Ding, dong, ding, dong!

The guardhouse’s alarm, its rare pattern of ringing indicates a monster attack.

Eidrich’s steps falters, swiftly changing his direction, having estimated the likeliest area of the breech; the back of the estate, the part bordering the dense forest.

Before the guards had even finished arming themselves, Eidrich had already dashed off. His first priority? Ensuring Brutus’s safety, who was still inside the estate’s stable. His quick decision proves fruitful.

He had arrived just in time, most of the horses had already been butchered by two Ferrirs, a type of demonically mutated wolf-beast, a distant relation to magical Fenrir. These wolves were more ferocious and attacks indiscriminately to satisfy their thirsts for blood and flesh. Their presence, so close to human settlements were very abnormal.

Eidrich, angered at the carnage they had caused, rushed to engage them with his sword. Few of the horses had survived, luckily, including Brutus, were still locked up inside their stalls.

Eidrich had maneuvered his attacks, slashing at the ferrirs while freeing the horses from their stalls, knowing they are smart enough to find their ways to safety.

The Ferrirs, noticing their easy preys had escaped, gave chase, turning their back towards Eidrich, who made short work disposing of them.

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Eidrich, having secured his friend’s safety, roamed the estate ground, dispatching of stray Ferrir who were fortunate enough to make it into the estate’s ground. Eidrich did not do it out of a sense of duty, no, it was simply his desire to prove to himself, to prove that he was at least capable of handling these lower ranking demons.

His quest for self-satisfaction continues. It was by mere accident that he had happens upon two familiar figure, Lyrina and her senior maid. The petite maid was being chased by a Ferrir. Lyrina, despite her fear, had bravely charges towards the oncoming wolf-beast, her thin arms barely capable of lifting the heavy polearm.

The lone Ferrir, consumed by its primal hunger, was blind to the trap that had been set. The smaller maid had thrown herself to the side, the Ferrir carried by its own unstoppable momentum, impaled itself onto Lyrina’s sharp spear, seemingly downed. The two maids thought they had escaped death, when suddenly, the wolf-beast shook its head, snapping the spear that had lodged in its throat and prepares another attack.

Lyrina, having no more moves left, was prepared to sacrifice herself to shield the petite maid. Her selflessness, greatly puzzled Eidrich.

Filled with a strange sense of purpose, he had, with a burst of speed, reached the Ferrir right before it lunges, swiftly decapitating the wolf’s defenseless head.

“Y-young master Eidrich? T-thank you for saving us” Words of heartfelt gratitude came from the petite maid, what was her name again?

Oh, Catheline, he had heard Lyrina saying her name a couple of times during his secret ‘obeservations’.

“Thank you, master Eidrich” Curt and flat. The owner of the voice contrary to Catheline, had a look of disgust on her.

Except for her name and status, despite all his efforts, Eidrich realized, he knew nothing at all about her. Thus, he could only turn away in embarrassment from her piercing gaze.

He was about to depart when dark ominous mist gobbled up the Ferrir’s corpse. The sudden appearance of four more wolf-beasts, seemingly spawned out of nowhere, was even more bizarre. His instinct screamed at him to run, to abandon the maids, but something inside him, made him unsheathed his sword.

The new pack wolf-beasts fights with intelligence. Their coordination was a trait never before seen in beasts of their typical level. They had made Eidrich struggled, suffering damages all over his body.

The biggest of them all, presumably the alpha, calmly observing from afar. The massive beast suddenly roared, sending the fenrirs into a frenzied state. Forcing Eidrich to utilizes his aura in order to keep up.

The new phase of the fight was tiring, with both sides evenly matched. However, Eidrich had gain the upper hand when one of the Ferrir made a mistake and was felled by his blade. The other two met their ends soon after.

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Now, only with one Ferrir remaining, Eidrich took on a defensive stance.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

“!!”

Eidrich was nearly knocked off his feet by the sheer speed and power of the boss Ferrir’s strikes. The next dozen or so exchanges were brutal and without grace.

The fight got to a point where neither side no longer wasted their energy with defending. Soon deep wounds emerge on both of their bodies.

Eidrich had laughed at himself, outclassed by a mere beast. With his aura wrung dry, his energy exhausted, Eidrich Dawnspear faces his oncoming demise.

Barely able to support himself with his sword as the crutch, Eidrich thought that at least he gets to die on his feet, a prideful warrior’s death, his only salvation…

Thud!

He was pushed from behind and fell onto his side.

Eidrich stared, with widened eyes, at the sudden emergence of Lyrina. She was holding the splintered spear as she confronts the last Ferrir.

Is she perhaps, attempting to predict the beast’s movement? Believing that it was going to charge then lunge at her? Was that why she’s preparing to raise her spear?

