"How's everything looking?" asked the reploid bear.

        "Just checking the gravity well now," said a boar-bot cracking his silver knuckles, "gonna give it a third run."

        "Alright, it's coming up to the twenty-eighth, so in about eight hours we'll be getting the next anomaly test from HQ."

        "Yes sir!"

The moonbase was aflutter as usual nearing the end of the cycle, the chart of the moon's trajectory showing on the main screen as reploids milled about keeping checks on the consoles strewn across the central room.  The mechanical zoo bantered between each other as falcons stretched their metal wings and lizards scrabbled on the walls filing down imperfections.  To a human this place was a hollow tomb where no oxygen breathed, but for the reploids it was a perfect low-maintenance facility where they roamed the halls, relaxed and worked the lunar cycle away with occasional swapping of team shifts every few months, shuttled to and fro by the Petrie under Amy's guidance.  Currently Amy was absent, knowing by now her team had everything under control as the steel boar kept working on the panel for the gravity well.

        "Can't figure this damn part out, what is off with this-"

        "Hey Tusk," he felt a lion-bot pat his shoulder, "come on we gotta recharge-"

        "I'll be there in a bit, something's off."

        "What, dude you've been checking that panel the last six hours!"

        "Yeah but just...agh," he stepped back scratching his bonce, "you feel like the particle offset's been...off, lately?"

        "No," the leonine shook his head, "what you mean?"

        "I mean like, it used to be sitting on odd numbers last time, now it keeps ending on evens this past couple of days."

        "...huh, that is weird."

        "I dunno what to say though," the boar shrugged turning to him, "it might be nothing but, yanno, machines like this every number counts."

        "Make a note of it before you recharge, tell Andrea before things start off tomorrow."

        "I guess, alright."

Opening a panel in his chest, the boar tapped in a series of keys to form a printout that rolled from a slot in his belly, showing his calculations and the problem therein before he pinned it to the console panel.  Walking back with the lion to their quarters, they waved essentially a good night to others who went to separate rooms sitting in cold dark dry corners, bodies hunched over stiff like Incan mummies as they went into sleep mode with eyes turning dim and a gentle hum filling the entire base.

        "So what're we gonna do after all this?" asked the lion brushing his synthetic mane.

        "I heard Amy saying we might just stay here," the boar tapped his tusks, "but they'd like, move us to some other time so we don't interfere with the fossil record."

        "How would we interfere, we're on the moon."

        "Yeah but maybe one of us gets ideas or something, it can happen, remember Renbie was one of u-"

        "Don't mention his name."  The feline snarled with pointed teeth.  "I don't wanna remember that-"

        "I know, but my point is-"

        "I GET your point Tusk, it's just...you weren't in there long as I was, you don't-"

        "Alright, alright I'm sorry."  The pig raised his hands.  "Either way we'll still get to be here just working away by ourselves."

        "And that's it?" the lion shrugged.  "This place is gonna get pretty boring when they're gone."

        "Well it's not just us, that Oddclaw and his tribe'll be with us, the Mohberrin Village and anyone else who chooses to stay behind, they'll get put in some other time safe and sound."

        "Right, yeah, I'm not good with the time stuff so we're not gonna be alone?"

        "Nah," Tusk waved his hand, "we'll have a whole place to explore and settle, yanno, like those Mohberrin guys do."

        "Nice...yeah," the lion raised his head to the ceiling, "alright well, see ya tomorrow then."

        "Night dude."

Heading to their quarters they went to sleep, setting their functions to low-power as their internal batteries went into recharging state.  Seven hours passed in the blink of an eye, their dreamless states almost a blessing for how swiftly they awoke feeling fully refreshed, the passage of time meaning nothing in the great abyss of space.  Some of the reploids went out to walk across the moon, savouring the deep cold that helped them run at peak capacity as they started the day with a brisk footrace.  Lions, tigers, bears alongside other mechanical mimics went tearing through the craterous plains, leaping across chasms with small sporting events to keep themselves busy and test their joints, from high jumps to long jumps to sudden sprints before it was time for the experiment to begin.

        "Alright everyone ready?" said the bear chief.  "Tusk you had something on your console?"

        "Yeah," the boar nodded, "was gonna bring it up with Andrea once we got things started, the particle offset's been giving me weird numbers."

        "Since when?" he looked at the panel with note attached.

        "Like, yesterday, past two days?"

        "Huh, alright, keep an eye on that, open channels to T.E.A.R. base."

        "T.E.A.R, this is Meridian-5 we are good to go on Subject Twenty, over."

The hawk sitting at the comms waited for a response, tapping his wingfingers with a growing concern as a minute then two passed in silence.

        "T.E.A.R this is Meridian-5 we are go on Subject Twenty, over."

Nothing came still.  The reploids looked to each other nervous as the pig tapped his panel.

        "Maybe there was an accident?" he suggested.

        "No," the bear crossed his arms, "no they woulda had someone on comms to tell us, something's not right.  Check the signal, see if something's not playing up."

        "Yes sir."

A chameleon saluted before crawling up the ceiling and slipping into the vents, scurrying through the shafts with a tightening body that compressed into the smaller ducts before reaching the underside of the communications tower.  Plugging herself in directly she checked through the router and all of its connections to compile a report, until something tripped her sensors and she scuttled back into the main room.

        "Someone's blocking us," said the steel lizard, "I don't recognise the domain but it's definitely not from Earth."

        "Is it intentional?" the bear asked looking up.  "Jenson, any spots flaring up?"

        "Nope," a gorilla shrugged from her panel, "nothing that would cause interference."

        "And I checked the comms last night," the chameleon pointed, "nothing's changed at all."

        "So it's someone from outside?" Tusk rubbed his arm.  "What do we do?"

        "Check for other open channels," the chief ursine nodded, "see if we can't check fo-"

KHRRRRMMH!

        "Wh-WHAT THE?!"

        "SH-SHIT SOMETHING'S ABOVE US!"

        "MARCOS, CHECK THE OUTSIDE!"

The lion saluted and rushed as fast as he could, tearing through the halls and making his way to the non-functional airlock that lead to the outside.  What he saw was his fate, and that which came for the rest of the Earth beneath.  A shadow that blotted the sun, slowly descending upon the base.  He felt jaws around his neck, a purring hiss filled his ears before the crunch of his steel throat against metal teeth.

        "Alllmost," the lizalfos squinted his eye, "just hoooold still."

        "Nnnngh."  The child piglet in front of him trembled with explosive energy.

        "Aaaaand, done."  He pulled back his brush to admire his work.  "Have a look!"

        "Woooooow!" she gasped staring at the painted skull upon her head.  "I look FIERCE!"

        "You sure do," Liz patted her back, "alright that's all of you done, now remember, if you see anyone, you come to us first and help shore up our defences."

        "YES SIRRR!"

The four children saluted as they raced out of the hut, leaving their chieftain to sit back and sigh with a long stretch after putting away his pots of paint.  His hands were covered in flecks of red, blue and green making him chuckle as he considered just putting on gloves to cover up the stains but relenting eventually to hygiene as he felt the dry flakes start to build on his skin.  Heading out into the village, he walked over to the communal washing area which was a purified pond connected to a water filter that constantly recycled, a sign indicating nearby this was not the water for drinking, that was on the other side of the village and you could blame Bokobson for this if you wanted.  Moblins, bokoblins and lizalfos all bathed together naked, the reptiles feeling much more brazen and casual than the mammals who sometimes covered up their shame and other times proudly exhibited it.  A separate pool had been made for the children out of decency, but that didn't stop the little ones from trying to sneak out and scrabble into the adult pool to cause mischief by pulling at their tails before running away with cackling babble and at least a few very angry moblins.

