The two stood seeing the panic arise.

Quine turned to Ussu.

"Ussu its time to go, there trying to buy us time. If we don't take advantage everything could be for vain".

"Am not sure…. Quine. It's just soo high up…"

"Are you sure the ropes safe!?"

"USSU!"

"Pull yourself together! We don't have time to stand around testing the rope. Aya made it across safely, we will too!"

"Okay, just go first!"

"USSU!"

"Am supposed to protect you so get moving…"

Ussu started sobbing.

Quine covered her mouth muffling the sound.

"Shut up! Ussu, no one has time for this… now move it!"

She shoved Ussu to the edge, checking one last time to confirm her sack was tied properly.

"There, you should be good… now move and go slow!"

Ussu shivered with fear. Reaching out she slowly grabbed the rope.

A soldier grabbed the spear on the ground and launched it at her.

Quine held her head pushing down they narrowly avoided it.

"There!!" Quine shouted at Kairui and Aya.

Kairui aimed at the man, releasing the arrow.

Piercing into the man's hand leaving a gaping hole.

He fell in agony.

Before looking up to clench the soaked sharp arrowhead in his head.

"Pass quickly…" Aya yelled. Fanning them.

Quine picked up Ussu who was scared and panicking now.

She turned to cry in Quine's chest.

"Ussu please you have to go now!!"

"It's sooo far…"

"USSU!! GET OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!!!" Yannu roared out.

Ussu shook, turning to him and then resting back in Quine's Embrace.

Shassii who was now running even came to a stop, ducking to avoid the soldier's eye.

The soldiers halted their pursuit confused at where the girl had gone. They galloped around in circles waiting for her to reappear again.

Quine lifted the timid girl's jaw.

Wiping her tears.

Ussu was shaking and sobbing like a child.

Mucus filled her nose, sliding down her face.

Her eyes were wide shut.

"Quine…"

"Ussu!"

Ussu opened her eyes slowly.

Seeing Quine's determined face.

"Move"

She sucked in her mucus, wiped her tears. Dried her hands with her clothes and started crawling across.

"WOOOOOoooooooooo, come on girl. You can make it. Just a little more" Aya cheered her on.

"Your soo close! Just keep going" Kairui called out.

Ussu was about to freeze as her tears came rolling down again.

"DON'T LOOK DOWN!!" Yannu and Shassii advised.

Hearing them and feeling their support she slowly kept crawling. The style was unorthodox, but she made progress.

Quine was now left alone on the hilltop.

Aya and the rest were screaming and howling at the top of her lungs.

Quine's eye sealed shut. Thinking about the Labaeyi and the realm past. The white silence!

She blocked out the yells and was at peace in her mind.

The thoughts of her dead parents. The return to the desert. She hadn't ventured over there in over twelve years. Anywhere close to her hometown or kingdom Rhinnis. Deep in her, she had grown a fear and anxiousness of the desert. Being alone scarred her.

But she sucked in all in her fears, her worries all with a tight vacuum of air she strained into her mouth.

The bad thoughts started to end.

Breathing out once again.

Making her way back to reality. She gawked, seeing Ussu was only halfway across.

"Behind you!! Quine WAKE UP!!" Aya shouted out, while pointing frantically.

The words finally registered in her.

Thuds of the ground, four footsteps caught her ears.

Quine unearthed her short sword on her hip.

Aya covered her eyes, flinching, and fearing the slash the soldier would unleash on her friend.

Ducking beneath the blade, she pivoted around stabbing through the attacker's breastplate. All in one motion. Handling the blade was easier for her now.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

She was getting used to it. Her wrist had been slightly dislocated after she shimmied and jammed the blade. Ever deeper in him but she overcame the pain with her will to survive. Pushing with both hands to make up for the strength.

His arm stretched above her missed.

Blood burst from his mouth dripping onto her face.

"Tabk... dale… shuviii" he spoke out in pain.

His spits and moans rang out. Each inch of the blade sliced up his abdomen. Quine's eyelashes flickered as she fought his resistance.

His blood splashing on Quine's face as she stood up, smirking as he took a few steps back. Her sword leading him like a puppet on a string.

His sword fell to the floor, buried in the grass.

She wiped the blood off her face.

Yanking the blade out, she shoved him to the side. Kicking him away as he fell, toppling over a rock and eventually down the hill.

A feeling of relief met her.

A smile turned to a grin, her eyebrows sharpened and her senses sharpened.

Ussu was still straining tugging herself across the rope.

"Don't worry, you all just keep going. Ussu takes your time" Quine muttered out, her voice construed and eery.

Ussu agreed nodding making her way to Aya.

Kairui was curious as she observed the girl's surprising tenacity and composure.

