"Alister, focus on dodging and attacking! This thing may be fast, but it's dumb as a rock."
"I understand!' Alister replied, and as he did, he quickly jumped to the air, following Zeri's movements. With the increase of power he received from the fusion, his body felt light as a feather, each movement coming as easily as instinct, while he raised his blade. Even to a casual onlooker, it was clear that Alister's movements were clumsy, and all the facets of his body language had given away his own next course of action. But on the other hand, the animal that operated on pure instincts thought nothing of it, while it kept on slashing and clawing on empty air with its claws.
Zeri, who had landed on the back of the monster, kept on taunting it, causing the bear to scratch and claw at its own back in an attempt to wrench Zeri and his blade out of its back. Deep gashes from its own wicked claws formed on its pelt, and for a second, Zeri contemplated on what would happen if he were the one at the wrong end of the sharp claws.
"Focus, you fool!" Zeri demanded, and Alister realized his own vulnerability right as the bear was about to slam its paw on the ground he stood on. As he jumped to the side to avoid the attack, he could feel the brush of its fur on his leg, and he realized how close to death he was.
As he observed the enraged bear, he suddenly thought of an idea.
He rushed forward again, with his sword at the ready, and dashed as fast as he could towards the underside of the bear, and with all his strength, he slid forward while pointing towards the bear's stomach, slicing the thick pelt open and causing blood to spill on the ground. Surprisingly, even as the ground was filled with the unmistakable stink of spilled blood, the massive bear did not seem slowed at all.
As Alister observed the situation, he decided it was time for a change of tactics.
Meanwhile, Zeri stayed silent as he kept taunting the bear, and yet again, it clawed on its own back to try and swat him away. Aside from his occasional movements, Zeri stayed silent and observed.
Alister, on instinct, suddenly knew what to do.
Again, he ran towards the bear as it turned around, but this time, he aimed at the underside of the bear's neck. It let out a piercing roar, rattling the trees all around and made the grass crumple as if a massive hurricane has ran through it. However, despite the ringing in his ears, Alister remained undeterred, and he pumped his legs further to increase his speed, before jumping as high as he could and jamming his sword to the hilt into the bear's neck.
The injury was so deep, and the bear was rendered unable to make a sound. Alister hung onto the sword, reached for the handle with his other hand, and applied some force to pull the sword to the side, causing a circular wound that caused the bear's head to barely dangle on what remains of its neck.
"Good job." Zeri took out his greatsword from the creature's back and jumped down, severing the bear's neck for good on his way. "This is a mutated beast, and now I'm sure there's a Moonlit Lavere around here- Wait."
Zeri outstretched his arm protectively in front of Alister and glared at the direction of the tall grass. "Come out, or..." He pointed at the bushes with the tip of his sword. "I shall make you."
"Patience, Daemonia Channeler. I do not come for blood." A beautiful woman wearing a pair of platform shoes emerged from the bushes. As if nature itself did not dare to mar her beauty, there was no dirt or grass that clung to her face and body, and not even the gentle breeze dared to mess her collarbone-length blue hair. Her eyes were an impressive blue as the evening sky, dotted with gold dust that would not look out of place in an expensive cut gem. Armor softened with comfortable leather hugged her body and showed off her impressive figure.
Right next to her, a radiant figure floated, her expression calm and her eyes closed. Her three pairs of wings shielded the woman in a protective spread like a massive shield, while the angel's red hair gleamed in the silver light of the evening. On her right hand, there was a weapon that looked like a spear made of a mix of vines and precious stones.
"I am Catherine Fioreta, and this is my companion, Nelchael." Catherine introduced herself.
"Oh, you certainly are a bold one, aren't you?" Zeri smirked and looked at the woman with interest. "Nelchael, one of the 72 Divine Generals, and one of the enforcers of the New Divine Monarchs, a master of Nature, Earth, and precious stones."
"Hold your tongue, failed monarch." The angel opened her eyes and snarled, her anger unbefitting of her appearance. "I may not know your true name, but I have an inkling of who you are, and if you dare even harm a hair on her head, I will make sure you and your pitiful host will not die gently."
"Ooh, scary." Zeri taunted even more.
"Enough, Nelchael. I don't come here to watch you bicker over old grudges." Catherine stopped her. "You are Alister Rhithron, right?"
"I am." Alister nodded, unsure what else to say.
Catherine traced her finger on the air, and a handful of flower stalks with purple flowers appeared on her grasp. The flower looked purple at first, only for its colors and silvery glow to shift whenever Alister looked at it from a slightly different angle. Both Alister and Zeri nodded at each other, a wordless confirmation that the item was, indeed, the Moonlit Lavere they had been searching for.
"Alister Rhithron, I would like to make a deal with you."