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_____Kaede could not afford to break her focus to notice one of the Imps turning to stone, weapon swinging around to shatter the creature before it could recover or be taken away and she kept her focus on the remaining two. This was until Kaede had to pull her weapon to the side as a large red Imp slammed into the spear and sent Kaede flying through the air. Back slamming a tree as she coughed and fell down almost unlucky enough to impale herself on her own spear, the weapon tossed to avoid such a fate as she staggered up while the large red imp howled for his fallen friend.

"That... is a red imp... and... a child at that... adults have more muscle... and carry weapons... we got lucky..."

_____Kaede rose trying to align her back with one hand while the other curled around her spear until her knuckles turned white. This fight had gone from favorable odds, to less so as she took up stance and winced as her back screamed out lightly. She would not be able to take another blow to her back, ad that was not exactly the entire case as if this dragged out she would no doubt suffer from back issues unless it got check and healed. But as the red imp started to rush forward Kaede had no time to exactly ask or voice she could use some light mending magic.

@Mahiru Wind

 

Mahiru watched the scene that played out in horror. There was her friend, knocked aside by a red flying creature. The hit seemed to do a lot to Kaede, as she put her hand to her back. I should heal her. She tapped on her menu quickly, her beginner staff shining slightly as a light zipped from the tip of it to Kaede's back, healing it a decent amount.

Mahiru quickly realized she was an open target, and dashed to a tree. She began climbing up the tree. When she was a presumably safe height, she watched the battle from above. You can do it!

 

_____Kaede could only spare a glance to the girl as she tried to escape most the focus by climbing a tree. Spear moving quickly as Kaede caught another attack and held her ground as best she could against the red Imp. Slowly pressing her strength to one side directing the first towards the earth and making a hastily jump to the opposite side to regain the distance needed to swing her spear into the correct position. She needed to weaken the creatures advantage, so with a gamble in mind Kaede moved into a thicker section of trees.

_____Her choice would also weaken her own combat strength with the large spear, she would have to move far more carefully to avoid leaving herself open in the event the Imp was not as weakened by the terrain she picked. Gently setting the spear's tip to the earth Kaede spun around it, lifting it as she aligned with the red Imp who started to march in after her. She would have her hands full and as would Mahiru as the two other imps started to move to drag her back into the conflict.

 

As Mahiru watched Kaede move to a thicker section of forest, she tried her hardest to follow. Jumping from tree branch to tree branch, she had troubles with maintaining balance due to not having taken Acrobat. As she tried to leap to one of the branches, she slipped and fell off, grabbing onto a lower branch to stop her descent. "Ngh...!" Her arm strained over the weight of her body as she pulled herself up. Looking down, she noticed her staff had fallen down to the ground below.

She quickly made her way to where Kaede now was, shifting through the menus to find the damage buff. Her left index and middle fingers glowed with light as she pointed them towards Kaede, the light flying into her and flowing through her. You can do it! She shifted into a sitting position on the tree branch she was on, hoping it wouldn't break under her weig-

Crack.

 

_____Kaede really did not have time to break her focus, but as the sound of a branch breaking drew her focused however briefly caused her harm. Gut twisting as she was dragged back to focus on her foe as the fist pressed her guts inward heavily and Kaede started coughing blood up as she was sent back against a tree. Grip on her spear failing as the weapon clattered to the earth and Kaede's head fell down.

_____As the Imp pulled his fist away Kaede's body fell to the ground, motionless but far from dead as her temper turned the gears slowly back to life. First the demon moved to annoy Kaede's home, then the imps that served it annoyed and hurt her. Then the girl went and cost Kaede to suffer from another blow as sparks danced off her hair, hand turning into cosmic form as she slapped the ground.

_____While the actions got the red imp's focus he was unable to hit the girl who was still on the ground as he found his own weight to much and fell to his knees as the pressure built. Kaede rose to her feet before moving to slam the same hand to the ground after rising it up higher. The entire area within thirty feet of Kaede was thrown to the earth with nearly unparalleled force.

_____Trees cracked, falling down on themselves as Kaede's cosmic influence surged over them. The red imp, left directly near the center of the effect was crushed under his own weight within seconds, a swift death luckily for him. Eyes moving to each of the other Imps that chose to chase Mahiru, a slow rise of her index and middle before two beams cut each imp in two.

