"GET HER! WE'LL HANDLE HIM!"
"OVERWHELM HIM!!!"
"DON'T GIVE HIM ROOM TO-Aagkkk!!!"
The shouting from the bandits is quickly being drowned out into clashes of metal, yelling, and wet thuds. Getting further away as my newly rejuvenated legs carry me away from the camp as fast as I can go. Really using the 'Stride' part in [Leap Stride]. Practically stotting like a doe between the trees.
Unfortunately, I am not as fast as I'd like to be. The two cloaked bandits who had ambushed Thorpe earlier are keeping up and even gaining on me. And I can't do this forever. At some point my stamina will max out and I'll collapse. So I need to lose them somehow or…well I'll think of something.
Although they aren't making that any easier either. My body instinctively dodging to the side as that prickly sensation flares. A dagger speeding past me to embed itself deep into the tree ahead me. Causing me to change course in another direction. Trying to be as unorthodox in my movements as I can to trip the two of them up.
"GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE BITCH!"
"GOD DAMN SHE'S FAST!"
I can't hear the campsite much anymore other than clangs of metal every once in awhile. So we are definitely getting pretty far away now.
My body reflexively banks to the side as another couple daggers shoot passed at blinding speed to disappear into the dark. This time getting way too close for comfort. I swear I felt one them nearly catch my thigh. And I can only assume they're poisoned just like last time.
I groan in frustration. The last thing I want is to get knocked out again. I am getting really tired of that happening!
[Threat Detection] flares painfully across my entire body just before I hear a click. Every fiber of my being screaming at me to get out of the way!
As my current leap ends I drop into a full bend of my legs and change my target direction. Leaping upwards on my own power and using the knowledge I learned from my testing. Activating the skill right before my feet leave the ground. Shooting me upwards at a less controllable speed but the emperor trees are incredibly tall so it'll take that much to get to the top of one.
Just after my feet leave the ground I hear a frightening THOOM before something whizzes past my feet far faster than even the daggers before.
Whatever the hell that was it's definitely not something I want to get hit with.
With how fast I'm going it doesn't take long to reach the canopy. Just in time as well as my momentum starts to weaken. Latching onto the nearest upper branch and quickly climbing inside.
"FUCK! WHERE THE HELL DID SHE GO?"
"Up in the tree dumbass! Now put that fucken thing away. Those cartridges ain't cheap."
"She jumped all the way up there?! That's like 60 feet!"
"Tell me something I don't know. It's pitch black up there, I can't see shit."
"Screw this. They've gotta be done killing the old man and I don't feel like fucking around chasing this brat. Let's just go back."
"Yeah…this is a waste of time. Gotta get people organized again now that Dreys dead."
I sat there curled up between the densely packed web of branches making up the roof-like canopy. Listening quietly to the two cloaked men argue before their voices started getting further and further away.
After another minute of waiting I finally relax a bit. The echoes of clashing metal are few and far between now but it gives me confidence that Thorpe is still alive.
I have half a mind to run back and try to help but I know I would just get in the way. If I really want to help then I need to get as far away from the bandits as I can. The last thing Old Guard needs right now is a hostage situation.
I peek out through the tangle of branches to scan the forest floor. Waiting another minute or so for any sign of movement before deciding it's clear. Then slowly I start climbing down from the canopy to the thicker lower branches.
The height of the emperors is definitely a lot more overwhelming looking down than up. I take my time scaling back down, keeping my eyes out for any movement below.
After a few minutes I am about midway down the tree where the thicker and more sparse branches end and just a straight drop for the rest of the trunk begins.
I prep myself to leap off so I can land safely. Then my body shudders as [Threat Detection] flares painfully again. My body trying to twist out of the way reflexively as I hear the click.
THOOM!
A whistling sound approaching fast as my contortion gets me out of the way. Mostly…
Pain erupts on my right hip. Blood splattering against me and the tree. Before a spot on the trunk next to me bursts open. Showering me with wood splinter.
"GOT HER!"
I cry out in pain, losing balance on the branch and tumbling out. Careening towards the ground unprotected but thankfully still close to the tree. Angling myself to scrape my boots against the trunk and activate my leap after finding purchase. Sending me even faster towards the ground but bouncing as the cushioning effect activates. Taking a few rolls before I finally stop.
[Threat Detective] flares again as I hear swift feet running up to me but I don't have time to get up before a foot connects with my stomach, rolling me once more as I clutch my stomach. The wind knocked out of me. Tears welling up in my eyes.
"FUCK YOU! Squirrelly lil bitch!"
"Grab her you idiot! She's definitely worth something!"
I let out a scream as two sets of hands grasp onto my arms and legs, trying to pin me down. Fighting against their grip as wildly as I can despite the agonizing pain in my hip.
"Stop squirming! Use the sedative on her!"
"I used the last of it on the daggers I threw."
