"Follow me Arca, I know of a place better for what must be done."

"Why not here?"

"Could you really give your all if we were surrounded by everyone?"

"True...but how could I know it's not a trap?"

"Why would you care? If there was one, it would only confirm what you already thought of me...and a trap isn't really useful if you know it's going to happen."

"Fine, I'm following you..."

Arca started to follow Maximilian out of the room. Arima tried to stop her, only to be caught by Alariel.

"Don't my lady, let her go with him."

"But Alariel. He has been so kind to us, what if Arca hurt him by mistake?"

Alariel stayed silent a few seconds.

"To be frank my lady, it is not for him I'm worried..."

Maximilian and Arca walked for minutes without a word. He guided her to the summit of the tower next to the one the soldier's camp was situated in.

Flat and intact, square formed, the ground made of big stones and without any edge, it would be perfect for the fight to come.

Maximilian took place at the centre, facing Arca who looked around for a bit.

"I'm surprised. Not any trap?"

"I told you, I'm an honest man. Traps are not my style."

"Very well...now I'm going to ask you what I want to know and you're gonna answer me. If you don't..."

She pointed at him with her big sword she hadn't bother put away when Maximilian had asked her to follow him.

"I'm gonna make you."

"With what? Your big pile of rusty metal other here? I'm not very impressed."

Even if it was principally to provoked her, Maximilian wasn't wrong when calling her blade a big pile of rusted metal. The sword was as big as her, a fairly simple frame, one big straight blade without any decoration put at the end of a two-handed black pommel. The blade seemed to be well looked after, but very old. Spots of rust were visible here and there along the weapon.

At his words, Arca showed her teeth, ivory coloured with eyeteeth pointier than human's normal one.

"You dare to insult my family sword? I'm gonna make you regret it. Take out you weapon, I challenge you to a duel!"

Maximilian shrugged and took out Falemgeril, the blood red runes shining an instant on the silver-grey metal of the blade. His weapon in his left hand, he took the time to salute Arca, sincerely polite.

"May this fight bring you enlightenment."

Arca didn't waste any time in politenesses, dashing forward, her blade behind her to prepare a powerful horizontal swing.

When compared to ratman earlier, she was far more fluid in her movement, quicker to act, and naturally, stronger. Nonetheless, Maximilian didn't move from where he was standing, only lifting his sword to block the semi- orc's slash. The metallic sound of the two blades colliding echoed in the darkness of the place around them.

Arca was putting her strength in this movement, Maximilian was feeling her forcing with her two hands on the pommel. The brown eyes of the woman came across the man's blue one, her fighter look meeting the calm one of Maximilian made her realise something was off.

"You know, I'm certainly not the perfect man when it comes to manners, but I at least know it is common courtesy to bow in response to a saluting adversary. Here, let me show you..."

Easily blocking her attack by handling his sword with one hand, Maximilian put his other hand on the semi- orc's head and made her face hit the floor, fissuring the stone her head touched. Of course, Maximilian took care to not put too much strength in his movement, the idea was to teach her a lesson, not crushing her head.

This done, he took some steps back, giving her time to retrieve her senses and getting back up.

"Wha...what?"

She was looking at him, eyes wide opened.

"Which magic did you use, I've been trained to feel it when a mage uses magic against me, but here...I didn't feel anything."

"Magic? Arca, there was no magic involved, just a difference in strength that's all, if you still don't get it, come at me again, I'll show you the difference between us..."

"I...I'M NOT BELIEVING YOU!!"

Dashing again, she slashed at him the same as before, just putting more force in it. Not wanting to waste time repeating what was just done, Maximilian parry her hit, making her blade hitting the ground, the semi-orc leaning in front of her with Maximilian's blade on her neck.

"Slash, no more head..."

He pulled back his sword and took some steps on the side, giving her space.

"You...stop mocking me!!"

She attacked again, this time swapping raw strength for speed, attacking in a fury of quick attacks going all around Maximilian.

Each attacked were parried, and each time Maximilian did something.

