Dark Cloud

Towards the end of each season, Rosch would tests me. He stood over there and announce what kind of test it was. But lately, that wasn't the case. More and more monster-slaying work orders were coming in. This month, I could count how many days he slept at home.

Obligations as an adventurer made it impossible for him to decline all the offers. For the sake of the village and my tuition fees. He never complained though. When he came home, he would flirt with mom or bother me. Honestly, I wasn't bothered by it anymore. Maybe that was Rosch's way of communicating with his son.

Despite the many sacrifices he had made, I still couldn't call him father. How ironic.

With two pats on the cheek, my focus returned. I was standing in the front yard with Farida. Mom sat on the steps with a worried look on her face. I can't let her have that kind of expression.

"I'll be fine, Mama!" I exclaimed to convince her. Unfortunately, she still had her doubts. Well, that's only natural. Because the one testing me this time was not Rosch, but Farida.

After flashing mom a smile, I tightened my belt and shoelaces then gripped the sword tightly with both hands. My stance was perfect.

"Are you ready, Damna?" asked Farida.

"Yes!"

Farida was ready. She dressed like an adventurer, not in her usual maid's dress. Farida then picked up a stone from the pile of stones stacked next to her.

"Get ready, Damna!" she said.

Farida examined the stone she was holding twice. Then she looked at me, took a stance and threw it with all her might straight into my direction. I only had one objective, to slash the stone with this wooden sword. There was no need to split it into two equal pieces. As long as I managed to hit it, then I would pass.

The stone I slashed splintered and the fragments fell to the ground. There was a slight puff of smoke that obscured the view. Farida, at the other end, smiled while mom remained worried.

"Not bad. Remember to activate your Spiritual Eyes, because the next one will be enhanced with magic, Damna."

I followed her orders. That said, the first one was just a warm-up. What came next was the real test.

Farida took a stance, swung her arm like a national pitcher, and threw the stone like a bullet. Using my Spiritual Eyes, I saw the Mana coating used to reduce friction in the air. It caused the stone to travel at high speed.

I gripped my sword tightly, and with an inward cue, I swung right at the center point of the rock. When my sword hit it, a boom resounded like a baseball landing in a catcher's mitt. It showed how powerful Farida's pitch was. Sweat poured down my forehead even though it was only the start. My fingers tried to tighten the grip.

Farida understood how to utilize her capability in manipulating mana with all the limitations. I was no different, but I never expected Farida to be so much better than me in Battle Aura.

Before I could adjust my position, Farida flung the third stone. I slashed it and the impact pushed my hand back slightly. The next pitch came and was followed by another stone. The higher the number of throws, the faster and harder the hits I got.

No room for thought. I was forced to focus on my body's reflexes and Battle Aura control.

I cut down the stones one by one. Some stones were cut in half and others shattered into small pieces. As a result, I found myself surrounded by a puff of dust which narrowed my view. Even with Spiritual Eyes, I could not detect the stone, except when it reached a radius of one meter. This situation forced my muscles and instincts to work to the fullest.

Sweat spread through the air following my unceasing movements. It was like I danced in a haze of smoke with bangs as my musical accompaniment. After the last stone, I stopped swinging. However, every muscle and instinct was still on guard. There was no rule that the stones had to be thrown in consecutive order.

My legs almost lose their balance, but I managed to prevent it. I couldn't sit down until Farida declared my victory.

As the smoke subsided, I saw Farida stand up and flash a smile. She clapped her hands and said, "Congratulations, Damna. You passed."

"It's over." I threw myself onto the ground and let out a deep breath.

It felt great. I hadn't worked out this hard in a long time.

Out of the corner of my eye, Mom came running and immediately checked every inch of my body. After making sure nothing was injured, her worried face transformed into a proud smile.

"Damna sweetheart, you did great!" Her lips immediately crawled over my face. Every inch of it was covered in kisses.

I let Mom do what she wanted until Farida, who came over, giggled. "A few days ago, Sonja didn't want this exam to take place. But here we are, she is so happy."

"What kind of mother would want her child stoned that hard, Farida! You're too serious, too! That's frightening!" Mom growled, but her hands were still hugging and petting me. I saw a few tears in the corner of her eyes.

"Now you believe in Damna's capabilities, right?"