But it was a pleasant morning, even though the lizalfos chief had to wait before everyone else left the pond until he could have his turn without electrocuting his people.  Around twenty minutes after they cleared out enough for him to slide in with an electrifying sizzle, the water crackling with bolts as Lizanaich sighed from the fuming surge of the purifying heat that swarmed his senses.

        "HHhhaaaaaah..." his Hylian tongue muttered as he sank beneath the depths, "goddess this is bliss."

        "Not for most," said the deep voice of Mobenheim, "slept well sir?"

        "Ohhh yeah," he waved his hand with a little splash, "how's you?"

        "Very well thank you," he bowed from the edge of the pond with his spear in hand, "I saw your handiwork upon the dibbuns."

        "Yeaaaah they keep pestering me, musta painted a whole graveyard's worth of skulls."

        "Hmhmhm, I did not expect you to have such artistry for the morbid."

        "I have to look at your face every morning don't I?" he turned his head with a wide grin.  "I kid, you're the best thing to see every morning."

        "Thank you sir," the black moblin bowed again with a chuckle, "perhaps I may ask you to canvas my armour."

        "Wait, really?!  You'd let me paint it?"

        "I will consider it, the children greatly laud your talents."

        "I'm a better chef than an artist but thanks!"

Splishing about in the pond as he scrubbed himself clean, the lizalfos pulled himself from the waters around ten minutes after, snapping his tail dry with sparks from his golden skin before drying himself on the rack of moss that was specially grown beside the pool for its absorbent properties.

        "I'd give that about two minutes if I were you," he said to a bokoblin about to jump in, "unless yanno you like getting electrocuted."

Walking with Mobenheim across the village square, the chief returned to his hut and swept on his feathered cape.

        "We are running low on bloodmoss," said the moblin at the door, "Adenine requests a small venture to gather more-"

        "You asked me this last time and I said yes," he fitted his belt with skillet attached, "honestly you gotta take some initiative I can't be there to approve every damn thing."

        "It is the principle sir, I ensure all communications pass through you."

        "Well maybe you could drop it by like twenty-percent, Ade's a good guy, he knows what's up, just let him get his stuff."

        "I only wish to keep an open dialogue," the quartermaster nodded gripping his spear, "should anything occur requiring a full and concise listing of our current guards-"

        "Yeaaah yeah I getcha," Liz rubbed his horn tingling on his head, "not saying I don't appreciate it, just sometimes if I'm not available-"

        "I will assume your faith in me," said Mobenheim with a hand on his chest.

        "I should, the way you handled that fight last year with those other humans and that guardian dog thing."

        "You honour me sir Lizanaich, but do not do yourself a disservice for your part in the battle."

        "Ehhh," Liz shook his head throwing his hands, "I-i don't wanna remember stuff like that, if I start thinking about fights I get all panicky.  Alright, what else we got?"

        "A few more requests considering herbs and spices from the kitchen staff."

        "Woa-woah, woah...tell me EXACTLY what they want, don't half-ass it, you don't half-ass a salmon meuniere."

Sitting opposite of him, Mobenheim gave a concise list of ingredients that the foragers would collect after.  Meanwhile on the other side of the village was a medic helping to teach a blue moblin how to bind a tourniquet in the clinic hut, wrapping gauze formed from leaves and bark sterilised into thin but potent strips.

        "Alright now tie it through."

        "Like this?"

        "Yeah, now make it real tight, tight enough he feels it."

        "Ahhh huh."

        "A-aaah, too tight!"

        "Okay that's good!"

The moblin stepped back at the red lizalfos now with a bandaged arm, smiling to each other.

        "Now you know what to do if your wife gets injured!"

        "That feel good hun?" asked the moblin.

        "Yeah it's fine," the lizalfos grinned patting it, "nice work!"

        "Heh, only took like four tries."

        "Better than nothing," said Ade patting the moblin's back, "always good to learn first aid for anything."

        "Thanks for being so patient doc, I get kinda worried-"

        "Nah nah it's all good, don't worry.  Alright you guys clear out I need to take stock."

        "Thank you again!"

Slipping the tourniquet off the two waved goodbye as the hooded alchemist checked through his inventory again, swabbing the tourniquet down so it could still be used for a real injury as he categorised his plants.  Poisons, cures and astringents were all marked clearly in Hylian, the gauze wrapped in segments in another drawer of his desk where the radio to the T.E.A.R base was also placed.  He felt someone behind him as he grinned under his beak and slipped his hands to his crotch.

        "Wondered when you were gonna show up...heh, late for your appointment."

        "Ohhh am I now?" said an older voice.

        "OH!" he shot his hands back up and turned proper.  "S-sorry Ms. Bokorie, thought you were-"

        "I know it's fine," she petted his cheek, "Nette's still cooking away, she'll be a few minutes yet, how are you?"

        "Good good," he smiled taking a breath, "just had another course to teach but that was it."

        "I was thinking how it's such a shame you've never been to Hyrule...wish we had some of those slate-things to show you parts of it."

        "I mean technically I've been," he wagged his sleeve, "remember I was kidnapped there once?"

        "Oh, yes hohoho ahhhh," she patted his knee, "we can laugh about it now but I'm glad it wasn't too terrible for you."

        "I mean, you know we made the best of it.  I wasn't expecting to fall for Nette but-"

        "Love is mysterious like that.  I'm glad you and her are getting on well."

        "Thanks Bokorie.  I'm happy being with you guys here, never had anyone accept me."

        "I can't believe that you're such a sweet thing."

        "Ehhhh," he shrugged with discomfort twisting his knees, "just doing what I can yanno, so uh...you guys happy living here?"

        "Oh absolutely!" the bokoblin grinned.  "Are you?"

        "Well I wasn't planning to go with the humans, if you don't mind me hanging around-...huh."

        "Goodness!" she walked to the door looking up.  "That's an awfully big cloud, they said it would be sunny."

        "Yeah that's weird even for this place it's kinda...uh...Bokorie."

        "Yes?"

        "...go find your daughter and get in your house."

His words made her tighten her ears as she ran off back to her house.  Adenine went for his drawer and pulled out the radio to click it on.  But there came no signal.

Across the hill-infested swamps of the Land Before, two creatures walked on a clear morning breeze that whistled through their ears.  The raptor sniffed the air with a cheerful look, panting with tail swishing behind as he went skidding down a slope and trampled into the bogwater.

        "S-stonevoice, look look!"

The mantis came following after with steeped metal feet digging into the earth, gently trailing down into the water as he bent down to look at creatures skimming the surface.  Small bow-legged insects with rounded feet.

        "What are these?" Barkclaw gasped.  "I have never seen these!"

        "They feed on the filth water," said Stonevoice, "their feet let them stand on the water."

        "How?!  Other crawlers just drown!"

        "Their feet are special," he lifted one carefully in his hand to show the legs, "they push the water up inside their feet, so they can stand on it."

        "Ahhh!  That is amazing!" the raptor sniffed gently as Stonevoice put it back.  "We should tell Oddtooth when we get back, he will not believe it!"

        "Indeed, for now let us keep chasing the stonewings."

        "Yes, yes!"

Carefully walking around the little swamp, Barkclaw made his way north with the mantis robot following after in long gentle steps, almost never bending the grass beneath his feet that arched with steel joints as his sensors kept track of every single creature in the vicinity.  Sometimes bugs crept underfoot that he swerved round with great strides as Barkclaw did the same, his own hypersenses hearing the soft creep of skittering feet and the gentle hum of wings.  The black mountains loomed beyond to the west as they picked up the pace, taking a small rest within a valley as Stonevoice brought out some bits of food from a knapsack to feed Barkclaw, the raptor bouncing slightly on his tush with a feverish shake as he sniffed the breeze.

        "I did not think they would come so soon," said Barkclaw eating up, "why would they come half-a-cycle sooner than usual?"

        "We shall ask when we find them," said Stonevoice tapping his knee, "I have learned how to approach them safely."

