Ѫ
Lorene closely tracks the beast’s aimless flailing as she enters its range. Here, the water is being thrown up in high waves, as tall as her, as ice cracks and the Witch pulls itself up.

BANG BANG BANG

“ΘΘΘaaΘΘaaaaΘΘaaΘΘΘΘ!!!”

The beast bellows in pain, rocking slightly in the waves as three holes rip through its flesh. Dark ichor pours out, pooling on the surface of the lake, but-!

>> Ѫ (M2 Perception roll: 25 = Failure) << (Track the Witch’s movements.)

Distracted by the gunshots, Lorene doesn’t notice the Witch’s arm until it’s almost too late.

>> Ѫ (M3 Dexterity roll: 95 = Success!) << (Dodge the Witch’s flailing.)

She leans all the way back as she slides forward on a small island of ice, the arm just barely grazing her forehead as it passes in front of her face. A bit of blood running down her brow, she twists and rolls to the ice floe next to her, hands firmly gripping onto her sword.

“-WHY DON’T YOU TAKE ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE-!”

>> Ѫ (M? Physical Affinity roll: 84 = M9 success) << (Swing your blade.)
>> Ѫ (M3 Dexterity roll: 3 = Failure) << (Aim it correctly.)

The blade churns through water as Lorene drags the sword in a massive upward swing. The force of the blow instantly blasts through the air, wind howling around her, pushing all the water away from its center and sending Lorene and her island back several feet through the water. The thick ice covering the lake’s surface behind the Witch cracks in two, running all the way to the shore, and the first trees are knocked down, trunks splitting. Even far back, Clover and Hermione’s ice floe rock in the massive wave her swing created.

Such a blow would have cut the Witch in two.

“…ΘΘΘaaΘΘΘΘaaΘΘΘaaaaaΘaaΘΘΘΘΘaaΘΘΘΘ-!!!”

If it had hit.

The beast now fully enraged, Lorene braces herself as the Witch’s attention focuses completely on her.

>What now?!