Quine flew to the next soldier ducking and dodging past his jabs at her. She was like a cat with a sixth sense, each attempt sliced small parts of her hair. But with each sway she grew faster and faster, it was like a dance.

Her body moved on its own. Following each stab, she cut past his guard. Swinging and spinning her blade overtly, Slicing the gaps not protected by armor.

She would take one step back, leaning back avoiding a counter with each strike she made. Then on the attack, she would parry and slice him. Closing the distance before repeating the same motion.

At first, it was like they were evenly matched but the strength of the soldier was besting her on each parry. Her wrist failed her, when she switched up to styles to parry his blows. She made up for this by swaying faster and striking.

Soon she had the upper hand.

"We have to help her… help her!" Aya begged Kairui, who remained silent fascinated.

He kicked her to regain distance.

Catching his breath.

Quine flew back crashing into the ground.

Again, she fell back into the illusion of her burning village. The villagers running past as the White silence claimed their souls.

The soldier jumped in the air, launching a stab into the ground.

Bursting her eyes open she rolled past dodging his attack.

He turned back around as she was sat in front of him, with her back to his face unguarded.

Preparing to strike.

She was faster.

With her same right hand, she swung her sword back slicing his neck. In one swift motion with her blade. Spinning around before ending in a predatory kneeling stance.

Her face was euphoric at the sight of his blood. Her teeth sharpened like a female cougar at the sight of its prey. Her ferocity was like a hyena upon spotting a wounded gazelle.

He tried sealing his open wound, desperately as the blood rushed out. Like an underground spring, His fingers tanned red.

Quine sat up resting on her elbows. Seeing the blood rinse out made her grin even more. The blood glided down her sword, coloring the grass red. Reminding her of the town besieged.

She stood up before casting her smile down.

Rotating the sword in her wrist. Until she felt her wrist snap back in place. She lifted her sword once up above her head before swiftly slashing through his chest.

He groaned as he let go of his throat, as the sword tore into him splitting his chest open. His intestines bulged out, like a pig after being cut up.

Aya looked away at the grotesque sight.

More men from the rivers and the entrance heard the outburst and rushed into the forest to try to kill her.

Kairui's insight spiked.

I've found a real gem this time! This girl her potential is huge, just like mine. Out of all of them, if nurtured correctly she will be a deadly threat alongside these two sisters. No, her's is even greater. I must recruit her at any cost. Whatever awakened in her just now, is not something that can be put to rest easy!

Aya lifted Ussu up, from the zipline.

"Good job," she said patting her back.

Ussu stared at her, before wiping her new tears again.

"Hey, where's she going?" Aya questioned Kairui while glancing at Quine who raced into the forest.

"Get ready to run ahead…. I'll get your friend if need be." Kairui answered.

Aya and Ussu looked at each other.

"Get going now!"

Quine dashed into the forest, leaping over logs. Every step she made she grew faster. Visions of Kairui's weird cat monkeyish leaps from tree to tree imagined itself in front of her. She assessed each tree she passed, examining the stock and stem. Before trying it out herself.

The first one caused her to stumble, tripping and rolling on the ground.

The second tree met her boot which she gained some speed from it. The technique was hard to do, let alone mimic with no training. Keeping up with her momentum on the third time, she fell crashing into the ground.

As she sprained her ankle temporarily.

The soldiers spotting her shouted out. They quickly made their way to her cutting past the long grass and bushes. Twisting her ankle back in place she glanced at three trees laid out, each one would bridge the gap between them. Three leaps before she could attack she counted.

It's a plan. Haha, Quine, we're having too much fun now.

She stood up, blazing across the ground. Faster than ever before. Her foot dug deep into the grass, tearing it off and leaving the soil naked.

The leap flung her into the air, she tightened the grasp of her short sword even more.

Kicking the oak tree stem, she propelled herself to the next.

The soldier was confused as she jumped and raced towards him like a wild crazed cheetah. The second tree was left in her dust, all that was behind was the bark stained with mud and peeled away.

The soldier lost sight of her as her descent hid her in a set of three allotted bushes. He took a fighting stance before catching wind of her again. Trotting on the ground before leaping to the last tree he was met with a flamboyant spin. Her eyes to the night sky, her vision was clear as ever. Her sword span through the air as it landed with her in a final pose.

The soldier's eyes flickered up and down. He had lost sight of her.

His head slowly looked back behind him to see her rested on the ground. One hand on the floor with the other lifted in the air. Turning back to his view.

He shivered and gasped for air as he slowly gazed down at his chest to be met with a large cut across his chest. The pain was unregistered.

The attack unseen. He was confused and was stunned beyond disbelief.

Maybe he was hallucinating.

His thoughts became clear as blood seeped out his mouth.

