Coye Vol 3 Ch 12 (Patreon)

Saying you would find a Grunwolf was one thing, but actually doing so was another. These mystical creatures were elusive by nature, and they made their homes deep within the Gnarled Woods, nesting in closed-off pockets brimming with rare vegetation referred to as a Wolf Garden. Although Coye had never accepted any, there were often quests posted by local alchemists looking for souls brave enough to sneak into these gardens and return with rare plants that couldn't be found anywhere else in the forest.

Given how big of a threat Grunwolves were, Miss Whittle made sure all of her adventurers were well-versed on how to spot and avoid these gardens before they were already knee-deep in their territory. Unfortunately, advice wasn't always enough, and you'd end up stumbling into one by chance, as Coye could attest to. Either way, he felt he wouldn't have trouble locating a garden. The real question was whether he could do it before Byng.

There was also a chance of running into one in the wild, but Coye put little stock in that. Grunwolves rarely left their territory, usually only to hunt for food or protect the forest from fires.

Time passed as Coye and Shayla combed the woods, avoiding other threats as they looked for any tracks or obvious signs that would lead them to a Wolf Garden. In the blink of an eye, it had been an hour, then two, and so on. Even Shayla's experience navigating the woods amounted to little as they searched and searched in vain.

Why was it that strong monsters only showed up when you weren't actively looking for them? Coye sighed, already missing having Byng and her expert-level tracking skills at his side.

There came a point where the only smart thing to do was concede and head back, but even then, Coye and Shayla put another half-hour on the trail. Shayla begged him to call it off for now, but Coye knew how important this was to Byng, and above all else, he wanted to win.

Still, he couldn't argue when the last echoes of summer sunlight were beginning to recede, darkening the grim forest into an even less hospitable place than it already was. They were no closer to finding a Grunwolf than they were when they started.

"Ok, baby," Shayla groaned as if riding Coye's pauldron was the most exhausting thing in the world. "If we don't get our asses out of here, it's gonna be dark before we know it. I'm digging the persistence- really, I am- but being pigheaded and stubborn is no good if it only gets us killed."

Coye stopped in his tracks and slowly nodded his head. "You're right... it's time to go. I'm starting to get hungry again, anyway." He sighed, then asked the unpleasant question on his mind. "Do you think Byng's already won?"

"No doubt," Shayla said without question. "She was totally bullshitting you when she said she didn't have any more tricks planned. Just watch. She'll be there, ready and waiting for her prize..."

Over the last few hours, Coye had got to thinking. He lowered his head, scratching behind his ear as he mused, "Well, as much as I still wanted to win... it feels like we both want the same thing from each other, so, um... the results are probably going to be the same either way."

"Let's hope so," Shayla smirked, then patted his pauldron a few times with her hand. "Nice to see you being honest about what you want, though, baby!" She teased.

"I-I didn't confirm or deny anything," he shrugged and blushed, then turned to the direction that would lead them to the mouth of the woods before long and began walking.

After a few minutes, the light faded even more, and Coye thought to take out a torch. Before he could do so, Shayla told him, "Bring out your sword. I'll light it up and save you some trouble."

Coye did, and the Pixie snapped her fingers. The sword took on a pale blue light the same color as its projectile before flashing several times stronger than it ever did when using its magic. It acted almost like an emergency flare. Not only did it hurt to look at, but it would also attract tons of unwanted attention if they left it as is.

Coye averted his gaze as Shayla dialed back the magic a few notches, dulling the light as she apologized, "Crap, I'm sorry! That's so weird. I didn't mean to make it that bright..."

"Maybe you're getting stronger?" Coye wondered.

Always one to bask in her own accomplishments, Shayla smiled and crossed her arms. "You're probably right, baby. I'm gonna be so much more amazing now that I'm burning through my mana all the time!"

"Looking forward to it," he smiled as the egotistical Pixie was filled with pride, and together, they started working their way back in earnest.

They made good time by mixing in frequent Quick Steps, neither wanting to risk staying out in the darkness longer than they had to. By the time they made it back, the sun was almost done setting, and the crimson-orange hues of dusk painted the fair sky. What awaited the duo was the cold, hard reality of the worst-case scenario.

Byng was nowhere to be seen.

"Huh," Shayla exclaimed, peeking out from underneath Coye's cap, where she preemptively stashed herself. "She must still be on her way back, right? If we had trouble finding a Wolf Garden, maybe Byng did, too..."

Coye knew better but played along for the moment in order to keep himself grounded. "Yeah, that might be the case..." he agreed, genuinely hoping for the best. Even as he said it, a chill of doubt seized his thoughts.

This is precisely what he was worried about, and now, it might already be too late to do anything about it. There was no time- the sun would take the last vestiges of light with it any minute now...

Coye paused, reminding himself that Byng could take care of herself. She wasn't a damsel in distress. She was a strong adventurer. His equal in her own right. He had to put faith in her abilities, or else he'd go crazy worrying himself over his companion. Still, how long could he hold off from becoming overly concerned?

The answer was only a few minutes.

Coye's impatience had grown increasingly worse as every second passed. As the dark of night settled down along the land, the boy paced up and down the dirt road leading into the Gnarled Woods. His boots dragged across the surface, digging little trails from his frequent coming and going.

Shayla couldn't bear to see him like this, so she spoke up and tried to reassure him. "Ok, ok. Things might seem bad, but you have to remember-"

"I know she can take care of herself," Coye cut her off. "But we agreed on sundown, and she's not here. I've already waited a couple of extra minutes, and at this rate, I..."

Shayla entirely left the hat and flew out in front of his face. She was just as stressed as him, and she folded her arms. "Well, what are you going to do about it? Are you seriously going to go in after her?"

"I don't see any other choice," Coye stated like it was the obvious answer.

