“That’s strange,” Yuriko muttered.

The small group of barbarians wasn’t joining up with the bigger group at all. The sun was close to the western mountains, a good hour before it would normally sink into the western mists, but that was something she’d had nearly a couple of seasons to get used to. The mountain’s shadow had extended almost all the way to where they were. The skies were completely overcast by now, and she expected another snowstorm would happen during the night.

After musing about things, she decided to follow Damien’s advice and just attack. However, she shouldn’t just rush into things. At least she should secure the prisoners first. The problem was that Gwendith and Ella-Mai’s carriers were right smack in the middle. She’d have to get through at least two rows of barbarians before she could get to them.

Yuriko had spent a lot of time sparring with her fellow students but she had never trained to fight against multiple human opponents. Fighting multiple swarmlings was entirely different. The Wyldlings were just smart enough to charge and do nothing else. Unless they were controlled by a Chaos Lord, she supposed.

She abandoned her ideas of getting the group tangled up with other opponents. She didn’t have time to set it up, and even still, she was sure the barbarians were good enough to rebuff a lone Wanderer or even a stampeding herd of elks.

There was still daylight left but the small group had already started to make camp. The bigger group had continued on their way, and she didn’t know why they didn’t make any moves to come together.

That said, she was thankful that they didn’t. It made any rescue attempt much simpler but she couldn’t help but worry.

She remained at the top of the tree while chewing on her lower lip. Every now and then her fingers would scrub at her cheek while she glared at that cad.

If they were going to camp for the night, this was her best chance. Who knows what tomorrow would bring? She just had to sneak in the camp and free the two girls and they would run back to safety. Yeah, that should do it.

She was wearing cadet greens which unfortunately stuck out in the snow. But the darkness should help. Or, it would if the moon wasn’t full.

“Haaah,” she sighed. Yup, maybe she should just charge in and slaughter them.

Krrk!

Under her hand, the tree’s bark broke apart. Her grip had tightened too much.

“Tsk.” Dust fell off from her palm when she released the branch. A clear imprint of her hand and fingers was left on the branch.

She was trembling. She wasn’t cold, but she was shivering.

She killed humans.

They were barbarians.

They were still human.

Why?

Her teeth were clicking against each other. She was hugging herself, she abruptly realised, and she was curled up, too. Her perch on the branch was secure enough that she didn’t fear falling off.

Despite the cold, her face was suddenly slick with sweat.

No, those were tears. Why? Why? They killed people! They were human and they killed the legionnaires and militiamen! They even made sport of the killing, pretending it was honour by engaging no more than two or three on one. But the rest of them stood around, ready to step in should their own people falter or fall!

The sharp stench of blood and the sight of the red snow made her tremble even more. She…she didn’t want to kill people.

It was self-defence.

If she didn’t fight back, she would be the one to suffer. Or her friends would die because of her hesitation. She didn’t want to kill. But if she didn’t she would be the one killed. If she didn’t fight back, what would happen to her?

It was logical. Either she fights back or she suffers the consequences of failure. If the barbarians got their hands on her, not only would they use her as a broodmare, but her dreams of joining Vagaris, of exploring and seeing wondrous places would end. Her dreams would die if she gave up.

But she didn’t want to kill humans.

She trained to fight Wyldlings and Chaos Lords! She wanted to protect her loved ones from the terrors of the Chaos Sea! Why did she have to fight other people? Wasn’t the dangers of Chaos enough? Why? Why?

‘Get a hold of yourself!’ she screamed in her mind.

She scrubbed at her eyes, her tears had frozen on her cheeks and peeled off with a crackling noise. At least her nose wasn’t filled with snot.

She was still weak. Too weak.

I suppose I should say you should just grow strong enough that people wouldn’t want to fight you but that’s its own set of problems. Ha!

Yuriko’s hand tightened on the hilt of her side-blade.

What was that saying? It’s either us or them?

The barbarians were the clear Other. Their skin was grey, they didn’t wear shirts, and were quite large. Chaos-touched traits passed down hundreds of generations?

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They were still human though. Two arms, two legs, a torso, and a head. If they had horns, tails, claws, or cloven feet, it would have been easier to convince herself otherwise. But no, they were completely human-looking.

No, no, no. Focus.

She would still need to rush down that camp. She would need to free Gwendith and Ella-Mai. And she would probably have to kill people to get out safely. Or she could just incapacitate them. Yeah, that would work. Just kick them all between the legs. But that boy looked like he was fine. Well, he wasn’t until they got back to him.

So that’s the plan? Rush in there and kick them all where the sun doesn't shine? Either that or chop off some limbs. But that would mean they’d suffer for the rest of their lives. How could she be that cruel?

Chaos, girl. Why are you so concerned about that? This isn’t going to be the last time you kill people.

‘Not if I can help it.’ Yuriko thought grimly.

Then you’d have to be strong enough that you have the luxury of sparing their lives. As you are now, that’s merely wishful thinking. That can get you killed.

‘I…Fine.’

Yuriko took a deep breath, feeling the cold air biting into her lungs. She would have to kill. Or she could just incapacitate. Why did she kill before? She was in a formation with other legionnaires and if she only aimed to wound, her comrades could have died.

They died anyway, a little voice in her head said.

‘I’d better stop hesitating,’ she thought furiously. ‘Push it all back until I have the luxury of thinking about it. Now, I need to act.’

