I darted faster than before back to the person I'd skipped, then paused, trying to spot the one who'd killed the freed slave. He'd vanished into the shadows, just like me. Everyone dashed in all directions, panicking because of the fighting.

Jalco tackled something black out of the shadows.

[An OFFENDER has been detected in your area, with an active bounty. You have been given a temporary boost to stats and abilities.]

[Feld, Assassin, Level 121, Predator, Unknown OFFENDER.]

I leaped to the next collared person, and yanked.

Three down.

Then I raced to the next, not bothering to hide. My flexibility rose to an abnormal level as a sword missed me by inches, along with a hand trying to grab me. This slave dodged my hand trying to get ahold of the collar, so I skipped past them to the next, staying away from the Forgers.

That's when the Harvesters showed up.

Everyone Kabi had funneled toward the path to safety froze, as the eerie music broke out. The freed Azurafolk with swords attacked the creatures, and I just kept moving. My focus needed to be on freeing people.

My fingers wrapped around another collar, and I yanked it away. The man smiled as he stabbed a Harvester that leaped my way, drawing its attention.

[Harvester, Bound, Level 101, Predator, Chicken.]

Yet, the Harvester didn't aim for him, despite his attack. Instead, it tracked me as I raced toward my next target. Ignoring the sword slicing into its leg, it leaped at me again, and the Azura folk around me scattered. Only three collared slaves remained.

Well, two now.

One got in the way of the Harvester before I could get to him.

One of the collared met my eye and nodded. Two swords sat in his upper hands, that he swung ever so slowly at his people, giving them plenty of time to dodge out of the way.

"One Forger down, but another showed up, two of us down. Retreat!" Sile's voice echoed in my head. "Three Harvesters incoming!"

A leg grazed my side as I rolled across the ground, but the armor took the hit with ease. I came up next to the older man, trying not to hurt any of his people. My fingers wrapped around his collar without a problem, even as he tensed.

He jerked back as the Harvester stuck, right where I'd been.

"Follow me," I ordered as I dodged under the closest Hover Cart.

Arrows slammed into the Harvester behind me, evidence that Lenna was still out there watching out for me, but still it tracked me.

I spun and stabbed my spear into its eye, quickly yanking it back before vanishing into the shadows under one of the carts.

One of the freed slaves slammed a hand on the cart I hid under, and air rushed over me as it roared to life. Thinking fast, I rolled out and grabbed onto the side of it. Several people leaped on, including the man I'd tried to free but missed, as it launched toward the trees.

Pain rattled up my fingers and arm as the cart sped up. Blue hands reached out and yanked me on board.

The collared man had several people sitting on top of him.

"Alex, that's the wrong way!" Kabi yelled, making my head ache.

"We'll circle around."

The thud of Harvesters following us made me frown as I quickly freed the man.

"I hope you can help with that bunch…" I whispered as I turned to watch the ones that followed.

[Harvester, Poisoned, Bound, Level 101, Predator Chicken.]

[Harvester, Poisoned, Bound, Level 103, Predator Chicken.]

[Harvester, Bound, Level 104, Predator Chicken.]

Two of them had several arrows sticking out of them.

"We need to circle to the other side of where you were held, there is a meeting point."

"We can't go back there until we lose the followers!" screamed the driver, who had the control panel in front of him.

"Bavo, calm down and keep driving steady. Circle when you get a chance," whispered the older man.

[Havi, Blade Dancer, Level 135, Predator, Unknown.]

"They're tracking me. I can lose them in the shadows," I answered with a frown. To my group I sent a different message. "I got a bunch of freed people, with three Harvesters on my tail. We are on a hovercraft."

Sile responded first, "Ask if anyone knows where the moon touched the rock. If so, head there instead. We will meet you there."

"Can you get us to where the moon touches the rock?" I asked.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Bavo nodded, and the hover cart aimed toward the left.

The Harvesters didn't slow down behind us, even as we skirted around several large trees and bushes. The blue light from above trickled down through the canopy. Roars from other locations within the forest echoed over the hum of the cart.

"Those things are going to draw all sorts of creatures," mumbled Havi, as we sped through the massive forest.

The two poisoned ones slowed down a little, and the level 104 took the lead by a good margin.

"Can you slow down enough that we can attack it?"

"Are you crazy? No!"

"I just need seven or so feet."

He glanced at Havi, who nodded. Both of us moved to the back of the cart, while the four others got as close to the front as they could.

I gripped my spear tightly in one hand and brought it up to my mouth. I spit on the crystal tip, making sure it was well coated.

Havi stared at me, then nodded. "Poison…"

"Yes. The Harvester has several levels on me."

"Survival is paramount."

I smiled. "You're the first Azurafolk who hasn't harped on me about honor and tradition."

He smiled as a sword appeared in each of his hands. They faintly glowed in the blue light.

"Honor is for those who fight honorably. These Forgers are not worth an honorable death." He nodded at the approaching Harvester, who gained ground as we slowed down.

I readied myself as its eyes locked on me, completely ignoring Havi.

Perfect.

"Bavo, aim for some shadows!"

The cart turned slightly, traveling closer to the massive trees and the mushrooms that grew close to them.

