Blood Will Tell

XIX

Short, dry grass dotted the balding flatland. Edin stood in a firm stance near the edge of the flatland, both hands wrapped around the hilt of his sword. A few hundred meters away from him was an ætterling that had been tied up. Now that he had progressed greatly in the last couple of months, he had moved on from beheading brighunds bound to poles to battling much bigger brutes in open fields.

Arden oversaw the scene from afar, clenching her right fist as her magic restrained the beast. Her left hand, meanwhile, held one of her dual swords as a precaution. Ætterlings were not to be handled lightly—they were twice as big and fast as a man, and the venom from their claws could kill one in a minute or less.

Arden looked at Edin. She commanded him: "Now, fight."

Her right fist unclenched.

The beast broke out of its bonds and roared. It unsheathed its claws before scrambling toward him on all fours.

Edin's eyes narrowed into slits. He remained in his spot—no retreating.

The beast jumped at him. He sprang forward, swinging his sword.

Slash!

Blade cleaved off a claw as he leaped out of harm's way. The thud of him landing on his feet masked the sound of falling flesh.

The creature screeched, clutching its amputated limb.

Edin turned around. Faced the beast. Bolted towards it just as it reared its head.

The beast swiped a foreleg at him—he ducked, then struck the legs.

It bawled as its knees buckled, then even more loudly when he severed both ankles. It snarled and swung its last claw at his face.

He dodged. Changed grip. Leaped and brandished his blade, cutting off the final claw.

The beast howled and rolled on the ground, exposing its backside. Perfect.

Edin raised his sword, aimed, and plunged it into the beast's back. Wet cracking sounds rippled through the air as he pierced its bones and heart.

The body stilled at once. Edin pulled out his sword and let it dangle from his right hand, his gaze lingering on the blood pouring out of the corpse's wounds.

Now the real fight had begun.

Arden observed Edin as he stood stationary in front of the carcass, battling his desire to butcher the body further. His fingers caressed the handle of his weapon while his left hand clenched into a fist. She paid closer attention to his chest. It was not puffing that much this time, signaling a more relaxed breathing pattern compared to before. A positive sign.

A long moment later, his left hand opened and his sword faded away. Edin turned his head to face his mentor, whose lips were now upturned at the corners.

"Well done," Arden congratulated him. "At this rate, you should be back in the Guild in no time."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." Arden's smile grew wider and warmer. "Excited about this weekend?"

"Uh, what's happening this weekend?"

"You don't remember? The twelfth of Sigelend is in six days!"

"Oh, right! The day you found me."

Arden breathed a sigh of relief. "I was starting to worry there."

"To be fair, I don't remember most things about me. Oh, and your birthday's near too, isn't it?"

"Yes, it's the day after tomorrow."