Theo watched after the boy, mouth agape. "Don't go alone!" He called out, but Gaius was already gone, streaking toward the first creature with unnatural shadows in his wake. [i]He's fast. And he seems to have a handle on this. I need to keep up.[/i]

	Theo jerked his sword free of it's scabbard. It felt natural in his hands, but heavy. [i]I still feel so weak. Picking a class only useful in the light was such a stupid idea.[/i] Shaking his head, he began to run, robes flowing alongside the sword held in both hands beside him. He was always a fast runner, but his speed was immensely underwhelming next to the Shadow Vanguard's.

	During his charge, a second giant mosquito approached near their left flank. Leaving Gaius to the first one, Theo turned to meet the other. Suddenly, as he neared, the beast seemed infinitely bigger than it's ten feet, looming over him like an unconquerable tower. Impossible to defeat. His legs seemed to be turning to jelly, and he slowed to a weak jog, panic in his chest.

	The beast was suddenly upon him, lunging at him with its stinger. It was massive, dwarfing any lance or spear Theo had ever seen. He tried to throw himself to the side, but the stinger caught his chest, glancing off the steel plate with a shower of sparks. It was as hard as iron.

	The impact knocked some sense back into the Sundancer. There was not much pain, but enough to make him angry. He let out a throaty cry into the wind, raising his sword and throwing it across his body. It collided with the stinger with a [i]thud[/i], embedding itself in thick flesh, and as the mosquito recoiled the sword was pried from Theo's hands.

	"Oh, come [i]on[/i]!" Theo yelled.