Five hours. Five hours of searching and nothing to show for it. Astra had to leave, called away by Grimms I didn’t know for something important.

Eventually we relocated to a side room with a table and chair and just sat there.

“I don’t think we’ll find Devon anytime soon,” I said.

Alice sighed, and stared at the table. “I know.”

“Then we call it quits? We should probably do some sparring and test out our stat gains.”

“Mhhm.”

I waved a hand in front of her face. “Earth to Alice?”

She cocked her head. “Earth?”

“Uh, saying back on my world. But, nevermind. Are you okay?”

“Should I be?”

“Probably not,” I snorted.

She cracked a thin smile, but not much more. When she finally sat back into her chair she reached for something underneath her shirt and pulled out the cream-colored necklace. I had forgotten about her system reward.

“Have you noticed a difference?”

“Yes. My incantations are faster. But it messes with my concentration,” she said while thumbing it. “My mana is far easier to control but it’s an adjustment. Faster than I’m used to.”

“I’m still surprised it gave you something. Devon said it was pretty rare.”

She tucked the necklace away and stood up. “Not as good as your cloak.”

My cloak reacted, tightening around my shoulders. I kept testing it, seeing if it would respond to me one day. But alas, no luck.

I joined her and we walked down the hallway. “What now?”

“Spar. I’m angry.”

Fair enough.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.”

I zipped my lips till we neared the training rooms. I smelled them before we heard the clash of metal.

Kierra tackled Adeline’s legs, locking her arm behind her knee. Her dagger thrusted up but was kicked away with a shark snap from Adeline’s boot. But she didn’t give up. Her legs wrapped around Adeline’s and tried to roll.

Unfortunately for the human, the hunter was too strong. Almost like picking up a child, Adeline easily pried her off and lifted her into the air and spun. Kierra flew and crashed into the sandpit with an oomph.

“Again. You do mortal things against a creature far stronger than you. Why would my legs be any weaker than my arms?” Adeline admonished.

Kierra sat up and spat out sand before wiping her mouth. “You’d be surprised how many skip leg day.”

A memory flashed, an embarrassing one concerning gym and a far-too-heavy weight. It was chunky and didn’t make sense but I recognized a feeling of embarrassment.

“Should have tried to cut her achile’s tendons. Saw a giant of a man crash to his knees when Devon sliced through it,” I offered.

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Adeline turned in surprise. “Oh, Cain. Alice. Didn’t notice you.”

“Distracted?” Alice asked.

“Maybe. What’s this about ack-eelees?”

“It’s an Earth legend. Achilles was made immortal by his mother by dipping him into a magic river. But the part she held him was his ankle, the only part to not touch the water.” Kierra said after standing up.

“So it was his weak spot?”

“Yeah. Or so the legend says.”

“Wait. I thought your world didn’t have magic?”

“We don’t. It’s a myth.”

“Where are you from again?” I asked.

Kierra smiled but she turned to the table and gargled water before spitting it out.

“So why are you angry?” Adeline said while staring directly at Alice. “Don’t lie to me. I can see the tension in your jaw.”

Alice moved past her and hopped into the sparring pit.

“Alice?”

“Kierra. You wanted to watch?”

Kierra looked unsure. Her gaze switched from Adeline to Alice and then me.

Slowly she nodded. “If that’s alright with you guys?”

For a moment, it looked like Adeline was going to protest but she begrudgingly backed off. She reached for leather end caps and tossed them over.

“Try not to permanently maim yourselves. It’ll be awhile till you can regrow limbs.”

I’m pretty sure I already can.

After securing the blade covering to my axe, I tested it by smacking it against my palm. There was some bending, but it didn’t slice through, which was workable.

“Ready?” I asked.

“Ready,” Alice said.

She rushed forward, bringing her battleaxe into a wide swing from my waist. I twisted on my backfoot and leaned out of the way. As the weapon swung past I stepped into her guard and threw a punch.

Alice tanked the hit and was knocked back. As she stomped on her backfoot, she slashed upward, clipping my ribs.

It wasn’t enough to crack bone, but I grunted with the impact and dived low. My axe cut through the air and was blocked by the shaft of her weapon. Before she could counter, I grabbed her wrist and tugged her into a grapple.

She pushed and rolled off, slamming the blunted axehead into my chest.

Air left my lungs.

Damn. Good hit.

When I jumped to my feet I slid my fingers underneath the beard of my axe.

She backed up, and did something new.

The lone spike atop her new axe was used like a spear, warding me off. I smashed it aside but had to retreat due to the quick slash that followed.

We circled around the arena, limited as it was–with just enough room to complete a full rotation with me fruitlessly trying to approach.

Fine. Two can play that game.

I rushed in and accepted the hit. It smashed my arm into my side but I was free to attack her left. She raised her leg and I stomped on her foot. Jab to her shoulder was met with a punch against my arm.

She grabbed my wrist, I crushed her fingers. As she hooked my leg I jumped and rolled away, flattening as she swiped with a sharp kick.

Sand coated my tongue. I stayed crouched, waiting.

Her eyes flashed red and bones snapped. The cracking shocked Kierra and Adeline pulled her further back. They pressed against the walls of the room, with the Grimm standing before her.

But Alice only had eyes for me. Her nails elongated into claws and I grinned.

“If that’s how you want it.”

Fur sprouted from my arms and my sleeves disappeared. I clawed the air and tested how my nails held the axe.

As soon as she dropped into a crouch I launched at her in a sprint. She stabbed with the spike and I pushed it aside. Axe met axe, and I pushed her back. We’d parry against each other and go to retaliate, but were matched with a similar blow.

She kept her distance when she could but wasn’t afraid to use her claws if I got close. And while I had a faster means to attack, I was rebuffed and pushed back, forced to find a way to close the distance.

When I swiped for her throat, she stomped and sand pelted my face.

“Agh!”

She tackled me to the ground and forced my head deep into the sand. My axe was pried from my grip and tossed aside before I could wrench myself free.

I slammed my knee into her back but she didn’t retreat, so I bucked.

My claws found purchase and sank into flesh. She grabbed my thumb and yanked it back. Bones broke, and I exploded off the ground.

Claws cut into my waist. A paw snapped my knee. Blood coated my tongue and my mana rushed through my veins.

Enough!

I grasped her cloak and brought her low. She leaned forward but swung around me to grab my neck. As her nails dug into my cloak, it tightened and flapped, preventing her attempt.

With flexibility I wasn’t used to having, I spun around and cracked my boot against her thigh. The smack echoed throughout the room as she grunted in pain. She tried to dodge by dropping low.

But I wasn’t done.

I crushed her wrist and widened my stance. She grabbed my limb and I willed my mana down my arm.

It surged, rushing through my veins and into the back of my hand. The rune activated, and her eyes widened before attempting to duck.

She was too slow; the axe forced her into the sand and I pushed my knees into her chest. Before she could kick me off, I pressed my axe to her neck and gripped her stomach, threatening to dig my claws into her side.

I spat out sand grains and growled. “My win.”