“Did you actually think I wouldn’t catch your scent from up there?” Barenn grinned at the ruined shack as he wiggled his bear-like nose

“Fuck!!” shouted Selene as she grabbed the hilt of her sword

“Stop hesitating, Selene!” screamed Amelia. Selene turned back to Amelia when her eyes widened, as Amelia’s once tiny magic ring have now became as great as a boulder. “Everything will be fine. He may be no Title Bearer but that much wouldn’t be able to kill him! Now go out there and do your best and I guarantee you the sun will shine over us once more.”

Hmph. You both are really shit pep-talkers. But thanks anyway. smirked Selene as she wiped off her last droplet of sweat. She glared at Barenn who’s completely ignoring her and instead was still spitting on the ruin that buried Wilken.

Let’s do this. Selene took the deepest breath of her life, and upon exhaling, there were no more hesitations on her mind, no more weight on her limbs, and no more uncertainty on her swings, the only thing left on her mind was her foe. She swiftly dashed towards Barenn, her legs felt light as feather and her arms felt firm as steel. She pointed her sword forward, up to eye-level amidst her race. Her sword form felt like she was jousting, and her feet were her steed. Barenn was far larger and faster than she had expected, but Selene has always been faster than Wilken. With that in mind, her pace speeded to the point the wind engulfed her ears entirely and she could no longer hear anything. All of her senses were running wild and her heart thumped to the beat of her footsteps, everything was telling her to stop, but her feet only kept getting faster until the only thing she could sense was Barenn standing inches apart from her, seemingly still unaware of her sneak attack. With her opponent facing sideway and eyes preoccupied, the moment her sword was in range, she bent her legs down and leapt forward, pushing her entire back into her one pierce.

She could feel it, the warmth of human flesh reaching close to the tip of her sword, it only slowly got warmer and warmer, but in an instant the touch of her steel returned to its icy heat. The tip of her sword was a hair apart from Barenn’s neck when he turned over and effortlessly sidestepped away from the blow. “I said that’s not gonna work on me, you dumb bitch!” Her time in the air was coming to an end, her feet were on their way back to the comfort of the ground, she was as tall as the giant himself at such height, yet it would seem that only made it easier for Barenn as he swung his sword sideways, aiming at her waist.

Just like how she felt warmth through her sword, she also felt the icy chill of the red sword reaching her midriff. Her pupils fixated on the Grimmtooth’s vane, the shining edge reflected her helpless visage back to her, and she hated it. Ain’t hell I’m dying like this!! She gritted her teeth and with her last breath of strength, her body bent flat to the horizon, and as if she was laying on the heaven, with her left arm, she pushed against the edge of Grimmtooth as it swung by, the recoil was so fierce, it flipped her over Barenn’s head, and with the momentum from the push and the fall she mightily swung her sword across Barenn’s neck.

*CLANG!*

Dust was obscuring her eyes as Selene lay on the ground, moaning after poorly landed from the fall. Her entire body was aching, as her spine cracked out a horrid sound that spook the poor girl, and her arm had become so numb that she could barely feel her sword anymore. She slowly opened her eyes back up and glanced over her sword. Her numbing hand was still gripping tightly to her sword grip, the blade felt so light and seemed so short. She squinted her eyes relentlessly but her blade was now half of its original size and its tip flatter than the ground she’s laying upon. Fucking hell! And I just got it too! she swung her arms up and down in a tantrum, now knowing that it wasn’t their fault that her sword felt lighter. Well, at least the fucker’s dead. Oh shit I shouldn’t have said that right- she never got to finish her thought as a loud, terrifying grunt sparked from behind her. She herself grunted loudly before turning back, knowing who’s awaiting her.

“You damn bitch! You almost got me there!” Barenn shouted but far quieter than before, placing one hand upon his bleeding neck.

Armored skin… For fuck sake… Selene panted as she facepalmed herself. Her body was nauseous and mind-numbing, for her first ever quest, this was frankly unexpected, she thought it would be finished more swiftly and she could return home and brag it off to her father, brother and sister, yet as she feebly stood back up and briefly brushed the dust off herself, she couldn’t help but faintly smile. She was so scared just moments ago, but now a burning rush was blazing throughout her body as her heart thumped in delight.

Barenn confusedly stared at Selene “Either you’ve hit your head from that fall or you’re one goddamn masochist.” He dropped his hand down, revealing the slash Selene had dealt on his neck, the darkness was straining her sight, but she could faintly tell that it was nothing more than a glorified papercut.

“Well my father always tells me that nothing gets the blood rushing more than a strong prey.” said Selene with a smug-look as she slightly glanced back to Amelia. She immediately shook her head back at Selene as it would seem her magic ring was still unfinished despite it reaching the size of the shed next to her. Looks like Barenn’s still toying with us, he doesn’t even bother laying an eye on Amelia’s spell. thought Selene

“That’s one hard motherfucking dad you got there! What else did he teach you?”

