Tina stopped long enough to relive herself as the daylight faded into darkness and the Moon became her source of light while she stumbled through the trees, trying to keep the distance between herself and those ninja. It didn’t take a genus to realized she was lost but she really didn’t care. She knew how to fend for herself in the woods. She did it every weekend before she started dating her ex. However, she was rusty, but that was not her main concern as she tried to keep her gaze on the ground. She narrowed her eyes, trying to following the hunting trail.
A branch snapped echoing loudly in the silent wood. Tina froze. Her head jerked in the direction it came from. She spotted a torch light flickering in the darkness of the forest. Shit! What if that was Ralph? Or one of the other Ninja? Were they coming to take her captive again? What if it was not Ralph, what about another creature that walked these woods? What if it was a dangerous creature? Like a Vampire or another creature of the night? She had too encounters with the supernatural in her teen years not to believe.
Tina’s breath lodged in her throat. Her heart thundered in her ears. Her chest heaved. Her eyes darted in the dark. She shifted on her feet. Her hands trembled. She curled them into fists. She questioned why there was only one torch light. There should have been more. Endir would have ran and got some more of his people. It was their job to protect this part of the forest. She narrowed her eyes. It did not explain why there was only one torch heading her way.
“I find her!” a voice called out, right behind her. She could not fight the scream that erupted from her lungs as she spun. Her hair flew out in a wide arc as she faced the person standing behind her. She didn’t need light to attack. Endir should have known better, especially after she shared the tales from her trip to Japan. Her right fist flew into the his midsection or what should have been the midsection of a man nearly a foot taller than her. A loud crack echoed through the silence and pain throbbed Tina’s fist. “Son of a —! She hit my nose!” the person yelped, loudly.
She darted to the left, breaking out into an unsure spirit. She had to put more distance between herself and those…those…those sprites. She did not want to stick around to see if they were friendly or not. She leaped over a wide stream and landed on the other side. She felt her ankle bend the wrong way and she fell onto her hip, catching herself with her hands.
“Valentina!” She froze, recognizing the voice. That was her forest friend, Endir. She slowly turned over and stared across the stream now separating her from the rest of the Sprites. “Wait!”
“Endir?” She called out.
“Yes, Tina,” he replied. Relief spread through her as she slowly moved into a sitting position when a thought accord to her. What if it was not Endir, but Ralph or one of the ninjas in disguise? She did remember watching an anime with her ex about ninjas and how it was the main character’s dream to become the leader of the village. The show did show that the ninjas could transform into another person, but somehow the main character failed at it, at least the beginner version, but mastered the advanced multi-form easily.
“Stay there!” Tina barked, moving to stand. The group of sprites stopped on the far edge of the bank, waiting for her, “How did we meet, Endir?”
There was silence before Endir shifted on the other bank and Ralph’s voice rang out, “Well, you are a smart one, little lady. Not many could see through the illusion of a ninja.”
Tina cursed silently. She had hoped it was Endir that answered instead of Ralph. She didn’t want to think about what Ralph being here could mean. She hoped Endir and his people were all right.
“There you are, bastard!” Endir yelled as he appeared as a dark blur before a flash of silver flew. “Go, Tina! Run!” Endir roared toward her.
Tina spun. She grunted as her ankle throbbed with pain. She cursed. She twisted her ankle. She pushed away the pain and moved forward in a fast walk. She increased her pace into a slow jog as her ankle barked in pain. She didn’t dare look back.
Tina didn’t how much longer it was when a rustling in the trees caught her attention. She stopped and slowly reached for her bow and an arrow.
“Wait,” Endir’s voice echoed nearby. “It’s me, Endir.”
“Then answer this question,” Tina started as she knocked the arrow and held it at low ready, “How did we meet?”
Endir chuckled, “You stumbled upon me while I was injured, fighting those damn bunnies.” There was a soft thumb as Endir landed at the base of a nearby tree and she heard the soft footsteps as he approached her in the dark. “You managed to kill the last one and helped me to a nearby scouting party before you had to hurry home.” There was a short pause, “something about Lady Sakura and Lady Annja would kill you if they knew how far you wonder beyond the safety line they had set up for you.”
Tina let out a small laugh as she remembered and replied, “It is good to see you, again, Endir.”
“Likewise, Tina,” Endir’s voice held the grin she knew he had on his face. “So, care to tell me the story how you ended up with those Hidden Bark Ninja?”
“Sure,” Tina said, “However, is your village nearby? I think I might have injured my ankle while running in the forest.” She slowly put away her bow and arrow as she watched the darken form of Endir raised a hand toward her.
“Yeah,” he said, “I’ll take you there.”
Tina didn’t know how long she followed Endir through the woods. In the distance, she could hear Ralph cursing as he fought against someone.
“So,” Tina started, “How have you been, Endir?”
“I’ve been alright,” He replied as he jumped up onto a large log and hopped off to the other side, “My mom has been pushing me to do more for the village and has been urging me to find a wife.”
“Oh boy,” Tina said, “Bet that’s fun.” She sat down on the log and swung her legs over it before she slid down the side.