"Coye, this... is just... you can't... agh-" Shayla frazzled her hair and groaned out of exasperation. "It's not like I can tell you not to go and rescue her, that would make me look like a piece of shit, but at the same time, I can't condone it, either! Ugh... you've got no idea the things I've seen prowling around at night, baby. It's awful out there."

"If you're too scared, you can wait here for me. I have to find Byng before it's too late."

Shayla bopped the boy on the head with righteous fury, dealing little damage but making a point. "How dare you even suggest I wouldn't want to come with you! Do you think I'd just let you go in there without me? Hell no. Not now, not ever! If you're really gonna do this, let's start heading out from where Byng entered the forest."

Coye smiled at his partner, feeling safer knowing she'd be along for the ride whatever happened in there. "Right," he said, nodding his head. "We'll find Byng- together."

Taking Shayla's advice, Coye followed after Byng as the Pixie illuminated his sword again- this time at a decent glow to begin with. He knelt down and squinted his eyes to inspect the area for Byng's tracks, although he knew things wouldn't go that simple. For a girl who had probably never worn shoes in her entire life, Byng sure turned out to be an expert at not leaving any footprints. What little trail she did leave was nigh impossible to follow because of all the low light.

A chill ran down his spine as he felt a tingle of danger. Anything could happen to him during his search, and his sword was surely attracting enough attention as it was. Worse, it wasn't as if he could speed up the process by calling Byng's name, either. He had few options other than continuing down a straightforward path, hoping to stumble into a lead.

Coye and Shayla heard the howling of a Direwolf off in the near distance. It seemed the first roadblock was presenting itself already, and Coye brandished his shield before he could even see them. What he wouldn't give for Dark Elf heritage right about now. Darkvision would've made these woods a whole lot less threatening, but alas, Coye's bloodline could only be traced back to average Elves.

"You good here, baby?" Shayla asked, looking behind him to cover more angles.

"Yeah, save your mana," he narrowed his eyes and gripped his blade. "Direwolves are nothing to me."

A twig snapped far off to his left, although he pretended not to hear it. He turned, playing down his reaction as the mighty beast stalked him, waiting for the chance to pounce. Once it finally emerged from atop a nearby hill and dove at him, he turned and thrust his sword straight through its skull. Before he had time to celebrate, a second Direwolf was approaching from his flank. This one got off easier as Coye pivoted and delivered a powerful smash of his shield straight into its muzzle, snapping many of its fangs as it let out a pitiful whine and fell onto the forest floor.

One last Direwolf emerged from the thicket, but Coye saw a pronounced fear in its shining, reflective eyes. It watched the adventurer with great hesitation. There was no need to engage this one, Coye realized. It just needed another little push.

Coye's face wasn't well-suited to making threatening displays, but he put on his best attempt at one and heightened the power of his fighting spirit, projecting his threat level to the already wavering Direwolf. Given Coye's desperation, it was even more effective. One look was all it took to scare the Direwolf back into whatever depths of the woods it emerged from.

This distraction was over and dealt with, but it cost him precious time that could've been used in pursuit of Byng. It had only lasted a few seconds, but even mere seconds were precious in such dire circumstances.

Onward, Coye went, his attention split between staring at the path ahead and scanning for danger. Even with Shayla's help, it wasn't like he could have full spatial awareness, so the potential threat from every direction started weighing on his mind.

After nearly twenty minutes had passed, Coye's frustration increased several times, and he stopped in his tracks for a moment. Panic overwhelmed him, and he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Damn it...! I don't know how to find her like this, Shayla!"

The Pixie bit her lower lip and tried to calm him, stroking her little fingers along his scalp. "Hey, hey, hey. Easy, big guy! You're getting all worked up, and that's not going to help you or Byng. We have options, don't we? Even if you can't find her yourself, you could go back to the Guild and see about setting up some kind of search party, right? I've seen groups of adventurers roving these woods at night looking for lost comrades before, so... isn't that worth a shot?"

Coye thought about Shayla's proposal. It made sense on a simple level, but the more he tried to imagine doing it, the more he remembered the day he'd spent with Byng. The playfulness of her smile, the adorable sounds of her cackling, her confidence as she drew her bowstring taut and unleashed shot after shot... although his time with her had been short, there was no way Coye would let it be cut even shorter.

He focused on his burgeoning feelings for the Gengaggi and clenched his fist, declaring, "We don't have time for that. I'm not leaving Byng alone out here, even if I have to search for her until the sun comes up."

"Coye, what the fuck? Are you stupid or something?!" Shayla exclaimed with panic.

"Yes," he admitted, fighting back his anxiety with all his mental strength. "But that doesn't matter. I'm going to find her." Coye said, trying to convince himself of the fact.

Shayla could tell he was filled with determination and knew better than to get in his way. There wasn't any basis for it, but that didn't make Coye's outburst of confidence any less cool. Her cheeks blushed, and the Pixie hated herself for how easily he could win her to his cause.

"Fine," she huffed. "I just hope you know what you're doing..."

"There's something I can try. Just keep your eyes peeled for me, ok?"

"Not like I've got anything else to do..." Shayla grumbled.

Coye closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. This wasn't his first night in the woods. Although the Bellepar Timberlands where he was trained were far less dangerous, his survival skills still counted for something here in the Gnarled Woods. He slowed his mind down bit by bit, hazardous as it was, all so he could think more clearly and take in more of his surroundings. He didn't have these forests as figured out as his old ones, but he was able to reach a certain level of understanding that he didn't usually have the luxury to tap into. In this zen-like state, his senses searched for abnormalities like far-off sounds that didn't belong or distinct smells that might lead him to the girl he sought.

There was nothing.

