"Hold on!" Finn grabbed Nichole, and jumped onto the next tree as the wolf pounced onto the one they were on.
"Go that way," Nichole pointed to the left as Finn grabbed her, rushing forward.
The two hopped from one branch to the other, traversing the tree tops. The trees began shaking as the monster followed suit.
"A little more and we should be near the entrance," Nichole looked behind, "there should be guards or at least someone."
"Keep up," Finn rushed forward, 'Why is this happening now, in my memories this happens almost only after two more years, what's happening?'
"Huh? What's that? Isn't that the same tree we were on?" Nichole stopped and got on the ground. "Did we go around in circles?"
Finn looks back and notices the creature wasn't behind them anymore. "No... this is a mind realm, we're stuck in here unless we can kill that thing."
"Mind realm! No we can't fight that thing, you're injured and I can't..." Nichole's gaze fell on the rustling sound around her.
The beast jumps out from behind the trees, it's fangs aimed directly at Nichole. Finn instinctively kicks Nichole out of its path, using the momentum to push himself off at the same time.
Nichole rolls over, trying to wrap her head around it. She looks up and sees the wolf slowly heading straight for Finn. It was a large white furred wolf with a bone like spin outside its body.
Are you going to run again, Nichole? memories rose, her eyes failing to keep track of the wolf.
"Never again," Nichole unsheathes the sword on her hip. "I can do this," her hands trembled as she held up the sword.
The wolf continued its advance on Finn. He took steps backwards, putting space between the two, but the wolf kept up.
My gun was damaged, I can't use it, but if I were to use the sword, I'll most likely be defeated, and I have to protect her since I was the one who brought her here.
Finn draws his katana, coating it in a thin layer of mana. The Black Winter art must not be used by anyone below the first star, but since I have an idea about it since I have memories of my original swordsmanship.
The shining edge of the katana turned blue from his mana flowing into it. "Black Winter: Blue Pheasant's tears," Finn rushed towards the wolf, swinging the katana horizontally.
SLICK
The sword cuts through the creature's chest. Blood dropped out from the small slash, but the creature looked more excited at the wound than wary.
"Canine sword: The Exiled," a single vertical slash fell on the beast, but the creature growled at the snick.
Nichole took a few steps back after landing the strike, looking at Finn, a glimmer of hope passing through.
If she can join, then we might have a chance. "Nichole, keep up with me," Finn rushed forwards, Nichole following suit from behind.
I just felt it instinctively, but I can do this, Nichole swings, but the wolf sidesteps the strike, only for Finn to land a strike on its shoulder, but the wolf unfazed, heads towards Nichole despite the injury.
"Telekinesis," Nichole opens her palm facing one of the fallen trees, a faint glow emanated around it as the tree flats in the air. The wolf looks to the side where it was happening, but before it could react she swings her hand, the trees smashing into the wolf.
Nichole lets out a breath, only for her to panic seeing it did nothing to the massive wolf. It stood there unfazed before grimacing and swinging its claw at Nichole.
Before it could connect, Finn appears, blocking the strike with his sword. Sparks flared as the claw struck his sword. It brings its head forward in a moment to bite off his head, but flicks his head left.
"Nichole, get out of here," Finn warns Nichole, but notices her pupils turned white. Is she breaking through, now?!
...
"Huh? Where am I?" Nichole looked around, only to find herself in a strange room. The centre of the room had a single white mannequin. The rest of the room looked strange as there were fourteen empty glass shelves around her, each empty.
"What's this? What happened to Finn?" she looked around in panic.
One of the shelves shines bright, before a mask appears inside it, a white smiling clown mask, with red outlining on the mouth and a red nose. The mask floats up, the shelf opening as the mask flies off and fixes itself onto the mannequin in the centre of the room.
The room fades into a blur as she finds herself back at the forest. Her vision clears as she looks around, only to see Finn on the ground, his sword a few feet away from him.
The wolf was standing in front of Finn, licking the tiny droplets of blood on his forehead.
What the hell? Even he got defeated! But whatever happened earlier, I feel like I can take on this thing now, she picks up the sword and stands up, her hand tightening on the grip.
I can feel it, if I coat the sword with mana, and apply the source on it, I can use the sword as a medium for the flames, a small array of words appear on the sword's blade.
If I open a code and lay it out like this, and imagine the flames, her sword lights up in flame, shining bright.
The wolf noticing it rushes towards her. Due to its large size, the wolf scales the distance within a few jumps.
