[Level Reset - Forgotten Soul Forest Part 4]
[Unknown Trail}
In the last part the general reveals to Scarlet that he knows about her level going down and if her team doesn't do the 'easy' missions he'll reveal to the army what happened to her, What do you think she'll do?
"Why did you give in so easily, that's not what I taught you at all?" Hider sighed facepalmed in the process of his sentence Slasher then walked up to Hider to pat his back. "First training grunts, now doing grunt work how the mighty has fallen!" Slasher laughed as he continued to pat his back Hiders' eyes had a flash for just a moment indicating that he wanted to fight as he began to speak. "Still stronger than you right?" Slasher started to shake then he gulped making a worried face he then turned to his face to Scarlet with pleading eyes for her to save him and spoke with a desperate to tune to reach her. "Scarlet help please?"
Scarlet stopped surprising Slasher worried he said quickly. "You're right I should fight my own battles!" Scarlet still didn't move but she responded. "It's getting dark we should rest here." then she turned around to look at her teammates to confirm if her decision was a smart one. Slasher went in a determined pose saying. "I have enough energy to keep going plus we have your powers like a torch." He smiled at what he said thinking it would be inspirational but then he heard growling coming from her with a red aura emitting out of her. "Calm down Scarlet with that growling we will attract some animals." Hider said walking up to Scarlet and holding her shoulder. 'Huh this is really familiar.' A flash came back when Scarlet was younger and training it was suddenly caught off by Scarlets' voice. "I said it's getting dark and we should rest here!"
But what really was going thru her mind. 'I'm tired, so it did have more of an effect on me.' Hider continued to look at Scarlet to only sigh in the end. "You heard the 'lady' we should rest here." Scarlet twitched at the word 'Lady' and walked off to set up her sleeping bag the guys followed her lead as well as soon as it was set up they had all passed onto their beds but as soon as they comfortable their belly started to rumble their stomach asking for a meal. "Did we pack food?" They all said in sync, Scarlet suddenly got up and started sniffing. "Well, it smells different around here kind of damp, there must be a river near by which mean fish which means.. food!" Scarlet turned around drooling. "Catch some and I'll cook!"
As the boys went to catch their food Scarlet put logs in a circle and stand in the middle she then yelled. "Level 4 TORCH!" Her whole body engulfed in flames she opened her eyes to see the logs grow arms and legs walking to the fire as soon as they touched the fire, She then did a black flip as soon as she landed a smile appeared on her face, but then she suddenly felt weak, losing her balance falling to her knees and began to breath heavy. 'I shouldn't have done that spell.'
A arrow started flying at her back she could sense it but she knew she couldn't dodge properly or fast enough she didn't show any sense of movement but in that mere second Hider appeared from the ground grabbing the arrow hard enough for it to breaking it while that happened just in case Hider failed Slasher hugged Scarlets' back to be a shield if needed. "It would seem I'm not the only one getting rusty, old friend." A girl from the trees appeared from the shadows, the wind was nice, gentle and calm but as soon as she jumped the wind got a little heavier she looked like an angel descending from the heavens as soon as she landed she started to introduce herself as she posed "You wish, I'm Red Rose I have been assigned to your team-." She looks at Hider. "It will be nice to work with old friends." You could tell from how Rose said the last part she was smiling the only problem you couldn't tell since she was wearing a hood with a cape, but otherwise that you could tell they had a thing going on.
Scarlet cleared her throat while smirking. "Did you guys get enough fish?" Slasher held up a bag full of fish. "We sure did!" He smiled from finishing that line. The cook begun when Scarlet started to smile and fire grew, a few moments later the food was all done she picked up the fish. "Since you're are newest member in our team you get the first bite!" Rose looked at Scarlets' face then the food and back at Scarlets' face. "It's burned why the hell would I eat this!" Scarlet then pouted, got up walking closer to Rose and gave her a sincere smile, took the fish and shoved into her face while shouting. "Taste it before you judged it!" As soon as it reached Roses' mouth she realized it tasted amazing. 'Wait I had two fish what happened to the other one?' Slasher patted her back while chuckling he said. "You ate it mate." Rose had a shocked aura around herself. 'How's it finished?' Slasher continued to say. "We were all like that when first tried Scarlets' food." Hider went to go lie down but before he left he grabbed Roses' hand. "It looks like you didn't bring a sleeping bag, you're sleeping with me." Rose looked at his hand and grasped his hand tighter while saying "Thank you!"
"As you can remember Rose had a thing for Hider but did he feel the same way."
