Crossover Escape: Gotta be more than Lucky to survive

2.5 Through the Woods

Luca jumped to a branch in the next tree, and it moved under his weight. Considering the branch was easily as round as dinner plate Luca hadn’t been expecting any movement from it. It was only when the trees smaller branches tried to wrap around his waist the Luca realised that it wasn’t a problem of his weight but rather a matter of the tree’s intention. Deep regret not getting a full explanation of the problems in the woods from Help.

“It’s an Ent, get out of there.” Help shouted as they took to the air from Luca’s pocket. Luca flipped out of the encroaching branches to another tree. At which point as he landed the rest of the forest came decided that it wanted in on the fun.

[Lucky: This is like extreme jump rope.] Luca muttered as he dodged the moving branches while still trying to get through the woods.

[Rӓv: that sounds anti-fun. I’m not coming towards you then.]

[Tails: That sounds better than what I’ve got. Ten hysterical idiots, Declan’s group, and a pack of wolves on our heels.]

[Rӓv: I take it back; Tails and Holly clearly have the market on anti-fun. Wow.]

[Lucky: What wow?] Luca flipped in place and slashed out with one of the two fae swords. The branch flinched away. Luca raised a brow well know. Good swords. Luca landed on a large bolder and looked at the branches as they wiggled around in the air.

[Rӓv: You know, I actually think that heading to Luca suddenly seems like a really good idea.] Luca watched as the branches wove themselves into a cage and started to close in on him. He didn’t know what the others had encountered but it must be bad for his situation to be an improvement.

[Lucky: Help do you know why the ah… tree monsters are trying to catch me?]

“Ent’s need to eat to” Help was outside the circle of branches and called towards Luca as he looked for a way in. Every time he moved the branches closed together keeping him out.

[Lucky: Naturally in a world with monsters even the trees want to eat people.]

“The elders used to say that in the land of Twilight if its dead it might eat you, if it moves it will eat you and if it’s still it’s probably thinking about eating you, so don’t ever think you’re safe since that’s when they’ll strike.” Help managed to shoot through a gap and rushed to Luca’s side. Luca in turn slashed at any branches that tried to close in on him.

[Lucky: What a lovely saying it is, just as pretty as parental warnings about paedophiles and serial killers.]

[Ghost: Next time we just kill people.]

[Tails: Would definitely be the lesser evil.]

[Rӓv: Wait what? The comparison was concerning but what did Help say.]

[Holly: Yeah huh?] Luca checked the map and noted that that the markers for his friends was headed in towards him.

[Lucky: I’d really like a map.] General topography would be enough this running blind is just going to have us bumbling into different types of hostile territories. Luca no sooner finished the thought when a sharp pain spread from his right bicep up to his neck and then pierced his skull. Luca found himself looking down over a sprawling wild continent. It looked like a real continent and yet like a game map at the same time as different areas were highlighted in different colours and labelled.

Coven Territory, Pack Grounds, Fae Enclave, and Ent Forest the list went on and on when Luca looked at the Dwarf cavern’s though he caught a glimpse of hope. Dwarfs and gnomes were the sort commonly associated with inventions and technology in myth and fantasy; it seemed if they could investigate there, they may find answers about the box. A clear idea on how to get home. Luca wasn’t a fan of just trying to rush back in and hope for the best. He refused to believe that there would be a place where Rӓv couldn’t get information. If nothing else, it was not in the immediate vicinity of the territories of the three main races hunting them.

Luca jolted in place and almost stumbled off the rock. As he blinked his eyes back into focus he found himself staring at the Fae sword as it fought. In the air. By itself. The second sword was circling around Luca clearly defending against any little branch that wanted to get close.

“Lucky? Lucky? Are you okay?” Help hovered anxiously in front of Luca’s face and Luca shook his head and then nodded as he spoke.

[Lucky: I’m fine just saw something.]

[Tails: world overview?]

[Ghost: Da.]

[Rӓv: Serious what is going on with you three.]

[Lucky: No time, let’s get moving or we’ll get caught.] considering the pain he’d felt from his arm Luca was willing to attribute the vision and possibly the translation to the crystals, but he had no intention of saying that out loud. Bad enough that some of the humans know who’d gotten the crystals he had absolutely no intention of giving any hints to the monsters.

[Holly: Easy for you to say the rest of us haven’t stopped yet.] Luca noticed that their markers were in fact some distance ahead of him now. Luca shrugged and raised a hand to try and grasp the defending sword. Since the seemed to be set on protecting him he didn’t think they’d harm him later and if they did so be it, he’d be dead without them.

The sword came easily to hand and Luca jumped from the rock and started running. He stretched his other hand out and the second sword came to his grasp easily. Luca took off at a steady lope not trying to fight the Ent’s he didn’t begrudge them their instincts and he was the one who’d wandered in but he had no intention of being there next meal.

Luca didn’t know how long he’d run for before the trees stopped moving. Still he was grateful to lesson his exertion. Though now that he considered it, he didn’t even really feel tired. In fact Rӓv, Holly and Tails had both been talking fine even though they’d admitted to being chased. We all had good stamina, but it should have been impossible to outrun wolves.

Luca looked at the darkened sky as he cleared the trees. They had to have been moving for at least 24 hours maybe longer considering the time cycle Tails had gone through in the punishment level. We should be tired.

[Lucky: Is anyone tired?]

[Rӓv: I’m good.]

[Tails: Fine.]

[Holly: No problems.]

[Ghost: Is strange.]

[Rӓv: What’s strange. And would you stop it with the truncated sentences speak properly damnit.]

[Ghost: I’m Russian.] Luca glanced at the markers again and realised he’d overtaken their positions in his straight run. Though from the angle of their approached they would reach him shortly.

[Rӓv: Your just making cracks at interpretations with that act. We all know you can pitch that accent anytime you like.]

[Ghost: Fish bite well.] Ghost chuckled after he spoke in a perfectly bland tone. Luca looked at the river that stretched out before and winced.

[Lucky: I’m staring at a large river so we may have to find how literal that is yet.]

[Ghost: No one chasing now. Turned back as we entered the forest.]

[Lucky: Mind the Ent’s.]

[Tails: Noticed that. The wolves turned back as well.]

“It is the deepest dark where all things must rest. Until the time comes to hunt again.” Help fluttered down and landed on Luca’s shoulder. Luca nodded slowly as he put the swords away. “The elementals wander now and those caught unsheltered are subject to their whims.”

“That doesn’t sound pleasant.” Luca spoke in time to Ghost and Tails as they arrived on the riverbank. Rӓv Looked frustrated that she couldn’t understand while Holly was eyeing the ragged group behind him in the original description Luca had guessed there to be about fifteen people now there was only seven.