The Other Side Of Paradise • Private, Job [Erika]

"Nothing will ever make seeing that OKAY."

Erika was visibly upset at seeing what she had just seen on her own laptop. Even with purging it in holy fire she was satisfied, only the complete destruction of her enemies would bring some form of comfort to the angry dragon, that or if Astrid said forget the mission they take the ship and just give each other a special hug, but she knew Astrid didn't want a special hug at all or really knew what a special hug meant. Instead, Erika knew that Astrid would just be obvious to everything and light their path in front of them to help Erika out...

Or not, she looked scared, but Astrid was a light mage shouldn't she just light their path instead of being afraid of the dark? Was she really so dumb as to not light up the darkness with her magic... how could she be that dumb! Seriously was Astrid not going to try and use her magic, which she had used for a good portion of her life, to light the way forward? Erika was about to say something to get Astrid to realize what she was doing, but then a different idea popped into Erika's brain, an idea which was both sinister and sweet at the same time. Taking advantage of the girl right now seemed horrible but Erika also wanted revenge against whoever had tied her up and then made her burn her eyeballs with the image of two seahorses having whammy time on the screen. Seriously who in the word looked at seahorses and thought, yes that is very attractive. Anyway, Erika now had a plan, a cunning ruse that she could pull over on Astrid, a plan so devious that Erika would be crowned the queen of all plans after this incident.

Attempting to grab Astrid's hand Erika would try and lead her through the darkness of the planet, though her vision wasn't too good in the darkness without using her own abilities to manipulate reality she could make due. There wouldn't be any tripping over rocks on this little adventure now, and instead, Erika wanted to focus on what was important getting her revenge, and being closer to Astrid so as to temper the anger towards her true target. The trip if Astrid let Erika hold her hand would be somewhat calming if she didn't then Erika would just rush ahead and Astrid would probably get horrifically lost or maybe she wouldn't get lost and realize she could just create light out of thin air and it would work out just fine.

Regardless eventually the two of them, with or without a small sweet moment before the storm, would arrive at the destination not too far from the ship, with some dim light around a glowing obelisk of power and someone who looked like Erika laughing around it as it grasped the scientists within its cosmic power. The sight was grisly as most of the scientists were sucked into the crystal and it seemed to glow brightly with their life energies. Laughing the being that looked like Erika turned towards the pair and smiled.

"Well, well, well, it is fortuitous to see the two of you here once more. I could have killed both of you, you know but instead, I decided to let you witness my greatest accomplishment. You see before you a crystal, this planet is host to dark energy and with the right sacrifices, I shall be able to spread this new plague across the galaxy! Soon I shall take my revenge upon you and this world!"

Laughing the who disguised as Erika viewed that their plan was complete, but Erika was confused.

"Take revenge?"

"Yes for what you two did to me! The agony I felt as I was thrown about the different realms."

"Uh... what?"

"It's me..." Transforming into an older gentleman with black hair, red eyes, and pale skin his voice shifted to dark and menacing "Sombra!"

"Who?"

"Are you kidding me!? My mansion, you threw me into different dimensions with a roar, I tried to eat both of you..."

Erika just stared blankly at him.

"You really don't remember me?"

"I don't bother to remember one off thread villains cause I don't think I'll ever see them again."

"One off what?"

"Nevermind... Astrid, you want to just kick his ass and go home?"

---

Post WC: 735
Total WC: 9456/17500

"No Astrid we will take him together!"

Erika shouted as Astrid ran forward towards Sombra, it was easy... too easy. Sombra wasn't a fool or at least he had planned this out for a very long time, and he probably had something powerful with him. Out of the dim light of the crystal came a beast that was made of a substance utterly alien to this dimension. It's very presence disturbed the fabric of reality and made Erika shutter, how could such a thing be allowed to exist in this plain, was it because of a crystal, the sacrifices, what in the world allowed it to be here in this world. This creature was the stuff of nightmares and it took Erika all her will not to just throw up where she stood upon seeing it. For most, it was simply terrifying, but for one who could change the natural law to their whim, it was the anathema. She felt an internal hatred towards this creature, and that is probably why Sombra had brought it here to fight against her, and now the two of them were trapped against it on a planet in the middle of nowhere. This was bad, perhaps the worst thing that could have happened to them, or at least one of them. They were in his court right now, and he had a weapon which had the potential to destroy everything that Erika could do in an instant, AND Astrid ran ahead like an idiot and was attacked.

