Amidst the sunny weather, there were footprints smudged into dried mud. Leading up to a small camp. With a lean-to shelter. There was a pile of leaves inside of the lean-to. There was a motorcycle heard in the distance. Terra popped out of the leaves in an instant. Breathing heavily. Spear in hand. She took a deep breath. Terra had her signature armor on along with the backpack that was given to her by Carl. It held her Artemis book, flip-phone ,and other miscellaneous objects. Terra took out her flip-phone and looked at it. She saw herself in the reflection. She was extremely dirty, and her armor had mud stains.
Terra: Day 12, almost two weeks. I have to almost be at my village. I need to retrace his steps… *sigh* What am I even gonna do when I get to him? He's too powerful. UGH! I'm talking to myself already! We have to go.
She took out her Artemis book. She flipped to a page that read "stamina spell: Use this sparingly, it takes your future energy and brings it into the now. Too many uses could result in loss of balance, unconsciousness, or death.
Terra: I have to get home.
She kept flipping through the book. Until she got to the blank pages.
Terra: Ugh! Why would you just leave blank pages!? There's only like, 10 spells here.
Terra looked closely at her Artemis book.
Terra: Gios Stamio!
A green light shone around Terra and absorbed into her.
Terra: That should be good for while.
Terra continued up the mountain. With her bag slung over her back. She sang old songs from her childhood to herself.
- - - - - - - -
Beck attached a belt with an R on it.
???: Oh Beck~
A figure materialized behind Beck. She was wearing a welding mask. She flipped it up and made a throne with her hair.
Beck: Is there something you need?
???: Yes sir. How is everything coming along?
Beck: Everything is going just as planned. You only come to me when something's happened Jilaya. Is there a problem?
Jilaya: I recommend you take out this child.
Jilaya showed Beck a recording of Terra climbing the mountain.
Beck: Ha! You seriously came all this way to joke with me!?
Jilaya: I'm not joking. We see a threat, we kill it.
Beck: Something about her looks familiar.
Jilaya: You know her?
Beck: Yes. I saw her years ago now…
Jilaya: How do you even remember her?
Beck: Krilla took her when she escaped.
Jilaya: Still butthurt over your little accident with Krilla?
Beck: Shut your mouth.
Jilaya: Not a good idea to talk to your boss like that.
Beck: Well why are you concerned? Look at her. She may be fit but not superhuman.
Jilaya: Look closer. At her bag.
Beck squinted his eyes at the video of Terra.
Beck: The Artemis book.
Jilaya: Yes.
Beck: We've been after that for decades.
Jilaya: How did you let that slip past you?
Beck: I won't anymore. Come with me.
Beck went outside and Jilaya followed him. He took out a remote and opened a cage. A huge looking dog walked out. It was growling at everyone around it. Beck whistled at it and it came over to him. It sat down at his feet.
Beck: This is a hellhound. From the terracotta.
The dog had short hair with a mane going across it's spine. It was extremely muscular and had long pointed ears. It had long, disjointed teeth that could rip someone apart.
Jilaya: I'm captivated.
Beck: Watch.
Beck pointed at one of his soldiers.
Soldier: Sir...What are you doing?
The hellhound got up and sprung on top of the soldier. He struggled but it's overbearing size was too much. The man's screams were heard throughout the base. Until they weren't.
Beck: 10 seconds. It can do that to a grown man.
Jilaya: Not enhanced?
Beck: No. But certainly peak performance.
Jilaya: Fair enough. What do we do? It's your call.
Beck called the hellhound to him again. He patted the hellhound on its head.
Beck: We execute on my call.
- - - - - - - -
Terra yawned.
Terra: I..Have..To be close…
Terra looked at her book. Like the blank pages had changed.
Terra: This book about magic doesn't even have anything offensive. I guess this could be though.
Terra: Ofiulis dominio!
Terra laid down and threw a rock up in the air. It fell back on her. Instead of hitting her in the face it was thrown off course and into a nearby bush.
Terra: Woah, that could be useful.
Terra made a fire using the rock she just threw and her spear. She fed it for a little while with wood and leaves. She laid down looking at the stars.
Terra: Almost there…
Terra fell into a hopeful sleep.
- - - - - - - -
Terra woke up to the sun. It was surprisingly hot. She checked herself for sunburns. She took her flip phone and looked into it to check her face. Luckily she was fine.
Terra: Alright. I'm good.
She got up and looked around. She realized the trees all had giant scratches through them.
Terra: These scratches… Their huge. No way a normal animal could've done this.
Terra walked a little further. Very cautiously this time.
Terra: I've heard rumors about creatures living in this forest...I wonder if their true.
Terra heard an ear-splitting cry.
Terra: Of course I just had to say that.
Terra felt in danger. She hid behind a tree. With her spear in hand. She thought about the spells she remembered. She settled her heavy breathing.
Terra: it's okay. its okay.
Her heavy breathing returned when the tree she was hiding behind was slashed clean in half. Terra turned around quickly and saw the behemoth that was the hellhound before her eyes. It let out another ear splitting cry. Terra took her spear and threw it at the beast. It stabbed into it's back. Terra jumped up into a flip and grabbed her spear off it's back. She landed and was met with a horrifying cut to her side via it's huge paw. Terra slashed at it again and it roared at her again. She stabbed her spear at its face and kept it at bay. Terra started throwing rocks and tree branches at it as she ran down the forest. A couple rocks hit it and the hound ran in a B line at Terra. Terra tried to run faster but was met with the hound's head to her back. She spun herself around and was slammed into a tree by her back. It backed up and ran at Terra again.
Terra: Ofiulis dominio!
The creature ran at Terra again but was sent off course by Terra's spell. It ran into a rock next to Terra. The rock cracked on impact. The creature whimpered and then let out another ferocious roar. Terra got to her feet and grabbed her spear and threw it at the beast. She ran over and pushed the spear into it harder. The beast scratched Terra across the cheek and then scratched her leg badly. Terra screamed in pain but tried to ignore the pain. She took her spear out of the beast's side. It rammed into her again and grabbed her feet with it's two humongous paws. Terra fell to the ground. She kicked it in the face a few times and tried to stab it with her spear but missed. She back rolled to her feet and stabbed her spear far in front of her. The beast ran right next to her spear and rammed into her. Terra fell to the ground and this time was trampled by the creatures' huge paws. She was scratched all over. She ran back into a tree. This time she was slammed even harder. She spit out blood and felt her bleeding head. The creature ran at her but Terra threw her helmet at the beast. It whimpered and rammed straight at Terra. The starving beast opened it's huge maw. And pounced on Terra. She gripped her spear and stabbed it through the beast's chest. Delivering the killing blow.
Terra tried to control her breathing. She was out of breath and exhausted. She laid down on the ground and just looked at the creature's dead body.
Terra: I guess the rumors were true…
Terra got to her feet steadily. She grunted from the pain of the deep scratches. She tried to pick up and move the hellhound's body. But it was no use. Terra felt way too tired to keep trying. She limped back to her camp and made sure her bag was still there. She laid down and tried to sleep through the pain. She had trouble sleeping that night. She had used up way too much energy for the day.
- - - - - - - -
Beck smashed a hole through a brick wall.
Beck: HOW?!
Soldier: I-I don't know!
Beck: *sigh* She's going to be a problem.
Soldier: Isn't she just a kid?
Beck: Don't always underestimate children. They can be talented pieces of shit.
Jilaya: I thought you said your soldiers were at peak performance. Clearly that was a lie.
Beck: I want to see how admirable her talent is. Make fort D's operations more public. Blow something up for a change. That'll get her attention. Oh, and call up longclaw. She'll get a taste.