"It's always good to run a decent distance everyday as it keeps you fit, healthy and helps you lose weight"
Those were the words my friend told me in the past in a bid to get me exercising. Well currently I am running but less for getting fit and more for survival. For those who may of forgotten why I shall remind you.
Coming up from practice in the elevator I was greeted by a beautiful but dangerous sight. The girls were in the middle of changing and I had caught them in various states of undress, these girls were Noire, Neptune and Vert to be specific.
So now they want to murder, dismember and destroy me. Not in that order.
Taking a sharp corner I use a convenient pipe to swing myself round and continue on without losing any speed. The girls came flying, literally, round the corner and were still gaining on me no matter how fast I ran.
Running into the stairwell I vaulted over a short bar and after jumping down the stairs to the next platform I started running down that corridor.
Pumping my arms furiously in a fruitless attempt to run faster I shot down the corridor without risking looking behind me for fear that they were right behind me.
"Those stairwells are my only chance for getting some distance between me and them" I thought desperately taking corners as fast as I could.
Feeling confident that I had managed to put some distance between us I looked behind me to see Black Heart starting to swing her sword at me, a look of pure murder on her face. Who would of guessed that girls get really pissed if you see them in their underwear?
Managing to jump forward I felt the tip of her blade nick my back with the tip and it felt like fire had spread through my system.
"Stop it!" I half shouted half cried out in pain as I stumbled and started running again.
"No! You need to repent!" Black Heart shouted back as she started her chase again. Green Heart behind her but I couldn't see where Purple Heart had gotten too.
As I neared the stairwell I felt something pull me back slightly and I can guess that was The Author as a spear buried itself where my head was originally, leaving the wall it was buried in heavily cracked.
Quickly jumping down the stairs again I started off again before I remembered when I saw Black Heart and Green Heart. Where was Purple Heart?
Suddenly with an almighty crash Purple Heart broke through the roof and grabbed me by my shirt before I could dodge her.
"Uh hey darling you're looking amazing today?" I tried but the animalistic growl I got back told me I was still in trouble and no amount of flattery and flirting would save me.
She reeled her arm back before whipping it forward, letting go at the optimal point to launch me through the window.
"That girl seriously needs to play baseball or something" I thought as I continued on my journey through the sky. "Hey wait wasn't this like in my story "Shadow of Ash"? Just Purple Heart is throwing me not a weird monster creature"
I also noticed that unlike the creature Purple Heart thrown me over the wall surrounding Planeptune which was a hell of a lot further than that creature in "Shadow of Ash" threw that version of me.
Suddenly my whole world suddenly started flipping and spinning without control and I managed to catch a glimpse of the top of a mountain. The tip looked like it had been smashed off so it would be accurate to say I had hit the tip of that mountain.
Eventually after many more collisions with different objects I came to a screeching halt in a forest, tearing up a furrow among the dirt, grass and trees.
Slowly getting up I examined my surroundings. The forest I crashed into was dark and I don't mean no lights on dark. It was like a cave everywhere but where I was standing. No light penetrated the canopy and I could hear the faint sounds of birds, they sounded an awfully lot like crows back on Earth.
Deciding that the best path was to go forward, instead of trying to climb the mountain, I set off carefully minding where I put my feet. Didn't want to fall into a trap when I don't have anyone to help me as the girls had thrown me so far away and so fast I doubt they will find me anytime soon.
-30 minuets of walking later-
"Okay seriously? This forest is like the never ending staircase in Mario 64" I muttered, pulling myself over a large root sprouting from the ground.
"Halt!" I hear someone shout and I froze up looking for the source of the voice. The voice sounded feminine but traps may be a thing in this world.
"And you are?"
"I shall ask the questions!" The voice retorted, I still could not locate the exact location of the voice. "This grove is a sacred place left undisturbed until thou came along. Does thou do what thoust hast come to do from which thou comes to do what thoust must does?"
"Uh what?" I replied still trying to process what she just said
"Yes or no mother fucker?" She replied with a growl.
"Yes?" I replied confused "I don't even know what I've come to do"
"Of course that ist to be expected of ye" The voice replied but closer, pivoting round quickly I was greeted by a girl. She looked about my age, I'm eighteen, and had white skin with dark green eyeshadow. Her eyes were of a similar shade of green and her hair... Yeah you get the picture. "I am Caroline Birch"
"You look a hell of a lot younger than what I originally thought you would look" I blurted out before mentally slapping myself "Thomas Fletcher pleased to meet you"
"While your manners mayst be lacking you hast been awaited" Caroline replied "I am the guardian druid and the Great Tree hast requested you come and converse with it. Come"
She walked into the forest without a second word or even looking back.
"You know something tells me I've just stumbled upon a new party member" I muttered before following after her.
'What makes you say that?' The Author spoke up
"Her unique appearance. In an anime she would be my second guess at the main character / important character. First place would be the guy with spiky red hair" I replied hopping over a few roots so I got level with Caroline.
"So tell me. Howst did thou reach here? We are surrounded by high mountains" Caroline spoke up.
"I was thrown by a goddess" I replied with an awkward smile
"So howst you survive? I wouldst assume you would of died after angering a goddess" Caroline responded.
"Well first I had actually angered three goddess and I survived because I am linked to their power. That's why she threw me as if I was not linked I doubt she would of thrown me" I replied.
