Istruan paced back and forth outside of the inn with his thumb kept tucked between his lips as he slowly chewed away at his fingernail. Over three hours had passed since they last saw the other three members of their group, Rainen, Kat, and Axel.

Iris, interested in learning more about the village, left an hour earlier with Elis. They offered Ellar an invitation but, after a while to think, she declined. Although she would much rather be with Iris and Elis than anyone else, exhaustion and a feeling she had been longing for ever since she left Aurora City compelled her to stay.

With everyone off to their own devices, Iris and Elis gone for a walk, Istruan and his friends along with Rainen’s sister downstairs, and Rainen and the other two somewhere else, Ellar was the only person in a room meant for all of them.

She sat on the bed with her legs outstretched and her back against the wall. The day, as early as it still was, had taken its toll but Ellar had no intention of sleeping despite her wishes for a comfortable bed the night before. Instead, she looked out the window at the village below. A wave of familiar feelings washed over her. It was difficult for her to determine whether or not she enjoyed those feelings. A part of her wanted to stand up and leave the room immediately and head to that place outside the window but another part of her wanted to stay in the room.

As a child, she yearned for the world outside and only received tastes of it throughout her childhood… Perhaps those experiences soured it for her. With the joys of the outside world, freedom, adventure, and space, came unforeseeable danger and… the risk of undesirable feelings. But Ellar was no longer a child and the world, no longer out of her reach. She would grow.

Wouldn’t she?

--------------------------------------------

Two knocks come from the door. Startled, I stumble over my words, “W-Who are- who is there?”

“It’s Fia. Everyone else is gathered downstairs. We’ve got a clue on where the other three might’ve gone. I was wondering if you wanted to join us.”

“O-oh. I-I’ll be down in a minute.”

“Sorry that if I disturbed you.”

“Oh no, it’s fine. Really,” I cast one last look out the window before leaving.

Everyone sits gathered around a couple tables listening to Istruan explain things. As I come down the stairs, Elis beckons me over to the seat next to her. Once I sit down, I soon come to the realization that this has been going on longer than I thought. Squirming in the chair and playing with my hair, I wait for opportunities to ask about what I missed. Fortunately, Istruan, for one reason or another, goes through what he’s learned so far.

“To summarize, Rainen, Kat, and Axel went out hunting that bear we were chased by yesterday.”

Wha- Why would they even… Didn’t it end when it fell into the water?

Emile looks to Istruan and, in his firm and brisk voice, says, “Now that everyone is caught up, what should we do? I for one am in favor of looking for the three.”

Iris nods, “Rainen’s the one leading us. Without him, we’d be lost on where to go. I am also for searching for them.”

“Kat and I are from the same village, she’s the closest thing I have to home right now,” Fia says.

“Rainen’s my brother,” Aisha says.

Istruan nods knowingly.

“Why, why did they go s-searching for that bear,” I ask.

“For money,” Emile answers. “I’m not exactly the best at tracking but it shouldn’t be too hard in this snow. We’re a few hours behind but going after a fresh trail is much easier than making one. The earlier we start the better.”

Istruan nods again but sighs before speaking, “I’m one for looking for them but I… You know what? Never mind. Assuming Rainen and the rest are fine and still chasing the bear, then we should head over to the river just west of here.”

“Why’s that,” Elis asks.

“Because someone spotted the monster there. Let’s get going. There’s no time to lose.”

With that said, Istruan gives us a moment to prepare before leaving. I climb back upstairs, breathe into my scarf one more time and place it on the bed. Looking out the window, I see the others gathering. I run my fingers over it one more time before joining them.

“No scarf?” Elis asked. “Won’t you be cold without it?”

I shake my head, “The wind’s not that strong today… I wanted to give myself some breathing room. Is everyone ready?”

“We are now,” Istraun says, “I’ll lead the way. It should be around a half hour from here.”

As we start moving I gradually lose my position in the middle and fall to the back of the group. Iris and Elis slow their pace to match mine and try to initiate conversation but I give them only brief responses.

