Point Of View: Kaori Tanaka
We left the road and entered the dense vegetation. The soldiers were all excited. I was anxious—I had never hunted anything in my life—but I didn’t want to stay near the redhead and be dragged into whatever mess he was planning. Besides, Captain Gregor insisted it would be a good opportunity to test my skills. Originally, something like hunting in my country was not meant for women, but there was no reason to dwell on that. The war had changed everything, after all.
"Miss Kaori, stay behind me," Gregor said as he moved stealthily through the forest. He was using a bow and arrows. All the soldiers had removed their heavy armor. From what I understood, this area didn’t have dangerous monsters.
The forest was damp; the smell of wet earth and the fresh air renewed my energy. The soldiers moved like shadows, while I felt like a clumsy duck, announcing my presence with every step. By late afternoon, the breeze from the west grew colder. Gregor stopped and signaled, raising his open palm to indicate that everyone should halt.
"Deer to the left," he whispered. I noticed the soldiers’ focused attention. The animal had reddish-brown fur, with massive antlers branching like the limbs of a tree. The deer lifted its head, looking around. If it noticed us, it would be my fault. I was obviously hindering the hunt.
The animal bolted into the jungle, and one of the soldiers immediately announced, "Get our dinner." I found it amusing. Pushing aside my thoughts, I reinforced my body with mana. Even though I had undergone hellish training with Gregor over the past two weeks, I still couldn’t keep up with the soldiers’ fast pace.
We quickly moved after the animal. Captain Gregor’s expression seemed troubled. The soldiers fired arrows without pause. I could see they were all excited, but Gregor Olindar had a terrible look—one of fear.
"Is something wrong, professor?" I asked, feeling anxiety rise in my chest.
Without stopping, he glanced at me. "Something scared that deer, and it wasn’t us." His hand moved to the hilt of his sword. A scream echoed a few meters ahead. The sound of a tree cracking and something being thrown filled my ears.
"Everyone, stop now!" Gregor ordered.
"What the hell is that?" one of the soldiers cursed. I saw one of the men sitting at the base of a tree. Deep claw marks covered his clothes, and his arm looked broken. He was breathing heavily, while his companion—the same one who had spoken—stood protectively in front of him. The leaves rustled, mixing with the hoot of an owl that spread through the surroundings.
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Before us, emerging from the foliage, stood an enormous creature nearly three meters tall, with the well-defined muscles of a bear. Its yellow eyes gleamed as its head turned left and right, watching us. Its head was that of an owl, covered in brown feathers that matched the fur on its body. What the hell was this thing?
"Owlbear! Drop your bows and draw your swords, men!" Gregor shouted, drawing the beast’s attention. The bear lunged at Gregor, swiping its massive paw toward one of the men standing between them. His body was thrown in my direction and collapsed at my feet. Half of his neck had been torn open. He coughed up blood, and his eyes lost their light.
My mana instinctively reinforced my body, compressing my signature and forming a thick layer around me. Swordsmen didn’t use runes like mages. Their mana signature focused on defensive principles and physical reinforcement. Their damage came from their sword skills and, of course, the weapon itself. At least, that’s what Gregor had taught me. I didn’t want my neck torn open, so focusing on defense was the right move.
I drew my sword and watched as Captain Gregor deflected one of the bear’s swipes with his blade. Another soldier rushed to help the captain, but his attempt was utterly ignored. The soldier’s sword didn’t even scratch the bear’s fur. The creature’s sharp beak suddenly darted toward the soldier’s head, crushing his helmet and tearing through his skull. I began to tremble, terrified. I looked at Gregor and the last standing soldier, who was also shaking.
"Miss Tanaka, cast a spell or we’re all going to die!" We were already almost all dead. What he was saying didn’t make sense.
"In the name of my own power and the gods…" The bear attacked again. Captain Gregor blocked one of its claws, but the bear clamped its beak onto his shoulder. He gasped in pain. "I invoke the strength of the spring that grants life and divides nations…" I needed more time. I looked at the trembling soldier. He seemed to understand my gaze and ran to assist Gregor. "And I invoke the force of the gale that brings change and dominates the skies…" The man struck the owlbear’s head in vain. Its jaws released Gregor, who stumbled back. "May these two powers combine as one. Glaciation!"
The air grew cold, and my body trembled from the strain of casting such a powerful spell. Combining runes of two different elements required immense mental and physical energy. A small whirlwind began forming at the bear’s feet, followed by ice that crept up its legs like vines, climbing its body. The last standing soldier’s eyes were filled with terror. My legs buckled, and I fell to my knees. Half of the bear’s body was already frozen.
Parts of my skin and the surrounding vegetation were covered in frost. The cold crept up the soldier’s leg and Captain Gregor’s body. "N-no…" I muttered, breathless and mentally drained. I closed my eyes as the cold overtook me. When I slowly opened them, I looked around. Ice completely encased the owlbear… It also covered half of Captain Gregor’s body and fully engulfed the last soldier, now a statue of ice. My body felt heavy, and I collapsed forward onto the ground.
Everything was ice, and I hadn’t saved anyone…