        "Good!  This is the sixth cycle we have travelled together."

        "I always await the coming of the stonewings, to travel and discover new beasts is good for the mind."

        "Yes, Oddclaw told me that before!"  The raptor scooted up towards him with a soft lick.  "What should we do when we are home?"

        "I will teach Seaclaw how to playfight," the mantis stroked his chin, "perhaps you would like to playfight with me too?"

        "Mmmmm...yes, alright!  But I would like to rest in the dry mountain before that."

        "Of course, as we did before."  He stroked Barkclaw's face hearing him purr when he scratched his chin.  "I brought less food than before, we may have to hunt tomorrow."

        "Alright, yes, where do we hunt?"

        "The trees south of us have warmbloods, they will do.  If we need more food, the longsnout tribe will help us."

        "Good!  Come on let us go!"

Up and on his feet the raptor headed west, dull brown scales blending with the verdant hills as they tracked towards the Deep Mountain range.  The sky was a tender blue, the clouds gently drifting as they soon arrived beneath its shadowed peaks, watching for the sight of mass seething swarms of moths in transit as they sat beside the rocks and waited.

        "What is that cave?" Barkclaw asked sniffing towards a gaping entrance.

        "The longsnouts use it to hide themselves," said Stonevoice, "they made the cave themselves."

        "Why not live in it then, it is safer."

        "Would you live in a cave all your life?"

        "...no, haha, alright.  But then," he looked up chirping, "I would live in the dry mountain cave, with all the flowers, we slept there a few times, it was nice!"

        "We only stopped because your brother kept worrying," said the mantis nodding, "we should remember to tell him before we sleep there."

        "Would you live in a cave, Stonevoice?"

        "I would.  My stone flesh can be damaged if I remain outside for too long, that is why I sleep within the tree."

        "But you are stone," he sniffed over the green steel, "how does it get hurt outside?"

        "Becaus-...wait."

He looked up towards the village some distance away, the sky turning dim with a faint burning that Barkclaw smelt.  Something was above them, a long shadow of thick steel with jagged wings stretching out its back, floating perfectly inert whilst spanning 300 feet long and 60 feet wide.  Then came the fire.  Then came the screams as sudden balls of flame belched from the huts, roaring blasts from the invader that tore great plumes of amber death, almost twisting like strands of light that scarred through the village, burned the steel walls and vaporised the waters until the houses were wreathed in a deathly gas.

        "Wh-what...what is happening?!"

        "Barkclaw."  Stonevoice put a hand on his head.  "Go to the cave and hide."

        "What, why?!"

        "There is great danger."  He stood up with his hand slipping to his sword.  "I do not wish you to be hurt, you must trust me and run to the cave."

        "B-but, the stonewings, they-"

        "Look at that beast in the sky.  Do you think the stonewings will come with such danger?  Please.  Run to the cave."

        "A-alright, alright," the raptor stepped back looking between him and the shadow of the sky, "what about, will you be alright, it looks-"

        "I will return.  Wait for me, do you promise?"

        "I...I promise."  He gave a soft nuzzle to his face and licked his cold steel.  "Please come back."

        "I promise."

The badnik took his leave, racing towards the village as fast as he could with pounding feet and clanking joints as the fires rose higher.  Closer he saw it was a ship raining death upon the village, hellish sparks of violent flame that blasted through huts and fogged the sky above into a dry foul cloak that sent survivors coughing in harrowed screams.  Screeching sobs and clamouring cries rang out from the settlement, the towering stilts crumbling as the filtering machines exploded from the surging heat.

In the depths of hell, Lizanaich stood with spear in hand next to Mobenheim as they barked orders to their people.  Bodies were dragged out of burning houses, some still alive and howling with shrieks as the burns crept away on their skin, darkening limbs as children clutched to their wounded parents and were hurried across the burning square whilst defences were quickly mounted from the charring houses.

        "KEEP GOING, MOVE!"

        "COVER YOUR MOUTHS, DON'T BREATHE IT IN!"

        "M-MOMMY, MOMMYYYYYY!"

        "WH-WHERE IS SHE?!  BOKELLA, BOKELLA WHERE ARE YOU?!"

        "WAKE UP, PLEASE, OH GODDESS WAKE UP N-NOOOO!"

Under the darkness of the looming battleship they moved as fast as they could, huddled and limping with Adenine quickly bandaging up as many of the victims to help them walk with less pain, staunching blood and soothing burns with his sleeves coating quicker in red.

        "HURRY, HURRY!"

        "M-MY SON, PLEASE H-HELP MY SON!"

        "I'LL GET TO HIM NOW JUST FOLLOW THE CHIEF, KEEP GOING!"

        "ALL CIVILIANS HEAD WEST OUT THE EXIT!" screeched Liz with pointing spear.  "RIFLERS TAKE POSITIONS, SWORDSMEN HEAD TO SHADOW POINTS!"

The sound of trembling rifles came as the garrison mounted an attack, firing off against the the dreaded invader with one wave shooting first and the second following up when they reloaded whilst ducking behind cover quickly assembled throughout the square.  On their first attack the ship opened its base, showing a ramp where a large mass of black shapes came hurtling out with quick-deploying chutes, landing safely with thudding boots as lasers fired back almost immediate towards the Mohberrin guards.  They recognised the uniforms, black as night with red armbands and ghastly faces of cruel masks behind a searing wave of burning amethyst that ripped across their armour, the Mohberrin soldiers pelted back as they tried to keep firing before a horrendous advance.  First there were 10 soldiers in front of them, then 20, then 30.  They walked as a single block, pumping their guns and firing without breaking their step as some would fall and some would flinch or evade best they could, but they walked over the few bodies of their fallen brethren to keep shooting.

        "FALL BACK, KEEP FIRING!"

        "SWORDSMEN ATTAAAACK!"

From the sides came the rest of the guards, swords, spears and axes all shining through the mist as they swung down upon the Nazi force.  They broke their pattern at last to scatter in small groups, deploying shotguns that blew through the steel armour and burned holes through the stomachs of moblins and blasted the heads of bokoblins clean into ashes of blood.  For every one nazi that fell impaled on a sword, two more of the villagers were eviscerated over the next half-hour as the invaders spread through the settlement.

The lizalfos chief parried one shotgun before it shot for his head, twirling harpoon before spinning to gouge through the nazi's chest and rip down his heart, joined by Mobenheim who speared through one man's head and grabbed another with his thick black hand to choke him dead and hurl his body back to his legion.  The quartermaster was skilled and took at least seven of them down by himself, dodging faster than expected everytime he saw a rifle trained upon his sights before thrusting to pierce the skull or leg of a nazi that he then swung the body aloft his halberd to crunch into other soldiers.

Meanwhile his chief had his own tricks to deter the fascists back, shrieking with a full blast of electric force that paralysed three of them before stabbing each of their stomachs, ducking a laser-tipped sword that came swinging for his back when he turned and struck for the legs to sweep the soldier hard before ripping his head in half with a full gouging pull of his harpoon lance.  One soldier unbeknownst to Mobenheim managed to duck beside a burning house and take aim towards the moblin, until a lightning-charged spear ripped through the fog and tore his head clean off with part of his spine following.

        "SIR, BEHIND YOU!"

Liz whapped his tail at the commander's shout, striking against a soldier who tried to rush behind him with electric blade as he swiped it out of the nazi's hands and snatched it for himself.  A widening smile crept over Lizanaich's face as he touched the sword to his horn and felt a burning spark shudder through his being,  draining the energy from its cell until the sword was lifeless once again to hurl it back towards the soldier.  The man dodged and pulled up his rifle ready to shoot, but not before the he was suddenly electrocuted by an arcing bolt that tethered to the metal sword thrown past him, deadening his muscles to a violent spasm until he collapsed twitching dead upon the earth.