For the first time, Erika stood paralyzed by fear as she looked on in horror as Astrid was grabbed by the beast and infected with some form of poison. Seeing it leaking out of her was sickening to the young dragon more than anything previously witnessed in her entire life, and she had seen some pretty sick experiments carried out during her lifetime. She saw Astrid writhe in pain on the ground but she couldn't force her body to move a muscle. She wanted to go and help her but the sight of such a creature made Erika unable to move. Was this what others felt against her when she had made them afraid? It was an alien feeling to Erika and one which disturbed her to the core. She didn't have much time to feel the fear for much longer as the beast returned to its master and seemed to mock Erika.

"Will you remember me now? I found this little creature in the nether to where I retreated to reform myself. He doesn't follow the natural laws at all, and by making myself of that dimension I can control him, but I suspect he is your worst nightmare."

"I'm not afraid of him."

"Don't lie to me, my magic makes it so your true feelings are amplified, or did you forget about that? How wonderful to see the two of you so easily defeated, perhaps everyone you care about back home will be easily defeated as well."

"Empty threats coming from someone who won't make it out of here alive!"

"Oh? Then come on..." Stretching his arms out to the side Sombra smiled, "Attack me, I'm wide open."

Erika tried to move closer to him, but she couldn't do it, her body was heavy and resisted, she felt fear and hesitation the likes of which she had never known before in her entire life. Erika looked down towards the struggling Astrid and even that couldn't get her to move closer to try and fight against him. He had Erika dead to rights, she couldn't move closer at all, that beast was so sickening and disgusting that it shook her to her very core. Leaping backward Erika launched a barrage of meteors towards Sombra with a loud cry that wasn't filled with pompous anger or attitude, but one filled with fear, fear of what would happen to her. Though the spell was powerful and could easily destroy the environment Erika only watched in horror as Sombra snapped his fingers and the creature's mouth extended to eat every single last meteor hurled. Erika's eyes widened at the spectacle, that spell wasn't just some little trick she had made, it was one of the more powerful spells she had on hand that came from her mothers magic, the magic which had learned in order to understand how to defeat her later on down the road... but now it was just nothing. She shuttered to think what would happen if she attacked the creature with her threads, probably just eat it all up and then leave Erika vulnerable to the same thing that happened to Astrid.

"That it? I expected better, a roar or something, trying to throw me into another dimension... pity you disappointed me. Poison the blue haired one, I wish to see her suffer and beg for my forgiveness."

With incredible speed the many mouthed beast rushed towards Erika, each one hungry for her flesh.

"STAY BACK!"

Screaming in fear Erika launched a massive wave of threads from her body towards the beast in an attack to destroy it with all her strength. The massive tide of threads pointed inwards as they engaged the creature, but as they made contact with the surface they merely were absorbed into it, and were dissolved with little resistance. Feeling her threads being destroyed caused Erika to spit up a bit onto the ground as it felt like her entire body was being violated by something alien, something corrupt to the core. Erika had always thought she was pure evil, beyond redemption, without a chance to fix the wrongs she had done, but upon feeling this creature with her magic she knew none of that true compared to it. The malice she had felt within her life was nothing compared to it, this thing wasn't just a beast, it was a poison itself, something with went against all beings of this world and corrupted them from the inside out. She HAD to help Astrid, but Erika didn't know what to do, her magic was only slowing the beast down, it wasn't hurting it. Retreating backward Erika launched wave after wave of attack, and with each new thread that made contact with the demon, Erika felt herself die on the inside. Tears flew from her face as she felt the beasts entire being start to affect her mind and body all in one fell swoop. It was unkillable, there was nothing she could do!

Leading it far enough away from Astrid and Sombra Erika turned the entire environment in the blink of an eye into threads, all of which moved to impale the beast. Screaming as she poured all of her energy into this blow the beast screamed out, but not in agony but bliss. Unleashing a torrent of energy all of the threads were destroyed in but an instant corroded away and changed to dust as it's many mouths chuckled with a sinister victory. Turning to face towards Erika, the one who felt all out of options the beast only laughed as she teleported away to try and survive. Erika had two options, to run away and escape this place leaving Astrid behind, to flee to the ship and live, and for the briefest of moments she considered it, this thing was her mortal enemy, she couldn't defeat it, but if she left then it would mean that Astrid would befall a fate worse than death. Was Astrid worth her own life? Was she worth dying for? Erika was torn on the decision, the only thing that had mattered before was her own life, and right now she felt it was the only thing she could preserve...

