Life was strange. It can lead you to places you didn’t know existed and meet people that you would come to love. Strange? Well, I was not sure about that part. Wasn’t that just how life worked? But was meeting new people that really great? How about the people that you left and those that left you? Would they just be gone? Sorry, it was just something that I was thinking about.

Sleeping early was all worth it as it rejuvenated our body. Being a trainee to become a wanderer was no joke; it literally was full of danger.

Today was a big day. We had been preparing for it for a long time and now we were ready to execute it.

We ate our breakfast and got ourselves ready. After that, we went to the wall where we saw Foulk. Foulk had been absolutely helpful. If it weren’t for him, we would have never gotten this far.

Guess I’ll treat him with some alcohol later.

We showed our badges and went on our way. Nothing much was said during the trip to Zone Three. Well, at least, to me and Takana. The girls were talking just like they had been doing yesterday but the tension was palpable.

Of course they would be worried. Heck, I’m scared. But not for myself, for my party. Okay, I might be lying if I said I wasn’t scared for myself but it’s mostly about my party.

The last time we fought Bladetree, someone died. The same thing could happen twice. It wasn’t just negative thinking, it literally could happen. But of course, I was not going to let that happen. But again, could I really stop that from happening?

We waited for after lunch because that was when they usually let their guard down the most. I left my party behind as I went to scout the base of Bladetree for the last time.

Everything was the same. They were inside and they were eating whatever they were eating. The only thing that wasn’t there were the two guards that were standing at the main door of the house.

Where are they? Did something happen? Can we still continue this?

After thinking about it, I took it as an opportunity. We’d actually been thinking on how to get Takana inside, so this was a blessing. Maybe this was a reward, after all those suffering.

“You guys ready?”

Everyone nodded. I felt like I had to say something here.

“So, um, ahem, I know we have our troubles but today, we’ll remove one of those. Just stick together and we’ll be fine.” everyone nodded.

“Can I just say something, though?” Takana said.

“Sure, what is it?”

“Your pep talk sucks.” A disappointed look on Takana’s face glared at me as he swayed his head from back and forth. “Even a kid could do better than that.”

“For once, and I hope this is the last time, I agree with Takana.” Merry said.

“Hey, you could have phrased that better, you know!”

“What? I actually liked it. Simple and plain. Two words that you could describe Terrin.”

“You could have stopped at the part when you said you liked it…”

Everybody laughed except for Merry, although she was smiling. I nodded towards Kihana and she nodded back.

It’s time.

“Let’s go.”

*

We made our way there with no trouble. We were used to the terrain and there was little to no kasak within the area which wasn’t unusual since it was after lunch.

This was the part where we would split up. Takana was with Merry and Kihana while Fuyuki was with me.

The plan was, they would wait at the door of the room that Bladetree was in while me and Fuyuki would climb up and go to the rooftop hole. She then would use Ice Trap to slow down whatever kasak she could hit. After that, Takana and the rest would go in a swift, killing whatever kasak they could kill.

I said “good luck” to the others and we went on our way. We went to the side of the house and went through the wall that led through the rooftop. If I was by myself, this would have been easy but since Fuyuki was with me, I had to help her all the way.

We finally made it to the room of Bladetree. I took a quick peek and saw that they were resting, just like we had predicted. Though there weapons was by their side and they were still wearing their armors, it was enough. We couldn’t have prayed for more.

The room was large enough for the upcoming battle. The ceiling wasn’t high but it was enough to make you think twice before jumping. There were some debris and destroyed furniture on the sides but as long as we didn’t go there, they shouldn’t pose a problem.

“You ready?”

The beautiful woman nodded. I took a look to pinpoint exactly where they are and tell Fuyuki where to use her ability.

Shit!

“…I think he saw me…”

I didn’t know if it was intentional or by chance but Bladetree was looking at the ceiling. There was a lot of thing I didn’t know but one thing was for sure.

Bladetree saw me.

That had to be a pure coincidence, right? What the heck! Our surprise attack was ruined by a small thing like that! What do I do? Should we retreat? But what about Takana and the others? Would they retreat if I retreat? Bladetree’s already barking orders!

An arrow flew over my head as I was thinking and then Fuyuki said “I got this, Terrin!”

“Fuyuki, wait!”

Before I could even say those words, Fuyuki already chanted. I was too slow; it was because I spent too much thinking.

