Interlude: Sisters of battle

-27th day of AC, 27.04.1052-

-Time: About 12:40-

-Location: ???-

Kailey took a deep breath in.

Her hazelnut eyes looked up front, gauging the distance. Even by a rough estimate, there were between thirty and forty meters to the bear up front. It was turned away, giving her a clean shot on its back. The air was somewhat humid, and the forest around eliminated all wind. The conditions were perfect.

Pulling the bowstring more, she used a skill. The arrow in her hand appeared to vibrate faintly, its surface gaining a brief glint.

And then, she exhaled.

Releasing the bowstring, Kailey felt the power of its tension be transferred into the projectile that shot forward. The air around appeared to vibrate slightly as the arrow flew true, lodging itself in the monster's flesh. A beastly roar left its jaws as it immediately turned around. A small panel appeared in front of the woman's nose.

[Critical!]

[The effect of the title 'Deathly Gaze' increased the critical strike damage by 50%!]

[You have dealt 503 damage to the target.]

Kailey's hand reached the quiver by her side. The monster roared angrily, charging at her. Without wasting a second, the woman pulled the bowstring. She activated the same skill again and released the projectile.

[Critical!]

[The effect of the title 'Deathly Gaze' increased the critical strike damage by 50%!]

[You have dealt 489 damage to the target.]

Dashing to her right, she barely managed to avoid a strike that would've sent her flying. Now that the distance was closed, the ginger-haired woman managed to take a better look at the sheer size of the animal. It was over 2 meters tall while on all fours, with a jaw that could easily crush her head if she made a false move. Its bulky limbs sent dirt flying behind as they pumped, pushing the monster forth. Its reflexes also were pretty quick despite its size.

However, none of that was a concern to the archer. Pulling out a small whistle, Kailey blew into it, the piercing sound causing the bear to almost whine and come to a momentary halt. Then, she fluidly avoided a strike aimed at beheading her. Pulling yet another arrow, she loaded it quickly and shot at the bear point-blank, backpedaling.

[Critical!]

[The effect of the title 'Deathly Gaze' increased the critical strike damage by 50%!]

[You have dealt 372 damage to the target.]

"...?" Kailey's eyebrow shot up. She knew her critical strike chance was approaching 10% even without a skill, but this was unexpected. One such shot was luck. Two were good luck. But three?

*WHOOSH!*

Her thought process was interrupted by a flash of green energy passing between the two. The beast howled loudly in pain as it was struck, giving her the time she needed to make some distance from it. Kailey loaded another projectile onto her bow but did not fire immediately. Instead, she watched as her companion rushed into combat.

"Hup!" a brown-haired girl made a noise as she jumped onto the beast's back. "Don't bother my sister, will you?" she raised her hands, clad in leather gloves with metal plates sewn into their outer surface and fingers, and brought them down in a cross. As she did so, a green aura sept from her body, concentrating on her hands and forming twin blades that cut the monster's flesh. "I'm right here, ready to play."

Flailing wildly, the bear charged forth, attempting to throw her off its back. This, however, proved ineffective as the girl swiftly jumped to the side of a nearby tree before swinging a hand at the beast again, a blade of aura shooting forth. Sweat started appearing on her fair-skinned face. Still, she did not stop her onslaught, the beast's body marked by more wounds with every passing second.

Kailey, watching the scene unfold, pulled the bowstring, deciding to help her sister out. One arrow, two, and more lodged themselves in the bear's flesh. She evaded its strikes swiftly as its focus shifted.

The fight continued for a few minutes, the two switching places as the damage dealer to focus the beast's attention. Finally, the bear appeared to slow down, its HP worn down by the two. The ginger-haired woman released the final projectile, which struck its eye. The beast finally collapsed, letting out a dying breath. The girl near it huffed heavily, putting her heavy boot on its head to support herself.

"Haaah... didn't expect we'd run into a field boss while testing your skill," sweat poured down her face, accentuating the smooth cheeks. Beads of salty water dripped from the sharp chin reminiscent of her sister's. She swiped a hand in the air in front of herself. "How did it go, Kailey?" she turned to the woman holding the bow.

Kailey looked at her status. The nigh-emotionless stare of her hazelnut eyes was accompanied by a thumbs-up.