After a few minutes of a non-stopped attack, Arca jumped back, breathing hard.

"So...how about that...something to say, man?"

"I don't know, woman, look at yourself."

Seeing the little smile on his face, she wondered what it was about, she took the time to looked at herself.

"I don't know what you think, but I'm kinda satisfied with my work."

On the semi- orc's chest plate, Maximilian had used the point of his sword to wrote "Little miss tantrum." In a stylish calligraphy.

"How? When?"

"Kinda silly questions here, just now with my sword of course."

Looking him back in the eyes, she clearly wasn't pleased.

"I...will not forgive you for humiliating me like this...YAAAH"

And she dashed once again.

At the same time, in the camp, Arima was silently watching the fire, Alariel at her side, taking care of her staff.

"What's on your mind, my lady?"

"I was just thinking about what you said earlier. What did you mean by "it's not for her I'm worried "?"

Alariel kept silent for a minute or two.

"Do you know for how long I've known Arca?"

"about ten years?"

"That's right, I was at your father side the day she was brought in the court, honoured by the guards. That day I learned how she defeated every man she had to fight to become captain of the guards. And since that day, she has faithfully served your family."

"I didn't know you met her like that. But what does it have to do with you being worried? Isn't she strong?"

"Oh she is, of the two blood in her veins, she took the best there was to take. She's versatile as a human and strong like an orc. But on the other hand, this mix of blood is dangerous."

"I don't understand."

"Arca as never been defeated by anyone before, being man or woman, but her mixed blood has been a reason of mockery all her life. This made her instinctively suspicious of anyone, even me at first."

"But I thought you and Arca were friends?"

"We are my lady, but it took years for her to open a bit to me. And when she did, it was to explain something to me."

"What? Please tell me."

"I suppose she wouldn't object me telling you...the only person she's afraid of is herself, because of her orc blood..."

At the same time, with Maximilian and Arca.

She dashed once again, this time trying a vertical slash. Maximilian parried once again, making her stick the point of her blade into the ground. As she looked at him, she could see the point of his sword pointing at her heart under her armour.

"Heart pierced, quick death."

He took once again some steps away from her.

"Do we really have to pursue this mockery of a fight? Arca, you are experienced enough to realise when you confront someone stronger than you, are you not?"

"NO!"

Back with Arima and Alariel.

"Her orc blood? What's with it?"

"You see my lady, orcs have an ability to gain power during a short amount of time during a fight, they call it controlled rage. This faculty allowed them to be consider one of the most feared race on the battlefield."

"I think I've heard about that, but how is it a bad thing in this situation?"

With Maximilian and Arca.

Maximilian arched an eyebrow as he saw the semi-orc starting to breath more deeply, growling at the same time. He was surprised to saw her muscles getting bigger, her green skin darker. Some steam started to emanate from her. As she talked, her voice was deeper and filled with a fury of some kind.

"I won't accept it... "

Alariel: "The thing is that Arca isn't a "pure" orc, she can't use the controlled rage. But if she is pushed in her last resort..."

Arca straightened herself, visibly taller than before, she was now surpassing Maximilian's height by a head. She took her sword in one hand and easily pulled it off the stone. Her eyes, now bloody red, had a feral look to them.

"I WON'T ACCEPT YOU!!!"

Alariel: "She will go berserk"

In a raging scream, she charged at Maximilian, stones fissuring under her feet. Maximilian jumped to the side, avoiding a hit far more powerful than before. Her big blade collided with the ground, literally destroying it.

Maximilian took some quick steps back, getting away. Looking at him again, she laughed a bit, her voice so deep Maximilian would have sworn it was from another person.

"Hahahaha...fleeing now tiny man? I knew it, no one can resist me like this."

He just looked at her, pity in his eyes.

"My poor Arca, what did you do to yourself..."

Pointing at him once again, she was taunting him.

"This is the face of the one that will make you submit. Admit it, man, your are defeated."

Maximilian put Falemgeril back in his scabbard, under the furious look of the semi-orc.

