Tree roots sprout one after another as they come closer and closer to enclosing their targets. In particular, a young human archer, breathing laborously as his movements are sluggish and unrefined. 

"Leon! You're too exhausted! Run ahead and I'll take the attention away from you!"

Aria, noticing the laboured breathing and mindless swinging of Leon's arms commanded him with authority as she slowed her pace to fall behind.

Leon quickly passes Aria by as the attention from the roots is quickly shifted from him to Aria. He looks back in Aria's eyes as they are filled with determination and will. Then once more as he looks ahead and back again to see that Aria, although not as agile as Leon, is still barely managing to dodge the numerous roots that spring up from the ground.

"Byron! How much longer until we reach this outpost!"

"About four minutes!"

Four minutes!? That's too long for us to reach without losing anyone. What do we do?

Countless thoughts rush into Leon's mind as he racks his brain for a solution. The adrenaline speeding up his thoughts although leaving his judgement impaired. 

I could stay and hold off the thing until reinforcements comes to help. But will I really last long enough for that to happen? How long can Aria last before one of the roots catches her.

"What will happen if the Blight catches us?"

The scarred elf Vinn answered quickly not looking back while feeling his body, searching for something.

"You'll turn into a blight yourself after your skin is replaced with bark and suffer immense pain."

That's not good. We need to find a way to slow it down somehow. 

Vinn pulls out a bear shaped whistle and blows on it. It's screech reminiscent of a wounded rabbit calling for help. He blows on it two more times in diferent rythms.

A pained scream rings out as everyone turns their head to the rear. Aria's shoulder had been pierced through and the surrounding flesh began to turn wooden. 

Her eyes turned towards Leon in plea for help.

Leon's eyes linger, not knowing what to do. Should he continue running? Or should he help his companion who came along on a whim? He recalled the strange woman's words that she was not long for the world.

Who was she to decide that? As if she could tell who will live and who dies. Talking about other's lives as if they were just another story. 

I hate it. I hate this world that treats us as characters from a play for the amusement of others. The world that takes away lives important to us. It's never enough.

Leon, in a fit of rage quickly turns back to help Aria only to be passed by the dashing figure of Byron.

Byron sped and evaded dozens of roots that threatened to end his attempt to save their capture. With his sword drawn he weaved through the roots and cut down any that he couldn't dodge. 

He swiftly slashes the root piercing Aria's shoulder as she clutches her shoulder trying to stop the bleeding.

"Run! Go!"

Aria quickly gets up and runs leaving Byron in the field of roots. 

Byron now switching his place with Aria had to find out a way of his own as he fends off numerous piercing roots.

"Now then. What to do from here?"