The Bloodforged Kin

His eyes went thoughtful when they both nodded. "Good. I want to try something, but I need your input first." He looked between them. "These daytime Scamperers are fast but predictable - they follow pretty simple attack patterns. That makes them perfect for practicing harder skills without the real danger."

He paused, watching their faces. "Luna, I'd like you to try fighting without the bracer for a round. And Cass, without the riot shield. I know that sounds scary, but hear me out."

Both of the twins looked shocked but he continued before they could object. "The bracer's been doing a lot of the work for you, Luna. If you can get comfortable with this," he held up the whip Tess had gotten, "you'll be twice as versatile next time you're in real trouble. And Cass, you've been relying on the riot shield's size. The Rattler's smaller but faster - it'll teach you to read attacks better."

"I see that look, Cass," Zavier added with a small smile. "You'll still have the Rattler shield, and I'll be right here in the mix with you. This isn't about leaving you defenseless - it's about building reflexes for when the stakes are higher."

Luna looked at the whip with trepidation. "What if I can't handle it?"

"Then we give you the bracer back immediately," Zavier said. "But I think you're stronger than you know. We'll keep the field tight and I'll step in the second things get dicey."

He considered that for a moment. "In fact, that needs to be your motto. OUR motto. We need to be pushing our limits every day. We can't afford to sit comfortably. But we do it smart, with safety nets."

"Hey now," Tess said, looking over her shoulder. "We didn't agree to ramping up the danger. If we're always pushing limits, we're always one mistake away from something going really wrong. That's a huge risk."

Zavier nodded, acknowledging her concern. "You're right, it is risky. But Tess, it's a calculated risk. These creatures are predictable, I'll be right in the mix with them, and we can change course instantly if it's not working." He met her eyes. "I'd rather they learn to adapt in a controlled situation than get surprised when the stakes are life and death. Either we push ourselves to our limits or something else is going to do it for us. I'd rather we were in control of our destinies."

"And how did pushing yourself to your limit work for you last time? How's your head?"

"I've never gotten any complaints," Zavier replied with a grin.

"I'm serious, Z," she retorted. "You're not in top form because you pushed yourself irresponsibly."

Zavier felt his patience fraying. She was right about his condition, but that didn't mean every decision was wrong. "Look! Can we please not argue about this right now? If you're not comfortable, we can stick with what we were doing."

Tess clenched her jaw in frustration and turned to stalk back to her position next to the house. "Fine. Kids, you decide what you want to do. Don't feel pressured either way." Zavier may have offered them a choice, but that didn't mean she had to like the pressure he was putting on them.

Zavier turned to focus on the twins again, waiting for their decision.

Luna looked at Cass, then back at Zavier. "I want to try the whip. But if it gets bad..."

"We change course immediately," Zavier promised. "Cass?"

Cass hefted the riot shield, then nodded slowly. "Okay. But I want to keep that buffer you mentioned."

"Absolutely," Zavier said. "Cass, keep a five-foot buffer between you and Luna. Only close the gap if she's in trouble," Zavier instructed. "You've been great at blocking the hits, but now, prevent them from getting close at all."

"Luna, you need to start fighting at close range. You're doing all ranged shots and relying on someone else to keep you safe. Cass may not always be able to get to you in time. Use this instead." He handed her the whip Tess had gotten her first night out. Luna inspected it.

Item Name: Rustling Creeper Vine Whip
Description: This whip is crafted from the flexible vines of the Rustling Creeper, adorned with sharp thorns along its length. It crackles with a faint energy, hinting at the potent toxins infused within.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Stats:
Attack: +2

Abilities:
Special Ability - Toxic Barb: The barbed tip of the whip is coated with a potent toxin extracted from the Rustling Creeper. On contact with flesh, the toxin induces paralysis, leaving enemies vulnerable to further attacks.
Additional Notes: The Rustling Creeper Vine Whip is a versatile weapon, capable of inflicting both physical and poison damage. Its flexible nature allows for swift strikes and precise targeting, making it ideal for both offense and defense in close combat situations.

"This weapon is unpredictable and requires a lot of skill, so you're going to have to be careful with it. You have to be extra careful not to hit yourself or Cass."

