Day 2 Class B Part 2

As if sensing Gareth's intended action, I grip his shoulder and yank him backwards. It's quick, a rapid movement that takes both of us by surprise. Just as we stagger back, a wooden dart whizzes through the air, embedding itself in the ground where Gareth was standing just a moment before.

"Tsk, be careful," I admonish, my eyes flicking between the dart and the large, muscular creature in front of us. "There's more than one. From the looks of it, they're not all muscular."

Gareth lets out a huff, slightly winded from the sudden pull. "Thanks," he grumbles, still somewhat taken aback. "I was caught off guard. That big thing made me lose focus."

Nyssa, her grip on her short wooden sword unwavering, shifts her stance. A thin layer of mana coats her blade, glowing softly in the dim firelight. "This is bad," she says, a determined look on her face. "We should move to a more open area."

Their words echo through my head as I keep my senses alert for any movement. A rustle here, a quiet growl there. Yet, despite the clear danger we're in, the large creature that first attacked us remains oddly still.

Zara seems to have noticed this as well. "It's weird," she comments, her brows furrowed in confusion. "That big thing hasn't made another move yet."

The others nod in agreement, their faces just as puzzled. Elara speaks up next. "We know there are five of them," she says, her voice steady despite the situation. "Maybe they're planning something."

Before we can even consider her words, a blur of motion from the trees catches my attention. A thinner, faster creature lunges at Nyssa. "Nyssa!" I call out, but she's already reacting. With surprising speed, she brings up her short sword, the mana-coated blade meeting the creature's claws in a shower of sparks. She pushes it back, but it's relentless. It lunges again, and I start to move, ready to intervene.

But a shout from Ariadne stops me in my tracks. "Shit! Below! Be careful!"

My eyes dart down just in time to see the earth splitting apart beneath us. A creature is burrowing its way to the surface, straight towards our support. "Move!" I command, springing into action. I jump up and manage to pull them out of harm's way before the creature can surface. Knowing its attack has failed, it quickly retreats back into the earth.

Ariande's warning rings out just in time. "Sera! It's coming fast from above!" Without hesitation, I throw a mana barrier up in front of me. I barely have time to see the creature - lithe, flat, and wide-limbed - before it collides with the shield. There's a flash of energy, then I'm sent spiraling towards the ground. The impact is jarring, but I manage to roll with it, popping back up onto my feet.

But I barely have time to draw a breath before another of the creatures comes at me. Smaller, but no less deadly, it fires a volley of wooden darts from its mouth. There's no time to think - instinct and adrenaline take over as I contort my body, dislocating my neck to dodge the darts, and then snap it back into place as I land. It's a move I've performed countless times, but it never fails to send a jolt of pain through me. But I have no time to dwell on the pain, our group's survival is at stake. Shit, this is bad, if we continue at this rate we'll end up dead.

Eamon's voice breaks through my concentration. "Tsk, this is crazy! Sera, are you okay!? Shit, these bastards don't give us a second to think!" He's swinging his branch, a makeshift weapon, batting away another round of darts.

Rami's voice, calmer, joins in. "Sera, we need to move now! They have the terrain advantage!" I nod, agreeing with her analysis. "I know, let's head west, there are very few trees there," I suggest, eyeing the clearing in the distance.

Nyssa, ever nimble and quick, chimes in with a realistic concern. "Hey, I'm all for that but how are we going to do that?" she asks, deftly blocking another attack from the agile creature.

Just as I'm about to respond, I notice the largest one charging at us. Gareth, seeing the same, steps forward. "Tsk, I guess there's no choice." He starts glowing as he infuses his aura into his body, enlarging his muscles and meeting the charge head-on. The impact is deafening, neither giving ground, locked in a power struggle.

Remy makes a proposition. "I'll bind that beast. The best option would be for us to give you guys a buff and have you carry the rest of us so we don't fall behind, however, I don't think they'll let us go that easily."

She's right. These creatures are strategic, coordinated, and unrelenting. Each one seems to have a purpose as they don't attack at random. From the muscular brute Gareth is wrestling with to the agile bastard Nyssa's been dealing with, and the others - the burrower, the glider, the small but speedy dart-spitter - they all seem to work together however it's weird, Ariande said there is only 5 of them, but how are they interacting with each other? I doubt these creatures have a telepathic abilitie so how do they have perfect teamwork? Shit, now is not the time to think about this.

We'll need to be even more coordinated to get out of this alive. With a nod at Remy, I brace myself for her spell. My muscles tense as the familiar feeling of a strength-enhancing spell courses through me. This won't be easy, but we have no choice, I'll kill these bastards once everyone is safe.

With Remy's spell coursing through my veins, I turn to Nyssa. "Alright Nyssa! You carry Elara and Ariadne!" I command, my words cutting through the chaos.

