Secret Oasis

The girl was on one hell of a roll at the moment and after her success with destroying the heavenly castle, Cierra had been all too eager in quickly diving back into the thick of things. The events of that particular mission had begun to spread and she’d been flooded with job offers from all over the place, which had caused her to feel almost giddy with joy. Every job done would bring her closer to gaining her mother’s approval and each would also cause her strength to grow. She’d become rather tired with Fiore though and so the dual slayer had decided to travel abroad again to hopefully have some fun overseas.

So, after some thought, she’d packed her gear and took flight across the sea, preferring that to travelling by sea and made her way towards the desert sands of Desierto. She’d never been there before, which would have been enough reason for her to go but the job that she’d chosen sounded so mysterious that the pink haired slayer just had to go. The idea of exploring a mysterious oasis was just too exciting to pass up and the job flyer had made it clear that there would be plenty of beasts for her to tangle with. It all sounded like a good time and she was awfully eager to get started.

Her contact was waiting for her at the country docks and he was soon waving her down from the moment he caught sight of her flying towards him. She was hard to miss at the best of her times and with her enormous pair of wings carrying her, it made it almost impossible. The slayer’s keen sense of sight would easily pick the figure out and she descended without a moment’s thought, landing safely besides the contact and turning her gaze towards them.

“Welcome to Desierto,” the robed figure would say, pulling down their hood to reveal a brunette haired woman with dazzling green eyes, “I am Anna and it is my job to escort you to the oasis which is rather far out in the desert. I hope you brought some sunscreen and a lot of water, my dear mage, as it does get awfully hot around here. I have a vehicle that can get us to where we need to go but it will be quite a long...HEY!”

Cierra had another option and without any warning she placed her hands around the waist of the contact, flapped her wings and took off. “We don’t need a vehicle when I can just fly us there. Just point me in the right direction and I’ll get us where we need to go. My name’s Cierra Huxx and I’ll be your captain for this flight,” she said, giggling like crazy as she easily carried the woman, who felt like nothing in the girl’s strong arms. “I’ve come a long way so I hope that this little adventure of ours will be a fun one.”

“You could have asked me first!” Anna snapped, her cheeks turning slightly pink due to the close contact but seeming to enjoy the sensation of being in the air, “Anyway, I am sure that this job will be more than enough to satiate your wanderlust. I have heard a great deal about you, Miss Huxx although I hope that not everything I have heard is true. You have a tendency for violence that few mages seem to and I trust that you can tell friend from foe. We have a great many researchers and explorers who wish to survey the place but are constantly attacked by the wildlife and natives, with more than a few quite wary of your reputation. Do not cause any more problems for them or you will not be paid.”

“You seem to be forgetting something,” the slayer answered, loosening her grip slightly and causing the woman to shriek and hold on to her tighter, “When you hire me for a job, I’m in charge and will handle things as I see fit. What you’ve heard about me is probably true and I do tend to get a little over excited but have no fear, I’ll complete your little task and get rid of those in the way. Oh! Is that the desert? It’s lovely!”

Sitting before the pair was a sea of sand and with a happy chuckle, the girl would start the long trek across the sands, while Anna would point out various locations and settlements as they flew over them. Cierra had expected the land to be barren but she couldn’t have been more wrong although the fact that most people seemed to scream when she flew over them was a little worrying.

“Why are they acting that way?” She’d ask the woman in her arms after a while, “It’s like they’re scared of me or something. What’s up?”

“Magic is not looked upon too fondly here,” Anna replied, “Some of our beliefs are rather old fashioned and the sultans that rules this land have little tolerance for your kind. The fact that we are even hiring you would no doubt upset them but we had little option. We need someone to do this job properly and a mage such as yourself is best suited for it. Expect a frosty reception as you travel through these lands.”

“Frosty? In a desert? You say some fucking weird things,” Cierra laughed, “I hope that this attitude doesn’t result in them attacking otherwise things are gonna get nasty real fast. I don’t take kindly to being stabbed in the back Anna and if I sense treachery, I’ll kill all of you. Saying that though, I’d rather not as you’re a lovely woman and I was hoping we could maybe…” her hands would start to move up Anna’s body, causing the guide to blush.

“Tch, you are certainly not subtle, are you?” the guide quipped although she was hiding a smile, “Maybe after the job is done you can come back to my place. For now though, let us keep focused on the job.

“I’ll hold you to that,” the pink haired girl giggled as the pair continued across the sands.

(1033 Words)

The trip was rather uneventful and the locals seemed smart enough to at least not try and throw things at the winged mage as she carried Anna across the sands. They all had that same look and even though she now understood why they did, it was still rather odd to her. Magic was a gift after all and certainly nothing to fear and the pink haired slayer found it quite sad that these people were so old fashioned in their beliefs. The simplest spell could so so much more than a normal tool and weapon and Cierra found the thought of a world without her magic to be quite frightening. She’d been taught to express herself through it from such an early age and her mother had always encouraged her to use it whenever possible. Yes, her magic was all about causing pain and harm but that was just part of the fun. Her path up until now had been paved with the corpse of those who’d got in her way and she doubted that would change anytime soon. It was her way or no way and that philosophy had worked wonders for her so far. Oh, how she loved her life.