"Well, I have leveled up," the brown-haired girl swiped a hand in front of herself. "Hmm, some extra points in Endurance, not bad," she nodded to herself while grabbing her brown hair. After pulling out a small piece of line from a pocket, she tied them quickly, reducing their length from elbow-long to scarcely reaching her shoulders. "Kind of wish I could distribute them like you do. I would rather deal more damage," she kept speaking, a hand on her chin while the other went down her attire. She smoothed out the tunic's material cascading down her frame, the matte dark green matching her eyes.

Then, she patted her thighs lightly with a dull sound as her hand met the sturdy scales of her protective leggings, green-brown in color.

"..." Kailey ignored her sister's words, instead looking around. Her keen eyes scanned the dense forest in search of any threat. After a few seconds, the woman breathed a sigh of relief. She put the bow on her shoulder before making her way over to the bear's corpse.

She got to one knee, allowing her hair to flow in a curtain around her head. With little hesitation, she got hold of the arrows one by one, pulling them out. However, a surprising thing happened when she grabbed a particular one.

[Item 'Lightwood arrow' was destroyed.]

"...?" her eyebrows shot up, a hand grasping the broken wood. Glancing at her other hand, she used an appraisal skill.

[Lightwood arrow (x4)

Rating: Rare

Attack power: 16-19

*There is a moderate probability of gaining additional speed when shot.

*There is a high probability of ignoring a portion of the target's defense.

*Resistant to breaking.

Arrows made of sturdy yet flexible wood known as lightwood. Their tips are made of black iron, granting them decent piercing power. Their fletchings were created by soaking eagle feathers in a special concoction for 3 days. Despite being consumables, they will not snap easily.

Weight: 120 g]

The other projectiles appeared to be fine, as they should be. After all, summoning her memory, her sister had commissioned those arrows no more than 3 weeks ago, and Kailey always took good care of her equipment. The tips of the projectiles had yet begun to show any bluntness, and their shafts were still strong. How could one have broken already? Kailey was sure she did not use too much strength (it was her lowest stat anyway, and her Sense would not allow her to accidentally break an item anyway). Tracing along the bear's fur, the woman could confirm that this particular arrow was the second one she shot against the bear. Then... could it have broken because of the newest skill she was trying out?

To test her theory, she located the initial projectile she began the skirmish with. Getting a careful hold of it, Kailey tried to move it...

[Item 'Lightwood arrow' was destroyed.]

...but the result spoke for itself. With a slight frown, she summoned the information of the skill.

[Power Shot lvl. 1 (1.42%)

Increase the arrow's damage by 1.5 times your magical power. There is a low probability of inflicting the 'slowness' debuff for 10 seconds.

Cost: 50 MP]

"..." Kailey grimaced, dismissing the panel. This skill said nothing about 'destroying the arrow shot'. The question remained, was this effect absolute, or was she experiencing unluck for the critical strikes earlier? Her full lips let out a light sigh.

"What's with that frown?" her sister asked, stepping closer. As her earthy eyes scanned the woman sitting on the corpse, she noticed the item Kailey threw to the ground. "Oh. Wait, weren't those new? Why would they break? You take care of your stuff."

The ginger-haired woman immediately swiped her hand, showing her sister the same panel she had just opened. Reading through it, the brown-haired girl frowned.

"This doesn't say a word about 'breaking the arrow'," she made the same point Kailey conceded to herself. "...Maybe it's meant for use with heavier arrows. We can try to get some cheap ones tomorrow. We're still close to Klea."

The hazelnut-eyed woman nodded lightly in response, hiding the arrows in the quiver. Right after that, she did a light stretch, feeling her muscles reactivate, ready for any action she'd give them. Then, she opened the System's quests, focusing on a particular one.

-In the evening-

*Huff!*

Kailey let out a whiff of air, pushing herself off the ground the final time.

*Ting!*

[You have cleared the daily quest ‘To become strong.’]

[5 stat points have been awarded. 1 Runestone of thunder has been awarded.]

"..." she felt an inward scoff rise at the base of her throat. Those stones were useless. Their best usage was selling for money.

