As the headless body of the night yeti collapsed, Verk ran down its oily black hide, desperately reaching for Mint. He launched off the yeti, his hand brushing her fingers before a violet blur snatched her away. He gashed his teeth, calling Europa to break his fall. His trusted steed sprang through the trees and landed on a small mountain facing towards the monster holding Mint her clutches.
"My, my, a male Nymph," Biwanari said, floating towards him, a pair of draconic wings on her back with Mint tucked under her left arm, a chipped and worn Shina blade in her right hand. "Quite the rarity, and to be so powerful, you must be of good stock."
Rather than engage in banter, Verk swapped for his bow and readied an arrow. Before he could loose it, Biwanari let Mint drop. She let out a brief scream before being grabbed by the demon's tail by the waist. He attempted to readjust his shot, but Biwanari raised Mint as a shield before he could.
"What's the matter?" Biwanari snickered, resting her chin on Mint's shoulder. "I thought elves were perfect archers, or does your human blood make you less remarkable? Come on, take the shot. I promise I won't move."
"Verk…" Mint squirmed, trying to move her head further away, but it was no use. He put away his bow and took up his sword. He couldn't chance it.
"You're a fool if I you think I'll take you at your word." Behind him Europa changed shape and wrapped around his body, creating wings of wood and leaf. Verk readied his sword. "I'm taking Mint back."
"Are you? Let's see if that's possible." Biwanari moved Mint to the side and lunged with her sword. He went to meet her, but hesitated as Mint was suddenly thrust into his blade's path!
"Bitch!" He barely deflected Biwanari's strike that came from beside Mint's bound body. Every time he tried to counterstrike—Mint was thrown in his face. When he tried to strike the tail holding her, Biwanari would twist Mint around, forcing him pull back.
"Verk, don't worry about me! She needs me alive!" Mint cried as he deflected another slash.
There was no doubt the Minervian wanted Mint alive—he knew that, but Verk also knew they weren't ones to waste gains. If it came between keeping Biwanari in play or the success of whatever scheme they had for Mint. They'd sacrifice Mint without a second glance.
"She's right, you know!" Biwanari cackled as she began waving Mint around like a club. "We blessed this girl handsomely—go ahead, stab her, slash, hack her up! She'll be fine!" Despite his best attempts, his sword caught Mint in the arm, splattering her blood in the air. His eyes widened in horror as Mint screamed, even as the wound closed instantly. "See? She's perfectly intact. The only drawback is that the pain lingers."
"Stop it! It hurts!" Mint screamed as the demon ripped through her clothes with her claws. Long bloody gashes opened across Mint's chest and instantly closed, but she continued to thrash about, screaming and crying as she struggled. The more Mint thrashed, the more the scales binding her dug into her stomach, causing her even more anguish.
"You better hurry and save her—at this rate, she'll rip herself in half." Biwanari snickered, squeezing Mint tighter. "Oh, did I just hear a bone crack?"
The longer he dragged this out, the more Mint would suffer. But would Minerva's curse still be active if he killed Biwanari? If he hurt Mint to the point she died from her injuries after the battle, what was the point?
If I cut her in half, will she regrow her legs, or will her legs regrow the upper half? As much as he didn't want to consider doing such a thing to the woman he loved, he had to consider it. No, I can't do it.
Obviously not; he did not know if Mint's curse would even heal such a wound. Even if it did, he wouldn't do it.
What would Dad do?
While he pondered that, Biwanari went on the attack, using a cruel combo of swinging Mint at him and then following up with a sword strike. Each hesitation brought him a flesh wound. The demon was clearly toying with him. If she'd wanted, she could have cut off an arm or worse by now.
What do I do?
Verk ground his teeth, Mint's face was a mess of blood and tears, while Biwanari giggled with sick delight. Was there a way to finish this quickly?
There is…
Steeling himself for what he had to do, Verk let out a long breath. Fire filled his veins as his heart thumbed with a deep rhythm, a mixture of silver and green flames danced upon his flesh reared back. "Rauth!"
-breakio
Biwanari looked on fascination at the half-nymph as he started some sort of strange ritual. Just what was he doing? The display of raw divine flame was impressive, but even if he charged his entire body with it, he'd never move fast enough to intercept her blade. When a flicker of silver appeared amongst the emerald flame, her confident shattered.
Yorgmen fire!
She acted too late; Verk reared back, his chest ballooning before unleashing a thunderous roar. She felt the reverberation of sound strike her body and violently vibrate her blood. The world distorted and her body when limp for only a moment, but it was enough for the princess to fall from her grip.
"Dammit!" Biwanari's vision was dyed red as she frantically looked for Mint. The princess was cradled in Verk's arms; it should be easy to pluck her from him, but something made her pause. Spheres of light gathered around Verk in a halo, and his divine flame continued to grow hotter; the heat buffered her body, scoring her flesh. Just how powerful was this mortal? And those spheres, she recognized them; they were primordial spirits! "You're her son… you're that elf bitch's son!" she snarled.
With blazing eyes of silver emerald, Verk raised a single finger and issued a command to the spirits surrounding him. "Kill her."
Instantly attacks of every element was slung as her: The fire of the Ignis, the blinding light of the Wisp, blades of wind from the Sylph, streams of water and ice from the Undine, blasts of stone from the Gnome, the lighting of a Zephyr. And an entire elemental storm ruthlessly chased her; no matter what attack she unleashed, it was swept up by the storm. When she tried to take refuge in the trees, vines from Dryads lashed at her and threw razor sharp leaves.
"Normally I'd relish the challenge," Biwanari wiped the blood from her lips as she flew beneath the clouds. Verk remained rooted as the spirits continued to dance to his will, ready to unleash their might if she reengaged. So long as he had the forest beneath at his beck and call, there was no need for him to chase her. Or rather, with Mint in his arms, he couldn't. "But this is just troublesome. You're just like your mother. We'll call this a draw."
If she wanted to, she could charge right in and fight unrestrained, but Mint would surely be killed in the crossfire. She'd win the fight, but fail her mission. Losing the girl was better than having her outright killed. Her sisters would seethe, but she wasn't risking her vessel for them.
"Until next time, Son of Alfa."