He found only the familiar sounds and smells of the dark forest for the first minute or so of his search, but he didn't despair.

Shayla, on the other hand, did. She was growing more panicked by the second as Coye stood silently in the middle of the woods with a glowing sword and his eyes closed. Even though this was nerve-wracking for her, she still did her job as a lookout as best she could.

Just before her confidence began to crack, Coye locked onto something. His eyes opened, and he started sniffing the air, looking to his right. He held up his sword and shined a light in the direction, continuing to follow a scent like a bloodhound.

Shayla was glad he stopped his sudden meditation session, but now she was concerned for an entirely different reason.

"Please, baby, please tell me you can't smell Byng's stank-ass pits from miles away. There's only so much I can take before we need to have a talk about-"

"No," Coye shook his head and ignored the commentary, finding no time for jokes. "Way, way off in the distance, I can smell a hint of smoke and fire. There's no guarantee it's her, but I'm almost certain it is. Only she would try something like this..."

"Wait, seriously?" Shayla was stunned, and she also followed her exclamation by sniffing the air. She didn't catch the scent herself, but she trusted in his judgment. "You don't think..."

"That she didn't bother searching for a Wolf Garden at all and lured a Grunwolf out the easy way?"

"That crazy bitch," Shayla laughed and clasped her hand to her forehead, cradling it in disbelief. "What kind of person just starts a fucking forest fire because they want to impress a boy?!"

"She knows what she's doing," Coye retorted. There was no doubt in his mind that Byng had things rigged so that it wouldn't spread- she was anything but stupid.

"If you say so... I guess you can go ahead and lead the way, the- AGH!" Coye didn't let the Pixie finish her thoughts. Now that he had a solid direction to go off, he began to use an advanced style of movement he rarely employed- continual Quick Stepping.

By channeling energy into one foot to take off and doing the same for his opposite foot as he was in midair, he could pull off an uninterrupted flow of Quick Steps that carried him through the forest at high speeds. Shayla wasn't the only one suffering for once, thanks to Coye's speed. He typically never performed this technique as it was a drain on his stamina, not to mention that this was awful terrain for it. He only had split seconds to adjust his trajectory each time he landed and took off, his eyes had trouble keeping up with his surroundings, and there was no guarantee he'd even land on stable ground. It was best used on open roads or not at all.

Despite the inherent riskiness of relying on this method, the gamble paid off, and Coye managed to work through the forest at a pace he'd never before done. Shayla started to be able to smell the distant fire growing closer, and not long after that, both of them could see a massive, vivid orange flare crackling madly off on the horizon.

Feeling justified in his assumptions, Coye picked up his pace even more so until he could barely see the world around him. He braked once he reached the area, finding a large clearing that Byng had created. There was no way she rigged this area with only a day of preparation time. At the center of the clearing was a large pit much bigger than the pitfalls he'd seen until now, and inside of it was a significant number of burning stones coated in oil. Beneath these stones were what looked like a few medium-sized trees, tons of bramble, some bushes, and even an assortment of flowers. Most surprising was the Grunwolf trapped beneath the mountain of stones, still twitching and howling tiredly as the pyre slowly roasted its bark-like skin to death.

Above, there were nets that Coye recognized must have been holding the boulders. Byng must've somehow gotten the monster to leap over the pit, where she then sprung her trap. It was genius, but there was no time to admire Byng's ingenuity. The dying Grunwolf was not the only powerful threat Byng's stunt had attracted.

The earth shook as this monster took a lumbering step forward- a painful squeal shooting out of its snout. Standing over ten feet tall at the very least and weighing an unfathomable amount, its unending hunger caused drool to run down its myriad chins, trickling down its gigantic, extended belly that was covered in stretch marks the color of a drowned man. Foot-long tusks dyed red with gore and viscera extended from its lower jaw, thick, bristly fur lined its back, arms, and legs, and it was naked save for a shredded brown wrap tied around its lower half.

If this was Kuhrkakk's idea of blessing Byng's hunt, Coye thought it was time for her to change religions. Of all the monsters that could've shown up, why did it have to be a Ravenous Boarman? This must be the one he saw yesterday on the quest board, the one registered as an urgent quest... this wasn't good, not at all.

It hadn't yet noticed Coye, as it was striding towards a particular tree where a familiar girl was hiding among its branches. Byng was visible thanks to the roaring fire and a small lantern that she'd attached to her bandolier. As far as he could tell, she was unharmed but covered in a thick layer of sweat and looked exhausted.

Before Coye could even think of a daring plan to try and help her, the terrifying monster charged forward and tackled Byng's tree, uprooting it like it was nothing. Her reaction was quick, and she ran along the branches just in time to hope safely to a neighboring tree. This did nothing to detract the beast staring at her, stomach rumbling loud enough to cause echoes in the darkness. It wanted to feed, and it saw Byng as its next meal.

Far from having given up on the situation, Byng readied a trick arrow and took a potshot at the Boarman. The arrow exploded against its snout and expelled a fine purple powder which the monster promptly snorted up a good deal of. Soon after, the powder did its job and brought the beast to sneeze, erupting a projectile of snot. This did little to deter it from charging Byng's current cover.

Coye experienced an amount of dread when he realized that it wasn't likely for an archer like Byng to have anything in her arsenal that could actually do any significant damage to the monster. Although he'd never fought one, Coye knew that its skin would be much thicker than an Owlbear's hide as it was padded in vast amounts of muscle and fat. There was always the chance that Byng had some mighty Arts he was unaware of that she could break out as a last resort, but going off of the worried expression she had as she looked down at the charging beast, Coye didn't think that was the case.