No! It’s a feint!

Eidrich had wanted to shout, but strength had abandoned him. The Ferrir boss, a creature capable of intelligence, was going to fake a lunge.

Unable to do a single thing, Eidrich could only watch as the beast kept low to the ground till the last moment, then it evaded her spear, attacking her left side.

Crunch!

The Ferrir’s powerful jaws clamped down on her left arm, just below the shoulder.

Eidrich emits a gurgling sound, his throat uncooperative.

“L-lyrina!” The petite maid, Catheline, shrieked, as Lyrina stood motionless, shocked, dazed, dropping her spear.

Eidrich felt a flame igniting, deep within his core.

It’s hot, so hot.

The indescribable warmth spreading all over his being.

Snap!

The Ferrir increased the force of its bite.

The maid’s thin, weakened bones stood no chance against the beast’s strength.

With a light shake of its head, the slender figure was tossed into the air.

Her left arm gone, detached just below the shoulder.

Blood spraying everywhere as she tumbles to a stop.

Why? Was he not someone she detested? Why risk her life…for him?

Sensations returns to his body. His heart, pumping with renewed vigor, filled him with power and purpose.

In a flash of golden light, Eidrich had gotten up. His mind sharp and clear.

With speed he had never experienced before, decapitated the Ferrir.

The wolf-beast’s lifeless head, still clamped on an arm, plopped onto the blood-soaked ground…

Without delay, he had rushed to the fallen maid’s side.

Her blood, spurting out with every heartbeat, through the stump that was her left arm.

Eidrich, for the first time in 17 years of life, felt fear for someone else.

“Eek! Tourniquets, y-young master! She’s bleeding out!”

Eidrich quickly tore off a thin, long strip of fabric from his tattered shirt.

His fingers trembling, with difficulty, managed to wrap it around the end of Lyrina’s arm, the ridiculous amount of blood had made it slick, thus hard to secure a proper compression.

He had succeeded in moderately reducing the bleeding. However, he was not versed in healing, she would die if he left her alone.

He glanced at the petite maid, sobbing uncontrollably, cradling Lyrina’s head. He had to leave her here as he could only carry Lyrina to-

Trudge, Trudge…

A handful of estate’s guards appeared; their states not much worse than the beasts Eidrich had killed. He entrusted the petite maid to their protection.

Carrying the limp maid in his arms, Eidrich with his renewed vitality, took off for the mansion. His once torn muscles, regenerating at an incredible speed.

On arrival, the head maid who was occupied with disbanding the mansion’s barricades, had rushed out to meet him. Clearly distressed, upon witnessing Lyrina’s damaged state.

Eidrich, had her examined the stump, the cloth tourniquet soaked, darkened with blood.

“She needs a healer, young master! We have to close the wound!”

A healer. A person capable of healing magic.

There’s a healer residing within the nearby village’s church. A church the Dawnspear use to frequently visit. They would help.

Eidrich found Brutus, amongst other steeds, safe and idle in front of the manor. Their reunion, swift, as Eidrich was in a rush.

“With haste, Brutus, with haste” He jumped onto the saddle.

Neigghh!

Brutus as if understood, galloping with speed out of the estate, heading for the church.

The healer, an old familiar nun, came out to greet Eidrich. Seeing his disheveled appearance and distressed complexion, she simply nods and was helped onto the saddle by the young man.

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“She will live” The elderly nun announced, drawing out sighs of relief amongst those presented in the compact room.

Eidrich, found himself unable to leave, had stayed.

After nearly an hour continuous healing incantations did the bleeding stop, the wound closed up to an extent.

“But…”

The nun glanced at the freshly bandaged stump with profound sadness.

“Only a saint would have the power to…”

She sighs.

“Thank you, Mother, she’s safe, for that we are beyond grateful”

The head maid bowed in appreciation.

“Of course, my child, it is simply my duty to heal”

Eidrich, remained silent, his mind exhausted.

The nun turns towards Eidrich, her eyes gazing directly into his.

“The young lord possesses a noble heart”

She made her way towards the door-

“Just like his mother”

And left.

“…” Eidrich, surprised by her words, had no response.

Thus, silently watches as she left the estate, escorted by a guard on a simple horse-drawn cart…

“She needs rest, it would be best if we don’t disturb her” The head maid stood up.

“Catheline, can you stay with her tonight? Ahh, your ankle-“

“No, I’ll stay, my ankle’s braced, and Pasha had applied salves to it, please let me stay, head maid”

Catheline begged, her eyes red from crying, being comforted by a taller maid at her side.

“Alright, if you insist, let’s go…young master…?”

“Yes” Eidrich nods.

The young lord gave the unconscious, pale delicate face one last glance before reluctantly making his exit…