All memories flashed in her eyes; the beast approached closer and closer toward her. It seemed that the monster was farther than she initially thought it was. The last sight before the memory… was simply an illusion.
. . .
As the beast sprinted to her, Asahi and Aletha screamed.
"MOVE! Get out of there!"
However, much like her father, Drimi wouldn't go out without a fight.
The embers stung her face, her feet pushed against the ground, and her fists tightened into a pulp. She gritted her teeth, shoved all the shambles off her legs, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, all without saying a single word.
(Thump.)
(Thump.)
(Thump.)
The goblin neared closer, tossing buildings out toward the open plains. The villagers cowered behind a half-demolished stone wall, afraid that the beast would attack them. Drimi closed her eyes, snarled her face, and panted heavily.
"URRGGHH!"
Adrenaline.
A surge of adrenaline coursed through each corner and segment inside Drimi's body. Despite the injuries, pain, and force, it forced her to stand up and continue. Even though she doesn't exactly remember how she got here, she still wanted to end this and bring peace and harmony to this place.
"Grr…"
Suddenly, while pushing her messy dark hair from her face, a voice from her father flew inside her mind.
://"If you were ever to fall down, if you ever near your demise, ALWAYS display your bravery by standing tall, despite being in your worst. Show your opponent who the better person is, even if you were to die."://
And then, it sparked. The feeling of power, determination, and wit, a feeling that she needed the most. An electric feeling; A powerful, circulating energy that sprung out like a surge. Immediately, she hastily tackled the beast, skimmed her fist across its green surface, and unleashed a powerful punch through its stomach.
Everyone gasped.
Yet the goblin didn't look phased.
"ROAR!"
Hastily, the goblin beast swiftly swung his arm toward Drimi and tossed her into the air like a ball getting kicked. Her body flew toward the ground and slid toward the fire, stinging and burning her skin. Phthonus, Asahi, and Aletha screamed.
"DRIMI!"
She pushed herself up, wiped the ash over her legs, and smiled with crimson sliding down her face.
"Quiet! I'm fine."
Despite the damages, Drimi persisted. Beating, she bruised the beast. Her swift kicks stained the air with purple; each movement she made cast a 'shadow' of its former selves, creating a scrambled mess of lavender all around the beast.
"ARRR!"
The beast forcefully kicked Drimi through a wooden wall, forcing chunks of it to burn in the amber flames. She pushed herself again and mocked the goblin.
"Ugh, it hurts!"
The adrenaline kept on pumping in her body. She felt powerful, almost invincible, with all her memories flying in her mind.
Abruptly, she jolted and sprinted on the walls, leaped up, and slammed the beast toward the ground. She dodged, and averted the quick throws from the beast, then grappled onto its right arm and swung it toward a slightly demolished field.
A large explosion pierced the earth, throwing trees, bushes, and debris into the air.
"What is she doing?"
The wanderers and Phthonus followed the battle, witnessing Drimi's combat in all her glory. The vast field shined with outbursts of explosions, roars, fighting, and crimson. It was almost unbelievable to them.
Asahi mumbled.
"What is happening? Is Drimi okay?"
Phthonus nervously chuckled and patted Asahi's back. He was confident but uncertain of Drimi's actions.
"Of course she is! If you were to see what Drimi did in the past, you would be shocked at the possibilities of what this strong woman can do."
Asahi's eyes broadened.
"Really?"
Just after, Drimi flew into the air and got pummeled, slammed, and tossed from the beast. Each attack, her crimson flew out. Her bones crunched, her eyes trembled, and her face got thrown back and forth. She felt her whole body stinging with pain, and despite that, she still kept a smile on her face.
Asahi and Phthonus rushed across the fields, pushing through the debris and racing to save Drimi. Time was ticking, and so was Drimi's life.
Her energy was drained, her body was crippled, and her face was stunned. She couldn't stand no matter what happened. As crimson flew and coated over Drimi's eyes, her ears started to ring, and her vision flashed of memories.
* * * * *
"Sally, this is Akwan. Akwan, this is Sally."
The calm breeze blew against their hair. A fresh oceanic scent lingered and arose up their nostrils. The sun shined high, and the dense trees danced near the scintillating shores. Akwan's long dark hair fluctuated back and forth as he tilted his head down and thought in his mind.
