Before She Knew It

The two girls hid behind Leonel, his mighty spear still in his hand. As Leonel eyed the Valaha before them, the girls' bodies started shaking, nervous, and scared of what's about to happen.

"That beast seems like it could charge at any moment," Elenea commented, Aranea already preparing her arrow.

Aranea tried her best to calm herself down. The moment her arrow already adjusted in her bow, she steadied her hand, ready to aim as she now eyed the beast before them.

"I will attack once you give me the signal to," she said, Leonel nodding once to acknowledge what she said.

"Yes. There is something that you don't know about the Valaha that was not stated in the book," he added, the two girls now looking at him with caution and worry in their eyes.

"Wh-what is it?" Elenea asked, the Valaha roaring as it stomped its front paws, creating a gust of dust.

"Aaah!"

Soon, the Valaha started running towards them, Leonel, wrapping his arms around either of the girls to guard them, successfully dodging the attack of the four-legged beast.

"What is it about the Valaha that was not stated in the book!?"

Aranea shouted in surprise and fear as she gaped at the Valaha before them, Leonel already letting them go.

"The Valaha has another attack called 'Gore'. Like what it did a while ago, it stomps its front paws then later, will charge for a deadly attack with its horns on its back. Once it succeeds, you'd break your bones and even bleed to death."

"What the hell!?" Aranea looked at her sister, worry evident in her eyes. "Elenea, you have to find someplace where you could hide. Leonel and I would have to fight this beast down!"

"B-but--!"

"Aranea's right!" Leonel shouted, getting Elenea's attention. "I know you want to heal us if we need to, but now is not the time! Protect yourself and we'll call you when we need you, alright!?"

Elenea furrowed her brows. Leonel and Aranea now were in their defensive stances, holding their weapons as they read the beast's actions in preparation for an attack.

Elenea's lips turned into a tight line. Now, this is what she envied with her sister.

Yes, she has magical healing powers. But when it comes to protecting herself and protecting other people, Aranea gains the upper hand because she knows how to fight and she has been improving herself in that aspect since she was young.

Now that it is needed, she could put it into good use--her physical prowess--and Elenea would only have to wait until someone needed her help.

And now that it has come to this and she knows that she couldn't fight back, she has to stay away.

"Elenea!"

When Aranea shouted her name, it had snapped Elenea out of her thoughts. Aranea jumped on her twin sister, protecting her from the Valaha that almost charged on her.

"Are you alright!?"

Aranea's eyes started to water. She was so scared and worried out of her wits, she couldn't help but almost cry as the thought of her sister being attacked by the Valaha crossed in her mind.

"You have to be mindful of your surroundings! Leonel and I just told you to stay away!"

Both of them already stood up, the two of them looking at each other.

"I-I'm sorry, I--"

"Aranea, Elenea, run!"

When Leonel shouted his warning, he ran towards Elenea, pushing her out of the way.

However, Aranea was too slow to react. When she was about to run away, the Valaha was already near her, already raising its legs in an attempt to stomp her to death.

"Aaah!"

Out of instinct and out of fear, Aranea fell to the ground, raising her bow as she aimed it at the Valaha. As her last resort, she released the arrow, only to hit the Valaha's chest.

What she did not expect was that its hide was as thick and hard as metal, making her arrow break into two, her attack useless.

"Aranea!! Leonel, do something! My sister!!"

Tears started escaping from her eyes. Elenea shouted in desperation as Leonel ran towards the Valaha in an attempt to attack.

"Aranea, move away--"

When Leonel was about to attack, what happened before their eyes surprised all of them.

Suddenly, the Valaha was caught in flames, the beast roaring at the top of its lungs as it shouted in pain.

"Wh-what?"

Aranea blinked her eyes a few times as the Valaha started running away from them. Even Leonel who was about to attack, froze in his place as he could not believe what had happened right before their eyes!

Soon after, a red-haired student jumped from a tree, landing accurately and safely on the ground. He eyed the Valaha with his red eyes, his broadsword aimed at the beast that was burning in his flames.

"Zann?!"

Aranea said his name, surprise evident in her tone. Zann just cocked his head to the side as he pointed his sword at the Valaha, in preparation for an attack.

In just a blink of an eye, the three, Elenea, Aranea, and Leonel, did not even see how Zann attacked the Valaha. In just one slash as he ran, he had led the beast to his demise, a hot and merciful death.

Leonel's eyes opened wide, not expecting the improvement in Zann's fighting!

Before when they were in their training, he was quicker than him, and now with him attacking the Valaha before them, Zann displayed great agility!

He could even control his powers now compared to before!

With that, Zann kept his sword away with his magic. When he turned his body to look at Aranea, the Summoner blinked her eyes a few times, wondering why he was looking at her.

It was as if he wanted to say something!

Shaking herself from her thoughts, Aranea stood, patting her clothes to remove the dirt and dust as Zann walked towards her.

"Thank you so much for the help, Zann. I---mmfh!"

But what he did had interrupted Aranea from finishing her sentence.

Before she knew it, Zann had crashed his lips unto her, a red light surrounding them as Elenea and Leonel watched in bafflement.