I sprinted with no care for the direction. The hunt was on and I was the prey. I hurried past tree after tree as the incline steadily grew.
I continued to zig zag even as the Gorhino grew closer. I knew I needed to make a move to gain separation and there was only one idea in my head.
I gathered my courage and slowed my run. I was letting the beast get closer, waiting for the right opportunity to dive under a set of two trees. Similar to what a bull rider would do. As the monster approached, it huffed its nose in anticipation while making stark eye contact. It seemed my skill, Aggro was still in effect, as it had not been distracted once. And I waited. I waited as it charged and with as I could feel the breath of its terrible snort, I dove. I dove like a professional diver at the Olympics as my body darted between a narrow gap. The Gorhino didn't slow down, following me with his sharp horn. The horn struck the center of the two trees, tipping them over instantly. I was naive to think that two oaks could stop this beast. Yet, it did seemed to leave the Gorhino dazed.
"Now"
With this, Red swoop down onto the Gorhino, pecking the open wound, to gather a sample of the beasts blood. With this, Red will be able to perform a debuff, increasing the speed of blood loss, allowing the open wound I inflicted to cause even more damage than it had before.
Using the few seconds I gained, I continued uphill gathering space. I just needed to hold out until Ari was healed. I just need to hold out. I kept telling myself this. Yet, the higher I ran, the less dense the forest were getting. It seemed I was going to run out of cover and places to run. Yet, I kept climbing. Aggro was still staying strong and I had no way of knowing how to turn this skill off.
The clearing open up, and all I could see was grass for the next few hundred feet, and then... a cliff, that must drop 50 stories. I was screwed. This was not some movie where I would jump off the cliff with no regard for my life, just to amazingly grab a hanging branch that happens to be able to hold my entire body weight. Yeah no. I was not about to jump to my death with those odds. No, I needed a spell or a skill to get me out of this. But what? I have the beast affinity and the nature affinity, and yet I have never cast a single spell. I needed something. Come on Jason think,,, think of all the hours you played video games at home or the books you read as a child.
when that thought came to mind, my life flashed before my eyes. The days of playing high school lacrosse, the smile on my fathers face when I graduated college, my favorite parties, my ex girlfriend, my fathers illness, and then my fathers tears, as my mother died, a memory I didn't know I had until now, I needed to live. I am the last Adler. My life could not end here. Alone, with no friends in a strange world. Who would care about my death? Ari, Ronin, and maybe Red. Dar? Death... That is not an option. I will not die. My life energy pulsed, barely being contained, yet I held on. I waited until I couldn't hold it and then released it all. The Gorhino was inches away, when the grass shot up. Growing multiple feet in seconds with no stop, shielding the entire plateau, in long grass hiding my presence. This will buy me the necessary time for my companions... My thoughts were broken by an enraged cry
"Burn you ugly bastard. Enjoy Hell!!"
The grass went up in smoke. A third party had joined and they clearly had no sympathy for my life or the Gorhino, complicating the matter immensely. Yet, a ray of hope came when a second sound came. A loud and ferocious bark. Ari had finally arrived.
Even with the fire, the gorhino still seemed dedicated to the hunt, as he was frantically searching, rather than retreating. I knew his sense of sight and now smell were severely limited, so I did what I told myself I would never do. I ran towards the top of the hill, knowing now I had a chance at survival. With no grace, I sprinted, gathering the attention of everyone, as the grass was slowly burning away. The Gorhino, closest to my trail followed. 10 paces,... 5 paces... 3 paces... 1 pace to the end. Keeping significant speed, I jumped...
As I did, it felt like I was flying, as I floated, rather than fell. I watched as the Gorhino feel to his death, and yet I was still there. It was then I heard the same voice.
"Hurry up! I can't hold this spell much longer."
Realizing, this was not my doing, I switched my momentum back towards the cliff, and drifted over top, when I was suddenly dropped. Leaving only a sound of huffing breath remaining. My companions quickly came to my side. Ari licking my check, Ronin climbing into my hair, while Red landed on my left shoulder. It was then that I realized that I was not as alone as I was. These magical beasts may not be human, but they most surely cared what happened to me. We were all in this together.
*cough *cough "How about a thank you beautiful lady for saving my life"
I turned my head to look around but I couldn't see anything, which was saying something because the fire had finally died down and there was nothing for multiple football fields.
"Down here!"
I looked down, and noticed that there was a gorgeous women with fluttering set of wings, with red hair waving in the wind, the reason I couldn't see her, that was because
"A Fairy" I sputtered out of my mouth.
"I am a FireSlyph!" She screamed while simultaneously puffing her chest out in pride.