The ginger-haired woman lowered herself to the ground, her somewhat large breasts meeting the soft ground and serving as a pad. Beads of sweat dribbled down her cheeks, but she did not care enough to wipe them. Extending a hand, she accepted the reward and immediately threw it to her left.

"Hey!" her sister's voice pierced the air. "Stash it yourself!" she threw it right back at Kailey.

"..." Kailey puffed at her hair, getting it out of her face. Then, she supported her head on her hands and shifted her position.

Her sister was sitting by a small campfire, a spoon in her hand, stirring the contents of a small cauldron. Orange fire licked the pot's sides, but she appeared unbothered, a green aura covering her hand and protecting her from the heat.

A pleasant smell permeated the air. The brown-haired girl lifted the scoop, tasting the soup before picking and throwing some herbs into the mix. Stirring it quickly, she parted her mouth, "Well, that's another day behind, huh?" her verdant eyes glistened in the light from the flames as she glanced at Kailey.

The Apostle of Dungeons rolled on her back. Her breasts jiggled with the motion. She exhaled slowly, staring into the darkening sky.

"So, want your fill?" she heard her sister speak. The girl by the cauldron was filling a small bowl, its steaming-hot contents spewing forth their delicious smell.

Kailey ascended to a sitting position and accepted the meal. Immediately, she took a tentative sip, letting the hot liquid flow down her throat.

Her companion filled a bowl for herself, sitting back slightly. Delia reached for the backpack near her, pulling out a small spoon and a few pieces of meat jerky. Throwing them into the mix, she put on a small smile.

"Not bad for third-rate ingredients," a cocky smile entered her youthful face as she took a good whiff.

It was hard to believe this cheerful girl was the same fighter who had taken on a high-level beast earlier today. Looks could be the most deceiving thing.

Kailey focused her gaze momentarily.

[Name: Delia Plics

Class: Aura Master (Growth)

Titles: One Who Dreams of Killing a Boss in One Blow, Shining Talent, Aspiring to be a Legend

Level: 65 (0.71%)

HP: 3522/3522

MP: 103/103

Stamina: 934/934]

[Strength: 195

Agility: 104

Endurance: 169

Intelligence: 51

Wisdom: 27

Sense: 101]

[Skills: Aura (Epic), Aura Mark lvl. 10 (Max), Aura Heart lvl. 9, Intermediate Cooking lvl. 1, Novice Tailoring lvl. 5, 11 more...]

[A girl who has lived solely with her sister since age six. Her origins are unknown, as she has been on the move almost constantly her entire life. While still young, Delia has proven her proficiency in using aura many times.

*Has great potential to learn.

*Delia has broken through some class limitations by developing techniques unique to her person. If this progresses, she may grow into an extraordinary person one day.]

Kailey dismissed the panels. The initial description of Delia sent an unpleasant shiver down her spine. The grim reality was even Kailey had difficulty recalling the name of the town they were both born in.

Her gaze shifted to the bowl of soup in her hands. The hot liquid heated her hands pleasantly, combating the gentle breeze that brushed past them both in the plains.

[Firethorn soup

Rating: Rare

*Slightly increases HP regeneration.

*There is minimal probability of permanently increasing fire resistance slightly.

*Very tasty.

Despite being made from mundane materials, proper handling allowed the most nutritious values of its ingredients to shine. Best eaten while hot.]

Meanwhile, Delia began eating her own portion. Her back was against the entrance to a small tent they both used in their travels, a large backpack by her side as she munched on the meat she scooped from within the bowl. The brown hair, normally flowing down her chest, was now done into a short braid, showing the curves somewhat less pronounced than her sister's, hidden underneath a baggy shirt and long pants. Legs crossed together, the Aura Master didn't notice her sister staring.

Kailey felt a sense of contentedness in her stomach. Her eyes slowly returned to her food as she took another tentative sip, slowly nutritioning herself.

"You know," she suddenly heard Delia speak. "While we're still near Klea, I think we can spare a day and do the quest for Mister Melker. I don't want to see him shut his smithy in the future. Besides, getting penalized doesn't sound fun. The last one was annoying enough."

"..." Kailey closed her eyes for a split second, mentally telling the System to grab the necessary information and let her read through it.

[Quest: Unfair competition]

[Klea is not a large city. Due to this, there are only so many smithies placed around, and most of them belong to a singular company, Limit.

