"Krista?!" Ymir's voice echoed across the Great Hall in the silence following the scream. She knocked over her chair in a scramble to the doors to the rest of the castle. Eren, Armin, and several others ran after her.
"Everyone please calm down! Professor Zacharius will take control of the situation and – " said Professor Smith. Before he finished, Eren was out of earshot.
"Which way did they go?" Eren asked Armin.
"I'm not sure… Wait. Are these muddy boot prints?"
"That's what they look like. Where do they go?"
They followed the tracks into the entrance hall and down the steps to the dirt path.
"I don't see them, so they probably went into the forest," said Armin.
"Should we split up?" asked Eren.
"No. That's not a good idea. Do you have your wand?"
"Yeah. You?"
Armin pulled his 10-inch reed wand out of his robes to show Eren.
"Good. Let's go."
They ran to the tree line and slowed down. They would have to be a little more cautious now that they had passed the tree line.
"Any idea where they went from here?" whispered Eren in the darkness.
"No. Your guess is as good as mine," Armin breathed back.
They walked forward until they reached a path. They followed the path deeper into the woods until they heard the soft crunching of horses on dry leaves.
Eren stopped in his tracks. Armin grabbed his arm. They looked at each other as if to say it's them! Be quiet so they don't see us. We're going to sneak up behind and take her back. They nodded at each other and readied their wands.
They ran as quietly as they could down the path until they saw a large covered wagon pulled by a tall, black horse. They nodded to each other as a signal to go, and sprinted to the back of the wagon. When Eren tore open the fabric covering the wagon, he saw Krista, tied up and gagged. He climbed into the wagon to get her.
"Eren…" Armin started, too late.
A hand reached out from next to Krista and lifted the man's disillusionment charm. He held his wand up to Krista's temple and said "don't come any closer or she dies."
Eren stood up in the wagon bed, hands level with his head, wand in clear sight.
"Eren! Get out of there!" called Armin from the trail behind them.
"I need to rescue Krista!" Eren called back.
Krista's kidnapper turned his wand so it was pointed at Eren. At the same time, she turned and bumped her hip into his groin as hard as she could. He bent over in pain, still managing to point his wand at Eren. Krista widened her eyes as if to say go.
Eren jumped out the back of the wagon and rolled on the leaf-covered path. He ran back to Armin. They needed a better plan.