

The last grain of sand hits the bottom of the hourglass. It makes a little a little chime, then blinks out of existence with a dull green flash.

I shoot back to the Elemental. "Please, you gotta help-"

The green-haired Elemental gracefully slides down the mushroom and gently takes the limp deer. "So much suffering. Poor little one. It was so brave and strong, just to survive. Even more so than its parents, it fought hard to cling to its fragile little life." She strokes the deer's neck.

I clench my fists. "Come on! Quit flappin' your yap and do something! He's gonna die!"

She nods and hums, closing her eyes. A little circle of green and white light forms around her, and a gentle breeze swirls through the air. Her green hair blows gently, and a green glow pulses and swirls around her body. She begins to chirp gently, perfectly imitating the sound of a little bird, and places a hand on the baby animal's back.

The little thing starts glowing as the wind picks up, and Raelith and I have to cover our eyes from the blinding light.

The light fades, I see the baby deer awake and perked up, his big black eyes sparkling curiously at the scene around him.

Mouth open, I stare at him for a moment and take a step forward. "Little guy? You okay, bud?"

He's looks right at me and kicks in the Elemental's arms a little.

"Oh, he has taken such a strong liking to you." Nature smiles. "But I would have some words, first."

She cups a hand over one of his little pointy ears, and it calms down. As he listens, he stares off out at nothing, occasionally cocking his head.

The, Nature takes her hand away and the baby turns its little head back to me for a moment and straightens up.

I give him a little wave.

The deer twists back to Nature and starts nuzzling her face and nibbling at her ear.

Nature leans in a bit. "Oh my... How ferocious.. So protective..."

"They're... Talking?"

Raelith shrugs.

"It would seem this one has a great respect for you, Hero." the tall Elemental pets the baby's little neck. "The brave little creature has taken to you like a parent, it seems." The deer looks at me again.

I stare at it, and the image of it laying motionless in my jacket, staring at the sky with glassy, unmoving eyes flashes through my head.

"Is it... okay?"

"Yes. I would say he's perfectly healthy now."

I let out a breath. A very long, very shaky one. "You're a tough little guy, ain't ya?"

It kicks some more, and Nature lets him down. He trots with a slight wobble over to me just like a little puppy, and kneel down to meet him. He leaps gently in to my arms, and I hold him tight as he nuzzles me with his tiny little head.

"You made it, buddy. You made it."

It makes a little cooing noise as it presses against me. I'm starting to feel weak, so I simply sit on the ground and hold him against me.

Memories of my life on the farm flash in my mind. Mom and day would have loved him.

"I had a farm, you know." I said, to him, hoping he would understand somehow. "With my parents. We took care of a lot of little guys like you. But some of them didn't make it. We tired our best, but it was too hard sometimes. Me and mom and dad, we couldn't save 'em all. But I saved you. I needed some help, but I saved you."

I pet his smooth pink fur and warm body in my huge hands. A knot forms in my throat.

"And you know, we have something in common, you and me. I lost my parents, too. Can you believe it?" My eyes started to water. "We're just two little orphans, ain't we, little guy?"

The tears stream down my face and on to the baby deer. My breath shakes, and I hug him tight, pressing my face into his warm little neck. And I starting crying. Really, really crying.

"But nobody's gonna hurt you no more. We're gonna go on a big journey, smash the bad guys, and save the world. I'll give you all the jerky you want and grow'll up big and strong." I can barely speak through my sobbing. "Y-You're gonna get all the does in Astraea all lifting their tails for you. J-Just you wait."

So many feelings fill my chest, but for once, anger isn't one of them. I can't remember the last time cried, but I'm not sad -I'm grateful. Grateful that I could save his life, and grateful for proof that I can feel something other than bloodlust, cynicism, or hatred.

He's just a little baby animal, but what he showed me was big: there is something more to fight for than just revenge or survival. There's a real fucking reason to fight for Astraea.

"You and me, buddy," I smile as I look into his eye. "You, me, and the girls. We're ain't just gonna fight. We're gonna fight for a life worth living."