Phantom

Opening my eyes I felt a cold sense of detachment... I was lucky to even be alive. No, I wasn't lucky I was prepared for a lot of different situations be it from Androids or Machines but not from whatever that flash burning of the forest was. Had I not been in my cave I would have been cooked alive.

Standing up against my own body, I stood up before falling over when my hand missed the wall. Blinking in the dimly lit room I looked over at my arm or what was left of it from a few inches past my elbow was gone. Flexing my fingers I could still feel them moving around as I clenched and opened my fingers that aren't there anymore. Looking closer I saw leather had flash melted to my arm along with the smell of cooking bark wafted through my noes with after the smell of burned hair. Taking a calming breath I turned away from my cooked arm feeling some nerves still alive despite all the damage my left side had taken.

All the damage was at my front left side from part of my chest over. The only reason I can guess this is, from when I was exiting my hidey hole to start my day I had just stepped out into the hallway.

My left forearm is gone... Feeling my panic welling inside of me as I started to hyperventilate. Gritting my teeth I pressed down on my own emotions going back to my sense of cold detachment. Clenching my eyes tight as I felt a few tears slipping down my face feeling myself coming back down from another panic attack.

I felt a lot but not at the pain but at my overactive imagination at how close I was to death. Had I stepped out into the hallway I would have been cooked alive and the rock that flew past me would have logged into my chest and... Slapping myself in the face I stopped panicking taking a closer look at my arm. Feeling bile rising I grabbed a leather strip and bit down on it for what I was about to do.

Gritting my teeth again I grabbed my emergency bug-out bag. Knowing something was going to go wrong but not to this extent I had prepared quite a bit. I wonder if it was nuked being launched by the red bitch in hopes to kill me off. I don't think she knows about me, but I can never be too sure. Hobbling around I grabbed my willow bark past and rubbed it over my wounds after I do the next part. Grabbing a sharpened reinforced stone I channeled mana into it. I started feeling the draining from my chest as I manually and agonizingly scraped the charred leather off of my arm, side, some of my leg, and chest.

Screaming into my leather biting rag I blinked back tears as I watched carried black rabbit skin not so carefully peeled away from my body. After what felt like hours, I removed most of it all that was left were bleeding patched that reminded me of raw hamburger meat. Tossing to knife to the side I grabbed a heating stone super charging it enough to where the leather was smoking it while I was holding it. Pressing it down onto my burning skin I didn't yell or scream I only let out some painful whimpers as I sealed off the bleeding patches of my skin.

After I finished I dropped limply against the wall huffing out and swearing, but my will to live drove me to leave as soon as possible as I don't know what that was or who they were targeting. But whatever it was they didn't take half-measures.

Using a mixture of animal fat and willow bark paste I made a viscus ointment that I covered up all of my burns. After applying the ointment I used some of my leather blankets and made an impromptu bandage covering up my burns to keep the dirt and dust out hopefully not getting them infected. After doing this I grabbed all of my useful equipment and started hobbling out into the still-smoking hall. Looking at the ground I am glad I had leather boots on as barefoot would have burned my feet.

Leaning against the wall using my right hand and a walking stick to keep my balanced. I realized that the only thing keeping me going right now is my willpower and adrenalin. I don't know how long that will last but hopefully long enough to leave her.

Upon exiting the cave I am met with destruction. Smoak billowing and twisting over the entire horizon making me realize either I had the devil's luck or whoever destroyed the forest didn't know about me. Letting out a breath I plopped on my ass blinking tears out of my eyes. I don't know why but I started to chuckle which turned into a full-blown belly laugh.

Unable to stop myself I felt elation at being alive. "Fuck!" I screamed out when something grabbed my leg. scrabbling back I saw it was woody. "Holy shit woody?" I grabbed the arm stuck out of the ground I pulled up a smaller version of him which only came up to my waist. He looked around and started crying. I don't know if my creations can feel pain but judging by his wailing I would guess that yes they can.

Reaching down grabbing my small tree friend "Woody," He turned toward me "We need to go we don't know whoever did this might come back." rubbing his leafy hair. "We can morn your friends later now we need to get out of here and live." Patting my arm "I won't be able to move fast so we need to go and go quick before anyone finds us." One last time he turned and looked over at the forest before nodding up at me wrapping a vine around my chest and letting me use his arm as a holster for my damaged leg.

"Let's head into the city for now, plenty of covers, and most importantly... more places to hide." He looked up at me in question. "Yea I don't know where one is either so let's just head that way." Pointing toward where I saw A2 Leave. He nodded as we hobbled along.

After a few hours, everything around me went dark as I was caught by his vines.

A/N: Our Boy got fucked up. Dont know if I portrayed how one would react to being burned by plasma but from what I researched it is a 'cold' burn as the nerves are flash fried below the skin so no feeling besides a chill. Thanks for reading hope you enjoyed it.