Reiko POV

"Everyone understand the plan?"(Kuki)

""Yes!""

"Good, today's the night, so run run run!"(Kuki)

As soon as the green haired lady said that, everyone scattered. Running as quickly as the wind, a face of focus and determination. Only a week has passed and things are moving too quickly. One moment I woke up in an unfamiliar area with a headache next moment I am a part of resistance. 

I don't understand much, nor do I really trust these people, but I don't have much of a choice at all anymore.

About fifteen-ish people all sprinting, weaving through the trees. Half of the people going towards one specific direction, another half, the one with me, scattering. 

"Catch the attention of as many as you can!"(Mayo)

The rabbit boy said out loud, before jumping on a large bouncy flower-like plant. He was launched up into the air; tightly grabbing onto a vine, he levered himself up. The entire group all disappeared in a matter of seconds leaving me alone.

"Careful!"(Cheryl)

I was caught off guard as something, or rather someone, pulled me away. An arrow landed right next to the tip of my toes. My head slowly turned to see where it came from. A hooded figure wielding ab bow, they took an arrow from their quiver, nocking and drawing and...

"Hyaah!"(Reiko)

I dashed away. 

With blood pumping through my arteries and a heart going at the speed of sound, a torrent of arrows pouring down onto me. Zigzagging barely avoiding being shot. Circles replaced my pupils while a I panickily breathed in and out. I tripped, a feeling of urgency and terror filled me to the brim. This was it.

"Ahh!

...?"(Reiko)

"Huh?"(Reiko)

Opening my eyes and turning my head, I saw a stone wall jutting from the ground.

"Just keep running, I'll do all I can to protect you from the arrows."(Cheryl)

"umm, uhh, o- ok!"(Reiko)

Without a second thought I bolted away. The amount of arrows decreased as Cheryl utilized wind and the earth to deter the arrows. Moonlight guided me around the bushes and shrubs as I dashed back and forth side to side, taking in as many gasps of air as possible. 

"Hey! You mind if you help me for a bit?"(Senjin)

Landing right in front of me was a young man, lightly covered in the bandages. I think his name was Senji? He was the man who fought during the festival. He was incapacitated when I woke up, but now he was mostly fine, very frightening healing factor.

A few seconds passed since he landed where then a couple of hooded figures fell. I shook a little in fright at the scene. 

"Knocked down a couple of people, but now there are a group of people chasing me."(Senjin)

Right as he said that another barrage of arrows fired from behind him. In a panic I wave my arms frantically. I let out of a burst of magic, suddenly from the ground below roots sprouted, growing. The roots became a barrier protecting me and Senji. 

"W- wow! You had the power of nature? That's amazing!"(Senjin)

He looked at me with a shocked and elated face as more arrows were shot at us. His eyes sparkled as he grinned a toothy grin. I blushed a little, feeling a little... y'know happy because of the praise, but but THIS IS NOT THE TIME!

"th- this is... THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR COMPLIMENTS!"(Reiko)

"Yeah, you're right."(Senjin)

Senji rushed out, grabbing an arrow from the ground and threw it like a dart. 

"Your name's Reiko right? Can you make a little hazumu bloom for me the jump on?"(Senjin)

Ha- hazumu bloom? What's that? Uhh, maybe it was those things the other guy jumped on. M- maybe if I try I can... Quickly pouring mana into the ground I grew a... root. 

Oh-

"Hmm? Not what I was thinking about but, it will DO!"(Senjin)

He took hold of the giant root, pulling it hard. The green root stretched longer and longer until he let go. In an instant he catapulted in a forty-five degrees angle. While he wasn't sent far he definitely was sent fast. Twisting and turning, grabbing onto a branch. It was difficult to think he was barely able to walk a week ago. 

"Oh yeah, don't forget, we're the distraction, so do whatever you can to get the attention of everyone!"(Senjin)

!!!

For a moment I got distracted and in that moment there was an arrow right in front of me. I quickly side-stepped as more and more arrows were shot. 

Uh oh...

Crap crap crap crap crap crap! 

I was going in circles; Cheryl barely fending off the shower. Where to go, where to go, HYAH! In an instant of panic, I created a giant, flimsy and small tree. The sharp point of the arrow pierced stopping it in its tract. 

It was no longer safe for me to stay here, I must...!

Immediately I raised my arm, pointing it at a tree. A vine erupted, latching onto a tree branch like a lasso. Holding onto the vine I, turned upside down. It was shaky and hard to use, but every second I was given I moved. My heart palpitated worrying that any moment, it could snap.

