(( This is the writer and I must write a disclamer. Everyone in this story is either copyright to me, or to Naughty Dog. All of them are. Anywho, I hope ya like!
A.N. over and out!!! ))
Prelude
Feet pounded the ground loudly as a figure ran. A small bit of water splashed against a nearby tree as the figure passed it. A dark brown hood covered its face, traveling down into a long cloak, about a half a foot away from the ground. The hood swiveled side to side and the figure darted off to the right. Pants escaped from the figure as a chest covered by brown flaps heaved as breath escaped into cold air, almost like a mist. Snow fell around the cloaked figure, not touching the ground but instead the leaves that framed the canopy of the forest it was in. The figure jumped slightly as a twig snapped and reached behind its back, touching nothing but cloth. Its breath increased as if panic had taken it over.
An inhuman like scream came from around the cloaked figure, causing more steam to shoot from under the hood. More screams echoed around the first one, seeming to have surrounded it. The shrill screams came closer as did the things that were making them approached. More twigs snapped and leaves crunched under the feet of the creatures. The figure looked around fleetingly, bending down to feel around two boots that framed its feet and pulling the shaft of a dagger from the side of one.
The screams came closer and a single creature dropped from the canopy, resembling something like a monkey crossed with a praying mantis. Its eyes were two little glowing yellow orbs, set back into what looked like metallic gray armor. The same plates of armor surrounded praying mantis like claws, its monkey like chest and its kangaroo like legs. No tail protruded from its backside but instead, two small spikes from its shoulder blades made purely of the gray metal. Brackish red skin that looked more like muscle surrounded the plates of metal, obviously the creatures skin. A single stripe of that same skin ran through what looked like razor sharp hooks on the ends of its praying mantis like claws. Its jowls opened in another ear shattering scream, reveling razor sharp teeth.
The figure backed up slightly as more landed on the ground, all of their jowls opening in screams just like the first one. A strong gust of chilly wind forced leaves to swirl around the creatures, still not daunting their screams. The pitch grew louder and slightly higher as the roar of the wind threatened to consume them. Their claws dug into the ground to keep their bodies from blowing away. The figure crouched down against the wind, appearing to cling to a tree near it in what looked like dear life.
A slender hand appeared from underneath the cloak, gloved in black material, the fingers missing as well as a small circle from the back of the hand. Somewhat long fingernails were visible, as the fingers traced a symbol into the bark of the tree. A large circle appeared, the glow around it a soft blue. A single cut down the middle of the circle bent slightly as it traveled down and touched the opposing side. Two smaller circles formed at opposing side of the circle, touching both the edge of it as well as the line.
The wind suddenly stopped at the creatures advanced towards the figure, looking at the light from the tree. Screams echoed from their jaws once more as the hooded figure looked at them, suddenly moving. A large soft blue beam sprouted from the tree as its lifecycle went by at 5 years in a second. The branches withered and the leaves turned black. The tree soon toppled over at the creatures, causing them to jump out of the way. The figure bent down and touched the soil, causing trees to shoot out from under the creatures. Not little baby trees but full grown oaks and pines erupting to fill the place in the canopy where the tree had been.
The screams died away quickly and a small little orb plinked down. The figure caught it, holding it in its arms as if it were a child. It touched the orb with one of its fingers, a bright, unearthly orange glow coming from it. The glow grew brighter as it held its finger to the surface, tracing the runes that were embedded in it long ago. It took its finger away and the glow died instantly and the figure started its walk away from the once large clearing, back to wherever it was supposed to go.