Their practices of dealing with competition had been unjust. Yet, the city's guards do not wish to take action without solid proof. Melker, one of the last blacksmiths to not fall under their influence, has asked you for help removing unfair competition.

Objective: Expose the corruption within Limit company.

Optional: Eliminate the Limit company.

Reward: Your reputation in Klea will rise. Increase affinity with Melker. 20 stat points.

Optional reward: Further increase affinity with Melker. There is a possibility of Melker teaching you a blacksmithing skill or creating a tailor-made piece of equipment based on your performance.

Failure penalty: Penalty issued by the System. Severity: Low.

Abandonment penalty: Penalty issued by the System. Severity: Medium.]

It was a quest they two got somewhat randomly a couple of days ago. Kailey had to exert her memory to recollect even the posture of the blacksmith who nagged quietly about the unfairness of the competition. Delia had inquired about the issue, resulting in this quest being created. At first, they agreed to push the problem off until the new arrows were made. Now, they had to make a decision.

Was it possible to do this quest in just a day? Delia, since the very creation of the quest, was adamant that it was possible. Kailey, however, remained skeptical. Gathering information was supposed to be delicate on a matter such as this.

Were they willing to suffer the penalty? Kailey was unsure. If it was a quest just for her, she wouldn't have given it a second thought - delving into matters of others rarely aligned with her interests. The reason she had picked that smithy at all was because the prices were told to be good. But with her sister in the same cart, she couldn't dismiss it as simply.

Still, there was one way she knew to go about it. A rather simple solution for her.

Kailey reached into her backpack. Within seconds, she presented to Delia a large, gem-like stone of faintly orange color.

Delia's mood deflated instantly at the sight.

"...Still, I'd rather eat a penalty than lose that," she sighed, putting on a slightly pouty expression. "Sure, let's make a dungeon on top of them. That can only go well," she said with a sarcastic tone. "Wasn't this one epic-rated? You want to waste it like that?"

Kailey sighed in response, putting the item back.

...

A few minutes of silence passed. The two had eaten their fill. Quickly cleaning the bowls, Kailey put them into a small pocket on Delia's backpack. Then, she lay on her back, staring into the night sky.

"The stars are nice, aren't they? Makes you wonder just how big the world is," the brown-haired girl spoke slowly, her eyes glimmering in the light from the campfire.

"..."

"...Do you think Mom and Dad are out there?" a quiet question left Delia's mouth.

"..." Kailey let out a quiet sigh as she shrugged.

"You know, I sometimes do wonder about that. What would Dad say, seeing us like this? I'm a growth-type class, and you are an Apostle. Would he be proud of the shit we are in?"

...

*WHACK!*

Delia winced momentarily, feeling her sister's bow hit her in the head. Kailey did not even ascend from her position, holding the weapon lightly as she retreated her hand.

"Hey!" the Aura Master barked at her. "It's just 'shit', alright? It's not like I said 'fuck'-- oh no..."

*WHACK WHACK!*

"...alright, I'm sorry... I won't swear anymore... (not with you nearby, at least)," Delia massaged the now-reddening spot on her head. It was sure to become a lump for at least a day or two, even if it didn't cause much damage. 'Sheesh, she's going to break her bow at this rate...'

Kailey retreated her hand, resting the weapon by her backpack.

A few long moments of complete silence transpired, occasionally broken by the crackling of wood in the fire.

"...Kailey?"

"...?" the Apostle turned her head to Delia. What came to her attention was her sister's gaze, aimed at the sky. Her fair skin was illuminated by the dancing flames.

"Do you... remember... Mom and Dad?" Delia's green eyes looked at her slowly. A strange lack of emotion was visible.

Kailey shrugged lightly. Her eyebrow raised slightly, asking the obvious question.

"...you know, it's just dawning on me now. It's been ten years already since they left. And frankly... I don't even remember their faces anymore," Delia's voice lost its carefree edge, becoming slightly distant as her gaze turned to the fire. "All I can remember is just... us two against the world. And lately, I started to think about it all. Are they really out there somewhere? Why did they leave? What would they say to us? Would they be proud of us? Do I even want to look for them anymore? I'm just... unsure," a slight grimace appeared on her half-full lips. The sleek cheeks seemed to sink ever so slightly.

