Chapter Text
VERMILLION BLOODLANDS
The dank forests span a range of crimson. It would take a considerable amount of effort to maneuver through the trails as patches of mud would try and drag an inexperienced traveller into a treacherous ordeal. It is appropriately named the Vermillion Bloodlands due to its violent creatures that haunt within the shadows.
Though, it is the wetness of the land that brings out the accents of nature through breath. A potent aroma lingers the autumn winds with fresh and incoming rain, the sweetness of fermenting apples along red and crunchy byroad made with the fallen leaves.
It is nearing night as indicated by the sun sinking into the horizon, turning into a mesh of orange and red.
Taking it from perspective, it is as if daylight is becoming one with the season. But that just means there is more time to grasp what little and valuable light they have for their travels.
“H-Haruka!” The brunette called as she rushes over to her side and jams her tonfa in between the vampiric jaws of a blood-thirsty hound. “Are you okay?”
The point of the sabre strikes in between its eyes before it disperses into little sparkles of light. “I’m more worried about you, Minori. I should’ve been vigilant to my surroundings.”
“No no! It came out of nowhere! You did great Haruka!”
“Watch your six, guys! We're still dinner for these lot!”
Among them was a petite girl named Mai. Despite being short in stature, she is a valuable member of the team— providing support auras using magic through her staff.
She smacks the rear end of the stick onto the floor and releases an orange aura that would minimize the damage inflicted by the vampire dogs' attacks. Meanwhile, Haruka pours mana into the blade itself so that they can be able to counter those viciously fast pounces.
But then another group of four vampiric dogs comes at them, along with a much bigger canine who is presumed to be the leader of the pack.
His fur is rougher in comparison as if he was bathed in the blood of his enemies and it dried into little flakes that, as a result of his bloodlust, ruined his fur. His tusks are yellow and cracked; his claws were sharp enough to tear through steel armour.
There is also a foul odour coming from him that makes the girls gag. They could not tell how old he was but judging by his size, he must've been around a long time.
"He's huge!" Minori exclaimed, worried that his jaws may shatter her tonfas into a million different pieces.
But Haruka gave a confident smile and the formidable foe. "Don’t back down now. This is a tough fight but we’ll see it through!”
Mai looks up at her friend, wondering why she was smiling at something that looked impossible to beat. She knows that Haruka is strong, but even this is just too farfetched. “Haruka? But-!”
“We still have tomorrow to look forward to! I’m not going down until I pull all the stops!”
And with that, Haruka charges toward the creature. As she yelled out a battle cry, the other two followed suit and charged right after her.
At first, they were overwhelmed by the amount of vampire dogs that came at them. Their only hope lies in the fact that their opponent is slow compared to humans. With each passing second, however, the monsters seem to become faster and stronger than before.
Haruka suspects that the leader being present has given the little hounds a morale boost. This means if they manage to overcome the big guy himself, they could easily deal with the rest.
That thought gives the trio a fighting chance...
“Minori, fend off the little ones. Mai, support us when they come our way.” Haruka explained her plan as best as she could despite being breathless. “And I’ll cut us a way through.”
Her hair is matted together with the mud on the ground while her uniform is ripped and torn in many places.
Despite all of that, Haruka’s smile and strong determination were enough to keep everyone else in line.
Their voices overlapped but she could make out Mai’s “GOT IT!” and Minori’s “LEAVE IT TO ME!”
As they go after the big guy, he notices the trio approaching him. He sniffs the air and growls menacingly, ready to attack at any moment.
Orbs of fire are summoned over Mai’s staff, casting a thin line of light over the girls as the evening grew darker. But the moment one of the hounds seizes one of their blind spots, they are met with a devastating ignition to the face.
It’s not just fire. Mai shuffles around, experimenting with different elements— eventually settling with fire and ice because that is what they were weak against.
Minori forces her way into an opening as Haruka dashes alongside her. Together they create a rhythmic dance, cutting and bashing against the horde as Haruka aims for their leader.
“It’s him!” Minori called as she parted ways with her partner. “Show him what you got, Haruka!”
The gargantuan wolf may be hulking but he did not let those muscles slow him down at all. As soon as the two of them met eyes, they rumbled as quickly as they noticed.
Haruka sent a barrage of pointed blades to his fur while the wolf brought out his claws and swayed them away by force.
His growls grow ever so louder, as he utilizes any opening to her sabre to his advantage.
But Haruka’s defenses are like steel. Since Mai and Minori are dealing with the smaller dogs, she can put all her concentration on her swing.
“Your reign of terror ends today, Blood Beast.” She smiled as she sent a powerful blow by the legs, with little icicles that followed and frosted the wound.
The Blood Beast leaped back, just enough for him to get out of her sabre’s range. Seeing them together, it is clear that they both have exhausted each other.
