With new purpose, the creature swiped down at Mheris, missing as it swung wide. Seeing opportunity, Mheris sidestepped closer to their carefully laid trap.

  Snap.

  As the creature began to rush at Mheris, with rage in its eyes, flames shot up towards the sky. Tennebris’ Pyromancy surprised the Apex Predator. Flames far too big to ignore, the creature wanted to react, but could only take thunderous steps back.

  From her shaking tree branch Tennebris aimed, knocked, and let loose another arrow.

  Twang.

  As she did so, she noticed that the creature was bleeding. But not blood exactly, as you would expect from normal bear. This was closer to the ichor they found on the ground earlier.

  Snap.

  Tennebris once again activated her Pyromancy, but this time, on the substance leaving the creature’s injuries. With a satisfactory popping and sizzling, Tennebris was elated to find out her assumption was correct.

  Letting out another roar, the Apex Predator began to swing wildly, blinded by fury.

  Shink.

  Mheris, capitalizing on the creature’s confusion and shock, made another quick strike, swinging purposefully against her enemy.

  The flames from their trap seemed to feed on the bloodshedGrowing large, they gorged on the blood of the beast. Popping and sizzling, the flames acted as a third combatant, constantly demanding the beast’s attention.

  Twang. Snap.

  Tennebris let another arrow loose and activated Pyromancy targeting the creature’s wounds. “Three.” Beginning her ritual of counting her remaining ammunition, the creature’s fate was all but sealed.

  Shink. Twang. Snap.

  “Four.”

  Enraged by their constant strikes, the creature began to stumble and shake, showing the first signs of weakness.

  Twang. Snap.

  “Five. Mheris! Keep it up! It hasn’t given up yet!”

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  Shink. Shink.

  “You’re doing well! You do the same!” Mheris shouted

  With the flames acting as a dutiful distraction, they were operating in perfect harmony It wouldn’t be long before the beast fell.

  Suddenly, the creature spun around to face the entrance of the cave where Tennebris was kneeling in her tree. With its instincts trying to guide it, it weighed its options as the flames of battle licked at its heel whether to retreat, or kill at least one of its aggressors. It charged.

  With a rabid smile landing on her face, Tennebris was ready to strike.

  “SIX!” She shouted before letting loose another arrow, this time aimed at its eye. Unsure of what possessed her pick such a difficult target, she fired without thinking.

  Twang. Snap.

  As the arrow penetrated the eye socket of the Apex Predator, it didn’t get a chance to roar in pain. Already activating her magic on the new wound, Tennebris instinctively stowed her bow and jumped at the creature’s other eye with dagger in hand.

  Stabbing through the creature’s eye, there was a sickening popping sensation coming from the dagger now firmly planted. Hanging onto the dagger with one hand, shouting in the creature’s face, and raising her other hand, she was ready to end it.

  Snap.

  A familiar popping and sizzling sound filled the air, as the creature’s lifeless body fell to the ground with Tennebris still attached. With her wings fervently stretched out, she followed her instinct and began flapping wildly to maintain her balance as she fell through the air.

  Thud.

  Tennebris could feel the murderous aura seeping out from her. Meeting Mheris’ eyes, she seemed startled and took a step back, almost not recognizing her ally.

  “You still in there, Shadow?”

  “That. Was terrifying.” Tennebris responded, panting heavily while withdrawing her dagger.

  A silence fell over them, the only sound or motion being the fire dancing excitedly behind Mheris.

  “I just can’t believe we killed it so quickly.” Mheris retorted, stowing her daggers after wiping them clean on her clothes.

  “What? Did you think we weren’t going to be capable enough to kill a stupid little cub?”

  With a mirthful laugh Mheris once again met Tennebris’ eyes. “No, no, nothing like that. I just assumed it was going to put up more of a fight

  “Well, that’s what happens when the Devil-Touched set their mind to something I suppose, eh?”

  Tennebris found herself filled with a level of excitement she had never felt before. Clearly new to the exuberance of hunting monsters, her legs felt like jelly.

  As the rush of battle left her body, she found it difficult to stand. Sitting down and catching her breath, the weight of the moment finally landed on her.

  We did it. Who knows how many lives we saved here? Tennebris thought, clearly beside herself.

  “You never do get used to that feeling. You just learn how to deal with it.” Mheris said, replying to Tennebris’ clear exhaustion.

  “I remember my first hunt, though, yours was easily more dangerous. My first kill was a Dire Wolf that had strayed too close to a farm and had begun bothering livestock and farm workers. After it claimed the life of one of the farm hands, the city paid for its removal.” Mheris continued. “Aye, it was an open bounty, paid a single gold on success. But that’s a story for another time. How do you feel?”

  Struggling to find the strength to rise to her feet again, she persevered. “Accomplished.” Tennebris paused, “Not too long ago, I was just floating through life going from job to job.”

  “Well. Now what’s your plan?”

  Tennebris’ gaze fell on the creature now. We should at least cut off its paws and head to bring back. How else are we going to explain and prove what we did?

  “I think the only thing left to do is report in, right?”

  With a nod of understanding, Mheris got to work. “First, we should remove the claws, they may be useful as weapons. Then we should take its head. I don’t see any other way for us to make this a believable tale.”

  Frustrated only by the fact that Tennebris should have mentioned it when she had thought of it herself, she joined the effort to remove the Apex Predator’s other arms. When she was formulating her battle plan, she knew they would have to bring something back.

  How funny. ‘Apex Predator’. We’ve been calling it that this entire time, but really, we took it down in mere minutes.

  Running through the combat again in her mind, she began looking for things they could have done better. Ways for them to approach this creature with more understanding and foresight. They both figured that this creature was the only one of its kind, but it also couldn’t hurt to be prepared.

  Removing the creature’s limbs wasn’t as hard as they figured it would be, but it did, however, take much longer than they had anticipated. It was strenuous work, removing the giant’s forearms, especially after fighting so hard to slay it.

  This will all be worth it. Tennebris thought to herself.

  “So Little Shadow, how did you plan on getting our friend back to the city?”

  Tennebris’ eyes widened in shock as her mouth fell open.