I crawled over to Morgana and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. I whispered close to her ear, "Hey, Morgana. It's your shift."
She stretched, "Hmmm... okay."
"Damian is taking my place. Is that alright, sweetness?"
Iris nodded shyly and whispered into Morgana's ear.
Morgana word out of the sleeping bag. She was partially clothed, looked and slt like she had been in the wilds for days. She gave off the vibes of a larger than life hero. A lean, sword wielding magic woman.
"Co take my place. Iris will have nightmares if she is left alone."
I was too sleepy and eager to protest.
I passed her the blanket which she wrapped around her and then started fitting her armour underneath.
All kinds of red, I took Morgana's place as Iris's snuggle buddy. I felt a boner popping up imdiately. Iris adjusted and sohow fell asleep again. I was not sure if I was relieved or insulted. Nevertheless, with the sound of her breathing and her warmth, I soon drifted off to the land of nod myself.
It was not long until danger ca and the long night continued.
"They're here! Hidden among the trees." Morgana called out with alarm.
I snapped awake.
"Fire wall!" Iris scread. "They an to smoke us out."
From the direction of the train and out from the trees burst forth a ten feet tall wall of fire that stretched fifteen feet long.
The heat of the flas stung my eyes.
The rushing wall of fire consud two trees that were roasted into pillars of flas. All around singed, blackened and curled the leaves tres away from it.
Morgana ran from the leaping, hungry inferno and plunged deeper into the woods away from the trail and the fire.
Iris, Umbra and I both moved to follow. We dashed but it was already too late, Morgana was surrounded by Redcaps and desperately fending them off with tily deflections.
"Morgana!" Iris called out. She charged forward and knocked one of the Redcaps back with a swing of her staff.
"Get back!" I shouted. Iris and Morgana were too close for to cast anything.
The wall of fire moved closer, the woods themselves were catching fire and smoke was growing thicker. I had nothing that could to stop it and keep Morgana, Iris and Umbra safe. Nothing that I could think of. My mind was muddled from lack of sleep and the desperate danger.
I did the first spell I could think of. I ford a shield of mana into a barricade to hold off the wall of fire. For a few seconds it looked like it was working but it made little difference as the fire simply manoeuvred around the shield. I sprinted towards them, and ripped so Redcap's weapons from their grip then thrusting them straight back into their faces killing five instantly.
But more sprang from the shadows.
"Run for it!" I shouted. "Now!"
Every step was a battle between fla and monstrosity. We were chased by the trampling of feet and the taunting voices of our pursuers. The two ran ahead while I lingered behind playing defence.
Iris tripped, I picked her up and held a magic shield as the wall of fire pushed against it.
"Morgana take her, hurry."
Morgana grabbed Iris and tried to carry her despite Iris's protests.
"I'm fine, let go." She said and struggled her way out of her lover's grip then bolted away.
Umbra slowed, unable to keep pace.
"I've got you." Morgana claid and picked up the witch instead. Umbra, now freed from the burden of running, threw plagues at the chasing monsters.
The Redcaps would stop and start bleeding, or hacking up lungs or slow to a crawl with dizziness. Though her spells rarely outright killed them it did leave many vulnerable or too injured to be effective.
I unleashed a shockwave and sent a group of Redcaps flying into the wall of fire. They fried to dust before they had the chance to scream. There was a lull in the Recap's attacks. I couldn't tell how many more lurked in the darkness. Two or two dozen?
"Keeping going, we are nearly to safety." Iris cried out. "Half a mile to help. Run!"
It was a nightmare sprint. Arrows fell among us. I raised a mana barrier the first ti. Then a stone axe ca for my neck. A blast of mana sent the Recap to the dirt headless. But the arrows kept flying. The tal points stabbed into Iris and Morgana. They beca as prickly as hedgehogs They survived sohow with wounds that would kill a normal human.Umbra was shielded by Morgana and unwounded for now.
No tal could harm and the arrow tips parted like water before rock. A stone tipped points frayed but did not penetrate my thick cloak.
"I'm going to give us so cover!" Iris shouted.
