In the harsh unforgiving desert, a lone woman was trudging through the searing sand. She was naked, her eyes were weary, covered in dried up scars, and was dragging a claymore for some unknown reason. Her blue hair was crusted with blood and sticking to her body.
In this condition, it wasn't long until she finally collapsed. As if on que, a giant boulder rumbled to life and a giant purple hermit crab emerged. It slowly scuttled over to the woman, prepared to devour her. The woman just looked at the monster unable to do anything or really think of the situation.
Before the monster ate her, another woman struck the crab with a spinning kick.
"Foul scavenger!" She exclaimed. The monster slid back and stopped itself with its claws. It began stamping its legs and claws prepared to charge. The new woman prepared to fight. The crab dashed forward, and the woman stepped back and prepared a punch. She let her strike loose, contacting with a claw. The shell shattered on impact, revealing the tender flesh of the crab. It howled in pain and scuttled off.
The fighter gave a victorious huff and turned to help the fallen woman. She knelt to help her, but the fallen woman then lost consciousness.
It was hours before the fighter found a place to rest, a tiny oasis with a little pond. From there, she cleaned and dressed the wounds of the fallen woman. She lied her to rest, and then started a fire to prepare the salted meat she had with her.
Night had finally fallen, and the wonderous array of stars and the three moons of Helia were on full display. The unknown woman stirred awake, she looked at the fighter preparing the meat with a content smile. The fighter noticed her and grabbed a bowl of water.
"Finally awake I see. I expected you to rest for days considering your wounds." She said, she offered the bowl of water. The unknown woman stood up with the blanket she was covered in and took the bowl. She sipped the water as the fighter leaned back on her hands. "I'm Nochtli by the way. I'm an Amazon from the Eastern tribe. On my way to the adventurer's guild in Venopolis." Nochtli explained. The unknown woman nodded, and tried to think of something, but nothing came.
"Nothing." She responded.
"What was that?" Nochtli asked.
"I'm nothing." She said, looking down at her reflection in the bowl of water. Nochtli got worried and leaned forward.
"That's not true. Your important to me at least." Nochtli said. The unknown woman gave a curious look and looked at her body. She then opened her blanket to display her naked form. Nochtli shook her hands and blushed deeply. "I meant the symbol on your neck!". The unknown woman looked at her reflection again and saw a bundle of grey swords engrained on her neck. "You see, I have one too". Nochtli said. She then lightly moved top to show a clashing fist symbol on her right breast. She put her top back and scooted closer.
"I've had it since I was born. No one knows what it means. It's why I left. Adventurers meet all kinds of people, so someone must know. And now, here you are." Nochtli explained. The unknown woman looked into Nochtli's kind eyes and then looked down.
"I'm sorry" she said. Nochtli put an arm around her to reassure her.
"It's okay, we'll find out together." Nochtli said. The unknown woman though on that for a second, but she was distracted by an odd smell.
"Burning."
"What?" Nochtli asked, and then she noticed. She looked at the fire, and all her meat was burnt to a crisp. She yelped and went to pull them out. She blew on the meat and bit at the charred meat. It was hard as a rock. "That was the last of my meat rations" Nochtli whimpered.
It was at that moment; the unknown woman's eyes went wide. Some strange instinct had been activated within her. She suddenly grabbed the claymore she carried and thrusted it at Nochtli's head. It barely missed her and instead hit a fleshy yet crunchy target. Nochtli slowly turned around, still in shock, and saw the giant hermit crab she fought earlier.
The crab gave one last howl of death, and completely collapsed. The unknown woman pulled the sword out and began to clean it as if muscle memory took over. Nochtli jumped up and began kicking the corpse.
"Dumb bastard though he could sneak up on me! Well, he did, but you covered me! You're my new partner!" Nochtli said looking down at the woman. The woman finished cleaning and looked at her reflection in the sword.
"Lorelei." She said.
"Huh?" Nochtli asked.
"I don't know if it's my name, but I remember Lorelei." She explained as she stood and sheathed the sword.
"Then we'll go with Lorelei for now!" Nochtli exclaimed. Lorelei stood and managed a smile as she looked up at Nochtli, finally realizing how tall the Amazon was. Lorelei reached her hand out and Nochtli shook her forearm.
