They were surrounded. Eli left Vesta earlier hidden amidst the planet's monstrous mountains and valleys. Cyrus' armor shone bright as the stars that watched above them. To his left, was a woman handcuffed by glowing chains.
"Let her go, Cyrus" said Eli, his voice trembling. He was back in his original form. "Take the relic already. It's yours."
Cyrus whispered to a soldier on his left. The soldier nodded. Three soldiers removed the glowing handcuffs on the woman's arms and threw it away. She sprinted towards Eli for a hug that lasted for almost a few minutes. It didn't feel weird because Eli turned into human form just in time Sarah began running towards him.
"Oh, Eli——" She wept her tears using Eli's chest.
"It'll be alright, Sarah. After they get the relic— we'll be home again" said Eli.
Biscuits who was sitting behind them in silence, walked near them and slowly sniffed Sarah's scent. He didn't have his spacesuit on because Syror's atmosphere was just like Earth's. Just as they were having their moment—
"Now?" hinted Cyrus.
"This will only take a while" Eli whispered to Sarah.
Eli turned into his original form and stepped forward near Cyrus.
"Kneel" So Eli did. Next, Cyrus grabbed something out of his soldier's hands: A heavy gun-like tool made of titanium that glowed like a firefly in the middle of the night. He pointed it towards Eli's chest and pulled the trigger firmly— then there was light.
Light that almost blinds everyone— they shielded their eyes with their arms as it is too strong. One thing for sure is happening: the relic is being extracted finally from Eli's body. But someone... someone however, has no idea what is happening at this current point. The moment Biscuits heard Eli groan in pain, the first thought that came into his mind is: Eli is in danger.
Biscuits pushed his feet off the ground, gaining speed and ran towards Cyrus.
"No!" yelled Sarah.
But it was too late. The soldiers saw the dog's doings before Sarah could even scream. What could be seen at this point in time is: Biscuits laid down motionless with an unknown long dart that pierced through his thighs, which seemed to immobilize him completely. All that Biscuits could do is bark in agony.
Eli heard. And at that moment, he had one thing in mind. That is to finally escape this horrible planet and bring Sarah and Biscuits to safety.
Eli made his right arm grow large. Large enough to sweep off Cyrus and his guards to knock them off-balance.
"What on Syror are you do—" Cyrus and his soldiers were brushed off to the cliff side. Metals and steel banged and clanged. Swords and maces dropped cold in the ground. Many of the soldiers fell off the cliff, unable to withstand the force of Eli's swing. The device that was used to extract the relic was also in the ground, broken. Cyrus manages to keep himself from falling off and stared below watching his men fall fast from this thirty-five thousand feet of a monstrous mountain. It didn't take long enough for them to hit the ground as they wore heavy armor which wasn't even designed to have a parachute on.
Cyrus turned around.
"What are you waiting for? Kill them!" yelled Cyrus.
But Eli, Sarah and Biscuits were nowhere in sight. They were being chased off already. Eli was in the form of a giant ape. He was about one hundred and forty-eight feet tall and made tiny earthquakes— err... syrorquakes as he trudged out of the battlefield.
Even though Eli was fast, the soldiers could still catch up. Some were in astral cars fast enough to reach the sprinting huge ape. Eli had Sarah and Biscuits on his left hand and held them not too tight as it will be uncomfortable for them and would be unable to breathe properly. A huge block on the horizon the size of the Eiffel Tower loomed around the scenery, dropping off soldiers in vehicles, too in order to aid with the current chase. The chase went on and on. Eli had to cross a lot of mountains and valleys. He crossed a lot of abnormally placed rivers. Yet, the army was still on his tail. But apes doesn't have tails. Wait, they have one, right? No? King Kong doesn't have one, I think. He had one more trick up his sleeve. If I could just bring them to that stupid spaceship called Vesta, all could be fine, Eli thought. If this one huge of an army could just leave me alone, Eli thought. If my brother wasn't such an arse from the very beginning, this wouldn't happen, Eli thought.
