"Hey, Dragonlaird!" waved a man in a black tabard, walking past Faolan on the streets.

"Good day! Going on a quest?"

"Yup. Gotta get home first. I have to pick up my staff." The man twisted to salute and went on his way.

Faolan, too, continued on, walking into the Harpe guildhall.

As always, it was rather rowdy. With members murdering each other on the floor, given an audience by disarranged tables and chairs. At one corner, a fallen chandelier had remained unlit. Probably a victim of some mage's magic. Yet up the stairs was the guild master, as uncaring as ever, watching the commotions as if they weren't there.

Faolan could do nothing but sigh as he made his way to the quest board.

"Sir Dier." Katrina curtsied.

"Good day, Katrina."

"To you the same. I would like to tell you that a lady named Kirin has visited the guild earlier."

An eager smile went up on Faolan's face. "Did she end up joining?"

"Signed the registration and spoke to Master Chrisholm. Her initiation was to finish a quest of her choosing."

"Initiation? Didn't she tell master it was her who survived my magic?" Faolan faced the quest board again and looked at papers one by one. "Which one did she choose?"

"The quest to clear rosadonises from the forest under development." Worry washed Katrina's face.

"I see. Rosadonises are tough, aren't they? Who came with her? Was Alia here?"

Katrina shook her head, balling a fist that she then lay on her breasts. "Owing to her being a White Knight, no one was willing to join her do the quest. She decided to go alone."

"What?!"

"I warned her not to do anything rash, but all she did was smile at me."

"Katrina, which forest did she go to?"

"Lavista Woods."

Faolan dashed, heading towards the exit. "Dragon Magic! Sky King!" As he stepped out, diamond-blue wings stretched out his back, immediately batting, lifting him off the ground and propelling him to fly over Bladewood.

What was Kirin thinking? Rosadonises aren't creatures that can be taken lightly. Even the best adventurers there are would still need a party of at least three to take those on.

"Lavista Woods." Faolan glided in strong winds as he searched for the place from above.

Please let Kirin be safe. She can't be losing her life too soon after she'd just survived yesterday.

"There." Faolan dove, soaring like a meteorite towards his destination.

Dust and dead leaves drifted upwards as he made his landing.

Ending his spell, Faolan let his wings evaporate.

There, in the forest of Lavista, Kirin was standing in the midst of eight rosadonises, her arms spread wide apart to leave her core open. It looked as if she was wanting to die. After five hits from those beasts, she surely would.

"Come at me! Go!" Kirin shouted, seething in anger.

"Kirin!" Faolan called and pulled his blade out of its container. The weapon's light blue fuller still shone with the little light seeping through the trees' leaves. "Get out of there."

"That voice. Faolan?" Kirin twisted to see, still seething in... excitement? "What are you doing here?"

"I came to help you! What were you thinking trying to do this alone?"

"I'll be okay! This is the quest I chose! Gotta make sure to finish it." Kirin tossed all her hair behind her and faced the beasts again. "What are you waiting for? Do it!"

"K-k-k." A rosadonis made a swift series of motions, extending an arm and throwing it like a whip at Kirin. It struck very swiftly. Sending a clapping noise all over the forest.

That must have hurt! A single hit like such was enough to send someone unconscious!

How was Kirin? How was she? Faolan! Why was Faolan not doing anything? If Kirin died now, it would be Faolan's fault.

"Gasp." Kirin slumped to her knees, head lowered as her neck had seemed to lose strength to stay upright. Her body shivered. Perhaps caused by the chilling touch of death. But Kirin mustered all the energy she had remaining to look upwards. As if she was about to utter her final prayer to the gods. Her eyes glistened. "Kyaaaaa-ya-ya-ya!"

"What in the--What?"

The rest of the rosadonises began lashing their whips. One after another! Sparing no time for Kirin to fight back. Howbeit, it didn't look like she was wanting to retaliate whatsoever. Merely squealing every time a blow befell him.

"Kya-kya-kya-kyaaa!" Kirin's voice went.

And though Kirin's face was being slapped left to right, the noises she was making were sending blood to the one body part Faolan had not expected to be pulsing at that moment. The knight had to mentally punch himself. "Get it together, Faolan! You need to help! Dragon Magi--"

"No!" Kirin gasped for air. "Don't make it stop! Don't make it stop!"

"What are--" Faolan's eyes dilated as one of the rosadonises wilted and collapsed.

Soon, a second and a third also withered.

"It was on sale because... no one... was... wanting to buy it...."

"Could it be?"

A green magic circle gradually faded in beneath the damsel.

"That's Thorns Aura."

Thorns Aura: a special buff granted by the Cactus Gem. The stronger the attacks the wearer receives, the more recoil damage the attacker suffers.

"But that doesn't explain how you're able to survive those blows."

Three more rosadonises wilted and died. Only two more remained.

"Wait."

Kirin went back on her feet, shuddering with pleasure. "Vampire Magic! Moon's Call!"

An invisible ripple pulsed through Lavista.

After a moment, more rosadonises, along with plenty other varieties of forest creatures, arrived.

Vampire Magic: a rare form humans have adapted from true vampire descendants of Hades. So rare it was that only two Vampire Mages are officially recognized alive. It grants the abilities Death's Favor and Life Drain.

Death's Favor: guaranteed deaths by one-shot attacks are nullified, allowing the user to survive with little health.

Life Drain: the more damage the user deals, the more their opponent's life is drained. The ability's user regenerates.

"Kyaaaaa! More! More! Give me more!"

Faolan blinked twice before collecting himself and taking a prouder knight's stance. "That explains it."

Kirin let out more moans as whips and wolves' teeth chipped at her.

"You're Tardrem's younger brother."

Wolves and rosadonises collapsed.

"The Vampire Paladin."