This wasn't an ordinary Pigman- it was a monstrous threat that he didn't see either of them escaping from until it stopped breathing. Ravenous Boarmen got their name from their tendency to cannibalize their own kind. As with the forest itself, all of Thalrad's remaining minions carried traces of the fallen Demon Lord's energy. Consuming their kin thus served as a reliable powerup for the species, and it wasn't too uncommon an occurrence when there was nothing else to eat. What was unusual was when a single subject managed to devour dozens upon dozens of its brethren, gaining power and hunger in equal measure until transforming into the twisted being Coye saw before him.

Coye's heart raced as time seemed to slow down to a dramatic standstill, his mind racing into overdrive. He had to do something- but the question was what? He could call out to Byng, alerting both her and the monster of his presence, or he could step back for a moment and discuss things with Shayla in an attempt to create a better plan. Of course, the option remained to run in and distract it so Byng could escape alone, but Coye was tired of self-sacrificial aspirations for one day.

Ultimately, he acted on pure impulse, disregarding his typical approach to combat altogether. Why? Because Byng was in danger, no man could reason when a girl they liked sat in harm's way.

Coye burst toward the monster with another Quick Step, energy bursting from his still-glowing weapon as he funneled his power into it. The Boarman's back was turned to him, and now was the perfect opportunity to strike. He uttered an ample grunt as he brought down his attack with impressive force, only to be met with a shocking discovery.

His Double Strike was utterly useless. Upon contact, the edge of his blade didn't so much as cut into the monster's voluminous skin. Instead, it rebounded off its copious fat reserves like a spring. Coye's eyes widened in horror, finding the Boarman's defenses even more significant than he anticipated.

"Coye?!" Byng shouted, finally taking note of her attempted savior after he exploded onto the scene. "What the heck were you thinking? Get the fuck outta here, now! I can outrun it if I stick to the trees, I'll-"

The monster pivoted around, turning to face Coye faster than its incredible size would've seemed possible. He started into its bloodshot eyes as it licked its chops with an enormous tongue, slathering saliva all over itself. Byng was no longer its target- there was now a tasty treat much, much closer.

Staring the beast down made Coye question himself and the limits of his power. He'd acted without thinking. What was he doing here? There was no way he could win this fight, but... even then...

'COYE! MOVE IT!' Shayla, who at this point had been too stunned and horrified to contribute much of anything, regained control of her senses and yanked his hair. If she hadn't, he would have died.

The towering Boarman raised its ham-sized fist in the brief moment Coye was stunned, rearing it back and slamming it straight into the boy's skull with a heavy punch. Only thanks to Shayla he could snap out of his stupor and apply the highest level of Steel Soul to himself the second before it made contact.

Coye was knocked backward, soaring over the fire pit as his head rang like a bell, and his vision blurred. Like a ragdoll, he hit the ground without a shred of grace, his body feeling heavier than lead. Steel Soul helped, only to the extent that his skull didn't explode like an egg tossed against a brick wall. The adventurer was still in tremendous pain, and at that moment, he wasn't sure if he would ever stand up again.

'You stupid... fucking... dumbass!' Shayla screeched in his mind. 'Why did you just charge in there like that?! I thought you were supposed to be the smart one in combat!'

"Byng... in... danger..." Coye struggled to say, trying to pull himself up before it was too late.

'Yeah? Well, guess what? So are we! If you don't act smarter, then none of us will make it out of this encounter alive! Haven't you learned by now that you can't do things alone, damn it?!'

"Can't... do things... alone..." he repeated, some of her words registering as he started to recover a measure of his faculties.

'No! Pick yourself up and work together with Byng and me before it's all over!'

As the Boarman took a step forward with its thundering hoof, more of Coye's cloudiness cleared thanks to a flash of understanding. What Shayla was saying was true. What was he even trying to prove by rushing in? That he could be the big, strong hero who saves the day and gets the girl? That wouldn't happen, and he felt embarrassed for acting on his impulses. He needed to be smarter than that.

Gritting his teeth, the boy rose and was determined to treat what had just happened as a valuable learning experience. He was lucky he acted when he did, as the Boarman started charging him down. Coye prepared for the attack by expending energy to utilize his fighting spirit and manifesting an after-image of himself running off in the opposite direction he intended to go. Given that the beast was more muscle than brains, his use of the Feint Art worked like a charm and bought him enough time to retreat momentarily toward Byng's tree.

"Byng, I'm gonna need your help with this!" He called out to her.

"Uh, yeah. No shit!" Byng laughed uncomfortably. "It's not like you're gonna be able to kill this thing on your own. I'm just sorry I got you caught up in my lame-ass attempt to win... ugh... thanks a lot, Kuhrkakk..." she grumbled.

'Probably not the best time to go around sassing a God,' Shayla observed as the monster turned to face Coye after his feint dissipated.

Byng was already on the case, having readied an arrow. "Dealing damage to this fargahrk is gonna have to fall on your shoulders, short-stuff. I'm stuck on support duty!"

"I'll manage," Coye nodded, ready to dodge out of the way. Byng made it easier for him by shooting her arrow at the charging monster, which revealed itself to be another of her bolas that exploded once it reached the Boarman's ankles. It didn't fully trip the beast, it was far too large and bulky to wrap around both hooves, but it did catch it off guard and force it to stumble.

This gave the boy enough time to dart out of the way after it tore off its restraints. Enraged, the beast stared him down with a visceral reaction. Steam billowed from its thick nostrils, irritation rising with every dodge and escape. Whatever came next, Coye knew it would be a doozy.

The Ravenous Boarman rushed, squealing nonstop as it swung its fevered fists in a mad flurry of punches aimed straight at Coye. Now that the adventurer was back in the game, he managed to slip in and out of each attack's range like he was performing a delicate dance. Its swings were heavy, and Coye could feel the air bursting around each blow. He knew what would happen to him if even one of these attacks connected, so he focused all his power on keeping that from happening.

