Grab your sword and cut 'em down!

You reach for your sword and draw it from your scabbard. It slides free easily and a metallic ring echoes through the air. It's heavier than you would have expected, but much like riding the horse, your body seems to already have compensated for that fact. You've never swung a sword before, so you hope fighting has become second nature to you as well.

"Wow." Doe said, flittering through the air next to you. "You actually look intimidating like that."

"Really?" You ask. She sounded very impressed. With a smug grin, you twirl the sword around in your fingers making the blade do several fancy spins. To your amazement and joy, it's as easy as if you were twirling around a pencil.

"Okay, show-off." Doe says. "Time to put those skills to use."

"Right." You nod and wait for the ravens to approach. As the group gets closer, the one in the lead folds his wings back and arcs down toward you like a black feathered missle. You wait for it to get within range and swing your sword around as fast as you can. There is a sickening sound of metal tearing through flesh and a loud squack and you watch the raven split into two halves. Oddly enough, there is no blood and the two pieces of bird vanish into wisps of black smoke.

"As I thought." Doe remarks into your ear. "These things are not products of this world. Someone created them and wrote them into the story."

You want to respond, but you are too busy delaing with the remaining birds. Another one divebombs at you and a quick slice of the sword dispatches it as easily as the first. However, it leaves you open long enough for the third bird to slam into your stomach. The raven's headbutt packs enough punch to send you stumbling back and you feel the edge of the vine you're standing on come beneath your feet. You can hear Doe screech your name, but it's too late. The edge of the vine gives way and you feel yourself starting to tilt backwards as you fall off the edge toward the cluster of thorns below.