4 Re://Encounter

As I travelled down the well worn road, I completely zoned out. I only focused on putting one foot in front of another, too worn out to do much more. After some length of time -an hour? Two? It had all blended together- I saw it.

At first, it was just a small blip on the horizon. However, after a few minutes it had grown to the point that I could make out large walls surrounding what I assumed to be a town. However, even in my exhausted state, I could tell that something was wrong.

There were a multitude of smoke trails wafting into the air, and the scent of ash was heavy. As I approached closer, I summoned my armaments with a tug on each connection.

I cautiously walked up to the gate of the town.

Now that I was closer, I could see that it was laying open. However, by the cracked exterior and the shattered hinges, it probably wasn't open by choice. There were two options for what had done this. It was either Grimm, or Bandits. Either way, I needed to know if they were still here, and if I was in immediate danger.

I debated trying to run away, but... Wait, that was a great idea. I could literally just walk away, and not risk anything. No danger to myself if I stop here.

I mentally patted myself on the back before turning around and beginning to walk away.

Unfortunately for my safety plan, that was when I heard it. A scream, and one that very clearly belonged to a child. I knew that it wasn't a good idea to go in, and that even if I did, I probably couldn't even help. However, none of that mattered as another scream rang out.

Fuck me and my morals. Never could stand to hear a kid cry.

I sighed as I turned back to the town. Readying my spear, I ran towards the source of the scream. As soon as I was in, past the gate, the state of the town was readily apparent. Everything was burning, and many of the houses were had been reduced to rubble.

There were huge holes in many of the walls, and the smoke was pervasive throughout.

At first I had thought this destruction was caused by bandits, but along the sides of many walls and buildings were large claw marks, and I could see a large number of inhuman footprints that had been stamped into the dusty ground.

From this, I assumed that it was instead a Grimm attack. That was both better and worse, in some ways.

It was better, in that I wouldn't be up against possibly trained, aura empowered criminals. It was worse in that I didn't know how many Grimm were left here, or how strong they were.

I was quickly approaching the source of the scream, and another rang out as I hopped over a pile of rubble. In the alleyway in front of me, I see a large Beowulf, covered in bone plating standing over a body.

One of its claws are lodged into the body's midsection. From my side-view, I can see the intelligence in its eyes. And with that intelligence is a certain vicious glee in what it's doing.

I look past it, and see a small figure huddled in the corner of the alley.

Fuck. The plating means that it's probably an Alpha Beowulf, at least from what I know. Still, no backing down now. It hasn't noticed me yet, and I'm pretty certain the person under it is dead, so no harm done if I don't draw it's attention away. A sneak attack seems like the best option.

[System Alert: Quest Assigned]

- Kill the Alpha Beowulf and save the child -

[Reward]

- Guaranteed Armament Crystal Drop -

Well, that answered the question of, 'will every kill drop a crystal'. Apparently not. As I readied my spear, I assessed my avenues of attack. I could throw my spear, but then I'd be left weaponless, and I had no guarantee that it would do any real damage (and almost certainly not enough to cripple the Grimm).

Other than that, my only real avenue of attack was pretty much just to run at it. I guess that will really have to do. As I readied myself to jump at it, my necklace began pulsing with energy.

[Armament Skill Parameters Met... Skill Activating]

As I read this prompt, my {Sabyr Tooth Necklace} glowed before I felt the energy travel down to my legs. Instantly, a change came over me. My entire body coiled, every muscle tensed.

My grip adjusted on my spear, and as my feet pushed me off the ground I shot forward like a cannon ball.

The Grimm must have heard the crunch of rubble under my feet as it was crushed from the force of my leap, as its head whipped around. Sadly for it, the reaction was too late.

My spear pushed forward and pierced through its bone-plated side. As my momentum transferred through the spear, its body was thrown backwards as it flipped side over side.

I panted as the energy drained out of my body. The sudden exhaustion seemed to stem from the skill pulling on a resource my body couldn't supply. Maybe it needed aura?

Either way, I still (hopefully) had enough energy left to finish this fight. As I pushed myself to move towards the Beowulf, It turns its injured side away from me and lets out a low growl.

As I pull my spear in front of me, I lock eyes with it and push forward.

*Clang*

My spear glances off the plating on its shoulder, and as it moves forward I step aside. It barrels past me, and I take a quick breath as I center myself.

What I hadn't expected, however, was for its tail to lash out at my on its way past. It lashes against my arm, and though my gauntlet protects against it to some extent, the force makes something pop out of place in my shoulder.

Fuck, my left arm being dislocated means that I have to hold my spear with one hand. I turned to face the Grimm, left arm dangling limply at my side. Luckily, it seems to have expended most of its energy in that last charge.

The massive gaping wound on its side was leaking gaseous shadow, and the light in its eyes was somewhat dim.

I just had to get one good hit in, and I could win.

As we faced each other down, I could sense a certain determination in its eyes. Whether or not it won, it seemed to have decided to bring me down with it. I carried the same determination, and this fight was only going to end with either one or both of us dead.

I tilted my body forward as I ran at the creature.

*Squelch*

The noise rang out into the otherwise fairly quiet air. The sensation of wrongness filled me, and as I looked down I saw it. Though my spear was lodged through its throat, a lone claw had found its way past the gaps in my armor, and through my torso.

I coughed a mouthful of blood as the beast collapsed, and I fell atop it.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the small figure that had been huddled in the corner move.

Well, at least the kid was okay.

[System Alert: Quest Complete]

As the corpse of the Grimm dissipated beneath me, I could feel a larger crystal form in its place.

Well, that would probably be a lot more helpful if I wasn't on the verge of death. I let out a bloody laugh as my eyes began to close.

The last thing I saw was a circular, purple sigil appear as the debris floated into the air and the alleyway was cleared.

Then, everything went dark.