The Daughter of Cursed Steel Chapter 11: Chapter 11: The Terror of Real Combat

Read chapter 11 of The Daughter of Cursed Steel by Ashfell on NovelPedia.

Chapter 11: The Terror of Real Combat Rachel was on the ground, disoriented, her vision blurred as immense pain throbbed through her face from the hit she had taken. She slowly tilted her head forward, barely able to focus as she saw the knight bending down to pick up the training sword she had dropped before approaching her once again. Rachel started to panic as each heavy step from the knight drew closer to her. This was nothing like the heroic stories they had told her growing up. Those stories always made battles sound glorious and exciting, filled with brave warriors charging fearlessly into combat. But this was terrifying. Her body hurt, her head rang from the impact, and fear twisted in her chest so tightly that it became difficult to breathe. She was not ready for this, but she had no choice except to fight back. Rachel let out a strained grunt as she forced herself onto her feet. She wiped the leaking blood from her nose and lips while her legs trembled beneath her as the knight steadily closed the distance between them. “Dammit…” Rachel murmured to herself. She no longer had her weapon, leaving her with nothing except her magic. Rachel clenched her shaking hands tightly as pain pulsed through her face and jaw while a stream of blood leaked from her lips. “Looks like I have no choice…” she muttered under her breath. “I’m just gonna have to push through the pain… or this knight’s really gonna kill me.” The angel finally got close enough that Rachel could clearly see the fury twisting across his face. His presence alone intimidated her. The towering angel glared down at her before speaking in a furious voice filled with hatred. “Damn little elven bitch… I’m gonna make sure you die slowly for aiding the demons,” he snarled. “I’ll cut you apart limb from limb and leave what’s left of you for the beasts.” Rachel’s eyes widened. Then the angel suddenly pushed off the ground as he exploded forward with terrifying speed. He was too fast. Rachel barely had time to react before the knight raised the training blade high overhead and swung it downward, aiming directly for her shoulder as he tried to make good on his threat. The descending blade flashed through the air. Rachel forced every ounce of strength she had left into her legs and threw herself to the side at the last possible moment as the edge of the blade caught her left arm. A wet slicing sound echoed through the forest as the sword tore through flesh. “AGH!” Rachel screamed. Skin peeled away from her bicep down toward her elbow as blood sprayed across the grass, exposing raw muscle beneath the torn flesh. The angel let out a cruel laugh as he continued taunting her. “Damn… I missed,” he mocked while slowly pulling the blade back. Rachel had put everything she had into that dodge, and now her breathing was ragged. Pain surged through her arm as blood leaked from the wound while panic consumed her thoughts as she desperately tried to scramble back onto her feet before the next strike came down. But she was too slow. The angel swung the sword again, and this time the blade sliced directly into Rachel’s calf muscle. “AAAHHH!” Blood violently spurted across the grass and down her leg as the edge tore through flesh. Rachel collapsed forward onto the ground screaming in agony, her injured leg barely responding anymore. Then Rachel rolled onto her back just in time to see the angel raising the sword for another strike. The blade came crashing downward toward her. Rachel immediately rolled to the right. The sword barely missed her head before slamming into the ground beside her with enough force to tear apart the grass and leave a crater of dirt around the impact point as chunks of soil exploded outward. The angel ripped the blade free once more, preparing for another attack. Rachel’s breathing became frantic as she watched the angel prepare for his next attack, so she thrust her hand forward, deciding to cast a spell regardless of the pain it would cause her. This was one of t