The Rainlands: Grand Delusion

Chapter 39: What Are You Doing?

"Yield!" Levi cried out, taking another step and smashing another branch aside. He danced past the swaying trunk of a tree, spinning to carve a chunk out of it as he went. Up ahead, Mist and Illios turned back occasionally as they dodged and weaved through the forest with approval in their eyes. One step at a time, Levi smote any challengers down, bringing lightning to the forest like an angry god. Though he had become powerful, confident, Levi did not become arrogant and the enemy was not without its tricks. Once, when Levi took a step, the ground erupted behind him, and a thick root came, covered in hairs of living grass, to grasp and squeeze his leg. Only incredibly quick reflexes and a bit of luck saved him. Even still, it managed to grab his ankle loosely. CRAP!

"Levi!" Illios shouted and ran back. Mist too turned and tried to help but the trees were too thick and the forest too many. She could only watch as Illios somehow made it to Levi. It hurts! The branch squeezed on Levi's ankle, crushing him through his boots and pantlegs. Slowly, it smushed the leather against his flesh, and then his bones. Levi didn't allow anything else to approach him while he was tied down, swinging his sword in great swathes to clear space. Illios took one look at him and arrived at a decision. Levi thought he was going to use his spear to help cut him free. Instead, the big man tackled him.

"Wha-?" He coughed out as he went to the ground. Miraculously, the pressure on his leg lost its grip as the angle changed and a second later, Illios was off him and the two of them rolled to their feet. "How did you-thanks!" Levi said while Illios began to run to Mist again. He followed, a slight limp in his step, but just grateful that he had survived. How did he get me out? In front of him, the two carved a path out of the forest. "How do you know where Jasmine is?" Levi asked, confused how they knew where to go in the chaos.

"Whoever those men were, they took her from the North gate for a reason." Mist said while ducking under the branches of a murderous tree. "My past life was a mystic. The person you seek is no ordinary girl. Her destiny is extraordinary. Inescapable. It gleams, even in the darkest night, like no other. We shall find her!" Mist's explanation only made the vaguest of sense but Levi was in no position to question her further. Suddenly howls sounded and the baying of wolves surrounded them!

"Direwolves!" Levi cried a warning. He twitched as he saw them, little glimpses amongst the trees. Illios yelled back while still forging forwards through the thick forest.

"Don't stop! You stop, you die!" The big man did not even turn, showed little sign that he even cared the Direwolves existed. Levi did his best to catch up, but the trees seemed to focus on him even more than Mist or Illios, taking every opportunity to try to trip him or smother him in their thick boughs. Then the wolves attacked.

Awoooooooooooooooooo!!

They rushed in as a pack, coming from all directions at once. Are these the same ones as earlier? Are they here for revenge? Levi wondered. He had little time to think. It was an endless nightmare, a situation which he was sure would haunt him forever. The first wolf came at him as he hacked through a massive tree root, sending sparks and smoke flying everywhere. It bounded right through the twisting trees and Levi felt the scar on his forearm tingle, a phantom reaction to the fear flooding his system like an infection. Not this time! He turned, instantly, delivering a powerful cross cut, flaring the lightning on his blade to maximum. The coiling electricity obeyed his order and sheathed his sword in resplendent light which he met the wolf's claws with. Levi cut the beast out of the air, sword upon claw, the creature's weight swinging him around but also throwing the wolf to the ground. The scent of seared meat filled the air as it tumbled a few times and tried to rise, only to fall on one of its legs...got you! Levi prepared for battle against the other Direwolves, but then...something strange happened-