“Oh yes,” He agreed, as he led the way through the darken forest, “She even presented me with a long list of possible women I could take as a wife.” He paused. “Some of them are really good choices for the village since I will be taking over once I’m married, but there are none for me.” He fell silent.
“I know what you mean,” Tina said, “My former betrothal ended the relationship about six weeks ago. It seemed like I wasn’t good enough for him.” She sighed, “Now, I’m roaming through these woods with a group of Ninja who has been sent to escort to me a place called The White Hall Estate to meet a woman claiming to be my grandmother on my father’s side of the family. I have never met them or at least I don’t remember meeting them.”
“Wait! They are claiming you are a Daughter of the White Hall House,” Endir sounded shocked.
“Yeah,” she replied, “Why? Do you know this White Hall Family?”
“Not personally,” he stated, “They are a really rich and powerful family in Avalon. I think they were one of the founding members of Camelot when the Castle was transported there and in fact, Godric, son of Samuel, became the second King of Camelot and ruled for 10 years before he died. Over the years, they have created a number of treaties and they continued to honor them to this day. I think my village has a treaty with them, but it isn’t due to be renewed for another 15 years.”
“Your village has a treaty with this family,” Tina asked. “Why?”
“For a number of reasons,” Endir shrugged, “Mainly for trade and worst come to worst, protection or aid in times of war.” He pushed a branch out of his way and waited until Tina walked past him before he let it go. “The last time it was renewed, it was Grandma Lilac who married Lord Travis, about 85 years ago, now. Grandma Lilac passed away, I think, 30 years ago from some health problems and Grandpa Travis is gone, too. I think he passed away a few years ago. He lived a long time for a human. He was 95 years old when he died. Both are buried in our Memorial hall. They moved back to the village about 40 years ago. I guess Grandma Lilac wanted to spend the rest of her days at the village instead of the Estate when Grandpa Travis stepped down at the Head of the White Hall Family, allowing one of his sons to take over the leadership of the Family.”
Tina didn’t say anything as she tried to process what Endir was saying. She felt surprised that he was sharing some of his family history with her. She looked ahead and spotted torch lights in the distance. She asked, “Why are you sharing your family’s history with me?”
“It would make sense if you are a daughter of the White Hall Estate,” Endir explained, “You are a powerful woman, Valentina, and you didn’t just cultivate it on your own. Part of that power you inherited it from somewhere and the fact those Ninja are from the Hidden Bark Village in the Dead End Forest other side of the barrier, in Avalon, gives some hint that you are at least a part of the White Hall Family, either a direct descendent or a relative to their bloodline.”
She didn’t say anything else for a long moment as they approached the village. She kept silent as they entered the Village and they were stopped by a pair of guards. Endir quickly spoke in what she recognized as the Sprite language and the guards nodded. She glanced at Endir who grinned at her and waved at her to follow before he hurried forward. She followed him.
Tina wasn’t surprised when she found the village to be mostly empty. It had to be closer to midnight. She glanced up at the sky. She couldn’t see the moon. It was probably still raising over the large hillside in the distance. Hopefully, she could rest for the night within the village. She brought her gaze down and looked over Endir’s shoulder to see a beautiful woman standing near to a large in the middle of the village.
She was tall, compared to the rest of the Sprite Villager that Tina had seen. Her long chestnut brown hair had several streaks of grey in it. She wore a warrior’s outfit and a deep glare. Tina didn’t know if that glare was directed at Endir or herself. Either way, she was about to find out when the older woman opened her mouth, speaking in the local language. Endir seemed to curl upon himself as the woman, maybe his mother or a high ranked official in the village, gave him a serious lecture.
Tina didn’t how much longer it was when a rustling in the trees caught her attention. She stopped and slowly reached for her bow and an arrow.
“Wait,” Endir’s voice echoed nearby. “It’s me, Endir.”
“Then answer this question,” Tina started as she knocked the arrow and held it at low ready, “How did we meet?”
Endir chuckled, “You stumbled upon me while I was injured, fighting those damn bunnies.” There was a soft thumb as Endir landed at the base of a nearby tree and she heard the soft footsteps as he approached her in the dark. “You managed to kill the last one and helped me to a nearby scouting party before you had to hurry home.” There was a short pause, “something about Lady Sakura and Lady Annja would kill you if they knew how far you wonder beyond the safety line they had set up for you.”
Tina let out a small laugh as she remembered and replied, “It is good to see you, again, Endir.”
“Likewise, Tina,” Endir’s voice held the grin she knew he had on his face. “So, care to tell me the story how you ended up with those Hidden Bark Ninja?”
“Sure,” Tina said, “However, is your village nearby? I think I might have injured my ankle while running in the forest.” She slowly put away her bow and arrow as she watched the darken form of Endir raised a hand toward her.
“Yeah,” he said, “I’ll take you there.”
Tina didn’t know how long she followed Endir through the woods. In the distance, she could hear Ralph cursing as he fought against someone.
“So,” Tina started, “How have you been, Endir?”
“I’ve been alright,” He replied as he jumped up onto a large log and hopped off to the other side, “My mom has been pushing me to do more for the village and has been urging me to find a wife.”
“Oh boy,” Tina said, “Bet that’s fun.” She sat down on the log and swung her legs over it before she slid down the side.