"Hmmm…"
An awkward silence formed, with Drimi, Sally, Phthonus, and Belial glaring at him with impatience. They looked considerably younger. Phthonus was still wearing his mask, but his hair was significantly shorter. Belial looked more human and friendly with a glimmer shining in his round emerald eyes, Akwan was in his original form, and Drimi… was… well, the same appearance.
As the ambiance of the waves crashed onto the shore, Akwan 'theorized.'
"Sally? Quite frankly, that's one of an absurd name considering that your presence originated from Astait. It makes me guess how you managed to get a strong woman like Drimi to save you…."
Belial released a deep sigh, pushed Akwan, and whispered to young Sally With a friendly tone.
"Kid, just ignore this guy's nonsensical speeches. He doesn't KNOW better other than to think, haha. Anyways, I'm shocked that you could get Drimi to save you. You potentially look like one to be capable of joining our faction."
Drimi swiftly facepalmed and sighed.
"Dude, stop being so hurried on Sally. The only reason why I saved her is that it's the right thing to do. I saw her near a shore… freezing to death."
The entire group backed up.
"Freezing to death?!"
Drimi nervously scratched her head.
"Y-Yeah… she still refuses to tell me the full story. Anyways…"
Drimi proudly turned toward Sally, who was still nervous and scared of speaking to individuals since it had been ages since she was immersed in a conversation.
"So… Sally. What do you think about living here, in Pladtioa… with these three other dimwits and me?"
Belial and Phthonus growled.
"Hey! We're not--
Drimi hastily interrupted with a threatening aura lingering over her face.
"Yes, you are. Now shut it."
Immediately, all three of them fall silent. Drimi sighed and continued.
"I apologize about that. These three can be stubborn at times. It makes me feel like I'm the well-nurtured, sophisticated one, like a mother, watching over three scoundrels. Anyways, if you choose to join us, I can give you my private lessons and training to make sure that you are strong like me."
Belial whispered to Sally.
"Psst. This is quite rare, as Drimi usually NEVER offers anyone--
"WHAT DID I SAY?"
Belial quivered.
"R-Right… sorry..."
Drimi took a deep breath and settled down.
"So… what do you say…? Are you willing to start a newer, better life with me? I promise I'll protect you no matter what."
The three of them glare at Sally, waiting for an answer. Drimi patiently awaited and smiled at her.
"So…"
Immediately, Drimi felt Sally's grip clenched tightly against her hands. Her face warmed up with a surprised and shocked look on her face. Of course, Belial, the stubborn boy he was, commented.
"Wow, Drimi, I never knew you could blush like that."
Instead of slapping him directly in the face, Drimi took a deep breath and ignored him, cherishing this moment for a little more time.
And then she pinched Belial.
"AGHHHH! HEY?!?!?"
Sally and Drimi lightly laughed and giggled. That sweet, innocent smile on young Sally's face was a sight Drimi would never forget.
* * *
In the present…
Dashing through the burning dirt, her breath grew uneasy. Her long platinum hair flew upward as she heaved and lunged herself over the tumbling debris, structures, and flames.
Concerned for both the wanderers after the sudden 'kidnapping' from a crow man, she accelerated her pace and forced herself through the debris. As she was racing across the village, past memories flowed inside her.
* * * * * * * *
Two were standing near a piece of land filled with trees, a deep green carpet filled with moss, flora, and fungi. On the opposite end was a training dummy, while on the other was a target. The sun shone on Drimi's face. If anything, she looked thrilled and excited for what was coming next.
"Okay, Sally. So, since you are a rookie, I'm not using myself as a training device. You need to hit those targets and whack those training dummies with force."
Just as young Sally was about to scurry toward the dummies, Drimi stopped her.
"Hey hey hey, I didn't tell you to go, didn't I?"
Sally slowly nodded. Drimi chuckled.
"It's fine; I'll teach you the basics of combat. With those clothing of yours, I don't believe that you even have a 'smidge' of combat history in ya'!"
Sally and Drimi would always train, leave, and return to this exact area through multiple days, if not weeks. She taught Sally how to use her fists, kick, use an essential make-shift knife, and, most importantly, how to block.
Through the coming years, Sally considerably got bigger. She gradually began to eat more, speak more, and even fight more. Her height noticeably increased, almost reaching shoulder height to Drimi in just two years.