The two opposing forces sync their panting, and not one of them makes a move that would severely put them in disfavour. That is, until...
The Blood Beast lifts his nozzle to the moon and cries out an ear-piercing howl.
And the battlefield came to a halt.
The little hounds pull their attention away to be captivated by the mesmerizing call.
As for the girls, the howl was too vociferous and unnerving. It sent a shiver down their spine as they held tight onto their ears.
The moment the song of the Blood Beast ceases, the wolves turn around with their pupils dilated into a black void. It seems that whatever the Beast did may have resonated with them, causing a shift in their mentality.
"What is going on...?" Haruka muttered, confused by what happened.
She looks at Minori, who is equally perplexed. "Did you feel it?"
Mai started charging her magic staff in caution, as she could feel the drastic change in the air. “On your guard! This isn’t normal! The aura is different from usual! I don't know what it is, but it feels dangerous!”
Haruka is about to answer when a flash of silver streaks past them. As she quickly follows the blur, she noticed that the lightning-fast blur came from the hounds.
This is bad.
The wolves are going berserk.
“Grk-!”
The shadow zipped past Minori, causing nips and scratches to suddenly appear without warning.
The next thing that the girls knew, the pack of bloodthirsty canines had surrounded the trio with teeth bared.
Mai is quick to use a defensive spell. But it was futile as the little creatures would rip into her arms. Minori tries her best to protect them from the onslaught but there is nothing she can do.
Haruka, meanwhile, is using everything that she has left.
But it is no good. The bloodlust is overpowering, and they would rather feed on flesh than take a breather.
Also...
Haruka could not bear as a leader to see her comrades get hurt like this. Instead of running away, she chose to stay and fight.
“You leave me with no choice...” She spoke coldly before raising her sabre up high.
"Haruka!" Minori warned as she could tell exactly what she was going to do.
But her friends' words fell on deaf ears as she focused.
Ice crawled up to her skin as if she was frozen over.
But her mind is still lucid, despite the freezing sensation that is overtaking her.
The crystals on the blade illuminate on their own when she starts moving it. Haruka pulls it over slowly until there is an afterimage lagging in its trail.
Her heartbeat starts to slow down as she raises her sabre above her head, ready to unleash.
“I will not allow anyone to harm my friends.”
An aura blasted out of her blade much like a blizzard. Snowflakes cover the terrain as if Haruka had just summoned winter.
Minori starts recalling the very first time she witnessed this move when she was a mere spectator in the Magic Guild’s Annual Tournament.
Haruka moved with the frozen Zephyr as if she was one with the wind, her elegance and grace made the crowd gasp in wonder.
Any moisture in the air would turn to ice and then in a flash, there is defeat with me as the victor.
Take it from Minori and Mai, they could tell you every detail that happened on that day. It was a sight every person should have to see once in their lifetime, a Kiritani signature move.
And now that she is facing her greatest opponent, Haruka has decided that this is the only way to end this battle.
Every fan of Haruka knows her by a different name, one that is deserving of a future legend just like those who came before...
They gave her this title based on her elemental specialty and her royal status...
Haruka Kiritani, the Snow Queen.
“ The dampness of this forest is under my command... ”
Haruka's voice was like a bell ringing through the night. She approached the horde with frigid conviction that showed no signs of falter.
With each step, her body glowed in the light. It was like watching a goddess descending upon the battlefield.
“ Diamond dust reigns from the heavens above to bestow justice. I will cut with no mercy. ”
And with that, Haruka disappeared into glimmers— reflecting off of the shards of ice floating in the air.
A blast of ice covered the entire area, covering the surrounding trees in a sheet of white.
All of the hound dogs are blinded and frozen as they lay on the ground, unable to move.
Then, Haruka reappears behind them, holding her sword in hand with blood dripping off the edge of the blade.
“ Divine Judgement of a Million Piercing Crystals! ”
As soon as she cried out its name, the ice shattered into devastating blows— bringing one by one to their knees.
And finally... When it comes down to the leader of the pack, Haruka delivers the final blow.
It left a gaping tear from the eye to his mouth, diagonally across the other side of his face.
And with that, the last of the Blood Beasts falls to the ground.
Wisps of light float to the sky, as each one of the small hounds disappears into thin air.
“It’s done. They’re gone.” Haruka said, relieved by the outcome of the battle.
However, the leader was left standing but it was clear he could not take another blow. He turned into a complete 180° and retreated into the darkness.
“H-He ran?! He is not getting away with that! Haruka! We can’t just let him get away!” Minori exclaimed, trying her best not to panic.
“He’s a tough one...” She uttered a response before dropping against Minori’s shoulder.
Haruka has completely exerted more energy than she thought into that battle. Her vision darkened as voices from the other two girls and their concerns became noise ringing in her ears. But she smiled, at the fading two figures. “I’m... so happy... you’re... safe...”