Rodent felt on the same wavelength as the Wolf as they charged simultaneously, apart though aiming for separate sides of the giant, who spread his legs and firmly held his position.

The dog-sized Wolf reached Steinith first, baring its fangs and going for his legs.

Steinith, moving and stomping in place, avoided the bites while Rodent charged at him from his other side—leaving his attention split.

Concentrated, Steinith twisted, swinging his leg in a circle, forcing the animal to leap back to avoid the attack.

Steinith smirked, his upper body also turning, his arms moving with the motion, and he swung his axe down on the sprinting Rodent.

Rodent, who watched the giant move faster than he expected, nearly tensed up at seeing the glinting steel of the axe descending toward him. His body acted independently, raising his sword to catch and deflect the attack.

A clink was heard, sparks were occurring, and a hint of intense weight flushed through him.

Steinith grinned.

Rodent, still in motion, couldn't win a competition of strength. Instead, he guided the axe to the side, down the length of his blade. Free from danger, he went to draw his blade—but the side of the axe was thrust against him.

Rodent was knocked aside as the axe was raised like a baseball bat after a swing, and as Rodent came onto his knees, Steinith also steadied himself, cackling as he clenched up and started to swing the axe down on Rodent's new position.

But as he did so, Wolf charged from behind, and though his foot kicked out, the Wolf dodged and went for his other leg—a deep, burning bite into his calf, which jittered his downward swing.

Rodent moved as the axe smashed into the ground beside him, the area gently rocking as the land was hacked into, several cracks forming across the surface.

Rodent, steeling himself, remained on his knees as he turned, drawing his sword overhead and swinging it down the exposed portion of Steinith's wrists.

It sliced deep, and blood drew eagerly from it. Steinith winced and stumbled backward, the mutt gnawing at his calf, blood coming from there as well.

But the giant, with a massive foot, raised and smashed it into the Wolf, breaking its body on impact as it let out a whine—one that was stomped out as Steinith's feet rapidly crushed the area and any remains that remained.

"WOLF!"

Rodent saw fire as he charged forward again, leaving the bloodied axe that had been left behind him, racing to insert the sword into Steinith's stomach.

But Steinith, looking up in time to see this, grinned as he raised a hand.

DON'T LOSE YOUR TEMPER, YOU IDIOT!

Delt thought, but it was too late.

Steinith caught and squeezed the blade within his fist, not caring about the cut or when blood poured between his fingers, the weapon's tip stopped just before his stomach.

Having thoroughly crushed the Wolf, Steinith then raised the blade into the air—with Rodent raised as well as he was holding on.

"PITIFUL!" Steinith shouted and spat, leaning and throwing back his arm, then throwing it forward as the whip broke Rodent's grip and threw him hard against a tree.

There was an explosion of sound and wood as Rodent fell against the base of it.

Steinith, standing there, glared disgustingly at this sword. "Do you know how irritating this is? Close to a worthy battle… only to remember it's against nobodies!"

Steinith growled and yelled, his rage and heat blasting through him, his anger wanting things only to be hotter—for things to be more intense. "I'M A BEAST! A WARRIOR! STRONG ENOUGH THAT A BARBRAIN LIKE WAS RECRUITED BY THE KINGDOM'S INNER CIRCLE!"

He'd been glaring at the sky, breathing and panting, when his gaze finally lowered. "Now look at me. What am I? An errand boy." His head shook, and his shoulders hung. "Following orders so those above are assured things are progressing properly. I remain at my peak. But no deed is worthy of me."

Steinith breathed through his mouth. "And then I encountered you. Felt battle just for a moment—blood drawn, injuries had, fate uncertain." His eyes drifted shut. "Mystical Sword. Animated forest. Unlikely Hero. I could almost taste… a proper fight."

He turned to where Rodent had fallen. "AND THEN, JUST AS YOU GET ME GONG, I REMEMBER YOU'RE JUST A ROOKIE!" He squeezed the blade tighter, trying to break it, as he had done with a stone before with just his grip. "I GOT MY HOPES UP! DIDN'T MEAN TO! BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST DIFFERENT THING AROUND HERE IN A WHILE!"

More blood drew from his fist, but he did not care, not even as it seemed like smoke was coming from inside his fist.

At his feet, the magical orb within Wolf started to float up from the ground, smaller and weaker than it was before… unable to pull Frual Magic… bobbing in the air as it tried to fly away… when Steinith's foot, raised into the air, became coated with Deskar as it smashed down on top of it.

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Steinith didn't even acknowledge it.

"So why are you taking your rage out on us?" Delt asked from inside Steinith's hand, the steel burning against Steinith's skin, and his voice was heard through that burning. "You're a warrior. Fighting is what you are. The battlefield is your place."

Delt's voice, despite being quiet and intense, wasn't disapproving. "So why let yourself become reduced?"

Steinith, raising the blade and looking at the steel, chuckled at watching his blood flow across its steel—lightening his grip. "Mhm. Because I have found my place—I know that, no matter what I become, I can go no higher or further."

Delt instantly caught on. "You mean… you found the one that beat you."

