I watched as Eir stood up, making the task look like as much as much of a chore possible. I wonder if forcing her to reveal her strength was a bad idea, but it is too late for second guessing now.
She draws the dagger that she borrowed from me, slowly as to not startle me overly so, I imagine. Though that thought quickly leaves me, replaced by Eir’s soft but stern voice, “Draw your sword.”
I hesitate for a moment, but the dead dire wolf, still skinned and butchered, catches my eye. Eir is no pushover, that much I can deduce. I comply with her request and slowly stand, unsheathing my sword in the process.
Eir plays with my dagger, juggling the blade between her lithe fingers. After a moment she suddenly stops, and casts a sweeping look over me, “Try not to die.”
With that she bursts from her position with almost blinding speed. In less than a moment she appears in front of me, flourishing the dagger towards my exposed throat. Luckily I manage to step to the side, and raise my sword in defence.
“Such speed!” I thought.
Within a beat Eir was back on me, dagger once again aiming for my weak points. Throat, wrists, legs. All had their small individual weaknesses in the joints, small points where the armour was either the thinnest or completely absent, and she was aiming at every single one.
She was pulling her punches, but I was almost certain she was actually trying to kill me. She didn’t taunt, she didn’t jeer. Apart from the occasional small sound of exertion you would wonder if she was even there. She was a phantom.
I looked for any openings that I could find, but found while there were many, her relentless flurry of attacks closed them up entirely. There was no room to counter with my longsword, and should I let a strike hit to land my own, hers would be far more deadly.
We continued like that for a while. Her relentless assault made the time feel like hours, though it couldn’t have been more than a few minutes. As if signalled by something I couldn’t sense, she abruptly jumped up onto my broad chest and launched herself backwards. While she was small, I stumbled back from the strength in her legs, barely managing to keep my feet.
Eir then closed the distance once again, and before I knew it, I found the cold dagger resting on my throat. I froze for a moment, instinctive fear at the promise of death now resting on my skin. Conceding to her overwhelming strength and my defeat, I dropped my sword. The blade and hilt making an audible thump as they met the ground below.
Accepting my surrender, Eir drew back the dagger from my throat just a quickly and silently as she had placed it there.
We stood there staring into each other’s eyes. The red in her eyes, while always beautiful in their own right, was cold and unrelenting as she was in battle. A reflection of her mind carved into a single colour, she was death.
“That,” she said to break the silence, “is how I killed the Dire Wolf.”
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We returned to the camp after our small bout, though I wonder if Taurean saw it as just a small demonstration. He was now glancing in my direction now and then as I looked into the fire, studying me more intently and seriously than he had before. Seeing me as a warrior now, perhaps.
“Perhaps I went too far.” I thought. I rarely fought at full strength, but I always fought seriously. Though Taurean seemed like he could handle it.
It had been a while since I properly fought someone, however. Slithering through the shadows and slitting someone’s throat, while more efficient, is rarely as intense as an upfront fight.
Judging by his appearance he was one of the kingdoms stronger fighters, though. Taurean practically screamed important with his overly expensive looking gear, and considering the lowest beasts we had encountered were B-Class, he had to have been considered strong to be sent here alone.
Breaking my thoughts, Taurean spoke up, “We should probably sleep now.” He said, “We will be leaving at dawn.”
I gazed upwards past the blanketing trees and found him to be right, it was late. I decided to lie back, and stare at the night sky a while longer, then eventually succumbed to the realm of my dreams.
=
Awakening to a small jostle, I gazed up to find Taurean towering over me, I suppose he gave up on trying to appear the gentle Knight. Obviously finding the endeavour to be pointless considering I was neither a damsel nor in distress. It was a welcome change; I didn’t feel particularly comfortable being babied by a man whose lifespan that was a mere drop in the lake that was my own.
The smell of roasted wolf quickly wafted in my direction, my nose apparently catching up with my other senses now that I was awake. We sat around the fire to ward off the morning chill and feasted on the remains of our game.
We ate in silence, though it was not an uncomfortable thing. I have met many people in the world who seemed afraid of it, like a mere intermission of mindless chatter was enough to kill them. Besides, the sounds of the forest were never quiet, and I quite enjoyed listening to the sound of life fluttering in the distance.
While I was listening to the sound of the birds chirping their morning cries, Taurean broke the silence, “We should be able to make it to Root village today,” Taurean looked up to the sky before continuing, “Should the weather hold out that is.”
I followed his gaze past the trees and found his worry to be groundless. The sky was clear and blue, though the trees restricted our view quite a bit, and the rain might roll in from afar. So his fears could have some merit. It was no matter, however. Taurean looked tough enough to battle a little water, and I was certainly not going to die over it.
We finished our meal and passed through the forest with relative ease, the beasts even started to grow weaker, averaging a steady C-Class now instead of a constant B. Then again, I was not too versed in the ranking of the Guilds, and found their rankings change so much over the years, that I gave up on following it.
