This was among the best fights I’d ever had, mind you, she's not Markos. That's a hard bar to beat. Deá’s nce moved with precision, each strike calcuted not to kill but to push me to my limits. The Rotten Vale was suffocating, with its thick miasma and stench of decay. Each breath tasted like rot, each movement felt like I was dragging my body through mosses. Yet, it only made the fight more electrifying.

  Deá wasn’t here for blood, and neither was I. We were both here for the thrill—the sheer joy of testing ourselves, of pushing past pain, exhaustion, and the Vale’s poisonous air. Her eyes were sharp, focused, never leaving me. Her nce gleamed in the pale light of the Vale, reflecting the bones and decay around us like grim trophies. Despite her wounds, the way her body moved told me she wasn’t done yet.

  She lunged again, her nce sweeping low for my legs. I leapt into the air, wings snapping open to carry me just out of reach. The bones beneath me rattled from the force, scattering like dust in the wind. Deá shifted her stance, narrowing her eyes as she watched me hover.

  “You’re good,” I called down, feeling the heat of my blood trickling down my scales. “But you’ll need more than that to win.”

  Deá didn’t respond with words—she didn’t need to. Her silence was its own kind of challenge, one I respected. She spun her nce in a tight arc, raising her shield, ready for my next attack. I hovered above her for a moment, feeling the pulse of bioenergy coursing through my body. I had strength left, mutations ready to burst from within, but this fight wasn’t about unleashing everything I had. This was about skill, control, and the raw joy of the challenge.

  With a roar, I dove at her, cws outstretched. Deá braced herself, her shield fshing up to meet me. But I twisted at the st moment, my cws raking across her side instead, metal screeching against my talons. The impact sent her stumbling back, but she didn’t fall. She was still standing, still ready for more.

  I nded lightly, circling her again, my tail shing out in a wide arc. The sharp crack of it against her shield echoed through the Vale, but she held firm. She was stronger than I’d given her credit for.

  “You’re slowing down,” I teased, even as my own muscles screamed in protest. The Vale was an unforgiving battleground, sapping our strength with every second. The miasma made it feel like I was breathing through fire, but it didn’t matter. The harder the fight, the sweeter the victory.

  Deá’s eyes flicked to my legs, blood staining the bones underfoot. She was looking for weaknesses, any sign that I might falter. But I wasn’t going to give her that satisfaction.

  With a burst of speed, I lunged at her again. This time, my cws struck true, tearing through the leather of her armor and drawing blood. Deá hissed, stumbling back, but her grip on her nce remained steady. She swung in retaliation, the bde catching me across the shoulder with a sharp sting.

  I grinned, the pain only fueling the fire inside me. “Is that all you’ve got?”

  Deá’s eyes narrowed, and without a word, she charged. Her nce fshed through the air in a flurry of strikes, each one faster and more precise than the st. I blocked the first few with my cws, but one strike slipped past, catching me in the ribs. Pain fred through my side, but I wasn’t about to stop.

  I retaliated with a swipe of my tail, aiming for her legs. She dodged, barely avoiding the strike, but I wasn’t done. I spun, bringing my cws down toward her shield. She raised it just in time, but the force of the blow sent her skidding back.

  “You’re strong,” I growled, circling her. “But not strong enough.”

  Deá gritted her teeth, her muscles trembling under the strain of holding her shield up. I could see it in her stance—she was wearing down. The Vale’s air was heavy in our lungs, slowing our movements, but we both pushed through it. She was strong, but I had the edge.

  We cshed again, the sound of metal meeting scale ringing through the air. Deá’s movements were slower now, each strike more deliberate, but still fierce. Her nce cut through the air with deadly precision, but I could feel the fatigue in her strikes. Her body was reaching its limits, and so was mine.

  I blocked her next strike, using the momentum to sweep her legs out from under her. She hit the ground hard, her nce cttering beside her. For a moment, she y there, gasping for breath, her chest heaving with exertion. But even now, her eyes met mine with that same stubborn fire.

  I stepped back, giving her space to rise. “Pick it up,” I growled. “We’re not done.”

  Deá hesitated for a moment, her gaze flicking between me and her weapon. But she wasn’t one to back down. With a grunt, she pushed herself to her feet and retrieved her nce, her stance steady despite the shaking in her arms.

  “Good,” I muttered. “Let’s finish this.”