What took only half a minute felt like an hour, eventually I got onto the tree. Perching on a branch moaning out a sigh. 

"Reiko! Careful!"(Cheryl)

"huh!?"(Reiko)

There was an arrow suspended in the air. A group of hooded silhouettes appear in my view, each and everyone of them holding a bow. There truly was no break to this. Instantly getting up I jumped away going from tree to tree. The branches were slippery, I barely had any time to think. 

Laced with fear and dread as I was being chased. Glancing at Cheryl I saw her face. Her teeth clenched with eyes sharp as a knife a pupil of anger and annoyance. Her nostrils flaring with her head shifting quickly from left to right.

Suddenly, from my right, appeared a man holding a net and knife. Thinking on my feet, I spilled mana into a branch. It enhanced in size, jutting out towards the man. Swiftly he swerved his body, avoiding my attempt of an attack. Gently landing on his feet, he charged towards me. There was a dangerous glint in his eyes.

Frantically my arms moved about. My body clumsily turned and twisted to avoiding the slashes, cuts and stabs made by my opponent. 

"hnng!"(Reiko)

There was a sharp, agonizing pain on my abdomen, red blood splattering. D- damn it... Holding back tears, my legs were unstable. Looking into the cold eyes of my enemy, I saw him grab the net. Signals and alarms went off in my head, as he drew closer, I concentrated mana into my hands, shooting it out.

Small star shaped magic formed from my hand, before blasting off. Swirling like a hurricane, multiple stars shot. Using his knife, he swiftly blocked the first two. Things were grim as he moved closer and closer. Without a second thought, I fired a third. All my hope was put into this one attack as it flew off. 

"Hnnng!"

It hit!

Landing right on his eyes, blood spilled out. Using his hands, he wiped of his blood. His eyes became red, bloodshot. Anger was visible even through the mask as he got closer and closer.

"Hyah!"(Cheryl)

Cheryl popped up, striking the side of his head, knocking him off balance. He tripped falling down the tree. It happened too fast to process, so I didn't. 

Immediately getting up, I began running as fast as possible. Leaping off, I- I- AH!

A piercing pain from my ankle. Unbearable striking pain. I missed the branch, falling down to the ground. My vision were dazed, a wink away from falling unconscious. Every time I was about to pass out, there was the aching pain keeping me awake. 

"R- REIKO! Are you alright!?"(Cheryl)

Words changed into coughs; ugly tears streaming. Cheryl looked at me from all angles, not knowing what to do. 

Rocks protruded from the ground, surrounding us, protecting us.

Stumbling to even get up, I had to crawl. At the moment there was only one objective, survive.

------

Kuki POV

Leifen, myself and a couple others were chipping away at the wood. It was tougher than we expected, we will have to take longer than what we estimated. Using the flimsy knives we crafted, we scraped and stabbed away. It was thick but because of the mold we were swiftly making progress. 

"Kuki, enemies approaching from above!"(Leifen)

Leifen screamed out loud, turning my head I saw them. Hidden and camouflaged, difficult to see, but not to us. Immediately drawing their bows they began to fire. A wall of arrows, not too bad to manage. 

Grabbing a hold of my blade, I knocked away as many as I could. 

"Kek!"(Kuki)

An arrow stuck into my left abdomen. Damnit. Snatching the arrow I pulled it out. Blood began spewing as I rushed in. Twisting and turning my body, avoiding the arrows by the skin of my teeth. 

The distance between us closed in, using the red tip of the arrow I levered myself up. With a ferocious will, teeth sharp as spear tips, settling myself I held my ground. 

An army of projectiles headed my way. I did all I could to avoid it, using branches as shields, moving away from the line of target yet in the end of it all, my body was left bloodied. My vision began turning black and my legs began shaking.

D- damn...

To think there were so many.

-----

Leifen POV

Things are not going to plan. 

We underestimated the amount of guards protecting this area. It seemed like an almost perfect plan yet in execution it was, well not quite a failure but surely wasn't any success.

From the corner of my eye I saw Kuki, all bloodied and injured. 

Best course of action, regroup and retreat. But that's easier said than done, if there is this much just over here, there must be way more deeper into the woods.

Maybe if I get the others to retrieve Kuki and form a turtle formation we ca- Krek!

Large gasps of air exhaled from my mouth, a sharp pain in my shoulders and back as the world turned black.

Situation: Dire.