“I can do this. It’ll be fine,” Liliana murmured to herself as she sat atop Lelantos. The tiger was eager to set off and actually level, and Liliana felt a bit of that urge herself. Yet the fear was stronger. The fear that as soon as she left the manor, another group of Bandits would descend, and she’d add more names to her roster of kills. More souls to haunt her in the night and call her a murderer.

“You’ll never catch up to Alistair if you don’t go,” a voice called out, and Liliana’s head whipped around, meeting dark silver. Emyr was astride his own horse, a midnight black gelding warhorse. The horse pranced with an anxious energy that Emyr handled well, no doubt a trait of his [Riding] skill.

“You also can’t get any herbs to practice Alchemy if you don’t leave,” Emyr added on and Liliana bit her lip.

“I could buy them,” she argued. Emyr raised an eyebrow before pushing his horse to pass Lelantos, the horse balking a bit at being so close to an apex predator that could kill it in a single bite.

“It would be a waste of money,” Liliana muttered in annoyance as she directed Lelantos to follow Emyr. Behind her, Jason, a second guard, and Alistair closed in. The nobles had offered to come again when they heard Liliana was finally heading out to level. Since the four of them had originally handled an entire Bandit group alone, Jason had only brought an additional guard.

She’d been reassured by Silas the previous day that they’d combed the area, finding no other Bandits in the area. They'd even culled a few creatures getting too high into Rank 7 for comfortability. So she would have very little to worry about during this trip. Yet as the gates drew closer, her heartbeat picked up its pace, as if it was trying to flee her chest. Her palms were so sweaty she struggled to maintain her grip on her weapon at her side, and her breathing was growing short.

“Stop that,” Alistair called out, his voice irritated as he pulled his mount up close to Lelantos. Liliana looked at her stepbrother in surprise.

“It’s shameful to the Rosengarde family name to have you terrified of leaving the manor, so calm down before the guards talk,” Alistair ordered, and somehow his harsh words did the trick. Her breathing slowed as she regained control of herself. Alistair huffed and passed her by, Liliana watching his back in confusion. Again, he’d helped her. Why?

Maybe… there was more to Alistair than the character she’d met in the games and the memories she had. In the games, he’d been a bit of an egotistical jerk who ended up having a heart of gold that got drawn out by the friends he’d made in the academy.

Or… perhaps it was because he was finally out of his toxic mother’s control.

You can’t judge a book on its cover. Her mother used to tell her that often on Earth. Especially after she’d spent time at the hospital and been scared of how some other looked because of the toll taken on them by their illnesses. Liliana was ashamed now of how she’d judged them because of how they looked. Those people had been some of the kindest she’d ever met. Not all of them, a terminal illness didn’t automatically make someone a good person. But perhaps there was some truth to the old saying ‘the good die young’, because many she’d met had been kind.

She didn’t think Alistair was secretly a loving, supportive, and charitable person. But perhaps he wasn’t just what she saw. People were complex, full of many facets and quirks, histories and traits that weren’t always shown well in 2-D like a game. Things that weren’t shown to an unwanted daughter that his mother had told him to hate.

Liliana was so caught up in her thoughts she didn’t notice when they passed the gate. Her attention returned when Lelantos picked up his pace, matching that of the others around them. Liliana blinked and looked around and the scenery that was flashing by, an unconscious smile on her face as she reveled in the familiar freedom of riding Lelantos. The power she could feel under her, barely restrained violence just waiting for a target. Beholden to her.

For a bit, she let herself forget her worries and fears as she reveled in the feeling of the wind whipping past her, teasing her braided hair and dancing across her skin.

They turned off the road at a different point from the day before. Jason had suggested this area for her to level, saying with Lelantos the things she’d fight shouldn’t be too big of an issue. There was also an issue with these particular monsters were becoming a troublesome pest, and they were known to be aggressive to humans, an issue for the nearby town.