"That link may assist you in the challenges that may lie ahead if The Great Tree deems you worthy" Caroline replied. This woman barely seems interested in me so I stayed quiet.
After a short walk we came to a clearing where one massive and I mean massive tree stood. Branches spread out still blocking the light from touching the ground but there were no trees between us and the giant tree.
"I am the Great Tree" A thunderous voice announced "And you hast been prophesied about in the scrolls of truth"
"Um... Ok?" I replied scratching the back of my head. This was too weird for my liking.
"When the evil witch returnest a warrior wielding many blades shall appear from over the mountains and will lay waste to her captain, who hast poisoned the old forest" it announced slowly before a deep chuckle emitted from the tree. "You came from overst the mountain and the evil witch hast indeed returned. Her captain has already spread its poison among my outer trees to kill them off and erect buildings made of metal and stone"
'He said erect' The Author snickered but I chose to ignore him and think on the prophesy.
"Now all that ist needed is that you have many blades and slay the captain plaguing my forest so I may take my eternal rest" The tree grumbled.
"Pardon my interruption" Caroline spoke up "Thist boy has no weapons, only great strength and endurance"
"I take offence that you think I'm just a boy" I muttered nursing my wounded pride.
"I thinkst he truly has more weapons than he lets on" The Great Tree replied "First head to the Northern part of the forest as my trees tell me they have uncovered something my trees kept hidden for a very long time. Take it into your possession for it will aid you in your task. Then travel to the western side, where the sun rises, and you will find the evil witches captain"
"Sure" I replied still not overly confident but what the heck. I'll need something to do while the girls calmed down enough to let me come back without murdering me on the spot.
"Caroline, you will accompany him on his journey" The Great Tree continued.
"Of course it will be done" She replied. Before briskly walking in a direction "Come along warrior we must save the forest and gather the gear you require"
With a shrug I followed behind her, something tells me that "supply drop" the Author mentioned may be what the Great Tree mentioned.
-10 minuets later-
"We are here" Caroline announced crouching low among the grass.
Taking cover behind a tree I looked out to see a group of robots busy around what I could only assume was an excavation site and just coming from the hole was a robotic hand outstretched as if to grab something.
"Hey Author is this that supply drop you told me about?" I asked him counting all the robots I could see, there were only four, completely ignoring something Caroline was saying.
'Yeah.. I was going to hide it until much later but this is too perfect of a moment to reveal it' He replied 'Question is how are you going to get to it'
"The usual way, charging in" I replied before coming back into reality as Caroline was just finishing up.
"That wouldst be our best plan of attack, didst thou understand?" She asked looking at me.
"Uh no but when in doubt improvise!" I replied before dashing towards the bots as she shouted in shock and frustration.
Forming my katana I brought it down on the bots neck, cleaving it off without much trouble. Jumping towards the next one it took a couple more hits but it still died without having a chance to hit me back.
"These things must be the same level as me!" I smirked as Caroline ran up and decimated the one I was going to attack next, she wielded a scythe like it weighed nothing, easily tearing the robot apart.
The scythe looked rather similar to Ruby Rose's scythe. Only difference it was completely made of wood and the blade was glowing a slight blue colour.
"Thoust fool! These robots get stronger with every one that falls. And as that one is the last one of the four that were left around here.." She hissed before pointing at the robot as it slowly grew bigger and looked like something out of Pacific Rim.
Four. FOUR. health bars filled up and the words "mini boss" floated above its head.
"Oops" I managed to say as it punched me.
Now who here watches anime fights? Now don't be shy raise your hands. Okay so you know that scene you see sometimes when one of the characters are hit and they are launched flying through multiple trees? Yeah that is me right now. 10 trees and I'm only now slowing down.
Did I block the punch with my katana? Yes I did. Did it help? No it did not. Do I have so many regrets not listening to Bitch Birch? No I do not this is kind of fun in a non-masochistic way.
Hitting the final tree I felt it slowly collapse from the force I hit it with. I just managed to roll out of the way so it didn't crush me.
"Will thoust listen to me now?" Caroline shouted from above me so looking up I could see her infuriated face glaring at me from a short distance away.
"Yes mum what's the plan?" I replied sarcastically getting up and changing to dual swords.
"As I am the higher level I shalt sneak around it and kill it. Thoust must distract it for me" she replied and without waiting for a reply set off again.
"I really need to talk to her about agreeing on plans" I muttered before remembering that I didn't listen to her plan originally and I need to start distracting the robot.
Running out I waved my arms to catch its attention before I tried insulting it.
"Hey Tin-can its recycling day today and you need to go!" I shouted. Not my best insult but I've never insulted a robot before so cut me some slack.
It seemed to do the trick as it swung at me again. I just managed to skip to the side and dig the blades into its arm as it passed by.
Now I don't know if you've grabbed a train as its moving really quickly but it feels like my arms are being ripped out of their sockets right now so that should give you an accurate idea how it feels. Don't try this at home. Or at a train station.
Pulling myself up I managed to see its arm rear back to squash me on its arm, so I let go and grabbed onto its knee caps as it slammed its other hand into where I hung before.
"Caroline any time now!" I shouted.
Right on cue she jumped from the branches of a tree and attacked the robots head ferociously. Within a few short moments the robot fell down before poofing into pixels.
"Now let us see whatever they found" Caroline exclaimed walking towards the hole.
"Sure lets do that... Next chapter bye for now guys and girls" I winked. You guys must hate these occasional cliffhangers.