The ragging fire, brighter, hotter and more plentiful than what was already around, shot out of Isabel’s hand.

Mila pushed aside her displeasure with the solution Isabel had come up with. It was good. The piercing scream from Litan proved it was.

Just… Why was it fire again? Mila shook her head. The results spoke for themselves. Isabel was apparently winning. Her opponent's frantic reaction proved it. Liton’s body jerked toward where her brother was screaming.

Mila didn’t plan to let the woman move as she wished. She attempted to block Liton but was pushed aside. The woman fearlessly headed into the flames.

Isabel, meanwhile, didn’t stop. She kept pouring more mana into the fire. Her hand moved horizontally, chasing after Litan, who was escaping.

The fire spread more. Isabel’s opponent kept himself a step ahead of her aim. Mila noticed Litan was favouring his hand. It was hard to see anything more through the smoke and fire.

“Paladin.” Mila raised her voice. “She is coming!” It was too late to stop Liton. She couldn’t follow through the flames without burning herself.

Gathering all her strength, Mila threw her sword at the back of Liton. The woman didn’t even notice, too preoccupied with stopping Isabel.

And Liton did succeed. Just as the spinning sword hit the woman’s back and cut into it, she reached Isabel and tackled her. Both girls tumbled to the ground. Isabel’s spell sputtered out as Liton mounted her back.

Liton raised her hammer and tried to bring it down at Isabel’s head.

But it was a mistake. Mila had found a way through the flames and now was just behind Liton. The woman had become too emotional. She had left her back completely open. Liton’s armour had handled the worst of the fire, but… Wherever it didn’t cover, the skin was blistered and raw.

And Mila understood her. She, too, had rushed towards Isabel with little to no consideration - even knowing it was unlikely Liton would be able to hurt her girl.

But unlikely wasn’t impossible. Mila knew Isabel couldn’t deal with heavy impacts well. While her girl’s barrier would stop direct damage, it only softened the kinetic force that was fed into her body.

With the hammer already on its way down, Mila lifted the retrieved dagger. She tackled Liton’s back, driving her weapon into it.

The fourth wound was not deadly either. Mila’s prime concern was the falling hammer. And she had succeeded in pushing the heavy blow away from Isabel.

The hammer impacted the ground, shattering more stones. Liton screamed and violently jerked forward, yanking the dagger out of Mila’s hands and pushing her back.

Isabel tried to turn around but was hammered into the ground by Liton’s senseless punches. The woman was fueled by rage and did not spare her fists.

The smell of burnt flesh spread through the air, making Mila gag. The dagger was still sticking out of Liton’s back. She stumbled back to the woman and managed to grab the hilt of her weapon.

And twisting the dagger stopped Liton’s rampage. Her pain-filled roar echoed through the street, then again. The sound did not stop. Mila realised it was Litan who mimicked his sister’s desperate call for relief.

A heavy impact hit Mila’s side. Liton’s elbow took away her breath. She fought back by twisting the dagger again, earning more roars.

And this time, the mirror of Liton’s scream was closer than before. Mila knew her opponent’s brother was coming. She had to finish off Liton before he arrived.

With Mila’s help, Isabel managed to turn around. Her shield flashed as it bashed against Liton’s flank. Isabel’s other hand was empty. She had dropped her sword in the chaos.

Another hit landed on Mila’s side. She wheezed but didn’t let go of her dagger. Instead, she grabbed it with both hands and yanked it down.

Liton didn’t scream this time. But she tried. Only… Her lungs lacked the air required for sound.

Finally, Mila’s dagger came loose. She stumbled back, trying to steady herself. She felt Litan was close. He was moving fast. “Incoming.” Mila forced out a sound. It was hard to breathe. Those two elbows had done a lot of damage.

Isabel used her shield again. She used the edge of it to hit Liton’s flank. At last, it forced the woman to collapse to the side. The hammer fell next to Isabel with a loud thunk.

“LITON!”

Mila blinked. Then Litan was there. After dropping his swords, he grabbed his sister, not letting her fall. His hands wrapped around her. He pulled her away just as Isabel swung her shield at the pair.

“I… fine…”

Mila couldn’t believe the woman was still conscious. She glanced around. There were no escape routes left for her. She would have to rely on Isabel to carry her out.

It was the same for the pair of siblings. Mila took a couple deeper breaths, thankful to her mask for filtering the worst of the smoke out of the air.

They were at the finish line. Honestly, Mila was spent. She suspected only Liton’s condition was worse. At least nothing done to her was lasting.

“Liton… I… I have to…” Litan spoke, desperation clear in his voice. “We have to get to Ugum-”

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

“Hah!” Liton let out a sharp, barren laugh. “That’s not us…” She struggled to speak. “We hunt. Finish… The hunt…”

“I…” Litan turned his head towards Mila, then looked at Isabel, who was rising up from the ground. He noticed Mila’s girl was holding the heavy hammer now. “That’s not yours!” He growled.

“Move…” Liton coughed. Her body slumped over as her brother prepared to fight. “Hunt… That’s the God’s decree…”

“Yes. I will reap these souls for our God. The hunt must be finished.”

Mila frowned, but it was Isabel who spoke.

“Your sister will die,” Isabel stated. There was disbelief in her voice for the callous way they treated Liton’s life.