“Oh yes,” He agreed, as he led the way through the darken forest, “She even presented me with a long list of possible women I could take as a wife.” He paused. “Some of them are really good choices for the village since I will be taking over once I’m married, but there are none for me.” He fell silent.
“I know what you mean,” Tina said, “My former betrothal ended the relationship about six weeks ago. It seemed like I wasn’t good enough for him.” She sighed, “Now, I’m roaming through these woods with a group of Ninja who has been sent to escort to me a place called The White Hall Estate to meet a woman claiming to be my grandmother on my father’s side of the family. I have never met them or at least I don’t remember meeting them.”
“Wait! They are claiming you are a Daughter of the White Hall House,” Endir sounded shocked.
“Yeah,” she replied, “Why? Do you know this White Hall Family?”
“Not personally,” he stated, “They are a really rich and powerful family in Avalon. I think they were one of the founding members of Camelot when the Castle was transported there and in fact, Godric, son of Samuel, became the second King of Camelot and ruled for 10 years before he died. Over the years, they have created a number of treaties and they continued to honor them to this day. I think my village has a treaty with them, but it isn’t due to be renewed for another 15 years.”
“Your village has a treaty with this family,” Tina asked. “Why?”
“For a number of reasons,” Endir shrugged, “Mainly for trade and worst come to worst, protection or aid in times of war.” He pushed a branch out of his way and waited until Tina walked past him before he let it go. “The last time it was renewed, it was Grandma Lilac who married Lord Travis, about 85 years ago, now. Grandma Lilac passed away, I think, 30 years ago from some health problems and Grandpa Travis is gone, too. I think he passed away a few years ago. He lived a long time for a human. He was 95 years old when he died. Both are buried in our Memorial hall. They moved back to the village about 40 years ago. I guess Grandma Lilac wanted to spend the rest of her days at the village instead of the Estate when Grandpa Travis stepped down at the Head of the White Hall Family, allowing one of his sons to take over the leadership of the Family.”
Tina didn’t say anything as she tried to process what Endir was saying. She felt surprised that he was sharing some of his family history with her. She looked ahead and spotted torch lights in the distance. She asked, “Why are you sharing your family’s history with me?”
“It would make sense if you are a daughter of the White Hall Estate,” Endir explained, “You are a powerful woman, Valentina, and you didn’t just cultivate it on your own. Part of that power you inherited it from somewhere and the fact those Ninja are from the Hidden Bark Village in the Dead End Forest other side of the barrier, in Avalon, gives some hint that you are at least a part of the White Hall Family, either a direct descendant or a relative to their bloodline.”
She didn’t say anything else for a long moment as they approached the village. She kept silent as they entered the Village and they were stopped by a pair of guards. Endir quickly spoke in what she recognized as the Sprite language and the guards nodded. She glanced at Endir who grinned at her and waved at her to follow before he hurried forward. She followed him.
Tina wasn’t surprised when she found the village to be mostly empty. It had to be closer to midnight. She glanced up at the sky. She couldn’t see the moon. It was probably still raising over the large hillside in the distance. Hopefully, she could rest for the night within the village. She brought her gaze down and looked over Endir’s shoulder to see a beautiful woman standing near to a large in the middle of the village.
She was tall, compared to the rest of the Sprite Villager that Tina had seen. Her long chestnut brown hair had several streaks of gray in it. She wore a warrior’s outfit and a deep glare. Tina didn’t know if that glare was directed at Endir or herself. Either way, she was about to find out when the older woman opened her mouth, speaking in the local language. Endir seemed to curl upon himself as the woman, maybe his mother or a high ranked official in the village, gave him a serious lecture from the looks of it. Endir spoke when he could and the woman paused long enough to listen.
Tina tensed as the warrior woman turned on her, but the warrior woman smiled and said in English, “Relax, child. I mean you no harm. You are safe within this village.” Tina raised an eyebrow at that. “My son, Endir, tells me you have a Bark Ninja Team after you. Rest here, little one, you will be safe.”
Tina didn’t know how long she slept when she snapped awake, but she knew it wasn’t long enough. She rolled onto her back, slowly looking around. It was still dark outside. She sighed, rolling onto her left side, facing the wall. She was still tired, but there was something off. She frowned as she placed her left arm under her head and reached over for a blanket, snuggling it close to her chest, thinking.
Ralph, Kikyo, Waya, and Abasi were sent after her to bring her back to the White Hall Estate. Apparently, it was meet her father and his side of the family. It was strange to know her father was alive. She also had brothers. Why didn’t her mother talk about her other children? Or Nana Sakura? Or even Aunt Nami when Tina was staying with her? Why did her mother leave her father?
Questions bounced around her head. She sighed and she rolled over to her right, taking the blanket with her. Her eyes flickered over the room, still lost in her thoughts.
Maybe she should meet these White Halls for herself and figured out what happened between her parents and the reason why she wasn’t introduced to her brothers. On the other hand, what if Ralph and his team got their information wrong and kidnapped the wrong woman? It did bring up the fact, Tina and Natasha grew up without a father figure. She could finally get an answer to why they did.
