~~~~
*9Ether World*
*Hollie Continent*
*Rosia Kingdom*
*East Demon Forest*
.""Haa haa haa everyone just keep running"".
Illise, Maria, Leon and Arrilie were running through the forest at their top speed, dodging trees like it was a mere parlor trick as adrenaline flood their veins like liquor.
Maria was at the forefront being the fastest, Leon was slightly behind her, Illise was tailing behind him and Arrilie was trailing behind everyone barely keeping up with the group.
Arrilie's teeth was clenched down tightly as she pushed her body to the max but unfortunately the group just got futher and further away from her no matter how hard she tried.
Noticing this Illise glanced back seeing her falling behind."Arrilie, give me your hand!!!."She shouted to break through the air from their speed as they were moving just that fast.
With a bit of hesitation Arrilie gave her hand and she felt like a bit of weight was lift off her shoulder and it was suddenly easier to keep up, she glanced at her hand being held.
."Alright 1, 2, 3 sharp turn right!."Illise said grabbing hold of a tree allowing herself some balance and leverage to make the sharp turn."Try to be as light on your feet as possible!."
The other followed her orders as they rushed between the trees, they were almost like shadows or ghost as they ran for their lives, just running and running through the forest, just hoping that they were not getting futher away from civilization.
Soon over 20 minutes had passed and everyone was feeling a drain on their stamina at this point, Arrilie was washed in sweat and almost wheezing as she stumbled.
."Haaa haaa haaa haa I can't haaa I can't go on anymore."Arrilie said as she was basically being dragged along by Illise, her feet were like jelly and her heart felt like it was about to explode.
Illise looked at her."Just a little more Arrilie, we have to get a good distance, come on."She said pulling her but Arrilie pulled back her hand falling on the ground and rolling a bit from the speed.
.""What are you doing, we can't stop now Arrilie!"".
Illise stopped running as she turned around, both Leon and Maria noticing this stopped as well, Arrilie tried to stand up but her feet trembled so bad she just fell down again.
."Haaa haaa haaa, I can't go on anymore, just go on and leave me haaa haaa haa, I'll be fine."Arrilie squeezed out with staggered breaths as she flipped herself over to her back.
Leon came over to Arrilie, he reached down to pick her up but she shook her head."Leave me here and run, I'll be fine haa..I'll just Haa slow you down....God."She said finally having caught her breath a little, she was not lying, till her mission is complete her God wouldn't let her die.
."You, aghh dammit, why am I surrounded by stubborn people, you make life more difficult than it has to be."Illise scratched her head distressed, looking back into the distance she paused a bit.
Maria chuckled."You're one to talk about stubborn, but Arrilie, do you really trust this so called "God" so much, have you any idea of what you even believe in."She said stooping down by her head.
."I believe in God, no matter what anyone says, I trust her, she has never lead me wrong before and never will, as long as I continue to look after Lord Navir."Arrilie said staring up at the trees above, her eyes deep with obsession and a fanatic flare.
Continuing to gaze at her Maria simply smirked."You know, I love you religious peeps, so devoted, so faithful, so..stupid, hahaha it's kinda silly once you know the truth."She said playfully.
Arrilie remained silent, Illise opened her mouth several times but didn't know what to say, Leon simply watched from the sidelines.
If there's one thing he learnt being around his mother, sister and other female relatives is to never get in between their drama, Leon clasped his hand.'Thank you father for your manly teachings.'He silently said as a manly tear dripped down his left eye.
."Alright alright, we will set up here, Arrilie you rest for now while we go through the plan."Illise said as she clapped her hands once drawing everyone's attention to her.
With that little thing over Illise took a twig and began drawing out a detailed plan, she went through all the steps, at the end of it everyone was surprised and Illise was slightly offended at everyone's surprised.
."*Hmpm* For your information I was key strategist for my father's empire, I've earned him well over seven hundred million DC since my birth."Illise said puffing out her chest proudly.
But now was not the time to dilly, so everyone got to work, they started cutting down select trees, all from the root and settling back the disturbed dirt as though nothing was ever there.
After that Maria cut the trees up and carved them into some flat pieces and some very sharp pointy pieces, soon they had some pretty useful things, such as a ladder.
Then they all with the exception of Arrilie started digging out a trench that spanned for over 18 feet wide and 16 feet deep, Maria went down since if anything happened she was the most flexible and able to escape.
Maria planted the pointy spikes into the dirt firmly spanning the entire trench, then she was handed down a ladder which pulled her out held by Leon.
.""Good now the flat pieces, I want it placed perfectly, because the pieces are not long enough to cover the entire trench we'll have to improvise a bit"".
.""Um stick some wood from the shorter angle of the trench, it's only about five feet in diameter, then pile the longer pieces on top of them from the other angle"".
Illise rubbed her chin as she dished out orders back to back, but she also made her hands busy, she started scraping the skin off of the trees they cut and twisting them together like vines.
After piling the wood in the trench about two feet down the hole Leon began kicking and scraping the dirt onto it, they made it just strong enough to hold the dirty but should anyone step on it, down they go into the abyss.
Continuing Maria and Illise began setting traps in the trees around as well, they were extremely meticulous with that one because any small mistake could cost them their lives.