Then Erika remembered the face of the old man in the woods who had saved from near death... and her eyes glared at nothing but herself. "Damn it old man." Erika mumbled with a shaken voice. "You just have to show up in my mind right now..."

What would he do? He would risk his life to save a complete stranger who he knew nothing about, a person was a murderer and crook, one who had killed hundreds of people easily, and tried to dominate the entire world. Yet here Erika was trying to run away when someone she had feelings for was going to be killed all because she couldn't defeat a monster that was chasing her. Falling to the ground Erika began to cry and she didn't know why was it the fact she was a coward when it really mattered? Was it because she remembered kindness at the worst possible moment? Was it because she lov- shaking her head Erika focused forward and took a tentative but definitive step forward towards where she could sense Sombra and the demon were.

"I can't run, damn it, Eustace, you owe me something big when I get back!" Though despite her bravado Erika knew deep down she owed him more than he would ever owe her.

Moving the environment around her Erika quickly descended upon the area where Astrid was still in pain on the ground, and looking a lot worse for wear. Looking at her Erika could only feel her own fear rise, and with a weak attempt, she tried to silence it. It was then that Sombra manifested out of the dark light of the crystal behind Astrid and faced towards Erika.

"I would have sworn you would take the ship and run. Is it because of her that you stayed? Don't tell me you have a thing for this creature underneath me, she's so beneath you. Then again both of you are beneath me so I suppose it works out just fine. Actually, tell you what if aren't a very big challenge right now, how about you just run and I'll let you escape."

"Let me escape? You have to be kidding why... why would I turn and run against you!"

"Well... if I take away the very thing you are trying to save, why wouldn't you run?" Leaning over Sombra would grab Astrid's weak body and threw a smile towards Erika. "Don't worry my child." He started whispering into Astrid's ear. "Being my servant won't be so bad..." leaning in to try and bite Astrid's neck with his fangs, Erika would point her fingers like a gun towards him and fire out a small pair of panties. Without warning the demon manifested in front of the shot and easily blocked it.

Laughing Sombra pulled back if only to mock Erika as the creature moved to no longer obstruct the view to Sombra. "What a sad attempt, now watch as I take what you love." Leaning down Erika's eyes welled up with tears as his fangs lowered till they almost touched the surface of Astrid's kin. Reaching her hand out Erika screamed with all of her might, "NO!" and as his fangs were about to pierce Astrid, and Erika saw her failure almost completely unfold, tears filling her eyes and for the first time in her life experiencing powerlessness the entire scene faded from her view.

In an instant, Erika blinked and saw that she wasn't on the planet anymore, and she couldn't sense the demon, Sombra, or Astrid. Instead, she was on a slight slope at the dead of night, with the gentle breeze flowing over her skin and chilling her a bit. There were a few trees but otherwise, it was a barren landscape of grasses, and it looked very familiar...

"Oh... well this is a surprise."

Eyes widening, Erika flipped herself around to look towards the source of the voice and with baited breath, Erika could hardly believe what she was seeing right now.

"Erika..."

"Shocker to see you appear out of nowhere kiddo, what are you doing out so late shouldn't you be sleeping after a day of training?"

"Day of training? I haven't trained in years, I was just on another planet and... Astrid... no, I have to get back and save her, I don't have time to be here I have to come up with a plan I need to somehow get past that demon and-"

A loud smack could be heard as Erika was bonked on the head by the other person. Wincing in pain Erika rubbed the top of her head with both hands and looked up towards her.

"Just what are you blabbering about? Stop worrying so much."

"But you just don't understand!-" Smack, "STOP THAT!"

"NO YOU STOP THAT! How can you help whoever you need to help with that kind of attitude! How is being scared shitless going to help you win any situation!"

"But it's a creature not of this reality!"

"Uh huh."

"Its poison to the dimension!"

"Yep."

"Are you even paying attention to me Erika!"

"The ONLY thing I'm paying attention to are excuses for why something CAN'T be done, not how something CAN be done."

"But there is nothing that can BE DONE!"

Sighing the brown and pink haired girl went over to the top of the hill and sat back down on the smoothed rock. "Then I have failed." Reaching into her purse the pink and brown haired girl called Erika opened up a small bottle and started to drink it.

"How have you failed? I have mastered everything you have taught me, I'm basically unstoppable!"

