"You should have stayed behind." Corrie hissed as the old mason breathlessly sidled up beside her. Turning her head away from the billowing stench of drink, she couldn't fathom why he wanted to come along, nor why he chose not to bring any sort of weapon. She should have forced the issue, but his offering two hundred more orens if she allowed him to join was too good an offer to pass up. It would be his funeral, after all.
"You're likely to get yourself killed." She added, keeping her eyes focused on the copse of trees around them. She had always found the forest peaceful. Even as a child, she'd had a love for the trees and all the animals that lived among them. They usually calmed her, she thought as her chest rose and fell in excitement. She always grew eager before a battle, even one with such a small opponent as the man had promised.
The head of a nail protruded from the wooden planks that pressed against her back digging hard into her shoulder blade as she twisted toward the crooked barn opening. The sick, wet tearing sounds should have made her stomach turn, should have made her want to run. But she was numb to it, created for it. She brushed back hanks of white hair that clung to her brow. The rain had finally stopped at least. Unable to wait any longer, it was time to get a look at the beast.
She cursed through clenched teeth and snapped her head back around. The man cowered beneath her yellow-eyed glare. "I thought you said it was small."
"I ne'er said she was small, miss. I said she was my baby."
"It's a damn bloedzuiger. How could it ever be your baby?"
"Cause. I-I found her in the swamp. All wounded an alone. I brought her right home an nursed her back to health. Wait. Wait." The man cried out far too loud as Corrie drew the silver sword that crossed her back.
"What did you feed it? It has to be twice the size of any typical adult." She cursed yanking her forearm free of his grip. The sounds as horrible as they were, had unfortunately ceased.
"You can't kill her. Only pacify her, please." He begged, ignoring her questioning. "You can use your witcher magic right? Knock her out sos I can get her back home."
"It's not a pet," Corrie said as she readied herself for the fight and stepped into complete view of the barn opening. Empty. Had the bloedzuiger fled? It wasn't likely they had frightened it away. But the beast was nowhere to be seen. Corrie took a step back, her eyes roving the trees. Her ears piqued, but the world around seemed to hold its breath.
Movement to her right, just a mere rustling of wet foliage. Whispering, soft and low followed by a gurgle of a scream. Corrie rushed back to see the man's limp body dangling from the monster's leech-like maw. From neck down, his body swayed as a corona of barb-like teeth worked their way to the trunk through the body. It reminded Corrie of a snake choking down its prey.
With only a moment to spare, Corrie formed her fingers but lost the element of surprise as the beast turned on her. No more time to waste. A column of fire shot from her hand and the beast let out a roaring whistle, dropping its dinner with a sick splat. It waddled toward her with surprising speed. Sword arm to the ground she ducked a swing of its wide paw and rolled away.
It stumbled still flaming, and Corrie used the momentum to lunge and pierce the beast's side. With another move of her fingers, a forceful wave blew the creature back, shoving it several feet away. Its smoldering body landing on a cart of hay. Corrie gave a quick thanks to no god in particular that it had been raining but within seconds, it regained its footing and charged. It swiped again and again with long, bloody claws. The first two missed, but Corrie wasn't quite fast enough to dodge the next. The hit flung her violently to the side, slashing through her clothes and tearing the flesh beneath. Blood gushed from the deep wounds and pooled beneath her.
Again, she positioned her fingers, and the beast went tumbling away. She only needed a few seconds, but the blood loss was already making her lightheaded. She fumbled far longer than she liked and pulled free a small bottle from her belt. Uncorking the precious liquid, she downed it immediately and while the pain remained the blood no longer flowed free. Hopefully she hadn't lost too much. She staggered to her feet narrowly avoiding another swipe and slashed with as much energy as she could manage all the while spinning and dodging.
Her blade sliced in swift arcs and warm, viscous blood spurted from a pawless stub. The beast howled. Fueled by pain and anger, it lunged desperate and careless, giving it both an advantage and a handicap. This time when the only remaining paw swiped out it took hold of Corrie's side, claws digging deep into already tender skin. Bones most certainly cracked. Corrie fought not to give in to the suffocating pain. Although the potion worked incredibly well, she could feel the blood pooling against her back.
Clutching the handle of her sword in both hands, she plunged it down into the shoulder of the arm that held her but found it near impossible to keep her grip as she forced it to the hilt. At last the beast exploded, shoving them both back. She soared away, her body wet with rain and blood and the bloedzuiger's poisonous digestive juices. The world flew by until, with a painful thud, it all went black.