"What are you doing? Take out your sword."

"No."

"I said..."

She dashed again, her blade above her head, ready to hit.

"TAKE OUT YOUR SWORD, MAN!!!"

And she hit, her blade going down like a war hammer... Only to be caught by Maximilian, between his thumb and index. She was using all her muscles, all her strength to try and cut him down, her feral look refusing to see the truth.

"WHY? WHY WON'T IT MOVE?"

Maximilian, still keeping the blade from moving, approached his mouth near the semi- orc's ear.

"Because, Arca, I'm stronger than you."

And he kicked her in the guts, making her fly away a few metres and land on the ground before rolling a bit. Maximilian had kept Arca's sword between his fingers.

She stood up again, looking around a bit before her eyes rested on the blade.

"MINE. GIVE IT BACK!!!"

"It's not yours. This belongs to a semi-orc warrior named Arca, not a savage animal like the one I see before me right now ."

"GIVE IT BAAAACK!!!"

Without any weapon, she ran at him, hands up, menacing to kill him barehanded.

"No"

In the semi- orc's eye, it was as if Maximilian disappeared an instant to reappeared before her.

In fact, he had just moved too quickly for her to catch on.

One punch, that was all he hit her with. Just under the chest, his fist impacted with her chest plate armour, shattering it to pieces, before his fist collided with her body itself.

She didn't move, this time, she wasn't able to. Maximilian turned his back to her and walked away a bit, letting her fall on her knees and threw up a bit. Her body retrieved his initial form, her upper body now only covered by a band of tissue used to cover her breasts. She looked up at him, still in denied.

"It can't be...how could I lose to you?"

Maximilian sighed.

"I told you, I'm more powerful than you."

Shaking a bit due to the impact she received, she stood up, raising her fists in a fighting stance.

"I...I won't admit it...I'm still not defeated."

"Oh for god's sake."

She started to run at him once again, but this time, Maximilian had enough of it.

"Enough."

She stopped dead in her track.

What Maximilian had realised when Asterife helped him before, was that his aura could be controlled. He could hide it so it won't bothered others around him, he could let it flow to be felt as far as possible. Or, in this case, he could concentrate it in a certain place, on someone in particular.

Arca was a semi-orc. Born from a human mother raped by an orc father on a raid, she wasn't a wanted child. Abandoned, orphan, she had been raised in an orphanage for years, mocked by the humans for her light green skin, despised by the orcs for her human feature. She never had a lot of friends and counted on herself alone. She became strong, her orc's blood giving her a strength superior to others. All her life, she fought, and in all her life, she never lost to anyone, be it adult or children, the one too strong for her a day, she became stronger than them the next one. Even if she has been hurt a lot in her life, never as she felt afraid before.

But that was before.

Because that night, in the depth of the black dragon's dungeon, she was terrified.

In front of her stood a man the same height as her, a bit larger, but nothing more.

And yet, she knew. She felt it in her flesh, in her blood, in her soul and mind. She knew he was powerful beyond anything she has seen before.

*What is this feeling...I'm like a child in front of a giant...his aura is crushing me...*

For the first time in her life, she put a knee on the ground against her will, she just couldn't stand straight with this pressure on her shoulder and even keeping on one knee demanded her to fight.

She dared to look in his direction once again, only to see a set of eyes she never saw before. The white in his eyeballs was gone, replace by a bloody red, the pupil of his eyes had taken an oval shape, like a reptile, and the deep blue with golden sparks here and there was now a complete gold colour.

"What...what are you?"

"What am I ?"

His voice resonated around her, like the thunder in a stormy night. She was ashamed of herself because his voice made her tremble.

"I am the one who could end you. I am the one who could go and destroy your little group of friends without even slowing down in his path."

As he was talking, he started advancing in her direction, each one of his steps making the sound of a thousand soldier's foot.

"I am the one who could take what he wants from you, ravishing you, your elf friend and even your little lady if he had the will to do so because neither you nor anybody could hope to stop him."

