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Copyrighting not intended
"Go Go Go!" Asuna yelled as she deflected yet another laser.
The frightened pair behind her took off as fast as their injuries would let them. With a heavy swing, Asuna decapitated the monstrous demon, watching as it sizzled into nothing.
"Tch" Asuna flicked her blade, cleaning it, before taking off after the pair.
Out of the 4 pairs she had found, half of them had their tags burnt off. The more agile ones managed to keep their tags, but they refused to leave their partner behind. Since screaming and shaking them didn't work, Asuna settled on gathering everyone at the center of the forest before figuring out what to do next, as previously planned with Setsuna and Kaede.
She soon caught up with the pair, stopped underneath a large tree. Their injuries had caught up with them, one having suffered injuries to his legs. His partner couldn't support him any longer and they were having a heated argument about separating
"Come on!" Asuna stressed, grabbing the boy's arm "We gotta move"
"Leave me." he cried "I'm dead weight"
"And you'd be dead if we left you here, numbskull!" Asuna heaved him on her back "What happened to not leaving your partner"
The boy was silent, and Asuna carried him all the way to the center, where Kaede was waiting with around 10 pairs of students.
"Asuna-dono. I've gotten everyone i could find out de-gozaru" Kaede gently lifted the injured student off Asuna's back, passing him to the mages for healing
"We can't hold out for long de-gozaru" Kaede whispered "We have to get out of here, the mages can't hold out for long de-gozaru"
"Setsuna?" Asuna leaned back on her hands, breathing heavily
"She left a while ago, looking for more people de-gozaru" Kaede replied "How are we going to get them back to school?"
Asuna frowned. Its been a while since they separated. Konoka should have notified the dean about the situation already. Asuna was getting worried, and there was no use lying about it. They had to formulate a plan, fast. Once Setsuna gets back, the demons will be close behind.
"All right, here's the plan. Those who are injured will use the remaining switches we have to get back. The rest of us will hold out here until the school sends help." Asuna stood up and faced the group.
"Its useless. The school can't reach here." one of the girls panicked "If they could, the would be here by now!"
"No.. They can't send a rescue ship because they think we're all scattered. To find us pair by pair in this forest will be catastrophic for them. If we can get someone to tell them our location, they can send a rescue squad immediately." Asuna responded firmly.
The students looked at each other, not knowing who to send back. In the end, with help from Kaede, it was decided that the most badly injured ones will be send back first together. Their only form of communications was an emergency telepathy spell set up between two mages. The remaining students were to stay behind and survive until rescue came. The forest fell silent once the students were sent back, leaving the remainder worrying about what happens next. A gentle breeze blew, the calm before a storm.
"This is the worst" Asuna grumbled after they sent the students back, keeping a few switches just in case Setsuna brought back badly injured students. "What kind of a field trip is this?"
A rustle among the leaves caught their attention, and everyone fell silent, grabbing their weapons. Before anything appeared, the deafening roar of an engine tore through the silence, a giant shadow cast over them.
"Asuna-san! Kaede-san!" a young child-like voice called out over the noise
Looking up, Asuna flashed a wide grin "Negi!"
The young wizard threw down a rope ladder, the flimsy ladder flying dangerously in the wind. Asuna dodged the edge of the ladder at it came towards her, feeling the coarse rope dig into her hands as she held it firmly. Kaede threw 4 shinais, pinning the ladder to the ground. Asuna dug her feet into the ground, fighting against the wind churned up by the hovering ship.
"Climb!" Asuna roared over the noise created by the ship
One by one, the students scrambled up the ladder as fast as they could. Asuna winced each time someone stepped on her fingers in their attempt to board the ship, but didn't let go of the ladder. Negi held out his staff and cast a quick levitation spell, lifting students who were unable to climb the ladder due to injuries. As Kaede climbed the ladder, Asuna turned her attention in the direction where the bushes first rustled, frowning.
"Asuna-san! Hurry!" Negi called out from the ship, his voice barely audible over the wind "The situation is getting worse."
Just before she could reply, three figures stumbled out of the bushes, a horde of demon right behind them. Asuna watched as two girls rand towards her, Setsuna just behind them. Setsuna dodged a blow from the demons, Yunnagi in her hand. Someone laid upon Setsuna's back, unconscious, hindering Setsuna's ability to fight.
"Asuna! GO!" Setsuna yelled, leaping to the side to avoid another swing "Get them out of here! I'll buy you some time!"
"But.." Asuna hesitated, her fingers gripping the hilt of her sword.
