Garrack forest or hell?

Two hours have passed since we began our trip I'm feeling uneasy its worse than last time as I look around I can see pretty much everyone else was feeling the same. I suddenly get this strange sense of doom I try to shake it off but I can't I feel like we're only moving to our demise. Suddenly the cruiser begins to shake like something is shooting at it than it shifts to the right it feels like we're falling out the sky. "Brace yourselves!" Delilah yells. I feel a violent jolt go through my body like we just hit something. My mind is in a bit of a fog that jolt that hit my body hit it hard" I'm pretty sure I had a concussion. At least it seems like we've come to a stop. "Everyone sound off." Delilah calls out. "I'm here I call out." everyone calls out....all but one. We look to where Zack was sitting he isn't there anymore just a hole. The fog around my mind clears than I remember the map I unbuckle myself and take off my pack and look for the map I stored. I pull it out and turn it on I see Zack's position he was about twenty yards south of our position. I go up to the cock pit to see if the pilots are ok. I make it up to the cock pit and see....no one I see a hole on each side of the cock pit. What happened here? It looked like something's tore their way in and took the pilots. We need to find them and Zack what ever got them probably snatched him too. I go back to the group they've collected their gear. "Where are the pilots?" Tina ask. "Gone...like Zack." My tone is grim I'm pretty sure they're dead. We exit the broken cruiser through a whole that Tina made since we couldn't get out the usual way. We make our way to Zacks location. The forest is dense there is a canopy over head blocking out the sun....minus the hole we made when we crashed through. I hear the sounds of animals around us it ranges from little chirping to monstrous roars....really hope we get this done before the sun sets but seeing how it was almost dusk already I already knew that was gonna be impossible. We finally make it to Zacks position. We don't see him anywhere, "can I see the map Antonio?" Delilah ask politely. I hand it to her she looks at it, "it must be broken." I see a large tree it's about ten feet around at the base and reaches to the top of the canopy I'm getting a bad vibe from it. "Hey guys what's this tree called?" They all turn to the tree and they begin to tense up. "Antonio slowly back away from the tree nice and calmly." Titan says nervously. It seems I was right this thing was trouble. "Can it kill people?" I ask bluntly. Titan nods his head "it uses massive vines to capture its prey and swallows them whole." "Can it tear through a cruiser hull?" "like it's a paper bag." "Antonio I already know what you're thinking but there is nothing we can do Zack is gone." "we'll see about that." I stat to concentrate on my hands and feet.

I tap on the tree, just as I thought its skin is too tough on the outside. suddenly vines spring out of nowhere and wrap around me. I probably could've dodged them but I bet the inside is softer and I need that for this plan to work. "Antonio!" Delilah shouts. "it's ok Delilah I know what I'm doing." "no you don't you're going to die." her voice is full of worry, I look back to her "Delilah trust me." suddenly the creatures mouth opens it has no teeth it was just a hole its vines release me and drops me in I fall for what seems like hours than I hit the bottom it's soft and wet probably digestive fluids it's dark I grab a small device and turn it on not sure what it's called I just know it acts like a flash light. I shine the light around that's when I see them Zack and the two pilots. "Antonio it got you too huh?" Zacks tone is calm which I find surprising considering his situation. "yeah but I let myself get eaten." Zack looks at me like I just grew another head. "why?" "Because I'm here to save you." "Hate to break it to you but there is no way out." "Really I guess I'll just need to make an exit." my tone is confident after what happened at the ball I know that my power has depths to it that I probably couldn't even begin to fathom. I walk over to a wall I punch the wall with all my might I feel a slight give in the wood and smile. "just like I thought give me a moment guys we'll be outta her in no time." I start punching the wall with everything I've got at first the wood only gives a little but after about the twentieth punch my fist breaks out the beast I hear an ungodly roar come from an unknown source I pull my fist back and see Delilah and the rest of them with their jaws hanging open "Delilah,Tina,Amanda I want you guys to fire a ball of magic onto this point of the tree do it now." The charge up the magic and fire I stick my hand back through the hole and absorb it all. I knew why Delilah always wanted me to let the magic absorb into my body cause that way it would be controlled. Right now it was raw like holding a bomb in my hand which is exactly what I needed I focus it just enough to keep it in my fist I thrust my it forward I feel my hand make contact with the wood.

