Turns out that, when pushed, people could run pretty far. Also turns out that the guards had guns, who knew!? Echidna couldn’t see the guards armed with rifles on the walls, but they were definitely there and it was terrifying running from them. Turns out that guns, in this world, didn’t fire bullets! They fired magic!

Fucking magic!

Yes, the reload time looked like a nightmare, but it didn’t matter when it all came in an unyielding volley of lasers. Lasers that could pierce through solid walls with frightening amounts of power left to spare. Their one saving grace was that they were in the city, a small band of rats inadvertently using the buildings as shields that couldn’t just be torn down without reason.

Echidna tried to mount a counterattack, but was eventually swayed by Faffy’s words of encouragement to join their classmates in running the hell away. Plus, she was feeling a bit winded whenever she tried to pull out her magic. Not in the physical sense, it didn’t seem her physical stamina and her magical stamina were linked, but in the sense she just couldn’t pull out any more.

Anyways, it turned out that people could run for hours without end if it meant that they lived. A sustained manic energy, in short. Of course, they took breaks, ducking into dingy alleys in order to catch their breath, silent as a mouse besides the sounds of their own breathing just to make sure the guards weren’t closing in on them. Nobody had the air or energy to ask Echidna what she did, but they knew that they’d probably be shot since they ran with her.

It was a mess as Jack carried Rosa, who had fainted due to shock when the gunshots began, his own fitness and fight or flight inspired hysterical strength being the only reasons that he didn’t collapse from their accumulated weight. Jack never complained about having to shoulder the sleeping girl, though, he just bore it all with nothing more than a slightly pained grunt as they fled through the hot sandy streets.

Meanwhile, Veni was shaking in shock from the abrupt sounding of gunfire, trying in vain to pull out his bow just in case they had to resort to self defense. Behind him was Mina, who he looked back to just to make sure she didn’t collapse due to being out of breath.

Jello, for once, wasn’t letting his artistic focus get the better of him. No, he was running with equal vigor and fear as all of his classmates. Besides him was Carmen, who decided to ditch her own backpack and its unnecessary weight to help carry some of Jello’s supplies. She didn’t mind too much, they were in a new land and there was no telling how hard it’d be to replace, and Jello very clearly was attached to it. All she cared for was light and fit in her pockets, so she bore with it.

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Gallows, who had been audibly complaining due to the understandable stress of having to constantly play catch-up and thus risking being shot, was abruptly forced to shut up by Hailey. She picked him up bridal style, unfettered by the extra weight, and ran all the way to the front.

Aurum and Pin weren’t exactly calm. Though the latter kept a cool demeanor, it was quite hard to keep such a face up when facing gunfire. They were both panting and shaking, both of them having faced a few close calls as they fled from the gunfire. They were silent, especially when they took breaks in the alleys. Not a single quip from Aurum, nor a complaint from Pin.

The two calmest were Talle and Yolk, who were simply running forward with grim determination. Though neither were visibly the buffest in their class, that honor would go to Jack and Hailey, they definitely had a lot of endurance. They continued forward without complaint and matched each other’s pace as they were near the head of their little cluster of fugitives from the law.

Finally, at the front, was Teacher, who was also fairly calm. At least, on the outside, he was. On the inside, he was having a god damned panic attack. How could he not!? He was a freaking teacher for god’s sake! He never signed up for this bullshit! Who would willingly walk into a situation where they’d be shot at!?

Oh yeah, soldiers, but they sure as hell weren’t soldiers!

So, he ran. He wasn’t the fittest member of their group, but he was at least doing exercises regularly enough and was young enough to have enough stamina to keep up. He was only at the front because the rest of them trusted him to lead them, instead spending the excess energy they saved in slowing down to meet his pace making sure that the others weren’t getting left behind. But he sure as hell didn’t know what in the world they were doing or where they were going! He was never trained in this!

He recognized the panic and calmed down, taking deep breaths. It took a couple rounds as they huddled in a small corner, sweat glistening from the small amount of light that made it into their shady area. He repeated to himself that he had to be calm, if not for his safety, but for the sake of his class. He couldn’t let them place their trust in someone who was unstable. He had to be calm for them.

He peeked out of their little corner and looked out, eventually widening his eyes as he noticed a trail of caravans.

“Is everyone ready?” They had been hiding for a few minutes, occasionally holding their breath as they heard the sounds of the guards running by, their armor making a distinct sound as the chainmail rattled with every heavy step. In response, they all gave various quiet or silent ascents. “Follow me.”

As one and despite how soaked in sweat they were, Teacher led the group by following the tread of caravans back to its source, one of the city’s gates. Coincidentally enough, it was the very one they entered from, with the Gargant and Feline chatting as they let Caravan after Caravan pass through, with the occasional halt to ask about something.

Without stopping just in case they were hostile but without harming them either, the group of fourteen blitzed by them, running too fast for either of the two to even register what happened.

“Yehil?” The Feline blinked before turning to look at their comrade.

“Yes, Muskoin?”

“What was that?”

“Eh, probably the wind.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” The two of them ignored how, as the ‘wind’ ran by them, the mask charm in their possession had been warped into a horrified expression, before reverting back to normal as it disappeared.