Chapter 8 – Fight to the Death
White Fang by TomatoRoux
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Chapter 8 
 
 
When Alex returned he brought a tray of roasted meats, potatoes, and pickled vegetables for Willow and me to enjoy. I was never a big fan of wild game in the past, but whatever the meat was, I found it delectable. Perhaps there really was something to the idea that becoming a fox had changed my palate.
 
In the middle of taking in a mouthful of meat, a strange feeling washed over me, causing the fur on my tail to stand on end. Something was wrong, outside the window all I could see were storm clouds but I couldn't help but feel as if there was some impending danger about to befall us.
 
Spitting out my food I leapt to my feet and reached my hand up high, “Sanctuary!” The spell was one originally unique to paladins, it provided a short invulnerability period for allies within a small radius. Here my spell created a massive bubble of semi-transparent magic that covered the three of us, right as a violent screech from outside tore the entire roof off the inn. If not for my magic, I was certain the entire second floor would've gone with it.
 
“Alex, take Willow downstairs, I'll handle this!”
 
“Understood,” Alex nodded, then raced across the room, scooping Willow into his arms as he ran downstairs.
 
Gazing up into the clouds I scanned the sky for the monster. I was already missing my Search and Angelic Flight abilities, both were unavailable to me in Margaret's body. Nobody in their sane mind would use a minstrel for scouting, without Search they'd always been useless at the task.
 
Taking White Fang into my hands I drew the sword, however, unlike when I'd used it before I couldn't feel the sword's energies flowing into me, did it not recognize me as its master?!
 
“This is really the worst time for you to be taking a nap,” I yelled at my sword right as a flash of lightning revealed a shape in the clouds. A bird, as massive as the largest jumbo jet I'd ever seen, with feathers that matched the colors of the stormy sky was glaring down at me. I caught a glimpse of its beak opening and recast my Sanctuary spell right as another burst of sonic wind struck the inn.
 
“Seriously, you're pissing me off!” I ground my teeth and tried to follow the bird's movements so that I could target it with my magic, but it was too camouflaged. Only when lightning lit up the sky could I catch a glimpse of my adversary, and it was never long enough for me to line up a shot.
 
If I don't do something now Willow and Alex could get hurt! But what the hell can I do? If I switch back, I might fall unconscious, and if I don't I can't fly and White Fang won't obey me.
 
“I just have to do what I can,” Taking a deep breath I waited until another lightning strike revealed the bird and then tried to focus my consciousness on a point above it. “Teleport.”
 
A magic circle appeared underneath me and I fell through it, vanishing into a black nothingness before appearing out the other side falling through the sky. The bird had already moved on, but that didn't matter much to me, it was close enough.
 
“Song of Chains,” Etherial chains appeared out of nowhere, wrapping themselves around the bird's wings, holding it in place. “Fireball!”
 
A bright blue flame, hot enough to turn the falling rain around it into steam appeared at the palm of my hand as I fell past the bird. The fire shot forward and exploded on contact, enveloping the massive creature in fire, the impact's shockwave sending me careening even faster toward the ground.
 
“Fall Suppression,” There weren't any spells that could negate fall damage, so I had to settle for one of my paladin abilities. All I could do now was hope that if I fell unconscious, the bird either fled or was completely roasted by my fire.
 
My descent slowed, allowing me to land on my feet completely unharmed. Honestly, the ability was a complete cheat, who needed a parachute when they had Fall Suppression? Well, not like the game developers ever imagined the ability being used like this.
 
“I'm still awake,” I noted gazing down at my body. Gone was my foxtail and the noble clothing I'd been wearing. In their place, I was back in my nightgown, which would've been a bit embarrassing if I had the time to worry about it.
 
“Now you've done it,” With White Fang's power flowing into me I turned my eyes skyward. “Angelic Flight!”
 
My wings of light sprouted allowing me to take to the skies and chase down our attacker. The bird had survived my fireball, but I doubted it'd survive having its wings cut off with White Fang. Flying in front of the bird I grinned, “Any last words?”
 
The bird screeched, a violent wind from its beak shredding my gown and leaving shallow wounds all over my body. If I hadn't been max-level that attack would've killed me, honestly I was being careless.
 
Jetting forward I gripped White Fang with both hands, the blade shining brighter than the moon as I strick the bird's wing with it, flying forward with the intention of severing it completely. Impressively the creature's wing was hard as steel and after cutting a few inches into it White Fang got stuck.
 
The bird thrashed around violently, trying desperately to shake me and my sword free. I wasn't about to let it do so, holding my hand out I launched another fireball at point-blank range while I channeled mana into White Fang to have it release a barage of icicles right into the bird's flesh.
 
Fire and ice met causing a thick fog to fill the air. The explosion from my spell seared my flesh and dislodged White Fang, sending me careening once again toward the ground.
 
I caught myself in midair thanks to my wings of light. As I stabilized and used Healing Aura to repair my wounds the bird I'd been fighting fell to the ground, creating a crater upon impact. I landed right beside it, my wings vanishing as I stepped forward to remove the bird's head from its body.
 
A slow clap reached my ears, causing me to spin around. Standing behind me, dressed in a full three-piece suit that looked completely unlike any of the clothing found in this world was a man with short brown hair.
 
“Who the hell are you?” I hissed holding White Fang in front of me defensively. “Did you call this thing here?”
 
“Of course not little foxie, I came here to kill it. Imagine my surprise when I saw a naked fox-eared loli dealing the final blow before I could do anything.”
 
