The sun sat high in the sky, pouring molten gold through the forest canopy. Shafts of light speared down between the branches, breaking against the thick undergrowth where Selvara crouched, her hand resting on the hilt of her blade.
Her silver eyes tracked the lone boar that had wandered from its companions. Massive shoulders hunched as it rooted through the soil, tusks glinting faintly with reddish hue.
She breathed slowly. In. Out.
Then moved.
---
Her body blurred, speed was her weapon. In a flash she closed the distance, boots pounding silently on soft earth.
The boar's ears twitched, and its head snapped up just as she launched forward. It bellowed, tusks sweeping in a vicious arc.
Selvara bent low, her body folding unnaturally fluid, sliding beneath the slash of ivory. The tusks carved the air just above her head. Her sword hissed free of its scabbard, steel flashing in the sunlight.
Strike the weak points.
Her blade cut across the beast's flank. Blood sprayed, hot and sharp. The boar roared in pain, staggering sideways, but its endurance kept it standing.
Her strikes were shallow, drawing blood but failing to cut deep.
Selvara grimaced. One blow wasn't enough. She darted back as the beast swung around, tusks gouging trenches in the earth.
The boar lunged. Its sheer size carried terrifying momentum.
Selvara's body blurred sideways, the rush of wind grazing her cheek as the beast thundered past. She pivoted sharply, boots digging into soil, and sprinted after it.
Her sword flashed again, slashing at its hind leg. The beast stumbled, letting out a scream that rattled her bones.
"Fall," Selvara hissed. She surged forward, planted her foot on its foreleg, and launched upward, blade angled down.
With all her weight and speed behind it, the blade pierced the boar's neck, slipping between muscle and bone. Hot blood erupted as the beast shuddered, legs buckling.
It collapsed to the earth with a final groan.
Selvara yanked her sword free, flicking crimson drops from its edge. Her silver eyes lifted.
The other two had noticed.
---
The remaining boars bellowed as one, tusks flashing, eyes burning red. They charged. The ground shook with each pounding step.
Selvara rolled her shoulders once. "So be it."
The first beast lunged from the left, tusks gouging upward in a brutal swing. Selvara blurred sideways, but the second came from behind, faster than she anticipated. Its tusks grazed her side, tearing through her leather like paper.
Pain flared hot. She hissed, tumbling across the dirt before righting herself. Blood slicked her tunic, but the wound was shallow.
The two circled her now, eyes glowing like coals, their breaths steaming.
Selvara's grip tightened on her sword. She had speed but only speed. Strength 1 meant her blade couldn't cleave through hide in a single stroke. She had to strike again and again, cutting them apart piece by piece.
"Then I'll cut until nothing remains."
---
The left boar charged again. Selvara darted forward to meet it, boots a blur. At the last moment, she sidestepped, slicing across its shoulder. Blood sprayed, shallow but painful.
The second boar came from behind. She twisted mid-step, dropping to her knees as its tusks sliced over her head. Her sword snapped upward, carving a line across its underbelly.
The beast howled, stumbling, but its endurance absorbed the blow.
They attacked together, one from each side. Selvara's eyes narrowed.
She sprinted forward, body blurring at impossible speed. The boars collided with each other where she had stood a heartbeat before, tusks clashing with a sound like grinding stone.
Selvara spun, blade flashing, carving into the exposed flank of the nearest beast. The wound tore deeper this time, staggering it.
It roared, rearing up. She darted beneath its shadow, plunging her blade into its throat. Hot blood poured as it collapsed with a crash.
One remained.
---
The last boar bellowed, charging straight at her. Its tusks gleamed with crimson light, thick with whatever corruption burned in its veins.
Selvara braced herself. Her chest rose and fell. Her silver eyes shone like steel under sunlight.
The beast thundered closer, earth quaking beneath it.
Selvara exhaled once. Then vanished.
Her agility carried her up the trunk of a nearby tree, boots striking bark. She launched upward, flipping above the charging beast.
In a single motion, she dropped down, blade angled for the crown of its skull.
Steel met bone with a sickening crack. The beast shrieked, collapsing to its knees, shaking its massive head. Blood poured from the wound, blinding it.
Selvara landed lightly, breath steady, eyes unblinking. She darted forward and slashed again, again, again of silver steel carving red lines across thick hide.
Finally, with a trembling groan, the beast toppled, its crimson eyes dimming.
The clearing fell silent save for her ragged breaths.
Three corpses sprawled in the dirt.
---
Selvara cleaned her blade on the grass, then crouched by the nearest corpse. With practiced efficiency, she carved the tusks free, each one gleaming ivory, a foot and a half long, heavy in her hands.
Six tusks in total. She bound them in cloth, slinging them across her back without complaint.
Then she turned, her steps silent as she moved toward the village.
---
The stag emblem above the inn swayed in the breeze when Selvara pushed the door open. Loid looked up from the common table, a half-empty mug in hand. His eyes widened as she dropped the bundle of tusks onto the wood with a solid thunk.
"Six tusks," Selvara said simply.
Loid blinked. "Wait... you… you fought more of those things?"
Her silver eyes met his. "Three."
He gaped at her. "Three?! Alone?! Selvara, you're..." He stopped himself, rubbing his temples. "You're insane. In a terrifyingly impressive way, but still insane."
She tilted her head. "They were threats. They are not now."
Loid exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "You're making me feel useless, you know that? I was over here bartering for bread, and you were out slaying monsters."
Selvara's gaze softened faintly. "You provide direction. I provide steel."
Loid stared at her for a long moment, then chuckled weakly. "You really have a way of making that sound reasonable."
She left the tusks on the table and turned toward the door. "I will report to the barracks."
---
The west barracks smelled of oil and steel. Selvara stepped inside, blood still faint on her clothes. Roderick, the captain, looked up immediately.
"You're back early." His eyes narrowed at the red stains. "Report."
"Three boars," she said evenly. "Southwest clearing. All slain."
He stared at her. "Three? Alone?"
She said nothing, only shifted the bundle of tusks forward. The gleaming ivory told the story better than words.
Then he shook his head. "Guards! Fetch the beasts from the clearing! Move!"
Several guards rushed past her, saluting quickly.
Roderick looked back at Selvara. "Good work. The payment is tonight."
She nodded once, turned, and vanished into the sunlight.
---
Night draped Thornfield in soft blue when the guards returned with carts, hauling the massive boar corpses through the gates. The villagers gathered, murmuring in awe at the sight of the beasts' tusks and bulk.
Inside the barracks, coin purses clinked as Roderick handed them out. "Standard rate plus hazard pay," he announced. "Three beasts is no small feat."
Selvara accepted her purse without word, the weight of silver heavy in her palm. She bowed her head faintly, then turned and left.
---
The inn's common room had quieted, most patrons retired for the night. Loid sat at the corner table, flipping a silver coin between his fingers, when the door creaked open.
Selvara entered, moving with the same calm grace as always. Without a word, she crossed the room and slid into the seat opposite him.
"You're back," Loid said, smiling faintly.
She set the coin purse on the table. "Payment."
Loid raised his brows. "You… actually brought back the money? You're spoiling me."
Her silver eyes lingered on him. "Rest. Tomorrow will bring more."
Loid leaned back, chuckling. "Yeah… you're right."
For a long while, they sat in silence. The noise of the tavern faded, leaving only the crackle of the hearth.
Selvara's gaze never wavered, calm and steady. Loid's chest eased as the weight of the day finally fell away.
And as the firelight flickered over them both, the world outside could wait.