Soon all the preparation were over as an entire hour passed, they were even surprised they had that long and that the Trolls haven't caught up to them yet, but it only did them good so why complain.
Illise dug another small long line and place the ladder in it, she sprinkled some dirt over it to hide it then went around and fill in any hole they might have made and also the foot steps.
Then Maria went around with a sigh filling in Illise's footsteps and used the trees to hop back across where they would be hiding in a smaller trench they made in the distance where they all now sat including Arrilie.
."Now, this part is the most crucial, you would all agree that if one of us don't get stronger right now we will all die correct?."Illise asked seriously as she glanced between them.
Maria's eyes glint as she smirked in instant realization."Ok, I'll give my strength potions to Leon, out of us he is the strongest already."She said casually, then she wave her hand summoning two blue potion bottles.
."Wha, damn why do you have to be so smart, I didn't even get to look cool explaining the plan."Illise exclaimed in surprise and disappointment.
Leon nodded his head as he fold his arms."How can I call myself a man if I allow you beautiful ladies to fight against these dirty Trolls while I am here!."He said seriously as his red eyes shun brightly and he flexed."I will battle till my last breath!!."
."Haha look see, Leon is already excited, though Leon, you might want to omit that last part, we want everyone alive when we find Navir back."Maria said chuckling as she poked Leon's musclely arms with her finger.
Arrilie didn't say anything she simply took out the potions passing them to Leon who placed them in his Item storage, Illise also gave hers to him, now he had 8 strength potions in all which give a temporary boost.
."Now we wait and sorry in advance but we'll have to starve a bit, luckily with our health potions we won't die or be weakened from hunger, *sigh* I can't wait to go back home."Illise said as she sighed at the end missing her nice large mansion.
.""Kekkk!!!"".
They didn't have to wait long, suddenly out of nowhere the familiar disgusting screech of Trolls sound out, it projected stronger than the one's normal Goblins released and the other's could tell it was not far away.
."*Sigh* Illise...we have a problem.."Maria said seriously as she gazed at her arm seeing a small droplet of liquid, a frown gradually creased on her forehead.
Illise nodded her head."Yeah yeah I heard it, I just hope nothing goes wrong with the traps."She said with a weary sigh, it would be a shame to die so early into their journey
."No, that's not what I meant, look up."Maria said looking up at the sky with a darkening expression just like that of the clouds.
Illise glanced up and caught a drop of water in her eyes, she was stunned."..Shit...shit..shit..shit."She muttered as the tears of heaven chose just this moment to fall, she shield her face.
*Crackle*
*Crackle*
*Boom*
Just like that the rain came down, thunder reverberated throughout the sky and lightning struck like a speeding carriage into a brick wall.
*Step*
*Step*
*Step*
Then to top it off as if like a giant fuck you from the Gods themselves vibrations ran through the ground and in the distance between the trees the group could see several silhouettes of the Trolls.
And some more bad news they looked like they were going around, they weren't walking the path to the traps, the traps only span for up to 20 feet, it's reach ended there.
If they go around it then, well say goodbye to life and Navir, so they have to find some ways to get the Trolls back on the right track.
Leon's eyes glint."There's only 30 of them right now, even though the wet muddy ground will be hard to fight on I can definitely catch them off guard and lead them to the traps."He said already standing up but a hand stopped him.
."Wait Leon, the goal is not to fight them, the goal is for you to level up and become strong enough to protect us so we can escape, the traps will eventually become too heavy with the rain."Illise said before biting her lips."I will distract them and draw them to the traps, you have to use that chance when they fall down the trench to kill them and get their levels."
Maria stood up "No I'll go, you're our leader right now, they need you, you're a smart girl, should anything happen to me I know you'll figure it out."She said drawing her sword.
."Maria, If you so strongly believe that I can you lead you right now then, trust me, just this once, I will distract them, you will injure the other's and Leon will kill them and level up."Illise said definitively not taking no for an answer.
Staring at her for a little Maria then smiled."Oh, look who's stubborn now, ok then miss second in command, I'll follow your lead....don't die."She said gazing at the Trolls approaching.
Illise nodded with a smile also before becoming serious again."Alright, this is it everyone prepare, Arrilie just lay low for now, when they get close enough I will make a run for it, chances are some of them will get through the traps, so yeah, please hurry up."She taking a breath as she prepared herself mentally.
All the while Arrilie was looking at this she felt like she was just becoming baggage so suddenly, though her only purpose was taking care of Navir did it mean that she didn't have a life as well.
She was still human, especially having spending all this time with them, it felt like they were slowly but surely becoming actual friends, just maybe.
."*Sigh* I will come with you as well Illise, mast-Navir did say to get along with you all as you were his friends, so I guess I have no choice."Arrilie said standing up, her feet were still burning but it was bearable."Plus, just running away might make them suspicious, I propose we attack and make them truly believe it's their idea to chase us."
Illise didn't see a problem with it, with Arrilie's holy magic that might just be the thing to keep them alive."Ok, everyone good luck, we're going."She said with a creased forehead.
Both her and Arrilie jumped out of the small trench and began running towards the the larger trench which was in the direction of the 30 Trolls that separated from their group.
The Trolls in the distance of course noticed this as they faced them with grins, turning their trajectory now headed directly for the traps.
.""Kekkk!!!"".