Rumbling, then a small sizzle and crackle. Blinding a comet whisked, more akin to a beam of fire with legs it raced across the forest floor dispersing all in it's path and before I knew it- To the corner of my sight it struck past. Rising goosebumps, just a gaze barely a hair, knocking me off my feet in a torrent of wind shock.

Thrown in that moment my surroundings escaped me, darkness took its place in an resounding crash.

....

...

.

It was blinding, a typical uncouth, uncaring and way too hot day. Bright and intruding, the sun sometimes was too cruel; no, it always was. Much as my instructor bashed me, formed his conjecture on this and that of my form- It was lost on me in this grueling heat. But it was must, what this demand of me was but a little part in my bigger role I'd play, so I let out a hearty sigh as sweat formed on my brow' "What an amendable spirit, you're ready for more?".. To be mistaken in my deflated relaxation as a prompt readiness- Well, that just shows the plight of my brawned teacher, .."I don't know how you do it." It was honest, what troublesome work, even IF required, even IF all else I had only needed the minimum of sword technique.

And it progressed, the estate ground was often tailored to this by now; much so I became too, as the gradual form of grass and flowers turned more of stages and stands for training. I was the fourth in line, fourth to inherent but only if I could prove my myself. As the crest of the family tradition demands of it, any bearer has to be not only well in mind as in body. What good would someone do who can't even defend themselves?-I'd spat at any notion of otherwise weak-baked doctrine.

Every three years, that was the deadline, on the second already I had only one left till the evaluation tournaments. Wack!"Sh-.." Ah, my legs fell under me and went on my ass. Ugh. Towering over, teacher was by no means a small man; thick and broad was an apt term to describe him. Short cut hair, rather striking features though not unlike my fellow nobility and softened faces to a degree. Despite that he still wasn't of the same breed. He had reached his hand out, I somewhat reluctantly followed. "You seem distracted lady Beth." Alen gave a smile, though it didn't seem belittling. "Ah..' I nodded, "Not distracted. Preoccupie-." ..--

A surge enveloped me I hunched over, falling to my knees. A sharp pain followed down my gut as I started to pant. Then in a fit I coughed, something blue bubbled out reaching for my mouth... Looking up my instructor just stood, and his face was black.

..

...

I gasped. Awake, n the crazed rush hit my head the pain jarred my vision in haze; it was.. Just a dream, a distorted memory, as the pain subsided I came to realize something hung over me, a wetness invaded neck and down my side. In wherever dark recess this was-I-, I tried to find any avenue of where I was, putrid smells wafted, trying to roll to the side caused an involuntary gag. It was hard to move as I saw chips of wood and splinter sprinkled over my chest and legs.

Then- Dripping muck fell onto my face' something like slime I nearly screamed. ".." But I caught tongue, as I tried not to notice. But it was apparent, dampening my surroundings like a tomb was just that' in the absence of feeling the numbness tickled at my knee and below. Searing the pain clicked on as I succumbed to the reality; this damned thing, it was a log and somehow I had fell into its hollowed grasp with it my leg snared by its weight.

Judging by the marks around me. I must've fallen sideways taken back as the light struck. In someway it threw me here, that was all I had anything more alluded me, I could barely make out the surroundings past the crumpled cracks and body sized hole. But not from the absence of light but my straining sight... I didn't.. know how long I was out, but I knew it wasn't for long.. I could tell that much.

My body seemed overly heavy and cold, almost like a limp. Pins and needles ran up and down my arm and side. I had been running, past.. The cuts and bush, dammed spells' Taking a brief look my ensnared leg too had been bleeding, noticing now I could spot a trickle at my neck-. I was loosing too much blood. If I passed out...

..

Gritting her teeth, the accumulative pain started to chill and overcame with the rising urge to sleep... "Ah.. So, this is what it feels like.." Beth softly spoke, remaining as she was, stagnant not flailing about, nor did panic ensue. What else was there at this point, it had became par for the course impending death had swayed over her since the moment she came. Showing no signs of wanting to cease, lest she failed to check there hadn't been no choice in the matter. Beth sighed, "I shouldn't wallow."

I had done my own share of pain, so had this demented place, washing up as a corpse-- I can't let it come to that, "After-all, master didn't give me permission to die." A smile escaped as Beth unwittingly closed her eyes, taken back the almost welcoming sensation took over. It was strange, it was hard to shake as it rubbed all over, calling too sleep despite all that happened; one's mind wasn't always the wisest, as the log now seemed to morph into a comfortable bedside. Resisting the urge Beth reached for her satchel, the wounds needed to be stopped.

