The splinters began piling up at Ash's feet as she tried her best to carve the trees.
It has been a month since they all left.
She can't quite figure out why she remained but what's done is done.
If life ever taught her anything, it's that 'you roll with the punches'.
She would very much like to lie down and weep but it seemed like a waste of time.
She missed them.
She looked back at the broken lock for any changes but upon seeing that it was still the same, she went back to what she was doing.
This one was taking shape now.
It's a good thing that Ice was small. It's not too difficult to carve her likeness.
She didn't carve as much as practice her sword techniques but she figured out that practicing the same way is too boring.
At first, she tried shaping out simple figures with her sword stroke but that quickly became uninteresting.
She started with Ora because she missed her the most. Then she did Rai and that annoying cat.
While she was making the two, she noticed an almost imperceptible spike in the air and she dodged at the last minute.
The arrow struck Xien between her eyes.
"Now, you've done it. The cat is gonna bite you in two," she said to her surprise attacker.
It was an evolved form of an Igaaw. She could tell because it now looks better formed than the others and this one can use a tool.
The lock looked a little intangible. She could see the darkness behind it. It must be where the creature came from.
She shadow-stepped behind it before it could nock another arrow into its bow.
With a quick slash, she cut the bowstring.
The vicious creature immediately turned into a biter.
"Old habits die hard," she said as she pushed it back by driving the tip of her sword lightly on its forehead.
It became more enraged and clawed at the sword blade.
Ash amused herself by inflicting non-lethal cuts on the creature before kicking it back towards the shimmering lock.
As if the intangibility was tethered on the Igaaw, the portal closed as soon as it went back.
She examined the arrow stuck between Xien's eyebrows.
She pulled it out.
It was crude but passable.
If that hit her, she would have been hurt.
Not that badly but hurt nonetheless.
She would have hated that.
She stuck it back between the cat's eyes and went back to carving.
She liked how Grace's tree turned out. She made it like she was sitting beside her own Balete tree.
The second attack came as she was resting with her back on one of the trees.
She was directly looking at the lock that is why she saw that attack.
It was the same Igaaw. She can tell because of the cuts.
They were healed but some of them left visible marks.
She parried the arrow and was surprised as she heard a distinct 'clink'.
The projectile now has a head unlike the first one.
The Igaaw managed to shoot her a second time but because she is better prepared now, she parried it back towards her attacker.
The arrow hit its knee and it howled in pain.
It voluntarily went back inside the portal.
Ash stared at the arrowhead.
The sonofabitch made a better one.
This one could have caused more serious damage.
She tried to touch the lock.
It was as solid as it can be but she knew better.
She stopped carving for a while and made a trap around the lock where the portal is sure to appear next time.
She made the best she could with what she got her hands on. An invisible wall confined her to a hundred meter radius around the lock and there was only so much material she could find.
She managed to dig a pit in front of the lock and she struck the arrow face up into the ground.
'Let karma take care of the infernal creature!'
After several days of waiting for nothing, she decided to get back to her carving.
She didn't know when she would be able to meet them again but seeing their likeness carved in the trees around her comforted her.
A little.
She saw a rabbit flit behind a tree. She should have made a bow. She looked at the arrow stuck to the ground inside her trap and gritted her teeth.
Perhaps she would just steal the little shit's bow next time it came. Either way, it won't be able to use it again.
She picked good sized rocks and went after the rabbit.
After several minutes of chasing it the normal way, she gave up and shadow stepped near the clueless animal.
Gutting the helpless critter didn't appeal to her but having a hot meal after so many days having none overrode her revulsion.
The flame danced to entertain her but after several minutes of looking at it made her remember Ora and the rest.
Her chest grew heavy and she resisted the urge to sob.
She ran her finger on the carved name on her sword.
With an irrationality born out of her deep sadness, she bit savagely into the unoffending meat and focused on eating rather than on her emotions.
Her sleep was disturbed. She kept thinking of the pit and the Igaaw that will surely fall into it.
Morning came and no Igaaw.
She decided to continue her 'art'.
When it came time to carve Wetpants, all the good, stout trees were all used.
What remained was a comically twisted and thin excuse for a tree.
She did the best she could but what emerged, even after her most careful ministrations were a more smoothly carved but weird-looking Vince with his hips jutting out and his arms waving in the air.
'This is the gayest shit ever.'
She collapsed on the ground laughing.
The third and final attack came as she was intently looking at the lock.
She saw it change shape and became intangible followed by a guttural sound.
The Igaaw looked taller. It was now dressed in rags.
Gone was the awkward shuffling gait that its kind have.
It was almost graceful and the way it leaped over the pit suggested an improved reflex. It saw the hole and jumped clear across it.
'Damn, I should have put a cover on it.'
It landed smoothly in front of her and managed to look smug.
She hated that look so she planted a solid kick on its face.
It stumbled back towards the pit and Ash rejoiced when it fell in.
'I should have put more stakes.'
The bastard managed to twist its body sideways and the upturned arrow just grazed its side.
It came out bloody but Ash can see that the wound was not deep.
Its eyes showed a deeper malevolence than its old version.
"Kill...you," it haltingly said.
'It can speak?!'
It nimbly avoided the second kick and smiled irritatingly.
In its hand is a knife.
'Who is this asshole's supplier?!'
"Have pointy...thing...too." It waved the knife threateningly.
"Yeah, well...mine's still bigger," she unsheathed her sword.
It launched at her. It was still slow as hell but it was clear somebody was training it.
It had good form.
She sidestepped and elbowed the back of its head.
It fell facedown on the dirt.
It rolled up just as quickly.
"Rarrgh!"
"I see that scrambled your lizard brain back to its caveman state," she grinned.
It shouted unintelligibly and thrusted its knife at her.
She stepped away but was surprised when the knife changed course towards her side and when she attempted to avoid it, it changed direction again.
The Igaaw is getting faster.
She twisted in the air, roundhoused his jaw and even before it hit the ground, she completed her rotation and decapitated it in the same motion.
As its head rolled into the pit, she stared at the lock.
It's solid again.
For now.
She felt dread at the next creature that would come out of it.
'Where are you guys? Will you even come back?'