Cornered 2

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They ran, loping towards the rocky ground. Lester led them.

"Leader?!"

"We're heading to the canyon. Tommy, drop your pack. You ok, Fatty?"

"I'm fine."

"Keep up."

So they ran, two abreast - Lester and Dagger leading, Fatty and Tommy close behind them. The howls continued, fewer but getting closer. Soon, two more wolves exited the woods, chasing after them, swiftly closing the gap. And another, to their right, from the way they had come. They were being herded, forced to veer further up.

"This is bad."

"We can't escape. Get ready to fight... Over there."

The ground wasn't smooth anymore. It was rough, with fissures running every which way, some too wide. There were islands of rock, completely separated from the rest, others had multiple paths going in and out. Tommy almost slipped off the sloping edge but Fatty pulled him along.

Tommy finally saw where they were headed. An island, almost. More like a peninsula of land with a single path connecting it to them. It was about 20 paces wide, and sloping gently upwards, with a short wall like protrusion at the end.

"Defensible."

"Exactly. They can't surround us there."

They almost made it. They could have made it. However, that would leave their backs open. Quite likely Tommy and Fatty would be left behind. Instead, Lester ordered,

"Turn around. We face them. Slowly back up. Tommy, can you hit them from here?"

"I'll try."

And he did. He had been trying, turning a bit when he could, but the bolt failed to materialize, just like in the class. The instantaneous attack was what they needed, and it failed him.

Not giving up, he started to gather mana the hard way, same as what he did in the morning when he had met the group in the clearing. He piled it slowly onto his hand.

They had already stopped and took their stance. Then, they fell back, Lester counting to keep rhythm.

"Not the first time?"

"Nope." Fatty replied, holding the shield steady.

"But never three." Dagger added. She was back to his side, knives out.

"They are slowing. Hit them when its ready. Dagger, you too."

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Tommy didn't answer. He didn't need to. The emotions washed over him, coming in waves, so many of them.

He felt fear, afraid of being mauled now that he had had time to process the situation. Running away had made it worse. Not knowing how far they could make it, not seeing any hope of safety, the uncertainty amplified the primal dread of being hunted. And he fed it to the ball taking shape.

Their condition didn't look so bleak though, now that they worked together again. The first wolf had been held off easily, even before his attack. He felt confidence, and pride. The day had been wonderful, so far. The magical sights on the trip so far had lifted his mood. Back home, he had friensd, and he felt free. That feeling too went in.

The whole Academy fiasco had given him months of stress. Just thinking about it, he shuddered, not even wanting to focus on it as it passed through him, through his arm, making the spell bigger.

Kneading it as quickly as possible, he focused on the first beast, leading the charge. They had spotted it later, yet it was the first to make it here. He aimed, taking a deep breath, and flicked the ball.

"Shii..."

If anything, the wolf had been ready for it and dodged. Yet, the ball floated forward. In the heat of the moment, he had forgotten that new kind of shot had had no speed. It was certainly faster, fast as Tommy could run, but not close to what could be called a shot or bolt.

"Dummy! What the hell."

"Sorry."

"Don't worry mage, at least the charge stopped." Fatty consoled him.

"It's okay, Tommy. Focus. Can you not throw the fast one? Like the last fight." Lester asked.

"Seems I can't. Only this one."

"Hmm. Be ready. We can still use it in a bit."

They continued backing up, as the ball of mana finally passed the wolf, who still eyed it warily. The other two had caught up too.

Tommy tried to think of something, anything. Wishing to turn back time, wanting to be more than he was.

'Maybe I can guide it. But how?'

Kaboom!!

The ball exploded. A loud sound and a red flash of mana. For a moment, it felt like the Crimson Moon had come out in the daytime.