Fatal Fantasy (Inwiththebooks and Zaraplay)

Hilda let out a loud yawn as she exited the local inn, just having finished her breakfast and getting started with her day. Mornings were the worst for her, as she typically wasn't a morning person and it was the hardest part of her day to keep her eyes open enough to actually do something productive. It was funny, consider it shouldn't be the hardest part her days as an adventurer and heroine. Not that it was an uncommon profession in this part of the world though it was one that she did rather well. It was an uncertain lifestyle that didn't provide much in benefits with little to no security. It typically involved a lot of travelling, as no adventure or danger typically waited at home, there were also already guards and militias that were typically in place to guard against such troubles. A heroine could only find work situational and it care rarely. Hilda was content with just sitting at home and waiting for work to come to her, so she decided to take her profession abroad like many in her particular field. It was perhaps been some years now, but her travels had brought her so far from home that it might have been easier to keep on her journey until she ended up at home again with the rate she was traveling the globe. Work wasn't guaranteed abroad either though the chances were better finding someone or some place that needed the help of an adventurer. She just needed to be at the right place and the right time, or that could be the wrong time considering her need of trouble to earn a living. In some ways, it was a mercenary style, but one that was done so with usually good intent. She didn't so this for the riches or even the fame, but as a way to keep herself afloat and distance herself from the monotony of everyday life. There would be busy times with many lulls in between, but at least she did well in succeeding in her intent.

After a few years of travelling abroad, Hilda was many ways a foreigner and it was rather obvious. Her appearance was rather particular and it caught the eyes of many. Considering her profession and her eccentric ways, her appearance was perhaps unorthodox back home regardless, so the opinion of others wasn't something she considered herself on typically. She has long sleek black hair that seems to hold a constant straightness without much effort or comb. Her hairstyle has a straight fringe in the front and most of it collected in a high ponytail that nearly reaches the small of her back. She has green eyes though the slight sharpness of her eyes indicates some foreign background as well as she slight tanned tone of her skin, which puts her nebulously somewhere to the east and in warmer temperatures. Her body was ideally formed with a perfect hourglass form, gifted with well-rounded hips and a generous bust. She was lightly toned in the right place with a show of muscled abs while remaining femininely slender. Needless to say, she often dressed in a way that was most flattering to her assets, something not even intentionally. On her legs, she wore thigh high red boots that seemed to further extend her height with the slight platform heel to them though she walked on them without much of an issue, even in combat. She wore something a matching skirt loin cloth with slits on both sides to show off the sides of her hips and flesh where the boots stopped covering. There were a few belts are worn around her waist that held a few daggers and a short sword, her preference was in shorter blades. Her waist was left bare, showing off the toned stomach with a short gold chain piercing. She wore a short red vest that seems to be cut off short just barely past her breasts and held together with a mere chain, needless to say that plenty of cleavage if shown off with what seems to be obviously hard nipples poking out. That seems to be not completely the case as golden discs were worn over each nipple to give that illusion, each with intricate golden ornaments. Finally, she wore red sleeves that seemed to go from the end of her shoulders to her wrist without and a shirt that seems to support it.

So now, Hilda once again found herself in a strange land with little to do. She just got out of bed and out of the inn, though she didn't have any strict schedule to hold her to any obligation. That was typically the life of an adventurer. There seemed to be almost little to no point to staying in this small village after a good night's rest. There was work to be found and a story to be told, she just needed to find it. After braving many dangers and dodging death, Hilda was almost confident in her work. She had to be optimistic in many ways, considering she wasn't guaranteed paid or even safety. It seemed to be a requirement in her job, and not one she had the intent of giving up anytime soon. She flattened down the cloth of her vest over her ample bust, which are easily perky without effort, smoothing down the cloth over her gold 'nipples' to flatter herself further. Even as an adventurer, she cared about her looks too. After dusting off the sides of her outfit, she strode down the street with a confident strut. It was going to a great day and she knew it.

It was rather infuriating really. Death came to all; such was the universal truth to the world she had set forth at the beginning with her sister Life. The two forces transcended most of the gods and that power over the fate of entities both mortal and divine made Death and her sister nearly omnipotent. However there was currently a thorn in the side of Death that angered her to no end. The more she thought about it, the more enraged she became. The more enraged she became the more her power threatened to spill out into the mortal plane to violate the agreement with Life.

Hilda. That was the name of her irritation, of that itch on the tapestry of creation she could not scratch. A powerful and strong heroine who had cheated her countless times. Of course many managed to escape her every now and then, but Hilda took it to a whole other level. It was to the point where it was utterly mocking. As she sat upon her throne of bones and stared down into the realm of mortals she wanted to do nothing more than strike her with a heart attack or a bolt of lightning. That however would not make her happy.

The immortal entity steepled her fingers as she calmed herself. She wanted Hilda to suffer. To truly understand the anger and hatred Death held towards her. No other mortal had so irked her and so now she wished only to punish the foolish heroine. After a moment she had an idea. An awful and horrid idea. One that would be considered so vile and cruel that she doubted even the most blackhearted of demons would consider it. A slow, hungry smile curled over the pale lips of the goddess as she willed herself to return to the mortal plane.

