The campfire crackled, throwing long, flickering shadows against the trees as the two knights sat just far enough apart to maintain their "territory." Rixsa was aggressively chewing on a piece of dried venison, her scarlet eyes fixed on Alexis, who was meticulously polishing her silver gauntlets.
"So," Rixsa started, her voice sounding casual, which, for her, was a dead giveaway of a trap. "You've been pretty quiet about the whole 'Leviathan' thing lately. I thought an Elf like you would find his... viscous habits a bit much for your 'pure' sensibilities."
Alexis didn't look up, her cloth moving in steady, rhythmic circles. "A Leviathan is a creature of high-density mana. From a biological standpoint, they are fascinating. Their habits are merely a function of their superior physiology."
"Fascinating, huh?" Rixsa leaned forward, her tail twitching behind her. "Fascinating enough to, say, want to spend a lot of one-on-one time 'studying' that physiology? Because you seemed real interested in that Blue Honey earlier. And the ribbons. And the hair."
Alexis paused, her fingers tightening around her gauntlet. "I simply believe in being prepared for a diplomatic meeting. Unlike some, I don't think slamming my head into a problem is always the solution."
Rixsa's eyes narrowed. She was smelling blood—or at least, a very elven brand of desperation. "Right. Preparation. So, hypothetically... if a guy liked, I don't know, petite girls with short hair, you'd say you're just 'prepared' for that? Even though you usually act like you're too good for anyone without a family crest?"
"It's a hypothetical, Rixsa. Don't strain your brain," Alexis snapped, her face flushing a faint pink that was visible even in the firelight.
"Is it?" Rixsa stood up, towering over the fire. "Because you're asking a lot of questions about his 'type' for someone who just wants to clear a dungeon. You're into him, aren't you, Light Pole? You're trying to use that 'refined elf' act to slide in while I'm busy guarding his back."
"Do Elves like scales?" rixsa asked her gajing her response.
"They provide excellent natural armor." alexis replied casually but in her mind she was thinking I wonder what they feel like.
"I am a White Coat of the Kaizen Academy," Alexis said, finally looking up with a fierce, albeit embarrassed, glare. "My heart is dedicated to my duty and the crown. If Nervall happens to be an ally who appreciates a partner with... intellectual depth... then that is simply a beneficial alignment of interests."
"Intellectual depth? Is that what they're calling it now?" Rixsa barked a laugh, though it sounded a bit strained. "Look, let's be real. Between the creepy Specialist, the Princess with the tail, and now you... Nervall is going to need a bigger shield just to fend off the thirst."
Rixsa sat back down, her expression darkening as she looked into the flames. "Just don't think you're the only one who can change their 'type.' If he likes 'em short, I'll just... I'll just crouch more."
The realization hit both of them at once: they weren't just traveling together; they were competing in a 26-day marathon toward the same goal. And the finish line was a Leviathan who probably had no idea he was being hunted.
Night 4 brought an end to the hypothetical bickering. The air shifted, the scent of wet iron and rotted moss drifted on the wind, a classic calling card of the Fungal Goblins. These weren't the weak, green grunts found in the city outskirts; these were mountain-dwellers, mutated by the high mana density of the region.
Rixsa's ears swiveled 180 degrees before she even stood up. "Light Pole, wake up. We've got company. Heavy footsteps, sounds like a pack of twenty."
Alexis was on her feet in a heartbeat, her silver blade humming as she drew it. "I count twenty-four. They're circling. Fungal Goblins—don't let their spores touch your skin, or you'll be paralyzed in seconds."
"Let's see if those watermelons are just for show!" Alexis cried, her body becoming a blur of white and silver.
Rixsa didn't use a sword; she used her raw, beast-kin strength. She lunged into the center of the pack, her heavy boots crushing a goblin's skull into the dirt. Every swing of her claws sent neon-green ichor flying.
As a group of five goblins tried to swarm Rixsa's back, Alexis flickered behind her. With a surgical precision, she unleashed a Light-Attribute Slash, decapitating three in a single stroke. Without a word, they fell into a rhythm. Rixsa acted as the "Anvil," drawing the monsters' aggro and shattering their ranks with her power, while Alexis was the "Hammer," darting through the gaps to deliver lethal, mana-infused stabs.
The forest went quiet again, save for the sizzling of goblin blood against the damp earth. Rixsa stood over the last corpse, wiping a streak of green slime off her cheek. She was breathing hard, her muscles gleaming under the moonlight.
"Not bad for a walking tree," Rixsa grunted, offering a rare, begrudging nod.
"And you... are surprisingly efficient when you aren't talking," Alexis replied, though she was carefully checking Rixsa's shoulder. "Wait. Hold still. You have a spore-pod stuck to your cloak."
Alexis reached out, her gloved fingers gently flicking the dangerous growth away. For a second, the two of them were standing very close—close enough for Rixsa to notice that Alexis smelled like expensive jasmine, and for Alexis to realize Rixsa was actually shivering from the adrenaline.
"So," Rixsa said, breaking the silence as they headed back to the fire. "If Nervall saw that, who do you think he'd be more impressed by? The girl who broke ten ribs with her bare hands, or the one who did a fancy dance with a toothpick?"
Alexis sighed, the momentary truce evaporating. "He's a Leviathan, Rixsa. He values efficiency. Which means he'd likely be impressed by the fact that we didn't kill each other before the goblins arrived."
Rixsa chuckled, throwing another log on the fire. "Maybe. But I saw you using that 'Agility' he likes. You were moving pretty fast for someone who's 'dedicated to the crown.'"
"Shut up and eat your jerky, mutt."