"Yet you can't kill this thing?"

"Nothing can!"

"Yep I failed."

"No, didn't you just hear I mastered everything you taught me!"

chugging the entire bottle the girl grew an annoyed looked on her face and threw the empty bottle directly into Erika's. Taking the blow Erika rubbed her forehead only to see her teacher standing over her.

"What happened to the young woman who I healed and had a fire in her eyes that couldn't be put out."

"She-" Smack.

"Shut the fuck up, I'm not done yet. She appeared before me and wanted nothing more than to learn and grow, to become stronger to take revenge to conquer, to learn about the entire world, and NOW THAT SHE LOSES ONE FIGHT SHE JUST GIVES UP!"

Smack, "STOP!" Smack, "SAYING!" Smack, "YOU!" Smack, "CAN'T!" Smack, "AND!" Smack, "START!" Smack, "FIGHTING!" Smack, "BACK!" Sma-

Stopping the chop to her head with her right hand Erika looked up towards the girl with anger in her eyes. "THAT, RIGHT THERE!" Shaking her hand free the girl turned around and looked up towards the stars in the sky.

"That is why I taught you what I know, well almost all of it."

"Almost all of it?"

Turning around the girl smiled, "Well, of course, I can only teach you what I can perform myself."

"But you mastered this magic, you were the best thief in the entire world right? Nothing stopped you?"

"Kid, I've been stopped plenty of times in my life, and I'm not the most durable or strong anymore, in fact, I'm more of a has-been."

"But you went to steal stuff all the time, you stole all of those treasures!"

"I had already stolen them, I suffered an injury on the last job I took that made me lose a good portion of my strength, honestly I probably can't fight very well anymore."

"But that means all of it..."

"Was a big fat lie! How does it feel to know your teacher fooled you?"

"Pretty shitty actually."

"Well congratulations the same thing happened to me when I learned the magic."

"So let me get this straight, you tell me to relax because you are a big fat liar who didn't teach me everything!? How does that help me?"

"For someone who is so damn smart you can really be stupid. Isn't it good news that there is something that could help you, in fact you already can feel the power within you right?"

"I don't feel anything..."

"You don't? Focus Erika... you feel it."

About to yell at her Erika instead played along with it and tried to focus on what magical power she had left after her massive assault upon the beast a few minutes ago. Nothing appeared within her mind or feelings.

"Not on yourself but where you are, what is around you..."

Focusing on the environment Erika felt nothing, nothing... nothing... wait she didn't feel anything she didn't belong here! None of this was where she was supposed to be! She couldn't feel it because she wasn't real... Like a light switch in her head, Erika felt a surge of energy within herself and started to faintly glow white as she started to view where exactly she was. Faster and faster her mind filled with the different possibilities of where she was located, where... where... where... she found it, she was on the hill by the house where she had been trained and it was...

Suddenly her eyes widened as she looked her teacher in the eyes and Erika began to cry. "This is the night you went to go and fight those thugs isn't it..."

"Was my plan."

"But that means I'm actually on the night when."

"I die? Yeah, I've seen it in the future too."

"IF YOU KNEW YOU WOULD DIE THEN WHY FIGHT THEM!"

"Its not about me."

"BULLSHIT! YOU ARE A FOOL FOR DOING IT!"

"Really? Am I a fool for going out and dying? That's odd I view it as the best decision I could make in my life."

"How could it be the best decision... I needed you..." Erika stated the tears freely flowing. Leaning in the girl wiped some of them away with her finger.

"Do you really? What are you?"

"What?"

"What have you accomplished?"

"Well I infiltrated several guilds, learned the weaknesses of countless people, killed hundreds so I could get what I wanted, and become the leader of my own company as a front to try and use my money to fund my other research, oh and I stole my fathers inventions and perfected them for myself, and I also reconciled with him somewhat and..."

"All wrong, what have you finally experienced?"

"I've..." Thinking for a brief moment Erika's gazed got determined, "Love... I've experienced love!"

"The student surpasses the teacher. I have never experienced such an emotion for another that wasn't related to me, I couldn't connect into the time of others, it's why I never mastered the magic, but you... you can. Focus on it not yourself but others, what is around you, see without thinking, experience without moving. Take what you can be not what you are, and make it who are you."

"I will... I have to, it's the only way I can save her..."

"Oh my a little lesbo are we?"

Erika blushed, "You know I can change into anything! It's not like that, just cause she has a female body doesn't-" Smack.

