"Oh, shit," Lily swore silently, and turned to Mia: "I'd hoped that we could escape before he came back, but it looks like that's not happening."

"I'm sorry, I am in no shape to fight," Mia stuttered, but Lily cut her off with a smile:

"Hey, don't worry. I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for the whole hero thing." In fact, she didn't really know what she was getting into, but putting on a brave face seemed like the thing to do.

She let Mia go, and reached for her inventory to get her shield.

"Do you know anything about how this guy fights?" she asked, as she pulled the shield out.

Mia slowly shook her head, before answering: "I am afraid that they ambushed me with the help of that bitch lying there, and while I managed to take out one guy and his horse, this thug hit me with something from behind that knocked me out. I heard a loud crack before it happened, so I guess he has Lightning or Earth attunement with some sort of ranged skill. Sorry I can't help more."

"It's ok, that's more than I knew before. And, you did manage to beat one guy, so at least now I have a chance," Lily smiled as she spoke. "No way I could beat two guys on my own in my first fight." She pulled out her knife and handed it to Mia: "Just in case you need a weapon, take this, but please stay here. I don't want to see you get hurt even more."

Mia nodded and Lily started slowly creeping towards the front of the carriage, where the thug, Tommy, was.

I didn't quite understand all of what Mia told me, but I did get that letting this guy attack me from range is a bad idea. My best chance is to ambush him like I did with the woman, but he is gonna be on alert."

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Tommy moving, and before she could hide she saw him coming around the carriage. He hung his torch on it, and the light revealed her.

Damn it, I have no choice but to fight him directly now.

"Who the hell are you, and where's Beth?" Tommy yelled out as he reached for his sword. Lily lunged forward, sword in hand, but Tommy was quick and managed to deflect her strike with his blade. Lily grunted and pressed on, trying again.

I have to keep him close and off balance, so he can't cast his spell, she thought as the thug blocked her again.

Mia saw the fight start, and she wished she could be of more help. The bindings had drained her mana and left her weak physically.

I trained to be a mage, but I've sparred with enough guards at my father's estate to know the basics of swordplay, and despite what Lily said about this being her first fight, she is good, Mia thought as she spectated the fight. She couldn't help but be a little impressed when Lily managed to make a cut on her opponent's chest. There was something strange about the way Lily moved, however.

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She definitely swings her sword like someone fully trained, but her footwork is off. It's as if she just got her mastery and is still not fully aware of her abilities, which is ridiculous. Everyone gets their first mastery by the time they are fifteen, like me six years ago, and Lily is certainly much older than that. But she didn't even know how to use her inventory properly before, so just who is this strange cute girl? Mia's head was a whirlwind of thoughts as she watched the fight that would likely decide her own fate.

Meanwhile, Lily was really starting to get into the flow of battle. She felt her heart jump as she landed another small hit on the thug. He cried out in pain, and she could see the fear creeping into his eyes. She was getting better with every passing moment, her mind catching up to the abilities of her new body, and her opponent was starting to realize he was outmatched. Tommy was no soldier, but this was not his first fight, and he knew he couldn't win fairly. The damn girl was stronger than him, and just as fast. Well, there was no reason he had to fight fair, he thought, as he formulated a plan. He tried to pull away and use the carriage as cover.

"No you don't!" Lily yelled as she followed him. This was exactly what he had expected, and as he ran back, he cut the ropes holding the luggage atop the carriage, and the trunks started falling down.

Lily managed to toll away and dodge, but she instantly knew she had made a big mistake. She saw Tommy's eyes glow, and he raised his free hand towards her.

"Die, bitch!" he yelled, and lightning started forming in his hand.

Such a display of magic would have been cool if I wasn't the target, Lily thought as she raised her shield in front of her. She couldn't dodge, stuck between the carriage and the roadside ditch, so she hoped that her shield would be enough.

Mia saw what was happening and cursed her weakness again. If Tommy took Lily out, the thugs would capture them both. The woman would abuse and kill Lily, she was sure of that, while her own fate would not be much better. She realized what she had to do.

With no mana, this is the only way I can help. I hope she is as nice as she seems, she thought as she drew a deep breath and closed her eyes. She focused inwards, first feeling the familiar warm glow of her own soul, and then sensing three others nearby. She ignored the one belonging to the unconscious thug, and reached out to the one which belonged to Lily. It was different somehow, not fully of this world, but there was no time to dwell on that, as she started the invocation. Her eyes opened, glowing white hot and she saw the man forming his spell.

"Soul Link!" she yelled out, and for an instant nobody could measure, her world went blank as her soul reached out to Lily's. When her consciousness returned, she knew it had worked, for she could sense Lily's soul like it was her own. It was a strange feeling, like touching someone who wasn't actually there, but she couldn't savor it. She had to act as she heard a loud crack and saw the thug firing his bolt of lightning into Lily.

"Absorb," she chanted out, and gritted her teeth in anticipation of the pain that would come.

Lily heard Mia yell something behind her, but her focus was on the fight, as she prepared to take a beating. But it never came. The bolt struck her head on, crashing into her shield and flowing around it, but then, for a moment, nothing happened. Then, she heard Mia screaming out in agony, and she realized that the thug had hit her. She didn't know how, but that didn't matter now, and she roared as purple light surrounded her.

"How dare you hurt her!" Lily heard herself yell in a voice she didn't recognize, and she lunged at the thug with incredible speed. Tommy was stunned by his spell having no effect on Lily, and before he could recover, he saw her moving towards him with murderous intent. Her eyes glowed purple in the dark and he could feel a powerful presence of mana around her. He tried parrying her blow, but it was too late. Her sword drove straight through the thug's heart, and Tommy's vision went dark, his life extinguished.