The Dream Shifter

Chapter 265

The shapes of the poles filled out more into trees. Branches were jagged and created innumerable branches from the core. Color and definition came to them giving even more to their image as trees. The last things to come were leaves, as they remained bare. However, they were not the sort of trees that Chiharu expected. They were pine trees with thousands of needles covering them.

'Huh? Pine trees?' Chiharu allowed herself a little confusion over the type of tree chosen.

Miltiades glanced down at Chiharu, finally finished with the transformation. He had to peel off many of the restrictive layers to reach the state the field existed in for him now. "I don't show a lot of people this form as it tends to be unnecessary for my work. But this is the true form of my field."

"True form? This look like a forest."

"I put specific restrictions on it to make use of it how you're used to seeing it. This is without all of those."

"I fail to see how this is useful for you."

"You'll understand soon enough." Miltiades leapt up to a thick branch to stand. He crossed his arms leaning against the trunk of the tree. "I'd suggest a defense. What you're about to see is the reason I used to be part of the Omega Division!"

"Omega Division? Is that supposed to mean something to me?" Chiharu did not have a chance for an answer as an unnatural sway broke through the forest. All of the trees chattered an eerie tune. Then a wave of green erupted up the branches. Thousands of needles were throw into the air. However, they did not fall or move upward with the motion. The needles floated and began to gather.

Riding a wind, they spun around into a long snake. Suddenly, they all shot out in a stream aimed directly at Chiharu. She dodged their first attempt. The ground was stung by hundreds of needles embedded half into the ground with such force that they did not snap. The remaining stream continued after Chiharu in chase.

'Too many…' She drew out her tanto to intercept the next wave. Only one swing made it before the force knocked her sword from her hand. Surprised and unarmed, the swarm rained down on Chiharu pinning her to the ground.

Blood dripped from the countless piercings on her body, as she lay prone and helpless. Miltiades kept his eyes on her the entire time. Sweat dripped down his cheek, but a grin still came across his face. "You maybe fast, but you can't dodge tens of thousands razor sharp needles. Enough minor wounds will add up until you're unable to move. This will be your end!"

"Omega Division? Is that supposed to mean something to me?" Chiharu did not have a chance for an answer as an unnatural sway broke through the forest. All of the trees chattered an eerie tune. Then a wave of green erupted up the branches. Thousands of needles were throw into the air. However, they did not fall or move upward with the motion. The needles floated and began to gather.

Riding a wind, they spun around into a long snake. Suddenly, they all shot out in a stream aimed directly at Chiharu. She dodged their first attempt. The ground was stung by hundreds of needles embedded half into the ground with such force that they did not snap. The remaining stream continued after Chiharu in chase.

'Too many…' She drew out her tanto to intercept the next wave. Only one swing made it before the force knocked her sword from her hand. Surprised and unarmed, the swarm rained down on Chiharu pinning her to the ground.

Blood dripped from the countless piercings on her body, as she lay prone and helpless. Miltiades kept his eyes on her the entire time. Sweat dripped down his cheek, but a grin still came across his face. "You maybe fast, but you can't dodge tens of thousands razor sharp needles. Enough minor wounds will add up until you're unable to move. This will be your end!"

Prone and covered in pain, Chiharu found her body trying to refuse her demands. She slid her eyes over to her arm when it struggled to move for her. 'Damn! I didn't expect this…' Everything narrowed for her. All the small points of pain over her body felt impossible to single out. It all barraged her at once. A single needle would have been nothing to her, but the innumerable cries made it heavy.

Wind brushed over Chiharu's body leaving her stinging. It drew her away for a moment, long enough to distract her. However, it meant she did not realize the significance of it until it was almost too late. Her eyes snapped open with the sight of the needles coming back around for another assault. Chiharu dipped her hand into the void allowing it to pull at her enough to get her body moving once more.

Needles pinned the ground and a few shot through the loose bits clothes on her arm. Once in motion, Chiharu got her feet running again and she took cover behind a tree out of Miltiades' sight. 'Narrowly avoided it.' She looked back at her hand with the maneuver pulled. 'I had to expose it out in plain sight. Only seeing it once and partially shouldn't present too much of a risk. But I can't let him learn any more about my abilities.'

Wiping away some sweat, Miltiades brought the mass of needles around the tree hiding Chiharu. He wanted to end the fight quickly. "Hiding's not going to do you much good."

Chiharu's eyes narrowed and flipped to the sides. She saw the signs already. 'This isn't good…I'm moving at his pace now…I can't win like this…' Sliding down the tree, she evaded the first bout, though her hair caught a little with cut strains floating away. The rest of the storm already turned around making another pass within moments. Chiharu pushed off from the tree getting her legs back in motion.

Jumping around on the ground, Chiharu tried to keep ahead and use the trees for as much cover as she could. It mostly worked, but she slipped up a few times and took more direct hits. 'I need a different plan!' Her hand lowered to her kunai and retrieved two to her hand. It was the only spare time she had. 'This'll have to work!'

She barely dodged the attack, feeling needles graze past her. Chiharu launched herself into the air. The bare trees granted an easy branch to land on. It did not change what chased her. Needles still came after her, not that she expected it to be more difficult. Her hand tightened around the handle of the kunai as she jumped to the next branch. She glanced to the corner of her confirming Miltiades' position. 'He hasn't moved yet. Passive as always.' Things had to change, she knew. Defense had to turn to offense.

Avoiding the next attack nearly tripped her as the needles embedded in her leg. 'I'm slowing down…must do it now! No time…' Chiharu turned her direction shifting to Miltiades' tree. She pulled her arm back already ready. A moment later her hand released the two kunai from their hold aimed for Miltiades.

Miltiades caught sight of her plan. He quickly redirected his needles back around for defense. A hailstorm of needles sprayed over the course of the kunai. Needles pierced the hardened metal putting small holes in them. The force was enough to change their direction leaving them to pass him. He glanced in the direction of where they went to disappear in his forest. "That's not going to work on me." Miltiades looked back in search of Chiharu, expecting something more from her, but she was not in sight.

The forest was empty. He moved the needles around searching for her, but they came back with nothing. Any attempt he made to flush her out turned up empty. 'Disappeared? Did she give up and leave?' He let out a sigh returning the needles back to the tree. Sweat dripped down his chin. 'I doubt she's gone… She out there somewhere…'

He blinked trying to ignore the fatigue. The release lightened the weight on him. Miltiades jumped out to the next tree.

It was a hunt.

He hated the word. 'I thought I didn't have to do this anymore.' Such a word held only one meaning for most, but it had other meanings for Miltiades. In truth, he knew it was all the same. However, he preferred to divide it into different meanings, personal meanings. Personal meanings created after he made the decision.

Heavy breathing whispered through the darkness. A sour taste of fear leaked between branches. Pleas went unanswered. The same inevitable conclusion came each time, no escape.