Celestia's journey north had stretched on, hours blending into the quiet monotony of the wilderness around her. The rhythmic thud of her horse's hooves against the dirt road was the only sound that accompanied her as she rode through the vast expanse of green fields and tall trees. With each passing mile, the weight of her thoughts seemed to fade, leaving behind only the pull of her will and the faint hum of her energy, like the distant heartbeat of the world around her.
As the sun began to dip, casting a warm orange hue over the landscape, Celestia knew it was time to rest. Up ahead, nestled on the edge of a wooded clearing, was a small inn. The flickering light from the hearth shone through the windows, offering a welcome sight after hours of travel.
Celestia dismounted, leading her horse to the stable behind the building. She entered the inn, the cool air from the evening fading as she stepped inside.
The inn was modest but welcoming, with rough-hewn wooden beams and an earthy scent of wood and spices that filled the air. The floorboards creaked beneath her boots as she approached the counter, where a middle-aged woman with a weary but kind smile greeted her.
"I'll take a room for a few hours and some food," Celestia said, her voice firm but polite.
"Of course, miss," the woman replied, taking a small key from behind the counter. "Your room is upstairs. The food will be 3 silver. I'll bring it right away."
Celestia nodded, placing three silver coins on the counter. Her stomach growled faintly, reminding her that it had been far too long since she'd eaten properly. The woman gave a small smile as she left to prepare the food.
The meal arrived swiftly: a steaming plate of roasted boar, a loaf of warm bread, and a large mug of water to wash it all down. Celestia ate slowly, savoring each bite. The bread was soft and fragrant, the boar tender and seasoned perfectly—comforting after the long hours on the road.
When she finished, she leaned back in her chair, allowing her stomach to settle. Her gaze drifted to the corner where a fire flickered, the warmth from the flames a soothing contrast to the cool air outside. The innkeeper passed by a few times, but Celestia kept to herself, lost in the crackling of the fire.
Time slipped by. The sounds of the inn grew quieter, and the moon climbed higher in the sky. Stretching in her room, Celestia stood, walked to the door, and stepped back outside. The cool night air greeted her, and she shivered briefly before the warmth of her own energy wrapped around her like a second skin.
With one last glance at the stars above, she set out once more, her horse's hooves a steady rhythm against the quiet road. The moon was full now, casting its silver light over the landscape. The night was still, peaceful, until a figure stepped out from the trees ahead.
Instinctively, Celestia's hand moved to the hilt of her rapier, her senses sharpening as she assessed the stranger before her. He stood tall and rugged, his features illuminated by the moonlight, his eyes gleaming with recognition as they met hers.
She didn't speak immediately, instead studying him with a calm intensity.
"Hey..." the man spoke, his voice low but firm.
He stepped forward, pulling a worn wanted poster from his coat. The face on the paper was unmistakable—the bandit leader she had killed days earlier.
"You seen this bastard? I've been tracking him for over a week," he asked, his gaze narrowing as he studied her.
Celestia's lips quirked into a faint smirk, her tone almost amused. "Him? Yeah, I killed him a while back. Along with the rest of his little gang."
The bounty hunter stared at her, his eyes scanning her face as if trying to decide whether she was telling the truth. Then, with a frustrated sigh, he shook his head.
"I'll be honest," he said, the skepticism in his voice apparent. "You don't look like the type to kill. You've got the look of a noblewoman, not a killer."
Celestia raised an eyebrow, her smirk widening slightly. She didn't respond at first, merely waiting for him to continue.
"Tell you what," the bounty hunter said, his lips curling into a sly grin. "I'll spar with you. Show me what you've got. Let's see if you really killed them. I'll take it easy on you."
Celestia's gaze sharpened, her fingers curling around the hilt of her rapier, but she didn't draw it just yet.
"Fine," she said, her voice steady and icy. She dismounted from her horse with a fluid grace, cracking her neck before drawing her rapier.
The bounty hunter raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by her response. He cracked his neck and stepped back, settling into a loose stance. His posture was relaxed, his fists held at the ready.
Celestia adjusted her stance, one hand resting on her rapier, the other by her side.
The air between them was thick with tension as the two prepared.
The bounty hunter moved first, rushing at her with the speed of a serpent. His body was a somewhat blur as his fists and feet moved in a flurry of strikes, lightning crackling along his limbs with each punch and kick.
The bounty hunter, still not fully convinced, wasted no time. With a smirk, he rushed at Celestia, his movements swift but relaxed.
In one fluid motion, Celestia sidestepped his initial charge, the speed at which she moved caught him off guard. She didn't hesitate—aiming straight for his neck.