"Now, help me break this sucker apart, were eating well tonight!" Nochtli exclaimed. Lorelei nodded and proceeded to help her dismember the crab.
In this condition, it wasn't long until she finally collapsed. As if on que, a giant boulder rumbled to life and a giant purple hermit crab emerged. It slowly scuttled over to the woman, prepared to devour her. The woman just looked at the monster unable to do anything or really think of the situation.
Before the monster ate her, another woman struck the crab with a spinning kick.
"Foul scavenger!" She exclaimed. The monster slid back and stopped itself with its claws. It began stamping its legs and claws prepared to charge. The new woman prepared to fight. The crab dashed forward, and the woman stepped back and prepared a punch. She let her strike loose, contacting with a claw. The shell shattered on impact, revealing the tender flesh of the crab. It howled in pain and scuttled off.
The fighter gave a victorious huff and turned to help the fallen woman. She knelt to help her, but the fallen woman then lost consciousness.
It was hours before the fighter found a place to rest, a tiny oasis with a little pond. From there, she cleaned and dressed the wounds of the fallen woman. She lied her to rest, and then started a fire to prepare the salted meat she had with her.
Night had finally fallen, and the wonderous array of stars and the three moons of Helia were on full display. The unknown woman stirred awake, she looked at the fighter preparing the meat with a content smile. The fighter noticed her and grabbed a bowl of water.
"Finally awake I see. I expected you to rest for days considering your wounds." She said, she offered the bowl of water. The unknown woman stood up with the blanket she was covered in and took the bowl. She sipped the water as the fighter leaned back on her hands. "I'm Nochtli by the way. I'm an Amazon from the Eastern tribe. On my way to the adventurer's guild in Venopolis." Nochtli explained. The unknown woman nodded, and tried to think of something, but nothing came.
"Nothing." She responded.
"What was that?" Nochtli asked.
"I'm nothing." She said, looking down at her reflection in the bowl of water. Nochtli got worried and leaned forward.
"That's not true. Your important to me at least." Nochtli said. The unknown woman gave a curious look and looked at her body. She then opened her blanket to display her naked form. Nochtli shook her hands and blushed deeply. "I meant the symbol on your neck!". The unknown woman looked at her reflection again and saw a bundle of grey swords engrained on her neck. "You see, I have one too". Nochtli said. She then lightly moved top to show a clashing fist symbol on her right breast. She put her top back and scooted closer.
"I've had it since I was born. No one knows what it means. It's why I left. Adventurers meet all kinds of people, so someone must know. And now, here you are." Nochtli explained. The unknown woman looked into Nochtli's kind eyes and then looked down.
"I'm sorry" she said. Nochtli put an arm around her to reassure her.
"It's okay, we'll find out together." Nochtli said. The unknown woman though on that for a second, but she was distracted by an odd smell.
"Burning."
"What?" Nochtli asked, and then she noticed. She looked at the fire, and all her meat was burnt to a crisp. She yelped and went to pull them out. She blew on the meat and bit at the charred meat. It was hard as a rock. "That was the last of my meat rations" Nochtli whimpered.
It was at that moment; the unknown woman's eyes went wide. Some strange instinct had been activated within her. She suddenly grabbed the claymore she carried and thrusted it at Nochtli's head. It barely missed her and instead hit a fleshy yet crunchy target. Nochtli slowly turned around, still in shock, and saw the giant hermit crab she fought earlier.
The crab gave one last howl of death, and completely collapsed. The unknown woman pulled the sword out and began to clean it as if muscle memory took over. Nochtli jumped up and began kicking the corpse.
"Dumb bastard though he could sneak up on me! Well, he did, but you covered me! You're my new partner!" Nochtli said looking down at the woman. The woman finished cleaning and looked at her reflection in the sword.
"Lorelei." She said.
"Huh?" Nochtli asked.
"I don't know if it's my name, but I remember Lorelei." She explained as she stood and sheathed the sword.
"Then we'll go with Lorelei for now!" Nochtli exclaimed. Lorelei stood and managed a smile as she looked up at Nochtli, finally realizing how tall the Amazon was. Lorelei reached her hand out and Nochtli shook her forearm.
"Now, help me break this sucker apart, were eating well tonight!" Nochtli exclaimed. Lorelei nodded and proceeded to help her dismember the crab.
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