Suddenly I feel a sharp pain go through my arm and my hand breaks I close my eyes grimacing in pain when I open them there is a massive whole where the wall used to be my plan worked, the look on everyone's face was priceless I wish I had a camera to capture the moment I would laugh but my hand is killing me. I turn to Zack and the two pilots "you guys coming or what." The usually calm and composed Zack just sits there looking awestruck. After about a minute he and the pilots. Finally move from the tree and back to our group. The part of my suit covering my right hand is gone and reveals my bloody and broken hand. Delilah gently grabs my hand checking out the damage, "That was reckless you could've gotten yourself killed." Her tone is filled with stern disapproval and concern. "Your hand is broken." "Tina see what you can do." ok guys it's dusk Titan,Kyle,Amanda you three get wood for a fire be careful and don't stray far from us. We're going to use the cruiser for shelter tonight and we'll make our way to Jato squad's last know position tomorrow. We make our way back to the crash site and set up camp. Zack approaches me "how's the hand." he asked in his usual calm tone. "Hurts but It should heal fine Tina used some magic to reset the bones so they would heal properly." "what was that thing anyways?" "It's called a Treegrob their not exactly something you run into, and until now anyone who has been swallowed by one has never been seen again." "Thank you Antonio I would be tree food right now if it weren't for you." I look at Zack in his catlike pupils I see respect in his eyes. "Don't mention it was just helping out a friend, plus you'll probably bail me out of a few jams out on this mission specifically since I only have one good hand." Titan walks up to us "hey guys how's it going." "I'm good." says Zack. "my fur is still a little wet from earlier but that's about it." "Phew I was wondering what that smell was." I tease. Titan gives me a hearty laugh while Zack just pouts. "c'mon Zack I'm only teasing it's all in good fun." "Antonio can you come over here please." I hear Delilah's Voice and look over my shoulder she's standing in the opening of the cruiser I walk over to her. "What's up?" "come in here and sit down I'm going to put a cast on your hand." "I take a seat in my usual spot, she sits on my lap and kisses me. I'm a little stunned but quickly recover and kiss her back. It doesn't last long, she breaks the kiss. "If you ever try anything like that again I'm gonna punch you." Her tone was serious but laced with concern. I chuckle softly "I can only promise to try." my tone is nonchalant. She sighs "Antonio I'm serious." she pulls me back into a tight hug her mouth is right by my ear. "I love you...I don't want to see you get hurt." Her tone is sincere and a little sad. "ok I promise that I'll try and be more careful, but Delilah it's not like we had a whole lot of options."

"I know and I'm glad you were able to save them...but how far are you willing to go to save someone?" after she says this she gets up and grabs a kit from beneath the seat she opens it and pulls out a packet it says instant cast....needless to say I'm a little skeptical. She tears it open it has a bandage roll and a smaller packet filled with a white substance inside. She opens the packet and pours the substance on my broken hand and gently starts smearing it around. As she is doing this I start to think on her words how far would I go to save someone? Is she afraid I would recklessly throw my life away? "Delilah you worry to much, I'm not going to do anything that will get me killed I promise." we sit in the silence for about five minutes I'm surprised that the 'quick cast' actually works I now have a tight cast on my hand not to tight just enough to hold the bones in place. "It should only take a couple days for your hand to heal." "Wow that's fast." "The cast has healing properties plus you natural heal quickly so two days should do it." She moves towards the opening, "stay close tonight ok?" I get up and stand in front of her, Delilah stop worrying everything is gonna be fine." We walk out of the cruiser to our little group sitting by the fire. We sit between Amanda and Abby. "So how far is their last known position." Ask Amanda. "About five miles north of here." Delilah replies.

