Forged Destiny [Book 2: Ch. 7]

"Cervus," Weiss spoke. "They're native to Atlas and primarily use speed and agility to their advantage. They will seek to charge and kill you in one blow. Their fore bodies are heavily armoured."

"Weaknesses?" Yang asked.

"Their hind quarters, from around the mid-point back, are entirely open. Almost everything about them is built for charging. Dodge and cut their flanks and they shall fall. Their hind legs are also weak, and they can barely move without them."

I nodded and held my shield before me, taking a deep breath as I focused on the one that looked most likely to come for me. It was hard to judge, particularly because they didn't move like normal animals, but rather hopped and skipped from side to side, a zigzag pattern that drew them inexorably closer.

At about twenty metres, however, the pattern stopped – and the closest one lunged and dashed towards me.

"Fight!" Pyrrha, yelled.

The Cervus struck like a rampaging horse, except five times as deadly. The jagged horns skittered off my shield, pinging above my head, their tips glinting in the light. One threat avoided did not mean the other, however, and its body slammed into me.

Snow gave way beneath me, and a strange hardness beneath it that drove the breath from my lungs. My muscles ached but I staggered back onto my feet and faced the beast, confident that without its momentum, it would now be easy prey.

If the Cervus knew that, it seemed unwilling to accept it. Its powerful legs propelled it forward once more, but at a fraction of the speed it showed a moment ago. It skidded in the snow, missing me as I dodged, but quickly reared up with sharp hooves that lashed kicked towards my face.

They clattered against my shield, and although the force was honestly surprising, my high Strength was enough to let me push forward. Its forelegs trapped between its body and the shield, the creature toppled back into the snow. With a yell, Crocea Mors plunged down into its sternum, just beneath the bone armour.

[...]

"Behind you!"

This time, I was prepared. My feet dug down, the shield whipped about as I spun on the spot, crashing into the antlers and driving the beast's head down. Its frame struck me once more, but I squatted and bore it, pushing back and twisting my arms to the left.

The Cervus caught and righted itself. It staggered unevenly for a second and shook its head. A loud snort came from its lips as it pawed at the snow.

[...]

I'd killed Grimm, I'd killed a person – and as the monster dashed forward, I knew that I would kill it too.

Time didn't slow, but my perception of it perhaps increased. Unlike the previous times, I lunged in for the creature, between its horns. Crocea Mors jammed into the groove of one and twisted, snapping the bone with a horrifying crack. My left hand wrapped around the other, and although it was too solid to break, I was able to pull the Cervus from its feet and drag it around my body.

It stumbled and fell, fighting to keep its footing but unable to as its legs tripped over mine.

—Forged Destiny [Book 2: Ch. 7]