Suddenly, Delia almost flinched, feeling Kailey's hand on her shoulder. The older Plics pulled the younger one into a tight hug. Caressing the braid slowly, she touched Delia's head, gently smoothing her lips against her sister's hair.

"...Kailey, you know I'm beyond crying over them," Delia appeared to protest, but she didn't fight the hold. "I don't give a damn if they're even alive. We got each other, and that's what matters to me," she held Kailey's hand tightly for a few seconds.

...

"...I'm going to sleep. See you in the morning," Delia slowly struggled free of her sister's hold.

Stepping into the tent, the Aura Master glanced at her sister slowly. A small smile made its way to her mouth. Her eyes watered slightly, but she wiped the drops. Then, she lay under one of the two duvets. The ground under the material felt refreshingly soft.

With a sigh, she brought a hand to her face. Summoning her aura, she watched the greenish power cover her fingers.

'...what class were Mom and Dad, anyway...?' the ponder entered her mind for a long moment before she decided to dismiss it. 'Doesn't matter. Those fuckers don't deserve to see us even if they're alive.' she thought, resolve stirring within her soul.

...

A glint of uneasiness stirred in Kailey's heart.

Her eyes glanced at her sister. Seeing Delia slumbering within just a few minutes, Kailey sighed quietly.

Family has always been a touchy subject to prod at between them. Even though Kailey was pushing to her 28th birthday soon, she could not help but feel as though the memory of their parents was becoming shrouded in darkness. In sincerity, she found it difficult to recall their mother's lithe figure, let alone her gentle face. Their father's wide frame, compiled with rough hairstyle and facial features similar to Delia's, also slowly faded into obscurity.

Ten years... Kailey could not help but wonder. Were their parents even alive anymore?

Why did they leave? She never learned the answer to that.

Would they ever come back? That was a question she was unable to answer. Perhaps it was even better to be left unanswered.

Did they ever love them? Kailey wanted to answer 'yes', but even so, recalling how she was raised to always be prepared for harsh times, she could not help but wonder if they did, in fact, do it out of affection for her. Perhaps... they knew they wouldn't be around for long. Maybe this situation was written in the stars ages ago.

...

Stealing another glance at her sister, Kailey smiled warmly. Grasping at escaping shadows had no meaning when she had someone to protect. Did their parents exist anymore? Would they be proud of them? She didn't care. What mattered to her was Delia.

Slowly, she summoned her status and distributed the points she received.

[Name: Kailey Plics

Class: Apostle of Dungeons & Hunts

Titles: Deathly Gaze, The Shade of Rruta

Level: 52 (77.53%)

HP: 990/990

MP: 912/912]

[Strength: 53

Agility: 150 (+10)

Endurance: 70

Intelligence: 160

Wisdom: 80

Sense: 150 (+10)

AP: 0

SP: 2]

She sighed.

Her stats were good, yes. They were mostly distributed between Agility, Sense, and Intelligence - the trio of the stats important for her class - yes. But were they good enough? That stood under a question mark.

Recalling the fight with the bear from today, she could not help but feel as though she lacked something. Was it more Strength for steadier bow drawing? Or Endurance to last a little longer? She could not put her finger on the issue.

Deciding against thinking of useless things, she dismissed the panel.

Her thoughts shifted to the situation at hand. To her, who was focused on caring for Delia, it was easy to forget the entire purpose of her class.

Kailey pulled out a small container from the side of her backpack. Opening it, she looked at the small pill within.

[???

Rating: Secret

Options: Secret

Only the 'Apostle of Tricks and Manipulation' can check the item's information.]

Was it not for what Tanya told her, Kailey would've already used this item long ago. It was most definitely something to allow for growth in power. She felt it on an instinctual level.

But...

Her heart stirred with uncertainty. Apostle of Tricks and Manipulation... would they be a person she could put her trust in, for her to be told to cooperate with them? Kailey was uncertain. The very nature of their class filled her with a glint of repulse. Yet, simultaneously, she could not help but feel hopeful. Given the different people she and Delia had met already, it would be nice if someone didn't try to cover their actions.

That was what she wished for.

Just one person to not make up excuses.

---

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