Wind blew against the strands of Zara's body lying on the ground breathing heavily. Her bloodied hand tightened on her chest. Her legs fall to the ground with one missing hand, and a missing right eye. Blood had already pooled around her forming a circle below her.
She moved her head to her left to see a figure in the distance. With its own missing arm, while on the other hand long thin chains with thorns embedded on them.
Zara rolled over getting up by the help of her knees and an elbow. Her eyes met the enemy as a stare down began.
Strong gusts blew through the fallen trees in their surroundings. Blood drenched leaves had covered the ground where they stood, the enemy's eyes started to glow similar to that of Silas.
Zara's face flickered in a hurry and a mess of expression as she stood up. The moment she got on her legs the chains appeared and wrapped around her neck.
The enemy pulled the chains towards herself, the thorns began to dig in Zara's skin.
Her voice broke in a frantic cry.
—{Moments Ago}—
The body marked in hundreds of stabs looked at itself. Fingers tracking the deep empty space on the body.
Enemy: “Impressive. I must say… I didn't see it coming.”
Zara: “Who the fuck are you?” She asked while adjusting her dagger in hand.
Enemy: Tilts her head “... Hunter.”
Zara: “A hunter! Can't you see I'm a human? Bitch!” Zara flared her arms out.
Enemy: “I can see it pretty well…” Her frown deepened. “In fact, a pretty one.”
Zara: Eyes widened at the compliment, but she got defensive, “What? Trying to catch me off guard?” She asked while her eyes glow brighter.
The enemy just nodded.
Zara: “You're… Just admitting it like that…? What do you think you are!? Some platinum?”
Enemy: A slow smirk started climbing her face. “I wish I was.” She took off her cape. Threw it towards Zara.
Because of the cape Zara lost sight of the enemy, another sudden gust of wind blew and the cape was flung at her.
While a fist came from the below and went towards the guts.
Zara closed her mouth suppressing a vomit while the enemy grabbed her neck pinning her down to the ground.
The contents of whatever Zara had eaten earlier rushed out and got all over her jaw and the enemy's hand. Though, she didn't budge.
Zara: “What do you want?” She asked while trying to kick the person above her. Got no answer.
The grip only tightened.
“You… Let me go…” Muttered the victim.
A huge magic charge surged up causing the enemy to be thrown back meters away. She didn't even wipe it off… She said;
Enemy: “Stop Resisting.” Raised her palm at the Victim.
Victim: Standing up, and coughing “Are with those bandits—”
“Nah.”
The victim whipped off what she'd eaten this morning from her face. “Fuck.”
Enemy: Nodded, “Yea fuck…” Pause “I'll fuck you.” Dashed forward with a grin on her face while Zara had a disgusted face.
But this time the victim also moved forward only to notice her empty hands. She couldn't react fast enough for her daggers to reappear but not in her hands but in the one whom she used it on. Earlier.
The blade went through the owner's arm. Retracting it stabbed back at the shoulder. Once again, retracting for another strike at the waist but the user's hand was grabbed for she succeeded a third time.
Enemy: “Let go of me.” She said calmly. Slapped the victim by the back of her hand.
Victim: Lost her grip and stumbled a few steps back. The eyes lost their glow. Those eyes burn with rage and she kicks off dust. Only for it to be directed back at her by a gust of wind. She coughed. Those eyes refused to open on their own even though the enemy was getting closer.
Another stab was on its way to the neck but thankfully she grabbed it by the hand. Zara retaliated back and threw a punch, only for it to connect to the jaw.
Enemy: “I said stop resisting!” Drops the dagger, grabs one arm and headbutts her.
Zara jaw clenched as energy surged through her body to fingertips. She clawed at the one in front of her with all remaining strength.
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Zara's fingers dug deep into the holes made earlier. They'd healed, but not fully. Electricity travelled through the enemy's body yet she didn't flinch, but grabbed Zara's neck.
The power output stopped.
Enemy: “Are you done yet?”
The victim didn't say a word. The enemy let go of her, she shifted her position, rotating her hip and landed an elbow on the victim's chest sending her flying in a distance.
Crashed onto a tree.
Shattered by force.
The victim lay there on the ground with broken bones over the leaves. She made sounds that of a new born baby.
With a weak trembling hand she reached for her pocket, pulled out a glass bottle close to her lips.