They stopped, and the men tied off their mounts, leaving the second guard they’d brought with them to guard the horses. Based on the bored look on his face, it hadn’t been the man’s first choice in jobs for the day. Liliana stayed atop Lelantos and guided him into the forest, down a hunting trail. She bent her head under branches as they moved, Lelantos’ footfalls far softer than her own as he dropped into [Stealth]. After a moment, he paused and bent to sniff at something before his body went rigid.

“He’s got the scent,” Liliana called out to the men following her. She bid Lelantos to follow it, getting information back. He estimated a pack of the creatures, 6 or so. It was a good sized pack and would give her and the others enough experience. She mentally bemoaned the fact that it could’ve been hers entirely had the others not tagged along, but she couldn’t change that now.

Lelantos paused at the top of a gully, dropping low as he crawled to the edge. Liliana peaked over and gulped at what she saw.

Hedgehog Boar

Level: 54

An adult male Hedgehog. Known for its affinity for earth, using it to armor its already strong hide against attacks. It can shoot its spines out of its back as a long ranged attack. The barbs expand where they hit, causing severe pain and difficulty with removal. Its long tusks can easily shear through metal and flesh alike. It enjoys armoring itself and charging at its prey, spearing them on its tusks.

Rank: 6

It had a group of five Hedgehog Sows with it, all ranging from level 45-53. She’d read that it was typical for Hedgehogs to gather in groups of females lead by a single male. Rather more like lions from her old world than the wild hogs she had heard of. Which were solitary in nature. Here they were not, which made them ever more dangerous.

“Jason, keep back unless one of us needs help,” Liliana ordered the guard, glancing to see him nod. He wouldn’t get in the way and ruin their experience gain then.

“Alistair, Lelantos will stay with you and handle the Boar, along with the level 50 and 53 Sows. I’ll take care of the 45, 48, and 49 Sows with Emyr providing backup for me,” Liliana set about giving the others their positions. Alistair glared at her, not enjoying being bossed around.

“Why should I listen to you? I can handle it on my own,” he argued and Lelantos turned his head towards the boy, letting out a growl.

“Oh, I think you misunderstand. We don’t need your help. Lelantos can take care of the entire group easily. I’m being nice and letting you two get some experience,” Liliana responded sweetly as she slid off of Lelantos. She cast [Encouragement] on him, seeing his Health and Strength raise a small amount.

“Follow the orders or don’t, but if you get in our way, don’t blame me if Lelantos mistakes you for a Hedgehog,” Liliana shrugged as Lelantos loped off to the entrance of the gully.

Liliana traced another path, ducking behind a bush at the lip of the gully and towards the back of the group of hedgehogs. As soon as Lelantos grabbed aggro, she’d drop down and draw the three she wanted to herself. Liliana watched as Emyr followed her, a silent shadow. Alistair stared at her, the Hedgehogs, then Lelantos before throwing his hand in the air and stalking after the enormous cat.

When everyone was in position, Liliana gave Lelantos permission to reveal himself. A shimmer of light and where there had been no tiger, there stood one now. With a deep [Bestial Roar] he shook the gully and froze the hogs. Next to him, Alistair stepped out of cover and let out his own shout, presumably an aggro generating one. Golden light shrouded the boy as he hit his sword against his large shield.

As the Hedgehogs shook off their intimidation, they turned towards the tiger and boy. The Boar let out a snort and with a squeal it charged the two. As the male charged Liliana [Leap]ed down, activating [Dance of The Daystar], [Dance of The Vanishing Blade], and [Shadows Sonata]. The two sows she’d targeted for the spell froze as it took effect. Liliana stabbed her blade into one as she landed, thanking her Vitality that she didn’t break her legs with her stunt.

Her blade barely sunk into the terrified sow, only a bit of blood showing she’d done any damage. With a growl she drew her blade back and activated [Dance of The Windsong] feeling her Vitality dip as her Speed increased and she danced around the two frozen sows, trying to do as much damage in the small window of time she had.