“That is nature's way.” Litan returned. While his words were full of confidence, the trembling of his voice betrayed the storm of emotions he felt. “One day, we hunt. The other, we are hunted.”

Despite her condition, Liton joined her brother. “... When we fail, we become the prey.”

“That is our way,” Litan added, and his sister repeated.

“That… Is our… way…”

It was… Admirable in a fucked-up sort of way. Mila didn’t hate their simple devotion. They had their values, and they stuck to them.

But Isabel disagreed. “That’s so dumb.” She blurted out. “Just get her to the doctor.”

“Ah…” Mila sighed. That was the wrong thing to say. Her girl had just insulted their resolve. She felt the hostile glares aimed at Isabel.

“You lack brain matter.” Litan made a simple insult. “You do not understand us.” He followed up with more words in a language Mila didn’t understand. His words made Liton laugh, and she added another string of half-formed words.

“What’s there to-”

“Paladin…” Mila interrupted. “...Isabel…” She whispered. “It is not your place to argue on how they should live or die. Let’s fight, Hunter.”

And Litan nodded. He retrieved his swords, readying himself for the final confrontation.

“But-” Isabel was not satisfied.

“No buts.” Mila steadied her steps and studied the prowling man. “You are slighting their resolves.”

“Yes!” Litan barked. “The Maiden is right. You do not understand. She does. I’ll fight, win and grow stronger.”

“But your sister…” Isabel helplessly tried to resist.

Liton rolled on her back and whimpered. “...Isabel, huh?” She spoke with great difficulty. “Fuck you…” Liton spat out. “I don’t take pity. I lost. That’s… all…”

“But I have not!” Litan stepped forward. The emotions radiating from him burned brighter than the surrounding flames. He raised his swords and glared at Isabel. “Boundless Rage of Mourning Typhoon!”

Isabel braced herself, but Mila paled. Litan had played them both. No. His rage at Isabel was real, but he was aiming at her!

Despite his sadness and anger, Litan had made the logical choice. Mila was the weakest opponent and was already injured. Her weapon would not help much against two swords, and it was clear Litan was not expecting to leave alive.

And Mila’s legs refused to move. She fought her tired muscles, but… All she could manage was a totter forward.

Blocking it was. Mila opened her eyes wide despite the smoke biting into them. She looked at the opponent. She searched for anything she could use.

There it was. Despite the man’s bold move, Mila saw how his right arm was burnt and raw. While he was holding a sword in it, it wasn’t a firm grip.

Would Litan be able to strike with the damaged arm? Mila knew he would. The look in his eyes shined with fatal determination. Isabel was moving to intercept the man, but Mila knew she would be too late.

Forward. That was the only path left for Mila. With her ankles hurting, she could only fall towards Litan’s charge.

The man spun, trying to confuse Mila. But her calculating gaze never wavered. The closer he came, the clearer Mila could see his movements.

Without proper garb, Mila could even see Litan’s muscles flex and move as she moved. It was all open book for her. And the path forward was narrow.

The world around Mila slowed. Litan finished a rotation, chopping down at Mila with great force but not precision. The right arm was trembling, struggling to hold the sword.

Mila saw it. The left hand was faster. It would arrive first and force her to block. The right arm would come next and likely injure her gravely.

If Mila let the man, that is. There was no choice but to block the first attack. She moved her dagger in the left arm’s sword attack path.

The impact was heavy. The dagger in Mila’s arm bent. The misshapen thing would not serve as a weapon anymore. Her arm was shoved towards her with force, and Mila let the energy push her away. She added her strength to the tally, hoping it would let her be carried even further away.

Litan had not saved strength. He had hit with all he had. Mila found herself being tossed back towards the raging flames.

It was the best outcome. Mila pulled herself into a ball, hiding her limbs and face from the destructive heat. Litan’s follow-up attack came too late.

Mila heard Isabel’s roar as her girl reached Litan. She heard them start fighting. Her body then hit the ground.

The impact took away more of her already sparse air as it was pushed out of her lungs. Mila felt the terrifying heat trying to reach through the fabric. She tried to keep the momentum going and rolled further.

It took so long. Mila felt the whole world melt away. The sounds of fighting grew more distant as she tumbled on the ground. The hard surface and shambles hurt. She continued to spin.

Mila knew her cloak had caught fire. She couldn’t keep hiding under it, or it would become her death.

But Mila also knew she had more distance to move. Was this it? She prepared to throw away the flaming clothes and dash, hoping her hurting legs would carry her far enough.

“NO!”

Mila heard Litan scream. Then, she was picked up. The cloak was torn off, and Mila found herself in Isabel’s hands. She felt her girl’s barrier flare to full strength.

The flames stuck to the invisible wall, trying to break inside, but Isabel didn’t let them. She ran, carrying Mila with her. Between each step, Isabel tore away more of the smouldering fabric. Mila helped as well. Even the mask had to go.

Mila found herself almost naked when Isabel finally stepped out of the fire. The path ahead of them was surprisingly peaceful.

Isabel put Mila down, and they exchanged glances, then Mila’s girl stepped back into the fire. Isabel still had a job left to do.

Without any strength left, Mila collapsed on the ground. Her body was battered and bruised, but luckily, there were no burn marks. Only some of her hair had been singed.

Mila looked at where Isabel continued to fight. She idly wondered how long it would take. And a minute later, Isabel stepped out of the flames again. In her hands was the heavy hammer.

They had won.