Free Web NovelChapter 28: Battle Against A Scun Wolf (Cont’d)
The wolf was still distracted, looking up at the sky. At Quinette shooting towards its neck, with mana cloaking her blade.
I took the opportunity. Dashed to the wolf.
Slid underneath, ground through the snow. My aim was still the same leg I had attacked; I dashed towards it still, keeping the mana solid at my palm’s edge.
I located where I had struck before, the cut into its skin. Still there, still a fresh wound.
The wolf barked. It jumped into the air, aiming to bite at Quinette. I looked behind — its front paws were about to lift off the ground.
So I focused, to intercept the jump.
I joined my palms together, intensified the mana; a blade formed from solidified mana.
A formless blade.
Still sharp enough to cut through air.
I charged.
Swoosh, I sliced at the same spot. Carving further through flesh, chipping at its bone, fingers brushed its hard split.
It was quick. I streaked. Already left beneath the wolf.
Another whine left its mouth.
Its leg failed, crashed to the ground.
Backing the wolf, its force hitting me from behind. I didn’t waver. Straightened up.
It’s left to you. Quinette.
In the sky, she descended with a darkened energy. The force of her mana made the air oppressive.
Blade pointed down.
A finishing strike.
Sparks danced in the air, dark crimson fading into nothing.
Quinette dove down in the form of dark lightning, stabbing the wolf at its neck, blade dug into its nape.
Blood gushed out. Trailed down its neck, leaving stains of crimson. It finally collapsed to the ground. Its crushing force shook the trees, clearing the snow around, with a violent wind push.
Its body remained motionless.
With Quinette on her knees over its body.
Blood of the wolf splattered on her armor.
I was relieved; my chest unclenched.
Our teamwork paid off. If we had fought separately, we would have lost.
Fighting together made it easier.
"Good job." I raised a thumb.
Without a reply, Quinette pulled her blade out, swept it through the air before sheathing it. Don’t know if she heard. Because the wind was still screaming.
She then descended with her wings.
"You beat my expectations. Didn’t think you could hurt the wolf with... bare hands."
"As I said, you underestimated me."
Quinette rested her hands on her hips.
"...you were right, I guess."
She pointed her thumb behind her, at the wolf corpse. "Now we’ve defeated it, show me... absorb the fragments of mana."
...
Standing before the wolf. Before its head. Eyes closed, tongue sticking out.
I looked insignificant next to its size.
The size of its nose was abnormally my height.
But we’d defeated it.
Had we.
The closer I got, a small surge of warm wind reached me.
It was still breathing.
Slowly. Steadily.
At the edge of death.
I wasn’t taking any chances.
"Quinette, it isn’t dead — we have to finish it off."
Despite the amount of blood it had lost and the damage alone, it’s strong.
The sound of her blade singing out from behind me.
I stretched my hand out. "Give me the blade. I’ll finish it off myself."
She pulled back. "It’s okay, I can do it myself."
I rolled my eyes habitually. "Your mana is depleted. I still have enough. I can do it. Striking through the skull with bare hands wouldn’t be easy — hence I’m asking for your blade."
"Still, I would do it myself. I can’t hand you my blade — it’s sacred."
"You’re a Commander, act like one. As much as you want to be the hero, acknowledge your shortcomings. Letting others do the job isn’t weak."
I drew closer, looking deep into her eyes.
"That’s what a true leader does."
Her lips parted to speak, forming words that didn’t leave her lips.
She looked away.
Reluctantly, she gave me the blade. I lifted it, gauging its weight — its grippy hilt weighted heavier than the last sword I held, which used to belong to my father.
I leaped up, standing on its head. I placed the blade to the skull, raised it to stab, reinforced with mana, dark blue energy.
About to strike.
The wolf snorted.
Not a weak breath as before.
What followed next was a heavy blast of freezing cold erupting from its fur.
I staggered back before planting my leg firmly.
My skin froze dry.
I gasped. Ice crackled. I snapped to see. The deep wound Quinette had caused froze up.
The wolf wasn’t dead. It was healing. freewebnovёl.ƈom
Quick — I can’t waste any more time. I drove the blade. Clang.
I struck solid ice, which had formed from the wolf’s fur.
Not causing even a dent on its surface.
Its neck and body lifted up.
The ground was meters away from me.
It swatted its tail to sweep me off its head. The tail wasn’t the same — ice clocked at the tips in spikes.
I swept the blade to intercept, but was lifted off my feet, sent flying away.
How could it move? That attack was aimed at its nape.
Thrown to a tree like a ragdoll.
I tumbled over and over.
Crashing my back into a tree, I felt something shift in my spine. My body stuck into the teeth.
I gritted my teeth, holding in the pain.
My eyes twitched.
So this is its full strength.
Ice cloaked its body more, like armor, protecting every inch of its body.
Even the blade couldn’t penetrate it.
My fingers went slack on the sword.
I tightened them back. I still have to fight.
The force which kept me stuck to the tree left, and my body fell from the top.
I drew closer to the ground. I prepared myself to land.
Then.
I spotted her flying to my side. I stretched out.
Quinette swept in, catching my hand before I hit the ground.
"You’re alright?" she said.
"Yes. It was nothing." When my back was aching like crazy.
"Are you sure we can still keep fighting?"
"We just have to."
The wolf howled. A loud, deafening sound spread throughout the forest.
Everything stilled for a second. Then howls, from different directions all around us, rose in the air.
Each closer than the last.
Up to six different howls.
I quickly realized — like it wasn’t menacing enough.
It was calling in other wolves for backup.
"Walter...?" Quinette muttered with concern.
One Scun wolf was already too much.
Our odds against six. Very, very slim.
