2~11

The teleportation rune flared with a blinding azure light, then abruptly extinguished, leaving Kuina stumbling onto cracked stone. She landed with a jarring thud, her senses reeling from the disorienting journey. The air hung heavy with the scent of damp earth and decaying vegetation, and an eerie silence blanketed the surroundings. Tall, gnarled trees loomed overhead, their branches intertwined to form a dense canopy that obscured the sky. She was in a ruin, ancient and forgotten, its weathered stones whispering tales of a bygone era. A location utterly unfamiliar to her.

Kuina swayed for a moment, fighting to regain her bearings. A wave of nausea washed over her, and she instinctively reached for her missing arm, only to be met with the searing phantom pain of its absence. A grimace twisted her lips as she **** herself to focus, pushing aside the shock and disorientation. Survival demanded immediate action.

With a practiced efficiency honed by years of adventuring, Kuina channeled her magical energy. A flickering flame danced to life in her palm, its warmth a small comfort against the encroaching chill. She didn’t hesitate, pressing the searing heat against the ragged flesh where her right arm had been severed. A hiss of burning tissue filled the air, followed by the acrid smell of cauterized flesh. It was a brutal, agonizing process, but necessary to staunch the bleeding and prevent infection. She grit her teeth, her knuckles white as she clenched her jaw, enduring the pain with stoic resolve.

The flame spell subsided, leaving behind a blackened, scarred stump. While far from a perfect solution, the cauterization had halted the bleeding, and the immediate threat of blood loss was averted. Kuina leaned against a crumbling stone pillar, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her body trembling with exhaustion and pain. She closed her eyes for a moment, allowing herself a brief respite before assessing her situation.

"Alright Lael... where have you sent me?"

The forest responded to Kuina’s question with silence. The only sound was the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze and the distant chirping of unseen birds. It was a serene, almost ethereal sound, yet it did little to alleviate her sense of unease. The air thrummed with an ancient energy, a palpable sense of history and forgotten power. An ordinary forest with remnants of stone, as if an old civilization used to live here.

Kuina pushed herself off a crumbling pillar, ignoring the protesting ache in her remaining limbs. She needed to get her bearings, to understand where Lael had sent her while the adrenaline was still strong within. She began to walk, her steps cautious as she navigated the uneven terrain, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of civilization or a familiar landmark. The forest floor was covered in a thick layer of fallen leaves, their colours ranging from vibrant crimson to decaying brown, creating a mosaic of autumnal hues. Strange, luminous fungi sprouted from the bases of the trees, casting an otherworldly glow upon the undergrowth.

Each step was heavier than the first, the weight of loss settling heavily in her chest.

'This is no place to grieve.. I can't let his sacrifice be in vain.'

Kuina pushed on - raising her hand up in front of herself, casting an illuminating blue flame. Its heat coalesced into a shimmering ablaze compass, hovering just before Kuina’s outstretched hand. It spun momentarily, then settled pointing north. A faint, ethereal glow emanated from the compass, illuminating the immediate surroundings with a soft, cerulean light. It wasn't a perfect guide, but it was better than nothing. It confirmed she hadn't been transported to some realm beyond the sun, at least.

Kuina studied the compass, her brow furrowed in concentration. North… that would mean the Kingdom of Órns lay in that direction, assuming Lael hadn’t deliberately sent her wildly off course. He was a strategist, after all, and sometimes his plans were… convoluted. She couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't a random destination. Living south from Órns, it naturally takes two months to scale the journey via land. More during times of winter.

"I'd bet this is the path he took when taking Eira to Órns..."

She murmured softly, voicing her thoughts aloud rather than withholding them. Anything to keep the adventurer sane after her loss. Keeping the warm compass lit, she pressed onward.

As she ventured deeper into the forest, the trees grew taller and more imposing, their branches forming a dense canopy that blotted out most of the remaining light. The air became noticeably cooler, and a damp mist began to cling to the undergrowth. The forest floor transformed into a tangled web of roots and vines, making each step a precarious undertaking. The silence, once serene, now felt oppressive, as if the forest itself was watching her, scrutinizing her every move.

A sudden rustling in the underbrush ahead startled Kuina, the nub of her arm instinctively shifted to where her sword would normally hang. She scanned the shadows, her senses on high alert, searching for the source of the disturbance. A small, furry creature darted across her path – a squirrel-like animal with iridescent blue fur and large, luminous eyes. It paused for a moment, regarding her with curious indifference, before scampering up a nearby tree.

Kuina lowered her guard slightly, a wry smile tugging at her lips. Even in this strange, unfamiliar forest, life persisted. It was a small comfort, a reminder that not everything was lost. She continued her trek northward, the blue compass guiding her through the labyrinthine woods. After what felt like hours, the trees began to thin, and a faint glimmer of light appeared in the distance. Hope flickered within her chest. Could it be a settlement? Or perhaps just an opening in the forest?

The glimmer of light resolved into a clearing, revealing a scene that sent a chill down Kuina’s spine. The settlement was little more than a handful of dilapidated huts, their wooden frames splintered and broken, their thatched roofs torn to shreds. The air hung heavy with the coppery tang of blood, a grim testament to a recent and brutal attack. The ground was littered with debris – shattered furniture, torn clothing, and the scattered remnants of everyday life. It was clear the inhabitants hadn't stood a chance.

