Tendrils of unkempt current licked the ground around her, narrowly missing her several times.

Damn it! I'm gonna get cooked! This isn't a joke, potions can't save me from this!!

Her thoughts danced upon the cusp of despair, feeling shame for always running.

It's only been a few days since I began and I've had to run from even the small fries. Pull yourself together Dita! Nothing will change unless you make it!

Her body mirrored her frustration as her deep blue brow furrowed. Her tiny legs dug into the sand painfully as she shifted her weight to her right foot skidding around a boulder. The ball lightning was slow enough that she gained some distance.

Even if I wanted to hurt this big guy there's no way I can take him down. Wait! No way!

The second ball of electricity weaved from a crevice between two stones.

It's too late!! I'm sandwiched! Duck! I've got to duck!

Bracing herself for the impact she took a risky but necessary choice. She ran at top speed toward the embodiment of thunder moving directly toward her.

Before it could contact her she slid her small body beneath its semi-transparent glow. A lick of lightning caught her scorching her petals painfully.

She had taken damage but avoided death, not daring to look back.

Her vision quivered like a leaf in the wind and her gait mirrored the wobbly feeling that mounted. Glancing back she saw her plan had failed, fantastically so.

The two orbs had not only combined into a far larger orb, but it had also increased its pace nearly twofold.

Fuming with the mounting feelings of helplessness from before, she grasped a sinister idea.

If I keep running, I'm going to be fried Dita in no time. But if I take this attack back to the wizard beetle maybe he'll get a taste of his own medicine!

The plan was set as she skidded to a stop. In order for the plan to succeed it was crucial she let the death ball get close enough that the beetle wouldn't have a chance to dismiss it before impact.

Come on…

She glared daggers up toward the raw magic eager to reach her.

Almost there…

It was only seven steps away now, well in range of the tendrils, and firmly putting her in extreme danger.

Now! Go Dita go!!

She kicked off the sand with equal parts ire for the bastard beetle and desire to avoid ending up as a steamed veggie.

Her blitzing path took her squarely toward the beetle, making good use of the beetle's blind spot. It was crucial that she avoided a direct attack physical counterattack at the moment she came within range.

It was difficult and risky as she had yet to properly gauge the speed of the large green monstrosity.

I'm going to die if this doesn't work huh? It's too late to back down! No risk! No glory!

It was the moment of truth, her body was two steps away from the hulking behemoth as it began to turn.

Before it could have possibly seen her it began it's swing, the grizzled carapace crashing down with frightening accuracy. Dita had rolled to the side losing her momentum all at once.

Not good!

She rushed to her feet dodging forward to avoid another leg crashing down. The payload had almost reached her, at this point, it was sudden death, the next mistake would mean certain death.

She put all of her remaining vitality into a harsh jump into the descending leg.

She found an explosion of sand colliding with her body as the near-hit sent her tumbling helplessly through the air.

She gazed back just in time to see the electric orb collide with the leg. To her surprise, the orb did not explode, but instead, cut through the leg severing it before colliding harshly against the thicker carapace of the main body.

The beetle hissed like a snake as she staggered to her feet. It was a small war as the electricity spread all at once into a beautiful and fearsome flash. The light was so bright that she couldn't quite distinguish the resulting conclusion.

Did it work? It had to have, right? Down with the field boss! End to the buggy boy!

She chanted, hoping in some way it would will the results she wanted into existence. The sound of the current still ravaged the air in a fearful buzz. Her eyes widened as the light became bearable. The beast, which had tipped over and was convulsing violently, looked to be extremely close to catching fire.

She distanced herself from it falling down on her bottom, awestruck by the results firmly supporting a very strong success.

It worked? I'm alive? Dita wins! Now that's what I'm talking about! Serves him right! Death to the bugs! Die die die!

She pranced and spun in a victory fanfare, twirling happily like a windmill, after all, she deserved it! Not only surviving but killing the jerk at the same time!

Let's check the stats! I bet I got a few levels from that! Heck yes! I'm moving up in the world!

{Name: Dita}

{Lvl 2. Nightgloom}

HP: 11/34

MP:10/20

SP: 1/1

AP: 1/16

{Attributes}

Current status points: 0

Strength: 2. Agility 0

Speed: 0. Dexterity: 0

Constitution: 0. Movement: 0

Magic: 1 Intelligence: -1

Luck: 6. Defense: 1

Resistance: 2 Mind: 2

Power: 1 Charisma: 7

Fire: -18 Water: 5. {Allignment}

Ice: 2 Wind: 5. -4

Earth: 25 Light: 19

Dark: 42 Lightning: -10

{Affixes}

Decrypt lvl. 1. {Titles}

Blessing of Ancor lvl. 2. Acolyte of Prejudice

Lucky lvl. 1 Bloodroot

Nocturnal lvl. 1

Fenfire lvl. 1

She gazed at the stats completely stunned before the bright idea of checking the supposedly dead monster came to her.

