Multiple voices shouted at once, and Zaiveil heard the distinct sound of Herox movement and Heriot's blade flashing as he tried to closed the distance towards the beast.
"Brother! Wait!"
Zaiveil forced the word out through her clenched teeth, trying to straighten the words out, despite the blood now soaking warm down her sleeve.
"I can do it. I can finish this."
"But you're now injured!" Herox's voice was raw with panic, his calm nerves was enough to hold his position rather than closing the last few steps towards the beast to avenge his sister.
Amidst what's happening, no one notices the reaction from the bracelet in Zaiveil's wrist. The Starlit Ward Bracelet, still fastened around her injured wrist, pulsed faintly against her torn skin, warm where the wound bled closest to the silver metal.
Her blood from her injured wrist had dripped to the bracelet and it glowed slightly, but due to what's happening, no one around her saw its reaction. And even Zaiveil has no attention to spare for it now, her focus narrowing entirely onto the beast circling back for a third strike.
The pain from her injury strangely cleared her mind rather than clouding it. She'd bled worse before, for the people who'd never once thanked her for it.
But now, this pain came from the oath she chose herself, this painful wound is because she wanted to train since she had people that she needed to protect.
The golden warmth of her charm surged back to answer her, it's now more fierce than its earlier power.
"It's my turn to fight back," she said in a low and steady tone, and she lifted her uninjured hand.
The Ridgeback Beast charged for the third time, and Zaiveil didn't bother to dodge anymore.
She stood her ground, there's gold light gathering rapidly at her palm, condensing into a sharper power, it's more focused and complete than the wide burst from her earlier charm, this time it's a single, blazing point of star-bright light.
She aimed and released it, the instant the beast came within its range.
Zaiveil attacks using her charm for the second time, catching the Ridgeback Beast off guard and it is hit square in its chest.
This time the creature didn't merely stagger.
It went down hard,
Its massive body skidded several feet from its original position before crashing into a cluster of tree's, smoke curling faintly from its scorched fur along its ribs.
It lay still for a long moment, its body heaving with labored breath,
before finally and slowly,
The ridgeback beast glowing yellow eyes dimmed and its head sank against the forest floor, It's unconscious and wasn't dead, but it was surely defeated.
After that,
Silence swallowed the surroundings.
"She!"
"She actually did it! Little sis actually did it." Zyver said faintly with a hint of excitedness in his voice
Zaiveil's knees buckled the moment the adrenaline began to leave her body, and Zyrcus was there instantly, catching her before she could fully collapse on the ground, his hands was full of gentleness yet urgent as he guided her down onto a fallen log.
"Princess, let me see your arm," Elder Nixie said, kneeling beside her, healing energy gathering around her palm, it's warm and soft, signifying the healing charm.
"I'm fine," Zaiveil said, but there's tremor in her voice.
"You are not fine, Zai, you're bleeding!" Herox snapped, dropping to his knees on her other side, his earlier composure was goned, his face was now full of worry. His hands hovered over her injured arm, uncertain how to help without causing her further harm, his eyes was wide with a fear he clearly wasn't accustomed to showing so openly.
"Elder Nixie, how bad is her injury?" Herox asked, he's face was etched with care and worry
"The wound was a little bit deep and nothing that threatens any of her vitals," Elder Nixie said, her tone is calm and professional even tho her hands worked quickly.
There's golden healing light knitting gently across Zaiveil torn skin.
Zaiveil let out a slow breath, some of her tension from her bleeding wound is now dulled and wasn't hurting that much, unlike earlier, and it was all thanks to Elder Nixie healing charm.
After resting for a bit, Zai looked at her brothers and said,
"I told you, I could finish it, I could also fight back, brother's."
"You could fight back but you also nearly got yourself mauled by that beast! Little sis, you badly scared all of us here." Heriot said, there's harshness in his voice but his hands trembled slightly, where he gripped the hilt of his still-drawn blade.
"I'm sorry," Zai apologize.
"I'm sorry brothers, Elder Nixie, I didn't intend to frighten you all." She added in a sincere tone.
"It's alright Little sis, in fact you're really awesome earlier, you defeated a mid level beast even though you've just awakened, you're absolutely awesome." Zyver suddenly said, trying to ease the tension in everyone,
"But i felt that, I haven't had any control over my charms ," Zaiveil admitted quietly, glancing down at her healing arm as Elder Nixie continued her careful work.
"The first attack I used was barely aimed at it, and it didn't even managed to scratch it. While my second attack taked more time to come out, so basically i barely won against that beast, if it wasn't because of my charm high powers, then probably i was gotten more injured."
"Compared to other's you're still the most remarkable, Zai, Because most charmers spend years in just learning to summon their charm, let alone use it immediately and decisively in a real combat." Zyrcus said gently towards her.
'However remarkable it was, I still got injured in the end.' Zaiveil thought
She's unable to fully shake away the memory of the beast's claws catching and injuring her arm.
"And you still handled it well, you were injured and yet you still found the strength to finish the fight that you started rather than freezing or retreating." Herox said, his voice was much calm now, though the residual worry hadn't fully left his expression.
Zaiveil looked up at her eldest brother, warmth is settling beneath the lingering ache in her arm due to his words, a quiet approval from someone she'd come to deeply respect over these past few weeks, eased her mind a lot.
"Thank you, everyone." Zaiveil said, she's grateful for having them around, taking care and encouraging her.
Elder Nixie finished her healing, a few minutes later. She helped Zaiveil carefully wrap her arm in a light bandage.