The now liberated slaves skittered around the copper haired girl like ants flocking to their newly discovered queen. Aelus watched the band of warriors assemble in a loose formation with the Khanate woman at its core. The sudden display of unity was heartwarming, but not a course of action Aelus planned to follow. He owed nothing to the witch. She gave him freedom from his chains, he gave her the blood of her captors. But the battle raged on, regardless of his allegiance. His escape routes proved to be a frustratingly unique combination of abundant and useless. While fleeing in any direction could facilitate his escape any surviving guards would be able to pick him off long before he was out of range. It was possible for his fellow slaves to defeat Peschek and his men, though their chances could be significantly reduced without Aelus' intervention. He was presented two equally distasteful choices. Flee and hope no begrudging guard lived, or risk his life to ensure that all of his enemies fall.<br/><br/>Aelus growled. The display of unity disgusted him. Reliance on others could only lead him to painful, gruesome failure, but it gave him better odds than running. He knelt beside the fallen rider, grabbing cadaver's chest plate.<span style="font-style: italic">As he began to lift the body its head turned, looking at Aelus from the concealing shade of its helmet visor. It spoke to him in a familiar voice, cutting into Aelus' heart with every word.<br/><br/>"We were never brothers."</span><br/><br/>His pupils dilated, heart racing at the sight before him.<br/><br/>"You're lying. I know you are."<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">The body laughed, mocking Aelus. It rolled its head back, looking up at the sky.<br/><br/>"You were never anything more than a tool. You were born to be used Aelus. Your parents knew it, the Patriarchy knew it, and most of all, I knew it."</span><br/><br/>Aelus scowled at the corpse, spitting his words through clenched teeth.<br/><br/>"Stop it."<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"See? You can't even bring yourself to deny it. You're a slave, you always have been. You never escaped captivity, you just traded one master for another. It's all you've ever done and it's all you ever will do."</span><br/><br/>"You didn't let them kill me."<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Is that what's kept you going? Believing I did that to protect you? Sweet, naive little Aelus. You don't throw out a hammer when you no longer need it, you lend it to a friend so they can use it until they no longer need it. That's your destiny 'brother'. To be used over and over until there's nothing left but splinters."</span><br/><br/>Aelus found himself attempting to throttle the corpse through it's chain mail, pressing against the metal rings until his fingers went numb.<br/><br/>"Shut up."<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">The corpse leaned forward, grabbing Aelus by the throat.<br/><br/>"If you just accept it everything will be so much easier."</span><br/><br/>Aelus grabbed the body's head with both hand and snapped its neck. He whispered as he armed another bolt.<br/><br/>"No."<br/><br/>He took a deep breath, teeth bristling between the slowly rising curtain of his lips. The Skinwalker stood up. His fingers caressed the heavy trigger as he shouted, staring down Peschek.<br/><br/>"I accept. Take her."