Her mind turned to the short conversation she had with Endir’s mother, Lady Amelia, about the White Halls. Apparently, the White Hall House was an Ancient and Noble Family in the Kingdom of Camelot, located in the world of Avalon and the Sprites had a treaty with them. That treaty would have to be renewed in the next 5 years, resulting in a marriage between a child of the White Hall bloodline and a member of the Sprite Village. It didn’t take a genesis to realize if Tina was a daughter of the White Hall Bloodline, the Sprite Village Leader could easily argue for Tina to marry the heir - Endir.
That statement alone caused so many questions for Tina and when she tried to ask them, Lady Amelia gave her a small smile before Endir escorted her to a house, allowing her to rest. Tina blinked. The shadows on the far side of the room moved like it was walking toward her. Stretched out her spiritual sense and found it. Her jaw dropped as she sensed several more strange presences with ill intent surrounding the village.
“Oh no, you don’t,” Ralph’s voice split the air. Tina gasped as the flap burst opened and brightly, bright light exploded into the room. She managed to see a figured dressed in a black robe, a long curved knife above the figure’s head, before she was blinded. “Don’t worry, toots, I got you.”
An arm slid under her knees and around her back before Tina felt herself being lifted into the air. Her left hand grabbed a fist full of Ralph’s shirt as the air shifted. She blinked, trying to clear her vision.
Once she was able to see again, she tensed and brought up her knee to hit Ralph in the jaw. She lend, flipping over it.
“Oi!” Ralph yelped. Tina landed on her left foot and stepped back on her right foot. She straightened. She opened her mouth as he glared at her, rubbing his jaw and a movement caught her attention. A black robed figure ran at them, holding a large knife.
Tina darted and jumped. She grabbed Ralph’s shoulders. She felt his hands grabbed her waist as she swung him around and lifted her legs up. She meet Ralph’s eyes and stated, “We are even.” Her legs hit the robed figure causing him to stumble back. A moment later, her feet touched the ground.
Ralph glanced at the robed figure and realization dawned on him. He nodded, “Yeah, we are even. However, toots, you still have to come with me.”
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
“We will worry - “ Tina started.
“Duck, toots,” Ralph cut her off, placing a hand on her head and pushed her down. Her knees bent. A flash of annoyance went through her as one of Ralph’s legs flew over her head, “You are good to stand.”
Tina stood and finished her sentence, “About that, later.”
“If you say so,” Ralph gave her an amused smile.
“Tina!” Endir shouted, running up to her and Ralph, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Tina glanced at Ralph, “For now.” She turned around, facing the Black robed figures. “Anyone know who these guys are?”
“Nope,” Endir replied, facing the robe figures, withdrawing his short sword. “They attacked our scouting party nearly 15 minutes ago.”
“Unfortunately, I have a sneaky suspicion this group could be another ninja team from an enemy village,” Ralph commented.
Tina looked to her left, giving the Ninja a shocked look. “You telling me they are after me, too.”
“Perhaps,” Ralph said, giving her irritated look. The robed figures surrounded Tina, Ralph, and Endir, their curved blades glinting in the moonlight. Tina's heart raced as she tried to count how many there were - at least a dozen, maybe more lurking in the shadows. The leader stepped forward, lowering his hood to reveal a face etched with scars.
"We have no quarrel with you, sprite," the scarred man said, his voice gravelly. "Nor with you, Bark ninja. Our business is with the girl."
"Well that's too bad," Endir replied, raising his short sword. "Because she's under my protection."
The scarred man chuckled darkly. "Protection? Is that what you call kidnapping now?"
"We're not kidnapping her," Ralph snapped. "We're escorting her home."
"Home?" The man's eyes glinted with an unnatural amber in the darkness.
"We are the Shadow Clan," he announced in a deep, resonant voice. "And we have come for the girl."
Endir moved protectively in front of Tina. "You'll have to go through me first," he growled.
The tattooed man chuckled. "Such bravery. But unnecessary. We have no wish to harm any of you. We simply require the girl's presence."
Tina felt a chill run down her spine as the man's amber eyes seemed to bore into her very soul. The air around them grew heavy, charged with an unseen energy that made the hairs on her arms stand on end. She instinctively reached for her bow, her fingers brushing against air. She mentally cursed as she realized she had left her weapons and bag in the house she was sleeping. She would have to go back and get the items before she left the village.
Endir's stance widened, his lithe form coiled like a spring ready to unleash. The golden-brown leaves of the forest floor rustled beneath his feet, stirred by an otherworldly breeze that seemed to emanate from the sprite himself. His green eyes flashed with an inner light, a reminder of the ancient magic that flowed through his veins.
Ralph stepped forward, his hand curled around the hilt of a kunai. "You're not going anywhere with her," he said, his tone firm and determined. He positioned himself beside Endir, creating a living wall between Tina and the Shadow Clan. “I do have a question. Why does the Frost Ninja want with Valentina?”
The air crackled with tension.
“I’m wondering that as well,” Tina spoke up. She glanced behind her and saw a couple of the robed figures crept near. She turned around, placing her back to Ralph and Endir. Her heart pounded in her chest.
