Getting attacked by monsters in the forest was a normal thing, but getting attacked by a giant skeleton wasn't.
Up until then, Cress was just having a regular day. She would hunt animals, take their pelts for profit, and cook the meat for herself. She was sitting by the campfire, waiting for her meat to be cooked just right. She was a hunter, and no one could doubt it.
She did look fit enough to be one. At sixteen, she was a little taller than most girls her age, a lean figure, short black hair, and a sort of tone that came from years of hunting in the forest. She wore a brown tunic, black leather boots, and a pair of fingerless glove. However, the most noticeable feature was the long scar that ran along her arm.
For years, Cress had kept a deep seated hatred for the one who did this her. She would push the hazy memory away, but it would always come back. And so she thought about that fateful night, where she was nearly killed.
She remembered the pain she felt from getting cut by the sword, and vaguely remembered that she was trying to protect a boy. "Who is he, and why does he feel familiar?" Cress thought out loud. "It feels like I should know him. Whoa!"
The ground had started to shake, causing the fire to short out and Cress to fall over. Cress got up and held her ground as a crack appeared in the earth and a giant skeleton climbed out. The thing was twenty four feet tall, and it was looking straight down at her.
Cress grinned at the sight. "This should be fun!" She said excitedly. She spread her arms out and a pair of crossbows flashed into existence. They were designed beautifully: Carved and painted to resemble flames. Cress twirled her weapons and pointed them at the skeleton. "You want to play bonehead?" She said cockily.
The thing apparently didn't like being called that, because it roared at Cress and she covered ears. "I'll take that as a yes." She concluded. The skeleton took a swipe with its right arm and Cress back flipped out of the way. "You're going to have to do better than that!" She yelled. Then it dived for her, but she jumped up and it crashed into a few trees.
Cress landed on the ground and the skeleton got and turned to her. "Well, what are you waiting for?" Cress taunted. The creature pulled back a fist and tried to punch her into the ground. She rolled out of the way, and dirt erupted from the ground when the blow hit it. The dust cleared, and the skeleton's arm was stuck in the ground.
Cress chuckled. "You're done for." She said confidently. She jumped onto to the the arm and ran up towards the head. The creature tried to retaliate by punching her, but she jumped up. The punch connected with the arm instead, and it was broken. Cress took aim at the head, and fired. Instead of bolts, the shots fired bolts of purple energy. They hit the skull, but it didn't appear to do anything.
Cress scowled. "So much for that." She said angrily. Then she started smiling. "That means I can take it up a notch!" She yelled happily. She twirled her weapons and they transformed into a pair of small cannons. As she feel towards the skeleton, it prepared to punch her out of the sky and she aimed carefully. When she was near enough the skeleton launched its fist. Just when it was about to connect, she fired.
Orbs of energy blew up the fist and the resulting explosion launched Cress back into the air. She laughed heartily as she flipped and went back down. She stared at the skeleton, who had no way of fighting and was looking up at her, as if it was ready to be destroyed. Cress took aim. "Rest in peace." She said, then fired. The skeleton's head was destroyed, and the body fell back and faded into dark smoke.
Cress landed, dismissed her weapons,looked at the place where the creature once stood, then at the remains of her campfire. She sighed tiredly. "Looks like I'm going home hungry tonight." She said sadly.