Lars remained unconscious for several hours before eventually coming around. Even though he had been healed, the obvious trauma to his body had been severe, and it was more the mental discomfort that had affected him. He had woken up to Kyto's smiling face, and Tiddles sat beside his bed. His stained and bloodied top had been removed, and he was lying in his bed at the house.
'How?' he signed as he sat up.
"Sneezy smelt the Geblex and told Tiddles, who went to investigate and found you. Who then grabbed me, and I came to heal you? Good job I did. You were nearly dead," Kyto answered.
Lars looked at Tiddles and reached out, rubbing the big beast on his head, and then reached to his side, where he knew the spear had stabbed him. The skin was soft and smooth, with no signs of a scar.
'Thank you both.’
"Anything for a friend," Kyto replied.
'Did you see Pops?'
"No, I did not see anyone else."
Lars wondered where Pops had gone. He hoped back to town and that there had not been any more Geblex in the area.
'I need to get back to town', he signed to Kyto.
"You sure you are fit enough to?"
Lars nodded and climbed from the bed, reaching to grab a top from a dresser he had.
"Wait a minute," Kyto said, standing and leaving the room. Lars stood a little confused, and a moment later, Kyto walked back in with strapping and a bandage. "We need you to look injured if Pops saw you."
Lars raised an eyebrow as Kyto quickly bandaged around Lars's side and added strapping before he pulled his top down. His guard jacket was ruined where the spear tip had punctured through it, and his blood soaked into it. Looking at his discarded jacket, he could see a lot of blood had been absorbed into it, his trousers were also bloody, and he got changed before he went downstairs.
"I will come with you," Kyto said.
Lars looked at the strange man sitting in the kitchen and turned to Kyto 'Begger.’
"Yes. This is Brandon," he said.
Lars nodded and held his hand out. Brandon took it tentatively, his hand being smothered by the large man. He had always been wary of the guard.
Lars and Kyto grabbed their jackets and pulled on two cloaks before they went outside. The rain had not given up all day, although it was now light compared to the morning deluge. It took them under an hour to walk to town following the main route, and they followed a stream of people making their way into town. The guards at the gate ushered them through, not even paying them attention and not even recognising Lars, whose face was covered with his large cloak. They walked straight into the guard house.
"TJ here?" Kyto asked on entering.
"No, at the barracks, one of the guards is...." the man trailed off, turning and seeing Lars standing there. "Lars!" he said in surprise, standing. "How? Pops said you were stuck badly."
Lars opened his jacket and lifted his top, showing the bandaging that surrounded his midsection where he had been stabbed.
"Fuck, man. What are you doing here? You should be at the doctor's." the guard replied. "Everyone is out searching, and the town is in chaos."
Lars just shrugged it off and smiled at the man.
"You sit here, and I will run to the barracks and let them know you are here. Since Pop returned, they have sent out patrols, and they have not found you, just the remains of those god-awful things," the guard stated.
The guard left the building, and Lars removed his cloak and jacket and sat by the wood burner, Kyto joining him. The bitter smell of the guard house coffee filled the room, and Kyto grabbed a cup while they sat waiting. It did not take too long for the red-faced man to come stumbling into the guard house.
"Lars, you fucking bastard," Pops said as he entered, seeing the big man standing there. "I told all of the lazy good-for-nothing bastards about them fucking horrible little shits, and they have been out, and you were not there. Where the fuck have you been? I went back to town to grab help." he gabbled out.
"He came home. The injury was not as bad as it may have appeared, so I have patched him up," Kyto said, smiling at Pops. He had met Pops on several occasions and knew him to talk to.
"Thank fuck. TJ has been worried sick. I told him you would be okay, of course. I knew that those little fucking things were not going to get the better of you." Pops said.
Lars noticed a tear in Pop's eye, and he stood, walked over to the grumpy old bastard and hugged him.
Pops accepted it and then realised what Lars was doing. "Get off me, you soft fucking bastard. I don't need a fucking hug," he said, pushing him away and turning slightly, rubbing away the give-away tear.
Lars chuckled at his response.
"Better go see TJ then and let him know you are good," Kyto said.
It was not TJ who needed to know. It was Crystal. TJ immediately went to find her and let her know that Lars had been injured as soon as he sent a patrol out. He had wanted to go himself but could not justify it. He had to cover Callum's shift since he had reported the incident at the barracks. Callum had been placed on temporary leave by Reece. Reece had gone ballistic on hearing that the guards were supposedly doing work for Mr Cooper, and TJ knew he had been planning to see him today to find out what was happening. Well, that had been until the incident of the attacks, and then all hell broke loose.