"Okay, Sally, you know what to do."
The training dummies were tossed out of the area, showing how fast Sally grew. Finally, after a few moments of silence, Sally raced through the bushes wearing a t-shirt and rugged pants. Drimi grew suspicious of Sally, even blushed a little, but allowed her to stay in her outfit.
"Okay, I'm coming, master Drimi!"
"Hey, Plat. You know not to call me that!"
"Pfft, I know! Okay, Drimi."
Immediately, Sally started to swing her leg. But just before her toe could even reach the surface of Drimi's body, she was hastily flung toward the ground.
"Sally, ya' need some workin' to do."
Drimi gasped and blushed as her eyes accidentally peered directly to...
"Also, put some better clothes on. Your behind is showin'!"
Sally's face turned apple red.
"U-Uh! OKAY!"
She scurried across through the bushes with a warm face. Drimi facepalmed and shook her head. As the wind blew against her long dark hair, she released a deep sigh and mumbled to herself.
"She still has a lotta work to do."
After that, months later, Sally was worthy enough to fight her first monster. Of course, that never ended well; she was touched by a slime and cried. Drimi tried to hide her laughs, knowing that it was embarrassing seeing an almost grown-woman cry like a toddler.
However, she slaughtered the beast and helped Sally, saying.
"You need to stop crying. It's... embarrassing..."
Sally scratched her head and nodded.
"Yes, um... Drimi."
It would be then that Drimi would push Sally to try to fight beasts until she learned the hard way. Throughout the years, as Sally's height climaxed over Drimi's height, Sally was truly fighting beasts using the combat skills learned from Drimi.
"There ya' go! Slay that killer!"
Sally struck a sizeable brown wolf, who clung onto her and tried to claw her back. However, she tossed it into the air, then did a crazy back-flip, eventually injuring the beast. Drimi applauded.
"Wow, great job, Sally! Now finish 'em off!"
Unfortunately, Sally was distracted, and she was almost torn into shreds if it wasn't for Drimi. She released a deep sigh and hollered to Belial.
"Come on! Heal Sally! She's injured. Sigh, I can't believe it."
After that, Drimi continued this cycle to save Sally over and over again, gradually getting better after each fight. She was stronger, taller, and even more persistent. It grew to the point that Sally was almost unrecognizable to her past self. And then... all of it leads to the present...
* * * * * * * *
Finally, approaching the outskirts of the village, Sally saw Drimi in the distance, fighting the beast with shiny crimson flying out her leg. Her pink eyes widened, and she reached out to her.
"DRIMI!"
She slowly tilted toward Sally, coughing and smiling. Her long dark hair was stained in crimson, craters of her body were bestrewn everywhere in the plains, and the others were lying on the ground, injured.
Drimi knew that she should stop yet continued for the village's sake. The moment she saw Sally, hope surged through her eyes. Sally's present appearance flashed to the illusion of Sally's younger self, running across the flashing red and green plains. The smile, the dress, all of it made Drimi form a tear over her eye.
"Plat… S… Sally…"
This was HER moment.
The moment that proves what years of training with Drimi can do.
Perhaps, instead of being saved by Drimi another time, Sally could finally save HER.
. . .
Sally raced across the hill, kicking through the brittle dirt, feeling the pendant dangling over her hip jangling and illuminating her body. The blinding sunlight pierced through the clouds, glimmering and casting its light toward the field.
"I'm…"
She was breathless.
A blue luminance shone underneath her feet, pressing and staining across the ground.
Asahi watched as Sally was juggled in the air. Though he felt sympathy and pity for her, he remembered what would happen if he interfered. So for that, he instead raced out of the battlefield and searched the village for Aletha; as cowardice it was, it was the only right thing he could do.
In the meantime, Sally continued to fight with blood, sweat, and tears covering her face. She was pummeled and tossed, flipping into the air with her soil perching out from her pendant.
Its baby blue essence scattered across the beast's bulging face, freezing its skin and paralyzing it temporarily as if it was a bucket of pure ice pouring on it.
"GAHHH!"
When the essence leaked out, its sparkles coated and buried the monster in a frosty fog. Sally slid her body down a slope, leaped up, and turned her eyes toward Drimi.
From the hazy horizon, damaged, broken, and careless, Sally knew that the woman she saw in front of her wasn't the Drimi that she remembered.