"They were impossible," Steinith said. He was calm and collected, and his fire and maliciousness evaporated. "So impossible… that there was not a thing I could think of that I could do to defeat them."

He dropped the sword, which fell and clattered on the ground, revealing his scorched palm. "I even thought about finding and using you against them… and then I realized that I still lost."

Delt lay on the ground, reflecting the giant upon his steel, that and the sky above.

"So you gave up."

"No." Steinith's head shook. "I gave up when I realized that this fellow… was the weakest of those above us." His head stopped as he breathed. "I live for battle… but above me is an impossible threat. Everything I am is nothing to them. I have found my place—and I must tolerate it."

Steinith looked aside… seeing something that caught his attention… making him smirk as he raised his foot from the soul of the animal… only wisps of it spreading apart in the hopes of escape.

At the base of a nearby tree, Rodent had finally risen to his hands and knees as he glared up at the giant.

"I was crushed by that impossible force," Steinith said, looking down at the boy, who would charge Steinith with just his fists. "So it only makes sense that I get to do it to those beneath me." He kicked the sword aside and moved toward what he had previously seen.

Rodent, tracking the sword, dashed after it, nearly tripping, claiming it from the cold, dark, and dry land and feeling its hot handle. He turned… and was stunned in place by what he saw.

Over his shoulder, the wisps of the Wolf floated and joined together.

They became a faint orb, one with a flickering existence, fighting to stay airborne.

However, both of them witnessed Steinith in the center of the forest, in the clearing where there were no remains, the pooling Deskar parted to allow him through.

Steinith came to the totem that powered Wolf, and once the wood came next to it, grabbing a beam, yanked and broke it off.

There was an electric buzzing over Rodent's shoulder, who turned and looked horrified at the floating orb, seeing how it flickered and waned and started to dissipate.

Rodent choked, seeing the thing struggle as it bobbed around—unable to find a hold.

Steinith carefully went around the aged totem and, handing a nice place to set his hand on another beam, cracked and broke it off easily.

Another explosive burst buzzed from Wolf, a sizzle of electricity felt in the air as the thing struggled while it died.

Croaking and unable to speak, Rodent faced the giant and howled out a cry: "STEINITH!"

He charged forward with his sword, anger and hate entering his heart as he wanted to kill this man. He wanted this needless hurt to stop.

It went against his values and previous state of mind, but the man did not care. He ran heavy and fast, having a better, tighter grip on his sword and a smarter way to end this villain's life.

Rodent… he's got you, Delt thought… but could not bring himself to say. In every way… he has you.

Rodent reached the clearing where the Deskar was, not caring what it would try—which was nothing as it remained away. But Steinith, seeing his foe now narrowed to a lane to reach him, chuckled as his hand was behind the totem.

Keeping still for a few seconds, he waited in bliss for what would come next.

Once the time was right, ever so casually, he yanked, twisted, and drew the totem from the ground—most of it crumbling at the base.

With widened eyes, Rodent watched as Steinith held the totem over his shoulder like a spear. The giant then moved forward… and casually threw the structure at him. There was nowhere to go… Deskar pooled at his sides… as he watched the thing hurl at him.

There was a startling in his heart.

And the primal feeling that he had failed with his very soul.

Just then… something floated over his shoulder… something that had been chasing despite its electrical spasms… the magical orb that came to float in front of him.

It raced to meet the hurling totem and, upon contact, seeped into and invaded its base… shocking and blowing it up from the inside. Explosions travelled across its lengths… splitting the totem into pieces.

Its magic, which had been concealed and contained, was now exposed, dried, and dim, cut off from its source—which was pulling a particular energy from the ground.

Most of the totem blasted elsewhere, the bits landing in Deskar, burning whatever was around it… though this effect did not last long.

As for Rodent, he stood in place as a few bits of wood cut him, though he ignored the burning pain.

Instead, he was focused on what was in front of him… which was the Wolf… made from bits of the aged, decaying totem… lying on its side… the light of its eyes starting to vanish.

Rodent felt his eyes sting, and his heart hurt as he nearly dropped his sword rushing over. Dropping to his knees, he did his best to carefully place the creature against his lap. Looking hopelessly at it, he hovered his hands over it, trying to find a way to help it, but knowing he couldn't.

"N-No… no."

His voice was raw and coarse. His body jittered as his hands twitched, hovering over the animal. Rodent wanted to say something more… but only ended up making sounds.

He wanted to howl and cry, but that wouldn't help either. He didn't know what to do. Like his friends, the Wolf was dying… and there wasn't a thing he could do about it.

"P-Please…"

Limp, the Wolf stared at the ground, feeling its life run out. Its life flashed before its eyes, a treasured, unknown history meant to go with it. The Wolf did not want this, as its core almost fought for life… but there was no more life for it to take from.

Then… it became aware of the lap it rested on… and moved its head enough to stare up at Rodent.

The calm beast looked at the man, and the man, though shivering and stunned, came to lower his shaking hand on the side of the creature's muzzle… the two connecting for a moment.

Their eyes closed.

And suddenly.

Something existed between them.