The tentacles moved like weightless leaves and swatted the bees but there was just too much and most of them got through and went directly to the people. Small boulders shot from the ground upwards, and all other kinds of abilities flew around
Yet their stinger managed to strike down every other move, Larissa's thin vines protected but were broken after a single defense.
Her essence was depleting fast as she healed those she could and protected others with her vines
Three had already fallen on the agonizing long battle, and only sixty or so bees fell but there was still at least triple that number on the air. Even the six main thick vines were lacerated and growing thin with each attack.
Larissa stopped for a second and observed. Something nobody did until now.
They were all dispersed and each person had to deal with tens of bees. But the bees were only attacking when the vines swatted other bees away, and never when it was slightly free, or when somebody moved slightly away from the group.
'... They only attack when safe regardless of competition for pray...'
The plan formed in her mind, she lightly petted her monstrous rose friend sending her intent.
The vines grew twice its size and trembled fiercely in objection.
"We won't last like this. Even if I wasted the time to explain to them, nobody will volunteer and we'll die." Vines circulated her legs and tied her in place.
Larissa smiled. "I'll die if I stay unmoving too, and you'll be the last one alive, with a banquet of people and bee corpses to eat."
Hesitantly the vines recoiled, suddenly thorns stretched out and prickled her skin, Surprised, Larissa felt the warm essence of life. Her body suddenly felt strong and agitated Like when she ate Lazaro's, beast heart.
She caressed the thick main trunk of the yellow carnivorous rose with a smile "If it happens that I fall today, avoid at all costs being near human settlements, they'll hunt and kill you if you do. " She then and turned her eyes to the people. Ignoring the obvious vibrations that seemed like a snort from her friend.
"Everybody! I'll attract them, you protect me and hit them with area attack as they gather. not waiting she started running to the edge of the formation.
Amélia looked at her face as she ran, she couldn't understand it. Why would anybody do something like that? Then she saw beyond the bees attacking her, the sky was dark, full of bees. And there as no hope for them. But still, she couldn't figure it out how Larissa just acted. To understand and to act and overcome are two different concepts.
She wasn't like that, not at all. She followed the waves in a safe way. never against, never totally in favor.
She bit her lips in frustration from the small drop of envy on her gut.
"Jery, Ricardo, Betty, focus on protecting her, the rest attack relentlessly!" She screamed.
"She's a healer, what the hell is on her mind!?" One yelled but did as told and threw head-sized boulders that exploded on contact with bees.
Larissa took her last step out of the safety of the Vines. She was in front of a sea of yellow buzzing sounds with her racing heart she ran in circles around their formation, the bees immediately followed her, as it was just outside the range of the tentacles. and totally safe to hunt in spite of the other bees doing the same.
She controlled the vines she could and knocked some down, boulders barely bypassed her as it aimed at the bees, a penetrating pain came from her shoulder and a flash of yellow passed her eyes with a thin thorn attached to it.
Larissa managed to cast a glance at the yellow rose with thin red veins, it shed two petals and grew two more vines, and her thorns flew and sunk on the bees nearest to her back. 'She using every bit of energy on me.' Larissa smiled with guilt. Meeting her friend was the best thing in her life until now.
She focused on running, she heard Amélia screaming orders and organizing everything, but Larissa just ran, sometimes the buzzing came close others it was a friendly speel that brushed past her. but she did not stop running as a swarm of bees formed on her trail.
When she felt her breath lacking and her tired leg haltingly she heard it.
"NOW! USE EVERYTHING YOU GOT!" Amélia screamed.
A ball of earth went amidst the bees and explodes in a way similar to an explosive device, sending small pebbles around taking down at least thirty or so bees. A ten meters firewall moved through the bees, setting them on fire and compromising their abilities to fly.
Numerous other spells showered down the bees.
And when Larissa's legs finally gave up. She heard no more buzzing and smiled brightly. 'I survived, for the second time today, I survived.' She felt more close to her freedom than ever.
She stared a the haggard people, only five were left, the rest died or ran away in the smallest safe window.
But she survived.
Like a log, she fell forward. Vines swooped in at the last second and brought her close to the rose, back on her throne.
Small thorns injected small quantities of Essence on her, just enough for her to regain control over her fatigued and overexerted body.
'Is this how that bastard felt?' She thought for a single moment remembering Lazaro strangling the turtle, with veins popping out of his body.
She rested, with eyelids threatening to close, but she held herself and asked
"What happened?"