Reece had ordered what could only be called an evacuation on hearing the news and made all the guards run a double shift. The town had been a hive of activity over the past few hours since the news spread, and a slow stream of people had been arriving at the gates. The accommodation was all full, and they had repurposed one of the auction halls for extra accommodation. Families moving in to stay for the night or as long as it took to ensure their safety.
Upon being informed, Crystal entered monster mode and forced TJ to get another patrol to take her to the scene. TJ had refused at first until he had seen the look in her eye and knew it was not worth trying to dissuade her. He had seen that look too many times, knew not to stand in its way, and ordered her taken. They had yet to return to town and were still investigating. At the site, there had been signs of Wild Ones in the area due to the tracks they had found from the initial guards’ report back and Lars not being there.
TJ had just returned to the barracks from updating Reece when he saw the tall frame of Lars walking towards the barracks with Kyto and an overly excited Pops at his side. "Pops said you were injured," TJ said with a look of relief. He would have dreaded thinking what Crystal would have done if Lars had gone missing or had been killed, and he internally breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Lars pulled his top up, showing the bandages Kyto had tied.
"Looks nasty," TJ said, for Pops' benefit, knowing that if he were with Kyto, he would have been healed. An unspoken glance went between them, and he showed them inside the barracks.
"The whole guard is patrolling the area for other signs of those monsters. If they attack people, we must bring as many into the town walls as possible." TJ said.
After colouring the air with his constant expletives, Pops eventually left them alone in the barracks and said he was going for a drink. Lars had promised he would find him later and join him if he felt up to it.
"So, what the fuck happened?" TJ said once he left them alone.
Lars explained what he had discovered during the incident and how he was injured.
"Whatever these things are, the fact they are attacking and eating people has to be stopped," TJ stated.
"We do not even know where they are coming from," Kyto said.
"That is the problem. They have to be near here somewhere," TJ said.
"You could always ask Tiddles and Sniffer," Kyto said.
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"I think we are going to have to. The guards have had no luck finding anything apart from the factory where you discovered them initially and now the killings today," TJ said.
"Well, we can assume that they only ever come out at night, considering the way that body exploded."
"True."
They sat in the barracks discussing the Geblex and what they could potentially do when Crystal came bursting in. She had returned with the patrol after having no luck finding Lars to be told he had returned, and nothing was stopping her from getting to him. She ran up to him, flinging her arms around him and squeezing him tightly. "You fucking idiot." is all she said, gripping onto him tightly. Lars returned the hug, slowly tilted her head up, and saw tears running down her face. He wiped away a tear with a giant’s finger and smiled at her fondly. Lars was like a father to Crystal in many ways, and he was her closest friend. "You ever scare me like that again, and I will kill you myself," she said, staring at him.
Since Crystal had come to the town, she had changed so much; the raid leader and her demeanour had softened, although an undertone of her power remained. Her natural charisma and charm came through. She had gotten to know many in the town since they had arrived and was well-liked. Her and Tab's reputations as healers were held in high regard, even more so since they had begun selling Kyto's imbued tonics.
"What do we do now?" Kyto asked.
Silence fell across the room as they all sat contemplating what they should do next concerning the Geblex and what Kyto believed was the start of the incursion. The quest had stated that New Talisia was in danger, and he was even more concerned with the recent findings from Lars that they were so close to the township.
"I am going to find Sniffer and ask him to go tracking." TJ finally said.
"He should be over the ironmongers today; he had placed an order for a new cage to be made for when he gets his new truck," Crystal stated, her eyes looking a little puffy from where she had been crying.
Kyto pushed a small healing strand at her, and her skin tightened again. She rubbed her eyes, feeling it take effect, and turned to Kyto.
"I can't have you going out there with those eyes," he said, smiling.
She smiled back and stood up. "I better go and see Tabs and Elizabeth and let them know you are okay. I am sure they will be worried sick without news."
Kyto had tried to heal Crystal's scar when he had first discovered his healing skill, but it did not matter how long or how much mana he pushed into her. It would not heal fully. He had eventually given up trying, assuming that because it was pre-the-system upgrade, it would never be healed properly. It seemed to have faded from when he first met her, so he thought it had helped a little. It added an air of mystery to her and what her background may be, but it still did not detract from her beauty. Since arriving at the town, both she and Tabs had been hit on several times. Kyto had been angry when he first heard that people had been asking Tabs out but then realised he should accept it as a compliment, knowing he had such a gorgeous woman for a girlfriend. Crystal had always shunned any advances on her and rejected anyone who even tried to approach her, not in a nasty way but just by disarming them with her charm. Kyto was sure that if she wanted, she could have the pick of the town.
"I am going to head back home. Are you coming, Lars?" he asked.
