With her eyes still closed, Miwah pressed the diamond against her heart. A blinding light engulfed her once more, drawing the attention of both the beast and Tamma. They both stared at the small glimmering aura in awe and fear and were both equally startled when they saw Miwah's Purifier form stand in her place.

"M-Miwah?" Tamma stammered. The Purifier paid her no mind. Instead, her gaze was interlocked with that of the looming beast. With Liberator in her right hand, she ran forward at a low angle, her weapon poised for a rising slash.

With both hands, the animal slashed downwards. Miwah raised the length of Liberator above her head, blocking the incoming strike.

Despite having the weapon up in a defensive manner, the strength of the attack knocked Miwah to the ground. Now that the Purifier was downed, the animal stood up on its hand legs with arms raised towards the sky.

Before it could lunge again, Tamma shot an arrow into the beast's chest. It went undeterred, continuing to put its strength into its arms as it lowered its reddened claws down at Miwah. The Purifier rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike. The raging animal struck the ground, creating a small crater in the dirt from the impact. Miwah stood up on both feet and stretched Liberator in front her body in a defensive manner so that the blade protected her front.

Another arrow soared through the air, this one piercing the animal in the neck. Its body jerked to the side as it let out a painful wail. The animal quickly turned its head towards Tamma, staring at her with gritting teeth, saliva oozing between them. It lunged forward, claw first, in Tamma's direction. The hunter leapt to the side, avoiding the savage beast altogether but landing stomach first on the forest floor.

"Stay down, Tamma!" Miwah shouted as she sprinted at the animal. She kept her weapon by her side in preparation for a running Aura Drive. The Purifier closed her eyes and focused her energy. In the next moment, a familiar purple glow encompassed Liberator. Miwah propelled herself with a straight hook, making the tip of Liberator's blade connect with the exposed side of the animal. A large purple explosion of magic energy sent leaves and debris scattering around the area as the creature skid across the ground.

The beast lay on the ground in a daze, its head drifting from one side to the other as it let out a low and drawn-out whimper. "What is that thing?" Miwah shouted as she inched closer to her foe.

"It's a grizlewulf," Tamma said after a deep breath. She took an arrow out of her quiver and loaded it into her bow. "They're strong, but never this aggressive." Now at Miwah's side, she took the time to examine the woman's attire from the bottom up. "And what happened to you?" Tamma asked with an expression of both awe and confusion.

"It is complicated. If we are able to defeat this beast, I will tell you everything." Miwah crept closer to the grizlewulf, keeping Liberator in front of her with every step.

"That's more than enough motivation for me," Tamma replied quietly. "Did you plan on killing it?"

"Of course," Miwah said, momentarily taking her eyes off the animal to look at Tamma.

The hunter wore a look of disappointment. "I understand. It's necessary. If we don't take it out, then some other poor soul will become its victim."

"My sentiments exactly." Miwah punched downwards towards the grizlewulf's neck, the edge of the blade slashing through fur and flesh. A sorrowful wail pierced through the air as the animal thrashed its arms about. Despite having blocking with Liberator, Miwah was sent staggering backwards from a stray blow. The grizlewulf stood up on its hind legs as it pressed one of its arms onto the wound while the other swung wildly through the air.

Tamma shot another arrow puncturing the hand that covered the incision. The injured animal screamed, quickly releasing its hold of the wound. Its jaws opened wide, pillars of blood and spit connecting from the roof of its mouth to the bottom of its jaw flashed for both Miwah and Tamma to see. The grizlewulf's eyes turned a dark crimson as they both locked onto the hunter. It got on all four of its limbs and sprinted.

The beast gnawed at the air as it raced across the ground. In its eyes was pure rage; it growled and chomped in a ravenous flurry as it continued towards Tamma. With a swift jump, Tamma grabbed onto a branch of a nearby tree. She brought herself off the ground after a heave from her upper body, giving her enough time and space to avoid the slash from the grizlewulf's bloodied claws.

Both Tamma and the frenzied beast stared each other down. The grizlewulf batted the branch with its paw, shaking the entire in tree the process. Tamma took hold of the tree with both hands to keep from losing balance, only to drop her bow as she did so. Both of the animal's hands continued to strike at the base of the tree, making it shake back and forth while the wood creaked from the strain. Tamma held onto her branch tighter as the arrows slipped out of her quiver.

"Keep holding on, Tamma!" Miwah shouted. She positioned herself to the grizlewulf's side with Liberator lowered and angled for a rising slash. As she sprinted forward, she swung upwards. The metal edge cut through fur and then into the flesh. As the edge of Liberator exited the animal’s skin, it sent a dark red streak of blood through the air. The grizlewulf howled, turning its body towards the fresh wound, the beast's eyes catching Miwah on the way. It let go of the tree and performed a backwards swing with its arm.

A swift crouch made the attack miss. Miwah then rose, striking the ravenous animal with a jumping uppercut. The edge of Liberator became lodged within the grizlewulf's neck. There was some more struggling from the monster, but this time fainter as Miwah removed her weapon out of the animal with a swift tug. A long and faint gurgle came out from the creature's mouth as its entire body toppled over to the side.

It stopped moving. The grizlewulf lay on its side, its mouth wide open as a small trail of blood leaked out of its neck and into the soil. Miwah took in a series of deep breaths, standing straight over the corpse as she gazed into the motionless yet crazed eyes.

"Miwah!" Tamma dropped out of the tree and landed next to the Purifier. "Are you all right?"

"I am fine," she replied. Miwah knelt next to the slain creature, hovering her hand over its eye. "What about you?"

"I've seen better." The hunter looked up towards a rustling in the distance. Lug poked his head through some bushes. After a quick whiff of the air, he trotted towards the deceased animal with the wagon still in tow. He placed his snout on the back of the fur and gave it a series of short sniffs. "Oh Lug!" Tamma said with relief. "I'm so glad you're fine!" She ran to the brillick's side and gave it an embrace.

"I have never seen an animal like this," Miwah said softly as she stared at the body.

"Like I said, that was a grizlewulf," Tamma replied as she continued to brush back the standing hairs on Lug's back. "Very strong and powerful creatures. They can be territorial, but they're not known to be so aggressive. And they definitely don't show up in this section of the forest. Humans have hunted them down, so they tend to stay away from areas that are so close to Farrowport." As Tamma continued to pet the brillick, his nose drifted towards the middle of the grizlewulf's back.

"Are they known to eat brillicks?" Miwah inquired.

"Sometimes. But they're more methodical in their hunting. I've never seen one just jump out and lunge at its prey like that. Let alone, one of this size." Tamma stared at the corpse with a look of sorrow. As her eyes scanned the length of the body, Lug continued to sniff at a specific spot on the grizlewulf's spine. "What is it, boy?" she asked. The brillick dug its snout into a soft patch of flesh. Tamma reached pushing Lug to the side. "Don't eat that!" she exclaimed.

"Is Lug trying to take a bite out of one his predators?"

Tamma shook her head. "No. Lug doesn't eat raw meat like that." She peered into the gash that the brillick dug his snout into. Her face shifted to an expression of disgust as she extended one hand towards the rotting section of the grizlewulf's spine. "Yuck." Tamma turned her head as she reached inside the wound. She slowly pulled something out; a soft and squishy brown object coated in blood and gunk. The hunter let it dangle as she held one end up high above the ground. As it dripped gore onto the forest's floor, Miwah took step when she recognized what Tamma was holding.

"Oh no..." Tamma said quietly as her eyes remained fixated on the drenched brown mass in Tamma's hand.