@Mahiru Wind

 

The force of the cosmic influence sent the tree Mahiru was on tumbling to a fall. She got caught in the edge of the effect, getting thrown away into a tree a decent way away like a ragdoll. "WHAAA-" As she slammed into the tree with a resounding thud, she let out a scream of pain. Her entire body was aching as she fell to the ground, not seeing the imps that had chased after her get sliced in half.

Mahiru tried to pick herself up, but despite her best efforts, nothing happened. Her shirt began to taint red with blood. Her back hurt more than any other part of her body, but everything hurt at least a little. As she tried her hardest to open her menu to heal herself, the option didn't present itself, only a "Not Enough Energy" textbox. Feeling energy quickly leave her body, she just laid on the ground. Well then, this is bad.

 

_____With a snap of Kaede's fingers as the hand reverted to normal the effect of her magic vanished. Kaede's frame shifting down to a knee as she was no longer gaining aid from her magic to lighten her weight and ease the pain on her back. Both seemed just about done before a large ray of white light coated them both and two familiar figures rushing closer to them. Neka rushing to Mahiru, offering the girl the staff once again with a faint smile. Sara rushing to her master's side to give Kaede a shoulder to lean on as the two rose to stand up.

"See Nyaa told you Kae-chan would do something reckless out here! And you Mahi-chi should have kept yourself safe! Kae-chan should not have to be worrying about you while she should be worried about herself!"

"Neka is right... Master, you should have asked or told us to come with you if such recklessness was your intention. We can train while in real combat, even if you will worry about us, we can least protect you both... Neka can aid Mahiru on the back-line, while i keep your back safe on the front lines..."

_____The two returned members of the odd group both seemed to be in a mother hen lecture mood as Kaede for the most part ignored them both. She did this to show Mahiru her choices had weight, not only on the girl but those she was with. This battle was not something they could win easily if she did not think carefully, use her surroundings, and above all tried to stick to the spots she knew would not backfire on her.

 

Mahiru slowly rose, his shirt now completely red with dry blood and some blood protruding from her mouth. "I'm... fine..." She took the staff back with a "Thanks..." and shoddily opened her menu after a small bit. I need more healing than usual... What about this "Reckless Heal"? A bright light shone from the staff and moved into her torso, recovering a decent amount of her health, but not enough to stop the pain "Ah... That feels better... Sort of..." She stood up with a wobble.

Mahiru examined the aftermath of the battle. The place was a definite wreck. Trees capsized everywhere, a clear sign of what happened. What are we going to do about all the trees? "Um... Now what...?" She looked around. She noticed a small rabbit near her and picked it up, petting it. Her face smiled slightly amidst her pain. "Cute..."

 

"Well... for now... we just have to fall back... If a child red imp is able to give me that much trouble... I'd rather not meet his parents or older siblings..."

_____Kaede leaned more on Sara as she took a slow step forward, she was in no physical state to fight longer, using her cosmic form was also out of the option unless she wanted to run the risk of blowing up her own arm or more when using it. The magic was a volatile one, and as Kaede was she could not withstand the backfire it had on her system.

_____When a moment passed Neka and Sara seemed relieved Kaede was planning to fall back for the time being. When it all counted Kaede's magic was their ace in the hole and if she could not use it fully they had nothing that could exactly match that raw power. Turning to @Mahiru Wind to see if the girl was in agreement or against the idea of leaving the known threat to grow another day.

 

As Mahiru petted the small rabbit, Kaede suggested the idea of falling back to a safe location. She didn't hear much of what she said, just the part of "fall back". Without thinking, she made a small agreeing sound. Lifting the rabbit up to her shoulder, it bounded up onto it. "I think I'll call it Butters..." Nodding slightly, she began walking in the direction they came from.

After a while, Mahiru tripped on a root of a tree. Butters, panicking, hopped off her shoulder and scurried away a short distance. As she got up, Butters hopped up her back and onto her shoulder once more. The force of the rabbit on her freshly wounded back made her slightly grunt in pain, but she quickly regained her calm composure. "Hey, Butters returned..." Shaking her head, she continued walking back. Well, this was a huge fail...