A hazy shadow leapt across from tree to tree directly overhead the two of them, stalking them like prey. "Run," Rake spoke in a hushed tone, sending the two of them sprinting as fast as their legs could carry them.

The running carried on for a couple of minutes constantly able to hear the sound of their pursuer overhead. His sides ached as the intense pain of overexertion struck him in an endless onslaught. His lungs couldn't keep up with the air that he wound up sucking in every few seconds. Still, he didn't dare look back nor slow down even the slightest bit. The two of them carried onward, doing their best to avoid the swarm of roots that sprouted up all around them, despite barely being able to see.

"Rake!" Nex shouted, followed by a tumble. Immediately turning around, Rake beheld a shadowy figure standing directly behind his comrade.

"Valdorian," the creature whispered. "Valdorians went extinct," another higher-pitched voice chimed in the distance.

"No sudden movements!" Rake shouted; all those lessons about 'creatures of the night' his brother had given him ages ago creeped back inside his head. Being under the purple leaves in the dark was a death sentence.

Nex stared at the malevolent creature in a shivering terror. "Rake?" he seemed confused as he stared into the creature's deathly white eyes.

They take the form of something you hold dear and try to kill you with it.

"I'm standing right here, Nex," Rake attempted to calm him down. As he witnessed the creature in all of its demonic glory, he saw nothing but darkness.

"Can it be killed?" Dawn wisped beside Rake out of nowhere. Her feet were just above the ground as she peered at their fallen comrade. Her translucent face was crazed with a certain bloodlust.

Rake gazed vacantly a moment. "I'm not sure," he answered, still racking his brain. There must be something Moxin taught me on how to kill them.

"It's standing behind Nex, right?" Dawn licked her lips. "Please let me kill it," she was wheezing with excitement as she peered at the looming shadowy essence.

"I can't risk it harming Nex in the process," Rake argued, not taking his eyes off the menacing presence.

The creature raised its arms in a striking poise, and an instant later Dawn was all over it. The second she was about to come into contact with it it disappeared.

Dawn cursed once she noticed its absence. As a response to the atrocity committed against her, she light up in a literal electric-fury. Light blue zig-zags of light cascaded up and out of her body, illuminating the once shadowy creatures. They were like pale skeletons with rotting meat hung over their missing bodies. They hissed at the light and disappeared the instant it ceased.

Dawn repeated the lightning barrage once more, revealing the creatures much closer. In response to this, Rake grabbed Nex and they started running.

The two of them sprinted onwards with no way of telling whether or not Dawn would be able to hold the creatures off much longer. Rake checked to make sure Nex was okay being so close to Dawn erupting in practically the same way he did back on Astrocruiser. There was surprisingly nothing but minor scratches and bruises that he likely already had.

Rake tripped over the never-ending roots. The process repeated multiple times until they could hear the creatures pursuing. What if something happened to Dawn?

"Dawn!" Rake shouted at the top of his lungs as Nex heaved him back up; who in response winced at the sudden outburst.

"Sorry," Rake murmured in response as they continued their sprint. An electric-blue light blazed above them, honing in like a vulture. His chest became lighter and his guard lowered as he realized she was okay.

A zombie-like version of suddenly Moxin emerged out of a nearby tree directly in front of Rake. "Brother," it rasped in a wispy tone. "How could you abandon me?" it whined, lashing out at an unmoving Rake Astrohitcher. The creatures claws sank deep into his skin. It proceeded to pound him against the tree repeatedly when suddenly Nex blasted it in the head. Once it was out of the way he then wasted an entire barrage on the creature.

Sydni swung at an already-defeated Rake; her eyes radiating with a demonic white glow. "You seriously thought I ever cared? I'm the same as I was all those years before. I enjoyed giving the order to kill your planet."

Rake groaned and lay limply to the side in utter defeat. Nex was about to blast the Sydni look-alike when suddenly it shuddered violently with an electric-blue light. "Dawn, I assume?" Nex remained vigilant.

The Sydni look-alike gave a thumbs up before collapsing.

"If there's any way for you to help Rake, do it," Nex commanded, tactically searching all directions in case any more of the creatures showed up. A version of Rake charged towards Nex, who hesitated to blast it at the sight of his best friend.

The mirror image of him stopped in revulsion, apparently affected by Dawn. The look-alike raised its hand signaling the number 'one.'

"One more?" Nex questioned; it nodded in a quick response before landing face-first onto the ground. The creatures turned to nothing but rags once they were neutralized.

Nex walked around the perimeter, keeping his fallen friend in his line of sight all the while. What seemed like ages past until Nex resolved it was about time he treated his companion's wounds, regardless of what still lurked out there.

"Us talking to each other is new," Nex spoke out loud, "but I could use your help."

Rake groaned. His eyes were drooping, like was struggling to stay awake. "Poison?" Nex questioned. A spark caused his hands to give a thumbs up.

"I've never exactly inhabited a body before without killing it," escaped his lips. "Nice to meet you by the way, Nex." While the voice was still Rake's, there was an effort to make it seem higher pitched.

"Then what are you doing in his body?" Nex started freaking out.

"I could sense his spirit trying to escape it, so I'm basically grabbing onto it and keeping it in here," Dawn was speaking through his lips, but careful to not move any other part of his body.