I try to give longer ones but I eventually go quiet after a while. I want to talk to them, I want to interact, and I want to connect but the words never come out right. I don’t feel it, I can’t come up with the right words to keep things going. I end up shutting it down before it goes anywhere…

Soon enough, without so much as a meaningful exchange of words, we reach an abandoned part of the village.

“There it is,” Istruan whispers as the monster comes into sight.

“It, it’s a bit bigger than I remember…” I mutter, terrified. Just yesterday I was with Rainen standing right across from the monster and it looked much less terrifying. Was it just because I didn’t have any time to think about it or was it because I was with someone else? No, that can’t be it. I’m with Iris, Elis, and all the others…

“We’ve already lost in a close range fight,” Emile says, “I still have my short sword and buckler on me but I won’t last long against it. Considering that I should be the toughest one here, our chances are slim.”

Istruan thinks on it for a moment, “There’s not much here save for all these abandoned houses. They’re all one room so it won’t take long. If we look inside we might find something useful since we’re short on tools. Our only other option is for long ranged attacks.”

“So you’re relying on our magic?” Iris asks.

“Sorry. Can I count on you guys?”

“Leave it to us!” Elis proudly proclaims.

“I don’t know if my magic can compare to theirs but I’ll do what it takes,” Aisha responds almost over enthusiastically. She quickly throws her gaze down afterwards.

“H-hold on,” I say, “D-does this mean it’ll be the three of us against that, that monster? I-I mean, if, if it’s what’s needed to win… I, can, I might be able to-”

“Calm down. We won’t leave you three for it come charging at. We’ll provoke it and hold its attention while you guys fire away. Here’s how it’s going to happen. Sio will start off with a spell effectively making us its targets. While that’s happening, you four start pounding it with your magic.”

“What about me?” Fia asks.

“You and Emile will scavenge through the houses looking for things we can use. Before we start, we should look through these houses out of the bear’s sight first. These people might have something useful considering they’re much closer to the forest and the river. Perhaps they were hunters of some sort. I spotted a few mounted heads on the inside of some of these houses.”

“Wait, what about you then?”

“I’m with Sio. If he’s going to act as bait then I’ll stick by him and help him get out of any tough spots.”

“Thanks,” Sio says.

“Of course,” Istruan responds. “What kind of person would I be if I let all my party mates do all the hard work? With us backing each other up, it’ll go a lot smoother. Alright, start searching the houses,” he says in almost a whisper.

Iris, Elis, and I form a group and look through the entirety of one house as they look through another. We go through only one house each before Istraun and Sio sneak off toward the monster.

“Time to get into place,” Iris says.

“We’ll blast it good,” Elis smiles.

“Uh, right.”

We exit the house and form up just a ways away from the monster. It still hasn’t noticed anything yet. Instead, it has its nose buried in the snow while one paw claws away at the ground. It’s as if it’s searching for something.

Tension fills the air as Istraun and Sio come into sight. The monster seems to have noticed it too as it finally raises its head and starts looking around. The flames coming from its body were emanating weakly before but now contain a certain life to them.

It swings its massive head around once, twice.

“Now!” Istruan shouts as Sio casts a fireball.

The fireball connects. A direct hit. As the air clears, the monster comes out seemingly unharmed. It pushes itself onto its back legs and roars in anger, all of its attention now on those who tried to hurt it. Iris shakes her head muttering something along the lines of, ‘Not the best choice of spell’ before casting a stone bullet.

Elis casts a series of magic arrows and sends them into the side of the monster. However, its thick fur, despite the arrows being made of pure magic, deflects her attack like a shield against rusty swords. They clatter onto the ground where they evaporate into thin air leaving nothing but their shape as proof of their existence.

Aisha loosens a few balls of energy.

I take aim at the monster and readjust in minuscule increments to the right and left. It takes longer than needed before I cast my first spell. While Iris and Elis continue to rain in blows, I force my arm steady by grabbing ahold of my wrist.