It wasn't there. Leaning up much as she could, a lump formed in Beth's throat the satchel didn't rest at the hip. And more the straps had been torn. Looking around it wasn't inside the coffin like crevice. Nor was it clear when the inevitable would respark and those beasts would return... Beth didn't want tear off her dirtied garb just asking for an infection. The bag couldn't have gone far, despite the risk it needed to be done.. Just one issue bore down, literally the log needed to be moved.

In a deep sigh Beth looked to her hand, still held her remaining weapon, clutching it since coming too. In the lull of thought in the absent moment, it was almost cathartic as the murmurs of ambiance began from soft mumbles to a rising tempo. From outside the hole raindroplets began to fall, digesting the situation, Beth quickly lodged the blade by her leg underside the log to pry free. Keeping the blade in place, Beth dug up the surrounding dirt much as possible before returning to the sword's hilt, in a groan the wood creaked as Beth leaned with her weight.

The blade cut deeper, pivotig just enough Beth scrambled barely scraping her leg free. Flopping back the blade fell, with it the log. Lines of skin rash and wood streaks but.. It wasn't chopped off, much as Beth wanted to take a moment thanking bastards above- She couldn't Just as in due, the small price of her leg and the rain started it's tune. It would be hard finding the satchel in storm embrace, or worse the medical supplies drenched, swept away.

In the wake of numbness, and loss of sensation Beth steeled herself, took the sword crawling out of the cracked hole. Relative warmth vanished as clutches of cold rain pierced though skin, still it somehow soothed the burn and inplace of lost feeling gave sanctuary for it...

By now the obscuring fog dissapated laying feetside than fuckeverywhere, in all visibility still remained low in absence of it. Lest it fooled you, the forest seemed different; changed in the onset of rain, chaining one chasity for another. There was a notable silence, set apart from Beth's own breathing. For now the coast seemed clear, the looming beasts hadn't yet come or decided otherwise. Though all that rested on uncertainty.

Smeared the pathing was shred, her body outlined though muck and foilage. If they had, just tempted a look there'd be no doubt they would come in expectant of some skewered corpse or in mangled mess. Beth more lurched than any semeblance of walk- That dammned Shaman, or whatever the hell beast title it had' was a weilder of magic. Beth scorned the thought as trickles of rain began to soften her back in a wet rush... To top it off, the same lumbering hobbits had something she lacked, a knowledge in magic. Stumbling in the trail of her wake, it hadn't taken long more to the matter it was simply pain stakingly carved in every inch.

Then there it was hanging, the satchel snagged and torn from differing branches. Wasting no time with the oncoming weather Beth dropped to what seemed like cleaninng ointment and bandages. Muck and mud began to fill the surroundigns, though the immediate area had secured shelter in a thick toppled log. It wasn't the wisest to sit in plain sight- Much less in the path towards beasts, trying not to beckon death Beth crawled into the recesses on the path's edge.

It was a tiny relief, the bandages were still wrapped in their parcels, the antibacterial faired similar treatmet.

...

Icy pain, that was in the least a sign, it was working having cleaned my leg, stomach. It brought back reality, wrapping and the ointment weren't truly enough, covering my eye was just a catchstop to a more serious lying problem... There was no point in fighting- Luckily I had clear view beyond the tree tops of the end marker. It was hard to discern but, it remained constant in this hellish place a massive spire of fire and stone.. It would be difficult enough reaching there, doubly so now.

In a short exale Beth could feel the tear, her cuts widening and retractig in each shallow breath. "Junas had said this place didn't exist for mortals, it was something else.. " That old man, what was he up too? Resting her back on a tree Beth regained her strength, if all he said was no doubt true, the astral plane was lethal for long peroids of time. Tearing down one's own body, their core and reshaping it? Some of it was lost on me but, the oddities were shown. If it weren't for the strangness of this place... I'd be dead.

It was basic of me, but etching the trees had gained some insight to this demented forest. Warping or what be it, almost had a mind of its own. It seemingly did as it pleased, for now I couldn't quite figure out. But still I felt them as if it was inbedded somehow. Was that the reason those hobbits were surpised, even calling me a.. Demon? A tad laughable considering the visage of those beasts.

Beth rubbed her eye counting the possible answers, they didn't wish to tell nor had the trees spoke their secrets. But time waited for no one not even her, for now the area laid quiet it would be stupid to wait.

It was time to move.

...