Chapter 74: C67 Opening breeze, fading flowers 14 1/2

 

"She said she'd be right behind us! Where is she?!"

 

Beryl was panicking outside the cabin to the northern part of the pass, looking back towards the small hill that obscured their vision.

 

Please Kiyomi, please don't lie to us here! 

 

Beryl coiled her body out of nervousness, the pressure of the situation building stress rapidly through the sudden severity of events.

 

“Beryl, calm down.”

 

Beryl turned to look at Vaughn, who was exiting the cabin.

 

“She’ll be here. Before we came over the hill I could at least see her in the distance.”

 

Vaughn paused, looking up slightly.

 

“Listen, you can hear the fighting still.”

 

Vaughn motioned for Beryl to listen closer, hinting at the occasional noise either given off from Kiyomi or the beast she was fighting.

 

"She'll be here soon, and We'll wait for those adventurers to get here."

 

Vaughn smiled at Beryl, his attempt to calm her finding ground as she weakly smiled back.

 

He and her both are alike in that, they're a lot more collected with this kinda stuff.

 

Beryl thought as looked back to the Ridgeline, awaiting Kiyomi's arrival. A minute passed, then two minutes passed, and the noise from Kiyomi fighting could be heard getting closer. 

 

Come on, you're almost home free! Get here and we can back you up!

 

As Beryl was hoping, some noise occurred from just over the hill. Or beside it, as was soon clarified. Rocks began to fall, pebbles and stones no larger than a fruit. They were plummeting from the mountainside. With a sudden view upwards, a gasp escaped Beryl.

 

"Crap! Vaughn, the other Wolverine from the hillside!"

 

With Beryl's warning, Vaughns's eyes were also drawn to the hillside to their right. Clambering downward, the other Wolverine giving chase had caught up with them somehow. As its body made contact with the soft soil of the stable ground, it began bounding towards the two.

 

"Beryl, get inside!"

 

Vaughn yelled, pointing to the door.

 

Shit, what if Kiyomi can't handle that thing when she gets here?

 

Vaughn thought as he rushed inside behind Beryl, grabbing the rusted iron handle of the door and slamming it closed behind them. Quickly looking back over the small cabin, there wasn't much to greet them. A worn straw bed with a sleeping roll covering it, some old burlap sacks of what must have been old rations, and some aging wooden chairs and a table. The windows were at least sealed with old glass, and the roof looked sturdy enough for now. Realistically, this was the best protection they could hope for given the circumstance. Grabbing one of the chairs, Vaughn hooked its top underneath the door's latch. While he doubted it would've helped, it was better than nothing.

 

“Let's hope this thing can't exactly breakthrough too easy. I never read up on wolverines, let alone dire wolverines. What are they exactly?”

 

Vaughn asked quietly, peaking through the window to check for the Wolverine. 

 

“They’re like martins or weasels I think? Similar but obviously different. Like a cat compared to a mountain lion or something.”

 

Beryl understood Vaughns's tone, lowering her voice just the same.

 

“That's all ya know bookworm?”

 

Vaughn asked, raising a brow at Beryl. 

 

“Of course, that's all I know! We didn't have them down south, same for further west into the Empire. They only exist this far north, they just really like the cold! Winter coming in is probably making them more active.”

 

Beryl answered quietly, looking to a set of cracks in the boards to the opposite side of the cabin. Looking through the opposite side of the cabin, into the pass. 

 

“Hey, I think I see some movement that way.”

 

Beryl said as she spied movement within the dark, slowly moving towards them from a couple of hundred meters away.

 

“ Think we might be lucky enough to have some help? Think I should call out?”

 

Beryl asked, continuing to look outward.

 

“No, if we do it might attract that thing.”

 

Vaughn responded, turning to look to the window once more. 

 

“Besides, we can call to them when they're close enough to actually hel-”

 

Raaoooooo

 

Smash!

 

The sound of shattering glass and wooden dowels being split filled the air as the Wolverine made its presence known, nearly throwing Vaughn onto his rear as he avoided the heavy paw of the beast reaching in to snare him. 