"Take a damn joke, and get out here kid, and save everything. Make what I am about to do worth it alright?"

Both of them smiled at the same time as Erika focused and started to fade away "I will Erika, and thank you for this last lesson."

"Of course, oh and be sure you put a ring on it before you fu--"

"Lalalalalalal can't hear you!" Fading away Erika couldn't stop laughing on the inside as she felt the sorrow of what would happen but the comfort of her teacher's word in her mind, renewing her spirit and casting out her fear. As she started to fade back to where she had been on the dark planet Erika could feel the threads of time all around her, every single one being cut off in various ways and ending in her death... all but one a thread that kept going one which never ended, a thread which Erika had never detected before, one which flowed with the power that she warmly felt within her body at this moment. As she took hold of the thread her entire body glowed as she felt her form fade away, cast off in exchange for a form which felt natural. With a thought, she saw in the past what she had looked like when she was born and what her dad and done to her to keep her alive. That weak body that felt nothing but pain now washed over her and only felt a surge of strength.

"Thank you, father... I can handle it from here." Taking on the form Erika's potential was unleashed, her full power was at her beck and call and unlike when she was a baby now she could control it rather than it controlling her.

Immediately before the fangs sank into Astrid's neck Erika shot another pair of panties towards Sombra and he laughed again, but this time it faded faster as he saw the faint glow around Erika's body as it seemed to be washed away into a new form by the said glow.

"Interesting, you attempt to trick me, very well kill her I grow tired of this charade."

Rushing towards her the beast howled from all of its mouths and caused the ground to shake, but Erika stood firm, her twin tails now a pearl white in color waved backward not from the roar but from Erika's own power, which Sombra didn't sense at all. Erika couldn't conceive it the man would surely panic from such an upsurge in power, but rather he didn't sense anything? How could he not sense anything, unless...

As the beast came down upon her Erika's only motion was moving her right hand to her side and manifesting the holy sword Excalibur within it. with a deep breath, Erika focused on all the potential outcomes that could happen and grasping the handle of the sword in both hands she raised it over it her head. When the beast came down to eat her, Erika swung downward as tie beast almost touched her with its teeth and with a single blow the entire serpent light beast let out a scream of agony that ripped at the fabric of dimensions. Instead of biting into Erika the beast was thrown to both sides of her and with its forward momentum crashed far behind Erika into the ground, and continued its unending wailing of torment. Sombra's face turned to pure horror as he watched his creature be bested by one who previously couldn't touch it at all. Blinking her saw the glowing figure of Erika before him vanish, and teleporting next to the crystal Sombra watched as Erika's blade swung exactly where his neck has been, and a cold sweat developed on his brow. This girl wasn't this strong a moment ago, what happened he couldn't sense her at all, it didn't make any sense he was powerful and she was... no...

"How.."

Grabbing Astrid as she fell Erika looked down towards the pained girl and a small tear once again flowed from her eyes. "This may hurt but I think I can counteract what's in you." Piercing her skin with some threads Erika had them swim around Astrid's body towards the major concentrations of the poison and with some agony on Erika's own part had the thread attempt to lock down the poison. It wasn't perfect by any means but by using the blade Excaliburs holy energies she could at least delay it until the beast could be slain. Gently lowering Astrid to the ground Erika smiled towards her.

"Rest for a bit alright, don't worry... I'll make sure he doesn't get back up this time."

Turning to face towards Sombra Erika lowered Excalibur to her side and grasped the handle with both hands again and slowly started to walk forward. To Sombra it looked as if Erika was taking her time, but in Erika's mind she had already killed him a hundred times over, and she was merely trying to pick the outcome that would be most pleasing to her mood.

---

Post WC: 3993
Total WC: 13,449/17,500

"Don't worry, I'll take care of him."

Was all Erika could say back to Astrid, mostly because Erika was finding it a bit hard to concentrate on much else than her current objective. Erika wasn't used to seeing so many paths crossing each other at one time, at most she had previously looked into the past or future and that took great concentration, but now she could effortlessly see what might happen before her. This new ability was trial by fire, and even though she had plunged the great beast behind her into disarray she hadn't killed it, she still couldn't truly kill it, not here at least it would have to be back in its place of origin, but she could prevent it from causing any further harm till she dealt with Sombra. Speaking of Sombra the man made a mad dash towards the crystal, and while Erika should just rush in on him and cut him down right now, she wanted him to waste all of his powers on her because that way he wouldn't have any tricks left to pull if he desired to revive. It meant Erika would have to run a gauntlet, but with Astrid being her crippled, and the conversation with her teacher still fresh in her mind Erika had all the motivation she needed to stand her ground against whatever horrors he wanted to unleash.

