Chapter XLII: A God? A Fallen Angel? An Elf? (7)

Previously

“Before we begin, you must remember two rules,” Ivanka turned to me and said. “The first and most important rule being that, under no circumstance will you move from your hiding spot unless I tell you to. You can test out your skills after the hunt for lunch, and dinner.”

“And the second?” I asked.

“Do not disturb me when I’m hunting,” Ivanka said with absolute seriousness that made her usual serious face look goofy. I gulped but managed a nod. 

“Well then, if you’re ready,” Ivanka opened the door while I clenched onto my dress tightly. “Let the hunt begin.”

Ivanka’s POV, Shivering Woods-Pocket Dimension

Ivanka stayed low, hiding behind bushes even if she didn’t really need to since her prey was nothing more than a Grade S monster; a [Deera] but she didn’t come to the forest to hunt powerful monsters. After all, just because the monsters were powerful didn’t necessarily mean that they had great meat. She learned that the hard way after she tried to cook and dine on a dragon’s adamantite-like flesh. Oh, the scales were always a pain to get rid off too.

“Don’t come out,” She told Willow behind her. The little thing huffed in exasperation. “I’m not that dumb.” She only nodded in his direction before re-focusing on her task. 

They were currently in a subspace of her domain-dimension, a woodland area she had crafted in the image of her forest back in Alterra which was why she could take the animals and things out of this subspace and into the world or vice-versa if she wished to. A long time back, when she had just finished creating the Shivering Woods, she knew that the first thing she wanted to transfer here was the [Deera]. 

The [Deera] species, despite being a herbivorous, quiet species, were known for their difficulty in getting slain due to their high affinity with the nature of wood but to Ivanka, they were nothing more than juicy, delicious mules that went great with a good wine. If any of the mortals who died hunting a Deera heard of her thoughts, they’d probably riot. 

To her, the most difficult part in killing a Deera would be their annoying senses but even that was easily countered when she did something like this. 

“[Silence],” Ivanka intoned. A shroud of darkness was expelled from her body, slowly but surely covering the area around the Deera. She sensed the little boy’s shock. “Don’t worry. As long as you’re with me, you won’t suffer from any of the curses inlaid within my spell.”

“Curses?” Willow questioned. 

Ivanka smirked. “Watch.”

Just as expected, the Deera’s marvelous instincts were revealed as it noticed the creeping darkness around and immediately tried to turn tail and flee. Ivanka stayed calm however as one of it’s hind legs that had been raised to flee stiffened before it’s body froze as well. It’s body shook around like it wanted to break free from whatever had paraylysed its body. 

“Paralysis, Sensory Deprivation, Hallucination,” Ivanka casually muttered out a number of the debuffs. The Deera must have activated one of it’s skills, as vines rose from the ground and lashed out at a nearby tree, instantly felling it and somewhat puncturing another tree behind. But it’s tantrum only lasted for so long before it started frothing in it’s mouth. “And, poison.”

“Poison?!” Willow whisper-yelled. “I thought you said that we were eating it for lunch! I don’t want to eat poisoned meat!”

Ivanka wanted to roll her eyes. “The poison will bleed out of the Deera exactly one minute after it’s death. It can be earlier since it is a domain of mine after all.”

“Oh,” Willow’s face flushed in shame. “. . .Well, I just really didn’t want to eat poisoned meat for lunch.”

“Enough chit-chat,” Ivanka looked over at the Deera and after confirming that it’s lifeforce was almost depleted, she got out of the bushes and walked over to the Deera in immense anguish.

She gave it’s long mane of neck a calm, gentle pat and whispered, “I wish you a good trip into the afterlife,” before she summoned a chalikar and beheaded it in one swoop, ending it’s suffering for good as it’s scarlet blood flowed out in waves. A snap of her finger and a bubble-like orb of darkness enshrouded the carcass, killing the blood flow and froze it in stasis before she placed it in her Storage.

Ivanka let out a sigh. 

“Are you okay?” Willow asked from behind the bushes. “And can I please come out now?”

Ivanka shook her head. “Yes. But we’ll have to move quickly. The blood spilt on the grass will attract other predators.” She looked at the blood on her chalikars with a look on her face. “I won’t kill those unrequired.” Her hands trembled slightly at the blood but she tried her best to hide them.

But, the boy caught her. “Your hands. . .they’re trembling.”

She grunted. “It’s nothing.” It appeared that she must have pushed herself farther than she thought. If she was alone, she wouldn’t really have any trouble but since another person was witnessing her kill, horrible memories were starting to resurface. Memories she thought she had left in the past. Her heart clenched oh so painfully. 

“Let me take a look,” Willow insisted. 

“No,” Ivanka quickly denied. “I told you it was nothing. What we have to do now is-”

“Oh stop being so stoic,” Willow said. He dangled the crest on his right hand in her face. “I can help.” He didn’t allow her refusal again as he simply took her hand in his and started to gather his prana to cast his skill.

If it was anyone else she would have just waved them off but the boy was an incarnation of the Maiden, a being who was most known for her godlike healing abilities. . amidst other things. The boy may still be a little far from reaching that realm but she trusted in the Maiden’s abilities and any of her incarnations. Now that she thought about it, the Maiden had forced her healing on Ivanka just like how Willow was doing right now and back then, she was far more aloof and stoic than she was now. 

But despite their similarities, sometimes she felt like this side of the boy was nothing more than an act, a ploy to pull the wool over her eyes. Perhaps she was wrong but either way, as time passed, she was gradually beginning to see the Maiden inside him, especially the fiery, resolute will the both of them shared. She felt warm inside and began to feel her hand’s trembling crawl to a stop when she thought about her old flame, Kubaba or was it just the skill Willow had casted on her. 

“Anddd done,” Willow said, letting her hands free. “So, how is it?”

Ivanka clenched and unclenched her hands, forming them into fists as she felt them good as new. As an added bonus, the trauma in her head had also dissipated. “Wonderful. With this, I believe I should be able to go for tomorrow’s dinner too.”

“Now, hold on a second,” Willow stopped her with a finger. “I thought we were going to test out my skills now.”

“Very well,” Ivanka said. “What skill do you want to test out?”

Willow intoned, “Purify.” Ivanka watched as a golden glow softly unfurled around the boy, before the edges of the aura touched the grass where it had been stained with the Deera’s blood and soon enough, both the coppery smell and blood disappeared without a trace. 

“I don’t see any problem with the skill,” Ivanka replied, catching how the patch of grass that had received the boy’s purification seemed to have grown taller, lusher and richer than the rest of the greenery. “If anything, I’d think you’re right around the corner of mastering it. Although, I don’t think I remember seeing you practice your skills. 

“I practice them whenever you’re working out in the training grounds,” Willow shook his head. “But that’s not the point!” Willow sighed. “The point is that I currently possess absolutely zero offensive skills in my arsenal. Zero. And looking at the trend of my skill genre, I don’t think I’ll ever possess an offensive skill.”

Ivanka wondered whether she should give him his reason. She decided against it since she would have to reveal the history of the Maiden and she knew doing so would anger the fates, not to mention the founding mother as well. He couldn’t and shouldn’t know the full extent of his abilities yet, not to mention whose incarnation he was.

“Perhaps. But even so, you should cherish the abilities you have,” Ivanka said. “There is constant blood and strife in the world. Alterra is in constant need of those who share the same realm as your abilities so that it can sustain itself. I’m even somewhat envious of your abilities.”

“Envious?” Willow asked, surprised. “But you’re. .so strong.”

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