"Finn? Is something wrong?" Charlotte asked, seeming to notice the perplexed expression on his face.
"Did something accidentally get added to the stew?" Magnus questioned.
Finn shook his head, brushing off what his system showed him, "I'm fine—just thinking."
"I'm thinking, too mate. Thinking about how good this stuff is," Jasper playfully said while taking in another spoonful.
While the knight ate his serving of stew, Finn squinted, trying again to see if he could catch a glance of the man's face behind the helmet. Once more, he found himself disappointed as the small gap didn't allow anything to be seen of Jasper's features.
The hearty meal brought all of their hunger to be satisfied, though also bringing Finn to release a yawn as the warm supper seemed to tell his body it was time to sleep.
"You should get some rest," Magnus suggested to him while cleaning up around the campfire.
"--Ah? Me?" Finn asked.
"Yes, you. You're looking like a vampire with those bags under your eyes," Magnus told him honestly.
"Bags? Is it that bad?" Finn asked, feeling a bit embarrassed by the idea as he touched right beneath his eyes.
Jasper spoke up, "Hate to say it, mate, but he's not lying. Definitely got a vampire thing going on."
"Just get some sleep, Finn. We'll handle cleaning up and taking shifts to watch–so don't worry," Charlotte assured him.
As he sat there, finding his companions looking at him with genuine gazes of worry, he knew that they were looking out for his well being. He couldn't even deny their words, finding his mind exhausted as if wrung dry of its energy.
Nothing sounded better than getting rest, leaving him to accept their proposal as he laid himself down against the soft grass, "Alright. Just wake me up if anything happens."
"'Course, mate. Get some beauty sleep," Jasper assured.
Finn closed his eyes, welcoming the allure of slumber as his tired mind yearned to just shut off the constant worries, even if just for a brief time.
As Finn allowed himself to rest, the pot and bowls were cleaned properly by Magnus, while Jasper shined his blade and Charlotte watched the mountainous sights above.
"A full rest should do wonders for him. Mate deserves it," Jasper remarked, sitting beside the warm campfire, resting his blade against his knee while wiping it down.
"This is the least we can do for him. He's pushed himself too far, too often lately. If he keeps going that direction, he's going to shatter. It's made it awfully apparent that I need to improve," Magnus admitted regretfully, sitting with his back against a tree as he looked on at the sleeping assassin.
Jasper laughed quietly, "Never thought I'd hear you diminish yourself, mate. Always assumed you were the prideful type."
"I'm not afraid to speak the truth, and that's the truth of it," Magnus clarified. "I've fallen short lately, and he's picked up the slack."
"He's a survivor, through-and-through. When I met the guy, I could tell just by that look in his eyes; it's intense and focused, like a cat on the prowl," Jasper said. "That being said, we can't let the guy take all that on by himself. I guess what I'm saying is, we're in this together–gotta have each others' backs."
Charlotte was quiet as she listened to the two men speak, finding herself watching Finn rest, having her heart warmed by the sight of the young man sleeping peacefully. After watching him push himself to the brink, it was a relief to see he was able to properly rest.
As night had completely fallen over the transient world, the second to take their rest was Magnus, while Jasper and Charlotte remained on watch.
Amidst the quiet vale with only the crackling of the campfire to provide an ambience, something else made itself known–a rustle in the bushes not far.
It alerted both of them, leaving Charlotte to stand up as she looked around, though unable to see very far into the dark bounds of the woods.
Jasper quietly spoke up as not to awake those who slept, "Think something is lurking around? Maybe a critter?"
"It sounded bigger than just some critter," Charlotte said, still watching the distant bushes.
While she watched intently, a shadow passed by a bundle of trees, belonging to something undeniably far from a harmless denizen of the vale.
Charlotte drew her blade, stepping towards the treeline, "I saw it out there. I'll check it out."
Intercepting her path, the black-armored bladesman slid out from between two trees, swiping its scarlet-coated blade at her legs. A family of bushes were diced apart, scarring the hides of the slumbering trees of the nightfallen woods.
She flipped back, bringing her hand to her blade in midair as she resumed the incantation.
"Awaken, Strengthen–"
Before her feet could touch the ground, she found herself being pulled forward as if an unseen force tugged at her from the front.
"Ngh!--"
As she stumbled onto her feet, she found that an umbral aura radiated from the swordsman's hand, being yanked back to further force her forward. It brought her right within its range, swiping the edge of its blade towards her exposed neck.
Being completely pulled off balance, there was no way to control her footing in time to avoid being sliced–
["Arcane Grace"] [3:59]
Ethereal wings of cerulean mana manifested at her back, spreading out as it allowed her to be pulled back, spinning herself around just as the blade missed its mark. The magic-born wings only lasted a single moment, though it was enough space to let her reproduce the incantation.
There was only a small gap to do so as she moved her hand across her blade, summoning the words from her lips as the hooded man-hunter approached.
"Awaken, Strengthen, Flow."
["Infusion of Rampaging Tides"] [Mana: -1000] [1800/3200]
Like the tail of a serpent, a flow of water coiled around the length of the blade, extending itself to a riptide that perpetually rippled at her feet.
The hooded swordsman lunged forward with its blade reared back, getting within striking distance right as its black boot stepped into the circular zone of swirling water. Just as its foot arrived in the aquatic territory, a blade of oceanic wrath rose from the torrent, slashing at the bladesman's torso.
Charlotte didn't need to so much as raise her sword, allowing the riptide to act in her stead. It was an impenetrable zone of offense-and-defense, though it wasn't perfect by any means. After having its chest sliced, leaking a black substance, the hooded blade-wielder stayed a safe distance back.
'Being able to counter only when standing still isn't ideal...It already knows to stay back. I can't hold this infusion long, either. I'll have to make this quick–I can do that,' she assured herself, raising her aquatic-coiled blade.
As she took a single step, the territory of counterattacking water was dismissed, leaving her to confront the skilled undead head-on. A dead log was used as a stepping stone as she jumped up, slashing her sword towards the grounded foe.
With the blade swung, the coiling water extended its range with a slice of high-pressure water. The nimbleness of the hooded undead allowed it to flip right over the slash of aqua, only allowing it to slice into old bark.
Just as she landed on her feet, she watched the fiend raise its free hand again with a pitch-black force emitting. Once again, it felt like a hand tugged at her from the front, forcibly pulling her forward.
'This again–fine,' Charlotte accepted, letting the distance be closed.
She used the unwelcome pull as her own momentum, thrusting her blade forward. The hooded being stepped back, releasing the unseen force to avoid being skewered.
'Perfect!—' Charlotte thought.
While the undead bladesman was moving back, she squeezed the handle of her sword, awakening the swirling water.
Like formless limbs, the aquatic flow spread out into liquid bindings, wrapping around the fiend's body. There wasn't any time for the malice-clad fiend to attempt to break free as she yanked her blade back, using the water bindings to pull it towards her.
Right into the range of her sword, the bladesman was brought; a quick slash through its midsection sufficed as she passed by it.
"--Hah," Charlotte quietly breathed out, flicking her blade to dismiss the aquatic infusion.
["Moon Stalker defeated."] ["Anarch Coin x500 obtained."]
[Experience Points: +2500] [12500/48500]
As she sheathed her sword carefully, a sense of relief came over her, followed by a renewed confidence in herself. Looking back at the bisected body of the enigmatic bladesman, she watched as it faded away into dust, carried off by a light breath of wind.
'I hope that was the last of that,' she thought.