"JUST PUNCH HER OUT THEN!"
The bandit grabbing my legs lurches forward and sits on my knees to keep them down. The other twists my arms together behind my head.
I barely have time to take in a breath before a fist connects against my face. Cracking my nose and and busting open my lip. My next scream is cut off by another punch. And then another. And another.
Each hit causing a ringing in my ears to worsen and my vision to blur. The taste of blood filling my mouth. My teeth feel a little more loose. But I still struggle, worming my legs slowly out from under him. Every hit has him lean forward some. Enough to inch a bit out.
"Just keep still god damnit!"
One last hit and my knees pop up beneath his stomach. Quickly pulling legs in and kicking into his abdomen. Activating [Leap Stride] the moment my foot connects. Hoping to kick off of him and slam the guy behind me into a tree or something.
That is not what happens…
Instead. The bandit I kick is sent hurling upwards into the lower branches head over foot, vanishing in the dark. Only getting an idea of where he went by the snapping of wood and an eventual heavy THUD.
The guy holding my arms mutters. "What the fuck…"
Shaking myself out of my own surprise I scramble my feet back onto the dirt and shoot back into another leap. Slamming my head and upper back into the other bandits stomach. Both of us going flying backwards and crashing against another tree.
I can feel the vibration when his ribs break from the impact. The man loudly gasping for air as he doubles over. Giving me enough time to crawl away from him.
Trying to stand back up with a hole in my hip and a definite concussion isn't very easy. It takes a few stumbles before I can get myself relatively moving again at speed. Which gives the bandit I smashed into enough time to recover and start rushing after me but neither of us as fast as before. Me especially.
"I'M…GONNA…KILL YOU!" The bandit behind me gasps on every other word.
I can hear him catching up pretty quickly so I attempt for another leap. Pain shooting across my body from my hip but I manage to bound forward. The bandit crashes to the ground where I was in an attempt to tackle me.
My leap takes me pretty far but the moment I land onto my feet my hip gives out and my face goes straight into the dirt.
Which doesn't really hurt me physically thanks to the skill but definitely hurts in a more embarrassing sense.
The frustrated growls of the bandit giving me a good indication that he's getting back up.
I can't outrun him. Not with this wound. The pain in my hip is becoming unbearable. I won't be able to use [Leap Stride] anymore at this rate.
Where the hell do I even go?
While scanning around the forest to try to find a new route my brows furrow for moment. My eyes doing a double take at a spot a few meters away.
I can hear the bandit running in my direction with a furious snarl.
My eyes narrow at the spot ahead of me still. Something about it looking out of place and familiar.
Then my eyes widen.
Two of the trees are way too close together…
He is nearly breathing on my neck when I rush forward forward as far as I can. Place one foot in front of the other, arms stretched wide with my palms angled up, and bow as deeply as I can.
I'm almost immediately slammed to the ground. The bandits breathing is labored and wheezing but he doesn't stop. Grabbing my shoulder and flipping me over to straddle my waist. Absolute hatred in his eyes. His hood has drawn back to expose his balding black hair and scruffy beard. A vein protruding on his forehead.
Raining down his punches into my head and body wildly. Blood splattering against his fists.
My body is going numb. Vision turning red. Skull feeling like it's about to crack. I think a few of my teeth have came loose but my face is too swollen to really tell.
Finally the punching stops. The bandit sits up and takes a breather.
"Damn…that felt good." The bandit sighs. Spitting my blood off of his lips that had splattered on him.
I can't even move. The concussion I had before is definitely worse now. My brain feeling like it's pulsing. All I can taste is blood. I want to sleep. To wake up and this all just be a dream.
But I'm not that lucky. If at all.
The bandit smirks, leaning over me as he pulls a long dagger from the sheath on his belt. "I might have let you live if you had just listened like a good girl. But you just had to be annoying." Her grabs my cloud-like hair and yanks my head up. "You better give me a good skill for all that work!"
The dagger gleams as it is lowered down towards my throat. But my eyes aren't focused on it.
Instead, I am looking up at the large shadow blocking out the moonlight way above. And two emperor trees seeming to move onto either side of us in strange silence.
I clear my throat, coughing up some blood that was getting viscous at the back of my mouth. "You didn't…respect…" I managed to wheeze out.
The bandit looks at me confused. Leaning his face down closer to mine. "What the fuck did you say?"
I take in a slow coarse breath before giving him a light broken smile. "You didn't pay your respects…"
The bandit looks at me with bewilderment. "What the fuck are you talking about?" But he must have finally noticed the two 'trees' that closed in around us.
The bandits face turning pale at the site of the massive talons where the roots should be before quickly looking up.
The Soveriegn Crane takes that moment to duck its head down to snap the bandit up with the tip of its beak and lifts him off of my body. The bandit struggling helplessly, trying to stab the massive bird in its beak to very little effect.