 

“Holy shit!”

 

Vaughn yelled in surprise, nearly scared half to death as the Wolverine swung its paw haphazardly. The only thing keeping it out is the constricting size of the window frame. With the realization it would not catch its prey in this fashion, the wolverine pulled its arm free, choosing to shove its head into the frame to get a better view. With its massive head forced into the window, Vaughn reached forward and stabbed at the Wolverine's snout. 

 

"Screw off!"

 

Vaughn's stab missed its initial marl, instead grazing the beast's muzzle.

 

Raaaaah

 

Recoiling in response, the Wolverine pulled its head free. With a breather given, Vaughn planted himself against the wall and awaited the next incursion by the Wolverine. Beryl huddled close to the opposite corner, appearing as if she were attempting to control mana, trying to prepare an attack of her own. 

 

Come on! Come on! You can do this! Vaughn’s not in the way!

 

The wolverine forced both its arm and head through the window at once, the sound of crackling glass and straining wood filled the background as it attempted to gain some kind of entry. 

 

"Ha!"

 

Vaughn yelled as he slammed his buckler down onto the monster's snout, following up with a secondary downswing from his sword into its arm. With the blade cutting through muscle and fur, the Wolverine yelled as it pulled its body free from the entry. The sound of whimpering and sneezing slowly giving way to the subtle sound of movement over grass.

 

Vaughn and Beryl sat there in silence for roughly a minute.

 

Could that have made it move away?

 

Vaughn's question was answered with the sudden shaking of the structure and labored grunts as the Wolverine climbed to the top of the structure.

 

"Crap, Beryl, if there's a time, it's now."

 

"Working on it!"

 

Beryl shook nervously as Vaughn called for her to use what magic she could once more.

Crackling electricity surrounded her hands as she tried to draw the mana forth to no avail.

 

"Come on, come on!"

 

The wood railing of the roof groaned under the monster's weight. Its position was given away by shuffling straw, cracking shingles, and dust being broken free by the shift in weight.

 

Wait, there's a hole in the roof!

 

Beryl's eyes locked onto a hole the size of someone's head, allowing sunlight in.

 

"Vaughn, the roof-"

 

Smash 

 

Dust, straw, rotten wood, and shingles fell to the floor as a paw slammed through the roof. With the hole widened, the Wolverine forced its head through, surveying its prey once more before retreating. With its goal in sight, it brought down both paws and hooked them onto the edges of the hole, tearing it wider bit by bit. Mere moments passed and the hole had already surpassed the window in size as the Dire Wolverine forced its body through the hole in the roof, now allowing passage of the monster's head, one foreleg, and opposite shoulder. At that moment, Beryl and Vaughn both began to panic.

 

Will Kiyomi make it? 

 

Beryl looked to the door for escape.

 

"Vaughn! The doo-"

 

The sound of Beryl's panicked directions was immediately drowned out. Shattered wood and stray particles filled the air as the roof suddenly and violently gave way. With the abrupt silence following the crashing in of the roof, Beryl and Vaughn both looked up to see who they'd been hoping for to arrive.

 

"Hah-ha-

 

Kiyomi swallowed, possibly to clear her throat.

 

"Told ya to look out, dumb mutt."

 

She stood, trembling atop the now limp body of the Wolverine that'd been assailing her friends a moment earlier.

 

"H-hey, you two. Told ya I'd catch u-"

 

Hands still clinging to her sword, Kiyomi's legs gave way as she dropped her knees to the monster's back.

 

"Could you two help me down?"

 

Kiyomi asked weakly.

 

What happened to-

 

Beryl's thoughts traveled to how Kiyomi could've possibly joined them the way she did, before abruptly shifting to her newest concern.

 

"Vaughn, get her on the bed! She's hurt badly!

 

Dropping his sword, Vaughn rushed to Kiyomi's side and managed to catch her just as she began tipping over. As he lifted her to the side, she whimpered quietly with the revelation of her injury.

 

"Shit-"

 

Vaughn brought more of her weight onto his shoulder at the sight of her left leg. It'd been mangled just above the knee, bits of teeth caught in the hide pants mixed with blood.