        "MOBENHEIM, GET THE SWORDSMEN TO FLANK LEFT, TRY TO BACK 'EM AGAINST THE WALL!"

        "YES SIR!" he barked clashing against a rifle with his lance.  "SWORDS, GERUDO FORMATION, NOW!"

        "YES SIR!"

Forcing his spear against a nazi's gun, he threw the human back with a hard slam of his head as the tapering horn crunched against the helmet with a dizzying blow, stunning the man hard enough to take his rifle away from him and shoot him point-blank in the face.  Fighting back, the quartermaster covered his swordsmen with a covering spread, firing lasers against the oncoming platoon who took positions around the burning houses.  Mobenheim's armour suffered many blows as piercing amethyst ripped across the steel, hollowing parts as he felt a scraping burn against his shoulder and a ripping gouge of hot plasmic fire tear over his leg causing him to buckle.  Still he kept firing, aiming down the sights to blast through their skulls and penetrate their hearts with enough pummelling shots, the armoured nazis withstanding their own weapons well but far more vulnerable to sharpened steel.

Watching his fighters take position, Liz retrieved his harpoon from the dead nazi's skull with a hard wrench before heading back into the fray, shutting out his mind of all fears best he could whilst Mohberrin's skillet banged against his hip, the drums of war singing through his mind as he crawled up the wall of a ruined house, leapt onto the roof and lunged upon a small group of nazis from above.  His harpoon ripped through the neck of one soldier whilst his tail whipped out against another's head to smack him back.  One nazi came lunging with a stab as Liz twisted his body out of its path, shooting his tongue at the man's goggles to startle him and wrench him forwards to fall on his face, stomping his head with both feet when he pulled back his bloodied spear and stabbed it down into the nazi's spine with a tearing gouge.  One of them slashed down Lizanaich's back with the edge of his blade, a dagger slicing his flesh inches from his liver as he roared and charged up his horn with a spark of thunder, blasting a radius of deep golden power that charged through the remaining soldiers and paralysed them with electrical force, stifling their hearts to collapse in a quiet death.

Mobenheim had grabbed a rifle keeping it tight against his waist, guarding with spear as he took aim for the nazis' heads and pierced through their faces with two shots each making certain it would break through.  Sometimes he felt lasers pummel against his armour, which would rot and film away from the constant barrage that weakened it.  One soldier came charging with a shotgun, the moblin whacking it aside when he took aim to fire, ripping a deep black burn against the side of his chest as he roared in anguish, veins boiling alive to become black deathly webs across his skin as he slammed the rifle against the soldier's head before pumping twice in the back of the head, turning sideways to evade the next shot and lunge his halberd through another nazi's stomach before he twist-and-pulled half his guts out in a spilling slop of reddish-black.  But still more would come.

All around them the remaining bokoblins, lizalfos and moblins who could still fight were being slaughtered, their armour melting against the deafening volley of laser blasts that thundered upon the steel and peeled layers off in thickening burns that raked at their flesh before they were left defenceless.  They were brave, diligent and managed to protect most of the civilians.  But they would not see most of their families again.

        "THERE'S TOO MANY!"

        "TH-THEY, THEY WON'T STOP, THEY DON'T EVEN CARE!"

        "SIR WE HAVE TO LEAVE!" Mobenheim grabbed Liz retrieving his spear.  "OUR PEOPLE HAVE FLED, WE MUST PROTECT THEM!"

        "GOT IT!" he wrenched his harpoon from the skull.  "EVERYONE, FOLLOW ME!  RIFLERS KEEP SHOOTING, AIM FOR THE HEADS!"

        "ADE!  OVER HERE!"

Adenine rushed to their side ducking under the firing lasers.

        "WE'RE LEAVING, DID YOU MANAGE TO GET EVERYONE?!"

        "NO, S-SOME CAN'T LEAVE, THEY WERE TOO BADLY WOUNDED, I'M SORRY I TRIED-"

        "IT'S FINE, JUST FOLLOW US AN-"

        "ADENINE, ADENENIIIINE!"

The screeching voice of Bokorie came to their side as the black bokoblin sputtered with sobs.

        "N-NETTE, NETTE IS TRAPPED, P-PLEASE YOU HAVE TO HELP!"

        "WHAT?!  SHIT, S-SORRY CHIEF I HAVE TO-"

        "ADENINE, ADENINE NO GET BACK-"

        "I HAVE TO GET HER, I CAN'T LEAVE HER!"

        "SIR!"  Mobenheim grabbed the lizalfos before he could run.  "We have to go, NOW!"

Trembling through his fists he bitterly nodded and turned to follow after the villages who fled together, gunners at the back taking pot shots to try and force the nazis to delay them whilst the houses kept burning.  One of those houses contained Bokorie and Bokonette, the latter trapped underneath a burning beam as her sobbing filled the room with sweat pouring off her brow and her fingers scrabbling the floor.

        "OH, G-GODDESS SOMEONE HELP MEEEE!"

        "I'M HERE!" Ade shouted stumbling through the door.  "LEMME HELP!"

Both mother and lover pulled at the beam with their combined strength, wrenching it out from its crack in the wall to feel it slide enough to loosen the gap underneath.  Bokonette crawled with a bruising back, staggering to her feet as she gasped bent over in sobs clutching at Adenine's robe.

        "A-A-AAAH, AAAAGH!"

        "It's okay, it's okay lemme just put some poultice on it."

        "We have to go now!" Bokorie cried.  "Th-those soldiers, they're coming close!"

        "B-but I'm wounded!" her daughter whimpered.  "I'm not armed, th-they wouldn't-"

        "n-no, nooo please I-i jus-"

BANG!

        "OHHH G-GODDESS-"

        "SHHH!"

He walked her to the window as they watched the advancing force, the nazis spreading out to each burning home with eyes of hollow red searching ruthlessly for survivors.  Every house they went to, there was a scream then a gunshot, again and again.  At one point a red lizalfos came stumbling frantic out of her home, running for the village entrance before a shot ripped through her leg and she fell screaming with fractured sobs.  She dragged herself harder, trying to pull herself under one of the houses before a nazi arrived to stomp on her neck, not fully but just enough to suffocate her voice with a strangling yelp.  She stopped screaming four minutes later, the nazi taking his boot off a minute after as Adenine stepped back shivering with horror.

        "Alright, we have to leave."  He pulled up Bokonette into his arms.  "Bokorie you have to scout for us-"

        "Wh-what, I can't-"

        "I have to carry her, you're the only one!"

        "J-just, do it mom," her daughter gasped with bloodied back, "just...just like when we got Chihlo out, right?"

        "...a-alright."

She peeked her head out seeing the soldiers turn their backs, motioning them to run for the western exit of the now-crumbling village walls that fell apart in molten curls, the withering steel caving in on itself as flowering fields were burned alight until the village became silent.  The soldier carrying the red lizalfos over his shoulder approached the ship once more with a full-arm salute.

        "//Village has been cleansed doctor.//"

        "//Excellent,//" replied Ingelbaum, "//all instigators dealt with?//"

        "//Most if not all of them, the ones who weren't armed fled to the west, your orders?//"

        "//Follow them to where they hide, then exterminate them.  Call it a light jog, you won't even have to waste your ammunition so we can preserve these fine pelts.//"

        "//Yes doctor.//"  The soldier patted the dead lizalfos fondly before placing her on the ground.  "//ALRIGHT MEN MOVE OUT, TRACKING PROFILE LET'S HUNT THESE VERMIN DOWN AND MAKE THEM PAY FOR DEFYING OUR GREAT REICH!//"

        "//YES SIR!//"

Over the hills the survivors would struggle, cradling their bodies as children limped with parents dragging broken limbs behind them using sticks for bare crutches.  The gunners stayed in the back of the line, keeping watch for any enemies coming as the caravan made its way towards the Deep Mountain.  Sorrows and grievance filled the air, smoke rising from the ruins of the village behind them as the clouds turned thicker above their heads, swarming over the land with the threat of rain.