(You know how to swing, but do you know how to crawl?) A past voice, one from a young face with long dark hair; Drimi, the past.
Sally bit her lip, clenched her fists, and accelerated across the sea of flora.
Revealed beyond the curvature of the hill, tattered in bruises, half of her hair shriveled up, her attire nearly stained in ash, it was Drimi, who still wore a smile on her face.
Sally's heart stopped, tears flew down her cheek, and her body trembled.
"Drimi!" She shrieked as she raced down the hill.
Drimi skillfully chuckled and slowly tilted her head toward Sally by dragging her body across the ash.
"S...Sally?"
"Please!"
As Sally lowered her arms and cradled Drimi's head over her arms, she noticed her eyes froze with fear, timorous as the ground trembled.
(Thump.)
Her body— stiff, and her arms, trawling over the dirt like a lifeless doll, Drimi painfully pivoted her arm and mumbled to Sally.
(Thump)
"Sally… b-behind… you."
Sally turned her head.
(Thump.)
(Thump.)
She slowly lowered Drimi's body against a soft bed of flowers, pushed herself upward, and wiped ash off her face.
A fresh swell of rage rose in her, recollecting all the emerging moments she shared with Drimi and clenched her fists.
The training, the two-kilometer race, the smiles, the laughs, the cries, the love, and yet despite all of the countless flickering events, nothing could replace the loving embrace Drimi made when she saved Sally.
She tremblingly wiped her tears and kneeled down to Drimi, caressing her arms around her body. Her long platinum hair brushed softly against Drimi's face, her chest pressed against Drimi's, and her eyes peered directly through Drimi's dull, hollow amethyst eyes.
"Drimi… p-please… I t-thank you so much."
Drimi slid her crimson-battered fingers down Sally's face, forming tears and shaking her legs from the excruciating pain.
"You… were like… a mother to me.'
Tears welled up in Drimi's eyes... She was in so much pain that all she could do was smile. Drimi knew that she loved Sally as much as she did for her. Yet, the pain robbed Drimi of rational thought.
Sally smiled and wiped Drimi's tear. Her heart thumped rapidly, her face warmed up, and her eyes trembled.
"Do… you want me to…?"
She pivoted her hot pink eyes toward a round glistening silver pendant attached to her side. As she glared at it, she remembered the deceiving face of her father. A false look, a corrupt entity.
That pale face, chapped lips, thin beard, and platinum hair; that sight haunted Sally throughout all her life.
Sally remembered his large, cold hands lending that pendant to her, with unique sparkling glazed minerals encased from a glass substance.
* * *
"You take care of this now? You hear?"
Sally remembered his blistering slap stinging on her face, followed by a loud yell.
"YOU HEAR?! ANSWER!"
Of course, Sally couldn't answer; she was so young and had never had any experience with the language yet.
"Damn you…"
Sally was tossed away to the ground, got spat on, and stepped from the man's foot.
"Filthy scum… take care of it. This is your only gift. Use it… when you're in trouble. Or be a peasant and get enslaved by the opponents who managed to encounter you."
Her eyes flashed back to the present, Drimi almost passing out from the suffocating fumes.
Tears flew in Sally's eyes. She had no idea what to do, was afraid, and feared that it was all her fault for this.
Deep within Sally's trembling eyes was a furious, vengeful glow. She took a deep breath and glared at her pendant. She was so terrified and anxious that her words were almost unintelligible.
"My… father. I don't know. I should... I should--
She gently placed it on the ground and tremblingly hovered her hand over Drimi's face, whispering.
"I... I'm… sorry. I'm s-s-so sorry…."
Drimi grasped her hand.
(Pyunk.)
Sally yanked her arm away and shuffled her feet. Drimi lifted her body upward and whispered faintly.
"Sally…"
"...yes?"
She brightly blushed, feeling as if Drimi was tantalizing her with her worn wrist. She was confused and shocked.
"Drimi?! What are you doing?"
Drimi covered Sally's mouth and muttered.
"Sally."
She slowly lifted up, and despite the crippling pain Drimi was in, she winked and said in a zealous tone.
"Ya see that pendant? I remember a long time ago that you always kept that in your pocket only if we were in a dire emergency. It was one of your 'strongest secrets', you said. So... how about you do it for the rest of the idiots in this village and me, would ya'?"
