Kyra ran up the tree trunk and backflipped, flying over the large, bald man sitting on top of the tiger lizard. She landed on her feet in a crouching position and immediately got up when a long-haired man charged her way.
His tiger lizard almost made contact with her side, but with the swift movement of her sword, she slightly slit the animal’s throat, causing it to wail and shove the man off, running off in the far distance.
The raven-haired man moved his hair back and glared up at Kyra, who grinned back at him.
“You bitch,” he growled. The man immediately got up, just as the bald man turned his animal around. The two rushed towards her, and something unexpected happened.
{Initiating Grey Zone}
The entire forest area around her turned grey, and the two men moved in slow motion. Kyra’s eyes turned light blue as small crimson dots appeared on parts of the two men’s bodies.
Weaknesses.
This new upgrade she had received allowed her to slow things down and examine her weaknesses. Becoming the upper third had more quirks than she initially thought.
The area went back to normal, as did her eyes. She immediately sprinted forward, running towards the long-haired man. She spun the hilt of her sword, then grabbed it.
Kyra began her attacks, stabbing at the man's shin, lower abdomen, and upper bicep. The long-haired man couldn’t keep up; Kyra had somehow found his weak spots from behind his brown, scaly armour. She then twirled around, jumped, and cut off his head.
The bald man, witnessing this, made his move. Kyra dodged the first jab of his axe, crouched, and slashed at his ankles. She then stabbed at the roaring creature, killing it as well. The man yelled out in pain as he was dropped from the tiger lizard and swung his axe downwards. Kyra miscalculated his reflexes and couldn’t dodge in time.
She closed her eyes, waiting to be struck, but instead the sound of two blades clashing reached her. Kyra slowly opened her eyes and caught a glimpse of the gold blade protecting her.
“Gabriel!” She exclaimed. The blonde prince pushed his sword upward, pushing the man back. “It seems like you dealt with your men.” Kyra observed. The other three were nowhere in sight.
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“Quite the contrary. They ran back,” he replied, slightly saddened by his first battle slipping through his fingers. “At least I can deal with this one.” He added. Kyra got up and jogged back.
“He’s all yours.” Kyra replied.
{Battle disengaged}
{Reward Collection: 3000 XP}
His life was quite high in reward. Amazingly so.
She then felt something trickle down her cheek, and she made the grave mistake of looking at it. When had she received the cut on her face? Her emerald eyes couldn’t stop looking at the crimson liquid, and her stomach became upset.
“I’m going to be sick,” she commented before relieving the content of her stomach. Cilia, who hid behind a tree trunk, came out and sat next to the sweating swordsman.
“Fear of your own blood?” She asked. Kyra nodded as his shaky hand reached to wipe it away. Cilia was quicker and used the sleeve of the white nightgown to do so.
“Have you always been afraid of it?” The blonde girl then asked. Kyra shook her head.
“The fear of my own blood started after a near-death experience that I had,” she explained. Kyra then bit her bottom lip and looked away from Cilia. “I don’t want to elaborate.”
“There’s no need to.” Cilia reassured. The young girl then placed her hand over Kyra’s abdomen, and her palms glowed green. A soothing feeling washed over Kyra, and she no longer felt as sick.
“You’re a healer. How nice.” Kyra commented, letting the relaxing feeling wash over her.
“Well, I’m more than just that. I can fight too... when I’m at full strength, of course.” Cilia stated. Kyra hummed in acknowledgment.
Her eyes then moved to the prince, who wielded his blade much better than he did a week ago.
It filled the young von Stein with a sense of pride that almost made her feel egotistical. She had made him somewhat of an expert.
Gabriel wielded the sword like it was the extension of his hand, blocking every blow dealt by the axeman.
Everything was going smoothly until it came time to deal the finishing blow. Gabriel stared at the bloodied man with great concern. His surroundings slowly became blurry, and the bald man became three people.
The first kill.
The most life-changing action one could take. Kyra watched the inner battle the still man fought. She could see the clockwork turning in his brain.
Her first kill was her father, and if she wasn’t in a state of survival, she would have probably hesitated as well. Well, maybe not as much.
The sweat dripping down his body coated his hands, and the handle of his sword looked to be slipping away.
Cilia watched, the nervousness Gabriel was feeling rubbing off on her.
Kyra stood up and faced Gabriel’s large back.
“Do it, Gabriel! Deal the finishing blow! The man before you captures and enslaves people! The pale-faced bastard doesn't have the moral battle you are fighting! Deal the final blow!” She screamed. Gabriel lifted his sword and, with a single strike downward, ended the man’s life.
The young prince threw his sword to the side and hurled out his stomach contents. He kept vomiting till he buckled and fell on his knees. Hot streams of tears followed suit, as did his wails.
Kyra felt bad, but she pushed that feeling down.
“You’ll get used to it in due time. You ask to travel the world, and this is what it comes with.” She spoke, glaring down at the giant young man.
Gabriel could look at the ground and sink further into his dilemma.
What if he didn’t want that? What if he didn’t want to get used to taking lives? Good or evil, everyone deserves to live. The golden-haired prince looked at the lifeless man and then at Cilia.
Kyra was right. These men were nothing but scum, who capitalised off the suffering of others. But still, it was a life. A life he ended.
Was his father right? Was he cut out for the world outside of the royal palace? Was he even cut out for the battlefield he had so long hoped for?