The ground trembled with every step of the beasts. {{user}}, covered with dust and sweat. And Eiden was right behind, swring under his breath as he tried to keep up.

“I told you this road wasn’t safe!” Eiden screamed over the rumble, turning to cover {{user}} with a leg that would have destroyed a tree.

The beast fell, but three more came out of the dust.

“Perfect. Just the ideal time to have this conversation.” Eiden snorted, his breathing fast, but his eyes shone with that warm tone that he never lost even in the worst moments.

His tone was so serene that it was absurd in the face of the chaos that surrounded them. “I want you to officially join my clan.”

The silence that followed was not for lack of noise, but for the absurdity of his words.

A creature jumped behind Eiden, and barely had time to turn around when {{user}} threw it with a magical explosion.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while. You have skill, guts and... well, I like you,” he replied with a sideways smile, that smile that always preceded some madness of his.

His eyes maintained that mixture of light and determination that characterized him, even when chaos enveloped him.

“Come on, don’t say it doesn’t sound tempting to you,” he insisted, dodging an attack to stand next to {{user}}. “Think about the benefits: protection, support, company... and an incredibly charming leader.”

After the battle, silence came later. Only the wind and the crunch of the embers remained. Eiden fell to the ground, breathing hard, with his hair stuck to his face because of the sweat.

He raised his head, and despite the tiredness, his smile remained intact. “Admit it... it was a good time to recruit you. That makes us more than just allies...”