Hawlen leaped off a tree branch and stretched out her arms to grasp hold of the next. She quickly pulled up onto the tree as a bolt of fire shot through the air where she had just been, crashing into a tree ahead of her and setting it aflame. She turned and ducked the swipe of a gremlin, which had caught up to her. She slammed her foot down onto its arm, rattling the tree branch on which they fought, and she grabbed hold of the pale, monkey-like beast by its neck with her left hand. She slammed the hilt of her knife into the gremlin's face as it clawed at her arm, drawing blood, and flung it at another approaching gremlin. The gremlins crashed into each other and fell into the dense forest below. Hawlen turned quickly and leaped onto the next tree as another bolt of fire burned down the previous one. She bounded from tree to tree, picking up speed and never losing footing, even as she winced from the pain in her left arm due to the wound the gremlin had opened.
Suddenly, the forest in front of her erupted in flames. She stopped in her tracks and clutched the tree on which she stood as an incredible heat rose from the large area of burning forest. A wave of heat collided with her face as the flames shot up, letting loose an immense amount of smoke. She noticed something out of the corner of her eye and quickly let go of the tree, letting herself fall to the ground as the tree was split in half by a bolt of lightning an instant later. She crashed into a bush below, curling herself into a ball to absorb the impact while falling, but she could not escape several surface scratches on her arms and legs. Hawlen quickly rose and peered into the smoke before her from the giant explosion. She could barely make out a large shape in the smoke and reacted instinctively, darting to the left and vaulting off a tree to jump over and dodge a long tail that swept through the air. Hawlen landed and rolled to dissipate the impact then looked up at her enemies. The smoke parted to reveal a drake, its black scales glinting red in the flames from the burning trees around it. The dragon-like creature's large wings were spread out and its mouth was slightly open and smoking from generating the huge amount of fire that had burned the section of forest.
Riding atop the drake was a warlock, his arm crackling with an electric charge. He wore the traditional sleeveless long cloak of the warlock beastmasters. The warlock brought his hands down and conducted another large bolt of electricity which Hawlen anticipated and managed to barely dodge, letting it dissipate harmlessly into the mud. She ran straight at the drake and slid underneath its legs in an attempt to reach its tail. The drake, however, raised its large, thin wings and brought them down forcefully, buffeting a line of trees around them and causing a huge blast of wind to knock Hawlen down. The beast took to the sky above Hawlen as she remained collapsed on the ground. She stood and looked up at the drake as it reared its lizard-like head. An incredible heat built up in its throat and Hawlen looked on helplessly as a torrent of flames appeared in the beast's mouth and poured out towards her…
Hawlen suddenly snapped awake. Her eyes flitted about in a crazed, alert manner, adrenaline coursing through her limbs. Her vision seemed to slowly adjust as the room she was in came into focus. There was no drake or forest, she was lying in her bed in the hospital. She stared up at the ceiling and shivered as she recalled her time within Kolbidt forest. She tried to sit up straight but could not move due to the pain. She turned her head towards the door to see her father standing beside her bed, watching her patiently. He stood stiffly, his short gray hair shaking slightly in the cross breeze entering through the windows of the ward. He was staring at her with a worried expression, having witnessed her panicked awakening.
'You were waiting for me to wake up?'
Elder Symonticus nodded and pulled a nearby chair to the bedside. He took a seat and sighed exasperatedly.
'How was the senate meeting?', Hawlen asked as she turned her gaze back to the ceiling.
'Heated, to say the least. We may face a decrease in the amount of rations…', the elder said tiredly as he leaned back in his chair. A long, drawn-out silence ensued as Hawlen continued to stare at the ceiling and Symonticus sat motionless in his chair. The elder cleared his throat.
'About what I said... I-'
'I know you didn't mean it', Hawlen cut off the elder, her tone solemn. 'You didn't want me to leave a-and it reminded you of mom...'
She stopped and turned her gaze back upwards then sighed and brought up her arm to cover her eyes, ignoring the pang of pain.
'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have.'
'No, no it's alright.', the elder said while moving his chair closer to Hawlen's bedside.
'Speaking of your mother... On your way back did you happen to...'
'See her? No. I didn't hear a thing and I didn't ask anyone. Too busy running for my life.'
'O-Of course...'
Another silence ensued as the two remained still. Hawlen's chest felt tight as she recalled the horrible things she had shouted at her father over two months ago before she left for Kolbidt forest.
'Hawlen...'
Hawlen looked up and met her father's eyes. He wore an expression of pure guilt.
'I apologize for what I said.', the elder said solemnly, his gaze unwavering. Hawlen smiled slightly and looked back up at the ceiling.
'I told you I know you didn't mean it.'
'I know, I know I just... I needed to say it.'
The elder's voice was soft and wavered slightly. A timbre Hawlen had never heard from him before. He must have been wallowing in guilt for two whole months, worried that his daughter would be killed in a dangerous forest with a terrible final memory of her father.
'I'm sorry too. It was a mistake to go to that forest.'
Symonticus chuckled.
'Nobody could have predicted the warlock invasion. Perhaps if that did not take place you would have returned with no injuries...'
Hawlen looked at him in surprise, a smile spreading across her face. A small smile appeared on her father's face as well as he supported himself on the arm of his chair and stood.
'You are in good hands in this hospital. Take care of yourself and come home soon.'
Hawlen's gaze rested on her father for a moment then she looked back up at the ceiling and grinned.
'I'll be back before you know it.'
Symonticus laughed heartily and turned to leave. Hawlen lifted a hand and waved after her father who swung open the door and slowly walked off into the hallway outside the ward. A cool ocean breeze began to flow through the window and struck Hawlen's face as small tears slowly formed in her eyes.
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