        "H-how...how did this happen?"

        "Cuz, the fires make the clouds, mommy."

        "No it...no, sweetie that's not what I meant-"

        "It's okay."  A bokoblin hugged his mother's leg.  "I'm okay."

        "...thank you."

She pulled him close as they kept walking.  Liz walked out in front, with Mobenehim at his side as they carried the wounded best they could at a soft hobbling pace.  They felt droplets upon their heads.

        "An omen," said the moblin quartermaster looking up, "but of good or evil I cannot say."

        "Don't get cryptic on me," snarled Liz, "this is not the time."

        "I did not mean to, apologies.  Watch your step."

        "Ha-aaah," the wounded red moblin beside him forced his leg upright over a dip.

        "Keep your back straight, bending too much will hurt your body more."

        "He's right," said the chief propping a blue lizalfos, "we're almost at the cave, just hang tight."

        "Wh-why did this happen?" gasped the wounded lizard.

        "They didn't appreciate our stand last year.  That's what happens when you fight monsters."

        "Did...should we have not?"

        "I still woulda fought them.  Even if I knew it lead to this."

        "...I would have still fought them too."

        "As would I," said Mobenheim nodding, "there is only one antidote to cruelty, and that is defiance."

        "It's why we're here," said Lizanaich trudging forth, "if we hadn't stood up to bosses somehow, we wouldn't have lived a good life out here, had children and families."

        "Most of us didn't," muttered the red moblin dragging his foot, "we just...decided not to fight the ones who came to kill our bosses."

        "Yeah...not all of us could be Mohberra or Chihlo."

        "Sir, someone is approaching us."

They raised their spears ready to defend as a small green blip appeared to come towards them, shining like emerald beneath the darkened sky with a bronze helm that made Liz smile as he put down his weapon.

        "Hold fire, it's alright we got a friend!"

Stopping short of the travelling group was Stonevoice, scanning his long golden eyes across the length of the survivors tailing back towards the village remains that still burned under the coming rain.

        "What happened?" he asked in Hylian.

        "Those humans in the black suits," said Liz still walking onwards, "they came back, somehow."

        "That is not possible, they were sent back by the ba-"

        "Well guess what it's fucking possible, ask anyone of the people behind me what happened they'll all tell you the same!  They overwhelmed us, burned all of our houses down in seconds, dropped down on us with a whole buncha laser weapons and killed...k-killed...goddess don't make me think-"

        "Our numbers are still strong," said Mobenheim following, "we can rebuil-"

        "YOU CAN'T REBUILD LIVES!  DON'T...make me think, about how many we lost."

        "I have come to assist," said the mantis patting his sword, "should they try to follow you, I shall fight them alongside you."

        "Alright, thanks...I appreciate that but, what are you doing here?"

        "Oddclaw's brother and I were following a migration of moths to the Deep Mountain.  He is inside your cave taking shelter, please do not approach him."

        "Do not fear," the black moblin shook his hand, "he will remain with us until it is safe."

        "Thank you.  Allow me."

Taking one of the bokoblins who struggled with banded legs, the robot carried him aloft in one hand and walked with the group to their cave in hiding.  A sigh of relief drew from the crowd as they saw the yawning black mouth beneath the mountain, the hot winds raking across their back from the fires still flickering through the breeze as motes of black danced on their skin.  They started to file in, Stonevoice keeping to the cave entrance with hand on his blade watching the back of the line reach closer to safety.  For the next ten minutes there was an illusion of peace despite the tears of the destitute and the blood of the wounded running through the field, soft trails of crimson from underneath as the lizalfos chief and the moblin lieutenant moved back and forth from the cavern, taking the more severely-injured into alcoves and well-lit rooms that kept burning toches on the walls, laying down the wounded upon smooth stone slabs that had been covered in sheets for comfort.

        "A-AAAH, haaaah!"

        "It's alright, take it easy," Liz laid down a bokoblin pressing a salve on his burn, "lemme get that fixed."

        "Th-thank...h-haaaah..."

        "Sir," Mobenheim dragged a lizalfos with broken arm to his bed, "the raptor Stonevoice mentioned, he is in the farthest back room."

        "He's not troubling anyone?"

        "No, he seems to recognise our scent.  I offered some food and motioned him to stay, he seems to agree."

        "That's good...that's...best we can do honestly."

He looked around the cavern as flames crept over his head, the sounds of whimpering sobs and the sight of bowed heads forcing him onto his seat as he held his head in his hands.  Mobenheim sat beside him, a heavy sigh drawn from his snout as he rubbed it softly.

        "Twenty-four of us remain, including us."

        "Oh...is that all?"

        "I am sorry.  We will survive this, we must-"

        "I-i...M-moben..."

He broke down in tears.  Nothing more was said as the moblin pulled him close in a soft hug, feeling the tears of his chief stain the front of his chest and tender shudders run through his fingers.  The families remaining would mourn, sons and daughters orphaned, mothers and fathers outliving their children as the cavern filled with grief.  Time passed on, but not as long as they would have hoped as there came a sound of distant screams from outside forcing Liz to action.

        "WH-what's happening?"

        "Ohh goddess what now?!" screeched a mother of two.

        "S-SIR!" a lookout clamoured beckoning him.  "S-sir, it's Adenine, he needs help!"

        "TH-THEY FOUND US, THE BLACK-SUITS THEY FOUND US!"

Harrowing screams resonated throughout the cavern as Lizanaich rushed to the entrance with Mobenheim in tow.  Stonevoice had already rushed aside, the sight of the steel mantis racing down the hill encouraging him to follow as he stepped out into the darkening sun.

        "G-GET INSIDE!" screamed Ade.

        "TH-THEY'RE COMING!" Bokonette screeched.  "THEY'RE COMING OH GODDESS PLEA-AAAAAAARGH!"

A bursting scatter of laser fire followed behind them, one of which tore through Bokonette's leg and sliced through the knee whilst the other ripped through her belly, blood spurting down her leg now gone below the knee as she fell rolling into the grass.

        "NETTE, NOOOO!"

        "G-GO, DON'T STOP-"

        "I'M NOT LEAVING YOU BEHIND!" Ade tried to pull her up with a struggle as Bokorie sobbed stumbling beside them.

        "O-oh, OH BY THE GODDESS HELP US, PLEAAASE!"

In desperation she raised her hands towards the black platoon, marching en masse towards the Deep Mountain as her sobbing face lit shining strands of dark hair beneath her eyes.

        "P-p-please-"

        "MOM NO!"

        "Please...please don't."  Her face gasped raising her hands higher.  "Don't sh-shoot.  D-don't...don't..."

They fired upon her.  Moments after she was shoved down by Adenine who felt the tearing burn of lasers through his stomach, his back exploding into half-a-dozen lights as his robe began burning black, his face turning in a soft flickering smile towards his wounded lover.  Her eyes burned with a reddening pain, her throat paralysed in shock as tears flowed down her face.  Her hands reached out for his falling body, her leg still bleeding out below the knee as a scream finally rang through the air, not from herself.  But from her mother who now cradled her head, screeching as she struggled and failed to pull her up as the Nazi army advanced without stopping.  She closed her eyes and waited for death.  But it would not come to her, when she felt a shadow cross her path.

        "None...shall pass."

Before her stood a machine of long emerald steel that shone in the dying light.

        "Your cruelty ends here.  So long as I still function...none of you shall pass."

        "//The fuck is that?!//" snorted one nazi.

        "//Some kinda fucking bug-robot?!//"

        "//And?//" their commander barked from the front.  "//Our orders are to cleanse this land, and any who stand against us.  FIRE!//"

A torrent of lasers ripped through the sky, before suddenly spiralling in all directions like a flower of purple death that trailed its leaves to the sky.  The mantis thumbed along his sword hilt, simmering hot along the blade as he remained standing.