 

"Haahh, Mama's gonna kill me. That was my last good pair of pants."

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"Quiet, save the talking for when you're patched up."

 

The two limped slowly to the bed, blood dribbling along the way as the wound continued to bleed.

 

"Hey, Vaughn… front left pocket… phial… please."

 

Kiyomi asked as she slowly lay back.

 

"Whatever it is can wait!"

 

Beryl snapped, assessing the wound immediately after.

 

How the hell did she manage to get away with this? Did she kill the other one before dropping in as she did?

 

Beryl's thoughts were all over the place from her worry. With Kiyomi still, and panic setting in, she began healing to the best of her ability.

 

"Okay, like Miss Hatsumi showed us-"

 

This is a lot more than a scrape. 

 

Beryl concentrated as much as she could, attempting to clear her mind. The one thing motivating her was healing her friend after she was dumb enough to sneak away. 

 

Damnit Kiyomi, I didn't want to lose you like Aisha! And you almost forced that to happen! Why are you even out here?! We followed you cause I FELT something like this would happen!

 

Beryl yelled at her friend from the safety of her own thoughts.

 

And here I am, now, healing you! What if- what if I couldn't like with Arc bow?!

 

Beryl continued, trying her best not to falter. Slowly, the bleeding went from a small flow to a trickle, then at last to a final few drops as broken teeth and fabric were expunged. Muscles tightened up as the fibers healed, and fat and skin sealed over it. The end result was a uninjured, but blood-stained leg. The only remnant otherwise being town pants, and slight indents where the teeth had made their mark.

 

"Ah- I- I did it!"

 

Beryl sighed with relief, the fear giving way to relief.

 

---

The… phial… the pills-

 

I could feel myself slipping on the edge of consciousness. My eyes were heavy, and my breathing was shallow. While the bleeding was stopped and I could feel Beryl patched me up perfectly, nobody could just handle losing that much blood loss without going out cold. My mana pool was nearly depleted to the point I was sure I wouldn't be waking up for some time if I gave in.

 

Can't-

 

"My… pocket… "

 

I forced the words out once more, earning a confused stare from Vaughn and Beryl.

 

Damnit you two- ah, shit. I- tired-

 

My eyes were near shut at this point, the image of the two in the room with me blurred by my eyelashes and teats that were falling from the now absent pain.

 

Are you really just gonna fall asleep now, idiot? I thought you were cooler than that!

 

Some foreign voice pierced into my mind.

 

W-wha? Ah great, I'm hallucinating now.

 

The surprise just from hearing a foreign voice roused me slightly.

 

Grab your pocket if you want them to find the thing so much! Come on Aidan! You're just gonna roll over now? 

 

The voice spoke out again, in a familiar, immature, and youthful tone. For some reason, the extra prodding managed to help muster my strength as my arm rose and my hand clamped down on the seam of my pocket.

 

"Medicine." 

 

I was unsure if it was working, my only hint being the sudden lean of the silhouettes that were Vaughn and Beryl as I felt them clumsily search my pockets. After a moment or two of holding on as the voice said, I was rewarded with the sudden forcing of some small chalky object into my mouth. Figuring I had no better option, I weakly bit down on the pill.

*Mana supplement detected, replenishing pool with reserve component*

 

Wha-

 

*98% conversion achieved, near full mana restored. Eta for full dispersion, 00:30.00. Please refrain from straining activities or the system will induce a comatose state. *

 

What kind of system message is this thing throwing me-

 

With the system alert suddenly subsiding, my eyes shot wide as a sudden burst of energy hit me.

 

"Holy shit, I'm awake! What happened?! Are you two okay?"

 

I sat up quickly, nearly butting Beryl in the head as she and Vaughn jumped back in surprise.

 

"Okay? Okay?! You gotta be kidding me! Okay, Kiyomi? Why were you out here? Why were you with those adventurers? And why did you have to scare us like that?"

 

Beryl snapped back with vigor. Looking at her, she looked like she was on the verge of tears. Her face reddened and her body coiled like that of a snake in a defensive posture. 