There was silence in the air. Mom glanced at me and then sighed. "That's right, I've gained conviction. This son of mine...is wonderful."

"You praise me too much. Just like Rosch," I teased.

Mom quickly pinched my cheek. "Of course, I look like him. He's my husband."

Eh...Could it be that the myth about soul mates having similar behavior holds? If it was, then I would dispute it. Hundred percent I won't accept that mom is the same as him. I meant, how could a goddess like Sonja be equal to a freak like Rosch? It was beyond reason.

Anyway, after passing the exam, my activities returned to normal. I spent part of my time studying, practicing my body and martial arts moves, and the other part helping my mother with her work. It continued until the winter came again.

***

Footprints were etched behind me, following me like a faithful shadow. However, the snowdrops quickly covered them, leaving no trace. My childish instincts provoked, these feet wildly made many traces in the forest not far from the back of the house. Then I waited for snowflakes to fill the footpaths and buried them.

How strange my behavior was. However, I felt that there was nothing wrong with it. It made me excited even though I was alone to look for firewood.

No one should be surprised if I went alone, because mom was pregnant. I couldn't let her do something strenuous like this, especially in the middle of the cold weather. It could be dangerous for my future siblings.

Speaking of siblings, I want a younger brother. Someone who would be strong enough to protect mom when I was away. However, I didn't think a brother could do a good job around the house.

On the other hand, younger sisters would do a better job of taking care of the house. She would be more reliable in managing emotions and manners. Also, it seemed to be easier to handle.

Wait a minute, what kind of theory did I come up with? I never even had a sibling! The novels and movies I had been reading finally surfaced and distorted my brain.

Crack!

I looked down and found a branch tucked under a leaf. My hand quickly picked it up and put it into the basket. When I lifted the broad leaf that had been buried in the snow nearby, it revealed a large number of wooden branches. What a stroke of luck. Before I knew it, I picked them all up and arranged them neatly in the basket.

Afterwards, I found my basket was already half full. It was still daytime, but the forest's safe boundary was near. Mom said I shouldn't go too deep into the forest, because there might be dangerous animals. With my current abilities, if it was just a wolf or a tiger, I was confident there would be no problem.

Once again, I checked every piece of my clothing from the thick jacket, quilted trousers, and boots lined with gaiters, as well as the small knife at my waist already on standby. I tightened the basket straps and prepared to step over the boundary.

The forest's pattern began to change a few minutes after I went deeper. Before it was a land with dense trees and vines here and there, there were now half-frozen creeks that spread into three sections. At the top of each stream were three wooden bridges which I safely crossed over.

I walked for perhaps three hundred meters as I picked up every branch in sight. There should be a small waterfall around here. It was a five meters high waterfall. That place was where I discovered Farida's secret.

The woman I thought was bookish and looked like a housewife, turned out to have beautiful muscles. Not as big as a bodybuilder's, but at least they were well-trained muscles. Not only on her arms, I even saw her abdominal and thigh muscles. I could see the curves from a distance. Farida had practiced for a long time to get those beautiful muscles and shafts.

Sorry, I didn't intend to peek at her taking a shower at that time. It was a coincidence. And only that one time. Maybe it would have been twice if Farida hadn't thrown a rock at me when I accidentally nudged a bush and made a noise. I ran before she spotted me.

At least, it answered my curiosity. About how Farida was able to throw that hard during my test a few weeks ago. It made sense, considering Farida could not manipulate mana without her special gloves, she needed strong muscle. Relying on such a tool would only hinder or even kill her if she couldn't react quickly to danger.

Enough about Farida already. My basket was almost full and the weather was getting unfriendly. The cold started to penetrate my thick jacket, a sign of a coming snowstorm. Hopefully it won't be too big, because clearing the snow-filled yard was quite tiring. I wouldn't complain if mom told me to, but it was part of Rosch's job.

Speaking of Rosch, this morning he went out again. He got on a horse and was soon out of sight. As always, there were monsters to vanquish, he said. However, as long as I was here, I never saw a single one of them. Sure, I didn't expect to meet one.

A howl echoed out. At first, it was just one and very subtle, until they slowly greeted each other. It was a sign that I should turn around and go home. Going any further than this, I might be doomed. Even if I could fight one wolf, it didn't mean I could win against a full pack. I was not that crazy.