        "Desist."

        "//Wha-th-the FUCK?!//"

        "//That fucking thing just deflected all of 'em!//"

        "//FIRE AGAIN!//"

More lasers shot forth, each one of which Stonevoice struck with a sudden precise aim as his eyes locked onto each trailing spark of plasma, calculations riveting a thousand per second as his sword blurred into a silver mist, crackling streamers of burning amethyst warding to the sky as he advanced upon them with each strike.  The black wind howled across the field scattering ash upon his steel, flames still rising behind the soldiers as the village turned to deathly shadow.  The sky was burnt sienna, a false darkening sunset that painted the grass with a fool's pale gold.  They kept firing every charge but still Stonevoice approached, unyielding with his sword flickering clouds of steam that heated to such degree that the first nazi he cut, a burning line of sweet sharp amber ripped through his entire body that split in diagonal halves.

        "Desist."

        "//KILL IT FOR FUCK'S SAKE!//"

        "I protect and preserve nature, along with all who coexist within it."

The second nazi lost his head before he could fire.

        "Those who desire, to slaughter and maim, to burn and pillage-"

A third and fourth were severed in threes.

        "Shall not be tolerated in this world, or any other."

        "//KILL IIIIIT!//"

        "DESIST."

They lunged upon him at once as Stonevoice stepped back, feeling the sweep of rifles trying to bash him before they fired at his waist when he dodged in a turning step, spinning his body to lunge his blade deep into a nazi's stomach and rip out his waist before pulling his sword back to deflect another beam.  Most but not all he deflected as they started to spread out across the field, slicing his sword in all directions when he felt or sensed a triggering burn of laser rifle.  A few managed to hit, scarring through his leg or ripping through his side to peel off the steel chassis in parts but not enough to stop him.  Racing towards the most isolated of the group, his speed was sudden as wheels clicked out from his feet, tearing through the grass with traction burn before he swiped with gleaming cut that severed a nazi's spine in half from the front, turning fast to block another laser that parried straight into another man's eye and burned half his skull from inside with searing agony.

When too many came at once he dodged into a roll before advancing on the next soldier, a shotgun-wielder who waited for him to close range and blasted moments after Stonevoice ducked into a tackling slide and eviscerated his legs, cutting both above the knee as the nazi screamed clutching his bloodied stumps.  An army of six came rushing towards him firing lasers in a constant, hoping to wear him down as he ran towards them in turn with singing sword blocking each and every shot, except two that scraped through his helm and burned a hole through the solar rim.  But that did nothing to slow him down when he ducked low into a turning spin and slashed through four of their stomachs to paint hs helm red with blood.  The two who survived the dreaded cut swung their rifles at once to try and crush his head, Stonevoice blocking one and kicking the other back in a hard boot before the edge of his sword slipped round the nazi's arm and sliced his wrist sharp enough to force the weapon from his grip.

        "//SIR, I-IT WON'T STOP, IT JUST KEEPS COMING!//"

        "//IT'S ONE FUCKING MACHINE!//" the commander roared grabbing one soldier back.  "//Fine, SUMMON THE PANZERS, let's see which of them is the better beast!//"

        "//YES SIR!//"

Onwards Stonevoice continued his mission, cleaving through nazis one by one as soldiers fell left and right, scoring the odd lucky hit he could not predict as the more he battled, the more scarred his chassis became as plasma dissolved his steel and ate through the fibers.  Four nazis surrounded him as he stabbed one and kicked the other, launching both feet off the soldier so spinkick a third man's head with helmet-crunching crack at the same time he pulled his blade free from the first, slashing it through the fourth and final one's throat who stepped back stuttering with gasping bloodied cough.  But another soldier from afar shot him in mid-spin that ripped through one of his eyes and cracked his sensory function, red blurring his vision with a sudden alert as half his sight vanished to a blackened abscess.  Focusing his sensors he went for the shooter, sliding under the multiple lasers to hurl his katana like a spear  straight into the nazi's gut that burrowed through his back, festooned with intestines around the sharp crooked tip.

Far from the ensuing battle, Bokorie dragged her daughter to safety best she could, despite the bleeding burn of her abdomen now seeping with a hot crackling black, her kidney starting to wither as she stuttered with increasing anguish.

        "H-hoh, my baby please p-please hold on, PLEASE-"

        "A-a-ah...ah...A-adenine...wh-where is h-he-"

        "He'll be with us soon dear, please, don't worry h-he'll be fine-"

        "I-i...I'm sorry mom...I'm...I want to see him."

        "No, you will, it's fine!"

        "Y-yes...I will."

Her eyes closed as the pain thickened, spreading to her belly as her breathing became short and her mother shook her with increasing fear.

        "N-NETTE, NETTE NO, D-DON'T LEAVE ME NOOOO!"

        "BOKORIE!" she felt Lizanaich's feet trample beside her.  "Hoh jeez wh-what-"

        "Th-they, please, p-please get her safe PLEASE D-DON'T LET HER DIE!"

        "Alright fix her up and get her outta here!"

With Mobenheim's help they quickly applied a healing salve for the burn, trying to ease her pain best they could before carrying her back to the cave with a sobbing mother clutching Mobenheim's hand.  The sounds of battle made Lizanaich turn towards the lone swordsman, clashing against rifles and parrying lasers with a weakening force as one maybe two began to tear through his limbs, shredding the steel and exposing his joints ever further with each minute that passed.  His helm was dotted with pockmarks that turned to greater holes, his burnt eye staring dead upon the soldiers whose numbers dwindled faster than his wounds.  One nazi was lucky, waiting for his friends to distract the mantis with a rippling spread of plasma shots before he approached with his shotgun from behind and braced to eviscerate his back.  Then he felt the harpoon rip his throat from behind.

        "GHHRRKH!"

        "Fucking savage."

Liz pulled his trachea out in a long gouging pull out the back of his neck.

        "If you're gonna take on a guy forty-to-one, at least face him when you kill him."

        "S-SIR!" Mobenheim cried.  "WE MUST GO!"

        "TAKE BOKONETTE BACK!" he shouted.  "I GOT SHIT TO CLEAN UP!"

        "LIZ, N-NO!" Bokorie screamed.  "THEY'LL KILL YOU, THEY KILLED ADENINE DON'T!"

        "THEN I'LL KILL THEM FOR IT!  NOW GO!"

        "S-...sir."  Mobenheim shook his head.  "Sir, do not do this-"

        "THAT IS AN ORDER, FROM YOUR CHIEF!"

His voice strengthened sharply to make the moblin cower slightly.  His eyes burned into the quartermaster's with a force he had not seen in him before as he nodded quietly, taking the hand of Bokorie with her daughter cradled in the other.  The lizalfos turned towards the battle and felt for the skillet against his thigh, feeling something warm well up inside him.

        "I understand now."

He looked down staring at his reflection in the metal pan.

        "There's no coming out of this is there?  You knew.  Somehow you knew."

A light shone across the skillet as he took it from his belt and grasped it in his hand.  He walked forth into battle, the ghost of a smile on his face as he started running for the closest nazi and spearing through his side before he even noticed, tearing his lungs in half like paper before ripping his lance out to stab through another soldier's leg when he tried to turn and face him.  He fired from his gun but Liz quickly deflected with his skillet, the hard steel somehow resisting the plasma strike as the reptile wrenched his spear deep into the man's leg and cracked it out of joint, crumpling with agony to the dirt before he pulled his harpoon free to drive into the neck.  Another soldier saw him, hurling a stick-shaped grenade upon him that he batted back with the pan before three of them started running with panic from the ensuing explosion.  The lizalfos came running after, taking advantage of their brief fright to stab through one stomach and quickly leap towards another with swinging strike of his harpoon from above, crushing a nazi's skull with hammering force as the third managed to fire off a shot that burned the back of his leg.  Falling with a scream he stumbled back, lashing out his tongue to blind the shooter and wrench his gun away in a hard tug whilst the searing burn of plasma ate at his thigh flesh.  Then came a sword slicing through the nazi's neck in a blur of green that raced towards Liz and pulled him up.

