Chương 12: Beast in the Storm.

Vanessa Diary log #10 excerpt 2 I peeked and saw carnage. Pools of blood flowed wherever his blade slashed. Bodies mangled by inhuman strength and brutality that will be forever ingrained in my mind. The Beast killed our enemies, but I hoped I wasn't next. Tarion Cowards, they are not, as four men charged toward me in a rage. I blocked an axe while reallocating seven points from agility to senses. Redirecting the axe to my right, I slid my blade across the wooden handle.

A bandit screamed as I cut through his thumb to his leather-bound chest. A slanted slash nearly got me before I bent to the left. My sword broke through snow, and the stone road crushed as I cut upward through the enemy's chin. Teeth flew from a split face, and I moved on. A second circle unleashed fast jabs aimed to distract me. A heightened sense noticed a strike thrusting further in, and I jumped to the side. The bandit's sword glowed blue, and he attacked again. I swept the leading leg and the bandit tripped.

I stabbed down untill I felt the rock below. Another brave soul slashed at me with a blue aura around his rusting blade, slicing only through snowfall. I grasped the man's head and brought it forth to my pommel. I heard a crack and kicked the dead off. Huffing like a beast, my battle high subsided, and I put a point from mana capacity to Body to increase the rate of my stamina regeneration. Eyes darted around. Snow fell harder, and my vision further than ten metres became a blur.

"Your Grace! Here!" Kurt called out near the green carriage, lanterns hanging on its corners giving us some ability to see.

"Safe?"

"Yes, Sire."

"Good work. Keep them that way. Go to the other side." I whisper more words quietly so only he can hear. A salute from the captain is returned by me as I get ready for more blood to be spilt. I listened to the storm. I feel it under my boots. They are coming. I beat my chest as I revved up my circles.

"Come you vultures of the night. Pillagers. Wastes of a mother's labour!! A spear punctured the snowfall. Deflected by my blade. It came again with a friend. Two spears alight with blue energy attacked through the storm. I moved my knee away from one, and the second spear cut through my thick leather jacket into my tricep. A spear kept targeting my feet, making me step backwards while blocking another spear with my sword. Impatient, I gathered mana around my leg and stomped. Snow blew away from a metre-wide hole.

The annoying weapon under my feet, I lept, breaking the wood pole. A bandit hastily put up half a staff with mana. I fell and slashed through it all. The last spear swiped at my left side, aiming to slice my neck. Precise timing parried the strike, and I attacked with a stretching one-handed lunge. My sword point got the bandit below the left collarbone. Like a tiger chased to a corner, the ambusher thrust with all his power, his blade bright with blue. I saw the spear point divide the falling snow.

Flakes melted on contact with the bandit's spearhead. My face stung as I watched the spearhead cut into my cheek, and I charged. In less than a moment, the spearman's body flopped to the snow in two. My adrenaline pumping, I beat my chest again.

"Is that all, you gremlin-looking fucks!" I heard footsteps by the dozen on my right. This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Even moving away from the carriage isn't getting their attention. They are after something or someone. I ran back, cutting into the backs of the attackers. A heavy fighter brought down his hammer, bringing me to my knees. For a moment. Muscles bulging with vitality, I pushed off a confused bruiser.

I stabbed a large knee cut, then cut his right. Lower to my liking, an ugly head hit the snow, and I commandeered his weapon. Massive hammer in my left, I shattered knees while slicing bellies. I squashed a head as the sword Osberg pierced a chest. Life ends too quickly. Yet they still come. Is it for her?

"Pitiful. Your friends flood the road with their blood, and you still send more." A hole appeared in the snowfall, and I felt dread. I raised my newly acquired Weapon. Bits of rock shot out from a destroyed hammer. The sheer force blew me back into the carriage, and two women screamed in shock. I dropped to the floor with a sore back and fear in my heart. An arrow. I threw away a useless handle, placing points into mana capacity and intelligence with a few taps. An aura-imbued arrow.

Tightly control aura; my mana condensed it. A hole in the snowfall, and I sliced. Two halves of an arrow float in the wind. Again it came, with the same result. It felt like hitting a metal wall. From the corner of my eye, I see a shadow within the carriage.

"STAY DOWN!" An arrow punctured a large hole in the blizzard, aimed at its true target. I turned, and the arrow already blazed past me. I stretched as far as I could, my grip on my sword on the tip of the pommel. As if my mana responded to my will, my sword flared bright. Out of my blade shot out energy, knocking the arrow back into the storm. Plonk Mana slash created I felt weightless. My feet off the ground, I slammed into the carriage wheels. Bewilderment, then sharp pain from my right side.

An arrow stuck out, leaking my blood to join the others I have slain. I struggled to get up with my great sword but had the presence of mind to allocate points to my body.

"Those frightening eyes… the Duke! What a surprise. From afar I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me." A lean man walking forward. Wearing brown leather armour and a black scarf that flapped in the wind. He carried an ornate wooden bow. Elf-made. Its carrier is most definitely human. He holstered the bow around him, walking closer. His movement, smooth like a cat. His feet made no crunch on the snow. He pulled out two short swords. Shaped like machetes.

"Was not expecting such a high-profile noble. Should have stayed home rotting in your bed. Alas, you are an interruption-""Shut the fuck up, baldy!" I said with venomous flair.

"Cease your monologing and do it!!" I said aloud, wheezing in pain. Come on... closer... The snow melted on a shaved head. Sleep-deprived eyes stared at me coldly as I tapped the air, increasing senses, agility, and mana capacity from strength. He raised his blades, engulfed in his aura.

"Interruptions will be eliminated." Down went his blades. And up went Kurt's sword. Spark flew from metal clanging. A gust blew the snow. A moment of quiet from the storm resumed. I saw my chance. My sword, in a plow stance, mana, strength, speed and skill combined with my will, I thrust. The bandit stepped back, escaping with only a graze on his left shoulder. His blood soaked my blade.

"Kurt…"

"I can't leave my master behind." I watched Kurt's resolute face and snickered. Disobeying an order? I will find something embarrassing to punish him with when we get back. I shifted my attention back to the mysterious fighter in the stupid scarf and asked myself a hard question. How on earth do I fight a fifth circle?