His fellow soldiers now shocked saw the knelt over Quine and rushed to kill her. She swayed past them, blocking their attacks. Breathing in the lakes fresh air. Her energy was restored. The air felt cold and smooth as it swam up to her nostrils.

She felt as if she was possessed with great power but was in full control. With a flick of her hand, she had cut past her attacker's guard, dismembering his arm. Unfazed she sliced the other aswell. Stabbing the partner through the first victim until he gave up and gave in. Shoving it into their chests, she penetrated both their breastplates. The loud cracks and groans could be heard all around as they fell on top of each other.

Resting both palms on the hilt, with a revering look she laughed at their anguish.

She pressed down until she felt the ground cement

her sword.

Some chuckles left her mouth, seeing them pass into the afterlife.

No remorse or pity could be felt in her.

The men were struck with fear as they saw their comrades fall.

Seeing the other soldiers regroup. She spun back around. Retrieving and Sheathing her short sword. Retreating into the forest.

Aya and Ussu were running along the canyons cliff.

Both sides spelled a great sudden fall.

They rested once they met Yannu and Shassii, who had waited for them.

"What's up? Where's Quine?" Yannu asked suspiciously.

"In..... the…..forest?" Aya answered out of breath.

"What do you mean?"

"Kairui... told us.... to run for now. She'll get... Quine if it comes to it…" Ussu chipped in. Gasping after each word.

"Well, can we trust that woman's word though?"

"Yannu, stop doubting her. We trust her enough to venture into the Realm Past!" Shassii replied annoyed.

"Yeah... but we don't have much of a choice now do we? Plus, I'd, no we'd never leave another behind would we..."

Shassii fell silent, burying her head down as she let go of his shoulder. Remembering Chainik.

"Look what you've started now! Yannu!?" Aya scolded him.

Hugging the now, moping Shassii.

Ussu kicked his foot.

"Oww, I didn't mean it like that now…"

"I know, that! That was for before"

"BEFORE???"

"Calling me old.." she stated out, irritated.

Glaring up at him, her face blushing with her lips pouted. Her brown hair swayed revealing her cute petite chubby face.

Yannu giggled masking his embarrassment.

The group of friends all looked to the sky. Spotting the shooting sky.

"Worst night of our lives…." Ussu remarked.

"PRETTY MUCH" everyone cracked up.

"Sanni' Sai Śeingtt!" Shassii praised out.

"What'd you thank or wish them for?" Aya spoke out.

"For our safety, so far. Also, our wellbeing in the future At least" she expressed solemnly.

"Glad to see, one of us is so openly optimistic about all this…" Yannu yammered out ruining the moment.

"What do you mean?" Shassii asked, spinning back around confused.

"One of us is still missing" He explained.

Ussu nudged his arm aggressively.

"What?? It's the truth…"

Shassii's jaw dropped.

"You asked.... who's missing!?"

A voice spoke out behind them.

Ussu and Aya turned around, to try to refute Yannu's inflammatory claims.

Quine stood there, open arms. Unhurt and happy to see them.

They all rushed over brushing past Yannu and gifted her with hugs and kisses.

She graciously embraced their hugs.

Questions rang out, one after the other. From Aya, then Ussu, and soon Shassii as well. Who was gladdened to see her? She had lost one friend already; she didn't need to lose another.

"Overhearing you all….. Well, I didn't know cry-baby Yannu was soooo concerned over my wellbeing!" Quine made public in a joking manner.

"It's not like I was. It's just the well-being of the group that bothered me. Our Survivability. That's all" he lied, trying to hide his worries.

Quine jolted around, widening her arms around the shoulders of her girlfriends.

"Survivability, huh. That's all…." She teased with a smirk on her face.

Yannu's lips quivered as he fought off the urge to laugh and hide his excitement to see her alive and well.

"So, you wouldn't miss me at all if I died, would you? Yannu?" she said examining him, with a provoking look.

The trio stopped clambering her to examine his response. Smiles grew on their faces, they knew he was lying but wanted to see him try to dodge the bait.

Yannu looked to the sky to avoid eye contact.

"Well, umm you see. It's not exactly. Beneficial if we umm lose the best Guard and babysitter for Ussu you... see..."

"So, in some instance, it would be a sad thing to see you go…"

Quine rushed over to hug him, patting his chest.

"Stop lying pig.... Babysitter Haha. You missed me, you were scared shitless I was gone. Haaa….."

Yannu broke off into a laugh, shrieking as he hugged his friend.

Aya and Shassii convulsed in joy as they were met by the sudden arrival of Kairui who joined the trio.

An upset Ussu whispered to herself offended.

"Babysitter???..."

The group caught wind of it and died of laughter.

Quine saw the star slowly descend as the canyon covered its trail.

A small tear dropped down her eye, as she was surrounded by the love of her friends.