I put down the basket and began to stretch. I brushed off the snow that had accumulated on my head and shoulders, then used fire magic to warm my body. Nothing was more pleasant in winter than warmth. When my body stopped shivering, I slung the basket back and turned around.

"ARRGGHH!"

Before I could take the first step home, a scream echoed through the air. I could tell, it was a red flag.

Should I go check it out? No, wait a minute. I promised to return without causing any trouble. So I should go home now.

But, could it be acceptable to abandon others when they're in trouble, especially in the middle of the forest like this? If I ignored them, I wouldn't have learned my lesson from the rabbit case.

I gritted my teeth, clenched my fingers, and let out a long breath. I left the basket by the tree and quickly ran to the source of the sound. My feet had a hard time keeping up with the pace, getting stuck once or twice in the thick snow.

I kept running without making too much noise. Because this was important. If he or she was attacked by bandits or wolves, I shouldn't be spotted first so I could launch a surprise attack.

Having gone far enough, my ears guided me to the location where the sound came from. Passing through the bushes and I saw a movement through the gaps.

"Help! Help! Somebody help me!" The man shouted as he hobbled over. His voice sounded exhausted. He kept running even though he stumbled in the thick snow. The bleeding arm left a red trail on the white surface.

Just as I was about to go out to help, a sudden chill ran down my spine, forcing me to stay hidden. It wasn't the cold of winter. What I felt came from the darkness that suddenly appeared from the white hill behind the man.

A deep guttural voice, an aggressive, threatening sound echoed through the air. That darkness manifested itself as a wolf. Not the wolf I saw on Wikipedia, this one was twice the size of the man it chased. Armed with two fangs as long as an adult's arm, it looked ready to rip into prey.

My legs trembled. Followed by a sharp intake of breath. For the first time, I felt a threat. The figure of the monster mentioned in geography class appeared in front of me.

Should I let it take that man's life so I could survive? It might be the wisest choice.

However, what would I say to Mom and Rosch? Leaving a helpless man to his death and then just walking away? No doubt Mom won't be able to smile warmly at me later. Rosch would label me as the biggest loser in history. And Farida? Perhaps, she would distrust me forever.

That left me with one choice. While the man continued to run away from the monster wolf, I had to come up with a strategy.

I took a deep breath. The white vapor which blocked my view was evidence of my brain running various simulations. I wouldn't be able to win if I went head-to-head. Our physical comparison was too wide. I only had the option to fight indirectly. A trap was the easiest way. It sounded good.

I kept observing how the man was trying hard to escape. He even threw away his backpack. Still, the monster didn't stop. The man tried to outwit the monster. He slipped into the dense trees making it difficult for the creature to reach him.

I dipped both hands into the snowdrifts until they touched the ground. I took a deep breath, again and again. Yet, my heart was still racing. My eyes didn't blink, all my senses focused on one moment.

When the last tree fell, the man was right in front of it. The man screamed with all his breath, calling for help in the middle of the silent forest. The wolf monster didn't care about the language it didn't understand. Quick as a flash, the monster leapt up, opened its jaws and–Now!

"Earth Impale!" A spear-like pointed earth was formed from the ground to stab into the monster's body. Fresh blood spurted out from the wound point along with a thunderous scream. I struck the heart and it should die.

"Leave!" I stood up from the bush and revealed myself. "You go! Let me distract it!"

The man was confused. He had no choice but to run with all his might in the opposite direction. My attention from the man was distracted by the menacing growl of the monster. The creature broke my Earth Impale and stood on all of its four legs.

"What? How is that possible? Didn't I already stab its heart?"

A greenish glow engulfed its body. Its wound began to regenerate.

"Don't tell me that's healing magic? I thought magic was only for highly intelligent beings?"

Without a second thought, I chanted Earth Impale magic multiple times to attack him. Only one Earth Impale managed to hit him, and that was on the leg. The monster had swift movement.

The glare in the monster's eyes locked onto me. It ran wildly while letting out an aggressive howl. Its legs quickly climbed the hill I was standing on. Within ten seconds, I would be devoured. Run away? That would be a wise choice ... or not. I could not escape from it.