After a night full of rest the gang packed their stuff Scarlet pulled a map out and said. "According to the map the forest should be close to this village and with that the the team reached
[Village of Awakening]
She rolled it up looking tired Rose looked at Scarlet and sighed. "We should rest here or at least leave our bags in a cabin." "Good idea." Hider said almost out of the blue. The group purchase a cabin for them to stay in for a week they started to unpack in their own rooms Scarlet started to unpack what she was going to wear, putting on her bed she started to feeling tired. 'Not again, I barely used magic yesterday, so why?' She started breathing heavier, grabbing her chest, eyesight getting blurry she was going to faint. The door opened to reveal Rose holding her bow and arrow with a purple aura around the arrow. "I should've done this sooner." When she let go of the arrow the arrow went thru Scarlets' back. Her eyes widened she let out a scream, blood splattered around the room as she fell to the ground.
{Villages Cafe]
Rose lifted up her hand while she was ordering. "Hey can I have two number ones please with some beer?" The waitress gave her a smile while taking away the menu "Of course miss!" She walked away. "So how did you do it, how am I not dead, and why do I feel better?" Scarlet asked with full confusion on her face, but also interest. "Well we are on the same team I guess I will tell you my ability, my ability involves compressing the elements into my arrows if I put too much element in a arrow it will break and the element will burst out but if I put the right amount I can shoot the arrow and whoever or whatever it hits the element will be placed on them, in your case it was a water element mixed with fire, water to heal and fire to seal the wounds." After the explanation Rose gave her she had an excited face full of amazement. "You're amazing!" Rose clench her hand hiding it under the table to hide her anger from her. "Thank you."
After the girls finished their meal they decided to head back to the cabin then suddenly a woman grabbed onto Roses' hand shouting. "I know you're a healer so please heal my husband!" Rose turned around immediately. "How do you know about that?" The women started to tremble she started shouting once again. "I overheard you in the cafe, please help him I love him so much I can't live with out him!" The villagers started to stare and started to crowd Rose and Scarlet asking for their family members to also be healed. "Scarlet I'm going to help these people!" Scarlet was getting carried away from the crowd she quickly said "Okay I will inform the boys!" She got tossed out by the crowd landing on her butt, getting up to patting her butt to get the dust off, now making her way to the cabin.
The door swung open Scarlet put the key in her pocket while yelling. "Boys are you in here!" As she looked around to see Hider sleeping on the couch while Slasher cutting up lettuce. "Hey, where's Rose?" Scarlet closed the door, took off her shoes, walked over to Slasher "She won't be able to make to the mission, besides I'll explain it on the road, go and prepare." She started to head to her room to hear Slasher say. "Let me make her some food before we leave, also I have to wake up Hider." Scarlet opened her room door to see the blood on the ground. 'Was she really trying to help me?' She transformed back into her war gear. She left her room to see the boys ready. "What took you so long?" Hider said in a disappointed glare 'Crap, I forgot he just woke up!' Scarlet put her hands up in defence. "I was getting read-." Hider punched her head and began to drag her out of the cabin. "Apparently not fast enough!"
They walked past Rose all of the group who were going waved to her Rose looked continued her way into the cabin locking up the door. She had taken off her hood revealing her short purple hair that flew out. Deciding that she was hungry she headed to the kitchen to make herself a meal only to have her brown eyes fall on a big meal with a hand written note beside the meal saying 'Enjoy!' Tears started coming from her eyes as she dropped to floor crying harder than before.
[Forgotten Soul Forest]
"Man you were not kidding girl we were so close!" Slasher had whistle while looking at the entrance. "What do the instruction say?" Slasher said as he looked inside the forest. "I'm the perfect girl for the job, that's why the general picked me." Scarlet said as she put away her map "Wait what?!" Slasher looked at her like she was insane. Hider walked up with a confused look on his face while saying. "I kind of agree with the blue idiot, didn't you have your level taking from you?" Scarlet looked pissed off and yelled. "Idiots that's why I'm perfect the roots react to high level people so I'm going in alone besides it's not like we are going to fight the trees this is just a scouting mission to see if the trees are acting weird!" Scarlet to stomp in the forest as she was mad.
"You think she'll be okay?" Slasher said as he looked in the forest Hider didn't answer as he looked with an unsure look. She continued into the forest looking around. 'Why is this place called the Forgotten Soul Forest anyway?' Scarlet then heard singing "The sparks are the people." Scarlet turned around with shock on her face "Mom." Tears started falling from her eyes as she started to run closer to the singing "Mom!"