'No, I am going to stay and help out." he signed.
"You sure you feel up to it?" Kyto asked.
He nodded.
"Ok. I will see you all later then," he said, standing himself and leaving TJ and Lars sitting in the barracks.
Kyto had not noticed the difference in the town until he began moving back through the streets. They were buzzing with gossip about the killings. Someone was talking openly about what had been discovered everywhere he went, and the stories were already becoming exaggerated. "A group of fifty of those creatures was seen leaving the house." he heard a woman say as he walked by. He tutted to himself, ignoring her comment.
Ryan was on duty at the gate when he arrived to leave, looking flustered. The line of people wanting to enter had grown significantly with the news spreading and people queueing to get inside the protective walls of the stockade. He waved at him casually as he left, the only person walking back out against the flow of bodies. The town would be busy for the next few days.
He arrived back at the house, entering through the garage as they always seemed to now. Tiddles and the cubs were not there, and he could hear noises from upstairs. He noticed the kitchen floor had been cleaned, and the cups were all washed up and on the side of the sink.
"You here, Brandon?" he called.
"Up here." came the reply.
Kyto entered the lounge, where Tiddles was sprawled across the floor. He turned his head as Kyto entered.
"He may need a little healing," Tiddles stated with humour in his voice.
"What the hell has happened?" he asked, hurrying up the stairs.
There was a splashing noise, and he went straight to the bathroom and opened the door. As he pushed the door open, a very wet and bedraggled-looking Pouncer flew through his legs, making him jump in surprise; he was covered in soap bubbles.
"Quick, grab him," Brandon called.
Kyto turned, bolted after Pouncer, and found him hiding under the bed in Lars's room.
"Come on out," he said.
"But that man is torturing us," Pouncer replied.
"He is not torturing you; he has just decided that you needed a bath," Kyto said, leaning under the bed, looking into the pair of big, round, frightened eyes.
"Come on, let’s get you finished and dried off."
Pouncer slowly came back out from under the bed. "Do I have to?" he pleaded.
"Yes," Kyto replied, picking him up.
He walked him back through to the bathroom. The sight before him made him laugh aloud. Sneezy stood in the bathtub with a look of absolute dejection on his little face as Brandon scrubbed him. Kyto could see several cuts along Brandon's arms where he had fallen prey to the cubs’ claws as they had tried scrambling for safety from the horrid man and the contraption that was cleaning them. On the other hand, Rosie sat on a towel, casually licking herself dry.
"Hi, Kyto," she said, smiling at him.
"It looks like you have been having fun," Kyto said to Brandon as he picked Sneezy out of the tub and placed him on a towel before wrapping him in it and rubbing him down.
"Can you put it back in the bath so I can finish cleaning it, please," Brandon said, looking at Pouncer.
"Please, Kyto, no." Pouncer wailed.
"It will only take two minutes now. Just stand in there and don't move," Kyto said.
Pouncer, sulking, obeyed and stood in the deep bath water. Brandon finished fluffing Sneezy and turned to finish Pouncer off. He wailed his protests, and Brandon finished washing the soap from him, but at least he did not attack him this time.
"That is better," Brandon said as he stood up from drying Pouncer off, smiling at the three cubs. "I could not have them running around the house the state they were in. They were making everything filthy. I had spent the afternoon cleaning up after them, so I decided it was bath time.
Kyto looked at Brandon and pushed some strands at him. His claw scratches slowly closed, leaving dried blood in their wake.
"Thanks," Brandon said in surprise.
"You are a braver man than me bathing these monsters," Kyto said, looking at the cubs.
In unison, they all started shouting that they were not monsters, and Kyto just laughed at them.
"Ok, out you go," Brandon said, opening the door for them. The boys did not need to be told twice and bolted from the bathroom. Though quite content, Rosie sat there, still finishing off drying herself.
Kyto helped Brandon clean the bathroom where the cubs had knocked everything over, and they returned downstairs. The boys hid behind Tiddles's massive front paws, looking at the stranger who had bathed them while Rosie hopped up into one of the chairs and curled up contently.
"I think if I decide to do it again, I may find body armour to wear," Brandon said, taking a seat.
"You are a braver man than me," Kyto laughed.
"How was town?" Brandon asked.
"Chaos, many of the people who live outside are heading inside due to fears of the creatures that attacked Lars and killed those people," Kyto stated.
"Should you not also be going in?" Brandon asked.
"I do not think we have much to fear with Tiddles here," Kyto said casually, stroking him behind his ear where he lay next to the chair he had sat in.
"Anything comes near here, and I will kill it," Tiddles said.
"I think he just agreed with what you said," Brandon said.
"Yeah, so do I," Kyto said, smiling.