The male Chimera charged at Sera. Before she could react, its lowered bony head stuck her in the chest with a powerful ramming attack that sent her sprawling backward through the entryway. As Sera laid in the leaves struggling to regain her breath, she heard the crumbling sound of bricks and looked up to see the female perched atop the wall above her. Despite the pain, Sera scrambled for her sword which lay discarded to her right.

Stumbling to her feet, she looked up to the monstrosity looming above her. The female’s eyeless gaze followed her movement, the muscles in its tentacles bunched up as it prepared to pounce on its prey. Sera shook as she weakly held her weapon before her in defense.

Outside of the ruined building, something stole the monster’s attention. It turned before dropping down from its perch, out of sight. Beyond the two doorways, the creature crept slowly into sight, but its focus was affixed in the other direction. In the distance, a man and a woman stood roughly ten feet apart. It was the two rangers that Sera had met the night before. Cabrin and Akane.

Having the full attention of both Chimera, now, Cabrin and Akane began to move away from each other in a wide circle centered on the abominations. Cabrin walked left, while Akane made right, each bearing their drawn blades.

Cabrin spoke in Asunese as he walked. The foreign language sounded beautiful, poetic, yet intimidatingly calm, and commanding. His voice drew the attention of the male. As it cautiously made for the ranger, he looked in Sera’s direction.

“They cannot see.” He said, “Their attention is drawn to sound.”

“If you do not want to die, try not to make noise.” Akane added, drawing the attention of the female.

The Chimera stalked slowly towards their individual targets. Cabrin and Akane stood calmly with their blades ready.

Sera had seen these weapons only a few times in her life. They were thin, single-edged blades which bore a slight curve along their length; the few Asunese who had come through her town in the past had carried them, and they called them ‘katana’. Though she had always marveled at the elegance of such weapons, this would be the first time that Sera would witness their use.

The Chimera charged at Cabrin and Akane. Leaves flew up around them and the bones of the dead scattered as they bound towards their new prey. Cabrin moved with fluid grace, his katana glinting in the sunlight as he sidestepped the male's ramming attack. Akane leaped into the air, evading the female's lunging tentacles. Her feet struck the beast’s back as she rebounded and landed deftly behind it. The two rangers moved fluidly, their blades flashing as they sliced through the air towards their monstrous foes.

Sera watched, awestruck, as the Chimera fought back with frenzied desperation. The male Chimera swiped at Cabrin with its tentacles, but he dodged each attack with practiced ease, using his blade to deflect the beast's blows, each block leaving its flesh bloody. Meanwhile, Akane darted in and out of the female's range, her katana slicing through the air in deadly arcs. The Chimera bellowed with rage in a hauntingly human-like voice, its tentacles flailing wildly as it tried to catch the nimble ranger.

The male Chimera yelled in anger as it struggled in its fight against Cabrin, tentacles thrashing wildly. Cabrin deftly dodged the tendrils and struck with his katana, cutting into the Chimera's flesh. The creature howled in pain and recoiled, backstepping away from the frightening enemy which it had foolishly engaged.

Sera stood, stunned at the display of combat before her. She didn’t know what to do. Should she run? Should she help? She felt so ridiculous standing by watching the fight, unable to do anything. The sword she carried hung uselessly in her quivering hand. Sera was not a fighter, she couldn’t help but think that she would only get in the way of the rangers who so clearly knew what they were doing.

She took a step back, unsure of what else she could do but hide and wait for the fight to be over, and then recoiled in horror as the leaves shifted noisily beneath her feet. Ahead of her, the male Chimera, opting for a possibly easier target, turned its attention to her. Before Cabrin could redirect its focus on himself, the monster charged towards the frightened girl.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Sera frantically stumbled backward as the Chimera burst through the doorways after her, sending a shower of ancient brick around her. It struck out with a bullwhip attack from one of its tentacle arms, knocking her sword from her grasp. Two of the fleshy appendages wrapped around her, hoisting Sera up into the air. One wrapped around her waist, the other was around her neck. As the Chimera squeezed and pulled, Sera realized in terror that it was trying to pull her apart.

She reached desperately for her sword which had been thrown away from her. Except it hadn’t. To her surprise, Sera’s hand wrapped firmly around the hilt.

She had no time to ponder, she was going to die a gruesome death if she didn’t take this opportunity to act. Twisting her arm around the massive tentacle which wrapped around her, she drove her blade deep into the abomination’s neck.

Blood sprayed in her face as the Chimera’s cry came out in a gargled rush of air and its grasp loosened around her. Sera fell to the ground as it collapsed, blood gushing rhythmically from where her blade protruded. Its tentacle arms frantically, then lazily slapped at the hemorrhaging wound as it slowly died.

Beyond it, Sera could see that Cabrin, who had made it halfway across the plaza to save her, stood bearing a confused but fierce expression. But he took no time to wonder at what he had just witnessed, instead he spun on his heel and immediately ran toward the female which had broken off from its fight with Akane, making its way towards them.

Cabrin ran towards the female, his katana raised high.

“Akane! Ima!” He shouted.

Akane sprang into action, her blade flashing as she ran towards the distracted beast. She leaped into the air, her blade descending towards the monster's head. The Chimera spun and raised its tentacles in defense, but Cabrin was already there, his own blade slashing through the air. Together, the two rangers struck the beast with a powerful double blow.

The female Chimera stumbled, its tentacles flailing wildly as it tried to regain its footing. But it was too late. With a final, agonized feminine cry, the beast collapsed to the ground, its massive body convulsing as it died.

On her hands and knees, Sera panting heavily. She heard the shifting of leaves as Cabrin approached her and looked up to his outstretched hand. Her body shook as she took it and he gently pulled her to her feet. In the distance, Akane swiped her katana through the air, flinging the blood from its blade before sheathing it and let out a loud cheerful sigh as she made her way over to them.

“Are you alright?” Cabrin asked, his voice gentle but firm.

“I think so.” Sera replied, shakily. “Thank you.”

Cabrin smiled.

“You did well.” He said.

“Hai!” Akane exclaimed. She patted Sera heavily on the back. “Anata wa subarashikatta.”

Sera gave her a confused look.

Akane laughed at Sera’s confusion before repeating her words in common language for Sera to understand.

“You did great.” She said, smiling.

Sera returned with her own, exhausted smile. She couldn't believe what had just happened. It was her first time ever seeing Chimera, let alone fighting one. And with the two rangers’ help, she survived.

She turned back to the dead Chimera where she had left her sword buried in its neck, but just as before, her blade was once again not where she expected to find it. Looking down at the presence she felt in her hand, Sera was again surprised to find her weapon in her grasp.

“N-Nani?” Akane muttered in confusion.

Even Cabrin, cool and collected as he was, couldn’t help but betray his wonder at what they had just witnessed.

“Oh, now that is a neat trick.” He said.

Sera stood dumbfounded. Somehow, she had called the blade to her, and so it was there in her hand. She looked up at Cabrin who was smiling, shaking his head in disbelief. Sera trembled as she wondered what other powers remained hidden within her to be discovered.

All she wanted was answers as to where she came from. She didn’t want these powers. She didn’t want this fate. She wanted to keep her life in her town, with her people, with her father.

While the two rangers marveled, knowing what this meant. Knowing that the promised return of Celeste was finally at hand in the form of this young woman, that the fabled Sephra would fall and her Chimera with her. Sera only thought of what destiny must have in store for her. Whatever it was, she was not ready to accept it, but she had a feeling that she wouldn’t be given a choice.