The sun ascended in the cerulean sky, casting its warm glow on the duo within the carriage as it navigated the rugged terrain, skirting the edges of the slums on its way to the next town. The path they traveled was fraught with peril, not the safest for a journey, but deemed necessary for the swiftest approach to the elusive Abyssal Borderlands.
"Now that you've had a moment to collect yourself, care to enlighten me on what transpired at the academy?" inquired Clarice, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity.
After a contemplative pause, Luke responded, his voice laced with a reluctance to delve into the depths of his experiences. "I don't want to talk about it," he uttered, the weight of unspoken troubles evident in the somber timbre of his words.
Clarice's words, a blend of wisdom and concern, hung in the air like a gentle breeze, offering solace to the troubled soul beside her. "Fine. If you choose to keep it bottled up, it will only fester. Either find a distraction to soothe the wounds with time, or seek someone with whom you can share the burden. Otherwise, you risk descending into a downward spiral," she advised, her tone gentle yet firm.
In response, Luke considered her counsel. "I'm leaning towards the first option. If that doesn't prove effective, I might consider the second," he admitted, the vulnerability in his response hinting at the depths of his inner turmoil.
"Very well. And don't forget, I'll be training you every morning until you regain your strength," added Clarice, her resolve firm. The prospect of sparring partners in the desolate Abyssal Borderlands made her insistence on Luke's training not just an act of camaraderie but a practical necessity, well, at least for her.
"That wasn't part of the plan. Quit unleashing your mood swings on me. Going through it once was challenging enough," Luke barked, a sharp retort echoing the frustration that simmered beneath the surface. Yet, instead of escalating the tension, his words elicited an unexpected giggle from Clarice.
As laughter intertwined with the rustle of the carriage, a glimpse into Clarice's past surfaced. Rising through the ranks in the army, she faced underestimation and disparaging remarks from those who underestimated her prowess. Though she had a resilient spirit, the repetitive insults occasionally stirred a tempest within her—anger, bouts of depression, and a need for an outlet.
Enter Luke, a steadfast companion and a caring cousin who became the unwitting recipient of Clarice's pent-up emotions during their sparring sessions. Despite the weight of unsaid words lingering in the air, Luke much to his reluctance to continue being beaten up, attuned to Clarice's unspoken struggles, continued the sparring, having become a pillar of support in her tumultuous moments.
The sudden jolt of the carriage brought Luke and Clarice to an abrupt stop, almost propelling them to the opposite seat. The cause was clear – bandits.
As the unwelcome assailants approached, their voices carried through the air like a harbinger of trouble. "That looks like a nice horsey, could be worth quite a penny, innit, George?" one bandit remarked, eyeing the horses with a covetous gleam. Another chimed in, "Ooo, I wonder if they got some of them cores in this run-down carriage that we can loot."
Understanding the imminent threat, Clarice moved to rise and confront the bandits, her instincts honed by years of combat experience. However, Luke's firm grip on her arm held her back.
"Why are you stopping me? You know those bandits don't stand a chance against me," Clarice whispered, her voice barely audible to prevent drawing attention.
Luke's decision to hold Clarice back wasn't a lack of faith in her strength; rather, he saw an opportunity to test her limits "I just found you some sparring partners. Hand over your sword and core here before you go have some fun," he suggested, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Concern etched on her face, Clarice questioned the wisdom of the plan. "And what if I lose? What if I get ambushed, and without the core, I won't be able to protect myself?" she countered, attempting to project vulnerability.
But Luke remained resolute. "You still have the core in your ring, the one you used for hair and eye color transformation. I'd bet even that much energy is too much for defeating them," he reasoned, his confidence in Clarice's abilities unwavering.
Recognizing the validity of his point, Clarice conceded. With a nod, she agreed to the plan, realizing that even the transformation ring could be a formidable source of power when wielded judiciously. Girding herself for the encounter, she descended from the carriage, the air thick with the impending clash of steel and strategy. The bandits, unaware of the force about to be unleashed upon them, were in for a surprise as Clarice prepared to test the limits of her abilities in this unexpected skirmish.
The bandits, initially amused by the audacity of a young lady stepping out of the carriage, soon felt a shift in the air as Clarice swiftly closed the distance between them. Laughter turned to tense silence as they realized she meant business. Gritting their teeth, the bandits braced themselves for an unexpected challenge.
The first bandit, eager to assert dominance, swung his sword with the intent to cleave Clarice in two. With graceful ease, she ducked beneath the deadly arc, her movements more akin to a dance than a battle. In a lightning-quick counter, Clarice delivered a powerful punch to the bandit's gut, incapacitating him. She then skillfully manipulated something attached to his arm, causing him to crumple to the ground.
Undeterred, Clarice seamlessly shifted her attention to the remaining bandits. Sensing an opening, three of the four assailants closed in simultaneously, slashing at her from different directions, leaving her seemingly no room for escape. The bandits, confident in their numerical advantage, believed victory was assured.
Yet, to their surprise, Clarice didn't attempt to avoid the strikes. Instead, she stood her ground, a calm determination in her eyes. The foolish young lady had jumped in without knowing her limits and would now tragically die or at least that's what the bandits thought.
Clang Clang Clang. Clink. A metallic sound echoed through the air as the slash of the steel sword unfolded. However, rather than a result of a direct confrontation, the sword broke as a consequence of failing to penetrate Clarice's formidable fortification. Two of the swords were left badly bent and one was destroyed into two pieces, revealing the hidden strength beneath Clarice's composed exterior.
Unbeknownst to the bandits, Clarice held the core, once in the possession of the first fallen bandit, securely grasped in her left hand. The remaining bandit, armed with the best weapon and their leader, seized the moment, rushing forward with determination. Their plan was simple – cut Clarice in two, attributing their previous misfortune to a mere choice of poor weaponry. However, their confidence crumbled too late as Clarice made her move.
In a split-second, she lunged forward with her right hand while wielding the core in her left, and with a precise, calculated motion, she shattered the sword held by the leader in one hit. The bandits, now disarmed and dazed, were left defenseless against her swift and skillful retaliation.
The confrontation ended as abruptly as it started. The final bandit and their leader lay unconscious, defeated by a force they had underestimated. It was a spectacle that unfolded with such speed and precision that one might have missed the entire show if they had blinked. And in the middle of the fallen bandits, stood that woman that caused this chaos, CLARICE!
