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[X] Grab Alice and stop her before she does something stupid.

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Grimnír's eyes widen in horror as he watches Alice gather her dolls around her in combat formation. The dollmaker chants spells under her breath. She carefully augments each of her dolls, as well as her own offensive magic. Her preparations can mean only one thing.

The magician's once kind eyes are now filled with fury and rage. Each of her dolls ready themselves in threatening stances. Even Shanghai has an unmistakably angry expression upon her face.

Alice looks ready to kill.

Grimnír glances back at the stranger. Shivering slightly, the man twists to his side and pulls the cloak up his shoulder, eyes still closed. The trident shifts in position, but it still leans upon him. He seems completely unaware of the situation, still peacefully snoozing under the shade.

He turns to Reisen, who shudders slightly as she looks back at him. She looks confused and scared, and her crumpled rabbit ears are noticeably shaking. The lunarian bites her lip and says nothing, as if afraid of making any decision.

"This all ends now," whispers Alice.

In the next five seconds, Grimnír's mind goes into overdrive as it analyzes the different possibilities of this circumstance. Carefully he recalls everything he knows about the Trident Lunatic.

Wriggle said that he was an odd hermit who wandered around the Forest of Magic. He had been living here for a while now, and he hadn't caused any trouble for the forest youkai, so she didn't mind him much. At least, not until recent times.

Keine mentioned that both human and youkai travellers around the Forest of Magic were being attacked by a stranger carrying a trident. She had left warnings on the signs along the paths herself. The perpetrator must have had significant power to cause damage to even youkai.

Marisa was attacked by this human and easily defeated. Her injury was one even Eientei couldn't treat. As such, Dr. Yagokoro sent them to take some readings from the weapon. They were to keep the human distracted while Reisen used the device. It would be too reckless to try to take the weapon from a crazed and powerful individual.

Yet Alice is now preparing to kill this person. Even if one forgets the ethical question of a pre-emptive attack, she might just get herself injured or killed. She is far too emotional at this point. Her feelings are confusing her badly. He could understand this, of course. Marisa is more than just a friend to her.

But he can't just watch another tragedy unfold. He must find some logical way out of this. The facts are incomplete, but with some careful analysis he can-

"This is for hurting my friend," declares Alice. She steps out of the bushes with her dolls and pulls out something from her dress. Grimnír recognizes it immediately.

It's a spell card.

"No! Don't do this!" cries Grimnír. His body moves automatically, and before he realizes it, he finds himself standing between Alice and the sleeping stranger. He raises both his arms to block her path.

"Get out of my way," says Alice darkly.

The dollmaker glares threateningly at him, but he stands his ground. Her cold cruel glare causes shivers to run down his spine. His mind keeps telling him to back off, but something within pushes him forward. There is still something he can do. This is a stupid idea. This is an idiotic idea. This is a completely foolish idea. But even so...

Without warning, Grimnír closes his eyes and jumps forward at Alice to stop her. The dollmaker gasps in surprise, but she manages to sidestep before he can reach her. As he begins to stumble clumsily, Grimnír's hands flail about in panic. Something catches onto his right hand, and he twists and pulls upon it in a futile attempt to regain balance. Unfortunately, he finds out in the next moment that he isn't holding a tree or bush. He grabbed Alice's arm.

The next moment, he receives two consecutive blows. His eyes tear up in anguish as his brain recognizes the first. He landed hard on his back, and to make things worse, something that felt like a rock hit the back of his head as well. But he doesn't have time to cry out because in the next second, something heavy falls on his stomach. He feels the air being forced out of his lungs at the sudden impact.

Grimnír almost blacks out, but he isn't that lucky this time. When the weight of the second object disappears from his chest, it takes him several seconds to even recover his breathing. His brain processes it a bit late, but the object felt a bit soft for some reason.

"W-what are you doing?" cries a voice close by. His vision is blurry, but he recognizes the owner immediately.

Grimnír fights the pain and manages to sit himself up. He cringes for a moment before looking straight into the magician's beautiful blue eyes.

"D-don't do this," he whispers. Before he can speak another word, he coughs violently.

"W-wait, are you hurt?" cries Alice suddenly.

He shakes his head. But before he can argue, Reisen lands beside them. She seems to be looking intently at the stranger. Grimnír carefully follows her gaze.

"..."

The stranger is completely awake now. He takes a couple of confident steps toward them, the trident leaning comfortably against his shoulder. He carries the weapon as if it was a part of him. He seems to be sneering at them. The man licks his lips before he speaks.

"Did these rabbits lose their way in the forest?" he cries loudly. "How rare for the prey to come willingly!"

Without warning, the stranger holds the weapon in both hands and rushes toward them with incredible speed. By the time Grimnír blinks, the stranger is only a few feet away from delivering a fatal blow. Everything stands still. Alice simply stares at the tip of the trident pointed at her heart, while Reisen watches in shock nearby. The stranger stands frozen in place, only inches from striking with his weapon. Grimnír himself, still numb from the pain, can only stare in anticipation.

Then, the stranger pulls his weapon away and takes several steps backward. He covers his face with his other hand as he retreats.

"No... not... again..." whispers the stranger. "Not... this time... not... this way... not... me..!"

Before anyone can reply, the stranger turns around and runs into the depth of the Forest of Magic. Grimnír blinks in surprise as he watches the man flee with inhuman speed. The stranger races into the shadows as if possessed by some wild animal. Is this person really human?

Killed us. He could have killed us all. Easily. With that weapon. Couldn't even get a good look at it. But he didn't. He didn't. What the hell..?

"Alice! Grimnír!" cries Reisen suddenly. "He's getting away!"

[ ] Chase after the stranger and try to kill him.
[ ] Chase after the stranger and try to take his weapon.
[ ] Chase after the stranger and try to get some answers.
[ ] Let the stranger go.
[ ] A better plan? (Specify)