The stuffiness in the cavern didn't bother me. I grew used to the heat and the funk of melted rock. I bounced from one foot to the other, waiting for further instructions. Today's training session promised to be vital.

"I'm fucking hyped right now!" My anticipation grew as I held the practical sword before me. "I'm ready, Zarek."

"Glad to hear, Kayla, because today I'm not helping. You'll have to show me what you learned. I'll only interfere if your life is at risk." Zarek moved to a high platform on the far side of the cavern.

"Right!" I started bouncing around, trying to warm up and stretch my limbs. "I'm ready for it!"

"Are you scared shitless?! This 'whole convincing' you got going there doesn't look that compelling. I fear for you." Zarek's voice pitched a few degrees to emphasize the ridiculousness of my over-excitement.

A zap of energy coursed through my body, hiking my tone. "Hell no! I'm pumped and..."

"And horny?!" Zarek's laughter boomed through the cavern, granting on my nerves.

"Shut the fuck up, Zarek!" I shot an annoyed stare at the man before grabbing my sword. The statement stuck a chord within me, as it held great truth. Whenever I prepared to fight a monster, my core pulsated with excitement. The sexy electric surge made my soul buzz with delight. "I'm not horny, only excited. That's all! I'm ready to prove myself."

"Good! But you don't have to prove anything. I'm aware of your progress, and I'm impressed."

I did a few practice swings, focusing on the feel of my grip. The smooth motion of my weapon gave me confidence. A deep breath filled my lungs, helping me center as I got into position. "Before you interrupted me, I was about to say amped-up. Besides... why are you always saying things like that?"

"Well, Kayla! You have this distinct scent when you're excited. It's like you're releasing pheromones on purpose." 

Zarek's answer intrigued me a great deal. "I'm not doing anything on purpose."

"Then we need to check you out. Only a succubus can do such things." The male sat on the ledge, pausing as he continued. "It can explain your sexual drive when excited."

"Once again... I'm not horny," I reaffirm as a sliver of fear invaded my heart. Deep down, what he said made sense and explained my behavior. Whenever I felt a rush of excitement, my libido would go on a rampage.

Ridding my mind of worries, I shook my head in annoyance as if shooing away an annoying fly. The time was nigh to fight. "I can't hesitate. My life depends on my concentration," I whispered as I swung my sword in a perfect arc and assumed a battle stance.

"I take it you're ready?!"

"Yes!" I didn't waste time with idle chatting and focused. I inhaled and exhaled several times, centering myself. My mind cleared as I allowed myself to wait for the inescapable.

I sensed when the barrier protecting our hiding spot became weaker. It wavered for a second when a small opening appeared before me. At first glance, the lava's surface seemed to be undisturbed. But soon, a bubble formed and popped, sending molten rock in all directions.

From under the surface, a creature fixed its gaze upon me: its prey.

"Are you ready? Two nasty centipedes are eager to fight you. They're nice and juicy, too."

I tightened my grip on the hilt and nodded. "Heck, yeah!" I whispered, waiting for the attack.

Suddenly, my heart raced as the two colossal creatures hurried toward me. Their presence sent shivers down my spine, and their appearance filled me with disgust. The clacking of their tiny legs against the rocky ground made my skin crawl, but I steeled my unease and stood my ground.

Their scales shimmered with a creepy red hue, looking like cooked lobsters and casting an eerie glow around them. With no regard for strategy, these arthropods lunged forward with their quick and unpredictable slithering. Despite the stench of burning rock, I caught a whiff of their distinct, toxic odor. The noxious stench threatened to make me gag, but I remained determined not to allow it to triumph over me.

I widened my stance and braced myself for the impact. The first creature reached me. Its mandibles snapped several times before it came within my reach. I twisted my body in a perfect arc and landed a good blow on the monster closest to me. At first, it bounced off its hard shell. 

Then, I remembered to aim for the softer areas between its segments.

I side-stepped to get out of its way, avoiding its pincers and made my move. With a swift move, I lobbed off the head section of the first centipede I first attacked. Afterward, I turned to dispose of the second fiendish companion crawling my way.

"Easy pickings! Annoying, disgusting bastards."

With little time to spare, I faced my next opponent. A motherfucking, huge-ass scorpion crawled out of the lava river and headed my way. Uneasiness struck my mind like lightning. Involuntarily, my hands clenched around the grip of my sword, ready for whatever was to come.

But I held my ground.

Green Poison leaked from the beast's stinger as it followed me. We stood there, sizing each other up, trying to gauge the other's intentions. I held my weapon tight before me. The beast carried its stinger high, ready to attack. A few seconds passed of nothing, but then a flurry of action ensued. The clanking of the scorpion's gait echoed through the air, signaling its imminent approach.

