Sizwe took his time and relaxed, still not fully recovered, he was covered in blood from the self inflicted wounds. He thought about the past for a bit and looked at his comrades as he breathed in filtered air. Out of the dangerous things in the wilderness, fungi were the last thing he had thought about. The information about the evolution of creatures was limited, but there were plants and fungi known to be dangerous. However, they were rare; encountering one required extreme bad luck.
Most of the time, when plants and fungi evolved, they were usually non-aggressive. Some were dangerous but not aggressive, like the fungi they had encountered. Its defense mechanism caused them trouble—the fungi itself was not aggressive but still deadly. Sizwe stood up feeling better; he had to get Mandla and Cyprian away from this tree.
They were out cold, having the sleep of their life. This pissed Sizwe off since he hadn't had proper sleep in days. Throughout their wilderness journey, they had slept in intervals to avoid being attacked. The journey had not been so bad; they hadn't encountered danger yet. What made Sizwe feel the danger from this fungi was the risk of falling asleep in an unfamiliar environment. With no one to stand guard, they could die from regular creatures and get eaten. He was sure that long exposure to this toxic air would eventually kill them. This fungi was a slow killer, making you fall asleep while it killed you slowly. It was even more dangerous than a Class III creature with an almost 100% fatality rate.
Sizwe grabbed his comrades by the arms and started to drag them to a safe and breathable environment before they got poisoned even further. Not even ten steps away from the danger, Sizwe dodged—
Crack!
A brown-green whip lashed at him with fury. Looking back at the attacker, Sizwe saw a scene he never thought possible. Had they offended some deity in some way? Their luck was extremely bad. The massive tree had just grown vines that were flapping around like disgusting hentai tentacles—the tree was moving. It was the tree and Fungi, a two for one special.
The tree, covered in fungi, was fighting Sizwe to not take away its prey. As the tree attacked him, he was being pushed back until the vines couldn't reach him. He was safe from this demonic duo, but his comrades were not. They were still in danger, and the tree was not willing to give them up. Sizwe was in a dilemma. He had to save his comrades, but how was he supposed to deal with this tree?
The tree was big and had many of these vines. It would be suicide to face the creature head-on. Sizwe even thought of leaving his two comrades and going on his way, but that was not a good thing to do—not because he was a good person, but because he wouldn't survive in the wilderness alone. Last time he was lucky, but this time he was in the deep wilderness, and he would be next to go to heaven after Mandla and Cyprian if he left them. Three brains were better than one; six eyes were much better than two.
Sizwe had with him a pump-action shotgun with only three bullets left, and a dagger. He doubted that stabbing the tree would work, or even shooting it for that matter. The situation looked hopeless; he didn't know what to do. Sizwe took some time and attacked the tree. He noticed a few things about the way the tree fought.
The vines seemed to originate from specific points on the trunk, and they moved with a serpentine grace, each strike precise and deadly. The tree's bark was thick and gnarled, likely resistant to his shotgun's pellets. However, the vines themselves were more flexible and less protected. A plan began to form in Sizwe's mind. If he could sever the vines and keep them from regenerating, he might be able to create a window to rescue his comrades.
Sizwe's eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for anything he could use to his advantage. Then he spotted it—a discarded canister of fuel from a previous expedition. An idea sparked in his mind. He could build an improvised flamethrower. It was risky, but it was their only chance.
He quickly scavenged for materials, finding a length of hose and a small hand pump among their supplies. His hands worked swiftly, the urgency of the situation driving his movements. The fuel canister was heavy, but he managed to rig it up with the hose and the pump, creating a rudimentary flamethrower. He tested it, a small burst of flame confirming it was functional.
With his makeshift weapon ready, Sizwe took a deep breath and approached the tree. The vines lashed out again, but he was prepared this time. He aimed the flamethrower and unleashed a torrent of fire. The flames met the vines, and a high-pitched screech filled the air as the vegetation recoiled from the heat.