The sun had set completely by then. She fished out a ration bar and ate it, taking a few sips of water to push it down. It tasted like ashes this time around.

A bonfire had been built by the small barbarian group, though the sentries sat looking away from it. She could see them fixing dinner on an iron pot laid over the fire. The scent of bubbling meat stew wafted over to her, making her mouth water and her tummy rumble. A single ration bar really wasn’t enough for the amount of activity she did the past couple of days. She’d either go through her stores faster or she’d need to hunt. Krystal wasn’t around to get at the cute woodland animals though.

When they finished eating, they readied themselves to sleep. The bigger group had disappeared further north, beyond Yuriko’s enhanced sight. There would be no last-minute reinforcements, not if she did things right.

She waited and dozed until it was late into the night and the watch had changed a couple of times. Then she snuck down the tree. Her backpack was nice and flush against her back, easier to fight with compared to the older pack she used back in Faron’s Crossing. There was no way she could afford to run back for it once she’d done her rescue.

She pulled out a messenger crane from her satchel, one of the last two she carried, and penned a quick note indicating her location, situation, and intentions. How long would it take for a crane to reach the Fort? She remembered the thin relay posts on the way here, driven into the frozen ground by the pioneers. The cranes were infused with Animus by the crystals at the tip and through it, they would multiply their range. Still, the runescripted paper wasn't truly meant for long-distance communications and there was a better than even chance it would fail to reach its destination. Which meant she couldn’t rely on reinforcements.

The camp was out of her line of sight once she was back on the ground, but she had a firm mental note on where they were. She circled around the hill and followed a trail that would put her to the east of the camp instead of south. Unlike last night, they weren’t camped against an outcropping, or a cliff, giving her better options on how to approach.

The captives were at the centre of the group, thankfully untouched. Other than being bound, they hadn’t been harassed. Physically anyway; she’d no idea what the barbarians were saying, but she also didn’t think either girl knew Ikash.

She just had to go around the hill and she would be in striking distance.

A harsh yell, a muted roar, and the sound of crunching snow, gave her barely a moment to react. A stone axe flew, illuminated by the moonlight. Yuriko easily sidestepped it but dozens more headed her way. These weren’t the huge battle axes that the barbarians used in melee, but smaller throwing hatchets that had hafts as long as her forearm. She batted one away with the flat of her palm before it could hit her.

Half a dozen barbarians were fifty paces away from her, each with a resolute face. They switched from hatchets to sharpened wooden stakes even as she looked.

“Swarm fodder!” she growled.

Animus circulated in her body, to the pattern of the second sword dance. The javelins they threw were slapped away even as she positioned herself to better avoid them. After throwing, the barbarians spun on their heels and ran. With a growl, she darted forward.

A twinge from her Animus made her jump to her right, just as a javelin struck the snow where she was headed. Above her, on the hilltop, another barbarian lofted a javelin towards her. She slapped that one out of the air and continued running around the hill, avoiding the occasional javelin or hatchet.

When she rounded the hill, the barbarian camp was deserted. She saw them a longstride or so away, followed by the ones who harried her.

“They…ran away?”

Growling to herself, she hurried after them. But even though she quickly gained ground, she was only faster by a tiny bit. If they kept up the pace, it would take her half the night before she caught up. But she didn’t have time to think, not right then. She ran for half an hour, easily keeping up the pace.

The barbarians did the same, but she knew she was on a time limit. If they reached the bigger group, then there was nothing she could do.

‘Why were they running from her anyway?’ she thought in frustration. She was one thirteen-year-old girl and they were, what, nearly two dozen men in their twenties? Well, she’d be fourteen in less than a season, but still!

“Come back here!” she yelled, but it was useless, of course. She didn’t even know if they could understand her, or even if they were close enough to hear. Worse, she’d spent the entire day walking in the snow. They’d done the same but she also had to make sure that she was hidden. Though, from the looks of it, they’d long since spotted her. So, why?

She stumbled to a halt. There was no reason for them to run, and every reason to fight her. She was outnumbered. So what did that leave her with? A trap?

Even as she stood still, another projectile flew at her, but this time, it wasn’t a javelin or a hatchet. No, it was a green dart that melted the snow it touched. Yuriko gasped.

The barbarians had stopped running and they were headed back to her confidently. A figure led them, tiny compared to the giants. A woman.

Yuriko blinked in confusion.

“Golden Silhouette?”

But no, she was what Yuriko would have seen if she stared at a mirror. Her clothes were different but the face, the hair, were the same. Except for the eyes. They were red to her blue.

Her mirror image stopped a dozen paces away, grinning savagely.

“I’ve found you at last.”

A cold shiver ran down Yuriko’s spine. “Who are you?”

She drew a greatsword from her back, the metal completely grey. Green light covered the edges.

“I am the Seeker of Delights. You’ve defeated me once. And now, I will defeat you.”

“Chaos Lord.”

Yuriko drew her side-blade and Plasma Lancet. The barbarians kept a respectable distance back.

“So I’ve been called. Now, prepare.”

With that, the Seeker raised her weapon above her, and with a savage slice, a crescent moon of green light flew from the weapon, cutting through the air and snow with a fierce sizzle. Yuriko barely dodged out of the way, and when the crescent smashed into a tree behind her, it fell.

The second dance spun in her Anima, using Animus braided with all three Intents. Every other detail faded away except for her opponent. Yuriko lowered her stance and readied herself for the fight of her life.