As he got near her, she couldn't stand his burning look with her eyes, tears of fear falling down her face.

*Is this what death looks like? A feeling of powerlessness? I'm terrified.*

"Please...I'm begging you..."

"What for?"

She finally dropped to her knees completely, the pressure too strong to fought against. She looked down, unable to looked at those eyes anymore.

"I'm begging you...do what you want with me...I deserved it. But please, don't hurt my friends."

"And why should I listen to you? Am I not a spy? A treacherous man who's there to kill your lady?"

"I was wrong...please have mercy."

"It's not a question of mercy...the only thing that matter is..."

She felt him crouched in front of her, he put his hand under her chin and lifted her head up...

And as she looked in his eyes, the pressure was gone, the calm was back, and the red and gold eyes were once again deep blue with some sparkles of gold. The voice coming to her ears was calming, back to his normal tone.

"...I never intended to hurt you or your friends in the first place."

For a few seconds, Arca stayed there, simply looking at those blue eyes she couldn't help but find beautiful after the walking nightmare she felt with the others.

"Why?"

"Why?"

"Why are you so gentle with us? With me? I did nothing but doubt you since we met. I insulted your honour, I challenged you, I even accused you of being a spy. So, please tell me, why?"

At that question, she was answered with a toothy smile.

"Simple, I like you."

And that's how Arca discovered another new feeling for her, she was embarrassed.

"You like me? But I...what could make you like someone like me? I'm a semi-orc, I'm a warrior, not ladylike at all...and I haven't been nice to you at all."

"Would you care to hear how I see it?"

Standing up, he reached a hand, waiting for her to take it.

"Okay..."

She took his hand and stood up.

* I haven't realised, but he is just a bit taller than me actually, how come I didn't notice it before?*

"Your race, I don't give a damn about it. You are part human and part orc, so what? You have the strength of an orc and the versatility of a human, you've taken the best the two races had to offer."

"But, I have a green skin..."

"And? The colour of the skin doesn't make you ugly or beautiful. there are some ugly and beautiful humans, as there are ugly and beautiful in all the races...well maybe a bit less with the elves, but they are special in their own way."

Those last words made Arca laughed a bit.

"Even so, look at me..."

She stepped a bit back, showing herself. She truly had the body of a warrior. Light muscles, six pack abs, some scars here and there. To be frank, she wasn't as well developed in the chest area as were Alariel, but nothing to be ashamed of.

"I'm not feminine in the least."

"And who said you had to be?"

"Alariel...of course she wasn't trying to make me feel bad or anything, but she suggested I try wearing more showing dresses in place of armour, a bit of make-up, those kinds of things. She said that it would be better for me to...find someone good for me."

As she was talking, she crossed her arms before her chest, clearly ashamed of what she had to show.

"Is that what you want? Someone who like you because of a pretty dress or make-up?"

"I...no...but look at me, I'm just a...a..."

Maximilian came close to her.

"You are Arca. You aren't and will never be a lady of the court, parading in their pretty dress while discussing the last gloves trend. You are one of those women who can wear a plate armour and still be sexy in it. You have honour, you have spirit, you are a complete character, honest and true. A true kind heart under your tough shell, the kind of good heart that made you think about others when facing death. And if you still worry about your physic after all..."

He put a hand on his cheek, wiping away the remnant of a tear with his thumb.

"...Know that, to me, you are beautiful."

Slowly, she put a hand on his, closing her eyes.

"I...I'm not a family woman. I've never had any family and I don't see myself as a devoted spouse waiting for her man at the house."

"That's not what I'm telling you. I'm not asking you to marry me or even to devote yourself to me. All I'm saying is that if one night, you want someone to share your bed with, I'll be happy to be the one to share it with you."

As if realising something, she opened her eyes warily.

"I don't understand. If you desire my body, there is nothing I could do to stop you...you could take me here and now without my consent...why are you refraining yourself?"

Maximilian sighed, almost offended that Arca thought he would be willing to do that.