The Frost Ninja Leader's eyes flickered with an otherworldly amber glow, his gaze boring into Ralph and Endir. A cold mist began to seep from beneath his dark robes, curling around his feet and spreading across the forest floor like tendrils of ice. When he spoke, his voice carried the chill of a winter storm.
"The Shadow Clan does not answer to you, lapdog of the White Hall," he said, his words laced with disdain. "Our interest in Valentina Armstrong goes beyond your comprehension. Hand her over, and we may yet spare your lives."
Ralph's grip tightened on his kunai, the metal catching the dim light filtering through the canopy. Beside him, Endir's eyes blazed with an emerald fire, his lithe form tensed and ready for action. The sprite's voice rang out, clear and defiant, “Not happening. She is an ally, from the House of White Hall.”
The villagers, who had been watching the tense standoff from the shadows of their homes, felt a surge of courage at Endir's defiant words. They had known the young sprite since he was a child, had watched him grow into a skilled warrior and future leader. Now, seeing him stand firm against this otherworldly threat, they knew they could not abandon him.
One by one, torches flickered to life throughout the village. Sprites emerged from their dwellings, armed with bows, spears, and shimmering blades that seemed to glow with an inner light. The air hummed with magic as the forest folk tapped into the ancient power that flowed through their veins and the very earth beneath their feet.
Lady Amelia stepped forward, her chestnut hair streaked with silver glinting in the torchlight. She raised her staff, carved from the heartwood of an ancient tree, a beacon of strength and leadership.
In a swift motion, Endir lunged forward, his short sword flashing as he engaged with one of the robed figures. The clash of steel echoed through the forest clearing as he danced gracefully around his opponent, each movement precise and calculated.
Ralph leaped into action beside him, his kunai slashing through the air with deadly accuracy. He engaged another foe, their blades meeting with a resounding clash that reverberated through the night.
Tina's senses heightened as she dodged an incoming strike from an assailant, her body moving on instinct as she countered with a swift kick that sent her attacker reeling back.
The fight surged on around them, a symphony of clashing metal and grunts of exertion filling the night air. The smell of earth and sweat mingled together as combatants weaved in and out of battle, their movements fluid and decisive.
As a robed figure lunged towards Tina from behind, she spun around just in time to meet their attack head-on, summoning her spiritual powers, creating a shield along her forearm. The force of their collision sent shock waves through her body, but she stood her ground with unwavering resolve. She mentally cursed. She was not expecting an attack that powerful.
Endir's battle cries mixed with Ralph's grunts of effort as they fought back-to-back against overwhelming odds, staying close to Tina. Their coordinated strikes and seamless teamwork kept them one step ahead of their adversaries, each movement fueled by a fierce determination to protect Tina.
Tina felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins as she joined the fray, her glowing fists finding their mark with precision strikes that left her opponents staggering. The taste of victory was within reach as they pushed back against the Shadow Clan forces. She missed this kind of fighting. She grinned, finding her rhyme in the fight.
The fight raged on under the watchful gaze of Lady Amelia and the united front of villagers standing strong against the encroaching darkness. Each combatant played their part in this intricate dance of battle, their fates intertwined in a struggle for survival and loyalty.
And so, amidst the chaos and danger that surrounded them, Tina finished off one opponent and glanced around the battlefield. She spotted the rest of the Team Ralph in their own fights. Ralph had drifted away from her so did Endir. She took a deep breath and charged toward the house she had stayed in.
Tina tossed back the flap and grabbed her bag beside the bed. She slipped her arms through the straps. She grabbed her quiver and tied around her waist before she peered through the flap. The entire village looked busy. She crept out, keeping an eye on the battle. She walked around the edge of the house and glanced over her shoulder, once more. Yup, Team Ralph was still busy fighting with the Frost ninja. She picked up her pace and reached the tree line. She doubled checked once to see if all of the Ninja were busy. They were. She grinned and disappeared into the darken forest.
A few minutes, the fighting came to an end. Ralph panted as he looked around and couldn’t find his target, “Where’s Valentina?”
“Are you fucking kidding me, Ralph? You lost her!” Kikyo shouted as she finished off her opponent.
“Shit,” Ralph muttered.
Endir burst out laughing. “Good luck, trying to find her!” Ralph glared at him before Team Ralph darted into the woods, trying to track down Tina.
Hours later, Tina blinked in surprise as she recognized she was able to see the woods, clearly. A grin spread across her face as she realized the sun was rising. She heard birds chirping, squirrels chattered as they jumped from tree branch to branch, and in the distance, a woodpecker apparently had an issue with a side of a tree. Her shoulders slumped. She listened to the noise, walking with a limp forward.
She didn’t want to look at her ankle. It had probably grew to the size of a tennis ball. She didn’t dare to stop and try to take off her hiking boot. She mused it was the only thing allowing her to walk with a twisted or sprained ankle. She was happy about one thing though. The pain had dulled to an annoying ache.
Tina considered herself lucky. She didn’t run into the team of ninja again during the rest of the night. They would be looking for her now. This time without any difficulty. She moved forward, taking a fast walk. She knew she need to converse her energy for the next mad dash through the woods that was coming when Ralph and his team found her again. Her stomach rumbled with hunger. She frowned, placing a hand over her stomach. She couldn’t stop to find any food during the night. She could wait another few hours before she stopped to eat. She had to. She would force herself to wait until she got to some form of safety.
