The Tower King

Sora crouched before the flickering flames, watching their uncertain dance on the dry wood. The warmth brought him immediate relief, but at the same moment, a sense of anguish crept over him.

He raised his head and scanned the darkness beyond the circle of light cast by the fire. Each shadow seemed to stretch and distort, ready to come to life at any moment. He knew that creatures on this floor could be attracted to light and heat. The thought of his fire serving as a beacon for predators made him shiver, and it wasn't because of the cold.

"You don't think fire can attract monsters?" he murmured, his hesitant voice betraying his unease.

Nerris, who had sat down next to him, raised an eyebrow as she watched him. "There's a good chance of that happening, and if it does, you'll have to figure out how to hunt these monsters. Unless you'd rather spend the night out in the cold."

Sora pursed his lips. He didn't need to be reminded of the obvious. Nerris had a point: without fire, they risked spending an unpleasant night in the cold, without any source of light. But with fire... he risked having to fight without rest.

His gaze shifted to his sword, lying at his side. He knew it was sharp, ready to be drawn at the slightest suspicious noise, but was he ready?

He took a deep breath and straightened up slightly, alert.

"All right," he finally breathed. "But if anything approaches, I want us to be ready."

Nerris nodded, obviously pleased with his reaction. "In that case, we should take turns standing guard. I can take the first one if you like."

Sora hesitated. He wanted to refuse, to stay awake and alert all night, but he knew that would be a mistake. Lack of sleep would weaken him even more than a fight.

"Okay... But wake me up at the slightest noise."

"Of course," she replied with an amused smile.

He lay down by the fire, never completely closing his eyes. Despite the fatigue weighing on his eyelids, his mind remained focused on the surrounding darkness, straining to hear the slightest suspicious rustle.

Silence reigned, too heavy, too oppressive.

Then, a creak echoed in the early evening gloom.

Sora leapt to his feet, his hand already on the hilt of his sword. His heart was beating wildly.

Nerris, still sitting cross-legged, calmly turned her head towards the darkness.

"Looks like your theory was right."

The fire continued to crackle, but in the shadows, something was approaching.

Sora felt an icy chill run up his spine. The darkness seemed to vibrate under the invisible threat, a presence he couldn't yet make out, but whose oppressive heaviness he could already feel.

A second creak, closer this time.

His breath caught as a massive figure slowly emerged from the darkness. The flickering glow of the fire revealed a creature with gleaming eyes, shining like two cursed pearls. Its body was covered in thick, dark fur, and its long, sharp claws gently scraped the ground as it advanced with slow, measured steps.

Sora gripped his sword so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "It's too big. Too dangerous." he repeated over and over in his head.

Every fiber of his being was screaming for him to flee, but his legs refused to move. His instincts told him that this monster was of a caliber he couldn't handle on his own.

As for Nerris, she didn't budge an eyelash.

"A Nocturnal Hunter..." she murmured, her voice strangely calm.

Sora felt his stomach knot. He didn't know this beast, but its name alone was enough to understand that they were in danger.

"Is it strong?" he asked in a husky voice.

Nerris took a deep breath before answering, his gaze fixed on the creature as it continued to approach.

"Let's just say, at your level, you don't stand a chance."

A heavy silence followed his words.

Sora swallowed hard. His thoughts raced. He'd faced formidable enemies before, but never had someone told him so clearly that he didn't stand a chance.

His survival instinct took over. "We've got to run. Now."

"No."

He turned his head to Nerris, stunned by her answer.

"No?!" he choked out.

She shrugged, as impassive as ever.

"If we run away, he'll hunt us down. This kind of creature loves panicking prey."

Sora swallowed an expletive. He would have preferred a thousand times over if she'd told him that running away was the best option.

The Nocturnal Hunter growled, a kind of guttural rattle that echoed in the icy air. He was only a few meters away, his piercing gaze trained on them.

Sora's heart pounded violently against her chest.

"What should I do?" he thought, taking his sword in his hands.

Then, to his surprise, Nerris slowly stood up and took a few steps back, his body still relaxed.

"Let me handle this, it's the first monster we've come across, so I've got to set an example for you this time," she breathed.

Sora opened his mouth to protest, but before he could say anything, the creature pounced.

The monster swooped down on them with an unleashing of muscles and claws. Its leap was lightning fast, its massive silhouette obscuring Sora's vision for an instant. Sora barely had time to step back, his instincts screaming at him to get away from the impending carnage.

But Nerris did not move.

Just before impact, her body pivoted with calculated fluidity. Her foot slid along the ground, bringing her slightly out of reach of the sharp claws. The Nocturnal Hunter passed within inches of her, his fangs closing on empty space.

In one swift movement, she drew her weapon, a thin, curved blade that she twirled with surgical precision. Her sword whistled through the air, tracing a murderous arc that bit into the creature's flesh.

A bestial cry rang out.

The monster rolled to the ground and leapt to its feet, snarling in pain. A trickle of dark blood ran down its flank, but instead of retreating, it seemed to redouble its rage.

Sora watched the scene, hypnotized.

She's fast. Too fast.

Nerris didn't even seem worried. She twirled her blade between her fingers and smirked.

"Not bad, eh?" she said to Sora, without taking her eyes off her opponent.

The Nocturnal Hunter gave him no time to add anything. He attacked again, this time with a multiplicity of thrusts. His claws split the air, seeking to lacerate the warrior, who dodged with frightening ease. Every move was calculated, every dodge executed with frightening precision.