Eli steered his direction off to where he landed Vesta earlier. Cyrus and his army still does not know about Vesta's hiding spot. He turned, and turned. Monstrous mountains after monstrous mountains. Until he found the familiar one. He shrunk back in size as he approached the inner caves. This left the army unaware. They'd been chasing a huge ape and it would look like they have no idea what they were doing after an hour of chasing. This gives Eli time.
Eli knelt near Sarah. The spaceship sat in the corner.
"All good, Sarah? Come on we don't have much time—" said Eli.
"But..."
"What? What's wrong?"
Eli looked around. He felt that something was missing. Like he forgot his wallet on his way to work. Biscuits.
"Biscuits?" said Eli.
Eli must have dropped him off somewhere. But where exactly?
"Oh no, I— how could I lose grasp of him— Get to the spaceship, now"
"But what about you?" a tear dropped off from Sarah's cheek. She didn't want to be separated again. She needed to feel safe again.
"I can't leave the dog. I'm not leaving until my family's safe" Eli tilted his head to the right and gave Sarah one last kiss before heading off into danger. Sarah wrapped her arms around Eli's body once more before saying "Please— just be safe, alright?"
Ignoring the tears on his face, Eli smiled. One. Last. Time. And Eli sprinted out of the mountain cave.
"Tell us where they are!" bellowed Cyrus from the ground. He had Biscuits hanging in the air like a bully holding a kid up against a wall.
Eli, without a second thought, just moved towards the scene. He flickered between forms of an eagle, an ape and all that was needed to arrive for Biscuits fast enough.
"There he is! Get him!" yelled Cyrus.
But Eli dodged and dodged. His movement was so agile that every effort of the army to pin him down was of no use. He then manages to take Biscuits off Cyrus's hands. Something was wrong. As Eli sprinted, Biscuits howled in pain.
"We'll get there soon, Biscuits, just you wai—" A huge explosion cut them off their tracks. Eli once again, lost grasp of Biscuits. But he was desperate. He doesn't want Biscuits away from him again. He wanted him safe. He trudged towards Biscuits. Biscuits howled in pain again but this time, it's as if he wanted to talk to Eli at this very moment. So he did turn into a German Shepherd.
"What's happening, Eli?"
"I'm taking you back home, that's whats happening"
"No, what's happening— Why can't I move, Eli?" all that he could move was his tail. He wagged it back and forth but it seemed to need much more energy than usual. "Why do I not feel happy anymore, Eli?"
"No,no, Biscuits don't do this to me. We're going home safe. I promised you—"
"Biscuits? Ohh! Oh... wh— where..."
"Biscuits— biscuits, please."
Eli sat in front of Biscuit's body until the sounds of the soldiers' armors grew louder and louder. He promised him it will be alright. He promised.
"What happened next, grandma?"
"You sure are intrigued, Andrew" the woman smiled. She was sitting on a chair beside the bed which Andrew laid down on.
"Come on, grandma, what happened next? I really need to know" Andrew complained.
"All is well, Andrew. All is well." The woman stared off at the window, observing the stars that twinkle in the night sky.
"But the dog died! How could that be well?" Andrew protested.
"Oh, Andrew. I'll tell you that tomorrow night. You must sleep now, child. It's getting late."
"Aww, what a cliffhanger, grandma."
"Be patient, Andrew. Goodnight." She flicked the switch of the lamp and began to walk towards the door.
"Goodnight, grandma"
Grandma walked back into her room and switched on her lamp. She picked up a photo from her drawer. It was her as a younger woman, she wore decent clothing as if she is going on a date. Beside him was a young man, whose clothing was decent, too. His eyes though, was different. It seemed alien.
"Eli..." Sarah mouthed the words and began to choke back tears as she once more, stared off into the night sky.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
