Forest Trouble

"Just keep on truckin'!" Asiris dramatically declared, the exhaustion clearly showing in his legs, as if they were about to doze off beneath him. For a whole hour, they had been trekking along this path, with the other group mysteriously quiet for quite a while.

Micah, dealing with the pain in his legs and the ache in his feet, finally gave in, falling down and crying out in distress. Caville hurried to help. “Are you all right?” she asked, concern evident on her face. With the speed of a seasoned detective, she uncovered his shoes, exposing a vivid red blister.

“He has a blister,” she told Asiris. He swiftly devised a plan. “I’ll be the one to transport him.”

“Are you sure?” she inquired warily.

“Yes, I’m very sure,” Asiris replied confidently. "Help me lift him." And so, they continued on their way, Asiris carrying Micah on his shoulder.

As the chaos unfolded, the deafening sound of a revving engine shattered the tranquility, drawing everyone's focus. As they watched the Jeep draw near, the figures inside barely visible, Peter's voice broke through the tension, "Run!"

Asiris casually looked over at the pursuers, noticing a fleet of cars equipped with machine rifles. “Run!” he exclaimed, and they quickly fled from the approaching threat.

“Who are they?” Caville exclaimed, snatching her radio.

"How on this planet am I supposed to know?" Asiris retorted. “Come on, let’s go!” Caville swiftly made her way towards the Jeep.

They stumbled upon a row of bushes blocking their way. Asiris effortlessly leaped over them with Micah casually perched on his shoulder, expertly maneuvering through the obstacles.

As if things weren't bad enough, a barrage of bullets came flying their way. “Keep running!” Caville exclaimed, dragging Asiris along. They had to find Xavier and the rest, all the while avoiding relentless pursuers determined to end them. As they closed in, the screams of the pursuers grew louder.

Peter, being the boss, ordered, “Halt!” causing the vehicle to stop, allowing them to enter. “Alright, let's get moving!” With a flick of Asiris' hand, the Jeep zoomed away. The gang was currently being chased by what seemed to be a bunch of survivors.

“Is the prisoner all right?” Asiris inquired. The trio exchanged glances, taken aback by the sight of the prisoner sleeping soundly. Yet, in this nail-biting moment, their attention turned to avoiding the relentless chasers.

Caville deftly whipped out her pistol and took aim at the cars, firing off rounds with precision. An accurate shot caused a tire blowout, creating a roadblock for the other cars as they collided with the disabled vehicle. “Well, she certainly has better aim than I do,” Vienne remarked.

The vehicle decided to take a break from its usual routine and ended up on its side, gracefully sliding until it came to a stop. Fate smiled upon them as the warehouse was just a stone's throw away.

Vienne, the first to notice, exclaimed, “Look, the warehouse!” All gazes shifted to the structure. "We must shake them off!" Peter exclaimed. Caville persisted with her shooting, yet her attempts were futile as the bullets bounced off the cars.

Xavier proposed, "Why don't we attempt to outmaneuver them?" he grumbled, fed up with the relentless pursuit. “Just make sure we don’t fall!” Asiris clung to the car, clearly not a fan of sudden movements.

It was high time for a cunning strategy. Xaiver had a stroke of genius: speed up to gain momentum, then swiftly change course, disrupting the balance and leading to a tumble. Without bothering to provide any details, he put the pedal to the metal and raced towards the warehouse.

"What on earth are you up to?" Micah pondered, concerned about the escalating velocity. Speeding up won't solve the problem!

Disregarding the objections, Xavier continued, pushing the car to its limits. The warehouse was getting closer. It was finally time. With a sudden jolt, he hit the brakes and swerved to the side, causing a chorus of exclamations from the passengers.

“Whoa!” exclaimed everyone as the car skidded.

“Help!” Vienne let out a high-pitched scream, almost losing her balance. Asiris swooped in just in time to catch her. But now, bullets were heading their way. Asiris had quite the challenge trying to hoist her up, her fingers tightly clutching the car.

With a dramatic flair, she cried out, slowly releasing her grip. After letting go, she quickly jumped up, pushing herself back into the car. The scheme had managed to succeed, though just barely. While a few cars were led astray, a majority continued their chase. Adding to the chaos, a roadblock appeared in the distance.

Xavier abruptly hit the brakes, making everyone's heads lurch forward.

Tap...

At the sudden click of cocking firearms, the group instinctively raised their hands. “Get down on the ground!” one of them commanded, the only voice distinguishable amidst the chaos.

On their knees they went, some giving up, while Asiris readied for a sneak attack. But just as he was about to make a move, a piercing scream filled the air, causing everyone to look towards a man with side-swept hair and wearing armor.

Micah noticed the carbine in the stranger's hand and felt a twinge of concern about the possibility of being shot. However, that was not the situation. He asked, "Aren't these the Heathers?"

“Well, I'm afraid I'm not quite sure, sir.”

The man nonchalantly made his way over and squatted down to their eye level. “Do you guys happen to know the names of the princes?” he quipped, standing right in front of the princes.

“We are the princes,” Micah replied. "I'm Micah, and this is my brother, Peter."

The man's eyes grew significantly wider as they quickly moved back to their guns.

“Chai!” someone exclaimed with a unique African accent. “We were aiming at the prince.”

“Well, no need to worry,” the man, still kneeling, reassured. “They should be well aware of our alliance.”

“Allies of who?” Micah hissed.

"Well, clearly you all missed that memo."

“So, you guys are the Hemorrians?”

“Indeed,” he affirmed, with a subdued chuckle. “Now, how about we transport you to our kingdom—just so that you’re safe.”

“No, we're on a quest to locate the Heather Eye in order to thwart the Ikes.”

“Well, good luck with General Stricker,” the man quipped. "Who in the world is General Stricker?" Asiris inquired.

So, we've stumbled upon the man who seems to think he can take advantage of our kingdom, assuming we're vulnerable without any allies. The king seems a bit clueless, but I have a feeling you all are in the loop.

"We can put an end to this - if you assist us."

The man raised an eyebrow in doubt. “Well, it all hinges on the king's decision, but for the time being, let's escort you there.”

Standing tall, he signaled for the cars to come pick them up. While the prisoner remained in a deep sleep, Asiris called out, "Hey!"

The man came to a sudden stop. "Lead the way to the warehouse," Asiris requested. “We must interrogate him.”

With a quick thought, the man gave a nod, looked at his men, and commanded, "Take 'em."

They hopped into the cars and were chauffeured to the warehouse together, although one of them had to make the sacrifice of riding in the trunk due to limited space.