Although she likely wouldn't be able to damage it, Byng was still determined to give it a try. Even if she failed, she'd hopefully draw some heat away from her party member and allow him to get a decent attack in. She shot a volley of regular arrows at the Boarman, putting a little energy into each strike using the Art known as Power Shot. Most of them bounced away on contact, but the last strike pierced the beast in its shoulder, eliciting a minor squeal of, if not pain, acknowledgment.

"Sheesh, this fatso over here is unbelievable...!" Byng remarked once the monster went straight back to attacking Coye.

Since Byng couldn't help, Shayla took this as her cue to take the initiative. She looked around the area for anything she could use, and although the temptation to throw a burning rock at the Boarman and continue the running joke was strong, Shayla wasn't about to burn the entire forest down just to get in one lousy shot. There was plenty else she could work with, anyway.

She gritted her teeth as she expelled mana from her system, lifting a large branch from one of the toppled trees that had fallen off and slamming it into the monster's face. Shayla winced as she felt a bit of exertion, but she struggled to keep it together.

'Get in on this, now!' She demanded, knowing that the window to strike was short.

Coye made full use of the opportunity. First things first, he needed to find out whether he was even capable of damaging this damned beast or not. He'd have to go all out and hit it with something big. The only thing that made sense to him was Triple Strike.

He surged forward, raising his sword arm after channeling tremendous energy into it. Coye brought it down in a downward, overhead slash, but the beast put its massive, furry forearm out in front of the way at the last second. It absorbed the fearsome impact of Coye's attack, though not at a low cost. If he was going full power, the adventurer was indeed capable of harming the Ravenous Boarman, as made evident by the horrendous, bloody gash his sword dealt it. Shocked and outraged, the porcine horror stumbled back and turned its snout to the sky, squealing in pain as its other arm cradled the injury.

This would've been cause for celebration if only Coye didn't have to deal with the aftershocks of his own attack. He gritted his teeth so hard they might've cracked. Red hot pain exploded throughout his right arm, the poor muscles practically blasting as it suddenly felt like infinite shards of burning glass tore him.

Sensing his terrible pain, Shayla tried to comfort him immediately. 'Are you ok, baby?! Here, let me settle it down a bit!' With another snap of her fingers, the Pixie healed him for a mild of his pain at the expense of even more mana. Her vision faded for a single second, but she fought it off with pure desperation.

Coye flexed his arm, finding the searing sensation to have been driven back down to reach a tolerable level. "It doesn't hurt," he muttered mainly to himself. "It doesn't hurt...!!" The only way to master this Art was to keep using it until his body could handle it, so Coye fought back against the pain.

"That was a nice attack and all, but heads up, short-stuff!" Byng called out to him, warning the addled adventurer of imminent danger.

The Ravenous Boarman eventually concluded that running around like a bull charging without a thought in its head was getting it nowhere. Although its brain was limited in capability for cleverness, every so often, it had a rare flicker of an idea. As it squatted down on its stubby legs and prepared to jump, it was evident that now was one of those times.

Leaping into the sky several feet, the monster brought its titanic weight crashing down into the earth. The ground shook and tore asunder, quaking as a shockwave passed through the surrounding area. A heap of dirt fell into the fire pit, two nearby trees fell over from the force, and most importantly, the earth beneath Coye's feet gave way and knocked him off balance. He fell on his behind, stunned by how quick it had all happened.

Coye scrambled to regain his footing, but the Boarman walked straight up to him with its insatiable gaping maw opened wide. It was on the verge of chomping down and biting Coye's head clean off his neck. He retreated with a slash to its face, but the immense tusk blocked his sword from delivering more than a surface cut to the beast's cheek.

In retaliation, the monster launched a punch right at Coye's chest, which he could only barely block with his shield. It rendered his left arm numb and sent him flying back a couple of feet, once again leaving the boy defenseless.

Just as Shayla was on the verge of helping Coye out of this situation with her magic, Byng slung her bow over her shoulder and slid out her glassy black hunting knife.

"Don't you dare go messing with my prey!" She hissed, pouncing from the branches above like a pissed panther rearing its claws.

Byng was only as strong as an average member of her race- which is to say, not very. Her kind was built for craftiness, not brute strength. That being said, she didn't need brute force to pierce the monster's hide when she brandished that small blade of hers. It was forged from Ordoghite- a mystical metal found only in Grurguhrohk- and its sharpness tore a shallow path along its tremendous backside.

It roared as blood trickled out of the wound, and the monster tried to buck and shake Byng from its back. To prevent being flung, the huntress clutched onto its fur with one hand, pulled back her dagger, and shanked the beast numerous times in its shoulder blade. Because of the weapon's short length and the Boarman's gratuitous layers of padding, nothing she could do to it would be of any genuine inconvenience other than allowing Coye the time to steady himself yet again. As he did, the damnable swine at last wrenched Byng free and sent her flying harshly onto the ground.

"Gah!" She cried, landing less than gracefully and hurting herself in the process.

Again, the boar's target changed. The only difference was now it was mad enough to want to enact some vengeance before devouring its next meal. It strode toward her and raised its enormous hoof over the girl's body, intending to crush her in one fell move.

"Byng!" Coye Quick Stepped in, unwilling to allow that to happen.

This time, he had a plan and wasn't just trying to be a hero. The boy put himself between Byng and the monster, waited for the right moment, and thrust upward with his sword just in time to catch it as the beast stomped down. His weapon broke through the keratin and shot straight through the other side of the hoof, a geyser of red erupting from the top. The Boarman lost its balance and toppled backward, allowing Coye to withdraw his blade with relative ease.

Although his plan went off without a hitch, it came at the cost of even further pain to his overtaxed sword arm. Again Shayla healed him enough to dull the pain, but this wasn't enough to pull him out of trouble entirely.