No one seems to notice how I’m doing so far. I just have to stick with the plan. Don’t think about it too much. You’ll just psyche yourself out. Be spontaneous like when Mr. Rune and all those other people showed up. No thoughts…

The monster, enraged and tired of being a training dummy for our magic, rushes the nearest person like a starved, mad dog. In a single stride, it reaches Sio. He stands there frozen like sculpture.

It swipes at him and, with a gasp, I close my eyes. When I open them next, Sio lies strewn on the ground with three cuts marking his arm and a terrified but determined Istruan on top of him. Quickly, Istruan pulls him to his feet and they take off, all the while he’s yelling for us to press on.

“Come on El!” Elis shouts.

Scrambling to save them, the four of us continue throwing magic at the monster like maniacs. Despite its initial targets so close by, it switches its bloodlust to us. Istraun and Sio, perhaps not noticing, keep running from the beast.

It charges us. I take a step back and slip on stray ice. The world slows as the sky takes over the scene of an abandoned village licked clean of life by an unearthly monster.

Looking at it again, I wonder why… Why the bright blue sky streaked with white only ever seems to conflict with my emotions.

“Get her up,” Iris says as she creates a wall of stone to protect us.

Elis and Aisha lean over me and I make it to my feet with her help.

“New idea,” Iris says, “I’m going to encase it in stone.”

Suddenly, the wall breaks. Iris’s eyes widen and she throws her hands up to protect herself. Elis and Aisha turn around but they’re too slow to react. The monster’s mouth grows larger and larger by the moment like an opening door.

She’s going to die.

Suddenly, the monster is blown back by chunks of ice. A tinge of pain spreads from my shoulder. Elis takes the opportunity and begins chanting.

“I claim this land as mine and none shall walk it, those who seek it shall find pain. Blind their eyes and break their bone, salt the earth, protect all that I own.”

The monster recovers and charges once again. The four of us run to a house and as I open the door for everyone to hide inside, Iris and Elis stop.

“Wha-what are you doing? It, it’s coming!”

“Now’s our chance to hit it again,” Elis says.

Stunned by their odd actions I look to the bear. As it comes closer and steps in the place where we once were, a circle appears underneath it. Chunks of the earth rise like bubbles. The monster ignores them as it runs past, its massive shoulders brushing against one of them.

White. Everything around the monster turns whiter than the snow.

“Go!” someone shouts.

Tossing away all thoughts, and ignoring the pain in my shoulder, I loosen a volley of ice spikes into the sudden light.

The monster breaks out and runs at us again. This time Iris and Elis also run into the house. We shut the door behind us and, knowing it won’t hold, Elis blasts a hole open on the other side of the house.

As the monster easily tears apart the door, we’re already out.

“Has it even gotten hurt yet?” Elis asks, gasping for air.

Iris shakes her head, “I don’t know.”

“What about your plan from before? Are you going to use your ability?”

“No. It broke through both the stone wall and the house without any delay and our spells aren’t doing a number on it. My ability has no chance here. Istruan’s plan is the only one we have right now.”

“What would my brother do…” Aisha whispers to herself.

Even though nothing’s working they’re still going to try… I need to as well.

Wracking my brain for useful spells, one comes to mind.

If only I could control it.

“We’re over here! Come get us you bastard!”

We peek over the corner and see Istruan taunting the bear. It focuses its attention on him but treads over lightly as if afraid of more traps. Istruan presses onward with his taunts and starts throwing snow at it.

Its low growl makes Istraun hesitate for a moment.

“[Lightning Bolt]!”

A direct hit. The monster turns, looking for the source.

“[Wind Blade]!”

Another hit. It turns and like last time, finds nothing. Another lightning bolt strikes the monster and it spins around quicker than a top. More wind magic connects in its blind spot. Its growls turn back into full howls of rage with foam at the mouth.

“Hey.”

The four of us jump at the surprise.

