3 An Eager Combatant

Isabella wasn't sure why she asked him such a question. She knew that he might be bluffing and that her mother would never agree to let her do something so dangerous.

After he had hesitated, she insisted that she was a capable warrior and that he had to take her as repayment for her saving his life. Unfortunately, she now looked like anything but a capable warrior. She had expected him to decline fearing for safety, but surprisingly, he had agreed to take her.

"What a pushover" she thought to herself with a smirk.

She justified the risky decision to leave for the dungeon with the potential earnings from the monster fur and meat, but deep down she suspected that she may have just wanted another chance to practice her skills with a blade. Ever since she left the academy, she had been swinging at the air and had almost forgotten what resistance to her blade felt like. She would not get another chance like this if she didn't seize it.

The pair set out at dawn the next day. They went to purchase some simple supplies at the nearby market with the little money left in Arwin's coat before setting out for the city gates.

She had agreed with Arwin beforehand that they would fabricate a story to trick her mother, as she would never let her embark outside the city. They agreed that Arwin would play the part of a lost merchant. Since his wound looked much better, Isabella would be taking him back to the inner city, where he would grant her a reward for her troubles. It was a convincing story, and her mother didn't have any objections to their plans.

Although she felt a tinge of guilt in her chest for lying, she was overwhelmed with a sense of excitement she hadn't felt in a long time.

As they passed the city gates, the scenery became filled with green, as more and more snow-covered trees and shrubs started to populate the lands before them. It had been several months since she left the city walls, and it may be several months before she would get the chance again, so she tried to savor every moment she would get of this view.

She slowly strode forward, careful not to get snow into her makeshift boots. Her mother would definitely scold her if she were to ruin them as they didn't have the money to repair them.

After a short trek into the forest, they had arrived at an inconspicuous clearing.

"We're here", shouted Arwin from ahead.

In summer, this area would be brimming with shrubs and tall grasses, but now it was completely covered in snow. Arwin seemed to be fumbling around in the snow, which almost reached her ankles. She couldn't picture there possibly being a tunnel entrance in the area.

Isabella watched in amazement as Arwin cleared a mound of snow. A dimly lit tunnel entrance exposed itself beneath the overgrowth. It was quite narrow, but wide enough to allow for a grown person to pass through. There were small fluorescent mushrooms on the sides of the tunnel, providing enough light so that the interior of the tunnel was visible. Arwin led the way, as the two slowly descended into the entrance.

Isabella soon found that the tunnel was much more spacious than she expected. Shortly after descending, the once claustrophobic pathway curved upwards and the width had multiplied several times so that the area resembled a cave rather than a tunnel. She thought she would be intimidated by the darkness, but the numerous mushrooms provided a steady glow which guided them forward. She could hear the trickling of water down the walls, making the surroundings gross and soggy. She trod carefully, trying to avoid the numerous puddles that formed on the ground. Her heartbeat gradually sped up as she followed Arwin deeper into the dungeon.

The pair encountered their first obstacle. A giant rat sat just ahead of them in the cave, unaware of their slow approach. Although there were certainly rats in the city, they were much smaller and posed little harm to humans outside of spreading diseases. The monster that sat before her was much larger, with sharp teeth and thick fur. Unlike a normal rat, it sat on its hind legs and was busy chewing on what looked like moss growing on the dungeon floor.

Adrenaline rushed through Isabella's body. It had been many years since she had faced off against a live opponent. Back in military school, they had allowed her to spar with others, but never had she been involved with an actual fight where both parties held real animosity. Unable to withstand her excitement, she immediately charged towards the rat, her dagger in hand.