I awake to the rays of sunlight and the sound of movement.

At this point in time, such a thing is not a rare occurrence. Perhaps because the sun is a little dimmer than usual, I suspect that something is wrong.

Indeed, the smell and touch of the earth against my feet are also different. Then, I recall. The memories of my slumber paint a vivid image of a screaming woman. A screaming woman that lies to my east.

There are two methods by which I can reach her. That is to get to her before the ape does or after the ape has finished. The latter, in which I will bury and offer my respects to her dead, battered body. Which, as a possibility, may or may not be missing a few limbs.

An image of that scenario unfolds in my head. A scene where a body that is destroyed beyond repair lies before me.

It unnerves my breath. No matter how inconsequential death is to me, the idea of an unrecognized body is more than unsettling. Perhaps, I am weaker than I think.

My mouth opens to intake air. The cold morning wind tightens my chest like a monkey's grip. Speaking of monkeys, is there a difference between them and apes?

I can't say I know, but it is a fascinating question. Maybe the mage will be able to tell me once I save her. Another reason to do so alongside the fact that she gave me food.

Lead forth by the cries of falling trees and animalistic yells, I sprint. Every fibre of muscle and energy directs itself to this process. At one point, there is a tree that stands before me. As an obstacle, I should dodge.

But the concepts of should's and should nots do not apply to me the same way. I close my eyes and mouth to avoid any debris. And I run straight through it.

"OOGA BOOGA".

Those are the words of the towering mass before me. A giant ape no smaller than a fully grown apple tree, the black hair on its head showcases its youth.

On two legs, in place of arms, its form is reminiscent of the bipedal city dwellers.

Reminiscent, but not exact. As if it was a false caricature of 'civilized people', its arms are longer than its legs, reaching down to its thighs.

But even with that in mind, the mage finds herself in a corner. On top of a tree, her mechanism of defence, it seems, is to throw literal sticks.

Seeing my abrupt arrival, the two creatures each turn to inspect me. One with bated breath, and the other with the feverish urge for battle, the time is now.

My foe must feel it. The presence of a new fighter, it is one that is more instinctual than logical.

It screams as it rushes to me.

That is enough incentive for me to respond in kind.

The distance between us closes in a blink. My toes curl into the dirt and cling onto whatever footing it offers. A fist of pure strength and resolve shoots through the air. At the same moment, I repel it with my own.

The clash of fists echoes throughout the vicinity.

Our strengths are equal, but our weight is not. Though the muscles of my body do not falter, something else does. The earth which caves under the force sinks ever so deeper.

Another fist surges again. The encounter that unfolded earlier repeats itself. My feet which once stuck to the surface, now touch a deeper layer of soil.

If this continues, the result is an untimely burial.

To defeat the foe before me, I require more than the mere strength of my fists. The way forward logically is a change in tactic.

When the next punch comes, I duck. My hands-on the soil, I pull myself and send my body out of the hole.

"OOOGA".

The ape yells at its dexterous opponent. As an apex predator, it does not anticipate that such an insignificant foe can pose a threat. A battle usually determined by a single blow now turns into a battle of attrition.

That's right. Fluster yourself and lose focus. The more wild and irritable you become, the higher the predictability.

This time though, I take the initiative. My legs extend and go into a sprint once again. Because its reach is far longer than mine, I have to offset that advantage.

The ape recognizes that as well. To distance itself from me, the course of action it takes changes. In a stance, it retracts his right arm back.

I don't even need eyes to know what happens next. A swipe aims for my head. Strong and firm, it flows like the gentle swing of a wayward branch.

To counteract it, I duck. The ape understands this as well but cannot do anything.

Before he can react, I place my foot atop his kneecap. Though it is far too early to end the battle, I can even the odds. Feeling a triangular rigidity beneath the sole of my foot, I know I’m at the right spot.

The bone which protects his knee joint, it is otherwise known as the patella.

I crush it with a single stomp.

Cracks that sound like the shattering of stone reach my ears as its legs bend back like that of a locust. His body, which is deprived of its right leg, will soon fall alongside it.

Screaming in pain, the ape falls on his hands as I quickly pull back. Our eyes meet. Even though he is an animal, an ape that should know better, he still harbours emotions and sentiments in his body. Those eyes that I see before me now widen. Brown and shaken, they accompany a stretched mouth and raised eyebrows.

That reaction, which intensifies my strength, gives me the clarity I need.

My brain, where the gears of instinct do not exist, no longer has any use.

The final exchange commences. Right now, neither of us know what will happen next. In that sense, we are the same. Mere beasts guided by instinct and desire, we operate without a greater purpose.

Without so much as a transcendental motive or grounds on which we can justify ourselves. The only laws that confine us are the rules of nature. Rules which function on the basis of who survives or who doesn't, our next moves will see to its upholding.

My healthy body runs up its leg to its target. His expression, now driven by desperate fury, fuels his next attack. A punch.

True to its nature, it is direct, straight, and aims for the centre of my body.

I then, for a fraction of a second, slow down. As if to meet its blow head-on, my centre of mass lowers while my fist raises ever so slightly. The proper reaction to punch back, it is an exact repeat of prior.

Until the next moment, that is. The sound of wind pulls as my fist retracts alongside it. Known as a feint, my feet which are already in perfect position, engage all of its muscles.

In that superior position where my speed is still intact, I jump forward into the air. Above the fist that is now below me, escape is impossible.

Even if that foe still possesses its other arm, it is too late. My leg, which lifted with my assault, will land first.

In a subdued breath, my kick makes contact with the apes face. Neither ugly nor deserving of contempt, what transpires is simply nature.

Ripples of skin, spit, and blood unfolds before me.

The status of my enemy is now that of a non-combatant.

I Mayevil have knocked out the great ape of this forest with one blow.