 

"You could've died! If we weren't here, both of those things would've had you for lunch! How do you think that would've hurt everyone!"

 

Ah… the unforeseen consequences of my actions…

 

"Ah… I didn't…"

 

I looked down, shifting as I tried to move my legs over the edge of the ramshackle bed they'd placed me on.

 

"I didn't think anything like this would've happened… s-sorry."

 

The air was silent now, not much more than a few birds in the distance being heard, along with the falling of pebbles from the crags.

 

"Either way, Beryl. At Least we're safe now, Kiyomi managed to kill both of the Wolverines. Now we can just sit tight."

 

Vaughn attempted to turn the mood, focusing on the presumed optimism in the scenario.

 

"One… I killed one-"

 

Realizing part of the reason I'd jumped was to escape the lone fight with the Wolverine using mana burst shook me back to reality.

 

"The other one is still up! We need to-"

 

The second Wolverine landed on the roof with a loud thud, prompting me to run to my sword.

 

"Vaughn! The door! If I can lure it in, we can trap it!"

 

Nodding, Vaughn ran towards the chair blocking the iron-handled door. With one swift yank, he pulled the chair free and threw it to the side. Thankfully, his timing was on point as he and Beryl both rushed for the door as I'd ordered. 

 

"Kiyomi, come on!" 

 

Vaughn yelled out.

 

"We need to wait for it to drop in here!"

 

I yelled back, pulling my sword from the dead wolverine’s back with the sound of metal rubbing over wet meat and bone.

 

Roaaa!

 

With the sound of our arguing and the freshly spread smell of blood, I'd gotten what I wanted as the Scarred Wolverine dropped through the roof.

 

The sword should still be charged!

 

Before the Wolverine could right itself, its rear paws yet to hit the floor; it glared at me as it fell.

 

Cleave

 

Bringing the sword down with Cleave, I'd just barely missed as the monster twisted to the side and narrowly avoided my swing. With the sword slamming into the wood, its glow waned momentarily, the after effect of the glowing mana dissipating where it cut through the air. With my mark missed, the Wolverine's rear paws planted into the wood. In the next moment, I felt myself thrown through the air as it threw its shoulder and head into me.

 

"Kiyomi!"

 

I could almost swear I heard Vaughn yell out as I passed through the air, shattering wood being the next thing I heard as I skidded across dirt and rock.

 

"How are we supposed to trap it now?!" 

 

Beryl could be heard yelling as she rushed put behind me.

 

"Gah, we- we need to group up. Numbers are our advantage against this thing!"

 

I muttered as I slowly stood myself up with Beryl's help. Vaughn followed behind, but instead of rushing to form a defensive posture, he looked around terrified for a moment before raising his buckled hesitantly with his sword tip poking just over it.

 

What could he be- ah.

 

No longer shaken from the impact, I managed to look around us as multiple wolverines were closing in on us slowly. There were three of them, all different sizes with the exception that none were larger than the one I'd faced. Almost as if this had become some kind of personal matter, the Dire Wolverine that'd thrown me moments earlier exited the cabin. It didn't move into a pounce stance, it didn't push our position, and it didn't even posture directly at us. No, It stared at me. Its lumbering body slowly circled around us as it peered silently.

 

"They've got us surrounded."

 

Vaughn said flatly, his sword and shield at hand as he moved to my off shoulder and watched my flank.

 

What the fuck? Weren't these things super aggressive to their own kind? A pair sure, but four? No, five?

 

The thought of the one I managed to kill reminded me of the original count.

 

"Beryl-"

 

Softly tugging at Beryl, I pulled her to my opposite shoulder so we could all effectively watch as much of our backs as possible. 

 

"What do you think we should do? Go on the offensive?"

 

Vaughn asked, keeping his voice low and even.

 

"No, if we moved in they'd try to grab us one at a time and separate us. If they do that, we're done for."

 

It was common to see that kind of behavior with predators and herd animals. Picking them off one by one, separating them from the group so the advantage would shift.

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