  We cshed once more, the rhythm of our battle slowing but still fierce. Every strike I made was met with a counter, every blow she nded was returned with equal force. The miasma clung to us, burning our lungs with every breath, but neither of us gave in. This was what we lived for—the thrill of the fight, the rush of testing ourselves to the brink.

  Finally, with a powerful strike, I knocked her nce from her hands once again. She staggered back, defenseless, but she didn’t retreat. Deá squared her shoulders, raising her fists in a fighter’s stance.

  I ughed, shaking my head. “You really don’t know when to quit, do you?”

  Deá smirked, blood trickling down her face. “Neither do you.”

  I nodded, respect flickering in my eyes. “Alright then. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

  We lunged at each other, fists and cws colliding in a flurry of strikes. Deá’s punches were sharp, precise, aimed at my weak spots. But I was faster, stronger. My cws raked across her skin, drawing blood with each hit, but she didn’t cry out. She fought with everything she had, her body trembling from the effort, but her spirit unyielding.

  With a final roar, I smmed her to the ground, pinning her beneath me. Her chest heaved, blood pooling around us, but she didn’t beg for mercy. She just stared up at me, unflinching, defiant to the end.

  “You’re strong,” I growled, my voice low and rough. “But I’m stronger.”

  Deá coughed, her breath coming in ragged gasps. “You won’t… kill me,” she managed, her voice hoarse.

  I grinned, leaning closer. “No. I won’t.”

  With a final surge of energy, I released her and stepped back. Deá y there for a moment, catching her breath, before slowly pushing herself to her feet. Her body trembled, blood still dripping from her wounds, but she was standing.

  “You fought well,” I said, wiping the blood from my mouth. “Better than most.”

  Deá gave a tired smile, wincing at the pain in her side. “Not good enough, though.”

  I shrugged, flexing my cws. “Next time.”

  She ughed softly, shaking her head. “There’ll be a next time, huh?”

  I smirked. “You bet.”

  Together, we limped away from the battlefield, the bones of the Rotten Vale crunching beneath our feet. The fight had been brutal, but it was over now, and the exhaustion was settling in. The miasma still clung to us, but Astera wasn’t far, and we both needed rest.

  As we walked, Deá gnced at me, her expression softening slightly. “You ever think about taking it easy?” she asked, her voice casual.

  I raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Easy? You think I came to the Vale to take it easy?”

  Deá chuckled, shaking her head. “Point taken. Still, maybe next time we could fight somewhere less… toxic.”

  I ughed, the sound raspy from the miasma. “Afraid of a little poison?”

  “Afraid of dying before I can kick your ass,” Deá shot back, a grin spreading across her face.

  I snorted, my wings shifting slightly as we walked. “Keep dreaming. I’m not the type to go down easy.”

  She gnced at my torn scales, the blood staining my legs. “Yeah, you look real indestructible right now.”

  I smirked, wiping the blood from my mouth. “You don’t look much better, Deá.”

  She rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of a smile on her lips. “Fair enough.”

  Astera came into view in the distance, the familiar sight of the massive fortress bringing a sense of relief. We both picked up the pace, eager to get out of the Vale and away from its suffocating air. As we approached the gates, the guards gnced at us, their expressions shifting from concern to surprise at the sight of us—bloodied, battered, but still standing.

  “I’m going to need a drink,” Deá muttered, rubbing her sore shoulder.

  I ughed softly. “After the beating you took? I’ll buy.”

  She raised an eyebrow, smirking. “I’ll hold you to that.”

  We limped through the gates of Astera, the fight behind us but the thrill still coursing through our veins. There would be more fights, more battles, but for now, we’d earned our rest.

  The sun hung low on the horizon, casting a warm, golden light over the edge of the Vale as Deá and I limped our way back toward Astera. My legs still ached from the strikes her nce had left, but the miasma had begun to clear from my lungs as we climbed out of the Vale’s depths. Each step was a reminder of the fight we’d just had, but it wasn’t the pain that lingered—it was the thrill.

  Deá walked beside me, her own body showing the wear and tear of the battle. Blood still seeped through the tears in her armor, but she kept pace without compint, her nce slung over her shoulder. Her eyes, though heavy with fatigue, still glimmered with that same fiery determination. The fight was over, but I knew she was already thinking about the next one.

  Astera’s wooden ptforms came into view as we crested the hill, the sprawling fortress busy with the usual hum of activity. Hunters, researchers, and civilians moved about their business, the familiar sounds of the bustling town drifting up to meet us. The guards stationed at the gates gnced at us as we approached, their eyes widening as they took in our battered appearances.