Nichole swings her sword and wolf backs off, but the temperature around it goes down as the grass around them gathers frost.
A glacial attribute, I have the advantage then. "Canine sword: The Exiled," Nichole rushes forward for a downward slash, landing a strike on the wolf's jaw.
Enraged, the wolf howls. The shriek echoed like thunder, freezing the surrounding, but Nichole's sword burns brighter, as she switches to a horizontal slash, the heat burning the fur off the wolf.
The wolf panics after it loses its edge, it moves in biting, trying to close in on her, but Nichole does the third movement, and sidesteps it as the wolf completely passes her, showing it's side.
Nichole brings up the blade, tearing a hole in its guts, but before the wolf had a chance to react Nichole thrusts the sword into the gaping hole, finishing the sword form.
Frost gathers around her sword and her hand freezing them in place. "Shit, still not dead," Nichole sees the wolf still staring at her with a sly smile as the frost continues to gather on her, freezing her hand on the spot.
Nichole closes her eyes and focus on the flames in her mind. She winced at the frost climbing up from her sword tonger hands, freezing it.
"Black Winter: Blue Pheasant's tears," the head of the wolf fell on the ground as a bloody mess formed around.
"Finn," Nichole looked at him in awe. She could feel the change in aura around him. Wow, he somehow feels different from before.
"You did well," Finn sat down on the floor, as the blood continued to pour out of the creature.
"Hah, so did you also feel something happen?" Nichole fell back into the grass letting go of her sword as the frost crumbled off, "I was in some random room, before coming back to my senses."
"Guess we're both One-Stars now, who knew a simple yellow poster could bring us this much trouble?" Finn laughed, as he took in deep breaths, his whole body still throbbing.
"Ha, right. Wait did you say One-Star?" Nichole asked.
"Yup, didn't you see some sort of imagery related to stars in the sky?"
"Star? No, what I saw was quite different, how do I put it?"
"Whatever, I just want some water, I'm thirsty," Finn grumbled.
"Let me help you up," Finn puts his hand over her shoulder as they got up, and made their way out.
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"Huh, where am I?" Daniela looked around at the endless ground beneath her. The stone bricks ground extended for what seems to be forever.
"Who are you?" a voice came from behind her.
"Huh?" Daniela turned around to find a large white lizard-like creature on the ground, two large scars on its back. The deep black weary eyes looked straight at her.
"Child, how did you get in here?" it raised its head.
"Are you talking to me?"
"You see anyone else here?" the lizard scoffed, as its magnificent face came to light, a sharp snout and two large red horns facing upwards.
"Oh, forgive me elder, but I don't know why I'm here," Daniela looked at the creature.
"Elder? I guess I am old," the creature laughed, "so how did you get here?"
Daniela looked at it as the creature went back to laying down, "I'm not sure, last thing I remember was sleeping."
"You came in here by accident? That's new, I've seen many try to force their way in here."
"What is this place? You seem to be the owner," Daniela sat down on the floor, "ouch, that's cold."
"It's cold? Maybe I'll warm it up for you," the floor instantly got warmer, "how is it now?"
"Oh, that's much better, so this is your home, I guess,"
"If that what you think, then, Yes, but I haven't had a visitor in almost a few centuries."
"How long have you been here for?" Daniela sat back up, looking at the tired old lizard.
"Ha," the lizard let out a sigh, "too long, I forgot to count."
"That's pretty sad, doesn't it gets lonely?"
"It does, but then I look into the many realms for entertainment."
"Why don't you leave?"
"I can't," the lizard closed its eyes. "Have you ever seen a dragon before?"
"No, are you a dragon?" Daniela asked, her curiosity teetering at the edge.
"I used to be one, till bad things happened. I can sense a fragment of a dragon's power from you."
"It's because my family was blessed by some golden dragon a few years ago, the dragon's name was Zhào Huáng," Daniela twirled around a strand of her hair.
"Zhào Huáng? That's why I can smell a dragon on you."
"You know the other dragon I mentioned?"
"I used to, don't know about his current whereabouts, but that bastard gave his power to humans? That's odd?"
"Elder, I've always been curious, what are dragons?"
"What do you mean by that? Are you asking that question as what we are as mere creatures of scale and bone or what we are as the great beings of myths and legends?"
"The second one."
"I'm sorry child, but it seems I can't tell you about it, and it's seems like it time for you to go."
"What do you me—"
HUFF HUFF
"What was that?" Daniela got up, drenched in sweat, the bed around her seemingly wet.
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