"There's no time! GO!" Setsuna repeated, Yunnagi just barely blocking a blow from the demons, the impact causing the goo to splatter and shower over the swordsman, creating burning blisters.
Asuna hurried the two students up the ladder, before she sliced through the ropes holding the ladder to the ground, gasping as the ladder jerked away from the ground. The rushing wind stung her eyes as the ship began to ascend, the ladder being pulled up.
"SETSUNA!" Asuna screamed into the wind, blinded
The roars of the demons filled the air as Negi and Kaede pulled Asuna aboard the ship. Asuna stuck her head out the door of the ship, frantically looking for a glimpse of the dark-haired girl
"Asuna!" Kaede pulled the pig-tailed girl back into the ship, Negi closing the door after her. "What are you doing?"
"Open that door!" Asuna demanded "Setsuna is out there!"
"We can't!" one of the soldiers board protested "We have to get out of the demons' range of attack!"
"But Setsuna-san..." Negi trailed off, his eyes on the window on the door
He ran over and looked through the glass, a wide smile on his face. Kaede and Asuna went over, sighing in relief as they saw what Negi had seen
"Can take care of herself de-gozaru" Kaede finished Negi's sentence.
Outside the window, a small speck could be seen dashing through the trees, a large horde of demons not far behind. Asuna yanked the door open without warning, causing a rush of wind to burst through the cabin.
"SETSUNA!" Asuna yelled over the wind and noise
For a brief second, their eyes met, Asuna's mis-colored eyes and Setsuna's tired ones. Setsuna broke of the contact and took a glace, behind, frowning as the horde of demons chased her relentlessly. Asuna threw down the rope, the end of it trailing behind slightly. The ship surged forward, pulling the rope ladder along until it trailed beside Setsuna. Setsuna's left hand darted out and caught the ladder, twisting it to ensure she didn't lose her grip as Asuna and the rest pulled her up.
"SETSUNA-SAN!" Negi shouted his voice laced with worry "LOOK OUT!"
Setsuna turned just in time to see an acidic projectile fly towards her. It was too late to react. The bullet hit the rope just above her hand, narrowly missing it. However, the goo dripped down over Setsuna's hand, burning through the rope and searing flesh. The two dropped to the ground, Setsuna losing her balance and tumbling for a few feet, disappearing underneath the foliage. Asuna looked frantically for Setsuna' location, only to pull back when a blob of acid burned a hole in the metal hull of the ship.
The metal ship pulled higher into the sky, narrowly escaping the demons, who had turned their attention to the escape vessel. The rope ladder had been severed, and the pilots couldn't get any lower. It seemed that all hope was lost. Silence fell across the ship, only the sounds of the turning engine could be heard. Some were worried, some couldn't care less, it seemed like a hopeless situation for the two.
"Asuna-dono! Over there!" Kaede pointed out the door.
Poking their heads out, Asuna and Negi grinned widely. Soaring in front of them, on pure white wings, was Setsuna. She cradled the unconscious student in her arms, careful not to damaged her hand any further. She began to pull back, struggling to stabilize as the ship drew near. Kaede reached out and pulled Setsuna into the ship, closing the door behind them.
Negi hurriedly lifted the student from Setsuna's arms and allowed the soliders on board to perform emergency first aid. Asuna laid her eyes on her friend, catching her as Setsuna's knees buckled below her. Asuna pulled her into a side cabin and sat her on the bed.
"Setsuna.. you were saving.. Saito..?" Asuna whispered, having gotten a good long look at the unconscious girl Setsuna has brought in.
"We had to save as many as we could." Setsuna replied "It doesn't matter who."
"You risked your life to save a girl that tortures you every single day!" Asuna raised her voice, angry "What the hell were you thinking?"
Setsuna remained quiet, closing her eyes "I'm not like her. I won't leave her behind just because she deems it enjoyable to bully people.
Asuna calmed down, knowing that she wouldn't have left Saito behind either. "Did you.."
"No." Setsuna replied "She was already out when I found them."
Nodding, Asuna heaved a sigh of relief. "Get some rest. you look tired. I'll treat your wounds later."
Setsuna nodded slowly as Asuna closed the door behind her. Falling back onto the bed, Setsuna stared at the ceiling with half-lidded eyes, her burnt hand hanging off the edge of the bed. She struggled to keep her eyes open, knowing that once she gave in, she wouldn't be cable to wake anytime soon.
Sorry for the long wait! I'm really busy with school now. Final weeks of the semester