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It has been a while since I even visited a Guild branch, perhaps I should join again. I found myself having to constantly join and leave many times. Being immortal has its downsides. Though it is fun grinding up so fast and laughing at the shocked awe that comes from my peers.
“Perhaps it is time to have some fun, once again.” I mutter, earning me a look from Taurean in the process. “Did he hear me?”
I notice the beasts start to thin as the day goes on, and our encounters go from dozens every few moments, to one every few hours. I suppose the strong reside in the deep of the forest. Though that is not a rare occurrence. Magical Beasts generally flock to Places of Power, strong magical hotspots that result in the mutation from animal to beast.
I remember a long time ago, I found such a hotspot in my travels. It was newly formed yet just as powerful as its sisters. In fact, that was the first time I had ever encountered an SSS-Class beast, and boy was that a treat. Of course I retreated, even an immortal gets tired of being ripped apart over and over again. Though I am a lot stronger now, I imagine if I met such a beast ever again I might have some fun trying to best it.
Soon enough, Taurean and I reach the edge of the forest and enter this ‘Root Village’ he mentioned this morning, and I see where they got the name. At the centre of the village rested perhaps the tallest tree I had ever seen in my entire life. It towered so high above I struggled to see the branches resting at its peak. On the ground rested what I imaged were one of thousands of roots running along the surface, some thin and others incredibly thick.
Various villages had gathered around us with whispering awe. I looked beside me, and guessed why. Soon enough a bubbly looking woman pushed through the crowd and her eyes locked onto me. As she hurried towards us I noted a few key things.
She was bulky for one, but not overly so. Her hair was a soft auburn that curled to frame her face in a slightly alluring way that, combined with her amber eyes, radiated a stern aura. She practically leaked magical power as well, power that I noticed matched perfectly with the sword currently sheathed on Taurean’s waist.
Reaching us, she examined me closely, her eyes studying my every curve. She then suddenly shifted her eyes to Taurean, shifting to a glare, “Ray, what the hell is this?”
Taurean looked visibly shaken, scared and confused in equal measure, “What do you mean?” He answered with a frown.
“Look at her!” The woman practically bellowed, causing Taurean to shrink slightly into himself, “She is covered in rags! It is a wonder they are even holding together!”
I looked down at myself as she screamed. Well she was right. Though I never really thought about it, my current state of dress was in shambles. There were tears covering my grey-brown tunic, and upon examining my trousers, I found they barely held on enough to rest around my waist.
The woman turned to me and her gaze visibly softened, “Come with me, dear. We’ll get you out of those rags.” She extended a large, calloused hand to me.
I looked to Taurean, unsure on what exactly I should do, but he was in his own world. Eyes distant and, if I was reading him right, filled with terror. I suppose if Taurean is visibly scared of her that is a bad sign, but I decide to go with her anyway. Not as though she can kill me, of course.
I took her hand and she practically marched past the crowd. Not expecting her abrupt speed, I found myself almost tripping over myself trying to meet her strides. I quickly adjusted however when she slowed down a bit, either noticing my struggle or calming down in what I assumed was righteous anger.
After passing a few villagers, who were currently all rushing in the direction of Taurean to catch a glimpse of the towering Knight, we quickly arrived at a forge. The woman ascended a set of worn-looking stairs to the side, pulling me along with her.
We entered a room and before I was able to examine it the woman ordered, “Sit.” I was roughly, but carefully seated on a bed and the woman turned around and exited the room.
I slowly looked at the small room surrounding me. It was a simple but warm room with little furnishings composing of a chair, a few weapons, and a fairly large wardrobe.
No sooner than I finished examining the room, the woman returned with a towel in hand, and quickly grabbed me once again. Tugging me along the street for a small while we arrived at a fairly large house. Or perhaps a store. Once again I didn’t get a chance to look at it any further before I was abruptly yanked through the door.
Looking inside I knew exactly where we had entered, though I didn’t get a chance to protest. Without a word I was yanked alongside to woman, now hidden in a cloud of hot mist.
“Let’s get you washed up.”
She literally tore away the rags from my body, though it didn’t take much effort to do so. And dunked me into a large, hot bath. I was fairly dirty, though if she noticed or cared she kept it to herself. Resigning to my fate I let her have her way with me.
For the next few minutes I was scrubbed free from the grime marring my skin. Hearing a gasp, I turned my head to the side to find the woman staring wide-eyed at my back, “What is that?”
“Well, shit. She noticed.”
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The-Mindless-Jabbering-of-a-stupid-Aussie Author Corner
Spoiler :
Well, I get the distinct feeling I am overposting in comparison to my twice every fortnight self-imposed rule. Well, whatever. I doubt anyone is going to complain.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and are enjoying the story so far. Let me know if you are, or hell, let me know if you aren't.