"Because I like sex, Arca. I'm willing to have sex with you, smooth, hard, savage, all is fine. But, what you are talking about isn't sex, it's rape. It's not exciting to me, it's not even sexy in the least. I want a willing partner, not a broken puppet or a screaming victim. Do you understand that?"

She seemed to hesitate.

"Not really...all I've known in my life is that strong take what they want from the weak, be it physically or in other ways. I don't understand how you, who are so powerful, are willing to not take anything from me after I've been defeated."

Maximilian thought a moment.

"All right, I'll take something from you."

Under his hand, he felt Arca tensed.

"What...what are you going to do to me?"

"This."

And with that said, he joined lips with her. Arca opened her eyes wide, shocked. It lasted for some seconds, then Maximilian broke contact with the blushing semi-orc.

"Okay, I took my prize for the victory, is it fine now?"

"Y...yeah..."

"Splendid."

With that said, Maximilian stepped back, turning around to go and picked up Arca's sword. What he didn't see was the semi-orc lady slightly touching her lips.

"So...I've got something for you."

She blinked, assembling her thoughts again before rejoining him.

"For me? What is it?"

"You'll see. First, I want to talk to you about this."

"This" referred to the semi- orc's rusty sword Maximilian had in his hands. Arca reached to took it.

"Hophophop, not so fast."

"Oh...will you not give it back?"

"Not immediately. You said it was your family's sword, can you explain? I thought you said you've never had any family?"

"This...this was my father's sword. I took it from him...after I killed him."

"Oh...sorry about that."

"Don't be, I'm not. My father was an animal who raped the woman who gave birth to me before abandoning me at an orphanage, I don't know what's became of her and frankly, don't care. When I was strong enough, I fled from the orphanage and searched for him. When I found him, I fought him in a duel and won. I don't have any parents and I'm fine with it."

"Okay, if it's fine with you, I'm fine with it too. So now, what is it with this sword? Seeing you, I guess you are the kind of soldier taking care of his equipment, so why the rusty sword?"

"Turn it around."

Looking on the other side of the blade, Maximilian discovered runes. To be precise, remnants of runes, the times and battle had damaged the sword just where the runes were graved.

"Runes?"

"Yes. During my fight with my father, his sword was damaged and turned like this, a big pile of rusty metal."

"Yeah, sorry about that, I didn't mean to insult you."

"No no, it's alright, you're right after all. This blade has the appearance it should have for my family, ugly and rough."

Maximilian and Arca stood silent, facing each other for a bit. After a while thinking, Maximilian put the sword down and clapped his hands.

"Okay, time for gifts!"

"Why would you give me anything? You won, not me."

While checking the inside of the Havenbag, he winked at her.

"Hey, you let me have a taste of your lips, I think this deserve something."

"But I...oh well, what is it?"

"This, catch."

Maximilian threw her pieces of armour one by one. All was there, pieces for legs, arms and upper body, only the helmet was missing, but only because Maximilian had a feeling she wasn't using any.

"An armour? Why?"

He shrugged.

"I broke your other one, it seems fair to me to give you something to replace it."

Looking at the equipment in her hands, she couldn't help but noticed the difference in quality with her older stuff.

"But that...this armour is of a quality far superior to what I could offer myself with several years worth of captain salary, it's just too much."

"It's a gift, don't think about the price. Try it on, I'll take a look at your sword in the meantime."

"My sword? Why?"

"Because you're right on one thing, it is rough and ugly. But I think you're wrong when you say it corresponds you, so I'll see what I can do."

While Arca had gone on the other side of the tower to change, Maximilian sat cross legs to examine the runes on the blade.

*So it is a magic sword. If I'm guessing right, this form is due to the runes being distorted. I wonder what would happen if I...*

One of the runes had the meaning "cutting" but had been separated in two by a cut.

*Kinda ironic in a sense. Now if I use my rune magic skill, I should be able to write it back correctly.*

Doing so, he managed to retrace the rune perfectly, then infused it with his mana. In an instant, the edge of the sword shined as if newly forged. Maximilian smiled to himself.