The Crane lifts the bandit up high where its body is and tilts its head back. Opening its beak a bit to let the man slide down further towards its head. The sharp inner edges of its beak slicing into the bandits body and causing him to scream.
It continues this motion. Gradually sliding the man closer and closer to its mouth. Its beak getting wider the closer to its root. The more the bandit screams in agony as his body is cut into and pinched down tighter. Parts of him shaved off that hang from outside the creatures thin beak.
Blood rains down as he is essentially juiced and diced. The screams quickly turn to gurgles long before a few pieces of him drop to the ground near me. I'm not sure what they are. I looked away far before that.
Once the harrowing sounds cease I take a few deep shaky breaths and finally look back up to see the Crane using its long snake-like tongue to clean the red stains from its beak. Tilting its head somewhat to look down at me.
I still can't really move that well and the numbness in my head has already started shifting into a throbbing pain. But looking off to the sides of me I do spot the unfortunate leftovers from that bandit. A hand, part of a leg, and non-descript bloody chunks. As well as his dagger that had been dropped.
I swallow back the vomit that was momentarily climbing up my throat. Lifting myself to sit up. My head feeling very heavy. Blood trickles from my nose and mouth onto my lap. Everything hurts.
I want to go home…
The Sovereign Crane lowers its head down down to me. Scanning me over with one of its eyes before turning its head to do the same with the other eye.
I consider for a moment if it's just going to eat me but I don't really sense any hostile intent. At least my [Threat Detection] doesn't. I think that's a good sign.
A stick snaps and my head turns to see the other bandit stumbling out of the dark with something in his raised hand.
CLICK.
THOOM!
The Cranes head lurches up and it's long trunk-like legs stomp back as it lets out a pained screech. A reddish purple fluid dripping from a wound on the side of its head.
My eyes widen, heart beating faster. "NO!!!"
Flashing my attention back to the bandit who is fiddling with the strange weapon in his hand. My lips curling back in a snarl.
That emotion that boiled in me back at the bandits camp. That rage resurfacing. My vision already red enough to match.
My hand closes around the other bandits dagger that had fallen near me. Adrenaline pumping through my veins enough to lift up to a crawl, bending my knees and leaping foreword despite all of the pain.
Speeding straight into the bandits chest and tackling him to the ground. Yelling out all my frustration as I bring the dagger straight down into his chest. Stabbing through the light leather armor again and again. Warm blood splashes against me as the stabs get more wild and aimless.
My arms moving fluidly up and down like a machine. He died likely on the first or second one. But that wasn't enough for me. Not enough for this rage that had been building up for days. Maybe even longer than that.
This was supposed to be fun. Get away from the village for awhile. Camp and hunt monsters. Really flex out my capabilities.
But instead it's been one nightmare after another. More pain than I've ever felt before. My body broken and mended over and over. Which would be fine. Getting hurt is what I expected. I wasn't naive to that.
But this pain was different. People wanted to own me. Wanted to use me like a shield. Wanted me to hurt my family. Wanted to kill me…
I hate this. What I'm doing.
But the worst part is it feels good. The pain wracking my body sits at the back of my mind as I'm just releasing so much tension. So much hatred I never thought I was capable of feeling before.
I wanted to be a hero like Leone was born to be.
I really don't feel like I'm cut out for that…
"Liore…stop."
The voice is like a cooling balm over a burn. My hands halting their next descent into the perforated chest of the bandit. Raising my head up to see Old Guard standing over me.
The old man's body was healed over when I left him but now he is sporting a whole new retinue of gashes and bruises. All of it accompanied by an extra helping of blood caked against him. Likely most of it not his own. Atleast not the new layer.
The look in his eyes has returned to that saddness we had cleared up yesterday. But this time I can't really complain. I probably look about the same.
The old man gives me a long painful stare. "It's over…" He stated quietly. Short and sweet. Enough to give me the energy to crawl off the bandits corpse and lay on the ground.
My hands have started to tremble. Lip quivering some but I can't let myself cry again. It doesn't feel like the right time.
A loud clacking sounds out from above us as the Sovereign Crane seems to have recovered and is now staring Thorpe down and flexing its wings. The wound on the side of its head still seeping.
The old man looks like he is weighing whether he should just kill it or not. But I have had enough of death. "It saved my life…it got hurt…"
Old Guard glances over to me and then back to the monster bird. His hands gripped tightly around the spear and the tower shield. But with some effort his grip loosens and both drop to the ground.
Thorpe grunts as he places one foot in front of the other and forms into the regal bow to creature.
We both wait through the tension as the Crane continues to watch Old Guard cautiously. Clacking its beak repeatedly in a threatening manner. And for a moment I get worried that the creature might not be open to chivalry anymore.
But both of us are able to relax as the crane finally raises itself up, huffing in frustration before it takes the bow.
Finally ending this nightmare.