Resilient
Several people emerged from bushes as they ran down the hill and entered the adjacent forest. Team Leo was still running along a slope when another wave of monsters came from their right, tackling a lot of people and forcing everyone down the cliff side
Everyone rolled down the hill hitting rocks and tree, some monsters swiped at people but missed. Soon everyone came to the drop off, a massive drop into a cold lake below. In the pitch black of night the water reflected the moon’s reflection peacefully until rocks, trees, people and beast alike splashed into the freezing depths
Akuza was the first to breach the surface, then she watched in horror as two creatures emerged just in front of her. She dove back down and swam backwards until she hit something. She immediately resurfaced and turned around to see Leo rubbing the back of his head
“Akuza?” he asked but their conversation was cut short, a blood curdling scream filled their ears as soon as they surfaced, it was Violet.
She was swimming to shore but she had one monster hopping after her.
Sichiro surfaced and coughed, his had water in his nose and the cold water ached his muscles, threatening to tense them up and cause the boy to lock up and drown. He looked around for his friends but only saw rocks and trees fall into the lake
He reached the shore and heard the scream, he turn to his left and saw Violet was racing towards him and she was being chased. Suddenly her screams stopped as she was seized by the ankle and slipped back under water
Sichiro jumped in after her, he grabbed her shoulders as the beast eagerly shredded her leg. He tugged on her and the beast looked at him him, it bared its teeth then in one swiped Sichiro was blinded.
He pulled Violet to the surface and she began wailing. He gritted his teeth with one eye closed and he pulled back, to his horror the monster slowly emerged from the depth with them.
It pounced on Violet and snatched her leg, Sichiro’s veins were flexing in his face, arms and hands. He didn’t want to pull on Violet because she might be ripped in half, he also couldn’t let her go.
Akuza and Leo jumped onto its back, Akuza stabbed it in the back of the head but her blade snapped. Leo wrapped his arms around its neck and reared back
The trio fell into the water and Sichiro pulled Violet to shore, he tore his shirt and wrapped her mangled leg. She groaned in pain as Sichiro watched the water line with anxiety
Nothing except more beast emerged from the water some way away and swam to shore in the other direction
Akuza emerged from the cold lake and she was dragging Leo, who now had a large gash over is eye. Sichiro rushed to them helping them out of the water, he took Leo to relive some weight off of Akuza who smiled in thanks
Sichiro trotted in the water with Leo on his shoulders when he heard Akuza yelp
He turned around and she was gone.
He looked to his right and the beasts who made shore on the other side noticed them, they were making their way over to them
He wanted to make the call
He wanted to die right there, he wanted to give up. At least he was going to die with friends, that’s the best outcome he could ask for
“Sichiro!” Violet screamed as she pointed at one coming in at blinding speed
Leo hopped off his shoulder and tackled her, saving her life. The creature spun right past kicking up a dust cloud, It snapped as them just as it ran into another person. They tumbled and it switched targets
Sichiro sensing the opportunity threw Violet on his shoulders and ran with everything he had.
They soon came to a field of tall grass, and on the other side were massive trees. They looked unnaturally grown so Sichiro made note
He stopped to catch his breath and sat Violet down when Leo caught up. The boys were gasping for air, their legs burn and every muscle ached
“Leo help me lift Violet into this tree, we’re going to climb high and wait until daybreak. These things are clearly hunters so they must be nocturnal. Come daybreak they should scatter, giving us time to make it back to the ship” He told him
“Back to the ship? That’s back in the direction of that swarm” Leo responded
“Okay, not the ship. Just help me get her up here, quickly” Sichiro pleaded
Leo climbed to the nearest branch and took Violet’s hand as she was hoisted up, this continued until they were almost at the top and they were hidden by the branches
They inspected one another as they caught their breath
“Nasty scar, got your eye too?” Leo asked
Sichiro gently traced the wound on his face, it reached from his chin to just under his eye. He slowly opened the eye he thought he lost and blinked. He looked up at Leo who smiled as he nodded
“Yeah, I’m gonna miss that” he joked. He went to tear his shirt but he needed a hand
“Leonardo your hand!” Violet gasped
“Yeah, lost it back up on the mountain. We’ve seriously dropped in elevation, I’m just glad we survived that crazy drop” he said with a smile that almost immediately faded
“Akuza and Derek were two of the coolest people I know, if I ever see that wizard again, I’m gonna kill him” he finished
Sichiro helped him with his shirt and Leo wrapped the torn cloth around his head at an angle
“How do I look, badass?” he asked
“The baddest” Violet smiled weakly