Behind me, I heard Zarek shuffling around, but I ignored it. "Kayla, you need to keep your guard up this time. Yesterday, you got scratched and started tripping balls for the rest of the day because you slacked off. So be careful." 

"I get it. Let me concentrate," I said, tempted to roll my eyes, but the approaching monster grounded me to the moment. As I stood still, the scorpion studied me. Its body swayed left to right. "This thing is judging me. Right?!"

"It sure is. Now, I must admit I'm impressed with your progress. Like fucking damn, it's been only a week, and you're this far ahead. Shit! It took Pascal an entire month to face one of these suckers." 

"Zarek, you're distracting me." Annoyance oozed from my tone as I tracked my target.

"Distraction can be good. A lot happens during a fight, and you must be ready for anything. Walk and chew at the same time." 

Irritation built in me as I let out an exasperated huff. "Yeah! Something like that, but an idiotic way of thinking."

"Well, being aware of your surroundings when distracted is important."

"Uh-huh!" I circled the red scorpion, keeping eye contact with its beady eyes while aware of its nasty stinger. 

A week of silence went by since I picked on the voices within me. It seemed it used all its strength to talk to me that once and then went into hibernation. Still, its presence echoed through my entire being, giving me courage. Despite the novelty of it all, there was a comforting familiarity in the air. My internal wailing became a comfortable companion—even silent, like a gentle flame.

Of course, I didn't reveal the nature of my dream to Zarek out of worry—maybe even doubting his loyalty. But my companion didn't press for details either. Regarding Zarek's concern, he prioritized I dedicate my time to training and growing stronger. 

But for now, I focused on the monstrous creature before me. Its presence sent shivers down my spine as it locked eyes on me. Goo dribbled from the scorpion's mouth as it rattled its pincers threateningly, ready to make its move.

"Big mistake!" I mumbled as I anchored myself and readied for the attack.

The monster's impatience became my advantage as I prepared for the onslaught. As soon as it lunged my way, I stepped aside, missing its menacing claw. I shifted my weight to the side and angled my body in the direction my sword would swing. 

Without delay, I chopped off one of the monster's front legs as it stumbled forward. With its momentum lost, the arachnid desperately launched its venomous stinger where I stood. Its desperate attempt to recover became my advantage.

I jumped out of the way as I dodged the poisonous tip away. I knew the damage I inflicted wasn't much, but at least I incapacitated it until I figured out what to do next. 

"Nice! Good offense and great parry, but it's time you dealt with two enemies at the same time." 

"What?!" The shout ripped through my lips as I lost my footing.

"Just shut up and concentrate. You're doing just fine. Just think about how you'll handle this situation. You need to be ready for the unexpected." 

Right on cue, a gigantic centipede crawled out of the heated river. Its angry red color radiated a faint glow in my shadowy environment. Then, an idea formed as the monsters surrounded me—and I went for it. "They're not getting the best of me." 

The cry came to life, undeterred, as I ran towards my new threat. With its pincers poised to attack, the centipede advanced towards me, determined to finish me. It slithered with calculated knowledge. All this time, the monster studied my attacks from a distance, analyzing my every move.

Yet, a backup plan formed in my head.

The infernal scorpion gave chase, limping its way and giving chase to me—its prey. 

My instincts kicked in as I got dangerously close to my new enemy. I dodged out of harm's way and twisted my body to prepare for my attack. I swung my weapon, chopping another limb off the scorpion while avoiding the centipede's jaw. 

The air pressure changed around me as the scorpion's weapon of choice lunged forward. I moved in time to catch the stinger lodged in the centipede's head with a sickening crunch. Making the most of this precious chance, I pulled my sword toward my considerable threat: the scorpion's stinger. 

I forced my slice upward until I hit the monster's exoskeleton. The resistance was brief before I cut through the scorpion's tail with no problem. Blood and guts sprayed all around as the venom sack fell out of the pulsating, gaping hole. 

"Nice! Now finish it before it has time to recover." Zarek's voice fluttered my way as my attention remained trained on my targets.

Covered in its sticky blood, I assumed my position and concentrated on the task. In the past, I bitched about the comment, but now I just wanted to survive. "Hit the gut, right?" 

"That's right. Look for the soft spot right on its belly." 

"Got it!" My battle cry adorned my lips as I moved. 

For this part, I needed to shimmy under the creature. The creature moved and squealed around, making the feat tricky to accomplish. 

Carefully, I searched for the soft spot on its belly, its weak point. Finally finding my courage, I lunged with all my might and pushed my sword deep into its belly. The creature let out a piercing scream of agony as it scurried away. I slipped away to avoid getting trampled by its remaining legs when I unlogged my sword. I stepped aside to witness its final death dance. 

"Now! It's about time for you to battle a barghest." Zarek's teasing laugh grated on my nerves as he enjoyed himself.