Kuina’s ice blue eyes narrowed as she surveyed the devastation, her hand instinctively reaching for the phantom weight of her sword. The paw prints were enormous, easily the size of a fully grown bear, but far more savage in their shape. These weren't the tracks of any animal she recognized. Mixed in with the massive prints were the smaller, more familiar tracks of wolves, but even they seemed… agitated, as if fleeing from something far more terrifying.

A low growl echoed from the edge of the clearing, sending a shiver down Kuina's spine. She spun around, her senses on high alert, searching for the source of the sound. A pair of glowing red eyes materialized from the shadows, followed by a massive, hulking form. It wasn't a bear, nor was it any beast she had ever encountered in her years as an adventurer.

The creature stepped fully into the clearing, and Kuina gasped. It was a hulking monstrosity, easily ten feet tall, with thick, matted fur the colour of dried blood. Its limbs were disproportionately long, ending in massive claws that scraped against the earth, leaving deep furrows in their wake. A pair of twisted horns protruded from its skull, and its jaws were filled with rows of razor-sharp teeth. But it was the shadows that clung to its form that truly set it apart. They writhed and pulsed, like living darkness, obscuring its features and giving it an unearthly, demonic appearance.

The creature let out a deafening roar that shook the very ground beneath Kuina's feet. It wasn't a sound of animalistic rage, but something far more sinister, laced with an ancient, malevolent intelligence. The air crackled with dark energy, and the surrounding trees seemed to recoil in fear. It stalked towards her, its glowing red eyes fixated on her with predatory intent. It didn't move with the lumbering gait of a bear, but with a disturbing, fluid grace that belied its immense size. This was no mere beast. It was a guardian, a predator… something wrong.

A surge of energy crackled around Kuina’s left hand, coalescing into a shimmering blade of pure electricity. The air thrummed with power as the weapon materialized, its form solidifying into a sleek, elegant sword that pulsed with azure light. Despite the loss of her arm, despite the grief that threatened to consume her, her stance remained unwavering. A grim determination settled over her features. She had faced down a celestial hydra, survived battles against impossible odds. This… this was merely another challenge. A lesser one, even.

The creature lunged, its massive claws slashing through the air with terrifying speed. Kuina moved with a speed that belied her exhaustion and injury, sidestepping the attack and bringing her electric blade crashing down on the beast’s foreleg. The impact sent a jolt of energy through the creature’s body, causing it to recoil with a guttural roar. Black ichor sprayed from the wound, sizzling as it came into contact with the forest floor. The creature swiped again, forcing Kuina to parry with her electric sword, the clash of energy sending sparks flying. The beast’s strength was immense, each blow threatening to overwhelm her defenses, but Kuina held firm, her movements precise and calculated. She wasn't relying on brute ****, but on agility and technique, exploiting every opening, every weakness in the creature’s defense.

Kuina danced around the beast, a whirlwind of electric energy and calculated strikes. Each blow from her blade chipped away at the creature’s shadowy armor, revealing patches of raw, pulsating flesh beneath. The monster roared in frustration, its attacks becoming more reckless and ****. It swiped wildly, tearing through the surrounding trees as it attempted to crush Kuina with its sheer size and power.

Kuina used the creature’s own momentum against it, sidestepping a particularly ferocious swipe and using her electric blade to sever a tendon in its hind leg. The beast stumbled, its massive form crashing to the ground with a thunderous impact that shook the clearing. It thrashed wildly, its claws tearing at the earth, but the severed tendon hampered its movements. Kuina seized the opportunity, leaping onto the creature’s back and driving her electric blade deep into the base of its skull. A blinding flash of energy erupted, followed by a deafening screech that echoed through the forest. The creature’s body convulsed violently, the shadows that clung to it dissipating like smoke in the wind. Finally, with a shuddering sigh, it went still.

As the last vestiges of the creature dissolved into blackened dust, carried away by the gentle breeze, Kuina found herself alone once more amidst the ruins of the settlement. The silence was deafening, broken only by the rustling of leaves and the distant calls of birds. She took a moment to catch her breath, her body aching with exhaustion and the lingering effects of the battle. Despite her victory, a heavy weight settled upon her shoulders. The sight of the destroyed homes, the lingering scent of ****… it was a stark reminder of the devastation wrought by the celestial hydra and its angelic master.

With a determined sigh, Kuina began her search. She moved methodically from hut to hut, her eyes scanning every nook and cranny for any sign of life, or more importantly, for supplies. Most of the structures were utterly ransacked, their contents strewn across the ground. It was clear the creature hadn't been seeking sustenance, but destruction. She found little of value in the first few huts - broken furniture, torn clothing, and the remnants of meager meals. But she pressed on, driven by a **** hope. Finally, in the last hut, tucked away beneath a pile of rubble, she discovered a small, wooden chest. It was locked, but with a surge of electric energy, she quickly disabled the mechanism. Inside, nestled amongst a few scraps of cloth, were three small vials – two filled with a shimmering, crimson liquid, and one with a swirling, azure potion.

Kuina’s eyes lit up with a flicker of hope. Two healing potions, and a mana potion. It wasn't much, but it was enough to replenish some of her strength and magical reserves. She quickly uncorked one of the healing potions and drank it down in a single gulp. A warm sensation spread through her body, easing the ache in her muscles and accelerating the healing of her wound. The cauterized stump of her arm throbbed less intensely, the pain receding to a dull ache. She carefully secured the potions in a pouch at her waist, a small victory amidst the overwhelming devastation.