Chapter 24: Infernal Duo

"And here we go again…"

Back in the Otherworld, on that same deserted beach.

But in daylight, it seemed even more hostile: furious waves, raging wind, biting sand.

Blanche ran, eyes squinting, grains of sand whipping her face, until she finally reached the tree line.

This ecosystem was clearly designed to kill.

No wonder the Outres had migrated to Earth.

Or rather—Epsilon, she corrected herself, remembering that as a Drakion, she too came from here.

A sigh escaped her. It would take time to get used to this.

Then she stopped dead in her tracks.

She finally knew who she was! Joy radiated through her.

And for now, that was all that mattered.

A quest window appeared before her.

Stats Acquired:

Strength +3

Agility +4

Speed +5

Wisdom +4

Intelligence +5

Skills:

Shadows – Level 1

Flame – Level 1

Time – Level 1

Familiar – Level 1

Drain – Level 3

Flight – Level 3

Carnage – Level 1

Rest – Level 3

Swimming – Level 2

Level 4: Civilization.2

Objective: Conquer the North

Time Limit: Seven Days

Reward: TBD

" Seven days?! "she shouted." Are you kidding me?! A whole week?!"

And what else?

No one answered.

Fenrir had disappeared—along with her belongings.

Great. The red-haired Viking had probably taken everything.

Back to square one.

Well… off to the village, without weapons or gear, just in her tattered clothes.

This week promised to be long.

" Finally."

She spun around abruptly.

The Viking—the redhead—stood there, scarred, clad in tanned hides and ropes that threatened to snap. A massive black cape floated behind him. His tangled hair was perfect chaos. All of it together with her belongings.

"Hey! That’s mine!" she protested.

He smirked, removed his cape, and tossed it to her.

Blanche caught it with difficulty—it weighed a ton.

"The god Fenrir tasked me with watching over you during his absence, " he said simply. "And bringing you home."

He turned on his heels, walking toward the stream while carrying the player’s gear.

Blanche put on the cape.

The thick fabric immediately warmed her, shielding her legs from the wind.

A true comfort.

" “His absence”? And my new home? " she asked, voice a little too high.

No, she wasn’t worried. Well… maybe a little.

"Follow me, Half-Pint."

"Hilarious," she grumbled, regaining her sharp edge.

But he didn’t smile.

He walked on without a word, impassive.

She had to trot to catch up.

The small camp he had set up was impressive: her tarp had become a proper tent, sheltering from the wind and the relentless snow.

" I’ve been waiting for you for days, "he muttered. "I had time to go home, then return. You all always come back to the same spot."

“You all”? Blanche repeated, intrigued.

A growl was his only answer.

He methodically arranged their belongings: bag, bundle, axe. Then he resumed the path without a word, carrying it all.

Blanche sighed and followed.

" I have a feeling this story is going to get on my nerves fast…"

They crossed the stream at the shallowest point.

He walked through the icy water as if nothing had happened.

She, however, clutched the cape around her, teeth chattering.

By Babylon, she had missed this cold… like a toothache.

She could have flown, but chose to conserve her energy.

Better to be cautious.

No sooner had they reached the opposite bank than a bad feeling seized her.

She stopped.

"Hey, you! Stop! "she shouted.

The Viking froze.

"It’s not “you,” it’s Rauõr, he finally introduced himself."

An orc emerged from a dead trunk, right in front of them.

" Drain!"

The word slipped out. Too fast. Too forceful.

Strength +1

The orc collapsed, dead.

Five more immediately appeared from behind the trees.

"So you’re the one killing ours, growled one in a cavernous voice."

"Oh, you talk?! "Blanche shot back. "You attacked me for no reason, again and again!"

Well… “almost” for no reason. She thought of the three she had massacred without warning in the plains.

Next to her, the Viking—Rauõr—set down his bag and drew his axe.

"When I tell you, run to the village. Find a man named Vecz. Tell him I sent you. He’ll know what to do."

"No way I’m abandoning you! Give me my sword!"

He hesitated, then handed her the weapon.

An orc snickered.

"What’s so funny?" Blanche asked.

"I’m going to eat you, it replied ominously."

"Good luck, " she muttered. "I’ve already killed eight. And there are only five of you. Do the math."

A heavy silence fell. Even the orcs seemed to doubt themselves.

But their leader laughed, breaking the tension.

"By the way, why are you here?" she asked." Aren’t you supposed to be further north?"

The creatures exchanged glances.

Something was off.

Rauõr spoke, grave:

"They’re coming because the dark elves are gaining ground. Their war spreads."

Blanche gripped her sword.

" If you’d move along, we’d let you live."

No luck. The chief screamed and charged.

Rauõr leapt to meet him; the two axes clashed with a shower of sparks.

Blanche didn’t have time to see more: three more orcs charged her.

She waited until the last moment. Then:

"Time. Carnage."

The world froze.

A foreign force seized her body.

In five seconds, she severed a heel, slit another throat, pierced a third heart.

When time resumed, the bodies collapsed one by one into the blood-stained snow.

Rauõr, stunned, forgot his own fight.

His opponent took the chance to flee.

One orc, not fully dead, rose, ready to avenge his kin.

Blanche raised her hand.

"Fire."

A black flame burst from her palms.

The orc understood.

He advanced, resigned.

But before she could act, Rauõr hurled his axe: a clean decapitation.

She then realized why—the chief orc was charging her from behind.

The fireball shot out by itself.

Straight at his face.

The orc screamed, burning alive, before throwing his axe blindly.

Rauõr slammed her to the ground just in time, then retrieved the sword and cut the monster’s throat with a roar.

Strength +1

Carnage – Level 2

" Chase the one who fled, he ordered. He mustn’t speak."

Blanche nodded.

" Leave it to me. He won’t get far."

She rose into the air, following the tracks in the snow.

A shadow. A word. And silence.

Agility +1

She returned to the ground, exhausted.

"No more orcs in the woods, "she murmured.

Her body gave out. Blanche had reached her limit for the day. Her brain demanded a break.

Before she collapsed, two strong arms caught her.