But Nerris wasn't just retreating.

She retaliated.

At every opening, her blade found a flaw in the monster's defense. A gash in the legs. A gash on the shoulder. A well-placed blow behind the ear.

The fight seemed almost unequal.

Sora would have liked to help, but he knew he'd only be in the way. He gripped the handle of his sword, frustrated by his own weakness.

Then, in an instant, everything changed.

The Night Hunter, despite his wounds, pivoted abruptly and, instead of aiming at Nerris, threw his paw back. Its claws ploughed through the ground... sending a shower of dust and ash straight at its opponent.

Nerris was forced back, her vision obstructed for a fraction of a second.

A fraction of a second too long.

The monster took advantage.

With a roar, it leapt at terrifying speed and closed its jaws on Nerris's arm.

A sinister crack echoed through the air.

Sora gasped.

Nerris winced, but she didn't scream. Her fingers instinctively dropped her sword on impact.

The Nocturnal Hunter shook his head violently, trying to throw her to the ground like a rag doll.

But she wouldn't let him.

With a brutal gesture, she thrust her free fist into the monster's eye.

A howl pierced the night.

The beast let go, leaping backwards, its eye now useless.

Sora saw the blood running down Nerris's arm, but she didn't seem to care. She swiftly retrieved her weapon, her gaze burning with cold determination.

The fight wasn't over.

And this time, she intended to finish it.

The monster snarled, its one valid eye trained on Nerris with fierce hatred. It swayed from side to side, its ragged breath betraying the pain that was eating away at it. But despite his wounds, he had no intention of fleeing.

As for Sora, he could feel his heart beating wildly. He wanted to act, to rush in and strike the creature before it could strike another blow at Nerris. But he knew it wasn't that simple. He wasn't her. He wasn't as fast, as precise, as ruthless.

Yet he couldn't remain a spectator forever.

Nerris, on the other hand, seemed unperturbed by the pain. She raised her wounded arm and shook it slightly, as if to assess the extent of the damage. A grimace crept across her face, but she didn't utter a word.

Then she fixed her gaze on the monster. "You've made a mistake."

With a quick step, she threw herself forward.

The Nocturnal Hunter reacted immediately, bringing down his clawed paw in her direction. But this time, Nerris didn't just dodge.

She lowered herself just before impact and dived under the blow with perfect fluidity. Her body slid like a shadow beneath the beast's belly, and before it could even comprehend what was happening, Nerris' blade sank deep into its flesh.

A heart-rending howl echoed through the night.

The monster tried to free itself, but Nerris suddenly turned his weapon inside the wound, tearing out a stream of blackish blood.

Sora saw the Night Hunter stagger. His breath became erratic. His movements, once swift and deadly, became heavier, more hesitant.

Then, with a final growl, the beast collapsed to the ground with a thud.

A heavy silence fell.

Sora didn't dare move at first, expecting the monster to rise again at any moment. But he didn't move.

It was all over.

He finally released the air he'd been holding back without realizing it.

Nerris, still on her feet, sheathed her blade in one swift movement before glancing at her bloodied arm.

"Damn..." she muttered, assessing the wound.

Sora approached cautiously, sword still in hand. He swallowed as he saw the blood running down her skin.

"Are you all right?" he asked uncertainly.

Nerris raised an eyebrow before smiling slightly.

"I've been worse. But thanks for your concern."

Sora looked down at the creature's corpse.

He knew this monster was out of his league, but when he saw Nerris's bloody arm, he quickly realized that he would have lost his arm had he fought it.

However, despite his many reflections, he couldn't understand why Nerris had let herself get hurt like that. She could have used her Ushi to protect herself, but for some reason he didn't understand, she hadn't. "Nerris, why didn't you use your Ushi?"

As she tore off a piece of his T-shirt to bandage his injured arm, Nerris paused for a few moments before answering. "I told you, Sora, if I'd used it, more monsters would have rushed here to attack us. So as long as it's not a matter of life and death, I won't use it."

Sora couldn't think of anything to say in reply, and instead moved slowly towards the lifeless body of the nocturnal hunter.

"Here, scavenge some of the flesh. It'll be useful for feeding." Nerris replied, having just finished healing himself.

Sora nodded, though his mind was still reeling from what he'd just seen. He bent over the body of the Night Hunter, his hands hesitating slightly before grasping a piece of still warm flesh. The smell of the dead beast invaded his nostrils, but he tried not to let himself be overcome by disgust. He knew this food would be essential for their survival in this unforgiving environment.

"Don't worry," Nerris said, watching his movements with a smirk, "You'll get used to it eventually."

Sora looked up at her, an embarrassed expression on his face. "It's not really the sort of thing I want to get used to."

Nerris burst out laughing, a light laugh that seemed to surprise even her. "Maybe, but you've got no choice. Around here, we have to be as ruthless as the creatures that populate this place."

He straightened up and cut another piece of meat, the creature's skin peeling off more and more easily under his hunting knife given to him by Jarek. He didn't really like the idea of feeding on creatures he'd just faced, but he knew Nerris was right. Fighting was part of survival here, and every victory brought its share of resources.

"We're leaving as soon as it's light," Nerris said, taking one last look at the dead creature. "We haven't reached our destination yet."

Hesitating for a few moments, Sora finally asked the question that had been burning in his mind. "Where should we go after all?"

Nerris looked briefly at the map Jarek had drawn for him before turning his gaze back to Sora. "We'll be heading for the abandoned temple of Nymeus."