The Adventurer’s Academy

{Rin}

There was no denying it.

Rin was afraid. Terrified, actually.

As Sye got healed over to her right, and the werewolves attacking the camp continued to produce casualties, Rin simply felt like she had no idea where to be. What she was meant to do.

One voice, belonging to a girl who Rin had never heard speak this loudly, cut through it all.

Sara, to Rin's left, was waving an arm in the air as she yelled:

"EVERYONE! LISTEN TO ME!"

Rin didn't calm down immediately, but just hearing that helped her center herself at the moment.

Everyone had a similar reaction. The eyes of multiple people, including some of the enemies, went straight to her.

Sara followed that up by running over to where Rin was, keeping her eyes and her sword aimed at their opponents all the while.

"Rin, I need you to follow my instructions, okay?"

The girl didn't bother keeping up with the whole "Triss" facade, but, in this situation, who could blame her? Her mind was probably running in several different directions. Rin didn't even acknowledge the slip-up and instead said:

"Okay, what do you want me to do?"

"Stay near her," Sara replied, nodding in Xhez's direction. "Whatever happens to anyone else, ignore it. Understand?"

Rin pulled back just a little.

Essentially, Sara was practically asking her to allow people to die if saving them meant moving away from Xhez. It didn't exactly feel good to be told to do that but, if she was being honest, Rin probably would have done that anyway.

"I do not want you running around from one place to another like a headless chicken. Just stick with her and try to protect her," Sara continued. "Once you two have no more enemies to take on, you can try to help the rest of us."

A few questions popped up, then. She wondered what Sara wanted her to do if something happened to Elisa. Or, to Sara herself.

However, soon, Rin nodded in agreement.

What Sara was offering to her right now was something she knew she couldn't reject. It was something she often struggled with in battle.

What Sara had just given to her was a sense of direction. And, Rin couldn't pass it up.

"Alright!" She replied, turning away from the woman to do as she'd asked.

A few werewolves blocked her path to her friend. They snarled, approaching Rin with little in the form of strategy or coordination.

Just before engaging them, Rin snuck a glance at Sara.

The other rookie was staring down the largest of those werewolves. The one Rin didn't know if any of them stood a chance at beating.

[... No,] Rin turned her attention back to her own opponents. [She made it clear where she wants your focus to be. That's her fight. Leave her to it, for now. Like she said, once you have nothing else to fight, go and help.]

The same had not been said to Elisa, though, so after getting pushed back by that very opponent, she ran back up to it. Rin couldn't watch what happened next, as one of the werewolves tried to claw her throat out.

Rin ducked under the hit and retaliated with a punch to the chest. Her hit stunned the first enemy long enough for her to focus on the second, leaning out of the way of a bite it attempted.

Rin raised her right knee up as high as she could and crashed it into the wolf's jaw, following that up with a sweep of its legs. As this wolf fell on its back, its ally tried to aid it by clawing at Rin's torso.

Rin's reaction was something Maria's training had ingrained in her.

She pulled back, leaning away from the swipe, and then went back in with a raised fist.

The werewolf did like she had, only to realize too late that Rin's punch was a feint.

Before it could adjust its position, Rin punched it in the gut and heard the air leave her opponent's lungs.

This enemy hit the ground as well and, now, Rin knew it would be best to kill them before she kept going.

Because they looked the way they did, it was easy. Her soul was unfazed by the notion.

However, just before she stomped on one of the wolves' necks, she heard:

"Wai-"

That was all it managed to get out before its neck was broken.

Rin stopped, though.

[Did it just...?]

Shaking her head, she tried to keep her mind focused.

Xhez needed help. The people keeping some of these wolves away from her were slowly giving ground. Rin needed to get there now.

So, Rin stomped on the other one's neck as well and then hurried over.

The sprite was just finishing up healing Sye after that nasty wound she'd suffered at the hands of the enemy Sara and Elisa were fighting. As Rin made her way over to their position, she kicked one werewolf away, leaving it open to be slashed by a nearby guard. Another one saw this and as it charged in, Rin dealt it an uppercut that knocked it out.

As Sye saw Rin arrive now that the path was clear, she gave her a shaky, but confident smile.

"It seems I got careless. Ah, it has been a long time since I was properly tested. I apologize."

As the woman stood up, she lightly grabbed Xhez, whose hands had been hovering over her body.

"That was a fairly grievous injury you just cured. Rather quickly, too..."

"Sye," Rin said, grabbing her attention. "Can you fight?"

"Yes," she replied, letting go of the sprite. "I'm sorry."

"You're fine, but look. We need to take these things out fast so we can go help over there," Rin pointed at Sara. "Okay?"

"Right. Let's-"

Sye was cut off by the sudden appearance of black-and-white electricity flashing through the air, flying toward one of the wolves.

Rin flinched.

[... What?]

Her eyes went to the source of that spell, falling on the sprite who clearly had it in her mind to join the fight rather than sit around healing people.

Xhez's hands were already moving to cast it again. The curse she'd learned from that orc raid.

[Oh, right. Shit, that spell is kinda scary.]

And everywhere that Xhez did cast it, screams erupted.

Rin saw that the look on Sye's face had changed.

Before, it had been one of admiration. Like she was sizing up a potential apprentice. Now, all Rin could see on her face was concern. Fear.

"S-Sye!" Rin yelled as Xhez continued to cast that spell. "We're in a fight here! We need to help!"

"Right..." Sye said, though her eyes did not move away from Xhez. "My apologies..." She said quietly.