* Perfect, it's working. Let's pursue with this one...oh, that's why he look so out of shape. *

One of the runes initially meant "Trusty", making the weapon far more resistant than normal, but the damaged rune now meant "rusty", her strengthening power became a curse because of that.

A minutes or two later, the sword was as good as new. His blade once again a shining grey with the two initial runes being back at work.

*While I'm at it, I could upgrade it a little...yeah, this shouldn't be the blade of her father, but hers.*

Checking quickly to verify she was still changing, Maximilian got back to work.

A good fifteen minutes later, Arca came back to him, coughing in her fist to caught his attention. Turning around, Maximilian took a moment to looked at her.

If the phrase "sexy in heavy armour" needed an image, Arca had a good chance to be the perfect one for it.

The armour she had received from Maximilian had two layers. The first layer she wore on her skin was a light chainmail made of purple enchanted metal, the colour making a magnificent contrast with her green skin.

The outside layer was made of thicker pieces forged in a silver grey metal clinging to her skin, showing her feminine assets while giving her the protection of the heavy armour. the same was for her arms and legs. Without being slutty, this new attire was letting her beauty finally be seen. On the grey metal, here and there, were golden embellishment reminding tree branches encircling her torso. All in all, a beautiful warrior in a beautiful armour.

"So? How do I look?"

She almost seemed anxious, waiting for the verdict.

"What can I say? I thought this armour looked fine enough, but only now do I realise it's when worn by a beautiful woman she show her true beauty. You look ravishing Arca and believe me when I say it suits you far better than a dress to a lady of the court. But don't take my word for it, look at yourself."

Making a gesture with his hand, Maximilian made a mirror of water appeared before him, hiding him from Arca while she looked at herself.

"Its...I...thank you. It's the first time I really feel pretty."

"There is just one thing missing now."

"Oh, and what is it?"

"A good armour serves to protect yourself, but you'll need a good weapon to protect the ones you love."

With those words, the mirror of water disappeared, showing Maximilian presenting a weapon to Arca.

If the size could be reminiscent of what it used to be, the blade in Maximilian's hands was otherwise completely different.

First, he had used his earth magic to slightly bend the blade, giving it a slight curve. The pommel had been reinforced and stylised with small red stones and leather. Added to the two basic runes was a third one, simply meaning "light", making the blade weight half less than before. The runes were now covered by a very fine layer of diamond, almost invisible, but making damaging them nearly impossible. The inside of the curve was covered with golden symbols of ancient language, the same used on Falemgeril.

"Is it...?"

With a trembling hand, she hesitantly reached to gripped the pommel presented by Maximilian. She lifted the sword, turning it in her hand to observed him up and down.

"It's yours, Arca, as it is written on it."

She tried to read the symbols, but to no avail.

"What does it say? I cannot read this."

"I am Strambor, blade of Arca the semi-Orc's family, proud of my blood, I bring fury, and by honour, I bring glory."

Arca repeated the phrase again and again, slowly, as if memorising it.

"I think we're done here, I suggest we go back to the others, or they'll start to think something is off."

Maximilian turned around, only to be stopped by Arca's hand on his shoulder.

"Wait, please."

"Oh come on, don't tell me you want another match n... what are you doing?"

As he turned around, he found Arca on one knee, facing down before him, her blade at her side and fists on the ground.

"There is no words to express my gratitude for you, Maximilian Baltazard Van Nilmerus. You spared my life when you could have taken it at any time, you opened my eyes on subjects about myself and literally covered me with presents. I know my life is not worthy enough to repay what you've done today, but as soon as my mission with lady Arima will be completed, know that it will be yours. From this day on, you are my master."

Maximilian looked at her a moment before finally putting a hand on her head.

"That is an honour you do me Arca, and know that I accept it gratefully. But there is just one thing I ask of you from this day on."

Lifting her head to look into his eyes, she said, full of conviction.

"Your wish is my desire."

And with a toothy smile, he said.

"Please call me Max, that's what my friends do."