Chased and Pursued

---Katherine---

Devil's Peak was still in sight behind us when Lord Victor discovered that we had disappeared. We heard shouts from the direction of Devil's Peak, carried by the wind. My heart dropped.

"It's not even noon," Aaron murmured, looking around for places to hide. "We've only been walking for a couple of hours."

"I know. What did we do to give ourselves away? Did we not close the doors to the treasury? Did a guard see us?" I sped up from a fast walk to a jog, trying to put more distance between us and our pursuers.

"No matter what it was, they know we're gone." Aaron jogged alongside me, listening to something on the wind. "It seems like a group of soldiers have been sent to capture us, perhaps around fifty people."

"Fifty people?" I gasped. "We can't fight off that many. We need to hide."

"Forest or mountain?" Aaron asked.

"Mountain. It's easier to defend." Aaron and I swerved off the road and headed towards the hills on our left, hoping to find a hiding spot.

We hurried up a small trail that winded up a grassy slope and followed it up, up, up. Whenever the trail branched off, we went down a side path, often picking the one that ascended higher. Soon, we were high enough that I could see the pursuing soldiers on the road below about half a mile away. Aaron and I walked briskly on the mountain path, keeping to the far left so the soldiers below wouldn't see us.

We were on a dusty dirt path that had smaller trails diverging from it every now and then, often heading toward higher elevations. On our left was the dirt-and-rock mountain wall, with grasses and small brushes growing on it. On our right was a steep drop down to the road below, which only increased in height as we climbed higher.

Soon, Aaron and I had reached the top of the hill that we were on. We stopped for a moment to catch our breaths. The bleak autumn sun hung in the cloudy sky above, barely providing any warmth. The hills dipped and soared, stretching far into the distance. Some were so high we couldn't see what was on the other side, but others were low enough for us to see the green slopes of another hill behind it. Shrubs and grasses dominated the landscape, while a few hardy trees stretched its roots deep into the eroding soil. Rocks jutted out here and there, crumbling at the edges. Chasms and valleys were sprinkled in between the hills and mountains; some were filled with boulders, and some were filled with shrubs.

"Let's keep going on this path," Aaron suggested as he pointed at a weed-choked trail. "Once Lord Victor's soldiers give up, we can find a way down the mountain to get back on the road again."

"Sounds good," I agreed. "It is easier to delay them on a twisty, rocky mountain path than the open road."

We continued on our way, sometimes having to hack at dry bushes to get through. A cool autumn wind blew clouds across the sun every now and then, making the temperature on the mountain drop. As we turned around a bend, I could no longer see the soldiers chasing after us in the distance. Even the road down below was hidden by the sides of the mountain. I began to relax just a little, hoping that we had either lost our pursuers, or they had given up on the chase.

"There they are!" A loud shout startled me so much I almost fell off the mountain. "Don't let them get away!"

"How did they get up here so quickly?" Aaron spun around in shock. "Oh my gosh, I see them! They're so close—Kath, we have to run!"

I burst into a sprint, running down the mountain path as fast as I could. As if to hinder our progress, the trail dipped and then began to rise steadily, so that we had to run up a slope. The shouts behind us gradually increased in volume, and I pushed my aching legs to carry me further.

We crested the hill and sprinted down, our hearts pounding in our ears. Aaron tripped over a rock halfway down the hill and rolled down the rest of the way, which was actually faster than me running carefully down the uneven terrain.

"Are you okay? Did you break any bones?" I pulled Aaron to his feet once I ran down the slope.

"No, I think I'm fine, just a bit bruised," Aaron replied. "Keep running!"

With the soldiers banging on their shields and shouting "Get them!!" behind us, Aaron and I ran for our lives. The path diverged, with one heading up and one sloping downwards. We sprinted upwards, trying to ignore the burning sensation in our muscles. If it was hard for us to navigate the terrain, then it would also be hard for the soldiers. We needed to slow them down as much as possible.

The new path was even more uneven than the first, with rocks sticking out of the ground everywhere and dry, scratchy shrubs that choked the trail. Stumbling over a rock, I fell forward and felt my ankle twist, but Aaron caught my arm and pulled me along, never breaking his sprint. Thorny plants tore at our legs, biting through the fabric of our pants and leaving scratches, but we had no time to tend to those wounds. It was just run, run, run, and pray that the soldiers would tire before we did.

Thankfully, they did. One moment they were right behind us, but when we crested the next hill they weren't. Aaron and I stopped and both hunched over with our hands on our knees, gasping for breath. All our energy was spent. "Water," Aaron croaked. "Do you have water?"

Without even the energy to speak, I dug out a canteen to hand over. Aaron chugged the water greedily, not minding that a quarter of the water had splashed onto the front of his shirt.

"What happened to the soldiers?" I panted, still panting heavily for air. Aaron dragged the back of his hand across his lips and handed the empty canteen back to me.

"I don't know. Maybe they got tired." Aaron took several deep breaths, trying to slow his breathing. "That was so close. I thought we were going to be recaptured for sure."

"Me too. But this doesn't feel right. They wouldn't just give up like that." I straightened and breathed deeply, feeling the ache in my muscles for the first time. "This is why I hate running. I ache all over."

"Same here. We really should have done more exercise to prepare for this quest," Aaron said. He scanned the surroundings, taking in the large boulders and dense shrubs. "Somehow, I don't think Lord Victor would just give up. This almost feels like a trap."

No sooner than the words leave his lips did soldiers burst forth from behind the boulders and the shrubs, shouting and shooting arrows towards us. I staggered backwards as I pulled out my swords to deflect the whizzing arrows. "How did they get here so quickly? And how did we not see them hiding behind the rocks and bushes?" I shouted in confusion at Aaron, who stood back to back with me.

"I have no idea. My guess is that they probably used magic to conceal themselves or to teleport. Either way, we need to fight our way out before they surround us completely!"