“Fox eared?” I didn't have fox ears in my heaven-touched form. Reaching up I felt the top of my head finding that... while I was no longer in Margaret's body, I had indeed kept her ears. “H-How did this happen...”
 
“Don't panic so much, I think they're cute,” The man grinned before taking off his suit coat and tossing it to me. “Here, as much as I enjoy a bit of eye candy, I'll try to be a gentleman.”
 
“You still haven't told me who you are.”
 
“Hmm... you can call me Edmond, I'm one of the heroes that were called forth to save this wretched world.”
 
“So... you're a player?”
 
“A player? No, I'm quite willing to dedicate myself to one woman. I'd never play with the heart of another.”
 
“Don't play the fool with me. You're another gamer brought here in the body of your character, are you not?”
 
“Oh? You're from Earth too then?”
 
“Yes!”
 
“Did you not request your current form when you met with the goddess?”
 
“I never met a goddess, I just woke up here, randomly.”
 
“Did you not die?”
 
“Not that I'm aware of.”
 
Edmond cocked his head to the side, frowning as he gazed at me wearing nothing more than his suit coat. “This is scandalous.”
 
“If I'd known we were going to be attacked, I would've dressed for it! It's not my fault the stupid bird attacked while I was in my nightgown.”
 
“Hmm... I'll seek you out later so that we can speak in detail. After all that comotion I'm sure the military will be here soon. Might I have your name Miss?”
 
“Elizabeth.”
 
“Miss Elizabeth, I hope we meet again soon.”
 
Turning on his heels Edmond raced away, vanishing from sight. Once he was gone I turned and gazed at the bird I'd slain, wondering just what the hell it was. There hadn't been a creature like it in the game, and it took enough of my power to slay that I was certain it had to be too powerful for the people of this world to deal with. Perhaps the gods are constantly replenishing heroes like Edmond for these sort of things. Though if that was the case, wouldn't Alex have heard of them?
 
Sighing to myself I began trudging back to the inn, depressed as it dawned on me that while I was cold and wet there wouldn't be a hot bath for me to soak in when I returned. The best I could hope for was a pail of warm water to wipe myself down with.
 
“W-Wait, Master!”
 
“What?!” Turning back to the bird I gazed in wonder as a golden wolf crawled out of the bird's corpse.
 
“Master! I've come to head your call.”
 
“You can talk?!”
 
“Only with you.”
 
“How'd you end up inside the bird?!”
 
“The moment I felt your magic calling to me I came running. I'm afraid the Thunderbird must have been stalking my lair however. As soon as I stepped out, it gobbled me up. Thank you for saving me.”
 
“I don't remember doing anything...” I stopped speaking as I realized that perhaps this wolf was called to my side by Song of the Wild. The game's effect was to gain an animal companion, it only allowed speaking with animals crafted specifically for minstrels to recruit. Perhaps here, rather than echoing the game's flavor text, it echoed its outcome, and called a companion to my side.
 
“Do you not want me?”
 
“Eh... well,” the golden wolf made an awful pouting noise that tore at my heartstrings, I couldn't abandon her. “No, no, I want you. I really want you!”
 
“Horray, Master, I love you!”
 
“Ah... so, what's your name?” I asked as the wolf began to nuzzle herself against me.
 
“I don't have one, feel free to name me whatever you like.”
 
“Er... how about... Goldie?” Seriously, I was terrible at names.
 
“I love it! For the rest of my life I shall be Goldie, your loyal lightning wolf!”
 
“Lightning wolf? Eh, you know let's save that for later, I'm exhausted. Come on Goldie, I need to tell Alex and Willow I'm alright.”
 
“Yes, Master!”
 
As soon as we made it back to the inn i found everyone that'd been inside huddled together in the common room. All eyes turned to face me as I walked in, causing me to tighten Edmond's suit coat around my otherwise naked body.
 
“Angel.”
 
“Goddess.”
 
“Hero.”
 
Titles were flung at me from everyone present, and they all moved to prostrate themselves before me. It apparently didn't matter what someone thought I was, all of the titles spoken were worthy of worship.
 
“Onee-chan!” Willow raced out from under a table where she'd been hiding and wrapped her arms around me.
 
“I'm glad you're safe, Willow,” I gave my younger sister a pat on the head. “Where's Alex?”
 
“I'm right here,” Alex walked up beside me and wrapped a blanket around my body. “You've changed apperances again.”
 
“I've only added fox ears this time... I hope. I don't look that different do I?”
 
“Hmm, you look mostly the same. Though your left eye is now blue, while the right has remained golden. And of course, you have a fox's ears now.”
 
“I'm really hoping they'll go away with time.”
 
“I don't think it matters now. Many people were watching your fight through the windows, your secret's out.”
 
“I'm sorry.”
 
“Don't be. Everyone saw your strength, they won't mess with you. It won't be long before the whole kingdom hears about what happened here. Now then... who's your friend?”
 
“This is Goldie... she's my... familiar.”
 
Before Alex could say anything I overheard the whispering crowd behind him gasp. “The hero has a lightning wolf as a familiar!”
 
“She's truly been blessed by the Goddess Atlary!”
 
Alex frowned at the gossips behind us, wrapping his arm around my shoulder to lead me into the inn's back room. “Come on Willow, let's find somewhere a bit more private to talk to your sister.”
 
 
This came together faster than expected... but seriously, no more until Friday <3 toodles. 

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