Rain fell that night, a cold, harsh rain,with lightning roaring in the background. Though many years has passed, Liz still remembers, and like a nightmare, recalls its touch and in many instances, woken up from her sleep from this everlasting nightmare. Liz drearily woke up once again from this nightmare. Whether if it was from the cold feeling of the rain, or the loud crackling the lightning etched into the night sky, she didn’t know. Cold sweats poured as she calmed down, grabbing her rags even closer to keep warm. Birds chirped outside, sunlight peeked through her window. Liz stood up and walked outside, troves of giant trees were in her view. Liz looked back at her house, or rather, a giant tree but with a door. Liz silently mocked herself before she went back in. She went to her makeshift sink, a bucket of water hung next to it. She cupped a handful of water and washed her face. She looked at her reflection in a mirror. Dark blue eyes stare at her back with even darker bags hanging from it. She wondered when was the last time she actually had a good rest. She looked outside, wondering if she should go hunting. Weather seemed nice, and the food stock was running out, plus she could always have a few more coins. Liz sighed as she slung a bow over her shoulder, tied a small bag to her waist and a couple of knifes to her leg. She locked the door and ventured towards the forest…

 The crunch of leaves and branches sounded as Liz walked deeper into the forest. The rabbits looked around, eyeing her as she walked. Liz also looked at them, but continued on, she didn’t want to waste time on small game. Hours passed, a distinct snort came from the field. Liz crawled into a snail pace and gently walked up. A pig, an enormous pig, easily the size of a small house grazed the grass and berries, unaware of its surrounding. Liz stared at the pig, not worth it, she would get killed before she shot an arrow. She ventured forward silently, trying to not alarm the pig.

After walking a bit more, she found the perfect prey, a deer. A normal sized deer with a violet strip down the middle, she went to action. She grabbed an arrow and aimed.  Contemplating whether to shoot its eyes or go for the heart. She didn’t know where the heart is, but she did have a good idea. As for the eyes, they were one of the most valuable parts of the deer. If she destroyed them, there wasn’t much profit made in this hunt. She decided the heart, the head was too valuable. She took a deep breath, nocked an arrow, and waited. Neutral winds, she thought as she aimed and finally took the shot. The arrow went deep into the deer’s side. The deer panicked and started to run. Liz nocked another arrow, and started to run after it. The deer tripped multiple times from roots, slowing down as it ran allowing Liz to catch up. She planted another arrow into its leg. The deer tried to pick up its speed once again, but it was too late, Liz nocked another arrow. She shot a few more arrows into its leg until it finally stopped. She panted as she ran up to it, perfect aiming! The deer stared at her. It’s black beady eyes stared at her, halting her breath. She stared, even felt a little bad for the deer. She decided to sit down next to it. It couldn’t move so she could wait for it to bleed out. Minutes pass as it finally put its head down, finally at rest. Liz sighed as she pulled out a dagger and took the valuables. After she harvested the deer until there was nothing left but bones, she headed towards the city.

Salty Southern City, a smaller city compared to the capital, but still awed Liz as she walked in. Luckily, since it was trading city, the gate toll wasn’t much. Liz walked in and made a sharp turn into the alley way. Broken glass littered the floor, crunching as she ran through. Pass the first door and turn right. Passed the second and turn left, the third door to the left. She stood in front of a tall door, and knocked on it. Inside, a loud noise emerged, and dimmed down, as she heard the dim steps becoming louder as they came her way. The door slammed open.

“What the h-“The owner looked at Liz, “ Oh, hi Aria”

Liz looked up at the owner, an intimidating face with a crew cut. Liz grabbed her bag and tossed it towards the owner. He looked inside and made a surprising look,

“Violet Red Deer species, slight damage in the hide, and oh, a perfectly intact head, with the eyes and brain! Some meat too.”

“I only came to sell the hide and head” Liz said in a monotone voice. The owner nodded.

“3 gold pieces”

Liz barganed,

“3 gold pieces and 5 silver pieces”

The owner shrugged his shoulders, and begrudgingly accepted. He went inside and brought out the coins, counted them out and traded. The owner happily took the brought goods and Liz packed up.

“See you again Aria” The owner waved goodbye.

Liz mumbled in agreement and ran out the alley. She made a quick trip to the shopping center, looking for some spices before going home. The shopping center was full of busy bodies as she looked, venders advertising their products over the thunderous noise of the crowd. Liz kept her bag close to her, as she knew there were pick-pocketers roaming the area, since she was one before.

After looking around, Liz finally found the spices and bought them after a little bargaining. After, she tried to squeeze out of the crowd. Suddenly, the crowds compressed around her. She looked around, the crowd split in two. Was there someone important here? A carriage passed by, with several knights surrounding it. The seemingly head knight looking worried.

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A crowd of whispers emerged, why were they here?