Sally knew that Drimi's aggressive regard for the villagers was just a joke, like most Drimi's personality. Sally slowly nodded and replied.
"D-Do what...?"
Drimi roughly pulled Sally closer to her face and jittery grappled onto her dangling pendant. As the beast now rushed and distracted from the stampede of individuals, Drimi leaned against Sally's soft cheek and tapped her lips against it, as a mother would kiss a child. Then in a quiet yet determined voice, she wiped crimson off her face and whispered to Sally.
"Defeat the grievances of your past; power isn't all about strength. It's all about how much you can confront your weaknesses and doubts. That's what your ability has! I offered you a new life, and all I want in return..."
Sally clenched her bottom lip between her teeth, positioned her eyes toward the jewel, and smiled. Drimi continued.
"Is for you to be confident."
Her hollow eyes sparkled and glittered with bravery, determination, and will. This surge of magic and power flew against each part of her mind, spewing out like bubbles popping in the water. The entire surface of foliage rippled and splashed out, with moss, logs, trees, soil collapsing into a swirling frothy mess.
Then, deep from under the soil, a rumble shook and trembled everyone's feet. Her fingers tightly grasped onto the object one more time before...
... its silver texture splattered and spewed out like exploding rocks. It disgorged sparkling essences across the ferns, vegetation, and flora. All scorching flames-- extinguished from the emerging bodies of water. The sun now sparkled over the clear sky and the ground, trembling rapidly from a massive gaping opening caving into the ground.
The villagers, Phthonus, Drimi, Asahi, and even Aletha, watched as an enormous geyser materialized at the center of the bubbling field. Clear and muddy puddles of water spanned across the village; all of it streamed and flew down toward the dormant platinum-sapphire-colored geyser, nourishing and dampening the flora.
A herd of rocks rolled down the hill, captivating and colonizing the geyser as if it was their home. Asahi screamed to the villagers.
"WATCH OUT!"
(Thump)
(Thump)
(Thump)
Phthonus gritted his teeth, having no choice but to run to the villagers to individually push them away from the shimmering geyser.
Deep within the center of the village, nearest to the well, Aletha gently caressed The Fruit on her arms. Her curiosity got the best of her, leading Aletha to observe and analyze what was below the well.
However, as her gleaming silver eyes peered down over the curved structure, far within the depths was a sight, unlike anything she had ever seen.
Beneath her gaze was--
"... no, that can't be. I... c-can't believe it. This is the sole reason why the large goblin beast traveled here..."
There, a surge of all memories from the mind of the goblin rushed into her mind. She grew nauseous, almost dizzy from the sudden event. However, the pulsating blue light deep from the depths of The Well saved her from the memories and repelled her body away from the cobblestone rim.
"AHHH!"
Aletha trembled, conceding that the blurry flickers of the goblin's past; effectively adjusted the views of the beast for her. She clenched her fists and conveyed to herself.
"I must go... now!"
Instantly, Aletha precipitously picked up The Fruit and hustled through the roads to get to the beast.
Regardless, just as Aletha surpassed the tip of the outskirts of Milmoor...
"Was... I... too late?"
She panted heavily, sweated, and choked from the deadly fumes, feeling the sloshy substances of the fabricated water dampen and moisten her feet. Her eyes broadened seeing the sight of a massive geyser emerging from the ground, Sally levitating and unleashing streams of water, and the beast charging down the hill, toward her.
Aletha gasped, knowing that the beast was in danger.
"NO!"
Her heart roughly pumped. Aletha pushed through the masses of debris, ferns, and bushes. She felt a feeling of relief seeing Asahi, Phthonus, and the villagers safe, but also staring at the mess. As she pushed a wagon with her own bare hands, Aletha mumbled to herself.
"I... h-hope it isn't too late. I must give The Fruit to the beast before he reaches the geyser. There is a misunderstanding here... all of the goblin's actions were misunderstood."
She scampered on the ground, waved her arm, and hollered out her brother's name.
"ASAHI!"
He swiftly turned his head, smiled in relief seeing Aletha dash toward him from the distance.
"A...letha...? Why do you still have The Fruit with you?"
Breathing heavily, and gasping for air; Aletha tried to reply.
"I was... I... was going to tell you that..."
Just as she could reveal the truth, suddenly; arising from a distant hill; a green luminance shone from a patch of trees.