Reborn as the Last van Ambrose

Lianna stumbled through the forest undergrowth. Her legs felt weak from days of captivity and torture.

Every step sent pain shooting through her body.

But she was free. After a week of Morvain's questions and slow torture, she was finally free.

"Keep moving," Huangyan urged from behind her. "We need distance before they start chasing us."

The rescued prisoners moved as quickly as their injuries allowed. Morris supported Willem, whose broken arm made running difficult. The two Yanyu officers helped each other through the rough terrain.

Behind them, explosions continued to light up the night sky. Grim's assault was drawing massive attention away from their escape.

"How much further?" Captain Zhou gasped.

"Two more miles to the rally point," Huangyan replied. "Then we're safe."

But as they crested a small hill, the sound of pursuit reached their ears.

Rawr!

"They went this way!"

"Follow the blood trail!"

Dogs began barking, elves began shouting.

The elves had begun a hunt.

"They're following us," Lieutenant Feng said with obvious concern.

Huangyan looked back toward the burning camp. Torches moved through the forest behind them. At least twenty elves in pursuit.

"Pick up the pace," she ordered. "They're closing distance."

The prisoners tried to run faster, but their condition limited their speed. Days of poor food and torture had weakened them all.

The barking grew closer.

"I can't," Willem gasped, collapsing against a tree. "My arm... I need a moment."

"We don't have a moment," Huangyan said grimly.

The first pursuit team crested the hill behind them. Elven hunters with tracking dogs had reached them.

"There!" someone shouted. "The prisoners!"

Arrows began whistling through the air around their position.

"Take cover!" Huangyan called out.

The prisoners dove behind fallen logs and large rocks. But their position was exposed. The elves had clear fields of fire.

"Surrender!" the lead hunter called out. "Return to custody and you won't be harmed!"

"Liar," Lianna spat from her hiding spot. "Morvain doesn't show mercy."

More arrows struck the trees around them. The elves were closing in from multiple directions.

"I'll hold them off," Huangyan said. "Continue to the rally point."

"We're not leaving you," Morris protested.

"You're not helping by staying." Huangyan drew her sword. "Get Lianna to safety. That's why we came."

She rose from cover and moved toward the pursuing elves. Her blade gleamed in the moonlight as she prepared for combat.

The lead hunter was a tall elf with elaborate armor. It lookedike he had a growing tree on the front and back of his armor wifh falling leaves at the bottom.

His sword crackled with green magical energy.

"One against eight," he observed. "Poor odds."

"For you," Huangyan replied.

Heavy drops soaked through the forest canopy. It was as if the rin picked up and got worse as this moment came.

Huangyan cursed silently. The rain would interfere with her fire techniques. She'd have to rely on pure swordwork.

The first elf attacked with coordinated spear thrusts. Huangyan flowed between the weapon points like water. Her blade found gaps in his armor with surgical precision.

He dropped without making a sound.

The second elf tried a flanking maneuver. Huangyan spun and caught his blade on her guard, then riposted with a cut that opened his throat.

Two down. Six remaining.

But the rain was getting heavier. Her footing became uncertain on the wet ground.

"She's skilled," the lead hunter admitted. "But not skilled enough."

The remaining elves attacked in coordinated pairs. Huangyan parried desperately as blades came from multiple directions.

She managed to wound two more attackers, but a sword point grazed her ribs. Blood stained her tunic as she gave ground.

The rain continued to fall harder. Her fire techniques remained unusable.

"Fire Heart: Dancing Embers," she tried anyway.

Nothing. The technique fizzled in the heavy moisture.

"Having trouble?" the lead hunter taunted. "Fire magic doesn't work well in rain."

He pressed his attack with renewed confidence. His enchanted blade traced patterns of green energy through the air.

Huangyan parried desperately, but she was being pushed back toward the prisoners' position.

"Phoenix Ascendant," she whispered.

Again, nothing. The rain suppressed all fire techniques.

An elven blade slipped past her guard and cut across her shoulder. Another opened a gash along her thigh.

She was losing.

"Almost finished," the lead hunter said with satisfaction. "Surrender now and I'll make your death quick."

"Not... finished... yet," Huangyan gasped.

But she was bleeding from multiple wounds. The rain made her grip uncertain. The elves were pressing their advantage.

That's when steel rang against steel behind the elven line.

"Need some help?" Sergeant Zhang's voice carried through the rain.

The imperial soldier emerged from the darkness with his sword already moving. He struck down one elf before the others realized they were flanked.

"Took you long enough," Huangyan called out.

"Got delayed by some very persistent guards," Zhang replied, engaging two more elves.

The arrival of reinforcement changed the dynamic immediately. The elves found themselves fighting on two fronts.

Huangyan rallied and pressed her attack against the lead hunter. Without his numerical advantage, he was just another skilled opponent.

Her blade work was precise despite her wounds. Each cut found its mark. Each parry led to a counterattack.

Zhang methodically eliminated the remaining hunters. His imperial training showed in his efficient movements.

But more torches were visible in the distance. The main pursuit force was closing in.

"We need to move," Zhang said, finishing off his last opponent. "There are more coming."

"How many more?" Huangyan asked, wiping blood from her sword.

"Too many to fight."

They helped the prisoners to their feet and continued toward the rally point. Behind them, shouts erupted as the main pursuit force discovered the dead hunters.

"Find them!" Captain Morvain's voice carried clearly through the rain. "They can't have gone far!"

"That's not good," Morris observed.

"No," Huangyan agreed. "It's not."

The rain continued to fall as they pressed deeper into the forest. Morvain's pursuit force was organized, determined, and familiar with the local terrain.

"How far to the rally point?" Lianna asked.

"Maybe a mile," Huangyan replied. "But they're going to catch us before we get there."

"Then we fight again," Zhang said simply.

"With what?" Huangyan gestured at the wounded prisoners. "Half of us can barely walk."

"We fight with what we have," Lianna said with quiet determination. "I didn't survive a week of torture to die running through a forest."

Behind them, the sounds of pursuit grew closer.

"There!" someone shouted from too close behind them. "Fresh tracks!"

Split into three groups," Morvain's voice commanded through the rain. "Circle around the hill. Don't let them reach the northern trail."

"Sir, the dogs have their scent," another voice reported. "They're bleeding, it's easy to follow."

"Good. Drive them toward the ravine. Cut off their escape routes."

Huangyang cursed under her breath.

"They're trying to surround us," Zhang said grimly.

The ground ahead became treacherous as they descended toward a muddy stream. The heavy rain had turned the earth into slippery clay.

"Careful," Huangyan warned. "Watch your footing."

But as they navigated the slick slope, Lianna's weakened legs gave out. Her foot slipped in the mud and she tumbled forward with a sharp cry of pain.

Aghh!

"Lianna!" Morris rushed to help her up.

"I'm fine," she gasped, struggling to her feet. But her fall had cost them precious seconds.

"Torches ahead!" Zhang pointed through the rain. "They've cut us off!"

Behind them, Morvain's voice rang out triumphantly. "We have them! Close the circle!"