"The Deadly Strikes" (Flock'⁴⁴)

## Plot

As they fled from the oppressive clutches of the Nazi regime, Jonas König and Klaus Becker flew over an area before being spotted and decided to land their aircraft in a desolate German forest, where they planned to evade the Nazis and survive by living off the land, relying on their sense of determination and resilience instilled in them from years of military training and experience, as they began to run in their tracks, but Jonas's wings were weakened, and their journey took a dangerous turn when Johan ingested a handful of unknown berries, which he believed to be safe for consumption but were, in fact, poisonous, leading to Klaus's quick thinking and sharp eyesight saving Jonas from the brink of death by recognizing the signs of poisoning and administering the necessary antidote, and despite their narrow escape, their troubles were far from over as they soon discovered an abandoned shelter offering temporary refuge from the harsh elements.

For five days, Klaus and Jonas decided to stay in an abandoned shelter, taking turns keeping watch to ensure their safety, despite the lack of signs of residents. However, Jonas's weakened wings made him feel sick, and he frantically searched for the antidote while Klaus could see the fear in his friend's eyes, knowing that time was of the essence. Klaus sprang into action without hesitation, scouring the area for any sign of the antidote that could save Jonas's life. As Klaus searched, his heart pounded in his chest, and he could hear the sound of his own breathing echoing in his ears, but he refused to give up, knowing that his friend's life was on the line. Despite the close call with the poisonous berries and the race against time to find the antidote, Jonas and Klaus remained determined to survive and evade the Nazis, continuing their journey through the forest, living off the land, and staying hidden as much as possible.

As Jonas frantically searched for the antidote, Klaus could see the fear in his friend's eyes, and he knew that time was of the essence. Without hesitation, Klaus sprung into action, scouring the area for any sign of the antidote that could save Jonas's life. As he searched, Klaus could feel his heart pounding in his chest, and he could hear the sound of his own breathing echoing in his ears. But he refused to give up, knowing that his friend's life was on the line. Finally, after what seemed like hours of searching, Klaus stumbled upon a small bush that he recognized from his military training as containing the antidote they needed. He quickly picked the leaves and rushed back to Jonas, who was barely conscious. With trembling hands, Klaus administered the antidote, and within minutes, Jonas condition began to improve. As they both took a deep breath and let out a sigh of relief, Klaus knew that their journey was far from over, but he also knew that he would do whatever it takes to ensure that they both make it through this together.

While searching for food, Jonas and Klaus stumbled upon an abandoned village that sent chills down their spines. Mutilated bodies lay strewn across the village, leading them to believe that a horrific murder had taken place. As they explored further, they heard footsteps and voices in the distance, causing them to retreat in fear. However, their curiosity got the best of them, and they decided to investigate the source of the voices. As they crept closer to the village, they saw a young girl traumatized and covered in blood. Shocked, they were relieved to find a group of survivors huddled together in a small building. Jonas rushed to the girl's aid, while Klaus believed that the village had been destroyed by Soviet raids or Allied airstrikes. However, Jonas dismissed Klaus's theory, pointing out that they had spotted Allied aircraft in the distance. He argued that it couldn't have been Nazi airstrikes as they wouldn't have targeted Allied aircraft, leaving Klaus confused and uncertain.

Approaching the German girl at the abandoned barn, Jonas and Klaus encountered an Anglo-Saxon Knight, a Viking Girl with a Red Hat, and a Swedish Viking Farmer Husband, all of whom had blood on their mouths, leaving the duo confused and fearing they were sick cannibal lunatics. Jonas believed they were part of the Joy Lunatics, but things took a terrifying turn when the Viking Girl with a Red Hat transformed into Cthugha, the Anglo-Saxon Knight transformed into Byakhee, and the Swedish Viking Farmer Husband transformed into Eihort, leaving Jonas and Klaus shocked and terrified. Klaus was grabbed by Jonas while Jonas carried the girl to speed away to the blinding, but Byakhee attacked with its claws.

Klaus and Jonas found themselves in a battle of a lifetime as they faced off against Cthugha, Byakhee, and Eihort in the abandoned village. The battle was fierce, and the odds were stacked against the duo as the three monsters relentlessly attacked them. Jonas and Klaus fought with all their might, using every skill they had learned on their journey. They dodged the fiery blasts of Cthugha, narrowly escaped the razor-sharp claws of Byakhee, and avoided the tentacles of Eihort. Jonas used his knowledge of the them to his advantage, predicting their movements and attacks, while Klaus used his strength and agility to evade the monsters. The battle raged on for what felt like an eternity, with both sides taking damage and sustaining injuries. As the sun began to set, Jonas spotted a weakness in Cthugha's fiery form and relayed the information to Klaus. Klaus seized the opportunity, grabbing a nearby torch and igniting it to create a massive flame. Cthugha, weakened by the fire, began to shrink and eventually disappeared, leaving only ash behind. Byakhee and Eihort, enraged by the loss of their ally, attacked with renewed fury, but Klaus and Jonas were ready. They worked together, using their combined strength and strategy to defeat the remaining monsters. In the end, the duo emerged victorious, but not without scars and wounds to remind them of the battle.