She appeared as a hooded and cloaked woman of cold beauty. Her skin was an almost unhealthy pale color, almost light blue like a chilled corpse. Her lips were purplish and as cold as the grave. Dull grey eyes zeroed in upon their target, earning a bit of elation. Glossy black curls fell about her face, framing it wonderfully. Her form was modest and average and her height was slightly shorter than that of her quarry. It was the form she had appeared to Hilda in before and it was the one the mortal would easily recognize upon her.

Slowly the cloaked figure stepped towards Hilda, the air seeming to chill around her. Her grey eyes were fixed upon the heroine, never moving from her for even a moment. Oh how she longed to steal her beauty, to have it writhing with maggots as she was buried in the ground. However if all went according to plan she would have her vengeance and more. Hilda would suffer and she would do it thinking she had finally cheated her rival Death once and for all. The poor and utterly foolish creature. Death stopped before Hilda and smiled.

“Hilda darling, it has been far too long. I wish to congratulate you for eluding me so long. How was it you evaded my grasp this last time?” Death greeted, knowing full well the method but opted to try and swell Hilda’s ego before the offer.

Even though it was morning, which generally signalled the beginning of a new day, Hilda's day didn't truly beginning until there was something happening on her adventures. However, it seemed that trouble was just waiting for her just around the corner. It wasn't unusual as Hilda had a peculiar luck of sometimes finding herself in trouble on short notice in various forms. She usually liked to stay close wherever there was something happening, according to rumours or legends around the bar, which brought her from place to place in her travels. Whenever there were talks of roaming bandits, haunting ghosts or wicked monsters, she would set off toward that direction. It was all up to chance whether she would find what she was looking for, as sometimes that rumours exaggerated or she would be there all too late. It didn't happen often, but sometimes she would be lucky enough to be in walking distance after what she was looking for. Alternatively, sometimes trouble was looking for her directly. In her line of work, when you go around hunting for trouble, it wasn't strange that she even built notoriety and gained a fair share of enemies. Some of those enemies sometimes came in rival adventurers, who didn't like her cutting into her profits or those that she didn't find herself meshing well in personality. There were those who took the prospect of adventuring as a cutthroat business, rather than a gesture of goodwill or charity. Of course, there were also lovers she picked up along the way in her quest and some of them were scorned. Nothing of her doing, to the best of her knowledge.

Many possibilities aside, she perhaps never expected to run into Death herself! In her years of adventuring and defying death, sometimes even accidentally, it seemed that she had caught up with her soon enough. Hilda paused in her walk and stopped before the woman. She placed her hands on her hips, but not near her weapons, in an inquisitive and curious gesture as she tried to recall the woman's identity. She was easily a mysterious one, cloaked and hooded in broad daylight as if she wanted to hide her identity or had some sort of aversion to the sun. She was quite unusual too, something greater than a mere mortal, despite being in the world where anything was possible and not everyone was mortal. However, Hilda wasn't lost in the mystery for long and it eventually soon dawned to her who she was speaking too. Death. Strange she would want to see her again, but it's like she functions on the schedules or customs of mortals. What was she doing here and what did she need from her now? Had Death ever had to start off a groggy morning more? Couldn't she have seen to her later in the day, no matter. Hilda wasn't going to brush away Death, even though that was something she had already done countless times indirectly. It wasn't her intention to be disrespectful to her, but it was how things were. She was an adventurer and a skilled blade dancer, dodging death was easily in her job description.

"But not long enough," Hilda said with a bright smile that she mustered on her pink lips, showing her white teeth. "I hadn't known I was worth of a congratulations from you but I'll happily accept it all the same. You look very lovely today, by the by. There was a celebration last night, you could have at least bought me a pint! But that's fine! I'll accept your appearance all the same and it is an honoured one, so thank you Miss Death." She dipped in a something of a curtsey with a lift of her skirt in a grateful gesture.

"As to how I've eluded you this time, you probably have to be more specific as I don't know which is your handiwork and what happened by chance. Many things have happened since we talked and any of them could have been your doing. If you're asking about my most recent adventure, that's perhaps I'm more willing to share. There were those ogres that were harassing the town some days back and I went into the forest to hunt for them. They should have been more than a fight for someone even like me, I was outmatched by their ferocity and toughness. Nearly became a pancake under their massive clubs once or twice. Thankfully I was skilled on my feet and managed to tumble away last minute before their blows landed on me, only to deliver my fatal strike in return! Hah Hah!" She bellowed out a proud laughter at that recent memory. Not that it was as easy as she made it sound, but there was something with adrenaline that made the life of an adventure more interesting whenever work was found. It was almost a high and she found it in battle, then even the memory of her most recent triumph. It was all in good fun and hopefully Death would see the same, they had been at this for so long.