Selene stood straight and tossed her broken sword aside, and with eyes beaming with vigor and hunger, she proclaimed “That we do the hunting.” as with one hand behind her back, she gripped her fist tightly and faintly murmured a chant as so Barenn wouldn’t hear her. A dim crimson light slowly apparated around Selene’s hidden wrist, and in matters of seconds it has already formed an arch.

Barenn’s eyes swelled upon hearing that, he didn’t seem like the type to be shock easily but this was the first time he has ever froze off since their encounter. “Well, then… This is quite a turn of event…” his astonishment didn’t last long, as he lightly grin and returned to his formal smug self “But do you seriously think a lone lioness can prey on a bear?”

Selene confidently nodded as her red arch has became a full-fledged scarlet magic ring, though still small enough to hide it behind her back.

“Well, you best wish Death is on your side since I won’t let you die just yet. Afterall, you are useful in more ways than once.” said Barenn with in a lecherous tone but Selene didn’t seem to mind or understand for that matter

Without any hesitation, Barenn stormed towards Selene like a raging bull, eyes gleaming red in the shadow of night just like the beast he was. With every step he took, a dent was left on the ground as the sword he recklessly dragged across the dirt left its mark just like its owner. He was fast for a man of his ginormous stature, but for a Title Bearer, he was seriously lacking, while else Selene has been practicing with her Title Bearing-sister who was far faster; not that Selene had ever nearly reached her pace but at the very least her eyes had grown somewhat accustomed to pace of such milestone. As the beast-of-a-man skimpy reached her with his crimson fang and bear-like scent, Selene hurriedly sidestepped to the side. There’s no way I can match him in terms of speed, but if it’s only dodging then even I could manage that much. And if I could use his own force against him, then maybe- With the clueless bear still having no idea his prey has left his sight, Selene quickly unveiled her crimson-contoured fist before the beast could leave her reach, and she whispered Ember. the magic ring then gently faded away and from the remnants of the disappearing light, birthed a slight flame that engulfed Selene’s fist. TAKE THIS OFFROAD, YOU FUCKING VILLAGE-WRECKER! Selene roared as fiercely as a lion could while she viciously struck Barenn’s forwarding face with her blazing paw, her once insignificant flame then shone bright like a birthing sun in the dead of night. Her right arm felt like it was hitting a mountain, she could hear her fingers breaking but with each cracking bone, Selene only pushed harder and roared louder. Then with the might of a lion, Selene threw her entire back onto her sole fist AHHHHGH! roared Selene as she flung her arm passed the breaking point, her furious roar overshadowed the sound of her shattering bones, and sent the bear flying along his greatsword, just passed the futile fence that barricaded the village where he landed head-first into the rocky ground, planting his steel body deep into the dirt. Fucking hell… Selene huffed profusely as her right arm dropped down like a deflated ball, blisters and bruises engulfed it more so than the dust, yet it was still strangely straight and wasn’t distorted from the massive impact. Ouch! whimpered Selene as she gently moved her righter half of her body It hurts… Everything hurts… Everything’s in pain… I wanna go home and never go on a quest ever again… panted Selene, but she was contempt that she could jested like that again. Fuck! Gotta check on Wilken. Exhausted as she was, Selene hastily limped over to the ruin of a once tiny shack. There were broken wood planks and pebbles from all sizes covered in dust clustered together like a twisted sand castle, and through one of the many crevices of the wreck was Wilken’s hand still gripping on his sword. I don’t know if he’s alive or not, but I also don’t wanna waste my time digging up his corpse if he’s not. She felt terrible for thinking so but her shattered arm forgave her condescending thoughts.

“Hey, Wilken! Are you still alive down there!” asked Selene, though she didn’t expect an answer

Selene was half a mind of turning back to Amelia and shared her thoughts and prayers when suddenly a slight rumble arose from the ruin, knocking a few pebbles off the pile of wreck. Selene squinted and rubbed her eyes in doubt when she saw Wilken’s hand waving his sword up and down. “GET ME OUT OF HERE!!” Wilken’s scream echoed through the tiny crevices of the wreck and into Selene’s ears, but despite his irritating voice circling her head once more, Selene couldn’t help but relievedly sighed and cracked a short smile.

“Yeah, yeah. I can only use one arm so hang in there, bud.” laughed Selene as she began pushing the pebbles aside and lifting up planks of wood, all while her left arm tensed up with each passing stones and her mind ached for having to listen to Wilken’s constant babbles and grumbles through the fissures between the wreck How the fuck does he still have so much energy? sighed Selene as she slowly regretted on helping him.