Name: Todd Longfellow, Race: Human
Height: 5’6”, Weight: 130, Sex: Male
Archetype: Fighter
HP: 3 / 18, Mana: 0 / 0
Stats:
Physical: 4, Moxie: 2, Spiritual: 2, Luck: 2
Agility: 2, Magic: 2, Mental: 2, Energy: 3.
Relevant Skills: Agility - Dodge, Archetype - Shrug It Off, Balance, Physical - Armored Defense, Physical - Awareness, Physical - Jump, Physical - Run
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Fuck. The single word repeated in Todd's head as he ran. He was weaving between trees to put cover between him and his pursuers. He hadn't realized he'd put this much distance between his friends while chasing the initial soldier. Several arrows stuck out from his back, where the armor failed to stop them. Most had only gotten barely past the metal; only one managed to embed into his back.
An arrow thumped against Todd's back. A sharp pain filled his lungs as the air rushed out. Gasping, he stumbled into a tree to keep himself upright. Screaming in agony, causing more pain to wrack his body. His vision started dimming as his strength evaporated.
A sharp and short intake of breath filled Todd with renewed energy. Reaching behind his back, he grasped the arrow and pulled it out. The tip slide from inside his skin, but he couldn't get the point out of his armor. Breaking the arrow, he left the head of it inside his armor as he continued running.
Some of the trees started looking familiar, but Todd couldn't tell if they were from a few seconds ago or a few minutes ago. A small bush split where someone stepped in it. It seemed like something he did when he was chasing.
"Help," Todd squeaked out. He strained to breathe, each gasp a lesson in agony. Taking short breaths didn't leave much air for yelling.
Arrows skipped off his armor; Todd took several quick short breaths like he was trying to hyperventilate, then yelled, "Help!"
Thunk! An arrow slammed into the back of his left shoulder. They were breaking through the armor, wedging an inch of metal beneath his skin. Pushing through the pain, he mentally thanked the armorer who crafted the thick spaulders as shoulders and back seemed to be critical targets.
Another arrow dinged off his neck guard and still had enough force to impale a nearby tree. Todd stepped to the right, then back again left, remembering footwork from football. Never did coach ever drill running through a forest, though, small plants, roots, and fallen branches threatening to trip as soon as he didn't pay attention.
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Todd stumbled on a branch that looked solid but moved. Flailing his arms for balance, throwing his right arm and sword backward, Todd managed to get a foot under himself, averting a faceplant.
He started passing trees that had more distance between the others. The group had chosen an area like this to gather because it was less dense. However, having to run a dozen feet before he could put another tree between him and the soldiers behind him worried him.
Every tree around looked the same. Briefly, Todd pondered if he was running in circles. Glancing back to see if they were directly behind;
An arrow skipped off of his helm, another skipped off his shoulder, hitting the inside side of his helm before slashing open his cheek. Blood poured and filled his mouth. Todd stumbled, falling to one knee.
Feeling a surge of adrenaline, Todd stood back up, running away from his pursuers. Blood dripping from his helm, coating his armor. He made it ten feet before he had to stop and cough up blood that'd been sucked into his lungs. Each cough wracked his body in pain as tears filled his eyes. Clenching his jaw to avoid screaming in pain, Todd resumed his flight.
"Fuuuck!" he growled as he ran. Ahead the trees were closer together as the forest thickened. "Dammit!" Todd yelled as he looked to the left and right for something familiar.
"Todd?" a female voice said from above. "What…"
Todd looked around but didn't see the source. Locating the widest tree, Todd stepped behind it.
"Charisse?" Todd said through clenched teeth.
"Yes, be bait, I'll flank," Charisse said from a nearby tree.
Todd kept his eyes on his new fan club as he sighed, nodded, then stepped out from the tree and ran toward the next tree trunk.
An arrow thumped against Todd's helmet. Another arrow hit along the armor on his back, with a ding. Todd reached the next tree and stood sideways behind it. The front of his armor sticking out from the slim cover. Poking his head around the tree, he saw the soldiers had taken up shelter behind some trees themselves.
Cursing at himself, Todd wondered how they could have known Charisse was near. Scanning the forest, he looked for more pursuers and to see if he could see Charisse as well.
Nine soldiers partially covered by trees, looking behind him. Todd couldn't see Charisse, nor anyone else on his side.
A couple of arrows flew by and skipped off Todd's armor as he looked away from the soldiers. Turning around, he noted the two soldiers in the rear who were notching new arrows. Crouching down, Todd sprinted to a nearby tree, placing him a few feet closer to the soldiers.
As soon as Todd got to the tree, standing sideways to reduce his profile, he noted his armored stomach still suck out. Peering around the tree, the closest soldiers had moved back.
"Why," Todd said softly. Turning away from the soldiers, he looked toward the tree where he'd heard Charisse's voice. Something clicked, and he figured out why they stopped chasing him. They hadn't seen his friend, but they'd see how Todd went from a running prey to a fighting one. No plans came to mind as he worked on how to fix his error.
"I'd rather die fighting than die tired," Todd screamed. Bolting from behind the tree, he juked to the left, then ran toward the closest soldier. A figure in mismatched armor stood in place as he pulled back on his bow.
Three quick steps before Todd leaped. Swinging his sword in an arc, he soared through the air. The soldier's bow shook, but he fired while Todd was midair. Pain shot through Todd as something slide into his abdomen. The world started fading on the edges of his vision; at the end of the black tunnel, two wide eyes stared back at him.
Screams of pain woke Todd up. A body lay underneath him, squiggling and screaming. Todd rolled to his left, but a pole stopped him. The man under him screamed in pain and pushed Todd to the right.
The pole that Todd ran into was his sword, skewering the soldier through his stomach. With one hand on the blade, the man screamed as he lifted the weapon out, carefully holding the blade in a blood-covered hand.
Bushes nearby blocked sight of anything around. Wiggling his toes and fingers, Todd didn't feel any new pain. Moving over the soldier, Todd placed a knee over the gushing abdomen wound.
"I'll be taking my sword." Todd reached for his weapon, grabbing it before the screaming man dropped it.
Peering above the undergrowth, Todd looked for the other soldiers. All of the soldiers appeared to be in the same places. Maybe one or two a little closer. Todd flicked his sword at the nearest one and yelled, "You're next!" little bits of blood flew towards the man.
The soldier took a step back as the others opened fire.