Darkness flickered overhead as the Harvester leaped at me.

I vanished, stepped closer to the edge, and stabbed with my spear. The spear struck its leg, blazing for a moment before I yanked back.

Havi hit it several times, and a different leg went flying.

The cart sped up as the Harvester landed several yards behind us.

[Harvester, Poisoned, Bound, Level 104, Predator Chicken.]

The two others passed the struggling Harvester as it regained its bearings. It launched itself with renewed vigor as it raced after the others. Yet, a dark liquid dripped from the missing leg.

Again, Bavo slowed the cart down, letting both of the others catch up.

This time, I stabbed just as the first left the ground. My spear stretched out in front of me, slamming into its open mouth and through the roof of its beak, then I yanked back before I lost my spear.

The beast slammed into the ground, and then collapsed.

[You have gained bonus experience from combat for surviving against a level 101 Harvestor.]

[You have gained a level.]

[You have gained a level.]

Havi took out the other. Its head went flying, leaving the level 104 racing after us, even with one missing leg.

"We're getting close!"

That's when something slammed into the side of the hover cart, sending it up into the air. Everyone went flying, including me. I slammed into the top of a mushroom and only had a few seconds before the Harvester attacked.

Rolling off the edge of the mushroom, I landed on my feet and stabbed up. The Harvester leaped down, impaling itself on my spear.

[You have gained bonus experience from combat for surviving against a level 104 Harvester.]

[You have gained a level.]

[You have gained a level.]

A deep chuckle came from the shadows, and the hair on the back of my neck rose. Out stepped a Forger with bright orange skin, green eyes, and a long tail that flickered in the air behind it. He held a sword casually in his left hand, and the blade glowed a deep green.

[An OFFENDER has been detected in your area, with an active bounty. You have been given a temporary boost to stats and abilities.]

[Presco, SwordSpitter, Level 135, Predator, Unknown OFFENDER.]

"So, you're the one they're so interested in." His eyes studied me as my mind raced, trying to figure out the best place to retreat.

Others from the hovercraft darted into the underbrush, but nothing followed them.

Everything inside me screamed to flee.

Havi snuck closer, but I couldn't see him; I only felt his presence on my radar. His level could deal with this dude, mine couldn't even scratch him, probably.

The Forger took a step closer, and I tightened my grip on my spear. Another Havester appeared on the edges of my radar, waiting.

Somehow, suddenly, Presco stepped right beside me, sword flickering at my spear.

I struck with my aura, focusing all of my Fortitude on the Forger. For a second, it worked. The creature froze his sword in midair. I danced back as Havi joined the fight, swords diving into the back of the Forger.

A split second before the swords hit, the Forger shook off my attack.

"Get her!" it yelled.

The Harvester raced at me, and I vanished into the shadows.

The extra temporary boost made it easy to dance around the Harvester as it prowled under the mushroom. I struck at its eyes, spear sinking in only a few inches before its legs darted at me.

The strike hit, but my armor and scales tanked it, making me smile. This time, I stabbed toward the Harverster's open mouth.

Surprising me, it chomped down on my spear and yanked it back.

A grunt from Havi broke my attention, and my spear slipped free.

[You have gained bonus experience from combat for surviving against a level 135 SwordSpitter.]

[You have gained a level.]

[You have gained a level.]

[You have gained a level.]

[You have gained a level.]

[You have gained a level.]

Claws grew from my left hand, and I darted after the Harvester, slashing at its face. The creature danced back and then vanished into the trees, racing as fast as possible away from me.

Havi approached my back.

"Someone is calling them back," he whispered. His face appeared pale, and sweat dripped down his forehead. A bleeding cut crossed his chest.

"Fuck!" The buzz from my spear vanished out of my reach, but a smaller one came from the Forger's body.

I dashed closer and checked his fingers, finding a pitch black ring. Without thinking too hard, I sliced it off and knocked the creature's sword away from its body. Then I tossed the blade into my inventory. The ring went into my last crystal-safe inventory slot.

"Where are you?" asked Kabi, worry coming across the connection. "We need to leave."

"Coming," I sent through the rune, trying to find the line stretching between our auras.

My gaze snapped up to Havi as he fell to one knee.

"Havi!"

"Poison," he muttered, touching his chest.

I darted to his side, yanking his hand to my chest to touch the hidden Healing crystal. Soft cooling energy rushed through him. Yet, his eyelids fluttered as the energy seeped away, draining the crystal. The wound on his chest didn't heal, but I checked his info and relaxed slightly.

[Havi, Blade Dancer, Level 135, Predator, Unknown.]

"Okay, better," I whispered as he toppled over. At least he wasn't poisoned anymore. Grabbing his top two arms, I started dragging him across the forest floor, only moving a few inches at a time with how much he weighed. My concentration on the connection slipped.

"Where are you?" I growled to the others.

A bright silver light glimmered in the far distance.

"We need to close this entrance," said Sile.

"Alex, can you see the light?" asked Lenna.

"It's far; I can't carry him." Frustration filled me at the idea of trying to drag him all that distance.

"Leave him," answered Sile.

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