Records of the Forest (Completed)

After All This Time

"HaiDEr." Dieserair growled, looking him dead in the eye.

Haider looked back, his expression unfamiliar. "Rowan, Anne!" He called. "You two take Jack and go! Dieserair is my problem."

Rowan paused on the rope bridge she was on. And in a spurt of defiance and confidence she didn't know she had, only one response came: "Since when?"

"Rowan!" Jack yelled, snapping her back to the present. "Shifters! Run!"

Rowan ran over the rope bridge, trying to break the boards as she went to slow down the Shifters, all the while trying to keep an eye on Anne and Dieserair. Anne was practically flying over the platforms and bridges, but Dieserair, without appearing to give any effort, stayed only a few yards behind her. Suddenly, she was forced to skid to a stop when she ran onto a platform with only one bridge: a dead end. "Oh," she whispered, realizing. She whirled around, hoping, but Dieserair was already on the blocking her escape. "Oh no."

"Anne!" Rowan screamed. "Throw the key! Throw it away!" She had to get closer. But she had no idea which combination of platforms and bridges would get her there.

"No..." Dieserair said condescendingly. "sSHe's toO SMarT FoR tHAt. ARen'T yYou, ANNe? ThROWinG aWAy ThE onLy tHinG KEEpiNG Her AliVE??"

"Rowan, run faster!" Jack yelled.

"I know! I'm just trying to get to- I'm practically flying already!" She chanced a glance away from Anne. "Where's Haider?!"

"Probably also running. But faster!"

Anne looked around, looking for a way out. But nothing was close enough. She only had one card. "Don't come any closer," she said, trying to keep her air of confidence. "Or I'll drop it. I mean it!"

Dieserair paused, now only about a foot away. "A tRAdE ThEN. yYou aNd yYouR FrIEnDs foR ThE KEY." He pointed to the bronze key, inching forward. "yYou WiLL be fREe tO GO."

"I'm just what? Supposed to believe you'll keep your word?"

"I SwEAr iT." He loomed over her now, seemingly growing taller.

And for the first time, Anne faltered. "I- I don't believe you," she breathed. Dieserair's hand snapped to her wrist and she screamed at the pain.

"Heh," he laughed darkly. "cLeVEr giRL."
And he threw Anne off the platform.

"No!!" Rowan screamed after her. Anne crashed into a hoard of Shifters, causing their bridge to snap in half. Anne managed to grab a strand of rope, wincing at the pain and the fading yelps of the falling dogs.

"I... I can't... Reach!" She stained to grab a board but the pull down was too strong.

Jack growled. "If I was just a bit closer I could get to her!"

Rowan glanced at Dieserair, and determining he was distracted, picked Jack up. "Get ready!"

"What are y-"

"Shut up and focus on landing!" Rowan, with all her strength. As she did, she heard Dieserair screech. He figured out the key was fake. But there was no way for him to reach Anne. Jack, on the other hand, landed roughly in the middle of the platform. "Can you reach her now?!"