--Trace stooped down by a cool stream to get a drink of water. He’d lost all the water he’d had in his canteen when he’d dropped it earlier. He wasn’t worried about pollutants in the stream—he knew it was okay to drink. The forest was relatively quiet, but he sensed the arrival of others behind him. "Hey there, guys. I’ve been waiting for you." Trace turned to face Ryo, Sage, Rowen, and Anubis. He smiled with relief. "I was expecting two groups of people. I wasn’t sure exactly which group would get here first, though. I’m glad to see it was the good guys."

--Almost everyone looked confused. Sage spoke first. "You’re the guy we’re looking for, but are you okay?"

--Trace just laughed. "The plants told me you were coming."

--Ryo looked stupified. "Uh, yeah. Sure. The plants. Did somebody hit you on the head or something."

--Anubis looked at Trace with intense concentration. "No, Ryo. He wears the Armor of Gaea. That means he is connected to the green things of this world. If he says he talked to the plants, then it is true." Anubis glanced around apprehensively. "We must leave before the others arrive. I feel they are near."

--"And you would be correct, monk. You may have beaten us here, but we will leave with our new warrior." Kali stood before them, Gilgamesh at her side. Kali charged straight at them all like a madwoman, waving her four arms furiously. Gilgamesh held back to see what effect her attack would have before he made his move. He could easily loose himself in the frenzy of battle, but they had a job to do. Their objective was to capture the Sentinel, but he feared Kali would fight all day if she could--she enjoyed the bloodshed too much. She managed to keep the ones known as Anubis, Sage, and Rowen occupied, but Ryo was trying to extricate the Sentinel from the fray. Gilgamesh chased the two of them into the woods.

--Ryo shouted, "FLARE UP NOW!"

--Fire consumed Gilgamesh. The blast of heat and pain was so intense that he almost keeled over, but his iron will kept him on his feet. He refused to falter or show weakness. "Foolish boy. I survived the heat of countless battles long before you were ever born. Each time I was forged anew—stronger. Your fires do not bother me."

--"Well maybe this’ll have some effect on you, blowhard! RAGE OF THE WILD!" Trace tapped the ground with his staff and the forest went crazy. Vines and roots burst up from the ground to ensnare Gilgamesh’s legs. The trees began wrapping their branches around him, restraining him.

--Gilgamesh flexed his muscles, attempting to shrug off the plants or break them. But they had become magically imbued with uncanny strength, dexterity, and density. In moments he would be completely encased in a cocoon of plants. He managed to let loose his battle cry. "SONIC SHOUT! HHHEEEEAAAA!" The plants were ripped from his body and Ryo and Trace were knocked down from the blast. Gilgamesh grabbed the half-conscious Trace, ready to drag him back to Kali when Trace mumbled something. The symbol for freedom burned on Trace’s forehead. In his stupor he was speaking Sumerian! Gilgamesh looked into his eyes and saw something there that made him recoil. He dropped Trace and went in search of Kali. When he met up with her, he could see that she was not faring as well as she expected. These warriors were young, but Gilgamesh understood now that they, too, had been tested in battle many times and had emerged stronger.

--Kali heard him behind her. "Where is the one we came for?"

--"Escaped. He proved to have powers unknown to us and disappeared into the woods. I could find no sign of him, nor can I sense his armor. He must have teleported away. We must take this news back to the others."

--Kali extricated herself half-heartedly from the fight. "Very well. Come." Gilgamesh stood beside her and they both disappeared. Moments later Ryo and Trace ran into the clearing to meet up with their friends.

--Sage said, "Good work, guys. You really gave them the slip."

--"But that’s the weird part," Ryo said. "We didn’t do anything. That guy, Gilgamesh, had us. Then he just let us go. He mumbled something like, ‘Ankido’, ‘Inkayu’, and took off."

--Trace was staring off into space. "He said, ‘Enkidu’." Trace had never met Gilgamesh before, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he knew him very well.