Target

The large pincers stabbed and chomped at the first line of defense.

The Yellow creatures are ready and throw large rocks down the mound that accelerate and hit the incoming horde of Jun.

The boulders would reach the midsection of the Jun before slowing down.

'Let's go'! Ava exclaimed reading my intentions.

It is a perfect time to push forward.

They are all distracted and even though the Yellow creatures are larger then the Jun by two whole feet they still are met with heavy casualties.

The Jun pincers are deadly because it snaps shut with a lot of force maiming the arms and legs and incapacitating the large creatures.

Running quickly the tree branch shook with the force of my steps.

The clearing was being attacked from the east side leaving me no room to move west,.

Making my way north I attempt to go around but I find another clearing with another mound being attacked.

This was a large scale war.

Flying is a last resort because I would be seen but at the moment it didn't matter.

Using the blood circle above my head to help control the amount of energy being released at one time I launch into the air and get as high as possible.

'Get ready to move us both' I said to Ava when I got forty feet in the air.

I wanted her pure energy to try and fool the aerial beasts, but I was too optimistic.

Above us a large feathered horse like creature dived down intending to catch me by surprise.

The creature forcing me to fall to avoid it.

It's face resembled a hawk but it's body was that of a horse with four talons instead of hooves.

I used the downward momentum to angle myself towards the other side of the fray aiming to land in the dense jungle and brace my fall with mana pulses at the last minute.

What I didn't expect was the flying behemoth that was the size of two horses to swoop down after me after turning slightly.

It's feathers are being torn from its body as it falls, being so large it naturally fell faster and was almost upon me.

An explosion went off right when it's talons got close to me, I was sent speeding to the ground like a bullet.

I was falling at an angle bypassing the battle below and falling towards the west.

I banged against trees, bracing myself with a mana platform but I was still struck with passing debris mainly branches until I slam against a tree trunk.

My eyes roll to the back of my head as I almost lose consciousness.

I bit the inside of my mouth and focused on the pain forcing my feet to work.

That was too flashy to go unnoticed in the jungle.

Trying to stand I cough repeatedly and have a fit of dry heaving.

The impact damaged my ribs, it wasn't broken only fractured slightly.

Freezing in place my ears and nose perk up like a wolf.

I wasn't the only one running from the battles happening all around us.

Figures came from my behind me, four legged creatures from cats to small deer ran for their lives.

Up above small and large apes are swinging from vine to vine.

I didn't hesitate to promptly join the fast growing horde of creatures.

Sprinting on the branches above with the large gorillas with long thick tails, I see the beast wave below get larger and larger.

Once a good pace has been set my body began to get into the rhythm of jungle parkour.

Ignoring the pain from my ribs I send pulses of mana out and outrun the crowd.

The apes still kept up, I see the same intelligent glint in the eye as I saw in the serpent.

They are soon left in the dust, or rather in the leaves.

It looked like a blur at times flying and at times maneuvering around obstacles like a weaving bullet.

Interchanging between the tree tops and the branches I continued west until the sun set.

'I'm lucky that didn't puncture a lung' I thought as I inspected my ribs that night.

'Lucky' Ava agreed as she began to syphon energy.

Now that we are deeper in the jungle I don't hesitate to send my mana out.

The creatures are bolder and have built relationships with each other.

Where as I am an intruder, no matter how small or large I was if I am noticed the animals pause and some stalk me closely.

Ava and I send waves of energy out as I meditate, our energies canceling each other out when they collide.

The collision creates a vacuum allowing the world energy to be drawn to us at a much faster pace.

This always happened but now that we are deep in the jungle the effects are more obvious.

Most of the creatures avoided me but a few kept me in their sights the whole night.

The light from our mana reflecting off their eyes.

That morning I opened my eyes and found no thin mist, we sucked the area dry.

Clicking my tongue I head west immediately.

I seemed to have gained some company.

The large gorillas from before could be seen hanging upside down or scratching themselves as they lazed around.

Unknown to me they thought the light show was amazing and wanted to see more of it.

They would grunt and poke each other when they see me moving around.

I stopped and landed on the ground my back to a large tree.

"Aren't you tired of following me around"? I asked out loud while unsheathing Ho'thaws dagger.

I stared right at a tree nearly a hundred yards away.

A tall thin figure came from around the thick brown trunk and stared at me with his yellow eyes.

Jashas face could be discerned from a distance.

He slowly walked towards me, I would have ran to him and sliced his neck from ear to ear if her was alone.

I sensed two more, Ava confirmed it.

Biting the inside of my mouth and spitting I send pulses of mana out while waving my hands.