        "You must return to your people," said Stonevoice, "I will protec-"

        "That's MY job."  He tapped his chest.  "You got your mission, and I have mine, so let's do this together."

        "...very well."

They stood back to back against the diminished soldiers circling around them.  For a moment they counted the remaining nazis and almost thought they could manage it.  Then came the sound of trampling feet, somewhat almost familiar to that of Stonevoice as his eye glinted with a semblance of hope before the nazis parted way to reveal a herd of silver demons.  Raptors of shining steel teeth and metal bodies without a hint of flesh that charged upon them with a shrieking hiss.  Stonevoice parried one leaping upon his head, sharp razor talons ripping through his helm and tearing a third of it off his head before he blocked its lunging jaws when it tried to twist the sword in its teeth, the mantis jumping to turn its head sideways and stomp down on its face to wrench his blade free from its metal teeth as Lizanaich jumped forwards with a screaming burn in his brain, horn shuddering with energy as he watched two silver raptors leap for his face.

        "BY HYLIA'S BREATH I STRIKE THEE DOOOOWN!"

A violent explosion of thunder burst from his being, crackling lines of pure aurum that threw both of the raptors back and caused them to spasm uncontrollably, violent shudders trembling through their bodies with synthetic screech.

        "They got smaller guardians too?!"

        "It appears so," the mantis nodded, "they are but machines, they possess no will of their own."

        "How can you tell?"

        "Their voices...they all speak with one voice, unthinking.  Unconscious."

The soldiers pulled back to watch the six raptors engage, shivering steel with long twisting tails as their voices trembled with mechanical purr, the two electrocuted starting to shake off the volts that dissipated through their system.  Stonevoice put his back once again towards Lizanaich.

        "Beware, these false mimics can coordinate as if they were a pack."

        "Great," said Liz shaking his head, "just when things couldn't get any worse."

        "Do you wish to flee back to your people?"

        "Yeah...but I'm not leaving."  He gripped his spear tighter with skillet in hand as Stonevoice nodded.

        "I cannot protect you and fight them at the same time."

        "That's fine...I can't protect myself at the same time either."

        "I ask only one thing.  Should I cease to function, take me back to Barkclaw within your caves."

        "And if I don't make it, you bring me back to my people."

        "Understood."  The mantis raised his sword in a straight line.  "Let us end this."

The warriors charged against the herd of false raptors, the village chief screaming as he swung his harpoon with a torrid sweep against the paling grass.

        "FOR MOHBERRIIIIIIIN!"

Leaping back from his strike, two raptors launched upon his head as he blocked one with the skillet, but the other kicked him down into the dirt as he rolled fast with lance catching against their teeth, twisting its head partly enough to stop it from lunging down on his face before kicking both legs into its metal chest.  The second raptor tried to stomp his shoulder to pin him but Liz blocked again with the pan, smacking across the steel creature's face and shoving it between the teeth where it tried furiously to crunch the old skillet between its jaws.  Something shone from the metal plate, a shimmering light from some unknown source that blinded the mimic briefly enough to let go and giv Liz enough time to roll out onto his feet, taking up his spear once again to stab into its eye and rake through its sensory circuits.

But the other raptor came from behind as the lizalfos dodged too slow for its vicious jaws to crunch on his shoulder, cracking the bone in sharp splinters that prodded through his flesh as he screamed in fury, twirling his staff to thrust behind him in a hard jab to force its jaws apart from his shattered clavicle, gripping his spear hard as he could from the failing grip of his fingers as his arm turned numb.  His weapon began to slip, his skillet still in his other hand as the moment he tried to thrust with his spear the raptor in front grabbed its head and wrenched it from his hand with pathetic ease, causing Liz to almost stumble and strike with a desperate swipe at the raptor-fake to keep balance.  His reward was teeth, barely dodged until the vicious sting of its tail penetrated through his leg, cracking the foot off its bottom as he screamed grabbing its neck in a frantic stumble.

Stonevoice fared no better against four the beasts, their steel reinforced as one after another leapt with sickle claws that he dodged and parried with his sword of equal strength, sparks shimmering off his blade as they stomped their claws against his weapon and leapt off quick to strike with long steel-linked tails slashing across the side of his head.  His solar rim cracked even harder, splitting down the sides with widening scars upon the edges, his one single eye focusing on one raptor to lunge in a feint before dodging under the swipe of its tail, striking against the chest in a hard rising cut that ripped partly through its jaw with a splitting sever.

The raptor did not react, no sense for pain as it tried to bite down on Stonevoice's head as he rolled to the side and blocked a second pair of jaws before a third foot stomped on his back to trap him.  The mantis tossed his sword high as he could to distract them, punching his fist deep into the earth to slam himself upright and grab one of the creatures' throats, hurling them down straight into the dirt and jumping on its head in a crunch with all his weight as he caught his sword mid-air and plunged into the skull with a twisting stab through its CPU.

        "Desist."

The raptor-mimic shrieked from its corruptive death, the sword raking through its motherboard as it sputtered in vile screams of false synthetic anguish.  The other three all advanced on him, Stonevoice leaping back but one managed to launch itself forward and grab his arm in a sudden twist, wrenching it back with powerful jaws to leave him exposed for the plunging stab of a ruthless tail that exploded through his back in a shower of steel parts.

        "E-ER...E-ERROR."

His chest caved in on itself, torn through by the steel lance of the creature's tail before a second one plunged through his back and burst out his front ripping his power source where sinewy cables hung from his chest with fragile deadening sparks that petered out softly.  His movements became erratic, sudden and twitching as his sword still defended, but his power was failing and the dimness of his eye grew with each passing second.  Sirens flashed in his mind with dwindling energy, the raptors pulling their tails out with a vile crunch of twisting drills that ripped more of his circuits apart, flowing pneumatic fluids from his gaping wound in cold muddy brown down his creaking legs.

        "ST-STONEVOICE!"

The voice of Liz alerted him as he watched the broken lizalfos stagger up to him, one broken bleeding foot and a crippled arm as he tossed his spear with the remaining limb to force the raptors back.

        "T-TAKE...TAKE US BACK TO THE C-CAVE!"

        "F-fail...s-system...fai-ling-"

        "I'LL KEEP YOU GOING GA-AAARGH!  J-JUST DO IT, I GOT A PLAN!"

        "Un, un, u-u-understood."

Grabbing onto the mantis he forced the energy from his body to jolt into Stonevoice, charging him up to fight against the failing battery as he boosted back towards the cavern with his burning wheels spinning underneath.  The raptors chased after, leaving their one comrade defunct in the dirt as Liz shuddered against Stonevoice, clutching desperate as his horn flickered like the sun on his scales.

        "I-i got an idea," he shivered against the mantis, "you...soon as we get there, y-you stand, one side of the cave...and I stand the other."

        "For...f-for, for, what, rea-son?"

        "They can't...g-get inside...hhhhh...if we make a barrier...I'll power you up...you...g-guh...we'll be like conduits."

        "Un...under...u-understood."

Forcing all of his remaining circuits to push to their limit, Stonevoice managed to stop just before the entrance to the cave, dragging himself towards the closest side whilst Liz stumbled towards the opposite.  Planting the skillet in the dead centre of the entrance, the lizard chief clutched himself against the wall and pulled off his gloves and forced all of his energies to a single point.

        "Th-this is...this is it...finally...I-i can do this."

He looked to the old skillet and Stonevoice across him.

        "I know it's stupid...I know it's crazy but...you...you understand."

