Angels and Kitsune

Erasmus hit the ground hard, and felt several bones in his back shattering as he screamed in agony. He lay on the ground for a good long while, unable to move, and in too much pain to think. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that he had to get up, to get out of wherever he was, and to find help. He felt his fingers curl around something in his hand, something thin and heavy, and he pulled it close to his body. He hadn't even realized that his eyes were closed, but as he opened them and the world slowly came in to focus, he could see that he was holding some sort of weapon on a pole. He wasn't sure where it came from, or why it felt familiar under his fingers, but he knew almost instinctively that he could use it to get up and move.

Using all the strength he could muster, he lifted the polearm up and stuck the butt of it into the ground, pushing himself up and onto his feet. Although the pain in his back was searing, he found that it didn't paralyze him. The rest of him was sore, but he could move at the very least.

Using the polearm as a cane, Erasmus made his way through the unfamiliar forest that he found himself in. As he walked, he tried to remember what had happened, but he found that he couldn't. He had no memories of anything that had occurred before he hit the ground. The only thing that he could surface from his mind was his name. He could remember no history, no family or friends. So not only did he need to find someone to help him with the pain in his back, but he had to find someone who could help him with his memory. He had a strange feeling that that would be harder.

After a while, he heard a faint cry for help in the distance. Something inside of him stirred, and without thinking he turned to make his way towards the sound. Something in his mind told him that he needed to help. He didn't know why, and he didn't know how he would help, but he knew that he had to.

Eventually he came to a clearing, in which he found a young girl with fox ears and a tail. She was suspended in the air, a rope tied around her ankle and hanging her from a tree. She squealed as he approached, trying to push her skirt up unsuccessfully.

"Are you the one who called for help?" Erasmus asked. His voice was higher than he had suspected, and it sounded very weak. But that part may have been because of the pain.

"Y-yes," the girl responded. "I-I got caught up here... Do you think you can get me down?" Erasmus could see the girl eyeing his polearm, but he didn't know why.

"I can try," he responded, "but I'm not really sure how."

The girl looked at him and blinked, clearly confused. "J-Just... Just cut the rope holding me up here."

Erasmus looked up at his polearm and noticed how sharp the blade on the end of it appeared. That must have been why she was eyeing it. He smiled and lifted it up, swinging it surprisingly easily and cutting through the rope effortlessly. The girl fell to the ground, but caught herself, rolling forward and popping up on to her feet in front of Erasmus.

"Thank you!" she exclaimed happily. She seemed to be much more comfortable now that she was on the ground again. "My name is Kyra. What's yours?"

"Erasmus, I think."

"You think?"

"I don't really remember much."

"Aw, you poor thing. Well, we'll get you all fixed-"

As Kyra spoke, she swung her arm around Erasmus to slap him friendlily on the back, and the moment she made contact Erasmus cried out in pain and collapsed to the ground.

"Oh my god!" Kyra shouted. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know your wing was hurt!"

Erasmus looked shakily up at Kyra. "W-wing?" he asked. "What wing?"