ch-2 a storm
The forest around her seemed to whisper secrets she couldn't yet understand. With each step, the mask's edges pressed against her skin, a physical nudge that she wasn't just Claire anymore. She was something—someone—else. Winter Devil. Guess I'll figure out what that means eventually.
As night fell, Claire decided to stop and rest. She lit a campfire, gnawed on some dried bread, and glared into the flames. Her house, her grandfather—everything she'd known was gone. All she had left was this bizarre blessing and a destiny she didn't sign up for.
A spark in her left eye interrupted her thoughts. She winced as it burned, glowing faintly purple. Instinctively, she stretched out her hand, and a spear formed from shadows and light appeared in her grasp. It pulsed with an eerie purple aura.
"Whoa," Claire whispered, staring at the weapon. Her reflection in the blade was just as surprised as she was. "So this is the Nacro-Star? I feel like I could bench-press a house." She twirled the spear experimentally and promptly smacked herself in the shin.
"Ow. Need practice."
Before she could marvel any further, a sound shattered the quiet—the frantic pounding of hooves. Claire turned to see a group of men chasing a massive black creature through the woods. The creature was a horse… sort of. Its glowing runes and otherworldly size made it clear this wasn't your average hay-muncher.
"Don't let it escape!" one man shouted.
"A Dark Night Walker! This thing's worth more than your lives!" barked another.
Claire crouched low, gripping her spear. Should I help? Or should I just stay out of it?
Her body answered for her. Without thinking, she hurled the spear with deadly precision, striking one of the men in the chest. He toppled like a sack of potatoes. The others barely had time to react before Claire launched herself into the fray. She conjured a scythe mid-leap, slicing through the air like she'd done this her whole life. Blood sprayed in arcs as she carved through the group, her movements fueled by adrenaline and an instinct she didn't fully understand.
"The Winter Dev—" one man managed to yell before Claire silenced him with a swift strike that cleaved through his chest. The metallic tang of blood filled the air as the remaining men hesitated, their confidence crumbling in the face of her ferocity.
Another lunged at her with a dagger, but Claire spun and parried with a dagger of her own, which appeared in her free hand like it had been waiting for its moment. She ducked under his wild swing, driving her blade upward into his ribs. The man's scream was cut short as she pulled the blade free and pivoted toward the last attacker.
The fight ended as quickly as it started. Bodies littered the ground, and Claire stood panting, her weapon dissolving into mist. One of the men had escaped, but she didn't have time to worry about him.
The wounded Night Walker limped toward her, its glowing runes flickering. Claire hesitated before reaching out to touch it. As her hand met its side, a burst of purple light engulfed them both. She blacked out.
When Claire awoke, the sun was peeking through the trees. The Night Walker—or Storm, as she decided to call him—was waiting patiently beside her. He looked different now, his runes glowing steadily, his body encased in sleek black armor.
"Guess you're stuck with me," Claire said, patting his side. "Let's see what you can do."
She climbed onto his back, and Storm took off like a bolt of lightning. The wind roared in her ears, and the forest blurred around them. Okay, he's fast. Fast. She grinned despite herself.
They arrived at a small town by midday. Claire's stomach growled loudly, reminding her that dried bread didn't count as a proper meal. She wandered the streets, scanning for something edible, when she noticed a group of thugs beating up a boy in an alley. One of the men was the same guy who had escaped her rampage the night before.
Claire didn't hesitate. She marched over and delivered a kick so powerful it sent the thug flying. The others froze as recognition dawned. "It's her! The Winter Devil!"
They bolted, leaving the boy gaping at Claire in awe. "Wow! Thank you, Miss Winter!" he said, his face lighting up.
Claire sighed. "It's just Claire. What's your name?"
"Alan," he replied. "Those guys were from the Spider Gang. They're dangerous."
Spider Gang? Great. As if I needed more enemies. Claire ruffled Alan's hair. "Don't worry about them. They won't bother you anymore."
Meanwhile, the Spider Gang's boss was not pleased. "A successor to the Winter Devil?" he growled. "Gather everyone. We're taking her down."
Back at Alan's house, Claire was enjoying a hot meal courtesy of his mom, Diana. The warmth of the food and Diana's kindness reminded her of simpler times. But her peace was short-lived.
"Claire," the Author's voice rang in her head.
Claire nearly choked. "You again?!"
"Shh. Listen. The Spider Gang is coming for you. Thirty-six members. Kill them before they reach the town."
"Thirty-six? Are you kidding me?"
"Nope. Good luck."
Claire groaned but grabbed her mask and headed out. Storm was already waiting for her, as if he knew. Together, they raced into the forest to intercept the gang.
The battle was chaos. Claire moved like a storm herself, her weapons materializing and vanishing with each fluid motion. She started with a spear, driving it into the chest of the first attacker before spinning and hurling it into another. Blood sprayed as the weapon dissolved, only for Claire to summon dual daggers and close the distance to her next target.
A gang member lunged at her with a flaming sword. Claire sidestepped, the heat singing her hair, and drove a dagger into his shoulder. With a grunt, she twisted the blade and kicked him backward into two of his comrades.
"She's unstoppable!" one shouted, his voice trembling.
"Shut up and fight!" barked another.
Claire's response was a scythe, its dark blade slicing through the air with lethal precision. She spun in a wide arc, cutting down three men at once. One of them managed to launch an ice spike at her, but she shattered it mid-flight with a hammer that appeared in her hands just in time.
The gang's boss stepped forward, his aura crackling with power. "Enough! You may be strong, but let's see how you handle this!" He raised his hands, summoning a wall of fire that roared toward her.
Claire leapt into the air, conjuring a bow and firing a shadowy arrow through the flames. It pierced the boss's shoulder, disrupting his spell. She landed behind him, her scythe ready to strike.
Before she could finish him, another gang member threw up a shimmering shield, deflecting her blow. Claire snarled and shifted to a sword, plunging it through the shield and into the man's chest.
"come forth the three-headed gate guardian of hell Cerberus the first ancient grim spirit," Claire growled. She raised her hand, summoning the three-headed dog from before. The beast erupted from black flames, its roars shaking the forest. It charged through the remaining gang members, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
The boss teleported away just as the dog lunged for him. Claire stood amidst the carnage, her breath ragged, her hands trembling. This time, she didn't black out. She remembered everything.
So this is what happened that night, she thought, staring at the destruction around her. The weight of her actions settled on her shoulders, but she couldn't stop now. The capital awaited, and so did her answers.
"Come on, Storm," she said, climbing onto his back. "Let's see what kind of trouble we can find next."