His eyes drifted to a shadow that rose above the skillet.  Someone smiled at him.  He smiled back as the nazis came traipsing forwards with five steel raptors in front.

        "//This is it men,//" said the commander, "//sit back and watch our new machines finish the work for us.//"

        "//I'd rather gut the degenerates myself,//" muttered a soldier beside him.

        "//Maybe you will...just be patient.//"

        "S-sir?!" Mobenheim gasped from within the cave.  "Sir, sir what are you-"

        "Get back Mobenehim," the lizalfos breathed, "I must...I have to do this."

        "What...do what?"

        "Save you...keep you safe."  His arm hung limp to his side as he turned with a gleaming horn.  "You don't wanna be close to this."

        "...no.  S-sir, no-"

        "Protect them...you'll...be a fine leader...I would've been...nothing without you."

He tried to step forwards but Liz forced him back with shimmering bolt from his fingers.  It was not enough to hurt, but the power emanating from him grew as trickling volts surged through his heart and quickened his beat.  His eyes tightened, his broken shoulder stiffening as the muscles of his deadened arm spasmed against their will.  His horn turned brighter as he closed his eyes and channelled everything into it, surging with a brilliant white that blinded the soldiers and lit up inside the cave.

        "WH-WHAT, NO, WHAT'S HE DOING?!"

        "He, he's gonna...he's really gonna do it!"

        "LIZ, NOOOO!"

Across from him Stonevoice trembled with his failing battery, processors slowing as he stretched out his sword towards Lizanaich when he felt the arcing current, looming over him like the hands of angels.

        "Re...r-request...request...Maurice."

He stared at his blade seeing his reflection.

        "Request...debt.  Take...b-body back...t-to family.  Must...preserve...p-promise, to family."

        "//What's happening?!//" cried one of the soldiers.

        "//Panzers, advance!//" the commander pointed.  "//GO, destroy!//"

        "//They won't go!  Something's wrong!//"

The raptor-mimics stepped back sensing a disturbance, a storm gathering above their heads as the heat of the flames formed clouds that darkened over the mountain.  Pockets of white within black turned thicker above their heads, as Stonevoice and Lizanaich trembled with tingling burns as scales twitched and metal began to peel.

        "M-moh...Mohberra...I'm home."

The last thing they saw of their leader was the smile on his face.  Then came the light which deafened the mountain, a sharp piercing scream from the heavens that burst across the cave and painted the walls with blessed gold from the entrance.  The villagers pulled back, gasps of wonder and fear as beyond Perfect, blessed gold as the screams continued from beyond.

        "H-hohhh...what in...in the name of Hylia is-"

        "I-i-it...it's...the promised land?" gasped Bokorie wiping her eyes.  "S-surely not-"

        "No," said Mobenheim patting her side, "this is something...more special than a fable.  A hero's welcome."

The nazis pulled back in shock, the raptor-mimics retreating fast as bolts cracked and sparked along the earth with trails of flame left in their wake, rippling burns across their steel backs and melting parts of uniforms that had the soldiers flapping and stumbling.  Once the song of heaven had stopped, they turned and looked back upon the entrance to the cave.  A barrier stood impassive, guarded by the bodies of two transfixed to the walls, a mantis and a lizalfos, their eyes staring eternal, their forms stiff like ancient guards of a long-deserted tomb.  In the centre between was a small skillet, constant condunctor between the two as it bridged the gap between steel and flesh.  Endless, undying electricity that left the soldiers stunned as the commander clicked on his radio.

        "//Dr. Ingelbaum, report update for you.  We had two vermin that refused to die, took out half our soldiers, a machine and a lizard.//"

        "//And?!//" the "good" doctor snapped.  "//What of the Panzeraptors?!//"

        "//They performed superb.  Took down two of the most degenerate dangerous savages I've ever met, far swifter than any of my men.//"

        "//Excellent!  A perfect field test courtesy of our newest friend, now, what of the other subhumans?//"

        "//They trapped themselves in a cavern sir,//" he stared back to the golden field, "//somehow they formed a barrier, it's too strong for lasers and the panzeraptors won't go near it.//"

        "//BAH, preposterous!  Must have stolen it from our crashed ship the thieving little Africans.//"

        "//The Mjollnir might break through it, how long will it take to recharge it?//"

        "//Too long unfortunately,//" Ingelbaum sighed, "//we are on schedule, Frau Grimm demands your return regardless of success or failure.//"

        "//Yes Dr. Ingelbaum.//" the general turned to his troops with a full-arm salute.  "//ALRIGHT MEN, WE RETURN, THE SAVAGES ARE TRAPPED, WE WILL COME FOR THEM ANOTHER DAY!//"

        "//YES SIR!//"

They saluted in turn and headed back toward the ship looming above the smouldering village that departed as swiftly as it came, the black winged monster that faded almost silent to the sea and faded through the mist.  The survivors remained in the cavern for two days where the barrier continued to keep them safe, not a single sound of any beast came near the surging electrical force.  It was a gentle song it made, a tender hum like the goddess hymn that lulled them to sleep amongst restless dreams and lit up the morn a glorious sun that shone no matter whence it came.  They almost forgot their grief, until they looked to their beds and saw they were less.  A son would reach out to his side expecting a mother, fathers called for daughters as their names disappeared to the abyss.  They had food and water, enough to survive, and through their tears they healed, through their anger they united.  The third day they could finally leave, as the barrier broke and the two bodies fell towards the skillet buried in the dirt.

        "Liz, LIZ!"

Bokorie ran to grab him as Mobenheim picked him up in his arms.

        "...my...my friend."

His fingers curled against his back, as tears dripped on Lizanaich's face.

        "M-my...my friend.  You did it.  You became...the finest leader, I ever served."

Pulling him close to his chest, the moblin began to weep.  Bokorie could not, for she was exhausted, her eyes burning crimson as she simply sat against the wall and put her head against her knees.  Some of the civilians left, some did not, all huddling each other in fear of the world and how it changed.  Something began to stir, a rattling of steel that had Mobenheim turn with halberd ready.

        "WHO'S THERE?!  SHOW YOURSELF!"

His hand faltered.  Bokorie gasped as she looked upon the culprit.  From the other side of the entrance, the machine stirred with its head turning towards the cavern, and pulling itself from the wall in a ragged crumpling step.

        "Wh-...what?!" she gasped pulling back.

        "What in...goddesses is it doing?"

        "I-i...I do not know, i-it's as if a poe has possessed-"

        "Get back!"  The moblin shouted to the villagers.  "Keep back, do not go near it, let it pass!"

        "What, wait!" Bokorie stood up clutching his hand.  "A-are you sure it-"

        "He was a friend.  Our leader stood by him, we must trust their judgement.  Let him be."

The body walked through the depths, fearful citizens pulling back against the wall as they heard and saw the robotic corpse drag its blade behind with shuddering feet, shivering gasps as the cold mountain wind ripped through the hole in its chest and slithered through the back, wires tapping against its steel with its shattered rim hanging from its head.  Through the darkness it went, where none would follow, as it sensed a presence in the farthest back room where the damp would live and where beasts infested.

        "S-...S-stonevoice?"

A soft chirr came from within as the mantis dragged itself forwards with a single gleaming eye that shone like the moon.

        "Haaah, Stonevoice, S-stonevoice you are safe!"

The mantis put his sword to the side and reached out his hand towards Barkclaw who sniffed closer.  His eyes widened with a sudden fear as he smelt death upon his friend.

        "Protect...our family."

His eye became dark, his hand placed upon Barkclaw's head who felt it colder than it was before.  He nuzzled against the steel fingers, whimpering in hope they would move again.  But he never did.  His voice stuttered in his breast, staring upon the mantis whose face never changed, except with a hint of peace on this day.  Barkclaw's tears stained his hand, as his voice trembled through the depths of a hollow beast in mourning.  A sound that forever haunted those that remained of Mohberrin Village.