Monts later a cloud of fog obscured my vision. We ran. Iris and Morgana ran side by side and I followed the traces of their mana.
"Run! But never hide!" called out a voice beyond the fog.
The fog not long after it ca to be, cleared. Seconds later a pillar arced over the trees.
Morgana narrowly rolled out of its way. But took a glancing blow. She tumbled to the dirt and slamd into a tree. The bark broke and splinters flew. The tree cracked and then snapped. The trunk fell atop of Morgana who scread. Umbra fell out of her arms rolled away and started running again, not bothering to help Morgana - not that she could.
Glancing at Morgana I thought, that must hurt. I scanned and noted that her armour and unnatural durability kept her from being crushed. I sensed an arrow that broke through a gap in her armour and through her skin. She was bruised, cut and dazed. But still alive.
Another log flew at . I sent a burst of lightning that smashed into the pieces of the rubble which scattered around . I placed another mana barricade to slow the advance of the fire wall that kept with our mad dash for freedom.
Morgana pushed the log off with a blast of magic. She rose with a roar of fury. She halved an incoming Redcap with a swing of her sword. She floated the log in the air and with an invisible hand sent it flying back with a frustrated scream. Blood soaked Morgana looked ready to make her last stand as she glared at the enemy with a hardened glare.
But she was pulled away by Iris and I followed behind.
We dashed out of the treeline, easily catching up with Umbra and onto a path. Ahead a few hundred tres was a ruin that once could have been a village. The buildings were scorched with plus of smoke still rising from the remains. Figures moved within too tall for Redcaps. They were a group of humans.
There was a set of wagons readied up in a field near the ruins with several people gathered by them. Many of them were pointing in our direction and shouting amongst themselves. Most looked like farrs carrying scant few belongings on their person. Fortunately, a good number I sensed were armoured in chainmail and carrying swords and shields.
"Keeping running. It is ti to end this farce." I uttered grimly.
A dozen Redcaps burst out from the treeline at our back. They looked frantic taking in the scene. Their eyes darted from , the runners and the group of ard humans within running distance.
I rained lightning down upon them with a flourish of the hand and they stood still then collapsed dead. Their allies in the forest fired arrows in retaliation that landed at my feet harmlessly. I raised the arrows and sent them flying back.
The wall of fire blazed through the treeline and I planted a magic wall of my own in resistance. They t and the wall of fire was held fast. No more Redcaps ca out from the shadows, and with the space to adjust the mana barricade stopped the wall of fire manoeuvring around it.
A group of the armoured humans approached in pairs, one with a shield raised another at their back with a crossbow. Arrows and bolts fired from each side. The humans took no casualties as the arrows bounced off their shields. We were at a stalemate.
Then the wall of fire dissipated. At the edge of the treeline approached a small group of Redcaps.
"You stop, Great Fire, how? Spirit of fla takes all! Burn the human!" called out a white as snow creature with the headdress of a bear skull waving a stick with a giant ruby fixed to the top.
Following the Redcap wizard three ogres marched forward and more Redcaps besides cheering.
"Flee now and live, pissant." I said in response.
One of the ogres grinned and nudged the other then the other. All three stared at , their eyes gleaming and teeth bared.
I could see the wards of protections woven around the ogres, but it made no difference, I could see the caster and cut off the magic with a wave of the hand. It was a sha for the Redcap that he faced . I lifted the arrows and sent them off at the speed of a bullet one by one blasting holes through each ogre's head.
"Die!" the Bear Masked Redcap scread.
It launched a series of fireballs, and I raised a shield of magic and they bounced off smoking the earth at my feet. I walked at a comfortable pace towards it. In panicked desperation it sent off a stream of fire.
I waited for a minute.
Bored, I pulled all the Redcap tal in the area into a malleable blob. I used it as a replacent shield and pushed it forward until I used it to encase the wizard causing it to suffocate.
"Yes, now you die." I said with a cruel grin as I crushed it, killing it in an instant.
The last few Redcaps fled at the execution, wandering back to the hills within the treeline. Umbra told later her sickness would have killed any survivors.
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