Tina’s determination grew as she pressed on. She stepped on a rock before she crunched to sit down and slid down the side on her rear. She landed on her feet and hurried forward.
Hours flew by as the sun moved over the sky, reaching the mid-morning apex when Tina had finally reached a dead end in the forest. The dead end was a wall of trees. She stared at the tree line in shock. It had to be three trees deep and just how the hell these trees were still alive? The trees were close together where nothing could slip through. She ran her eyes up the side of a tree in front of her and saw the branches waved together, creating a labyrinth of tangled limbs…
“Like a barrier. What the hell?” She questioned. She had never heard of something like this happening. If someone had discovered something like this, it would be all over the local news. Of course, she didn’t keep up the news within the last few years. She blinked as she looked to the left and saw the tree barrier extending several yards. She turned her head to the right and saw the same thing. She placed her hands on her hips. She kinda wished she didn’t ditch those ninjas. She glanced behind her when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. It looked like a figure walking out of a tree, facing her with a mischievous grin on their face.
Tina paused. The logical portion of her mind, easily, explained it away. The figure only appeared to walk out of the tree because the figure had been standing behind the tree. They had been waiting for her for an unknown reason. On the other hand, the remaining her questionable sanity just laughed at the notion - someone walked out of the tree? It would make life really interesting, and it bought up the question of why not.
She briefly wondered if she should be worried her inner voice sounded wrong. She blinked. She shrugged. If she was going insane, so be it. It would make life interesting at least.
The mysterious figure lifted a hand and curled a twig like finger, walking backwards. The figure stopped after a few feet. It waited for something. Tina pointed at herself before she made the motion of walking over with her fingers then finished the short conversation by pointing at the mysterious figure. The figure nodded. Tina gulped. She turned her gaze toward the forest. She almost didn’t know what to do.
It could be a trap; the same questionable voice spoke up.
Why would anyone waste your time setting a trap for you? That was the dark voice.
Tina took a breath and shaved that part of her away, aside, down, back to her mind or whatever she did to it. She didn’t want and need that dark side to bother her right now. She needed to keep her focus on the issue at hand. Should she follow the mysterious figure?
The longer she stood there, the less time it would take Ralph and his team to find her. With that thought, this could be another one of their tricks. They were ninja, she reminded herself. She didn’t know what kind of abilities they had at their dispel.
One of them could easily disguise themselves as this figure to lure her in and make her drop her guard. It would be a lot easier to knock her out and tie her up, forcing her to travel to the White Hall Estate. If that happened to her, Tina feared that she would be forced into a glided cage. She, in a way, just found her freedom again and there was no way in Hell she was going to give it up without a fight. It didn’t help the frightened feeling whenever she thought about going anywhere near this White Hall Estate.
Tina’s gaze drifted back to the tree tangled wall. There had to be a way through it. This figure apparently wanted to help her. She frowned. Someone went through a lot of trouble to create that tree wall, weaving together the branches. She sighed. What did she have to lose?
Tina, mentally, checked her spiritual energy. She flexed it and felt the energy seem wiggle with excitement. She studied the mysterious figure, slowly reaching her decision.
The figure appeared to be cover in tree bark from head to toe. However, the figure’s face carved - if that is the right description - straight from the tree bark. Tina spotted a small understanding smile on the carved face before the figure spoke in a clear womanly tone, “It is alright, sweetheart.” Tina took a step back as she was strongly reminded on a Native American Chief’s daughter who also talked to a Willow tree to get advice. “I won’t hurt you. I’m here to help you.” The She-Tree paused, “The dangerous male is still following you. He is nearby.” She pointed in the direction to Tina’s left, “They are only 200 yards away.”
Tina’s heart leaped to her throat. She immediately looked in that direction. She needed to make a choice. If the Tree figure was going to betray her and lead her back to Ralph, Tina knew what she could do with the tree figure - burn her to ashes.
Tina nodded to herself and took a step forward to the She-tree. The female tree smiled and floated - Tina’s eyes darted to the ground and saw hundreds of roots moving over the ground. So, not floating like ghost. That was a plus in Tina’s book - moved over the ground, leading Tina away from that location.
Tina walked after the tree like figure, keeping a few feet between herself and the creature. She watched with hidden amazement as the female figure managed to move over the rocky ground with any trouble. However, Tina glanced through the woods where the figure had pointed, she didn’t want to have the team of ninja sneaking up on her. She knew it would be a possible. Those four being a ninja, a trained killer. Tina was just a college student - well, former for the foreseeable future - and former archer. She knew if it came down to it, she could possible shoot one of them with her bow before she would be forced to rely on her rapier. That would be a last resort. Why? She didn’t have much skill with any type of swords, even though she did start her swordsmanship training in Japan under one of her own teammates. She didn’t keep it up after she returned home.
