As the monster began running toward them, Xhez immediately reacted.

The sprite went to cast the same spellsign as before, but, this time, as the spikes of ice erupted from the dirt, the creature was able to dodge them. Nimbly, it hopped away and closed the distance almost instantly.

[Crap.]

As Xhez's eyes widened, Rin dashed forward and stood between them, leaping up and kicking the creature's head as it opened its mouth to bite her friend. The monster was staggered. Rin fell back, landing in a fighting stance.

The creature seemed virtually unharmed. It shook its head for a moment and then lowered its body, taking a slightly more cautious position.

As it growled at them, Rin put her fists up and inhaled slowly.

[It's fast. Not just that, but a direct hit from me didn't do much to it, as far as I can tell. This thing might be above Rank D.]

Xhez, however, did not hesitate in the face of this obstacle. Drawing a different spellsign, a series of arrows pointing in different directions, three spheres of flames appeared over her head. They then burst forward, nearly crashing into the creature.

Only nearly, though. The beast avoided the projectiles, moving in such a way that Rin really felt it shouldn't be able to, given its massive size. Xhez then cast the same spell again and the creature, once more, began dodging the spheres that emerged.

[No, I can't just stand here and watch,] Rin thought, gritting her teeth. [Xhez is creating an opening right now. I need to take advantage!]

As the monster focused on defending itself, Rin moved forward.

She pushed a small amount of Essence through her body, trying to boost her speed and power just enough to create meaningful damage. As the creature moved away from one of the spheres, it ended up just in front of her.

Rin took that opportunity and spun, raising her right foot up high to execute a crescent kick.

"H-Huh!?"

The beast opened its mouth and grabbed her foot with its teeth.

Before Rin could respond, it then immediately began thrashing, slamming Rin from side to side in what seemed like an attempt at tearing her leg off. Instead, as Xhez cast a quick Fireball, more so meant to distract the creature than to hurt it, the monster tossed Rin away.

Sliding through the dirt, Rin only gave herself a second to grimace in pain before she was scrambling to get back on her feet. Ignoring the spot on her right leg that the monster had bitten down on, and the scratches along her arm from her body dragging along the dirt, she put her fists up once more.

[That was close,] she thought as Xhez kept launching magic at the enemy to keep it at bay. [It's not just that its body is fast, the thing's reflexes are good too. This is gonna be tough.]

With each spell the monster dodged, each sphere of flames that went wide and each narrowly avoided spike of ice from the ground, it drew closer to its target. Seeing that, Rin knew she had to take its attention again.

Just before the monster reached Xhez, Rin arrived at their position. She drew a fist back and managed to punch it out of the air, just before it would have bit down on Xhez's head.

The monster landed a short distance away. Rin's eyes bulged as she saw an opportunity, and relayed what she was thinking to her friend.

"Get it, now!"

Xhez inhaled sharply and quickly moved to capitalize on this development. Drawing a spellsign as quickly as she could, a spear of ice came out from the ground intent on piercing the beast's head. At the last possible second, however, the monster rolled out of the way.

"Shit!" Rin cursed under her breath. "You nearly had it."

With all three parties taking short, quick breaths as the creature backed off, Xhez muttered something.

"I have an idea," the sprite declared, her eyes fixed on her opponent.

"What is it?"

"The next time the enemy gets that close, let it."

"..."

Rin blinked.

She gave a slightly wry smile, though she didn't take her eyes off of the growling beast up ahead.

"Xhez, I know this thing is strong, but I don't think we're in *that* bad a situation."

To her, Xhez may as well have declared she wanted to let this thing kill her. The sprite, however, seemed resolute.

"Trust me. Please," she said, sparing Rin a brief glance. "I think my idea will be a good one... If it is not, then, feel free to save me."

The monster didn't give her time to consider those words. Instead, Rin reacted quickly as it lunged for her. Dodging out of the way of a horizontal swipe from the beast's massive claws, Rin moved to retaliate with a kick at the beast's side. At the same time, Xhez began firing off a few Fire-based spells, with the projectiles slamming into the other side of the monster's body.

Predictably, it retreated, putting space between itself and its enemies before hurriedly charging toward Xhez. With spheres of fire landing on the dirt around it, it made its way to the sprite once more.

This time, however, Rin did not interfere.

Half of her body clenched up as she saw it happen, but she chose to trust in Xhez's judgment. Like she said, maybe it was a good one.

The beast jumped, opening its gaping maw on a collision course with Xhez.

The sprite raised her left hand, quickly beginning to draw a spellsign, dragging her index finger up.

Then, she awkwardly slashed to the left with it.

Suddenly, an explosion of Essence occurred in front of her. Both Xhez and the monster were pushed back, falling away from each other.

Xhez, however, rolled to a stop and quickly raised her right hand. Drawing another spellsign, this time, she made much more confident strokes with her fingers until, finally, spears of ice emerged from the ground again.

And, this time, the beast was unable to move away from them.

One of the spears stabbed straight through its head and the only sound the creature made in response was a quick choke.

That quickly, it was dead.

Rin stared at it, processing what had just happened.

All she was able to say was:

"What the hell just happened?"