Fuyuki’s Ice Trap was already in motion. It wasn’t fast but it wasn’t slow either, so it caught two kasak, specifically, the buckler kasak and spear kasak. They were slowed but they had their weapons with them, ready to fight.

That’s the signal.

Just like we practiced, Takana charged in when he saw and heard the Ice Trap. He immediately found the club kasak and went there, screaming. As for Merry, she, too, found Bladetree and went to him.

Good. They might have their weapons ready but it’s now or never. I should get going and kill that crossbow kasak.

I jumped down the ceiling and Fuyuki followed suit. She didn’t even think twice about jumping down.

You’re really crazy, Fuyuki.

“GYAAA!” Takana tackled the club kasak with a loud roar but the club kasak only lost a few ground. Takana brought down his colossal sword on the club kasak but he blocked it with his club. Takana then kicked the club kasak on the chest but it only grunted, never letting himself lose foothold.

If we’re going to beat that kasak, Takana’s going to need all the support he can get. Hang in there, Takana.

As the two clashed, Merry was beginning to take a slash and thrust on Bladetree. As expected, Bladetree kept dodging it, only blocking her strikes when he couldn’t dodge it. Although it seemed that he was purposely being on defensive, he was actually having a hard time dodging her attacks as his confident face vanished. Merry was a half-beast; She was just as fast as Bladetree and her strength was on another level compared to Hashi.

She can do this. But just to be sure, I’ll support her later.

Right now, my goal was to kill the crossbow kasak. I found him being on the rear of their group. Although there were two kasak that was left unattended, I had to kill this one first because it was dangerous to just leave that kasak there. I really wanted to throw a smoke bomb at him but this was an enclosed room with only the hole on the ceiling that would allow the smoke to come out. I couldn’t risk the smoke to cause nuisance to my party.

He’s taking his aim on Kihana, as expected. I won’t let you!

I got around his back and tackled him, stabbing my dagger on his back. This one wasn’t the same crossbow kasak I thought before. I thought that because his surprised face showed that he didn’t remember me or my party.

The crossbow kasak shrieked in pain causing the one of the two kasak that was going to my party’s rear to go to the crossbow kasak to help him, just like before.

Good, keep going here and not to the girls.

This was a gamble because I didn’t fully know that the other would respond to his comrade. If he was the crossbow kasak I fought before, he would have remembered my party and would look for me first. Maybe the shrieked wasn’t actually a shriek but a word in their language, like a word for ‘help’.

What I almost didn’t notice was the kasak taking out something on the front of his belly. With a backhand grip onto it, he spun, causing my dagger to be pulled out of his back and tried to stab me with his left hand in the head. I ducked, almost got stabbed in the head but I didn’t saw his right fist aiming for my face. I got punched and I rolled backwards.

That hurts more a lot than I thought. He’s here already?

Now it was a two-on-one. Or more like a one a half on one because the crossbow kasak was unsteady. It seemed the stab on the back worked.

The buckler kasak helped the crossbow kasak by supporting him as became more unsteady. Just like us, this kasaks had a sense of brotherhood. They cared for each other as if they were a family. At least, that was what I observed from them.

Don’t look at me like that. We were once like you. You took a friend from us. We’re only returning the favor.

Of course, I felt bad. But what was that going to do? If our roles were reversed, he would be thinking what I’m thinking or maybe the kasak would be thinking how they would eat me after this battle. The point was kill or be killed.

Now it was one-on-one as the buckler kasak laid his friend on the floor. I would have taken my chances if weren’t looking at me intently while doing that.

I had to kill this one immediately as the battle of Takana and Merry were ongoing. Their fights were pretty much on a tie but only one mistake could show who would be the winner. Merry was the first one to make that mistake.

Merry thrusted her sword on Bladetree and he dodged it by twisting his body on the left. Merry spun and slashed Bladetree horizontally but he deflected it and in that moment, Bladetree barrage Merry with a stab. It was fast; I could barely count the numbers he did it. Thankfully, she managed to dodge some but not all.

“Merry!”

Her clothes were sliced and blood ran out of it. She got cuts on her legs and arms. She was in pain as her face showed it.

The poison.

This was how Hashi got killed. If Kihana didn’t heal her within the span of ten minutes, the poison would kill her. They were on a tie before but now, Bladetree got the upper hand.