The bounty hunter's eyes widened just in time as he noticed her target. His instincts kicked in. He quickly moved to intercept the blade, grabbing the rapier's blade with his bare hand just before it pierced his skin.
The sharp edge sliced through his palm, and blood began to drip onto the ground, staining the earth beneath them.
His eyes flicked down to his hand, the crimson flowing freely from the wound. A low curse slipped from his lips, his voice laced with surprise. "So, I underestimated her... alright."
Lightning crackled and sparked, arcing through his muscles, sending a shockwave through the air. His eyes gleamed with newfound intensity as he stepped back, his stance changing.
The bounty hunter's expression hardened as lightning still crackled around his body, but the relaxed smirk from earlier had disappeared. With a swift, almost predatory movement, he dropped into a stance—his fists raised and his legs slightly bent, prepared for quick, explosive strikes. It was clear now: this was the real fight. The style he adopted was Storm Fist, a hand-to-hand combat style he created that utilized his affinity for lightning to enhance his strikes with shocking speed and power.
Without warning, he lunged forward, his body a blur of motion as he closed the distance between them at the speed of lightning. His first attack came as a powerful punch, aimed directly at Celestia's face.
However, Celestia's instincts flared. As the punch came at her, the familiar surge of energy in her body activated the skill she still doesn't understood [Martial Arts]. Her reflexes sharpened instantly as her hand shot out to catch his punch, her fingers curling around his wrist with a precision that left no room for error.
The bounty hunter's eyes widened in shock, but before he could react, Celestia dropped her rapier, her foot already moving. With one fluid motion, she sent a powerful kick into his gut, the impact reverberating through his body. The force of the blow sent him skidding back several feet, his boots scraping against the ground.
Celestia stood there for a moment, watching him as he regained his balance. Confusion flickered in her eyes, but she shook her head slightly, frustrated. "Why did the skill activate like that?" she thought, still unsure of the cause. She hadn't consciously called upon it—yet it had triggered just when she needed it. The thought nagged at her, but she let it go. There was no point in dwelling on it now.
With a resigned sigh, Celestia slipped into the Blossom's Fist stance—a style she had reluctantly been forced to learn. Her body was loose yet taut with readiness, the unfamiliar skill now humming steadily within her, no longer fading after a single use. She could feel the energy flowing through her limbs, grounding her. Her rapier was discarded on the ground, forgotten for the moment. If she was going to fight this man, it would be on his terms: hand to hand, where only her raw instincts and the power of her body would decide the outcome.
The two of them surged toward each other, the tension between them thick enough to cut. Their feet barely touched the ground as they rushed, each closing the distance with explosive speed. The sound of their footsteps was drowned by the thundering beat of their hearts as they met in the middle, fists flying.
The bounty hunter's first punch came fast, a right hook aimed at Celestia's jaw. Her body moved like water as she deftly caught his wrist mid-air, the sheer force of his strike reverberating through her arm. Before he could pull away, she twisted, using his momentum to fling him sideways. But he quickly righted himself before it happened and responded with a spinning kick, aiming low at her legs.
Her leg shot down just in time to intercept his, the sound of their legs clashing like a thunderclap. The force of the collision caused both to stagger back, but neither gave ground. They were locked in a deadly dance, each trying to read the other's next move.
The bounty hunter grinned, clearly impressed. With a quick pivot, he charged again, aiming for her chest with a series of rapid jabs. Celestia parried each strike, her own fists moving in a blur as she blocked, dodged, and countered. The intensity of their movements created a whirlwind around them, each hit they blocked reverberating through the air.
In a seamless motion, Celestia aimed a precise kick to his ribs. He twisted mid-air, barely avoiding the strike but finding himself vulnerable. His eyes flickered with a spark of respect before he reacted quickly, bringing his knee up in a devastating counter. She sidestepped just in time, her body a coil of energy and force as she thrust her elbow toward his stomach.
He moved his stomach to the side, dodging her elbow. They were back to their feet in an instant, hands and legs a blur of rapid, fluid strikes. The air around them seemed to crackle with the power of their blows.
Finally, with a grin spreading across his face, the bounty hunter leapt back, giving them both a moment to catch their breath. "Damn," he said with a laugh, his chest heaving as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "So, a noblewoman can fight after all."
Celestia smirked, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, her eyes gleaming with challenge. "Don't judge everyone based on a title alone," she replied coolly, her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her.
Without wasting another moment, the bounty hunter surged forward again, and Celestia followed suit, her body moving as if on instinct, ready to meet him head-on.
"Though most of this was learned in my previous life..." Celestia's thoughts flashed as she blocked another strike, "I might have the advantage due to that—and this skill that's keeping up with him. Otherwise, I wouldn't still be standing."