I must attack! But where? Its head? But it would be useless if the monster could heal it again! Random attacks were also useless and wasted a lot of mana!

Attack its head. Break it with stones and burn its brain with fire magic.

"W-who are you!?"

Do it or you're finished...

The strange voice rang in my head and disappeared after saying something. I had no choice. There was only one magic I could use. A magic that I developed with Farida. Could it be that the voice was asking me to use it? But, how could it know?

Nah, I should not think about that!

I straightened both hands forward and flowed as much mana as possible. At once, I created a chunk of pointed stone and compressed it to its maximum point. I used air magic and burned oxygen as propane, to create explosive power as a thrust. I turned the pointed stone like a drill until there was a loud whirring sound. The stone was red hot.

At the same time, the monster jumped up and opened its jaws to shred me. In the air, he won't be able to move. I was in the same position. I had to aim. Missing was not an option. One moment right before its fangs scraped the skin, I fired a Stone Bullet towards its head. The super-rotating hot stone rushed through the skull and exploded.

I was blown away by the explosive power of the magic I used. My body was dragged across the snow surface until it hit a tree. The impact produced excruciating pain, accompanied by a loud buzzing in my ears and a burning sensation on my face.

When I opened my eyes, everything was a blur. Then a scene began to take shape. The ground at the far end, where I stood against the monster, formed a circle that radiated heat, soared smoke, and melted the snow around it.

I gulped. I hoped the monster was truly dead. I had no intention of confirming it, as my goal had been achieved.

I caught my breath and prepared to rise. However, my right hand failed to serve as a support, and I slipped down. I tried to move it, but there was no response. When I turned my head to the right, the hand in charge of rotating the stone was twisted and blood was flowing from it.

This sight provoked pain. As a result, this body instinct almost made me scream. That was a close one. If that happened, then my position would be discovered. I needed more time.

I took a deep breath. Afterwards, I performed healing magic with my left hand. This wound should be curable. It was still a fresh wound. In theory, as long as it didn't cut off, basic healing magic could take care of it.

Five minutes passed and I managed to move my right hand. Although the skin and some muscles were still stiff, it was getting better. I stood up and walked to get the basket. My staggered steps eventually caused me to trip.

Oh no. The cold began to penetrate my tattered jacket. If I stayed here too long, I'd get hypothermia. I flexed all my muscles to stand up again. Before heading home, I warmed my body with fire magic.

The journey back was tough with my exhausted body. I burned mana too much. No calculations over the results. It was indeed negligence on my part. I hoped that no monsters would come after me. Or I would lose.

I shouldn't have to act like a hero. It nearly cost me my second chance.

I stopped walking and looked at my both palms. Once again repeating the sentence I was thinking just now.

Could I be more human than before?

A smile was etched on my face. I didn't know if it was a smile filled with regret or pride. One thing's for sure, mom would be proud. Well, maybe after a little scolding here and there.

My feet moved until my house was in sight. Soon I would be able to sleep peacefully in my soft bed. Somehow, the world was turned upside down. It wasn't. I'm the one who fell and flipped over.

Damn it! Come on! It's not time to sleep!

Oi! Oi! Oi! Damna!

"Damna!"

When my eyes opened, I found my body already in the room. The voice came from Mom, who was holding my hand. There were Rosch, Farida and a bunch of people I didn't recognize. Ah, except for the man with the beard and dressed like a clown.

Mom hugged me tightly and cried. Everyone was silent until she calmed down. I couldn't say anything either, because her tears came because of my negligence.

After mom's tears subsided, she gave Rosch time to speak.

"What happened, Damna?" he asked.

"A monster... A black-furred wolf--"

The faces of Rosch and the people I didn't know became tense. With just two words. I had yet to explain what was going on in detail.

"This is bad. They're coming faster than expected," the bearded man said. "We have to move, Rosch. Tomorrow or the day after, this house must be vacated."

"What do you mean?" Farida interrupted.

"Let's look outside, Miss." The man went to open the door and pointed to the North. I followed behind. Mom helped me stand up even though she told me not to.

"The dark clouds have descended."

He pointed at the black cloud that was over the Northern ice mountains and slowly moving down. It wasn't a black cloud, he said.

"It's a swarm of monsters...Black-Horned Wolf. Soon this place will become their hunting ground."