Under the scalding glare of a merciless sun, in a wide, bone-dry valley, a woman ran for her life.
Animal furs clung to her figure, modestly covering her, yet she moved with ease through the burning wasteland of dust and decay. Her chest heaved with ragged breath as she sprinted, never once glancing behind. Her dusky face twisted with fear and sorrow; every few steps, she cried out for help, her voice cracking in desperation—but no help came.
Behind her, a group of men chased her down. Like her, they wore primitive furs, but unlike her, their hands gripped crude clubs stained with dried blood. They grunted in exertion and excitement, their pursuit relentless.
The woman pressed on, but her stamina waned in the oppressive heat. Her pace slowed visibly. She risked a glance behind—her dry, cracked lips quivered, eyes wide with despair. They were gaining.
"Ahh—!"
Thud.
She cried out as she tripped, crashing onto the sun-scorched earth.
The hunters surged forward with renewed fervor, shouting in guttural tones, their savage language formed of grunts and clicks. One lunged and pinned her down roughly. She screamed, thrashing violently under his weight. The others encircled them, watching with gleaming eyes. One of them untied a dry vine from his waist, motioning for the others to help restrain her.
"Raaah—! Ksss-haa!"
Her voice rose in a shrill cry as she clawed at them, but then—suddenly—she fell silent. Her limbs slackened. The men exchanged confused glances but continued, now distracted by the seeming ease of their victory. Two began binding her limbs. The rest wandered in lazy arcs, examining the terrain, as though new to this land.
Then—
"AARGHH!"
A piercing scream snapped their attention back.
One of the captors stood rigid—headless. His body jerked, blood gushing from the stump, then crumpled. The second knelt beside the woman, unmoving, his back turned to the others.
On the ground lay a pulpy mass of gore—too misshapen to confirm, yet clearly once a head.
Thud.
The headless body collapsed, painting the dry earth with fresh blood.
The woman rose—torn vines falling away like mist. She moved with inhuman agility, slipping free of the bonds with terrifying grace. Before her stunned captors could react, she struck.
"AAGHH!"
The nearest man clutched his throat as blood sprayed from a savage gash. He dropped his weapon, fell to his knees, and choked on his own lifeblood, eyes bulging with terror.
The rest froze in place, paralyzed by fear.
She retreated slightly, adopting a low stance, her breathing sharp and uneven. The men, wary now, began to spread, approaching with caution.
A tense stillness hung in the air for a heartbeat too long—then they surged.
They encircled her, cutting off escape. One lunged—
Whoosh—CRACK!
Before the club could connect, an unseen force hurled him backwards. He struck a jagged rock wall with a sickening crunch.
"Gck—!"
He slid down the wall, leaving behind a long smear of blood.
The rest froze again, eyes wide in dread. They stepped back as one.
The woman stood panting, pale, trembling. Her limbs wavered as if the effort had drained something vital from her.
Sensing her weakness, one of them hurled a jagged club. She dodged—but the throw was a distraction.
Another charged, club raised.
BOOM!
The blow landed squarely against her chest. She was flung backwards, crashing hard against the ground. Blood bubbled from her lips as she lay gasping, her chest dented and broken.
"Nn… haaaah…"
She tried to rise—but failed. Tears streamed from her eyes as she clawed the dust, dragging herself weakly away.
The men eased, some sighing in relief.
One of them gripped his club tightly, eyes narrowed with grim purpose.
"Aaaaah!" he roared, running toward her. His weapon rose, aimed to end her suffering.
The woman, face stained in blood and tears, looked up at him in final despair—
—and closed her eyes.
BANG!
A thunderclap tore through the air.
Silence.
She opened her eyes.
Before her stood the man—frozen. A gaping hole marred his chest. Blood leaked in slow rivulets as the club dropped from his limp hand.
He fell to his knees, lips trembling, and looked not at her—but past her.
He crumpled.
The woman blinked in disbelief, staring at the corpse.
"AIIIIIEEEEEE!!!"
She shrieked, crawling toward him, her pain forgotten. Her hands clutched his lifeless body as she sobbed violently. Whatever hatred she might've felt, in that moment, she grieved.
Around her, she did not notice the chaos erupting.
"AAAGGHH!"
Screams echoed through the valley.
Blood flowed once more.
A golden giant had descended upon the savages, his form wreathed in light and death. His immense spear tore through bodies like parchment, scattering limbs with every precise swing. They fought, screamed, died.
Within moments—silence.
Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.
The wind howled across the valley.
The golden warrior approached the woman, his armored boots thudding against the cracked earth. She knelt unmoving, eyes hollow, soul shattered.
He stopped before her, helm looming above. Crimson lenses regarded her silently.
She looked up, registering his presence through the haze. Through bleary eyes, she saw a golden shadow, blocking the sun. To her, it seemed a halo.
thud
She collapsed—not dead, but unconscious. Her chest still moved in shallow breath.
"Such great tenacity," the warrior murmured, removing his helm.
His eyes swept the battlefield, settling on a kneeling savage whose innards spilled grotesquely from a wide cut. One of those who had tied her down.
Caenus turned his gaze back to the woman. He studied her hands.