Picking up the pace, the wet mud provided little to no sound against Aurelien's movement. Maintaining his somewhat still hidden presence, just about five meters apart from the wolf beast and the cornered girl.
'I could only extract two of the antelope beast horn with short time, but it'll have to do.' Holding the 24 inches long black horns in both arms, he expected them to contained a considerable amount of weight.
Judging from the texture, and hard scale like patterns encoated on them, it was no doubt these horns were just as durable as steel. Some may argue even more durable than steel, and the sharp pointy tip made it a good long range weapon.
Focusing on both arts of defense and offense.
"I can't take the wolf head on with my current state, I'd be killed before I even got the chance to launch an attack." He predicted the scene of him charging forward, using the scent of wet wood and corroded dirt to temporarily conceal his essence.
While he swiftly advanced to the beast from behind, launching a sneak attack. Piercing a curved horn into the beast skull, before it fully tilted it's head. While ducking down and delivering the final blow to it's heart.
'That should do the trick.' A light grin spread across his face, the plan playing out perfectly in his head.
'But, I'm still not sure about it's speed or how much it can endure. It's skin is tough enough to resist that fireball with little damage. So shouldn't these be no different?' He pondered in his heart, the possibilities of a successful victory far from just an assumption in his mind.
"No~ A direct spike to it's eye, proceeding out the back should deal severe brain damage. And if it isn't dead I'll just plunge the second horn into it's heart." Nodding his plan was made up, there was no going back.
Spotting a nearby tall tree with many robust sturdy branches, and just enough autumn leaves to offer shade and shield his presence. Aurelien strapped both the black horns vertically to his back, using his sack clothes to hold them in place.
Climbing the tall tree with relatively ease, a testament to the years of his inquisitive nature as a little child. Aspiring to venture into the outside world, practicing on the chimney behind his parents back.
"It's not that high, perfect." Looking down, the drop to the ground wasn't that high. Specifically about 9 feet high in the air, a slight increase to his previous cottage with a drop feet of 7. Steadying himself on the longest tree branch, stretching precisely towards the direction of the beast.
He made his way to the edge of the platform, the tree branch proving sturdy and durable accommodating his weight.
...…
"Ahh! S-stay away from me hideous monster!" The girl with red fiery hair shrieked, her back arched up against a big boulder.
Fear in her eyes looking at the embodiment of death, in the form of a savage beast. Preying on her emotions, specifically fear, having a sick taste in watching her shudder.
"So this is what the real world looks like." Aurelien deep sapphire eye cast a faint glow in the darkness unfolding, gazing at the bloodshot wolf eyes locked onto the defenseless civilian.
"Alright, time to prove your worth." Taking in a sharp breath, a light smile was plastered to his face. The soft air caressing his hair, brushing lightly against his skin.
"Guide my hands Exlor." Those were the last words he uttered, jumping down from the tree branch. Both horns already equipped in his hand.
'So cold.' The dense cool air assaulted his skin, not prompting any reaction from Aurelien. Already accustomed to such buzzare environment changes.
"Shit. I can't believe this is how I'm going to die, without completing my first day on the field." She muttered, tears pouring out her eyes like stream.
There was no doubt this was the end for her, and no help was coming to her aid. "Huh? What's that object?"
The side of her eyes caught the grasp of an object, falling fast from the air. Landing on the wolf beast back, not delaying any second feeling the threat plunging an item into the beast right eye. Protruding out the back of it's skull.
"Could it be one of the other trainees heard my screams and came to help?" A glimmer of hope shone in her eyes, glistening with joy knowing help was here.
But that all soon faded, when her eyes caught hold of the figure on the wolf's back. "I-is that a teenage boy the same age as me?" She stuttered not recognizing him one bit.
"And is he wearing woven sacks for clothes!?" She exclaimed, her eyes twitching at the sight of her knight in shining armour. More like a peasant in rags.
…..
On the black wolf back, aurelien was oblivious to the person behind him reaction. His eyes solely focused on killing the beast fast, without giving it time to recover.
"Jeez. Stop being such a crybaby, it's only a small cut." Aurelien smirked, with a cocky expression written all over his face.
And who could blame him!?
For years he felt like a prisoner in his home, and while it's for his well-being, he wanted more. So the adrenaline and thrill coursing through his veins right now, made him feel invincible.
Awooo!
The wolf hauled in pain, thrashing it's body around in attempts to shake aurelien off. The latter held on to the stuck horn, trying to sink it more deeper as the beast wasn't dead yet. But the wolf wouldn't allow him, using it's two powerful hind legs to tumble over. Breaking Aurelien's grip on it, landing him back first to the ground.
"Ouch! My head." Aurelien bellowed in discomfort, part of his head suffering the effects of that fall.
"Look out!" A warning shout came from the girl, making Aurelien's body act on instinct.
His reflexes kicking in, rolling to the side avoiding the beast claw shash. Grabbing the second black horn laying on the ground, striking it into the beast heart.
'So tough.' Aurelien gritted his teeth at his tough the wolf skin was, but he pushed forward. Twisting the curved horns to plunge forward, and inflict more damage to the beast.
Awooo!!!!
With a last cry of agony, the beast succumbed to Aurelien's critical hits. Killed before it got the chance devour it's prey, or retaliate on it's attacker.
"Phew! That was close~" Aurelien sighed in relief, glad the fight was finally over.
"To be honest I didn't think we'd pull this off, but we make a pretty good team." Aurelien immediately broke the eyes, waving his hand to the girl behind him frozen in place.
"My name is Aurelien, what's your's?" He asked with a bright smile, receiving no response from the female.
"It seems you're still in shock. I get that a lot sometimes during surprises." Aurelien continued, awkwardly scratching his head a bit embarrassed.
Meanwhile in the beauty's mind; 'H-he just took down that basic beast without breaking a sweat, in under a minute.'
Her mind was blown inspecting aurelien from head to toe, a conflicted gaze hidden in her eyes.
"Uhhm, hello? Anyone in there? I didn't know you'd post trauma." Aurelien innocently blurted out, unknown to the thoughts spiralling in the petite beauty mind.
'There isn't a trace of mana surrounding him, even those horns are probably from those wild gallopers the wolf killed. But still no human could've achieved such, not even we basic mages or warriors.'
Her brain faltered, on the realization a mere human had pulled off the impossible.
"Sorry for my earlier blackout, my name is Reinara." She extended her hand, which aurelien casually shook.
'Frieghtening! Not a single trace of mana in this body.' She blinked twice in confusion, a dull reaction to Aurelien's handshake.
"So Reinara, what exactly are you and what are you doing here?" Aurelien calmly questioned, earning a darting glare from Reinara.
"W-what am I?"
"Well yeah, this is the dark forest so you could never be too careful." He retorded with a deadpan face, causing Reinara to clench her teeth.
Silently seething in rage, without acting out.
"I should be the one asking you that. From the looks of things, you seem to have experience about this forest and beasts." She counteracted with a question of her own, crossing her arms on her chest.
"Mom warned me all humans were power driven monsters, but this one looks defective." Aurelien thought out loud, prompting the petite beauty eyes open. An ominous energy seeping out from her body, blocking Aurelien's ability to breath.
Awooh!!
Two howling sounds reached their eyes, snapping their attention forward. Their they could see two more black wolfs, proceeding towards their location.
"Of course! How could I forget wolf beasts hunt in pack." She face slapped her forehead, the chance she had to run wasted.
"Where's your wand? Or your swords? A weapon perhaps?" Reinara hurriedly asked, all to which aurelien shook his head.
"That's it, we're dead for sure."