"How long do you think it'll take for Cress' wound to heal?" Scarlet asked.
Scarlet was sitting next to Adam cooking a small rabbit while they huddled around the fire. The full moon hung over their heads and Cress was sleeping soundly behind them. Adam washed himself and Scarlet saw him to be a young man in his twenties.
Adam said, "Probably only a day"
Scarlet replied, "Alight. It's late now. Rest first, I'll keep watch first. I'll wake you up when it's your turn."
Adam nodded and soon dozed off. Scarlet leaned against a Wapen tree and closed her eyes. After two hours, when the moon was right over her head, she suddenly opened them.
She quickly swept her foot over the campfire, brushing dirt over it to put it out. She patted Adam up hurriedly. Adam groaned and blinked his eyes while he sat up. "What is it?"
Scarlet helped him up and said, "Enemies approaching us. They should arrive about ten minutes from now.
"Are you sure?" Adam asked.
Scarlet tapped her earring and quickly explained, "The bit of magic left in my earring from my ancestor is slowly discharging itself over time so instead of letting that magic fade away and disperse, I use it to give myself heightened physical attributes and mental alertness."
Adam quickly turned alert and solemn, "Cress can't sprint yet but should have no problem trotting slowly. I can probably sprint for a short distance n-"
Scarlet gestured for Adam to shut up and whispered, "About that... They suddenly traveled 5 minutes of distance in 5 seconds. They have a mage and they can probably do it again in a minute or so. No doubt they found us already" She continued, "I'll lead them off, take Cress in a few minutes and go find the general. Give him the letter to make sure he believes you. I'll distract them."
Scarlet handed Adam the letter and bolted off. She ran directly towards the enemies' direction and clutched at her dagger. She ran past a few trees and arrived face to face with them.
She saw a small group of five soldiers wearing white uniforms with gold trims. One of them was carrying a large purple stone that seemed to pulse with magic. Scarlet gasped and thought, "It doesn't seem drained at all and it's full of magic.
How do they have a new magic artifact!"
A soldier at the front sneered, "What are you doing in the middle of the forest alone, pretty?"