I created a circle floating at the palm of my left hand while the dagger is held in front of me with the right.

It's a rough array but it created a mana platform that I could use as a makeshift shield.

Two arrows came from behind Jasha in front of me and another two from my right before the array could be fully formed.

It was a simple but deadly maneuver especially on ground level where I am obstructed by several large trees.

I lean forward and begin my sprint towards Jasha, my pupils glowing white.

The arrows on my right didn't find me but they did what they aimed to do, get me moving in a specific direction.

The next arrow smacked against my mana shield just as it formed.

Another two arrows launched only seconds after the first volley.

They are all experienced hunters, and by the hand signs Jasha was throwing up they are mages also, at least he is.

He slapped his hand into the ground and I could see with mana vision that the energy was rippling through the earth heading for me.

An earth spike sharper than any I have ever formed came at me from directly below.

I was already in the air sending pulses of mana to the shield and using it to rise further.

Mana platforms are difficult to control in the air like any array and are best used as a stabilizer and conduit for mana.

I sent mana through the condensed platform making it rise as I clung to it.

In the air I was a sitting duck, or a floating one.

My hang time was disrupted by a twang of an arrow and another smack against my mana platform this time I see it get smaller quickly.

I step on the diminishing mana platform and streak towards Jasha.

A volley of silver arrows are in my sites but a well timed grenade pushed me off course and I fell towards the archer to my right.

The sudden change of course forced Jasha to remake his hand signs as he only had control over a certain range.

Unfortunately for him another grenade went off behind me this time much more controlled as the mana dispersed from my back faster than it did around me.

I was a white beam in their vision crossing the distance faster than the archer could jump and fall from the tree branch.

My blade took half of her face off, it looked like everything between her nose and mouth on her left side was torn off.

A cry of pain would have come out but her vocal cords are damaged and she begins to drown in her own blood.

I on the other hand I was still moving, I wasn't the only one dealing with obstructions like vegetation.

Landing roughly on the ground I continue running.

Due to my fast pace I slipped into both their blind spots and bounced up a tree and headed to the last known location of the second archer which was to my left behind Jasha.

I quickly maneuver around them in the trees without being seen.

The archer was moving on the ground while keeping Jasha in his sights.

A wave of my hand and grenades are sent his way.

I use all twenty tendrils that I could control making five bombs.

He could see the two flying towards him and turned around quickly only to find two more.

Before he could plan his escape another smaller grenade flew down from above.

They are fast but he is faster finding the gap and barely heisting to rush in between.

But the smaller one had less mass to it for this reason.

It flew faster and exploded on his shoulder.

Blood sprayed out of his shoulder as a chunk went missing and the rest of the balls converged.

"Lana"! Jasha screamed out in horror as his comrade was blown to bits piece by piece.

I controlled the detention to make it less powerful letting him see his body parts ripped apart before dying.

Jashas scream of frustration filled the forest along with the grunting and screaming of the large gorillas.

The blood spill seemed to rile them up.

"I'll kill you slowly"! Jasha screamed out.

"I'll bury you alive for the next hundred years"!

Forming hand signs while running he kept looking around.

I could feel his mana reaching out like I did when I masked my energy.

'He's not using aura, what is he doing with his hands'? I asked myself as I swung upside down on a tree.

His energy reached me and he turned slightly right while running directly towards me.

'His energy control is impressive' I thought as I watched my prey fall into my trap.

The stench of blood attracted other predators some stalking the land others growling ready to claim the kill.

Jasha stopped twenty yards away and slammed his hand on the ground again.

'Either he is a one trick pony or they all sorely underestimate me' I thought while making my preparations.

Jasha's plan was to get me moving away from my place of cover so that he could incompacitate me with an artifact.

Unfortunately for him my array was finished.

In my open palm was three blood circles inside of each other.

It looked like a target in my hand.

After practicing every day I was able to maintain this array for seven seconds two of which are already used up stabilizing it.

I sent my energy through the array and a white beam entered Jashas stomach right above his naval as he was bringing his hand down for the second time.

The array only lasted a moment before being overloaded and crumbling like dust, yet it is enough.

Jashas eyes rolled to the back of his head he fell straight back.

His wound looked as if someone punched a hole right through him, no blood was spilt due to his body still being in shock.

I land next to him and let out a savage roar towards all the hidden hunters.

If another human was to see this they would laugh at the young boy thinking he can take on the forest.

But I had to stake my claim or else these beasts will think I'm weak.

Unknown to me the apes thought I was disgusting for claiming one of my own kind as a meal.

I place the still breathing Jasha in a fireman carry and begin to run west liberating the dead archer of her bow and quiver along the way.