Rush the first giant, who was frantically stomping his feet in a futile attempt to extinguish the magical flames stubbornly clinging to him.
Wait until his far leg began to rise while the nearer one bore his weight.
One swing of my flame-wreathed flamberge severed the supporting leg with almost no effort, and a heartbeat later the giant let out a long, agonized howl.
Then, naturally, he tried to cave my skull in with his club.
Which was about as easy as an ordinary person trying to swat a fly buzzing around them.
Theoretically possible.
Practically…
Not wasting any of the River of Time’s precious duration, I rushed toward the remaining giants, repeating the same maneuver almost exactly.
These man-eaters weren’t smart enough to learn from repeated attacks even under normal circumstances, let alone in the middle of this battle.
As I severed another leg, I cast a quick glance over my shoulder and saw Vaysi—barely slowed even now—finishing off the giants who had been knocked to the ground.
We really did make a perfect team.
This cutie didn’t mind that I was taking all the glory and playing the leading role.
To her, Duty mattered more than Pride.
Any other Snow Elf in her place would’ve taken offense at being reduced to little more than support and cleanup.
“Oh?” I muttered as the last giant’s offspring proved nimble enough to dodge a perfectly aimed thrust at its neck.
Normally, that wouldn’t have been a problem.
Except I’d already turned my attention to the group that had been tangled up in the pileup.
The bastards had managed to untangle themselves.
Having smothered the flames against one another—which weren’t especially fierce anymore after the earlier giants had charged through—they once again tried to swat me like the same annoying fly.
Remembering that even a single blow from one of those clubs was all it would take, I decided retreat was the wiser option, sending several firebolts flying as I withdrew.
They were nothing more than a distraction.
At my speed, I could almost close the distance again before the firebolts even reached them.
The giants raised their arms to shield themselves, doing exactly what I’d hoped they would.
They gave up the ability to swing those massive clubs.
Which left them defenseless.
I could read the movement of their legs before they had any chance of surprising me with a kick.
Those legs once again became fair game for me—and for the arriving Vaysi, who, even without acceleration, wove deftly among the giants while simultaneously freezing them to the bone, creating much the same slowing effect as the River of Time did for me.
“Eat this,” I said curtly, driving the flamberge straight into the young giant’s gaping maw.
Its teeth scraped uselessly across the masterpiece forged by the smiths of Auri-El’s Temple—a blade I still hadn’t bothered to name—and then the last of the man-eaters died an utterly inglorious death.
Shifting my footing, I gave the sword a sharp twist and split its entire skull to the right.
Afterward, I instinctively stepped back and dismissed the River of Time, allowing my body’s flow of time to return to normal.
“That was quick,” I nodded in satisfaction as I turned toward Vaysi, who had likewise finished off every wounded half-sentient creature I’d left behind.
“I need to have words with the ranger commander in Valyaslin,” she said with mild irritation, naming the city whose people had been plagued by this tribe of giants.
“His subordinates are incompetent.
They are unworthy of calling themselves Rangers.”
“So…
write up a complaint?” I asked, shaking the giant’s blood from my blade.
Once I was satisfied with the result, I slid the flamberge back into its scabbard.
“Not yet.
I should speak with him first, and then I’ll decide based on what he says.
If he admits fault, a warning from me will be enough.
I am still a captain of the Knight-Paladins, even if I’m currently attached to the First Sword’s retinue.” She shot me a reproachful look, but I remained as immovable as the mountain behind us.
“If not…
then he’ll have only himself to blame.”
And that ominous tone promised absolutely nothing good for the local commander.
Well…
assuming he actually decided to dig in his heels.
My cutie had a keen sense of justice.
Sigh.
I really ought to pick up the pace with my, ahem…
seduction.
***
The commander dug in his heels.
As the youngest son of one of the elven dukes, he considered it beneath his dignity to accept responsibility for the failures of his lowborn subordinates.
Oh, he admitted their mistake—but not his own.
Needless to say, my sweetheart wasn’t pleased with that in the slightest.
Even if the story itself was as old as time.
So in the end, Vaysi asked me to file a formal report.
I hadn’t been present during the conversation, after all, and therefore hadn’t been able to exert a beneficial influence on the arrogant little brat simply by virtue of my status—which was faaar above his, and that wasn’t even taking the religious significance of my title into account.
I was always happy to do such a small favor for my partner.
Besides, it was hilarious watching the dumbfounded look on his face when he realized I’d backed my sweetheart.
Well…
not mine yet.
But only for now!
“My little sadist.” I grinned broadly as we walked out of the Rangers’ headquarters.
“Oh, honestly.” This cutie lifted her chin ever so slightly.
“There’s not a sadistic bone in my body.
I only punish people when they deserve it.”
“Uh-huh.
I saw the satisfied look on your face while that Daedra-spawned whelp was stammering and babbling as I wrote up the report.” I chuckled, making Vaysi’s ears flush an even deeper shade of pink.
I absolutely adored that little trait of elven girls.
Humans certainly had the advantage when it came to curves…
but that wasn’t the only thing that mattered.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she replied rather unconvincingly.
I merely snorted.
“So, how should we celebrate another victory?
I vote we go get some ice cream.” I didn’t bother trying to come up with anything original, instead suggesting one of the Snow Elves’ favorite treats.
****ʕ ᵔᴥᵔ ʔ****
Guys (and girls), a new week has begun, and like any new book, this one needs your support the most during its first steps.
I’d really appreciate it!