Chapter 40 - Break My Stride

Rose ran.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Kaelen reunite with the brothers. Ajax quickly sliced away the bindings at the mage’s wrists so the man could move more easily.

Kaelen looked weak, but not so much that he couldn’t run and the three men charged towards the woods together.

Following the plan, Rose purposely veered away from the trio and into the woods on her right. Her legs pumping as fast as she could move them.

A quick glance told her the demon woman was following her. Arms swinging, the demon was putting everything into catching up to her.

Rose leaned her head down and tried to will herself to move faster. There was still significant distance between the two of them and going into the forest added a variety of obstacles and sight line obstructions. She hoped it would be enough.

There!

She saw the first marking they had left early this morning when they had prepared for today. A bright red splash of colour against the white bark of the birch tree.

This better work Warlock!

As soon as she passed the tree she immediately juked to the left and began running at a ninety degree angle to her previous path through the thick woods.

Taia had a confused look on her face. She wasn’t sure why the rebel would move like that since it only made it easier to catch her as she turned and ran along a path to intercept her as she spotted her movement between the trees.

Taia didn’t miss the red splash on tree as she passed by.

They’re up to something…but what?

She knew she was in the dark about whatever plan this woman was hatching, but she equally knew she didn’t dare stop trying to chase her down. She forced herself to speed up even more, her powerful thighs slamming her feet into the ground as she ran.

Just as the demon thought she was closing in, her path was blocked by a wide set of brambles. She had to go around and she cursed her bad luck.

She caught sight through the trees of the pink ponytail swaying wildly and continued her pursuit.

Just then Rose spotted another marked tree. This one a maple with a splash of yellow.

As soon as she passed it she immediately ran at a ninety degree angle to her right.

What is she doing?!

Taia again moved to intercept her on an angle. Since the rebel had turned, catching up to her should be a little easier.

But a hundred paces later she was again confronted by a veritable wall of thorns a second time.

What?!?

She did her best to get around the obstacle.

Impossible! It’s like she knows…wait! It can’t be! Did they have someone calculate…?!?

All of a sudden Taia realized that each turn made so far had been a little trap to slow her down. These rebels must have prepared for having to flee by marking a trail knowing it would create obstacles.

She smiled as she ran more.

A little trap that only works against those smart enough to try and run the most efficient route. I’m almost more flattered than I am infuriated!

Had she thought about it a little more, she might have realized that despite all of her delays somehow the pink haired rebel wasn’t getting any further away.

If I can just get a little closer I can used my power. Let them play tricks. She can’t outrun me forever. My demonic endurance will catch her eventually.

Rose turned to the right again. Taia didn’t fall for the bait this time and ran past the yellow marked tree before turning to chase her down, following Rose’s exact path this time. It might be slightly inefficient, but in a long distance she knew she would eventually win a race over the same terrain. She wouldn’t make the mistake of trying a short cut again.

Another left.

Then another.

Taia was slowly closing in.

“I saw through your petty ruse, noble daughter!” She yelled towards her prey.

Rose momentarily tripped over a root as she ran, startled by the demon’s accurate description but quickly regained her balance and kept running.

Taia seized the opportunity and closed a bit more distance.

“Not long little girl.” She taunted.

As Taia ran closer to Rose she spotted something in the distance.

Three men were running towards her. Rose’s rebel party.

Idiots! Taia thought. What’s the point of splitting up if you end up running at each other?

She spotted the two soldiers that had been chasing the three men a little ways behind them. Like her, they were catching up to their quarry.

This is perfect. We’ll have them in a pincer.

Just as Rose and the three men from her group seemed ready to crash into one another they all turned simultaneously and ran on a right angle to their previous trajectories together.

Taia could see no obstructions if she turned to intercept them on an angle but she spotted a blue marking on the elm they had just passed and knew this was another trick.

“Follow me!” She yelled towards the soldiers, stopping them from turning early and they quickly fell in line behind her. The newly formed trio continued to give chase in a straight line behind Rose’s party.

If red meant turn left and yellow meant turn right, why was that one blue? She quickly spared a look behind her at the blue marked tree.

Turning her head in that moment cost her the opportunity to notice that all four of those being chased seemed to move strangely, almost like they were hopping stone to stone in a stream, but they all quickly began running at their fastest pace again soon after.

Twenty feet closer! I just need another twenty feet!

She pushed every last bit of strength into her legs.

But just as she was about to close the gap her foot slammed into the ground and…nothing…

Nothing was there.

Her foot broke through the ground and all of a sudden she was falling.

“No!!!!”

The ground collapsed under her and she fell into a deep pit. A deep pit whose opening had been covered in leaves and thin sticks.

She tried to catch herself but it was too late and she spun in mid-air and slammed into the dirt floor of the shaft.

Tarkin and the other solider were too close behind her. They tried to stop their forward momentum but failed and both plunged in after Taia.

Taia landed on her back and had the wind completely knocked out of her. She struggled to draw in a new breath just as Tarkin’s flailing body rammed into her torso face first. For moment she couldn’t see anything but stars.

Cushioned by Taia, Tarkin was relatively unharmed and quickly tried to get up. His blue cheeks turned a shade of purple as he blushed, realizing the compromising position he was now in with the demon. He’d landed with his torso between her legs and his face had had an especially soft landing in what he realized now was dangerous territory.

“Get off me!” Taia yelled as she batted him to the side with her arm after he had paused staring awkwardly while getting up.

She saw the other soldier was knocked out cold. He seemed to have landed at least somewhat on his head.

She looked up and realized that the pit they were in was deep enough that she would have to jump almost twice her height to get out. Too much.

She moved to jump off the side of the dirt shaft but the loose soil crumbled and she realized too late that the pit she was in was too wide to get enough angular momentum for jumping from one side to the next.

There was no quick exit.

It was then that she noticed something at her feet.

A note.

She snatched it up and rapidly scanned its content.

Dear Taia,

I’ll apologize for not visiting you in person to gloat. With that strange ability of yours I’m sure you understand why.

While I’m sure you were confident in your ability to chase down my comrades, I’m equally sure that by now you’ve realized that we’ve used your cleverness and determination against you.

I trust you’ll enjoy your temporary new home. Though I imagine it won’t take you all that long to get free.

Of course, by then my friends will be long gone.

Better luck next time,

Warlock

Taia sighed but smiled.

“Of all the nerve…” She crushed the note in her fist.

“Mam are you ok?”

She sighed again. She knew she was beaten this time.

“Just…just shut up Tarkin and lift me so I can stand on your shoulders.” She said in a thoroughly exasperated tone.

“And don’t you dare look up!”