Intense heat radiated all around. Marilyn awoke as buildings all around were engulfed in flames and dark clouds of smoke polluted the sky above. She steadily got up as she coughed out the fowl air that entered her lungs.

She didn’t recognize this place, the buildings were small, some were almost shack-like than proper houses. The ground was a worn-out path rather than a proper road. However, for better or worse it didn’t seem populated. As the area continued to be ravaged by the fire, Marilyn rushed onward in search of a way out. She pushed through the burning debris and falling ash, only to stop as a familiar yet unbelievable figure stood a ways away among the flames.

“Moyra…?!” the name left her mouth. Marilyn walked up to her, but the dirty-blonde woman only stepped back as she raised her palm out.

“Don’t, please don’t come here.” She said.

“Moyra, what are you saying?” Marilyn asked as she continued to approach her, “We’ve been looking for you. Me, Lacey, Kayla, we-!”

“Please! Just stay away or she’ll kill you too!” Moyra’s voice broke as she shouted back at Marilyn. After hearing her words all Marilyn soon stopped in her tracks.

“What do you mean, I don’t-” Suddenly a strong heated wind enveloped the area, creating a whirlwind of flames and ash around Marilyn.

“It’s too late, she’s here now…”

“Moyra! Who’s here? Moyra!” Marilyn yelled out to her.

“I’m… so sorry,” Moyra said her final words as the flames cut her off from Marilyn.

Marilyn tried to pursue her but the wall of flame became intense and the burning heat forced her back. She swiftly looked around as the flames surrounded her in every direction. A dark shadow soon emerged from the flames. Marilyn slowly stepped back as the figure breached the wall of fire.

“Moyra…?” she said hoping her friend had returned, however, the person who appeared was not her, in fact she didn’t seem like she came to help at all. Covered in black armor, which left her toned stomach and thighs exposed. Her face shielded with a black helm with the design of a dragon with horns, her mouth being the only thing it left uncovered. In her grip was a sword that exuded a red aura. You didn’t have to be a magician to feel the sinister presence which that blade carried.

“Who are you?” Marilyn asked as sweat overflowed from her and her breaths became heavier.

The black-armored woman simply raised her sword. Marilyn called a magic barrier just in case, and it was a good decision as the mysterious assailant swung her sword which sent a wave of energy forward.

It’s so strong! She thought as the barrier cracked and chipped away. Unfortunately for Marilyn, it didn’t last long as it soon shattered and sent her to the hot ground. She struggled to get up, however as her silver eyes refocused on her surroundings, a figure appeared above her. Sword in hand she came straight for her.

“Ah!” Marilyn’s eyes opened to the early morning sky as she screamed out.

“Marilyn, what’s wrong!” Lacey said, as she immediately ran over to her. Heavy breaths left her mouth as she calmed down.

“A…dream?” she said as she looked around the camp.

“Were you having another bad dream?” Lacey asked as she approached her.

“Yes, maybe.” Marilyn rested her palm on her face. It was the first time she’d ever had such a vivid dream, it felt so real.

“I see, just relax the others aren’t back yet so breakfast isn’t ready yet.”

“Really? Where’d they go?” Marilyn asked as she tried to move on from that dream.

“Dante took up some weird pole and said he was going fishing downstream. Kayla wanted to get an early bath, so she’s by the river.” After she finished answering, Lacey looked closely at Marilyn, it still seemed she was concerned about that dream. “You’re sure you’re fine?”

“I am, don’t worry, but there’s something I want to talk about,” Marilyn paused as she looked up at lacey, “It’s about Moyra, I think she’s in trouble.”

The waters of the river were cold from the night’s air, but that didn’t deter Kayla from having her morning bath. She let out a long breath as her body sang into the water. A lot had happened in the past few days, but it all worked out for now. Except, there was one thing bothering her still.

“A man, huh,” she muttered to herself. Even though she wasn’t in her best state at the time. For a human to be so strong with just their bare hands was unthinkable to her. While Marilyn seemed to have taken a liking to him and Lacey seems to trust him somewhat, Kayla wasn’t really sure how to feel about him. She like everyone else heard of how men existed long ago, but she always thought those were just stories, fantasies of the ancient past. Now she’s met one, but she can’t help but question if he really is what he claims to be.