The sound of something falling behind her drew her attention over her shoulder. The third sow in the small group had charged at her, only to be brought down by grasping tendrils of darkness. Emyr’s shadows held it down as it struggled to fight them off. Liliana checked her Mana before tossing two [Light Burst]s at the sow, aiming for its eyes.

Liliana turned back to the two she was attacking, feeling the time ticking down. She heard the squeal behind her announcing that she’d hit the beast with her spell, but already she was dancing around the other two, blade carving thin red lines across their hides as fast as she could move.

With a shudder, the two sows regained control of themselves. Twin squeals of rage filled the air as they focused on Liliana. A third joining as their blinded sister followed behind. Liliana smirked at the three as she summoned [Will-O-Wisp] and [Tempo]. Her Mana dipped from where it had only just begun to regenerate as she pumped more of it into the channeled skills.

The three sows charged her in tandem and Liliana easily dodged their charge, almost laughing when the three plowed into the gully wall, dirt falling over them. Her amusement died when the dirt that rained on them stuck, slowly forming a shell over their bodies.

I hate things with armor, Liliana mentally groaned as she stepped close to one sow, blade stabbing at its armored body only to be stopped. Even with the secondary hit from her skill, it still did little to the beast. Liliana danced back as the sow turned, darting to the side as it made another charge. She twisted and aimed her spear for another sow’s side, activating [Pierce] and watching the precious little Mana she had drop, taking a tithe of Stamina with it as the blade sunk deep, this time bypassing the dirt armor and flesh.

As Liliana retracted her blade, another wound followed, equally deep as [Dance of The Vanishing Blade] took effect. The sow stumbled, blood pumping from its side like a crimson river. Liliana grinned as she danced back, but her grin faded when she remembered the [Pierce] skill had a two-minute cool-down.

Resigned, Liliana continued her dance around the sows, feeling like a matador as she teased them into charging, only to dart away, leaving them to ram into a wall. Slowly [Tempo] was affecting them, their charges getting more wild and off target. Emyr tripped them up with his shadows, taking special interest in the injured one. His shadows dug into the wound, ripping it wider and preventing healing. Liliana took every chance she could to drive her blade deeper into the wounded creature, though most of her time was spent keeping herself from being trampled.

As Liliana dodged yet another charge, she heard a body hitting the ground, and a pained squeal. Looking over, she saw that Emyr’s shadows had tripped up the wounded sow. [Leap]ing over yet another charging sow, Liliana activated [Light Burst Coat] and drove her naginata into the hog, the weight of her falling body behind it. The blade dug deep; the sow screaming as she sheared muscle and organs. A bright light that heralded the burst of her spell took over as it wreaked havoc on the sow’s innards. Unlike creatures with a weaker hide, the sow did not explode and Liliana withdrew her blade, dancing away from the next charging sow. The downed one took a pitiful last breath before lying still.

As soon as [Pierce] was up again, Liliana activated the skill. She added [Light Burst Coat] to it, driving her blade into the head of a charging sow even as she sidestepped the creature. The glowing blade cut deep into the creature as a wall of shadow drew its charge up short. The sow screamed, struggling against the pain before the last burst shredded its brain and ended its life.

Two sows down, Liliana turned to the last opponent. The beast was panting, its eyes full of rage and hate. Liliana prepared for another charge, only to desperately dive to the side when the sow turned and launched a barrage of spikes her way. She activated [Barrier] just in time to stop several of the spikes from impaling her, even as she rolled and kept running away from the waves of spikes. Adrenaline pushed her further, fear leaking into her blood for the first time since the fight had begun.