The knight looked displeased, and continued to search the city. As the carriage left, the two crowds merged and returned to normal. Liz shook her head and squeezed out of the crowd. She checked if all her belongings were with her and hurried back home. After a long jog, she was back in the forest, a couple of miles away now, Liz sighed and started to go back. Carefully dodging roots and branches, she was nearly halfway there. She continued to run, then she looked around, cut branches, footprints everywhere, daggers stuck on trees. Liz slowed down and examined the footprints. Either these people were one of the worse hunters possible or…

A battle cry emerged from the right of her. A knight fully suited in armor from head to toe stood heavily against a group of people. Bandits, quite obviously from the way they looked. A bandit motioned his hands to signal the others the advance. Liz scaled up a tree and watched, the knight leaned against his blade, seemingly tired. The bandits also know this, but for some reason didn’t fully advance. Liz looked around, tens to hundreds of dead bandits littered the floor. Liz sat silently in the shadow of a branch. The brave bandits rushed forward, only to get sliced in half. Liz judged in silence, the knight was strong but obviously won’t last against the bandits, there were at least ten bandits left. Liz frowned, she didn’t like bandits, but she doesn’t like knights either. Should she even intervene? Liz frowned, this knight might be rich, and if she saved him, he might award her. Liz looked at the bandits, there was only at least ten. Liz planted her knee and took aim. Liz steadied her breath and drew her bow. The bow snapped and the arrow flew into the face of one of the bandits. The bandit died before he could warn the others. Three more arrows flew into the faces of the bandits. The leader commanded the others to hide behind trees, and tried to spot the sniper. Liz quickly changed spots and once again took aim. No good spots, Liz took a small piece of wood and threw it near a bush. Tricking them, the bandits rushed towards to sound, where Liz could easily shoot them. Arrows flew and killed two more. Liz kept in track in her head. There is about around five left or at least that much, she thought.

Soon after, the bandit leader realized the situation and ordered a retreat. The remaining bandits carefully retreated and the bandit leader tried to spot Liz, to remember her, but fortunately for Liz, she hid well enough for the leader not to spot her. Liz dropped from her tree and surveyed the scene, clear for the most part. Liz for extra precaution tied a piece of cloth around her face and ran up to the knight. She looked at him, not moving. She gently touched his arm. Unconscious, great. Liz supported the knight, and went home. Weirdly enough the knight wasn’t that heavy.

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Soon Liz was at home, in her tree house. She stretched her arms and sat the knight in the corner of her house. She took the sword, and placed it near her, if this knight wasn’t the most knightly knight. She sat across from the knight and waited. Liz opened her book and read as the knight rested.

After a while, the knight started to mumble, Liz closed her book and waited it since the knight will wake up soon. As she predicted, the knight woke up, in shock. Once the knight saw Liz he immediately stood his ground.

“Who are you? State your name!” The knight stood in caution.

Liz replied, “Ben, a hunter” The knight still not convinced, inching closer to the center of the room.

“So, Ben, did you save me from those bandits?”

Liz felt the tension, and stood up putting her hand near her back, “Yes,” She frowned.

“Liar!” The knight stood in pose. “Those weren’t bandits, but trained assassins, how would a mere hunter like you beat them!”

Liz knew the situation, and tried to calm down the knight, “Look, I have your sword, just calm down” She raised both her hands to show peace.

The knight smirked, “You mean this?” A red bolt of lightning sparked from his hands. A two-handed sword reappeared in his hands. Liz looked over at her side, the sword was gone. A magic knight?! Liz bolted out the door. Right behind her, the knight followed close behind with a loud bang. Liz gasp, so quick?! She grabbed her bow and nocked an arrow. Liz ran as the thunderous sounds of the knight followed close. Liz frowned even harder, how fast was this knight when healed? She quickly turned to the right and climbed a tree. After jumping from the bark, she hanged from the branch, the knight nearby. The knight instantly closed to her tree and with a swift slash, cut the tree from the roots. Liz flew from the branch and aimed. Liz released her first arrow, and quickly armed the next. Slightly down, she thought as she shot. The knight cut down the first arrow but the second managed to tear a piece of armor off. The knight roared and continued to chase.

Liz armed the next arrow. Two left counting this one. From what she saw, the knight was fast in a straight line, not in a curved. After running through this forest like a maze, Liz climbed up another tree, the knight still close by but far enough for her to catch her breath. To her right, she quickly armed and took aim. The knight closed in, she released the arrow.

The knight laughed, “You think the same parlor trick will work again?!”

The knight slashed the arrow. Right behind it was a rock. The knight laughed,

“You must have run out of arrows hunter!”

The knight grabbed the rock, but quickly realized the problem. Another arrow was hidden behind it! Liz closed in with her dagger. If she planned correctly, that arrow should heavily injure the knight and she could finish him off. The knight as if stopping time, quickly moved slightly. The knight’s helmet got knocked off with a loud crash and the knight closed in on Liz. Liz sidestepped and held up her knife. Liz barely parried allowing the sword to only cut the cloth around her face.

Liz backed off using the momentum and stared at the knight. She stared at the knight, thinking of a different plan. She heard the knight gasp and quickly stared that him, or rather a her.

“You’re a girl!?” They both said in unison.