'Be careful, I'm... I'm having trouble keeping up...!' Shayla issued a strict warning as her eyelids grew heavier.

Coye nodded in affirmation, then took a sideways glance at the girl behind him, watching as Byng safely pulled herself up.

"Thanks for the help," she grumbled.

"I should be thanking you," he countered. "Nice work with the knife."

"That was nothing," her eyes turned to his right arm just in time for it to quiver. "Are you gonna be ok? That big move seemed like it fucked you up, short-stuff."

"I've got a few Triple Strikes left in me, don't worry. I just need to make sure they count for something." Coye claimed. Seeing that she was far from convinced, he added in a couple of flexes to his statement to show he still had usage over his arm until Byng nodded her head in satisfaction.

"Keep supporting me," Coye said as he turned his attention toward the moaning beast, who only now attempted to stand again on its injured hoof. "I got this."

"Alright, not sure how else I'll be able to help, but..." Byng sighed and scampered up the nearest tree, leaving Coye plenty of room to do his thing.

The Fighter took a cautious step forward, studying his opponent with intense ferocity. The lumbering beast panted heavier and heavier, the foul odor of its breath filling the air as it did so. From its bottomless belly echoed a cavernous call for sustenance, the drool flowing out of its mouth suddenly becoming more and more intense until it resembled a waterfall. Its eyes lit up with demonic energy, letting out the loudest squeal Coye had ever heard, damaging his sensitive ears.

Then, it raised its injured arm to its maw and began to devour itself.

Coye, Shayla, and Byng all watched in horror as the beast filled its belly with its own flesh and bone, consuming its entire left hand and half of its forearm until it was sated. After licking its chops to enjoy the remaining drops of its precious blood, an orange aura burst forth from the self-mutilated Ravenous Boarman- the air pressure growing dense and heavy with the dark powers of the Gnarled Woods.

Coye's hunger increased by leaps and bounds- his knees buckling as he grabbed at his growling stomach with his shield arm. Saliva pooled in his mouth. He began to uncontrollably smack his lips.

"Crap," Coye exclaimed.

He was brought to the absolute precipice of sanity. He'd only ever reached this state once before in his career. If it got any worse, he'd start eating whatever he could get his hands on, just like the boar itself. In his sensitive state of being, Coye beat himself up on the inside, wishing he was more experienced when it came to fighting off these psychological attacks. He felt his willpower was lacking, even though raw determination was the only thing keeping him stable of mind. He had to do better- had to become stronger.

And then the beast knelt over to a nearby boulder covered in moss and mushrooms, lifting it over its head with relative ease while using only a single arm. It stared Coye down and was seconds away from throwing this latest threat when Byng came through for him, unleashing the second to last of her Force Arrows against the sizable stone. It created an explosion of shrapnel just as she did earlier in the day, only now, there was no escaping from the blast for her foe.

The jagged, pointy rock fragments burst, and some were sharp enough to penetrate the beast's thick hide and bring momentary pain. Its hand got it worst of all, impaling a long slab straight through its fist.

Now was the time to strike.

Coye rushed in as the Boarman reeled from Byng's assault, fighting off his hunger by reminding himself he needed to fight and win if they had any hope of leaving this forest alive. He shouted, putting power behind a series of piercing thrusts aimed at the swine's belly. As opposed to slashing, stabs worked like a charm. The sharp tip of his blade punctured the beast over and over, popping holes in its gut like a grotesque meat balloon. Each wound spilled more red and yellow viscous fluids onto Coye's sword and the ground below, its unfortunate aroma having the unintended beneficial effect of helping stave Coye's hunger momentarily. No one would be hungry after smelling what he just smelled.

For as much luck as Coye was having, the problem he ran into was similar to Byng's. There was just so much of this absolute unit to go through that his sword wasn't hitting anything vital, even after shoving it up to the hilt multiple times. That's not to say this was all for nothing- the beast was in tremendous pain. It was riddled with holes in both front and back. It cannibalized its own left arm. Its hoof was severely damaged, and numerous stones pierced the beast in multiple places. This boar would go down sooner or later- that was just a simple fact.

They were winning. Now, Coye just had to bring it home.

As he pulled his sword away and put distance between him and the beast, another round of its intense aura billowed out from its body and threatened to overtake him with hunger again. An attempt at defense, indeed, only it didn't work. Coye guarded his mind against it, focusing solely on killing the enemy before him. For all its bluster and all its might, this monster was just another beast that cowered as it reached its inevitable end.

Coye had a plan. Rather than whittling away at its defenses and risking prolonging the fight any longer, he believed that the Boarman was weakened enough now for him to overtake it and strike at the one place that wasn't guarded by several hundred pounds of fat- its skull.

"Shayla, I'm going to need you to summon some wind for me when I make my move. As much as you can." He muttered.

'I can do that, but... I don't think I'm gonna last if I do. I'll pass out...' she warned, punctuating her words with a weary yawn. 'If this doesn't work-'

"It'll work. I won't even have to use Triple Strike."

'...Alright, baby. Make this count.'

"Will do,"

"Yo, short-stuff! What the heck are you doing down there mumbling to yourself, huh? You got a plan, or what?" Byng called out, growing increasingly worried that the monster's aura was having an effect on Coye's sanity.

"I sure do. Do you have any more of those big exploding arrows?"

"One," Byng grimaced as she took the projectile from her quiver and notched it, dreading the process of having to craft more of these things- not that she didn't view her life as a fair trade for one measly arrow.

"Aim it at its feet and put some power into it. I need an opening."

