In the heart of the Black Mountains, under a blistering sun, a pair of muddy boots steps into a chaotic encampment. Mismatched tents scatter across the familiar mountainside. This is Black Mountain village—or rather, what it was 100 years ago, when Ha Linh still had a physical body. She surveys the area briefly before moving toward the crowd gathered at the center of the village.
That’s when she spots him… Towering over everyone, clad in simple, rugged clothing that strains against his massive frame, stands Bo Pham—the Giant of Black Mountain. A pair of double axes, glinting with obsidian, hang at his sides. He notices her approach, his dark eyes narrowing with suspicion, but he doesn’t move to greet her. Instead, he watches, his stance challenging and unflinching.
“You Bo Pham?” Ha Linh calls out, stopping a few paces away.
A mercenary nearby steps forward, arms crossed. “What’s up, gorgeous? You looking for me?”
Ha Linh ignores the mercenary, her eyes still fixed on Bo. “Just a wanderer, passing through,” she replies, her tone firm. “But I hear you’ve been causing trouble for some of the nobles around these parts. Robbing caravans carrying their merchandise. Seems they can’t make a move in these mountains without losing a cartload of goods.”
The mercenary, realizing she is ignoring him, steps between her and Bo. “Whatever business you’ve got with the boss, you can deal with me first.” Ha Linh’s eyes narrow with frustration as the mercenary persists. “Hey, I’m talking to you!” He grabs her by the shoulders. This is his first mistake. “Got it? Pretty lady?” This was his last mistake. In the blink of an eye, she sends his body flying into a nearby tent, her gaze never leaving Bo.
The mercenary, regaining consciousness, groans and looks around, dazed. “What happened? What hit me?” No one answers; all eyes are on the tense scene unfolding in front of them.
Ha Linh and Bo Pham stare each other down, locked in a battle of wills. The air buzzes with anticipation, the gathering crowd holding their breath.
In a voice as deep and coarse as stone, Bo finally speaks up. “Who sent you? The nobles?”
“I wish. They don’t pay small fries like me.” Ha Linh’s eyes sparkle with mischief. “The name’s Ha Linh, heard talk in town of a giant mercenary leader barreling through a platoon of guards like it was nothing. That you?”
Bo’s mouth curls in a half-smile as he drums his fingers against the hilt of an axe. “Nah, not me. As you can see, I’m a pacifist.” He grins.
“Oh, that I believe,” Ha Linh shoots back. She leans forward just enough to catch the flicker of annoyance in Bo’s eyes. “Especially since your little gang doesn’t really kill anyone. Robbing, beating the guards senseless—that’s your speed. But casualties? Rare. You’re really just a bunch of softies ain’t ya?” She pauses, watching for the telltale pulse in his temple. There it was.
Bo’s smile faltered. His fingers clenched. “Alright, it worked. You pissed me off.”
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Slowly, he pushes himself up from the throne of furs, standing tall, his black beard bristling, hair tied in a warrior’s knot.
Ha Linh’s smirk widens. “I’m kinda good at that. Funny, I knew this would happen the first time we met.”
“Oh yeah, fortune teller? So what’s next?” Bo mocks.
“Not sure,” she says, eyes gleaming as her hand finds her blade, “But it’s gonna be fun.”
The massive Bo charges forward, both axes sweeping in wide, brutal arcs. The intensity of his attack howling towards their target. Ha Linh side steps with ease, her movements precise and swift. Even so, the force of his swing creates a gust that nearly knocks her off balance, sending her hair whipping across her face.
He’s a mountain of muscle and strength, and she’s the burning fire, fluid and unrelenting. Ha Linh lunges, using her control of fire to propel her forward. Her blade flicks toward his exposed side, but Bo anticipates the move. With a growl, he pivots sharply, his left axe intercepting her strike. The clash of metal against metal echoes like thunder.
“You can sure move for a big guy.” Ha Linh jokes.
Bo grunts, after taking a hit from Ha Linh. “And you hit like an anvil.”
The mountainside itself becomes their battlefield. The ground trembles as Bo stomps forward, driving his foot into the rock with a resounding boom. Ha Linh leaps back, her feet barely grazing the unstable ground as the chasm echoes beneath her.
Bo is relentless. He strikes the earth with his axe, and with a scream, he fires jagged chunks of rocks towards her.
Ha Linh reacts in an instant. She smiles. With a burst, she ignites her blade in crimson fire. A raging fire more ferocious than anything Bo has seen before. A heat so intense it melts the very air around her.
Bo charges through the haze, swinging wildly at Ha Linh. The ground shudders beneath each strike. Ha Linh channels her focus on dodging, knowing full well that one hit will shatter her entire body. Finally, an opportunity. Bo struggles to keep up the attacks. Ha Linh immediately counters with a blazing roundhouse kick to his ribs.
“Got you!” Ha Linh celebrates.
Suddenly, Bo slams the ground with his fist. The force sends a boulder directly into Ha Linh, like an uppercut from the earth.
“That had to hurt.” Bo returns.
The fight continues without break. Bo swings again, his axe carving a deadly arc into the earth, but Ha Linh is quicker. She weaves beneath the attack, the flames surrounding her arms growing brighter, hotter, as she strikes at his flank. He roars as he retaliates with a heavy backhand that just clips her.
Their breaths grow ragged as the fight stretches on. An hour turns into two, and exhaustion begins to weigh. The camp around them is unrecognizable—tents shredded and smoldering, supplies scattered and burning. The remaining mercenaries watch from the safety of the cliffs, too terrified to intervene.
Bo plants his feet with a determined growl, drawing on every ounce of his monstrous strength. He grips his axes tighter, his knuckles whitening, and then with a deafening roar, he swings both weapons in a downward strike aimed to cleave Ha Linh in two. The force of the attack leaves a massive crater in the mountainside, familiar and devastating.
“Show off…” Ha Linh rolls her eyes.
Exhaustion begins to hit harder than their attacks. When Bo finally drops his axes, Ha Linh follows suit, her sword clattering to the ground. They stumble toward each other, too tired to care, resorting to fists, more out of defiance than any real hope of victory.
Eventually, Ha Linh pauses, breathing heavily, and reaches into her satchel… Bo braces for the next attack. Instead, she pulls out a flask, uncaps it, and holds it out to Bo. He eyes her suspiciously, but exhaustion wins out. Grunting, he takes the flask and drinks.