Sombra upon arriving at the crystal placed his hand upon the dark construct and poured his mana into it. "Rise my underlings! Take revenge for your fallen comrade!"

"That's your big evil speech? No wonder you are losing."

"Shut up... it's fine, it's dark and evil! It shows your doom!"

"Uh huh, sure it does."

"Look you bitch, I don't care how glowing you are, I'm going to kill you!"

In a mocking tone, Erika mimicked Sombra's words and his face grew red with frustration. Unleashing at least a dozen of the beasts from the crystal, Erika took a step back and placed Excalibur firmly between both of her hands in front of her. Concentrating on the various threads of time in which she both succeeded and failed Erika saw her opportunity and grabbed it. Dashing forwards she sliced one from the left side, one from the right side, one right down the middle, and then continued to warped next to them one at a time and either slice them in half or run them through. In an instant, all of the monsters fell to the ground in pain. Flicking Excalibur to the side the gunk from the monsters flew off, and Erika gave Sombra a smirk.

"Impossible, HOW!? Those creatures are immune everything of this reality!?"

"I denied their reality and substituted my own."

"You what?"

"The reality that Erika always wins."

"That reality sucks."

"YOU SUCK!"

With that Erika appeared in front of Sombra and with an overhead swing sliced him right down the center. Turning into a puddle of blood Sombra's torn body suddenly snapped out at Erika to try and attack her, but vanishing and reappearing back towards Astrid she dodged the blow.

"I'm not going to go down, without a fight."

Reforming his body Sombra glared towards Erika and the crystal pulsed with a dark light. The energy from the crystal flew into Sombra and in a scream of pain, his body jerked into the air and then crashed down into the ground. Picking himself up from the ground Sombra stood his entire being pulsing with the corruption of the crystal. Smiling he unleashed an aura of the energy into the air as he flexed his new power. The wailing of the beasts was drowned out by silence from the sheer pressure of the magical energy in the air.

"This should be enough to kill you."

Laughing Sombra held his arms to his side and a tidal wave of blood manifested itself behind him. Pointing towards Erika he unleashed the torrent of blood towards her to drown both her and Astrid in its foul energies and kill them. Taking a defensive stance Erika focused and raised a wall of threads to block the incoming attack. As the two forces clashed the threads buckled only slightly as the blood smashed into them. Suddenly Sombra teleported to the left side of Erika and with a backhand flung her far into the forest. As the threads faded away from the blood that remained entered Sombra and he laughed.

"Such power, know it well, for it is what killed you!"

As he laughed, Sombra's smiled faded slightly... the atmosphere turned quiet as he looked in the direction he had sent Erika. Nothing was there, but he could hear her moving through the forest slowly towards him.

"SO YOU STILL TRY AND DEFY ME!?"

Manifesting thousands of spikes from blood he unleashed a torrent of needles towards the forest. wave after wave crashed into the overgrowth and reduced the forest to nothing but cut bark and leaves. Smiling as he saw nothing but the destruction he wrought Sombra almost screamed out in victory if it wasn't for the small glimmer that appeared. Rapidly approaching small the source of light quickly became apparent that it was Erika charging directly at Sombra. Manifesting more of his needles he unleashed in waves towards Erika's position, but in an instant, she vanished and reappeared to the side of where they were thrown. As she got closer to him the desperation in his attacks became apparent, and as she gathered a massive number behind him to absolutely devastate the area Erika appeared to the right of Sombra and covering Excalibur in her phoenix flames sliced his right arm clean off. Screaming in pain Sombra felt Erika kick him in the stomach and send him flying this time, a large burn mark where she made impact remained. As he was sent flying all of the blood fell onto the ground and Erika, recomposed herself.

Attempting to stand up Sombra found it difficult, but he knew if he just regrew his arm he could hit her this time. His expression turned to shock when he looked towards his arm and noticed he couldn't grow it back.

"What is this? My arm, what did you do to me!?"

Erika didn't answer instead she merely pointed Excalibur towards the crystal and his eyes grew wide.

"No..."

Vanishing Erika appeared in front of the crystal and raised her arms to slice at the crystal.