Lvl. 18 Cerantis

HP: 684/3268

MP: 223/720

SP: 2/10

AP: 6/26

Conditions

Hungry lvl. 4

Degrading virus lvl. 1

Rage lvl. 8

You've got to be kidding me, it's still alive?

Her surprise left her vulnerable for a moment too long as the beast closed the distance to her in an instant.

No way!

The rage of the beast descended upon her in a single, all-consuming bite. It was so massive and so quick that the ground around her was taken, giving her company to descend into the fleshy prison of the beast.

She was lucky, the tooth mess of a mouth managed to get slowed by the sand, it's greedy bite grasping far more than it likely meant to in it's rage.

Not good! I'm beetle food! I've got to do something before I reach the stomach!

The momentum carried her to a halt in the corner of it's gaping maw, it was anything but roomy. Though her would be killer seemed blissfully unaware of the crucial mishap.

Think Dita! We've got to get out of here, this saliva doesn't seem too destructive but we can't very well live on in the mouth of a giant beetle.

Popping out the two potions from before, she carefully placed the atop her flower, being sure not to share even a single drop with her devilish attacker.

The moist and disgusting prison was stout and very stretchy, firmly contrasting its iron carapace in almost every manner. She felt refreshed and immediately wanted to confirm her status.

{Name: Dita}

{Lvl 2. Nightgloom}

HP: 33/34

MP:15/20

SP: 1/1

AP: 11/16

{Attributes}

Current status points: 0

Strength: 2. Agility 0

Speed: 0. Dexterity: 0

Constitution: 0. Movement: 0

Magic: 1 Intelligence: -1

Luck: 6. Defense: 1

Resistance: 2 Mind: 2

Power: 1 Charisma: 7

Fire: -18 Water: 5. {Allignment}

Ice: 2 Wind: 5. -4

Earth: 25 Light: 19

Dark: 42 Lightning: -10

{Affixes}

Decrypt lvl. 1. {Titles}

Blessing of Ancor lvl. 2. Acolyte of Prejudice

Lucky lvl. 1 Bloodroot

Nocturnal lvl. 1

Fenfire lvl. 1

She really owed the tail runners a lot if she made it out of this, even if their potions were stolen. She was sure of one thing, a fact that she wouldn't have liked to admit in most cases. She hated bugs, but this bug had earned a special place in her heart.

The amount that she loathed it for nearly killing her, for putting her in a horrible rancid place. She could list off reasons until the slow burn of the acid destroyed her and still lack complete satisfaction!

Hope you're ready for the best move I've got you horrible bug. I'm going to murder you like you tried to kill me!

Activating cruel heart didn't make her feel cruel at all, in fact, if she had a mouth she would have no doubt been smiling. Negative repercussions be damned!

For a moment a deep almost eerie pause came over the previously pulsating mass of the living creature. It's body convulsed again, this time dragging her for the ride and painfully slamming her from wall to fleshy wall. It's hiss lasted but a moment before a grizzly sound came with a clear froth that escaped from its innermost sanctum.

She could feel her own pain and agony from the use of the ability, to hate is to be hated or so she felt was a good way of putting it.

The creature withered from the inside like a shriveling old crone, the once fleshy, lifelike walls turned a sickly white color. She could feel the breaths of the beast draw to a chilling conclusion as the final convulsion left her with an intense feeling.

She wanted to celebrate but the circumstances of her surroundings sapped her willpower more by the second. The only thing worse than the disgusting innards of a giant beetle is the disgusting innards of a giant beetle that is now dead.

She crawled toward the light escaping from its now agape mouth.

I can't believe I actually did it. I really fought back! I might not have to run from everything if I keep this up! Sure it was only one level but it's totally progress!

Having made her way back the welcoming light of the desert like space where their battle had played out, she decided to check something.

It's been bothering me for a while.. but does this world not have loot or something? I mean, I just took down the field boss, is it really just about the experience?

Peeking over his massive husk, there was only one point of interest that seemed to shine and glisten. She curiously gazed to the sky, double checking for birds before ascending the length of the beetle's horn.

The glistening appeared to belong to a battle wound which had long since healed on the now dead creature.

What the heck is this?

It looked to be a deep crimson, bizarre fork-like utensil. It was equal parts unsettling and incredible to see a dinner fork piercing straight through the carapace of the beast. She couldn't even imagine the circumstances that a fork had been able to get there in the first place. Was it a twisted version of a fairytale? The fork in the beetle?

Maybe I can pry it free? I mean, it looks pretty cool for a fork, I want it as proof of my victory!

She struggled to wrap her hand like appendages around it. Planting her root legs she attempted to toss her entire weight against it in hopes of dislodging it.

Pitifully she could just barely wiggle it, the efforts drawing almost all of her strength to it's limits.

You've got to be kidding me. Am I really not going to be able to take it home?!

Catching her second wind she tugged and tugged but the jewel-encrusted crimson piece of dinner wear remained stoutly embedded in the dead evildoer.

Hm, I guess willpower isn't going to get me out of this little pickle. Should I invest some points in strength to try again? Or maybe I can come back to it later? I've still got the fire to worry about after all.