"Already on it!" Byng followed orders, channeling the last of her flickering green energy into the projectile to perform Power Shot. Combined with the concussive power, this was her flashiest and most potent attack. It hit the ground beneath the monster, which was only now starting to recover, and it created a tremor not quite as big as when the Boarman ground pounded the earth but close enough.

The already unstable earth shattered from the force of the explosion, toppling the brute and leaving it vulnerable. As for Coye, he escaped by throwing away his shield and aiming his Shotgrab at the towering canopy above him. The chains extended, and the metal hand affixed itself, pulling him high into the sky at great speed. Then, he willed the hand to let go and retracted the chains.

Coye was now in freefall.

He flipped his sword so that it pointed down at his feet and placed both hands on the hilt, gathering power as a blue trail started to form around him like a meteor. This was a powerful Art known as Downward Thrust, and no matter how unnaturally hard the monster's bones proved to be, Coye would have a decent chance at puncturing its skull with the sheer force of this killing blow.

Shayla's last gust only made his success even more likely.

'Show 'em who's... boss...!' She snapped her fingers and summoned the might of a mini windstorm descending on Coye from above, speeding his descent and adding measures of momentum to the oncoming attack. It only lasted a few seconds before Shayla's consciousness faded, but that was all it took.

Coye shouted as the Boarman's skull cracked like another falling tree as his sword sheathed itself straight through, coming out the other end. He landed on the beast's back. Aside from a few spasms and momentary twitches, life left the dreaded swine in only a few seconds.

Save for the roaring of the flames, there was utter silence in the dark forest as he rose, ripping his bloody blade out of the beast. Coye was hungry, tired, and light-headed, but above all- he was victorious.

As the boy stood atop his fallen foe, Byng stared at him from on high as her jaw dropped all the way to the deepest hells.

"Holy shit...!" She exclaimed. She knew Coye was strong, that was half the reason she was into him in the first place, but this was incredible. Sure, she'd helped him throughout the battle, but she wasn't naive. As far as Byng saw it, this victory belonged primarily to him and him alone. She felt her cheeks grow hot beyond her control, never having thought Coye could be so cool when he wanted to be.

Despite her embarrassment and the exceedingly inappropriate level of arousal she felt thanks to her race's attraction towards strong mates, Byng jumped out of her tree to be with the boy just as he hopped off the Boarman and stumbled on wobbly knees.

"You did it! You did it, you did it, you fucking did it!" Byng ran at him, throwing her arms around him to keep him from falling. "I can't believe that worked, short-stuff!"

"M-Me either..." he returned a weak smile and fumbled with his potion pouch, trying to open the flap only for his strength to give out.

"C'mere, you... Byng'll fix you right up," desperate to help, the girl helped Coye over to a tree and propped him up against it. She took out his last health potion and drank only a quarter of it for herself, helping clear up whatever bruises she developed from her rough landing, and then pressed the bottle to his lips to help him drink the rest for himself.

Coye drank the sweet red liquid eagerly, his pain receding and leaving only manageable, lingering aches in its wake. Next, Byng split a stamina potion between them. They were both equally wiped, and they'd both need it to make it out of the forest. He sighed with relief as he became able to move again.

"Better?" The adoring girl asked with a reverent smile.

"Much..." he nodded with contentment as he sat up with his own power. "I hope you learned an important lesson about taking stupid risks, though..." Coye added while glaring at the fire pit, which had remained relatively undisturbed throughout the battle.

"Eh, I learned you'll come and save me like a badass hero, so not really!" She joked, only to earn a condemning look from the boy. "Alright, alright... I admit it... it was stupid... I guess that's what I get for cheating and rigging this set up in advance, yeah?"

"Yes," Coye confirmed with no doubt.

"Oof," it hurt to hear it so blatantly, but she brushed it off. "Well, either way... you were so... so... SO fucking COOL! Gods, I knew you were the right one! I knew it since I first saw you, but this proved it a hundred times over!!" The way she stared at him with her amber eyes lit up by the firelight was so intense that it almost unnerved him, but he also didn't mind being fawned over like this, either.

More importantly, Coye was concerned about Shayla. He could feel her limply sitting on his head and knew she passed out just as she warned, and he wanted nothing more to check on her. He needed to wrap things up here quickly so he could conveniently duck away to 'take a leak.'

He stood up and walked toward the fire pit, only for Byng to ask, "How did your side of things go, short-stuff?"

"Bad. Didn't find one, came back by sundown, and you weren't there. Waited for a little bit before deciding I couldn't wait anymore..." he sighed. He was too tired to be embarrassed, despite revealing that he purposefully risked it all to go in and save her. Before she could comment on that, he looked into the pyre and asked, "Is it dead?"

"Doesn't look like it..." Byng squinted, seeing the Grunwolf's exposed head still panting even as its bark-like skin blackened like charcoal. "I knew I couldn't kill it the normal way, so I came up with this slow-roasting method, gahaha! I don't have anything I could use to get up there and strike its vitals- not without getting burned, at least..."

Coye descended into the pit without a word of warning and made its way to the center, still clutching his sword tight in his hand.

Byng stared empty-headed for a few moments before she even realized what was happening. "W-What...?! Short-stuff, what the fuck are you doing down there?!"

"Winning," he said, using his gloved hands to protect him from the fire as he rolled off a few of the burning stones from the Grunwolf. Even with freedom so close at hand, the monster didn't have the power to make any attempt to escape. It was helpless as Coye drove his sword into its hide, a thick, blood-colored sap erupting from the wound as he pierced the planimal's heart.

When he turned to face Byng, it had finally sunk in.

She had fallen to her knees, her eyes were wide, and Byng trembled as if she was about to cry. "That's... that's not fair...!" She murmured, her voice quaking with uncertainty. "You cheated!"

Coye returned her accusation with a blank face.