“Now that I think about it, no one really knows what men are…” she said to herself. While Kayla was occupied by her thoughts of the situation, she had unknowingly lowered her guard. A figure slowly approached her, taking complete advantage of her unguarded state. Suddenly the cracking of the forest foliage alerted her.

“Who’s there!” Kayla said as she grabbed her blade from on top of the rock and turned to face the source of the sound. However, the image that entered her eyes left her speechless and frozen in place within the river.

“Ah… My bad…” Dante tried to speak as Kayla appeared before him, with all her womanly assets in full view. She stood there as she began to shake slightly and her face turned pink.

“Wh-why are you here!” she finally managed to scream out as she covered her body.

“Sorry about that, really I didn’t know you were here.” as Dante spoke his eyes were drawn into the naked beauty before him. Honestly, it was a little refreshing for him seeing a girl react like this especially after how direct Marilyn had been.

“Don’t look over here, turn around!” she shouted as she sank into the water. Dante immediately complied and turned away. Kayla isn’t much for skinship with others, but for some reason when she saw Dante, she felt like she’d die from embarrassment.

Why?! I’ve never felt like this before, but… she thought as she looked back at him from the corner of her eye, all he did was look, yet my body began to feel strange. She placed her hand on her chest and as she remembered his gazed her cheeks burned brighter and her heart began to race. Kayla quickly shook her head as she tried to reclaim her composure from the situation. However, in her state of embarrassment, a certain creature took advantage to approach her once more.

Its stubby slime ridden appendages gripped unto her back as it crept up to her face.

Calm down, just calm…down, Kayla thought to herself, but as she turned back to look over her shoulder the brown jelly-like creature greeted her gaze. Kayla screamed out as she slapped the creature away and bolted to land.

“What’s wrong!” Dante quickly turned around upon hearing her scream, only to see a teary-eyed Kayla panickily dashing to the river bed. He ran up to meet her as he readied himself for anything.

“Hey, it’s alright I’m here, are you hurt or something,” he said as he caught the girl in his arms. She was drenched in the cold river water and naked but it didn’t seem like she was injured.

“Mu…!” she mumbled out.

“Mu?” he tried to make sense of what he mumbled out.

“Mu-muck!” she cried out, “Disgusting, slimy river muck!” Dante looked back in the water as he saw the muck crawl onto a rock in the river.

“It’s okay, it’s just a muck, I heard their harmless.” He tried to calm her, however…

“I don’t care! They’re creepy and gross! I hate them!” as he shouted out, Dante was a little surprised as he saw Kayla freak out about the river muck.

I thought she was overly serious, but she does have her cute girly side too.

“Have you calmed down a bit?” Dante asked. It had been a few minutes but it seemed like she managed to recompose herself.

“I have… um…” she looked up to Dante as she spoke, but reflexively shifted her gaze as she realized how close their faces were, “don’t mention this to the others alright.” Seeing her bashful face made Dante chuckled as he contrasted it with her usual stone face cold expression. “Don’t laugh!”

“Sorry, it’s just seeing you like this made me realize how cute you can be,”

Kayla’s brows raised and heat reddened her cheeks as she heard his words.

“Sh-shut up! Anyway, let’s head back already!”

“Ah wait a sec.” Dante said as he turned away from Kayla’s nude self and began to removed his shirt.

“W-what are you doing?!” she asked as she blushed at the sight of his muscled back.

“Well, you don’t want me to see right… you know your naked body so here you can wear this for now.”

Her eyes dropped to herself and she quickly realized she was naked the whole time while he was holding her. Kayla stood up in silence as the embarrassment overcame her. She then gently took Dante’s shirt and put it on.

“I’ll get your stuff from the muck, so go on ahead.” He said. All she could do was avert her gaze and mumble a tone of agreement and with that Dante walked off toward the river.

“I-I wasn’t joking back there,” Kayla said, “Don’t tell them about this, or you’ll definitely regret it.”

“Yeah, I won’t, don’t worry.” Dante stopped to reply.

“And…um…thanks” she fiddled with her hair as she mumbled out the response. She then quickly turned around and ran off. Dante smiled as he saw Kayla scamper off back to the camp.