"So exactly how dangerous is this forest?" I ask nervously. "Well considering we're pretty much surrounded by man eating creatures which range from Treegobs to Fretooks...well lets just say we shouldn't sleep in the open." Titan says almost to casually. "Great thanks Titan now I'll get no sleep tonight." "you could always just have sex with Delilah to help you relax." Abby interjects. I just rub my temples. "guys can we be a little more serious this is kind of a bad situation we're in here." As soon as I say this I hear a low growl. "Yes Zack do you have something to say?" He looks bewildered "that wasn't me." Suddenly we hear a loud roar we all turn to the source of the noise. The beast I see before me has a large snout it's about the size of a panther its body is lean and muscular its face is narrow and long it roars again showing its many rows of long sharp teeth. It takes a step towards us its paws our massive like a bear it has brown,long fur covering its body and its eyes are blood red. "umm Titan what's that?" I say never taking my eyes off the beast. "That is a Fretook, they won't attack unless you're in their territory." His voice sounds slightly worried. "well lets see its walking towards us seemingly sizing us up I think its safe to say that we're in their territory." The beast takes another step than lets out a howl. Suddenly blood red eyes start appearing all around us. Something shoots out towards us, most of us manage to dodge it except for one of the pilots a long big quill is sticking right out of his chest....right where his heart is he's not moving suddenly more quills fly at us. "Delilah!" I shout. She already knows what to do as she erects a purple dome around us.

The quills thankfully bounce off the dome and fall harmlessly to the ground. "Well this is bad there must be at least seventy of them." I'm annoyed that we let these things get the drop on us. "How many quills do these things have?" I ask hoping for a low number. "Enough to keep this up all night and if you think Delilah,Tina and myself can keep this up all night....well we can't. Amanda states plainly. "Than there is only one thing we can do...attack." My tone is grim. "Antonio man that's suicide." Kyle's tone is shaky he's trying to stay calm but I can hear the fear in it. That's when a sense of dread washes over me. "Any of you guys realize they haven't fired another quill at us sense the barrier has been raised." We all come to the realization these weren't mindless beast they are smart. "Delilah open your barrier from the top, Amanda,Tina shoot your magic through the hole and direct it towards them. Kyle you do the same." Delilah opens the barrier and shoot their red lights towards the beast and Kyle aims his arrows high so it hits their mark. The beast shoot their quills at as but they just fall to the ground their numbers are thinning my plan seems to be working. Then I notice the beast are angling their bodies. My eyes snap open as I realize what they're doing. "Delilah close the barrier NOW!" The beast release another volley of quills as I say this. Delilah closes the barrier as fast as she can, a few quills get through I look around to see if everyone is ok. My eyes fall to the second pilot a quill has pierced his head. Damn! If only I had realized sooner now we have no other options but a straight up head to head fight. "Delilah open the barrier make it large enough for me to get through I want everyone out of the way of the opening." "No!" Delilah's voice is stern. "Delilah I'm the only one fast enough to not only dodge that many quills but also get close enough to kill them. "Amanda raise a barrier." Delilah orders Amanda does as she is told, Delilah walks up to me. "You promise me you'll come back." Delilah's eyes are **** they are beginning to tear up. I don't respond, "Promise me DAMNIT!" I want to say I promise I really do but these things know what their doing, if it came down to strength on strength I knew I could take them but those quills are gonna be a problem. She hugs me. "Delilah I have to do something if I don't than we all die." She starts shaking, "please Antonio don't do this." I wrap my arms around her and give her a comforting squeeze.

Her tears start to fall "please don't die." I gather my courage, I smile and kiss the top of her head. "Don't you remember what I said...I'm not going anywhere so right now I need you to trust in me like when we were at the ball you trusted me and did what I said I need you to trust in me now....to believe in me." She looks up at me. Her tears stop "I trust you. So go kick their asses and get back her I'm hungry." She lets out a weak laugh and smiles I don't know why but seeing her smile gave me confidence....there it is again.