[Barrier] burst, leaving only her armor to deflect the spikes. Mentally, she thanked Astrid for getting her armor improved after the Bandit attack as the spikes dug into the leather but didn’t entirely penetrate. The further she ran from the attack, the less they bit into her clothes until they weren’t even hitting her at all. Liliana looked back and saw the sow panting, her back almost empty of spikes now. Earth was growing to cover her back and form new spikes, but Liliana didn’t want to give her a chance for a repeat performance.

Turning and activating [Enhancement] before she activated [Leap] Liliana propelled herself through the sky, flipping in the air until she landed on the side of the Hedgehog. Darting her blade forward, she slashed across its eyes and the beast screamed, backing away from the attack. Her [Will-O-Wisps] dancing in front of the beast’s eyes further drove it to confusion, already weakened by the time spent fighting Liliana with [Tempo] active.

Liliana hesitated before her next strike. Calling up [Soul Strike] she darted in and pressed a palm to the sow’s side, sending a burst of Soul magic straight at it. The sow squealed and shuddered, but didn’t fall as Liliana dropped back.

It doesn’t leave a mark. Though it is called Soul Strike, Liliana wondered as she darted around the sow, who was turning around hopelessly trying to fix itself on a target. Liliana aided her confusion by sending a pair of [Light Burst]s at the sow’s eyes, blinding it as she had its sister. Dismissing [Will-O-Wisp] Liliana activated [Pierce] and [Light Burst Coat] a final time, driving her blade into the beast’s blinded eyes, and ending its misery in a flash of light.

Liliana looked over at Lelantos and Alistair. The tiger was playing with the Boar, the two sows with it long dead. Alistair was standing back with his head in his hands and the tiger batted the Boar around, even as it squealed in impotent rage.

“Lelantos, kill it,” Liliana ordered and with a sullen look the tiger slashed at the creature’s side and batted it at a surprised Alistair, who barely had time to bring his sword and shield up to block the creature’s body and stab it.

“Don’t eat that!” Liliana called out as Lelantos opened his mouth to bite into one of the Hedgehog corpses. He sat back with a huff and Liliana got a distinct feeling that if he could talk, he’d tell her, ‘you’re no fun’.

“Let us get their spikes, livers, lungs, cores and hides first,” Liliana instructed as she wiped off her blade, ridding it of blood and dirt. When it was cleaned, Liliana stored her naginata and called out her skinning knife instead.

The scent of blood was becoming more pervasive as the adrenaline left her system, and Liliana shoved the memories she now had connected to that scent away. Her hand shook as it held the knife, but she refused to let the darkness drag her back down. Not now. She walked towards a sow, determination filling every step.

Alistair looked at her incredulously before pointing at Jason.

“I thought we brought him to skin the creatures!” he called out, and Liliana looked up at him with a crooked eyebrow from where she’d already stabbed into a sow.

“Do you not know how?” Liliana asked and tilted her head at Emyr, who had appeared nearby to her and was already working on another sow silently.

“Why would I? That’s commoner work!” Alistair insisted. He turned to Emyr with confusion, “since when did you know how to skin?” he asked and Emyr looked up with a shrug.

“My brother taught me. He used to take me out sometimes when he’d level and he’d show me how to skin the creatures he killed. He said it was sensible as in dungeons your guards don’t come with you, as they’d automatically get the experience share. So it’s best to know how to,” Emyr explained before turning back to his work.

“My Lord, you can borrow my skinning knife,” Jason spoke up, holding out the tool with his face straight. Liliana detected a good bit of amusement in his eyes, though. She hit her smile by dropping her head and focusing on the sow she was skinning. Her hands still shook, but it was easier now to push the reaching darkness to the back of her mind.

“Wouldn’t want me to be better at something that you, right Alistair?” Liliana teased and with a huff, the boy took the knife and stalked towards a sow.

“Jason, if you could take care of the boar and other sow. I doubt he’ll get done with that one anytime soon, and I’d like to make something off this trip,” Liliana asked the guard lieutenant when her brother was out of earshot. With a grin and a salute, the man marched off to do as she asked.