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The last vivid images she could recall as she tumbled through the air were the blackish pus that burst out from the punctured globes. Then, pellets of murky and foul-smelling fluid were raining upon her, even as the infuriated howls thundered against her eardrums. Several times, she took a beating on her flanks as the infuriated willow lashed out blindly. As the ground flew towards her, she wrapped her arms around her head groaned as her elbows hit the earth, rolling away as swiftly as she could away from the thrashing creature.
Amidst the chaos, she thought she saw Jared’s look of despair as if he were hunting for something… yes! Her mind regained orientation sharply.
Her sword… where was it?
In the distance, it winked at her seductively. She winced as she dragged her bruised body across the earth, wriggling whenever she felt a presence near her feet. The gooey mucus made her retch, but there was nothing for it now but to get to that blasted blade. Head throbbing, she forced herself into a crouching position now, momentarily surveying her own injuries before having to duck as yet another branch took a swing at her head.
The ground was shaking so tremendously, she wondered if the blow she had dealt had been mortal enough. Hurry up! Yes, this was no time to be pensive… the greater the danger, the quicker they would have to react. Inhaling deeply, she flung herself onto the marshy surface again and rolled herself towards the longsword, holding on to it for dear life.
Jared was nowhere in sight now.
Why stay on, when you don’t know if he’s already been killed? The cold and logical words of Adele rang in her ears, and her heart wavered. But the image of a lanky lad with blond hair and a guileless grin flashed across her mind. Rehan… he would not do that.
Suddenly, she blushed for herself. You cannot leave until you are sure, Acacia.
Pushing the memory of her earlier battle with the bandits aside, she stood up. Bringing the weight of her arms and blade upon the boughs that advanced upon her, she continued to hack and slash at any tendril she saw, until she was panting for breath and her arms were sore with exertion. Still she persevered, blotting out any negative thoughts and mindlessly tearing away at her foe.
If I ever live through this…
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