Hider and Slasher heard her yell 'Mom.' Slasher made a dash into the forest to see if she was okay to have Hider run after to try to stop him which made the trees reacting and drag them in using the roots. The song started to die down and the red aura started emit from the trees Scarlet started to look around and saw the roots moving she started to run until she saw Hider and Slasher getting chocked by the roots Scarlet took out her sword as she was running and cut the roots off of them. "Run!" Scarlet said after cutting them they all ran but Scarlet was grabbed by one of the roots it had grabbed her foot causing her to fall. "Ah!" The boys turned their heads as they did the roots grabbed her other foot, arms and stringed her up to a tree as Scarlet was looking around to figure out what to do she got stabbed by one of the roots she tried to keep her eyes open but it soon became very hard to do.
"Isa wake up I made breakfast." Scarlet got up and looked up at the mirror and screamed as she saw that she looked younger she then heard footsteps until the door was opened to reveal Scarlets' mom. "Isa are you okay, I heard you scream?" Scarlet started crying. "I haven't seen you in years, why did you leave me mom, I was so alone!?" Mom was looking at her with confusion and then ran up to her and hugged her. "That was a nightmare it over but, you know what has begun, breakfast come on I made the families favourite sausages with eggs your brother has probably eaten most of it!" She lifted Scarlet from the bed and took her downstairs to the kitchen as Scarlet was placed at one of the tables and watched her family eating she wondered 'Was everything I endured all a dream?' Her brother threw food in her face. 'It must of been.' As food was now stuck on her face.
All of Scarlets' dreams were coming true as she was growing up she heard a knock on the door it was Slasher. "Luke what are you doing here?" He then got on his knees and Isabella stood there in shock he then grabbed here left arm. "Isabella you mean the world to me and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, will you marry me?" Her mind was going everywhere she was a blushing mess. "Y-Yes." His face lit up "I have to tell my family you said yes!" She watched him run away she looked down sad and went up to the roof to sit on. "Hello Isa, I heard the good news so why do you look so sad, you waited your whole life to marry Luke, all your dreams are coming true?" Scarlet sighed and then held out her hand. "Mom could you sing my favourite song?" Mom smiled. "Of course I can, anything for you." Mom took a deep breath and the started singing.
"The sparks are the people
Who leave your life
Sometimes making
Our fire burn lower
As they leave,
Does your fire go out when those sparks leave
It truly depends on the fire
As each spark is different
As each fire is different
As each spark is different
We still need support."
Mom looked at Scarlet who was now crying. "How did you know I wasn't real?" Scarlet looked at her crying heavier tears "I knew from the begin, I was just being selfish, I wanted to hold you in my arms longer even though you left me even though you left my little brother Ethan, even though you left Dad I still care about you!" The fake mom got up and gave her a smile "I'll release you out of the dream realm and I hope your true dreams come true." She opened her eyes to see the roots taking her and her teammates out of the forest as soon as they were out the boys woke up Slasher looked at Scarlet. "You're okay!" Scarlet looked up at Slasher and then started tearing up. "No, I'm not I saw my mother."
Slasher walked to her and helped her up saying. "Let us go to the cabin and then you can cry it out there." Scarlet sniffled and decided to walk ahead as she wiped her tears thinking about her future 'What will my future be like?'
[Village Of Awakening]
[Teams Cabin]
After a few minutes they reached back to the Village and walked back to their Cabin, opening with a spare key they had as soon as the door opened they saw that the Cabin had more furniture than when they left. "What the hell!" They all said in sync. Rose walked out of her room eating a popsicle and then looked at the three people at the door. "Where were you guys it's been one month?" Scarlet looked at Rose and blushed with a surprise look. "Oh my god, You're so pretty!" Rose looked shocked and then looked away while saying in an almost silent answer "Thank you." Hider walked up to Rose "This is the first time I'm am seeing your face, you're beautiful." Something in Rose snapped see went close to Hiders' face "It means the world to me if you think I'm pretty, because I'm in love with you, which means you have to go to the Gala with me."
Hider stepped back quickly as the person he worked with for years was gone it was a turn off for him. "What Gala?" Rose quickly pulled out an invitation. "While you guys were gone Slashers' brother Grandmaster Tyler was planning a Gala for the people who had survived the battle and I got the invitation while you guys were on your mission."
"It has been one month since Scarlet, Slasher and Hider went on their mission into the forest to observe the trees actions, not much time in my eyes, to finding out how Rose really looks and acts when she isn't wearing her hood. Now a Gala that will trigger some emotions will be for our next chapter.