"We don't know, suddenly we were assaulted by bees and Ricon had managed to get away with six people, they couldn't go back and get us, so we ran the other side. Damned bad luck day!" A man explained and cursed.
While a woman wailed and others scurried about getting the bee's carcasses for trade later.
As they did, Amélia approached and sat beside Larissa.
"Ricon planned to use us as bait to get treasures, we should keep moving, it's not safe." She said quickly and her alarmed wide eyes forced Larissa to frown.
Amélia found herself treating Larissa with respect, the same she gave her elder sister and mother. but she ignored it and continued.
'Why isn't safe?" Larissa asked, gasping for breath.
Amélia, biting her lips continued, "He planned to steal from a nest of Mad bears too."
Larissa sighed and looked up the sky.
As if on cue, a deep growl echoed in the faraway distance. As if it was waiting for the bees to die the bears came rushing.
Larissa closed her eyes. 'The first crisis was for me to change my ways, the second, solidifying that belief. but why the third? God, why did you send the third!?' She questioned, feeling fed up with it all.
Clenching her teeth, she felt the taste of blood on her mouth, her hands clenched and her knuckles turned white.
Rage and frustration were boiling down to a feeling she felt she'd be free of. She just leaned back and breathed in, ready to give up and shrug it off. When a sudden thud caught her attention. earth dust rose right beside her, Lila's pale face was motionless on the ground with blood on her exposed chest.
Amélia looked at them both and did know what to do. "You'll be right to help them away," Lazaro said motioning to the others survivor, Amélia did as told and went ahead. Stopped and turned back.
"What about you people?" She asked. The bears were coming and they'd need help.
"If you stay we die together, if you go, we might have a chance of survival," Lazaro said.
She didn't understand how that was so, but in the end, she followed her instinct and ran away leading other of her team. 'I stopped and asked, they denied it, there's no more I can do,' She said to herself while looking at the other survivors who didn't even glance back.
Two-man appeared coming on the direction she was running to, a chubby one carrying a very thin and weirdly smiling fellow with long silvery hair.
For a second Amélia traded glances with the chubby one as they passed by each other.
"Carry Larissa and This two-woman to a safe area and protect her."Lazaro didn't know why Lucas came back carrying silver but seeing as they came from the direction Amélia was running too he assumed the others were delivered to safety and commanded.
This all happened in mere seconds. And Lazaro finally looked at Larissa who was gazing up at him in a daze.
"If you promise to not mention a word of what you're about to do to anyone else, I'll give you a way to communicate more clearly with your beast."
Larissa gazed at him for a second, traded a look with the rose and nodded.
"Listen to the woman inside, and do everything you can. I, Lazaro of superbia, will owe you a favor." He said and let Larissa alone with Lila and Hyera.
He looked a the carnivorous plant then turned his gaze away, " She can't withstand a fight with those bears, she's too young, take her away."
The lacerated and hurt Vines vibrated as if retorting. But Larissa sent her intent, and the flower reluctantly retracted her vined and disappeared under the ground.
"Mad bears are beasts who will not stop, and will not tire, their stamina is replenished by the food they stored in them, their fangs and claws are swarmed with batteries to keep wounds open. They are slightly weaker than the tyrannic turtle but more mobile." Looking intensely at Lazaro, Lucas said.
While Silver escalated a tall tree. "I'll help from here."
Bear's hides are thick but it's not a turtle shell." He continued and readied his bow.
Lazaro squinted but didn't retort as he heard the beasts coming closer
Lucas trembled, He carried Lorra and Liza as Larissa healed Lila. they stood atop of a tree and he stared down at the slightly far away ground, he had direct contact before, but now, he didn't know if he could do the same as before.
"ROAAAAAAAAR!" With a booming sound, Three bears reached them. the eyes of the frontmost bear exploded into bits as a hollow hole appeared. It was an arrow by Silver.
'He might be of help after all.' Lazaro thought, doing everything to ignore his instinct and keep control of himself. But he knew it was almost impossible, without another choice he sighed and blinked.
The image in front of him suddenly felt familiar, a ferocious enemy in the front, reliable companions behind, and himself in the front line. It was chaos, just like he was used to. Lazaro laughed aloud and took a step forward opening his arms out and sticking his chest out.
"Haha, When the sky ahead is dark, and peace is behind you, where do we go?"
Crossing his arms and linking his thumps to the edge between his shoulder and chest muscle while running, he activated all the essence his muscle managed to digest and adhere.
His eyes turned viciously bloodshot
"FORWARD WE GO!"