She successfully opened it with her teeth and drank it whole. Her injuries started to heal. She got up on her knees. Her body stiffened, shaking, “I'll kill that bitch.”
She had another dagger, though it was smaller than what she usually uses. Suddenly her instinct drove in, eyes darting to her side and there was another attacking incoming.
She dodged it.
Zara: “WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU!!!?” She asked. But got no answer.
In a flash of steps both daggers met.
Zara: “What do you want?” She asked again, before a strong gust of wind hit her. Zara didn't flinch and eyes stayed open.
In a swift motion both of their forearms were now interlocked and forehead touching. She pressed harder against Zara and whispered.
“Does it matter?”
The moment she asked, she twisted and rotated her whole arm, shoulder and body in an inhuman motion CRUNCH that led to the snapping of bones for both.
Zara's eyes widened but even before she could process anything her stomach was clawed into while their arms were still interconnected. Her body jerked back and another twist in her body.
Massive shockwaves went into her body through those fingers inside her.
Zara threw up the remaining content in her stomach. Acid.
Knee to the guts.
Saliva spills out.
Arm ripped off.
Hot blood sprayed.
Hair grabbed.
Forced to eye contact.
Doesn't say a word.
Let's go of the hair.
—{Long Ago}—
Zara, on a branch behind the leaves with daggers in hand eyeing the bandits with a smirk on her face. They were cooking something over a stone in a campfire.
“Watcha doing?” She asked from a far where no one could hear with a raised eyebrow. She descends down the tree and daggers back on those hips. “I wonder if they'll try to attack me.” Smirk widened, while scratching her cheeks she said “Let's see.”
She began her walk towards them. “Oh I hope they jump me. At least I'll get an excuse to kick their ass. Oh, and have a bite of whatever they're cooking.”
Giggled to herself…
Clenched her hand to a fist. With face on the ground catching dirt on her face.
In front of her were a pair of heels. One of those heels tapped her forehead. “Wakey wakey.”
Eyes darted up but the sun blocked the person's face. “W–ho… ah yu?” Asked the victim.
“You talk too much.” Said the tall. “Let me fix that.” Took out a handkerchief and let it drape over the short.
The handkerchief. Had patterns of a princess in the center surrounded by colourful flowers. Both blooming and withering.
“Y'know. Mrs. StoneWell makes some damn good food.”
“Better than Sylvia?”
“No.”
This was a conversation between Jude and Riven…
—{StoneWell Inn}—
Riven leaning against the wall beside his bed with a tray of breakfast in his hand, with legs in the blanket. Jude sat on a chair in front of him. The same chair she was reading a book in.
Jude: Taking a spoonful bite. “Though it's a good choice in case you're dieting.”
Riven: Partly invested on food, and partly invested on Jude's words. “How so?”
Jude: “Y'know, eating too much puts on weight. Can't stop eating hers.”
Riven: “Oh I see. You mean, her cooking is so good you eat an unhealthy amount.”
Jude: “Correct.”
Riven with his bandaged body just watched Jude eat for a long moment. He said.
Riven: “It's kinda hard to swallow. You know, the injuries.”
Jude: “You'll get used to it.”
She kicked and filled the body. The body faced the sky but couldn't see due to the handkerchief on the face.
She raised her foot. Looking at the outline of the nose, lips and chin on the handkerchief…
The heel hover over the face…
She stepped on something soft…
Something soft that allowed the heel to dig into it…
Someone's voice was heard…
Sounds…
Kinda like a scream…
Not sure…
Noises were heard of someone falling.
Sabine rushed to check and found Calira at the bottom of the stairs, kneeling with one leg.
Sabine: “Calira! Are you okay?”
Calira nodded.
Sabine herself crouched down to Calira's level and met those dull eyes with dark circles.
Sabine: “Calira, what the hell have you done to yourself?” She asked while her hands rushed to cup her cheeks tilting her head to better see her. “Calira…” Calira's lip parted and Sabine sniffed the air. “Ha-have you been drinking?”
“No. I can't die today.” Muttered Zara.
Standing on her legs with a missing arm. With a closed eye. And breathing heavily.
The other eye and arm glow with charged particles around them. “No, I cannot die. I'll go home alive.”