Without waiting for a response, I turn to Zara. "You carry Luna!" Luna, our sharpshooter, nods at Zara, readying herself.

Then, I look at Remy. "Can you use your binding magic now?" I ask, pointing towards the hulking beast that Gareth is grappling with.

Remy nods and begins her incantation, her hands weaving intricate patterns in the air. But, for some reason, the large creature withdraws before her spell can take effect. With a swift leap, it disappears into the trees, blending in with the rest of them.

The sudden retreat confuses us, but it's an opportunity we can't afford to waste. I turn to Gareth. "Now Gareth! Take Kaden and Mira!" The pair, one a healer and the other a mage, quickly move to Gareth's side.

Finally, I glance at Eamon, then scoop Remy into my arms. "Let's get the hell out of here, Eamon!"

The forest is a labyrinth of trees, shadows, and darkness. Our hearts hammer in sync with our footfalls as we sprint through it. The cool night air is a sharp contrast to the adrenaline-fueled heat radiating off our bodies. I'm acutely aware of Remy's weight in my arms, her grip tight around my neck as we hurdle over roots and dodge branches. Despite the danger we're in, I can't help but admire the beauty of this moonlit forest. The soft glow of the moon filters through the canopy of leaves overhead, casting an ethereal glow on the forest floor. But we don't have the luxury of time to enjoy the view.

Suddenly, Eamon stumbles, a large branch swinging towards him. "Eamon, to your left!" I yell, releasing a burst of mana to form a barrier. The branch collides with the shield, shattering upon impact and raining wood shards around us. Without missing a beat, we continue running.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice movement in the shadows. "Tsk, they're catching up. We won't make it for another ten minutes at this rate," I grit out, quickening my pace.

Remy shifts slightly in my arms, her mouth opening to say something. But the ground below us erupts before she can get a word out. I feel the ground shift beneath my feet, and instinctively, I leap upwards just as a creature bursts out of the ground where I had been standing a split second ago.

The force sends me soaring high above the forest canopy. With a sharp gasp, I release my hold on Remy, throwing her towards Eamon. "Don't stop running!" I yell down to them, my voice barely carrying over the rush of wind around me.

I barely have a moment to collect myself before the air-borne creature is on me. Its sharp claws come slicing through the air towards me. I barely manage to draw my knife in time, blocking its attack.

Suddenly, a large tree is thrown my way. My mana barrier appears just in time, allowing me to use it as a stepping stone mid-air. I launch myself away from the flying monstrosity, reaching out to grab hold of a nearby tree.

"Shit, I can't do this alone," I curse, my fingers digging into the rough bark as I steady myself.

A glance towards the ground confirms that Nyssa is keeping pace with the others, her focus unyielding. "Nyssa!" I call out. "Throw Elara and Ariadne to Gareth and follow me!"

I don't wait for her response. Instead, I take a deep breath, push off the tree trunk, and jump. I flit from tree to tree, my nimble movements barely keeping me ahead of the relentless rain of smaller trees being hurled at me from below.

As I try to jump to the next tree, my plan is thwarted. Instead of hurling the smaller tree at me, the creature launches it towards the tree I'm aiming for. The tree splinters and falls apart under the sheer force, leaving me with no option but to drop back to the ground.

My boots crunch on the forest floor, the vibrations from the landing travelling up my legs. I sense movement around me. Quick, calculated movements. It's the fastest one. It circles me, staying out of my line of sight but never leaving the vicinity. With the absence of the others, it becomes evident that I'm the one it's after. That's good. At least my friends aren't being targeted right now. I breathe out a sigh of relief, although I'm aware that I've used almost 30% of my mana already.

Suddenly, it attacks. Its movements are rapid but familiar, mimicking the way it had lunged at Nyssa earlier. Despite its seemingly intelligent behavior, the attack is wild, uncoordinated.

In response, I focus my wind magic on the soles of my shoes. It's a minor spell but it gives me the needed speed boost to keep pace with the creature. I pivot to the side, deftly dodging its claws. I use the momentum to slash across its body with my knife. The cut isn't deep, but it hits home. The creature yelps and darts away, disappearing into a nearby bush.

"Trying to escape, huh?" I mutter to myself, a grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. I dash after it, the ground blurring beneath my feet. However, as soon as I break through the bush line, I find myself facing the biggest creature, its arm swinging toward me.

Instincts kick in. I bend my body backward at an almost 90-degree angle. My feet dig into the ground, attempting to halt my forward momentum. I narrowly evade its blow, feeling the air displacement as its massive arm whistles past me. My feet cease their movement, but the momentum carries me forward, causing me to slide back a few feet.

"Close one," I mutter, straightening up and swiftly regaining my balance.