The Girl With The Crimson Eyes

65: Tangled Dream

Remnya

A bird chirped atop Remnya's forehead as she rested on a thick tree branch. It hopped on her nose and pecked her bruised cheek before flying away as soon as she opened her eyes. A breeze caressed her skin and hair, dancing with the canopies above her. She sat up and stared into the horizon, witnessing the orange hue of the morning.

Remnya jumped off the tree and landed heavily on the ground, blowing away a mattress of dried leaves before heading toward the creek to wash her face. The crystalline mountain water felt like ice but helped her numb the pain and remove her drowsiness.

Merle's return had brought drastic changes and forced Remnya to adapt to a harsher routine as he took over her training and released Ozura from her duty. It had been over one week since the last time anyone had seen the lady, and even though Merle downplayed her disappearance, the lack of answers made Remnya fear the worst.

However, she had no time to worry anymore; sunrise meant her torture was about to begin.

The old man's training was much more physically demanding. He didn't care about her fire or speed but her close combat skills, strength, and endurance. The force of his fists was brutal and sent her to the ground bleeding every time she failed to dodge or defend properly.

Early, another season started, and with it, more painful contusions. Remnya wondered if she could survive that alcoholic monster for another week.

A fist against her jaw drew a mouthful of blood and made her surroundings spin like a roulette, yet she refused to fall and glimpsed another blow traveling to her face.

Remnya remembered Ozura's advice and used her fire to protect her body, focusing her energy on where his punches landed. She waited for the impact and shielded her face with her forearm. The weight of Merle's arms could easily break her bones, but she compensated for the physical difference with the immense power of her crimson fire.

The impact caused a shower of fire and sparks, yet her arm resisted. However, the blows wouldn't stop coming, forcing her to switch her energy from one part of her body to another. It had taken her one week, but she had begun to understand the nuances of a successful defense.

Nonetheless, a few punches broke through and crushed her forehead, shoulder, and stomach. Remnya staggered backward while her knees threatened to bend under her weight and charged a fireball in her left hand.

Merle smirked and opened his arms, exposing his massive chest. "C'mon, knucklehead! Show me what kind of fireworks you got!"

Screw you, old man! She wanted to say but remained silent and launched her fireball as hard as possible.

Merle wouldn't dodge it, Remnya knew, so she had planned ahead of him. When her blazing attack was inches away from him, she clenched her fist, causing her energy to blow up.

The explosion lifted a large column of debris, fire, and smoke, covering Merle's vision. That's when Remnya's plan unfolded: she closed the distance between them and shot a stream of flames from her right arm.

Like a fire lance, her attack penetrated the smoke. It reached Merle, causing a second and bigger explosion that forced Remnya to cover herself from the blazing rocks traveling faster than sound in every direction.

Despite the pain and exhaustion, she smiled for having pulled off the combo she had been practicing for months.

As the smoke began to dissipate, Merle walked forward. Her attack had reached the left side of his body and burned half the clothes of his torso. The skin of his shoulder looked red, yet there was no trace of blood.