Valerie stood in front of the daunting creature. The size between her and the monster was polarizing.
"However, their movements are much more predictable due to their less articulated bodies. For example, a megalodaunt has sharp claws and powerful legs, so it uses those primarily when it attacks. His downwards arm swing may seem powerful, however it lacks any lateral force because of his muscle composition. This means that, with enough force, the right positioning, and the right timing, you can pseudo-parry it and redirect the movement of its claw away from you."
She backed away from the megalodaunt calmly, and stopped a few paces away from it. A moment later, the megalodaunt raised his right hand like the axe of an executioner. The next moment it swung down. Not a moment later, the sharp, yet satisfying ring of metal resounded through the Illusory Realm. The megalodaunt's claw kept moving, but he noticed that its movement path had been altered by Valerie's parry, making it so that instead of the claw swiping her body, it passed right in front of her. A moment later, she dashed forward and swung her sword in a horizontal strike, leaving a deep gash in the abdomen of the creature.
"Just like that!"
Quies was amazed. The strike of a creature more than twenty times her size was just… coerced out of the way by her blade. She flourished her blade and looked at Quies.
"Now how about you give it a try?"
'TREMBLE'
Quies sloppily brandished his broadsword and hesitantly moved towards Valerie.
"You must be crazy to think I can just… parry that."
"Well, I have gone crazy before. You know, been there, done that."
'She really is downplaying such a feat. Then again…'
"If I do get hit by its attack, will it actually hurt me? I really don't want to get kidnapped on a boat and interrogated for information again."
Valerie gave him a perplexed look, and then rested her chin on her hand.
"I mean, this ghostly form of you, per se, can be harmed if I wanted it to. However, I guess any harm you receive in my realm won't transfer to your real body. To your mind? Maybe."
'Ah, very reassuring.'
"For this, it's better to let your subconscious lead you through the movements. If you think too much, you'll fail. So, just don't think!"
Quies unwillingly stood in front of Valerie, facing the towering megalodaunt directly. However, after seeing through the imperfections in her Illusionary Realm, his nerves were calm. It was like knowing how an impressive magic trick worked. It got rid of most of the daunting feeling that he would've gotten facing a real megalodaunt.
'Still really impressive she can pull this off, though.'
'COAGULATE'
"Ready? I'll give you a countdown to make it easier on you."
Quies tightened his grip on the eerily minimalistic handle of the broadsword. This would be the tool he would use to deflect the monster's attack.
"Sure."
"Okay! Three, two, one…'
The moment Valerie finished her countdown, the Megalodaunts arm raised into the air. A moment later, it fell like a guillotine.
Time seemed to slow down.
Or maybe Quies was just perceiving more of it. Either way, he felt like he could perceive… more. His breath felt cold, transferring its chill to his blood. Even though the creature's arm was in the corner of his eye, he could perceive its precise movement, moving terribly fast towards his gaunt body.
This was what it felt like to feel the cold touch of death.
But Quies didn't move. He waited. It felt off to trust his subconscience, but there was nothing else he could really do.
"Wait."
The megalodaunt had already closed half of the distance between its claws and Quies.
"Wait."
Quies finished his breath. The sharp claws loomed closer.
"Wait."
He could feel the carried air blow past his skin. Which meant…
"Wait"
The claws were a little over an arm's length away from Quies's face. He stood at a ready stance, mirroring how Valerie looked when she got ready to parry the gruesome attack. His arm muscles twitched, but didn't tense. They were relaxed and smooth…
'Now'
The clangor of metal sheared through the illusory air. Bright sparks flew from the point of contact between his sword and the sharp claws. Instinctively, Quies closed his eyes.
But the fact that he could close his eyes, meant that he was alive. Eyes closed, his other senses heightened. He felt the reverberating metal of the broadsword transfer its energy to his hands, through his arms, and to the rest of his body. The bright sound of a parry had no walls to reverberate from, dissipating from the air as quick as it had spread. His breath felt even colder, yet it felt sharp.
'FLOW'
His eyelids slowly parted, letting in the suffused light of Valerie's Illusory realm. He looked forward, after adjusting to the light, and saw the towering megalodaunt once more. Its sheer size was daunting as it stood over him.
'Yet, I was able to parry its attack.'
'REND'
Quies' grip on the sword loosened. Eventually, it dropped to the ground without a clatter.
'I feel like I'm at a tipping point…'
The voices called towards him like a choir. It was like an amateur musician trying to form an ear pleasing chord. When they started, they were dissonant. Yet now, they felt like they tugged on his soul, serenading it with the song.
He was on the verge of finding a verse.
'FIGHT'
He gripped his head. He felt like he was at the edge of an epiphany.
'SANGUINE'
Falling to his knees, the song felt overpowering. His arms trembled as they gripped his hair harder. The faint sound of large bells rang in the distance. He felt compelled. Compelled to join the choir. To add to the chord, changing its timbre.
Under the polarizing sky and imposing black ground, he whispered under his breath.
"Flow, Sanguine."
His whispers were lost in the vast and empty realm.
However, it was heard.
Moments later, crimson liquid poured from the gash in the creature's abdomen.
It poured and flowed,
Towards him.