The start of the Journey: Abigail and Sarah

Abigail stood tall and firm with a sword in hand, ready to impart her powerful teachings to her apprentice, Sarah. The young woman was eager to learn the arts of battle, and Abigail couldn't be happier to teach her. The two stood before a vast forest, where serpent shifters were known to lurk.

"Now, Sarah," Abigail said, her voice confident and strong. "The first thing you must know is that serpent shifters are fast and dangerous. But they are not invincible."

Sarah nodded, her eyes fixed on Abigail's every word.

"The key to defeating them is to remain calm," Abigail continued. "Focus on their movements and anticipate their attacks. You must become one with your sword."

Abigail demonstrated a few moves with her sword, twirling it and handling it with ease. Sarah watched in awe, already feeling more confident in her own abilities.

"For your first lesson, I want you to head over to that hole," Abigail gestured to a large hole in the ground. "You're going to find a serpent shifter in there. Take it down."

Sarah took a deep breath, feeling the weight of Abigail's expectations. She gripped her sword tightly, approached the hole, and peered inside. The serpent shifter was coiled up, ready to strike. Sarah took a step closer, and the serpent hissed.

"You've got this," Abigail's voice was firm and reassuring.

Sarah charged forward, her sword held high. The serpent shifted and lunged towards her, but Sarah was ready. She dodged and weaved, blocking the serpent

's every move. It was a dance - a deadly dance, but Sarah was confident.

The serpent shifted again, this time faster than before. It was as if it was learning from Sarah's moves. But Sarah was quick to adapt, and she struck the serpent with her sword. The blade glinted in the light as it sliced through the serpent's scales.

The serpent let out a deafening roar, and Sarah felt a sense of triumph. She had done it. She had defended herself against the shifter. But as she turned to Abigail to share her victory, she saw that there were more shifters emerging from the hole.

Sarah's heart sank. She had thought the battle was won, but it seemed that it was far from over. She braced herself for the next attack, but Abigail stepped forward, her own sword drawn.

"I'll handle this," Abigail said, looking back at Sarah. "You've proven yourself. Now, watch and learn."

Sarah watched with bated breath as Abigail engaged the shifters in battle. She moved with a grace and fluidity that Sarah had never seen before. It was as if Abigail was dancing with death, but death could not touch her.

Sarah knew then that she still had much to learn, but she was eager to do so. She watched Abigail with awe, her sword at the ready in case she was needed.

Eventually, the last shifter fell, and Abigail turned to Sarah with a smile.

"See? With a bit of experience, you'll be just like me," she said.

Sarah grinned, feeling a sense of pride swell within her chest. She had a long way to go before she was as skillful as Abigail, but she was determined to get there.

"Thank you for teaching me," Sarah said, her voice low with emotion.

Abigail just shrugged, her grin widening. "It's what I do, kid."

Sarah chuckled at the nickname, feeling a sense of camaraderie with Abigail. Sarah felt as if they had forged a bond that would last a lifetime.

As they made their way back to their camp, Sarah couldn't help but feel a sense of exhilaration. Fighting the shifters had been terrifying, but it had also been one of the most thrilling experiences of her life. She knew that she had found her calling, and she couldn't wait to see what other adventures were in store for her.

As they approached their campsite, Sarah sensed a tension in the air. Something was off. Abigail noticed it as well and motioned for Sarah to stay quiet. They moved cautiously, weapons at the ready.

As they emerged from the brush, they saw a group of men standing around their campfire. Sarah couldn't see their faces in the flickering light, but their stance and weaponry told her everything she needed to know. These were hunters, and they were armed to the teeth.

Abigail signaled for Sarah to stay hidden and advanced towards the group. Sarah watched, her heart pounding in her chest, as Abigail engaged the hunters in conversation. She couldn't hear anything from her position, but from the way Abigail moved and gestured, Sarah could tell she was trying to get them to leave.

The hunters were having none of it, though. Sarah watched in horror as one of them stepped forward, his crossbow aimed at Abigail's chest. Sarah couldn't just stand by and watch. She crept forward, trying to find a vantage point from which she could help.

Just as Sarah was about to break cover, Abigail suddenly spun on her heel and drove her sword through the hunter's chest. The man fell to the ground, blood spurting from his mouth.

Before Sarah could react, the other hunters rushed in, their weapons glinting in the firelight. Abigail moved like a blur, darting in and out of their reach, striking with deadly precision. Sarah moved to join her, thrusting her dagger into the neck of one of the hunters.

The fight was brutal and intense, but Sarah felt something inside of her stir to life. Each movement felt almost natural and instinctive - like she had done this a thousand times before. It was an exhilarating feeling, even as she felt blood spatter across her face and clothes.

Abigail fought fiercely beside her, her movements fluid and graceful. Together, they managed to take down the remaining hunters, but not without a few wounds of their own.

Breathless and trembling, Sarah looked to Abigail, amazed at the skill and courage she had just witnessed. "How did you know what to do?" she asked, her voice shaking. Abigail smiled, wiping the blood from her sword with a cloth. "I told you, Sarah. You'll learn with experience." She surveyed the carnage around them, her eyes glinting with fierce determination. "And we have plenty of that ahead of us."