She took it with nervous determination but gave him a trusting look. "Ooookaaaay…" she said as she turned back to face the woods.

"Alright, you two ready?" he asked and moved to the speaker when they both nodded. Tess walked over to him just as he hit Play.

"Are you sure about this?" She asked with concern. "That whip is new for her and they both seem really under-powered for the situation they're in."

Zavier replied without taking his eyes off the pair. "I got this, Tess," he tapped his head. "This is part of my strategy. I've analyzed the situation and they'll be fine."

"So you can see into the system again?" Tess asked, no sarcasm or accusation in her voice.

"No," he caught the look of worry in his peripheral vision, "but I know enough about it to know that they can handle this. I remember what their screens looked like… mostly."

Their talk was interrupted when more of the creatures emerged from the woods.

Luna found herself constantly backpedaling, the whip slicing through the air in frantic, unpredictable arcs. Cass darted back and forth, a blur of movement as he shielded himself and lunged forward to knock creatures away from his sister. Twice she almost hit him with the venomous barbs, but both times they clanged off the shield.

Cass moved like he was running wind sprints, back and forth without pause, just as his soccer coach had drilled into him during practice. Sweat poured down his face, the tang of salt stinging his eyes. His breath came in ragged gasps, each sprint to block or parry a new threat leaving him more drained. Without Luna's gauntlet he felt the relentless press of creatures, a war of attrition he was slowly losing.

Luna, for her part, was giving it her best effort - she just didn't have the strength or skill with the whip to do any significant damage. Some of the creatures had jagged rips in their hides where she'd managed to hit, but nothing that was thinning the numbers.

Zavier stepped in to help, pulling out his chain. "Luna! Like this!" He whipped the chain around at a Scamperer that was heading for her. Instead of striking the head with the pinpoint accuracy he was used to, it landed a few inches behind, hurling into the base of its skull hard enough to send it rolling but not hard enough to kill it. Zavier looked at his chain in confusion. That wasn't supposed to happen, he thought to himself.

He tried again and this time was rewarded with the tip of the chain whipping downward with enough of an arc to make a loud pop followed instantly by the crack of the whip, the squirrel's skull slamming into the dirt with the chain sticking out of the top of its skull.

"And like this!" He whipped the chain around him in sweeping arcs, sometimes pulling in closer and sometimes letting it flow away further. It was creating a shield around him that punished anything that got close. He looked to see if she was getting it when he felt something slam into him, driving him to the ground, searing white hot pain into his shoulder.

He'd lost focus when he turned and one of the Scamperer had gotten past his chain, biting deep into his shoulder. He cried out and tried to push its face away but it was locked in tight. Suddenly Cass was there but none of his shield bashing could free Zavier from its jaws.

"Luna!" Zavier gasped and Cass looked up, then was off, leaping over the Scamperer. Zavier heard a thump and then Cass was back, smashing the edge of his shield into the back of the Scamperer's skull. Every hit made Zavier's eyes flash white and he wanted to push Cass away, but was having trouble making coherent thoughts. The squirrel whipped its head back and forth viciously, rending Zavier's shoulder even more.

Then Tess was there, shooing Cass away. She grabbed the thing by the fur on the back of its head and yanked, its jaw coming open and its teeth tearing free from Zavier. He cried out but Tess put a hand on his shoulder, pressing hard on his wound with one hand while holding the squirrel up like a misbehaving cat with her other.

"Here, Honey," she said, "kill this thing. Do you think you're close to a level?"

Zavier took the knife from her hand and jammed it into the Scamperer's jaw and up into its brain. Blood showered him even as the body started to disappear. "Not enough. Might take a bunch, these things aren't worth as much as they used to be."

"Don't I know it," Tess said. "Should we call it quits?"

"No," Zavier croaked. "It'll be good practice for Cass. Hey Cass," he shouted, "cover me too! Luna, get over here."

The three of them moved into a loose group as monsters harried their circle. Tess moved in next to them, smiling at Zavier. "Didn't want to miss out on the fun, Love," she said and he could only smile weakly back.

"Cass, Honey," Tess said, "funnel them towards your father. Luna, you get in front of Cass and weaken them. After a couple of hits let them through so Cass can push them into your father."

She turned to look at Zavier, not liking how pale his face was. "You need to level up, Love."