Sizwe pressed forward, burning through the vines that blocked his path. The fire consumed the vines, turning them to ash, and the tree seemed to writhe in pain. He could see the trunk splitting and cracking under the intense heat. Hope surged within him; he was making progress. The flamethrower was working its magic, the vines ran from the heat. Sizwe got to where Mandla and Cyprian was and the vines came back trying to protect its food, but it was weak to fire and the dry tree began to catch on fire and began to screech.
The vines flapped around in the air, and Sizwe could tell that the demonic tree was mad, it no longer care about anything and just attacked him. It was time to go, Sizwe that he couldn't deal with an angry death tree. So he resolved to attack a few times and grab Cyprian and Mandla and escape. Sizwe pumped a few times and nothing came out, the flamethrower sputtered and died. The fuel had run out. Desperation clawed at Sizwe as the vines, now enraged, surged towards him. He tried to grab his sleeping comrades, but it was too late. The vines wrapped around him, binding him tightly. Sizwe felt violated, he had watched a few hentai and he didn't like the way the vines binded him.
"Damn it, what a traumatic experience. I feel like a victim."
Sizwe struggled against the tightening grip, but the more he fought, the tighter the vines constricted. The tree's vines lifted him off the ground, and he felt the air being squeezed from his lungs. Panic set in as he realized he was losing this fight. His vision started to blur, and he felt himself slipping into unconsciousness.
Then, a flash of movement caught his eye. A figure emerged from the shadows, moving with agility and precision. The stranger wielded a blade, cutting through the vines with expert skill. Sizwe felt the pressure around his chest lessen as the stranger freed him from the tree's grip.
He fell to the ground, gasping for air. The stranger, a woman with fierce determination in her eyes, continued to hack at the vines, driving them back. She reached down and helped Sizwe to his feet. "Are you alright?" she asked, her voice steady despite the chaos around them. The tree was now aflame looking like a true demonic tree as it screeched.
Sizwe nodded, still trying to catch his breath. "Who are you?"
"Alexia," she replied. "Agent of the Vanguard of Liberty. At your service."
"Whoever you are, you are a lifesaver, can you help me take these idiots to safety?"
Together, they moved quickly, Alexia's blade flashing in the dim light as she cleared a path. Sizwe and Alexia each took one of Sizwe's comrades, and they hurried away from the tree, the glow of the fire illuminating their path. The tree's screeches of rage echoed behind them, but they didn't look back.
Once they were a safe distance away, they laid Mandla and Cyprian on the ground. Sizwe checked their breathing; they were still unconscious but alive. Relief washed over him as he sat back, exhausted but grateful.
Alexia sheathed her blade and looked at Sizwe. "You handled yourself well back there. Most people wouldn't have survived that."
"Thank you," Sizwe said, his voice filled with gratitude. "I thought I was a goner in the worst position possible. Who wants to die like a hentai victim."
"What is a hentai victim?"
"Trust me, you don't want to know."
Alexia nodded. "Well, the wilderness is a dangerous place. You need to be prepared for anything. But for now, let's make sure your friends are okay and get some rest. We've got a long journey ahead of us."
"What do you mean us?"
"I am protecting you on behalf of Vanguard, I've been following your group since the crocodile attack at the stronghold."
"What, we were followed?" Sizwe stook up and drew his dagger ready to fight.
"Why would I have ill intentions and save you? That would be stupid, I mean you no harm"
Sizwe realised that she was right, he settled down and asked.
"Then what do you want?"
"I will tell you, lets wait for the other to wake up."
As they settled down, the fire from the burning tree cast a warm glow over the group. Sizwe knew that they had been incredibly lucky to survive, but he also knew that they couldn't let their guard down. The wilderness was full of dangers, and they would need all their strength and determination to face the challenges ahead.
For tonight, they would rest and regain their strength. Tomorrow, they would continue their journey, with a new ally by their side. They had survived the darkness, and there is still no rest for the wicked.