“Sorry about scaring you guys.”

“Kat?”

“Yeah, I’m sure you can guess who’s attacking the bear.”

“My brother!?”

Kat nods, “The both of them are pretty tired out. Swords and the like won’t work on that thing. We’ve decided magic is the best way to take it out.”

“That’s what we’ve been doing,” Elis says. “It doesn’t work that good neither.”

“Yes but it’s our only option right now,” Kat responds. “What Rainen told me to say was to tell you four to get into a house and cast spells from inside. If the windows aren’t open or broken, open them.”

“So hit it from all sides...” Iris contemplates the new strategy. “It’s a sound plan. It’ll be confused and forced to pick somewhere to go. The problem lies in that last part.”

“He said he’d come to help.”

Aisha nods.

Iris, on the other hand, looks at me, “I can’t say I really trust those words but… It’s better than having that monster charge at a group of us.”

“Huh?” We’re going to split up?

“I agree with the plan!” Elis declares. “How about you El?”

“Huh? M-me?” Why do I have to make a decision?

“What are your thoughts?”

“Uh… L-lets do it…”

“All right. Elis, Aisha, and I will head over to the houses on the other side. El, you go inside of this one. And Kat, could you stay with El?”

“Yeah, I’ll stay with her. There’s not much I can do so this is the safest option.”

Iris nods. They run across to the other side while the monster is distracted by Rainen and Axel’s magic. Istruan is nowhere to be seen.

Inside of the small house, Kat opens the window for me. I peer through and watch as spells come from every side, five different directions. The monster’s flames grow larger and brighter and the spines on its back straighten like the hair on a frightened cat. It roars three times in succession and as a fireball hits it, its spines start glowing.

“What the hell?”

It turns to where the last attack came from and spits out a ball of energy. It collides with the house, blasting open the entire front side of the house. Finally spotting someone, the monster charges.

“Cast a spell,” Kat says in a panic. “That’s where Sio is!”

I concentrate on the urgency, push away my thoughts, and launch water spells. The other throw away the hit and hide tactics and pummel the monster with their magic. Nothing we do deters it from its path.

Suddenly, Emile and Fia burst out from behind the house and throw a net at the monster. Caught, it tries to break free by lashing out in every direction. Its mouth futilely snaps at Istruan but doesn’t quite reach. More and more spells connect and finally seem to be taking effect. The monster’s spines lower and its flames flicker near extinguishment.

Our attacks slow to a near stop as we watch it. Even Istruan stops to look at it, hope most likely the main cause.

I want it to be over too.

Its spines straighten and the fire around it grows again. It bellows twice, sending Istruan and the others into a panic as they try to pull Sio out of there. I hesitate for a moment.

If I keep attacking it, won’t it just get angrier? But we need to defeat it…

On its third bellow, the fire around it surges and the netting burns away like paper. Istruan and the other still haul Sio out of sight while the monster tears off the rest of the netting. Rainen runs out of his hiding place and sends a lightning bolt right into the monster’s head causing it to flinch.

He pulls a knife from nowhere and jumps onto the back of the monster. It tries to shake him off but he holds on tight and begins sawing at one of the spines with his knife. While he’s at it, no one casts any spells. We’re all too afraid of hitting him.

Istruan and the others manage to make it out of sight but Emile returns with a hatchet. He throws it to Rainen who drops the knife and catches it. The monster’s anger filled cries now are brimming with pain. Its screams so agonizing I cover my ears.

Rainen finally chops off one of the spines and watches it fall over as if it were a tree. He goes to take off another spine. However, a burst of energy from the broken spine hits him square in the chest, sending him flying off and out of sight behind the houses. The monster, injured and tired, takes off. It heads away from the forest.

Once the monster is gone, Kat leaps out the window and rushes toward Rainen. Axel and Aisha do the same. Regaining my senses, I burst out of the house just in time to see Rainen chasing after the monster and hear the cries of his sister as she tries to convince him to stop.