"What are we supposed to do?" Nex asked Rake-turned-Dawn.

"No clue, all I know is that I'm not letting him go," Dawn resolved. "I'm going to stop speaking, unless I have any more ideas. I don't want to push his body."

Nex paced around in the dark, driven mad with paranoia. There is at least one more of those creatures out there that I know of. That I know of.

Slamming his hand onto a neighboring tree trunk, Nex cursed; something he rarely ever did.

"Don't shoot," a voice called out.

"Who's there?" The blaster quivered along with Nex's hand.

"Please don't shoot," the voice neared. "I am not hostile," it assured him.

A hooded creature came into Nex's line of sight. "I am not hostile," it reminded him.

"Who are you?" Nex kept his gun trained on him. The darkness made centering his gaze onto him strenuous.

"Please don't panic. I am Rakaro. Has Rake spoken of me?" the creature took their hood off, revealing two curled horns.

"Once or twice," Nex snarled. "Why did you bring us here?" he was now itching to pull the trigger.

"I am but a vessel carrying memories and powers that are essential to Rake remembering his true nature," Rakaro spoke in a strained voice. It was like he was trying to hide a monster.

"Rake is barely alive. I'm not sure that kind of transfer is possible right now," Nex risked a look at his companion.

Rather than lash out at him as he half-expected, Rakaro remained in the same position. "I swear to you I bring no harm to you or your friend," Rakaro seemed to stress this point. "Please let me see him."

With the condition that Rake was in, Nex didn't really have any reason to object. "Go ahead," he relented, eyeing Rakaro closely as he crept towards Rake.

"Hey," Rakaro's voice strained as he placed his clawed hands delicately underneath Rake's chin. "Thank you for coming to see us again," Rakaro hugged Rake's limp body.

"With your permission," Rakaro spoke out to Nex, "I would like to attempt the transfer. Once this planet was torn to shreds, I was thought to be the sole survivor. I carry the history and power of all of Valastro inside of me. I doubt he'll retain the history lessons, but at least he'll be able to show the universe what Valdorians are truly made of."

"Why did you cause him to have nightmares?" Nex peered at Rakaro with skepticism glaring in his eyes.

"I have no clue what Rake saw. I was merely casting a spell that was meant to bring him home," Rakaro admitted; the strain in his voice cracked mid-sentence revealing a wispy rasp.

"Dawn?" Nex didn't know whether or not to believe the elder Valdorian.

"Will it work with me inside? I have to keep holding him together," she answered with a tone of desperation.

"You risk being cast out," Rakaro answered grimly.

"Wait," Nex stopped him, "I've got another question. Why did 'Rakaro' take over Rake and try to kill everyone?"

Rakaro seemed to ponder this a long moment. "I do not know the answer to your question. I was unaware that the spell caused such effects. It is possible that the more beastly-side of Valdorians overtook his mind during these occurrences."

There were so many unanswered questions. "Do we believe him?" Nex finally asked.

"I don't see any other options," Dawn admitted, still using Rake's tongue.

"Do it," Nex relented, turning away. The last thing he wanted to do was watch.

Rakaro placed his hands over Rake's face. "I am truly sorry, spirit," he mouthed. The chanting that followed went on a long while. Nex paced around the perimeter, not wanting anything to interrupt a potentially delicate process.

"I am done," Rakaro wheezed. "At the expense of my life, Valastro will prosper once more," he cried out.

"Hey, nobody is dying," Nex ran up to an already lifeless Rakaro.

Rake's eyes shot open an instant later. "What happened?" A dim light broke out of the violet leaves.

"Hey," Nex ran up to him, embracing him. "You were hit pretty bad, but," his voice trailed off a moment, "Rakaro came in and saved you," he motioned to the recently deceased at his feet.

"He, saved me?" Rake grunted as he clutched his chest. There were still holes from where the creature dug his claws into him.

"He's older than I imagined," Nex admitted, it being the predominant thing on his mind.

"He didn't seem old in my dreams," Rake rubbed his head. "Wait, is he dead?" Rake shrieked back, just realizing it.

"He died saving you," Nex spoke with a tone of remorse. "He also said something about a power or a memory transfer?"

Rake looked at the body of Rakaro, particularly his horns. Do all Valdorians eventually get these? He found himself feeling around his head until he noticed the odd glance Nex was giving him. "I don't feel any different," Rake admitted.

"What about Dawn? Do you see her anywhere? She was inside of you holding your spirit inside your body." Nex learned to roll with the punches of how crazy things could get ages ago.

Rake gave a quick look around their surroundings before answering, "I don't see her, but she tends to show up at random times uninvited. I wouldn't get too worried." He spoke more for himself than anyone else.

"Where to next?" Nex asked, surveying the now partially-illuminated forest.

"I have no clue," Rake admitted, trying to ignore how hungry he was.

"First objective should be to get out from under the purple leaves?" Nex wisely suggested.

"Yeah," Rake answered, dragging himself up from the tree he was propped up against.

They walked for a little while in one direction when suddenly Rake stopped Nex mid-step. "This way," he spoke out of nowhere, practically turning them around.

"You recognize anything?" Nex remained in place.

"I think so." Rake marched onwards without bothering to explain any further.

Nex concluded it was best to trust the Valdorian, but had a lingering suspicion that this had something to do with Rakaro's antics.