More Than She Planned For

Brought down by the regrettable circumstances, Millia was more aware of the challenging trek on the return trip. Was this course just that much worse than the one she had taken earlier? It was funny how much more formidable the going seemed with a different frame of mind. The ghost had to traverse the same obstacles as her, but she did not show any signs of it taxing her as it did Millia.

"Let's take a little detour," the adventurer suggested. "There should be an easier path in that direction."

The stranger wordlessly accepted, complying with Millia's new heading. The crowded trees gave way to a clear lane. The path was beaten smooth and the terrain was relatively flat. It was not direct, but the ship's landing spot was near a point further along the trail.

Much better.

Growing weary of the silence, the cow girl spoke up. "I don't believe I got your name. Mine's Millia."

"Latonya," the ghost said politely. "I'm sorry. Clearly this wasn't the best way to meet."

"I'm the one that should be offering condolences. What were you doing out here anyway?"

"We were supposed to be helping local residents," Latonya explained. "Fuvea have been giving them a hard time, and we were here to teach them to give the settlement a wide berth."

"Huh, we're here for the same reason. I'm a new adventurer. Getting rid of the beasts is my first job with my new team," Millia said with pride.

Latonya's brow furrowed and she gave the other woman a scrutinizing look. "It's your first commission and they have you hunting fuvea? That sounds pretty irresponsible."

"That's why I'm on scouting duty," Millia said like it was something especially clever. "I was out here checking the environment when I found you... Well, you know."

"Hm," Latonya hummed, accepting that there was reason enough in Millia being directed as she was. Still, dispatching a rookie on their own was... unorthodox, to say the least. For the first time, she took a moment to look Millia over as they walked. She was big enough to look like a valid threat, especially with that axe on her back. Other aspects of her appearance did less to make her out as a capable adventurer. Latonya was no stranger to battle armour, and it was clear that what Millia had on was little better than an especially stiff set of clothes. Under that armour, Millia had a... somewhat pillowy look to her. Then again, Latonya knew better than to generalize with appearances. With all the difference races, species, and creatures in the universe, anatomy could be drastically varied.

Lastly, Latonya's eyes settled on the diamond clacking against the adventurer's breastplate. "I like your necklace," she said candidly.

"Thanks," Millia accepted the compliment a tad bashfully. "I like your, erm, hair." She had managed to stop herself saying everything.

Rather than mocking Millia for letting her composure falter, Latonya's expression hardened. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Truth be told, Millia had not been completely aware of any aspects of her surroundings a moment ago.

Latonya did not answer. Instead she held a finger to her lips, instructing the other woman to be silent. They had already stopped walking to properly listen. Millia heard it then; distant, rhythmic, rumbling booms. They sounded like immense footsteps - and they were getting closer.

The pair of them swiveled to face the oncoming thunder. From around the trail's bend came a fuvea. It was a huge biped - six metres tall without even raising its head. Saliva dripped from its pointed, dagger-sized teeth. Its maw looked big enough to swallow both Millia and Latonya whole. Its arms were dwarfed by its legs, but they were big and long enough for it to rest on all fours without bowing. The digits on the forelimbs ended in sickle-like claws. On its head, staring holes into the duo, were four eyes. Millia knew nothing about fuvea body language and behaviour, but she could feel its hatred towards them. Some kind of primal emotion of abhorring them for being alive and near it.

Eyes dead set on its targets, the monster took several slow, tentative steps toward them. It was testing whether its prey had the sense to flee. Not daring to forfeit the staring competition, Latonya and Millia backed away at a similarly cautious pace.

"How fast are these things?" Millia asked in a choked whisper.

"I don't know," Latonya responded. "But by the look of those legs, I'm going to guess faster than us." Her hand was instinctively creeping toward the hilt behind her shoulder.

A low rumble spilled from the fuvea's parted jaw; the kind that was deep enough that one could swear they heard the individual soundwaves.

"Wait a minute," Latonya murmured. She was still quiet, but now she had halted her retreat. Millia was ready to snap a critical comment at her, but instead focused on keeping her own backpedal slow and subtle. The fuvea noticed the pause and its spiteful gaze settled on Latonya, wondering why its prey no longer seemed interested in escape.

"I'm already dead," she reminded both of them, "what do I have to be afraid of?" The realization was liberating for her, but she was still keenly aware that sudden movements could jeopardize Millia. Turning her head just enough to speak sideways, Latonya addressed the living woman. "I'll keep it busy. You run and I'll catch up later."

That did not sound too bad to Millia. After all, Latonya had a point - what damage could the beast inflict on a ghost? However, Millia was not clear on how Latonya was supposed to catch up when she did not know where to find the ship. She was about to raise this point when Latonya drew her blade in a flash and rushed the predator with it.

She wailed a battle cry as she ran with her sword wound back. The fuvea met her call with its own deafening roar. It too charged, its enormous maw open and ready to scoop Latonya up in it. Both rushed in, doubtless that the other was unprepared for what they had in store. And in some way, that was true.

When they reached each other, there was no mighty clash. Latonya was not shredded upon giant teeth and the fuvea did not have its jaw hacked clean off. Instead, the woman's ethereal form merely passed through the beast as though she were just a hologram. This unexpected outcome resulted in a bit of stumbling on both their parts. They both wheeled around to face once more.

"Huh, right," Latonya said to herself. She was still getting used to not being able to interact with the material world, but more than that, some part of her had hoped that her spectral blade would at least be able to defy dimensional boundaries.

Not quite as quick on the uptake, the fuvea came at her again. Latonya did not react. She was content to prop herself against the hilt of her claymore as the monster gnashed harmlessly over her head. It raked its claws at her and even swept its tail through her, struggling to understand why it could see, hear, and even smell this creature before it but not harm it. Finally, it gave up with an infuriated roar that would have set Latonya's ears bleeding if they still could.

"You finished?" she asked in a taunting tone.

The beast was not finished. There had been another morsel here when it came across this one. It might be untouchable, but perhaps the other one was less so. It turned to where Millia had been, but she was gone. She had not wasted a second in turning tail and fleeing when Latonya engaged it. But she was only so fast. With eyes evolved to pick out prey in the dense forest, the fuvea spied the cow girl, just at the edge of its vision - still close enough to chase down.

Taking up the hunt, the monster completed its turn and rushed after Millia.

"Curs and carrion!" Latonya swore, stomping her foot. She returned her blade to its sheath and took off sprinting after the others.