Fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!
We just escaped and he’s already hot on our heels with dozens of men ready to chain us back up.
I wouldn't go back- couldn’t go back. Not again. My body was screaming at me to stop moving and to rest, but that wasn’t an option. I’ve been waiting so long for this one moment.
The sight of them all chilled me to my core. There was no way we could handle them. Not as we were.
I felt someone shake me, bringing me out of my fever-induced thought loop. That person was the sea prince Rak-li, who looked just as panicked.
“Snap out of it Aku! I know it's scary but we need to get out of here if we are going to get through this my friend!” He screamed at me.
Rak was right. I needed to keep it together to keep myself out of Tokar’s grasp.
But where would we go? Ceterra must be far gone by now. The beach in general is infested, and if we went running to hide in Rao they would most likely pick us off one by one from the air.
Our best bet, I judged, would have to be the huge jungle: deeper into enemy lands. Perhaps a jungle of nothing but giant creatures that eat people? Who knows.
Of the options, it seemed least likely to get us killed immediately, which certainly was a plus.
“Aku?! We are running out of time, we need to move!” Now both Rak, and the new girl yelled at me, seemingly in unison. The pouli men were closing in.
I shook myself unfrozen.
“Head towards the jungle. It's the only place to go,” I finally replied to them.
We all used our abilities to travel as fast as possible up the hill and towards the vast green; my feet aflame yet again, the new girl flying through the air with her wings, and Rak sliding up the hill with his water.
I looked behind and they were almost to where the chasm to the prison would have been. I felt like I might throw up, I was that anxious, but I kept pushing forward.
I can’t die here. I can’t. I owe it to my village, to all the villages like mine.
Their slaughterers deserve retribution.
We made it over the hill and stopped our abilities as we leaped and rolled down into the brush.
Once we had all rolled into cover, the girl activated her ability and the jungle covered our bodies with the nature around us. The flapping of wings and screaming orders directly above us was deafening as they scrambled to locate us. Eventually however, it seemed the search continued outward, most likely assuming we were still running deeper into the jungle.
For the first time, I could speak with no repercussions.
Tears streamed down my face as the thought that we were finally safe and free washed over me.
I sobbed and quietly muttered, “We made it... We’re finally free.”
I hooked Rak-li in a hug with one arm, and the woman who saved our lives in the other.