"NO!"

Sombra screamed as she made the impact with the dark portal, and pouring all her might into the swing Erika inflicted a small crack upon the crystal. Turning to look towards Sombra Erika sheathed Excalibur on her back. Laughing as he saw there was no damage he didn't get much of a chuckle before the entire crystal shattered and the crystals dark energy formed a rift that began to suck all of its energy back towards it. Feeling his power leaving him Sombra's body got weak and he fell to his knees as all of the beasts were thrown back to the dark dimension that they had come from. Appearing between him and Astrid Erika looked down on Sombra and crossed her arms.

"Anymore tricks?"

"I'll return, one day I shall be back and on that day I'll crush you, both of you!"

"I'm sorry, but you won't be back."

Unsheathing Excalibur Erika covered it in her flames and pointed the sword right at his heart.

"Rest well."

Stabbing his heart her fire overcame his body. disappearing in cinders Erika let out a sigh of relief as she fell backward onto the ground, the blood he had created thankfully also vanishing before she fell back into it. Trying to calm down from the recent battle Erika could only think how it was finally over, and now Astrid and Erika could just head back, oh and gather the samples she supposed. Suddenly the brush became alive and Erika looked with a worried expression over towards the source of the noise, but what she saw was a man who looked incredibly relieved and yet still worried.

"So uh, hi, good show... I'm glad I decided to give the one orbiting scientist a burial instead of going to the site... cause everyone died just like my family in that factory. Anyway, I uh... I can go and get the samples, the engines are primed so we can just head back home."

With a smile, Erika let out a small chuckle. "Home sounds nice..."

---

Post WC: 1417
Total WC:14,866/17,500

Erika wanted to just fall asleep right in the middle of this forest, and she almost did just that until a little raindrop hit her forehead. Was it raining after she broke that crystal? Was the crystal stopping the normal cycle of life on this planet, and why was this planet so much like earthland anyway? Well, maybe this was the first venture for a colonization effort or something, because some people just didn't want to live on earthland anymore, and frankly Erika couldn't blame them for it. As the scientist moved to retrieve the samples Erika thought about it for a moment, was it a good idea to retrieve the samples from that thing and bring it back home? Some secrets should probably just be left on this planet and not be brought back to a planet that Erika lived on. As strong as she had become and felt she didn't want to fight off wave after wave of those creatures on home turf.

"Say, scientist man? Can we just grab a fake sample and bring it back? You know, various plant life and such that isn't contaminated by that crystal?"

The man sighed a bit and looked towards the location of the crystal, his mind calculating the risk of not taking back such a prize to his employers and how he would certainly suffer.

"I can't just return without getting the substance I'll be punished by my employer and that'll end horrifically."

"Well I can you horrifically right now, even if I am tired. So either you leave it or you don't come back."

Glancing at the man looked towards the area the crystal resided in, and back towards Erika only to change his expression from confusion to a glare.

"If it means killing you, I'll take revenge for my family."

Pressing a button on his hip magical energy was drained from the area or at least the specific residue of the crystal that barely floated about, and in an instant, the man vanished into a beam of light heading back home. Erika attempted to teleport towards him the location and slash at the man, but even with her newly enhanced reflexes, Erika was too late to cut him down as the technology seemed to work at an incredible speed. With frustration, Erika held herself up by planting Excalibur into the ground.

"Well that's not good, whoever his employer is, I'll probably have to kill them later... wonderful."

Erika sighed in frustration as she looked back towards Astrid, and attempted to summon up the strength to move both Astrid and herself magically. It took a bit of strength but she was able to lift Astrid off the ground and herself and make several warps back to the ship, landing in the main hallway, and closing the door behind them. Falling to the ground Erika lay on her back.

"I'm going to take a small nap and then we can head back to the ship. I'm guessing that guy had a one way get out of jail free card, though he didn't seem like the scientist type, so whoever hired him is pretty dangerous technology wise. Anyway... at least we can head... home... now... zzzz"

Erika said drifting into a slumber till one could only hear her faint breathing, she didn't care that it was the cold floor of a spaceship, Erika was just glad to finally enjoy her vacation, since there were at least three months to go before they got back, though that meant there were three months the newfound enemy would have upon them in terms of research... oh well Erika could just kill all of them anyway... right? Sometime told her this was just the beginning of another plague upon her life, little did she know her guess was a bit closer to home.

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Post WC: 639
Total WC: 15505