But how would she retreat to Kihana? This kasak is blocking me, Takana is busy with the club kasak and Fuyuki and Kihana are focused on the spear kasak. Okay, I’ll just run over there and help her. Simple, right? Nope, this kasak would slice me the second I let my guard down.

I then heard Fuyuki shouted “Kihana!” and I instinctively looked at them.

“Wha—, What are you doing!?” I shouted.

Kihana ran towards Merry, leaving Fuyuki behind. Bladetree and Merry’s fight were still ongoing as Kihana ran towards Merry. Merry dodged one of Bladetree’s horizontal slash but she was slow on the next attack as her injuries impeded her ability to move. She was about to get horizontally slashed again but just like a hero, Kihana saved her by using her ability Self-Defense.

“HYAAA!” Kihana parried Bladetree’s slash and then swept his legs using her staff, causing Bladetree to fall. Her signature move was to whack the enemy on the head but since Bladetree was wearing a helmet and a chestplate, she decided to instead sweep him on the legs, which I’d never seen before.

You’re really amazing, Kihana.

She then immediately went to the weakened Merry and chanted “May Shaina's sacred mercies enveloped you…Heal. — Expulse.”

In no time, Merry was back on her feet. I didn’t hear what she said but I expected she thanked Kihana. Kihana nodded back.

As it was the solution for Merry’s problem, another problem emerged. While Kihana didn’t do it on purpose, she left Fuyuki behind with the spear kasak. Unlike Kihana, Fuyuki didn’t know any defensive move, so she was alone and defenseless. She reflexively closed her eyes as the spear kasak was about to skewer her but fortunately, Takana was there to save her day.

Takana blocked the attack with his shield and faced Kihana with a huge grin. Takana said something and then Fuyuki also said something but she looked angry when she said it.

Typical of you two.

Takana was now fighting two kasaks alongside Fuyuki while Merry was facing Bladetree with Kihana. I guess Merry decided she couldn’t do this alone and asked for Kihana for helped.

Not we planned for but it’s good enough.

The buckler kasak was still looking at me intently while his friend lay on the floor. He was holding his axe and was not afraid to brandish it at me. With his left hand holding the buckler, he slowly pushed forward.

“HUGWAA!” with what sounded like a growl, he swung his axe at me. He was fast and managed to graze my upper arm but it wasn’t deep.

This kasak is really angry.

The kasak was shouting at me. I didn’t need a translator to know that he was angry at me. He swung his axe at me again but this time, I twisted my body to the left and sliced his wrist. He dropped his axe as he felt the pain in his wrist.

Without his axe, I wasn’t afraid to tackle him. He was holding a shield but it was a buckler. What could a buckler do? I tackled him and as if to answer my question, he shoved his buckler at me. With my momentum, I knew I couldn’t dodge it.

I’m going to get hit.

But then, I heard something.

It was a voice. It came from my head.

“Twist to left.”

Left.

Just like a child, I followed that voice’s order. I twisted my body to the left, which allowed me to dodge it and made, not only me but the buckler kasak surprised as well, and with the momentum of the kasak, his back and neck was exposed. With a backhand gripped into my dagger, I thrusted it to the kasak’s vulnerable neck. As he pushed forward, he fell and didn’t move anymore.

What the heck was that?

That voice was my voice but it wasn’t me who said that.

I thought about it and nothing came to mind, so I went to Takana to help him out rather than just stand there and think of an answer to a question I had no answer for.

The kasaks were angry and aggressive at Takana, so I assumed he used Pound. I saw Fuyuki on the side but she was hesitating whether to use Ice Shard as her aim was not really the best. So instead, she casted Ice Trap. She hit the two kasak and thankfully, not Takana.

“Finally, you didn’t hit me!”

“What’s that supposed to mean!?”

Although Takana sounded fine, his head and leg was bleeding. A part of upper arm and lower leg armor were crumpled. His breathing was ragged as he took on the jab and smash of the spear and club, respectively.

The club kasak was tall, so I had no hope that I can stab it in the neck, so instead, I sliced its legs while I stab the spear kasak on the side. They both groaned and regained their consciousness.

The club kasak instantly noticed me and brought down his club at me. Fortunately, I dodged it on time but the spear kasak wasn’t as he got hit by the club.

Maybe I was wrong or this kasak is really dumb. He must be like Takana but without the mouth and a brain.

The spear kasak wasn’t moving but it was still alive. Since there were two of us, the club kasak was having a hard time deciding on who to smash.