She said while the person standing in front of her stood there motionless. Eyes roaming over the injured body speaking right now. “I thought all your mana had depleted.”
The injured didn't answer rather huffed. A lot of times.
The tall continued, “Didn't expect you can use magic without any medium.”
“H-huh!” Zara's eyes widened as her eyes went at her remaining arm. Glowing on its own. Her attention shot back to the trouble and she barely dodged a punch. A threw back her own to the guts.
The opponent retaliated using the broken arm as a whip to the back of Zara's neck. She flinched but didn't pause and swept the leg, didn't budge.
A burst of cold wind blew throwing off Zara's body. Thrown back several meters away she stabilises herself now surviving in the blowing wind.
With much struggle she looked forward at the enemy, noticing her eyes. Similar to that of Silas… “Wait, she must be a wind mage… no. Her eyes seem colder.”
Zara punched the ground breaking it and kicking off dust particles.
She reappeared behind the enemy and striked. The knuckles dug into the back connecting to the spine.
Didn't budge a bit.
Slowly looked back. But Zara had already moved. Now reappeared in front of her. Another strike. Her knuckles struck the:
Solar Plexus
No reaction.
“Why won't you die?” With grinding teeth she jumped back and started running as far as possible.
Going between the trees and losing sight of the danger.
Her body was surrounded by charged particles as she dashed through the forest skipping trees on her path.
Dodging them on her way.
She could only see what was in front of her. The rest were a blurry mist.
—{Somewhere In A Modest Looking House}—
There was a middle aged woman looking at the wall clock, in kitchen hands on her hips, covered in flour. A dough sat on a bowl.
“Tch, where is this girl? Always disappears when I need her the most.”
Clock: 1:33 PM
She covered the bowl with a cloth and went to wash her hand. “Probably causing trouble…”
Rubbed her hands on her apron. Walking around the kitchen she noticed the mirror on the dining table, “I know who placed it here.” She picked it up. She was about to change its place but first saw her own face, the hazel hair that framed her face and those light brown eyes that stared back.
“kh-hh… hahhh…”
“Ahh-... Haaah…”
Her pace started to slow down but she was getting closer to the plains she was seeing ahead.
She got closer. And closer. So did her legs to stopping.
From behind her chains of thorns rushed through the air, gliding with vicious howls and wrapped around her body.
“Ciam, Callum. Come over here.”
“Ai.” A soft voice called out.
Soon hurried footsteps were heard and two young boys came rushing down. Twins. Looks around 8 years old. One had a mole below the eyes. The one without the mole was a bit shorter. They had brown hair but light yellow eyes.
Woman: She leaned forward a bit and asked “Did your sis tell you where she went?”
They shook their heads and answered in unison, “No, she didn't inform us.”
Woman: Leaned back “Tch, this girl—” Eyes wander over them for a moment. “You two.” Snapped her finger “Help me with chores.”
“But…”
Woman: “No, no buts.” She shook her head. “You two will do as I say. Understood?”
“Understood.” Taller one silently answered while the other just nodded.
She was aggressively pulled back up the chains dragging her broke through several branches and dried leaves.
Was sent flying through the sky. The chain momentarily lost hold of her body as she levitated up there in the open sky.
“... My body feels numb… And cold.”
She said while before her eyes stood a row of mountains miles away. A long body of water was flowing far north. Few animals could be seen grazing—
A strong force of wind hit her sending her further up higher than the clouds.
And was pulled back down with an even greater force.
Wind blew against the strands of Zara's body lying on the ground breathing heavily. Her bloodied hand tightened on her chest. Her legs fall to the ground with one missing hand, and a missing right eye. Blood had already pooled around her forming a circle below her.
She moved her head to her left to see a figure in the distance. With its own missing arm, while on the other hand long thin chains with thorns embedded on them.
Zara rolled over getting up by the help of her knees and an elbow. Her eyes met the enemy as a stare down began.
Strong gusts blew through the fallen trees in their surroundings. Blood drenched leaves had covered the ground where they stood, the enemy's eyes started to glow similar to that of Silas.
Zara's face flickered in a hurry and a mess of expression as she stood up. The moment she got on her legs the chains appeared and wrapped around her neck.
The enemy pulled the chains towards herself, the thorns began to dig in Zara's skin.
Her voice broke in a frantic cry.