The female figure led Tina through the woods before something glowed brightly from Tina’s left. Tina blinked, turning her head. Her jaw dropped. Her eyes widened. She couldn’t believe she was witnessing a fireball, the tall as she was and wide as a car, flying toward her. She stared in horror as the fireball engulfed trees, brushes, rocks, - everything in its path. Many of the animals scrambled to get out of its path, but she heard the unlucky ones scream in pain before they fell silent. Her heart thudded in her chest. Her breath picked up. Her mind race. The heat felt like a mini sun wash over her. She turned to run the way she just came, but she paused when a thought accrued to her. What about the female tree like figure?
Tina snapped her gaze to the tree female. The tree spirit froze. The etched face was colored with horror. Tina muttered a curse. She couldn’t leave the tree spirit. The red head broke into a run. Her ankle let out a rippling pain of protest. She ignored it. She covered the few feet separating herself from the tree spirit. The air became hotter, uncomfortable. The tree spirit’s hair started to shrivel up and smoke. Tina’s skin heated up to a faint burning sensation. She leaped at the tree spirit.
Tina felt her right arm slam into the middle of the tree figure and they fell to the ground, rolling down an slope that Tina didn’t see. She closed her eyes as she bent her head forward. Her tongue pushed to the roof of her mouth as her teeth clenched together. She didn’t want to repeat of almost biting through her tongue like what happened in the Black Tournament.
The two females rolled down the slope. A sharp pain in Tina’s arm caused her to let go of the tree figure. Tina slammed into a tree. She hissed in pain and she cracked her eyes open. The fireball sailed into the tree barrier. Tina blinked and blinked again as the tree barrier didn’t catch on fire. The fireball vanished into thin air, leaving behind ripples like there was a force field protecting the trees from any sort of damage. That was unexpected. However, Tina pushed that interesting fact to the back of her mind. She needed to get away from this area, away from Ralph before he found her and the other female.
Tina climbed to her feet and reached over to the Female Tree figure. She blinked in surprise as the Figure melted into a fallen log and disappeared…like she was never there.
‘Well, that works,’ Tina thought and glanced up the slope. None of the ninja was no where in sight. It didn’t mean they were not working their way to her location.
Tina hurried away from the button of the slope before she broke into a spirit. She only crossed a few feet when she glanced over her shoulder in time to see a throwing knife. Her eyes widen in horror. Her foot slammed against the ground, hard. She managed to twist out of the way, sucking in a breath as the throwing knife missed her shoulder by inches and it landed in the side of a tree with a dull thud. She felt the next kunai impact through her bag. She lurched forward, stumbling to keep on her feet.
“Shit,” she gasped. Her mouth felt dry from both panting like a dog and the fact she refused to stop to rehydrate. Her heart thudded in her chest. Her chest heaved as she managed to stay on her feet. She heard Ralph yell her name in anger. She didn’t look back as she started waving through the trees. She silently questioned where the rest of his team was hiding, or they were not far away from their team leader.
Tina needed to lose Ralph and his team, fast. Her eyes darted over the area. The first pass with her eyes, she didn’t spot anything. However, with the second past, she could have sworn she spotted something. She leaped over a fallen log. She hissed in pain. She crunched down, trying to hide behind the log as she wait for the pain to pass. She lend against the log as she tried to catch her breath. She couldn’t stay there long. It didn’t matter how much she wanted to. The only thing that matter was staying out of the ninjas’ gasp. She didn’t know how far behind they were. She pushed herself up and hurried forward.
Approaching a larger fallen log, she slipped her bag off and tossed it over the log. She heard it land with a thump. She jumped and her hands slapped the bark, pushing herself over the log. Tina landed in a hemp with a groan. She blinked, sucking in a deep breath. She stared up as she couched herself to get up and get moving. She needed to create more space between herself and them. She climbed to her feet. She tossed her hiking bag on to her back and jogged along the tree wall, looking for that break in the wall
“Valentina!” She couldn’t see him, but she could hear the asshole. “Where are you hiding, toots!?” It sounded like he was a dozen yards away. It wasn’t long before she heard a female - Kikyo - voice ring out, saying her name. She kept silent as she slowed to a fast walk. She glanced at the ground. A well worn trail led toward the break in the tree barrier. She couldn’t believe her luck as she jumped on to the trail. She slowly turned in a circle, keeping an eye out for Ralph. “I will find you, sweetheart!” He called out. She didn’t see him, though. Maybe he was hiding himself, trying to chase her to a point before he leaped down from the trees…
Tina jerked her eyes upward into the canopy of tree branches, looking for the ninja. She remembered how well he blended in with the shadows the other day when she first spotted him. Of course, the sun had glittered off his head band when she first saw him. Now, there was no sun shining in the correct direction to location him. In fact, the way the sun was shining, it would be easier for him to spot her. She mentally cursed the fact. She faced the direction of the break in the tree wall. She walked fast toward it. Her eyes scanned the area she could see over her shoulders.
Tina breathed easier. However, that stitch in her side ached horrible, but she switched her thoughts away from the pain. She cursed the fact she had choose to stop her training nearly 6 years ago. She had gotten soft. It may end up costing her freedom.
“THERE YOU ARE!” Ralph roared.