Tears did indeed begin streaming down Byng's face not long after, but the trembling gave way to fits of uncontrollable laughter as she slammed her fist into the ground and buckled over. "Fucking... damn... you... you fucking fargarhk!" She said between painful gasps, barely able to breathe. After a few more unhinged moments of levity, she sat up and wiped some of the wetness from her cheeks as she asked, "Gods, I totally deserve this, don't I...?"

Coye stashed away his sword and gave the girl a weak smile. "Maybe, maybe not. All I care about is getting my prize."

The girl was something of an emotional wreck, but that made her green face redder than the Grunwolf's syrupy blood. Byng had a big smile as she scratched the back of her head. "Damn, short-stuff. You sure get all confident after your blood gets going, huh? That, or your head gets big after you pull off something cool, gahaha!"

"Something like that," Coye admitted with an embarrassed shrug. He was still recovering from an absolute overload of adrenaline, and he doubted he would've had the balls to steal the win from under her nose the way he did- let alone quip about it.

Or maybe he was giving himself too little credit? Perhaps he was just growing more comfortable with Byng, and this battle pulled them even closer together, cementing the fact that he needed this girl in his life from now on.

Whatever the case, Byng stood up and put aside her momentary bashfulness to say, "Welp, you'll be getting your prize, so don't worry about that. You won fair and square... hilarious, I know. Shut up."

"Didn't say a thing," Coye laughed softly.

"Yeah, yeah. Lemme just put out the fire so we can hurry up, get our trophies, and head back to my camp. I've had enough hunting for one day."

"That sounds good to me. Can you give me a second? I have to go and," he pointed at the forest with his thumb, prompting Byng to make an incorrect assumption.

"You too, huh? Maybe it wasn't the coffee... there could've been something wrong with those eggs..."

"Uh, what?"

"Nothing, just go and do your thing! I got things covered here." Byng shooed him off, and despite not knowing what she was going on about, he took the excuse to go and check in on Shayla.

Once alone, he removed his cap, and within its confines, he found one Pixie in quite a rough shape. Shayla's typically bright blue glow was dimmer, her wings far less radiant, and it hurt to see.

"Shayla? Hey... wake up..." Coye frowned and scooped her up in his hand, then prodded her shoulder with his pointer finger until she stirred and awoke.

"Nnngh..." Shayla rubbed her eyes and then opened them, showcasing how dull their glow was as well. "I take it we... we won?"

"Yeah," Coye smiled with relief, then revealed the best part to his little lover. "In more ways than one."

She blinked, not putting two and two together for a moment until she finally realized he was referring to the entire reason they got into this mess- the Zurgarrah. "Are you shitting me? How'd you manage to pull that off...?"

"I just got a little lucky and was able to give Byng a taste of her own medicine..." he smiled, not even feeling guilty about what he'd done.

"Heh, I'd recognize that smile anywhere... you did something sneaky, didn't you...?" Shayla asked, and although her voice was weak, she was beaming with pride.

"Maybe," Coye admitted. "How are you holding up?"

"Mngh... the thing is, rhetorical questions really help out right now... so... if you got any more, feel free to lay 'em on me..."

Coye rolled his eyes. "So you're saying you're fine. Got it."

"I will be after some rest. Think you can seal the deal without my help this time?"

Coye gulped, looking over his shoulder to see Byng off in the distance, sawing through the dead Boarman's ankle to sever the hoof. "Y-Yeah... I think so..." he said with slight hesitation.

"Good," Shayla nodded weakly and then closed her eyes. "Man, this sucks... I've been waiting all day to see you balls deep in green pussy, and here I am clocking out right at the end..."

While he blushed at her choice of words, Coye was quick to placate the poor Pixie. "I'll tell you all about it later. I promise."

"When I wake up, I expect to find you naked and cuddled up to that stinky green girl you like so much... ok, baby...?"

"I-I'll, um, do my best..."

"Hey," Shayla said, frowning as she looked up at him. "Have some confidence. You're way cooler than you think you are."

Coye smiled, feeling a small burst of confidence at her words. "Alright. I'll do it."

"That's the spirit..." Shayla yawned and used the last vestiges of her magic to swap out her outfit with a silky white nightgown that stopped at her thighs. "Nini..."

"Night, Shayla..." he leaned in, gave the Pixie a kiss for good luck, returned her to his hat, and then went back to Byng.

She was already waiting for him and had harvested both trophies. The Grunwolf's paw was small enough to fit in a satchel, but the hoof would have to be carried. She handed it and his shield to him as he approached, and he took both without question.

"There you are! Are you good to go now?"

"Yeah, and we'd better hurry up... that Boarman's aura left me starving..." he sighed and looked at Byng with an intrigued gaze. "If we don't get here, I'm worried you'll start looking even tastier before too long..."

Byng raised an eyebrow and smirked at the boy. "Woah, there. Save that kinda talk for later, short-stuff!"

"N-Not what I mean, I-" Coye blushed, but when he saw the way Byng was smiling at him, he couldn't help but return the gesture. After everything they went through, her good mood was infectious.

"Gahaha! Don't worry, I'll make sure you get fed..." Byng moved in close and clasped his shoulder, then got a whiff of him and took a step back. "Woof, I hope you know you're gonna have to have a soak before we end up talking about prizes, though. You got covered in that thing's blood and guts... the visual is a turn on, but not so much the smell."

He frowned and felt attacked, countering with a condemning look that accused the girl of hypocrisy.

"I know, I know... in my defense, you seem to be into that, and I'm not the one covered in evil pig bile. If it makes you feel better, I'll rinse off too or something, so... ah, who cares anymore? Let's just get out of here already!"

Coye couldn't help but laugh. Seeing Byng get flustered after all the intense action brought him more relief than he would have expected. "Yeah, let's..." he said, and together they went off on their way.