  I grinned, ignoring the pain that shot through my ribs as I straightened up. “Home sweet home,” I muttered.

  Deá chuckled beside me, her own steps faltering slightly as we reached the gates. “You always look like you’ve been through hell when you come back from a fight?” she asked, her voice ced with amusement.

  I shot her a sideways gnce, my grin widening. “Only when it’s worth it.”

  We passed through the gates, the sounds of Astera enveloping us. People gnced our way as we made our way across the wooden walkways, some with curiosity, others with concern. I could feel the eyes of the researchers on us, but I ignored them. This wasn’t their business.

  As we neared the center of the settlement, Deá slowed her pace, gncing over at me. “So,” she began, her voice casual but with an edge of curiosity. “About that drink you owe me?”

  I chuckled, wiping a bit of blood from the corner of my mouth. “Right. A deal’s a deal.”

  But instead of heading for the tavern, I turned toward her, catching her gaze. Deá raised an eyebrow, her lips quirking in a half-smile, clearly expecting another quip from me. But instead, I stepped closer, the exhaustion from the fight slipping away for a moment as I leaned in.

  Before she could react, I pressed my lips to hers, a quick, pyful kiss. Her body tensed for a heartbeat, and when I pulled back, I saw the surprise flicker in her eyes. But it wasn’t shock or anger—no, it was something more amused.

  I grinned, my lips curling into a smug smile. “That’s for giving me a fight worth remembering.”

  Deá blinked, her surprise melting into a slow smile. “You’ve got a real cocky streak, don’t you?” she muttered, wiping the blood off her lips.

  I shrugged, stepping back with a wink. “You love it.”

  Deá chuckled, shaking her head. “Maybe I do.” She paused for a moment, her gaze lingering on mine. “But don’t think a kiss makes up for the drink.”

  I let out a ugh, nodding toward the tavern. “Come on, then. Let’s see if we can find something stronger than the blood in our veins.”

  Deá followed with a grin, and together we headed toward the warmth and noise of the tavern, the adrenaline of the fight still buzzing through us.

  Once inside, the smell of alcohol and the sound of clinking mugs greeted us. The tavern was bustling, as usual, with hunters telling exaggerated tales of their hunts and downing drinks like there was no tomorrow. Deá and I found a table near the back, away from the noise, where we could breathe a little easier.

  I fgged down a server and ordered two mugs of whatever was the strongest thing they had. Deá leaned back in her chair, her eyes still glinting with the energy of the fight. The momentary softness from the kiss had vanished, repced by that same fire I’d seen in her during the battle.

  “So,” she began, propping her nce against the wall beside her. “How often do you pick fights with strangers?”

  I chuckled, running a hand through my hair. “Only when they’re worth fighting.”

  Deá tilted her head, studying me for a moment. “You think I’m worth fighting, huh?”

  I leaned back in my chair, meeting her gaze with a grin. “You proved that in the Vale.”

  The server returned with two mugs, setting them down with a thud. I grabbed mine, taking a long drink, the burn of the alcohol a welcome distraction from the dull ache in my body. Deá followed suit, the two of us sitting in comfortable silence for a moment as we let the adrenaline ebb away.

  Finally, Deá spoke again, her voice softer this time. “That kiss... what was that for, really?”

  I shrugged, taking another sip of my drink before meeting her eyes. “A little thank you. For not holding back.”

  Deá smirked, her fingers tracing the rim of her mug. “Could say the same to you.”

  I raised an eyebrow, my grin widening. “Maybe next time I won’t go so easy on you.”

  Deá ughed, the sound low and tired but genuine. “Easy? You think that was easy?”

  I chuckled, leaning forward slightly. “Let’s just say I’ve got a few more tricks up my sleeve.”

  Deá’s eyes narrowed pyfully, and she leaned in as well. “Next time, I’ll make sure you don’t walk away so smug.”

  I winked, raising my mug in a mock toast. “I’ll hold you to that.”

  We clinked our mugs together, the tension from the fight repced by an easy camaraderie. The battle had been fierce, but the respect between us had only grown. As the night wore on, the sounds of the tavern buzzed around us, but we remained in our little corner, nursing our drinks and trading banter, until it came time for her to return to her bed, and for me to return to my dear Ina.

  I wonder if she'd be mad learning I kissed someone else?