Tina had several reactions at once: She sucked in a deep breath. Her eyes widened in horror and surprise. She twisted, using her bad ankle to pivot, to face the ninja team leader. She hissed as the ankle barked in pain. Her eyes landed on Ralph, standing three dozen feet away from her. Her heart skipped a beat. Her spiritual sense snapped out and she realized that three strong presences darted over to her and Ralph.
A manic grin pulled at his lips as he spoke, “You have been a naughty, naughty girl, Missy.” His tone held a dark note. “It is too bad that I am not suppose to harm you on this mission.” Tina’s stomach dropped to her feet as she stumbled backwards. He stalked forward. Tina sensed the other three overheard drop down.
Tina took a step as she spun. She pumped her legs. Her arms swung back and forth, cutting through the air. Her lower bag ached from the amount her bag weigh as it bounced. She heard the arrows in the quiver clattering together in the quiver. She crossed the distance.
“Oh no, you don’t,” Ralph yelled. She didn’t bother turning around or glancing over her shoulder. He was after her now, chasing her down like a wolf after a rabbit.
‘Such a yummy rabbit,’ she heard the darkness whispered from the back of her mind, ‘For the big, bad wolf!’ the voice seem to laugh at her. She tried to push it away, trying to refocus on the events going on around her.
One of the ninja - Waya, if she remember correctly - landed in front of her. Tina’s left arm rose up, reaching toward her right shoulder like she was going to pulled out something, but her fingers curled inward like she was holding something in hand.
‘Spirit Whip!’ a bright yellow rope stretched nearly 12 feet out from Tina’s fingers. She flicked her wrist toward Waya, watching as the rope dart out, wrapping itself around Waya’s neck. His eyes widened as he reached up for the rope with both hands. Tina twisted, pushing off with her foot for the extra momentum, and pulled the whip around, over her shoulder. Her right hand grabbed the whip and pushed down on the whip. Waya flew over her shoulder, heading toward his team mates. Tina allowed a smirk to cross her face at their shocked faces. She flexed her left hand, willing the spirit whip away. Ralph jumped up, high, as Waya knocked into the team. He reached across his body and whipped his arm toward her.
A whistling sounded. Tina threw herself into the break in the trees. Behind her, Ralph’s roar of outrage was the last thing she heard as she entered something akin to a portal.
Ralph landed in a crunch. His narrowed eyes watched the worn path. He slowly straightened up as he sensed his team land in a semi circle around him. The moment he opened his mouth, a stream of swear words bounced off the nearby trees before he snapped his mouth shut with a glare.
Laughter rang out above the ninja team. Ralph twisted on his heel. His hands rose to chest level, flashing through a series of hand signs before he crunched down, slamming his hands against the ground. That annoying tree hugger as Ralph decided to name the mysterious sprite let out a cry of surprise as the tree he stood upon wobbled before falling to the side. The team leader watched the tree hugger rolled out of the way once the tree landed on its side, causing the area to shake and a loud thud sounded.
“Hey!” the sprite shouted, “That tree did nothing to you!” He pointed at the new fallen tree. “Why did you do that?”
“Because you were standing on it,” Ralph drawled, “And you cause our target to escape.”
“And that brings me to the next question,” the Sprite said, “What did you want with her?”
“Why does it matter to you,” The ninja sneered.
“She’s a friend,” the tree hugger replied. Ralph sensed Kikyo gathered her chakra before she vanished from his side and reappeared behind the sprite. She rose her hand and swung it toward the tree hugger’s neck in a chopping motion.
The sprite sent Ralph a smirk before he ducked beneath her attack. He spun, a leg swinging out at Kikyo’s legs. She jumped over the extended leg before she drove her knee into the face of the tree hugger. He let out a cry of pain before he brought his legs together and leaped up, bouncing against the nearby by trees. Ralph made eye connect with Abasi and nodded.
Abasi’s lips twisted into a grin before he rushed after the sprite. Ralph fought back a shiver. He knew Abasi’s reputation. Abasi was the best hunter for a reason. The leader knew he would be back with a hostage to use against Miss Valentina. He turned to his team and let out a sigh. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a talisman. He stared at it. The talisman was the crest of the White Hall House. He smirked. At least they would have a use for it when Abasi brought their new friend.
“What do we do now,” Kikyo walked over to him, gazing the barrier break.
“Wait until Abasi returns with our new friend then we go through,” Ralph said, “However, I don’t know where Miss Valentina will end up at on the other side.”
“Troublesome,” Waya stated.
Kikyo glanced toward Ralph, before she commented, “It would be have easier if you had given the target that talisman when she entered the forest.”
“I know that,” Ralph growled at Kikyo, turning his head to glare at her.
“Enough,” Waya snapped at them before he settled down on the fallen tree, “I need to think.”
Kikyo huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked at the worn path, asking, “Have any clue where this exits out at?”
“Nope,” Ralph replied, “It changes every month with the cycle of the moon.”
“A Pattern?” Kikyo questioned.
“In theory, yes,” Waya replied, “There is a pattern. Everything has a pattern. It takes time to figure it out.” He crossed his legs and closed his eyes.
“Hopefully, Miss Valentina wouldn’t be able to travel far when she doesn’t know Avalon like we do,” Ralph commented, “Just keep an eye out. We will move out once Waya has an idea where she is at and Abasi returns with our buddy.”