Now we’re the two, you dumbass.

The club kasak horizontally smashed his club to Takana, Takana blocked it but since he was getting weak, he got pushed a bit. He then used Bash and bashed the kasak on the head, which made him a bit dizzy. I didn’t notice it at first but there was a dent on the left side of the club kasak’s chestplate.

Takana must have used Bash awhile ago and just focused on that spot to break his armor. Even though he’s a dumbass but when it comes to fighting, he really knows what he’s doing, huh?

Takana hit that weak spot and the club kasak’s armor broke. His colossal sword buried itself deep within the club kasak’s left side. It loudly roared. The club kasak hit Takana but it wasn’t like before.

Of course, he would be getting weak.

Takana blocked and while he was blocking the hit of the club kasak, with all of his strength, he roared and pulled out his sword. Blood came out of the broken armor while the club kasak screamed in pain.

“Take this, Slash of a Thousand Strength!” although it sounded a bit impressive, Takana brought down his colossal sword on the head of the club kasak. The colossal sword buried itself again and the club kasak head was split apart. It fell but not only him, Takana also.

“Hey, you okay!?” before I could ask, Fuyuki worryingly shouted.

“I didn’t know you care about me that much, Fuyuki.”

Although they were supposed to bicker, Fuyuki just smiled.

“What do you mean ‘slash of a thousand strength’? That wasn’t even a slash.”

“You idiot, go help Merry and Kihana.”

Just what Takana said, we made our way into Merry.

They were tag-teaming Bladetree.

Whenever Bladetree would attack, Kihana would use her Self-Defense to block it. Of course, Merry would say when Kihana had to do it. Merry then would attack after Kihana blocked it.

Bladetree was messed up all over his body. He had grazed here and there and he was becoming weak.

“Kihana, we can handle this. Go and heal, Takana. Good job.” Her face was so serious that I hadn’t seen it before.

“Oh, Terrin? Uhm, okay.”

I guess she wasn’t aware of her surrounding, huh?

Kihana left and healed Takana. Bladetree’s face when he saw us was out of pure hatred. He despised us.

Bladetree pointed his fingers at me. Then he put up his hand as if measuring someone’s height. After that, he laughed. He laughed like it was something so funny.

This bastard is making fun of Hashi. I’m going to kill you.

As I was about to lunged out to him, the door of the room opened. The two guard kasak that was missing earlier casually entered the room with another unknown kasak in tow. There were three of them, two had a spear and one had a sword. They shouted and prepared theirselves.

Of course, it wouldn’t be that easy.

Ever since I came to this world, life had been hard to me. I didn’t take for granted my fair share of good and heartwarming moments that made me feel happy but there would be always that one bad moment that can make things worse. This was one of them.

While we were distracted, Bladetree ran.

Oh, you’re not getting anywhere.

“Takana, I’ll leave things to you here!” I said while running. “Merry, I can handle this alone!”

Merry agreed and she went to the other kasaks.

Why Takana, though? Couldn’t I have told that to Merry?

Bladetree made its way outside by going through a wall that I hadn’t notice before or maybe he created it, I didn’t saw. I followed him.

Since we were near the wall, he went there. He got outside of the wall and into the forest. I can catch up to him since he was injured and weak.

There. His back.

I saw his back and was about to stab him when he spun and slashed me. I ducked then tackled him. He dropped his sword and he got nothing left to defend himself but his hands. With my backhand gripped to the dagger, I brought it down to where he’s exposed.

To the neck!

He blocked it with his own hands as he screamed in pain.

His eyes were full of fear but at the same time full of hatred.

You’re going to die.

I used my other hand to push the dagger to his neck. It was like a hot knife to butter. It slid in easily. Then I twisted it.

Good riddance, bastard.

Not a moment had passed, I heard a loud footstep. It was so loud that I thought it was house crumbling.

But I was wrong.

It was a kasak.

The kasak was easily two times as tall as Takana and was bulky. He was so strong and huge that he was carrying a tree on his shoulder. Not a branch or part. A literal big tree.

What…what the heck is that?

It looked at me then faced me.

I wanted to run but I couldn’t. I didn’t know if it was fear or fatigue but I couldn’t run. Heck, I couldn’t move.

Suddenly, the kasak let go of his tree and I reflexively closed my eyes.

Then I heard it say something.

“My Queen.”

Life was really strange, after all.