“It should not be long now before we reach the oasis,” Anna said brightly, having come to enjoy the sensation of flying, “I am not certain as to how the explorers are going to respond to you Cierra, so be prepared. They all agreed that we needed help but I would be lying if I said that they were all happy about it. Try not to lose your temper with them as we need them in order to find out the secrets of the place and I will have to withdraw your payment if any of them dies by your hand.”

“Oh, I’ll behave myself if they do,” the slayer answered with a chuckle, “How about you tell me a little more about what is keeping them from exploring the place? The flyer said something about monsters and beasts. Is that true or are you guys just talking crap? I’d like to know before I go hell for leather in there.”

“Trust me, we are not over exaggerating,” Anna replied, “We have had researchers falling into pits, shot by arrows, poisoned by gas and a few have been eaten whole. From what we can tell, the oasis is more like a jungle in nature. Yes, I know how strange that sounds given that it is in the middle of a desert but it is a strange place indeed. Snakes, jaguars and crocodiles all lurk around it, eager to grab anyone who gets too close. We have even caught sight of far larger creatures in the shadows, ones that are dozens of feet tall. It is unclear as to just what they are but they seem to be capable of using magic.”

“Sounds like fun,” Cierra quipped, “I admit that all this talk is starting to get me a little excited and I can't wait to get in there and start clearing the place out. I hope you don’t expect to bring these monsters in for experimenting on though as I don’t do that kind of thing. When I kill something, I don’t leave much behind when I’m done. Think you should know that before we go any further. Blood and guts everywhere, that’s my method.”

“We have no interest in them so do what you want,” the guide responded, “All we want is the oasis and the surrounding area cleared out so that we can proceed with our exploring. Speaking of which, I think that we have just reached the oasis now.”

A wide grin crossed the pink haired girl’s face as the lovely location came into view, a beautiful area of large trees, with the majestic oasis lying in the centre of it. It was an eye opening sight for sure and as Cierra came into land, she couldn’t wait to start exploring, as well to take a dip in the beautiful water. The desert was incredibly hot and sticky and the slayer’s clothing was starting to become drenched with sweat. Sure, she could naturally absorb the liquid back but that didn’t help her dress all that much. She made a mental note to next time try and wear something lighter when travelling to a hot and humid place.

Coming to a stop on the sand, she released her grip on Anna and followed the guide as she walked over towards a small group of people. They were all dressed like explorers and researchers although the look on their faces wasn’t exactly friendly, much to her annoyance. Still, she had a job to do and was keen to get started. She paid little attention to them and after a few minutes of talking, Cierra was ready to get going. “Alright, I’m off, try not to get eaten while I’m away,” she said bluntly, sticking her tongue out at the snobbish researchers, before flashing a grin towards Anna and heading off into the forest surrounding the oasis. This was going to be a fun little mission and from the moment that she left the camp and entered the lush grass, she felt her excitement start to rise and her heart began to beat like crazy. This was where she thrived, on the hunt and in the middle of enemy territory.

Her slayer enhanced senses instantly began to reveal themselves as her sight, smell and hearing all began to work in perfect harmony, on the lookout for the slightest hint of movement or sound. She was very much in the lion’s den here and after a few moments of soft and slow walking, the girl began to sprint, working herself up into a frenzy as she prepared for combat, knowing full well that she wouldn’t be alone for long.

Yet, when something actually did happen, it didn’t come from in front or behind her but below, as the ground beneath her suddenly gave way and she found herself tumbling into the darkness.

(1015 Words)
(2048/7000 Total WC)

Everything became a bit of a blur as she tumbled down and it was only out of instinct that she was able to allow her wings to grow once more and stop her descent. It was great timing too as any later and she would have hit the ground hard but thanks to her quick thinking, she was able to slow down enough to land safely. There was little in the way of light and if it wasn’t for her keen slayer sight, she’d probably not be able to see anything at all. Her pulse racing at the sudden surprise, she’d stare upwards at the hole that she’d made and was just about to start flying back upwards when a sound suddenly caught her attention, something close and moving towards her.

They were hard to make out at first and it was only when they came close enough that she was able to make out the small insects that were darting towards her. They didn’t seem all that threatening though and the mage simply stood on them as they came towards her. They looked like beetles but were slightly larger but they died just as easily. The girl giggled as she just trod on them, each one giving off a satisfying crunch as their innards splattered all over the floor. It was a little odd to find them down here and the pink haired slayer briefly mused to herself that whoever made the trap must have planned on something more than beetles being able to stop her. Her suspicions were raised and as she crushed the last beetle that came towards her, she began to ponder just what else was hanging around in the depths.

Turning around in a 360 degree circle, Cierra would briefly gaze at her dark surroundings, keeping her eyes out for any further sign of movement. Her animal instincts were rising to the surface and she began to feel like prey, being stalked by a predator. It annoyed her beyond belief as she’d been raised and taught to always be the predator, not the other way around. She knew that there was something else moving towards her and soon enough, a soft hissing could soon be heard, as a much larger animal came into view. A snake, at least four foot long and what was more, it was not alone either, as three others soon began to surround the pink haired girl, each one with the same hungry look in their eyes.

Slithering across the ground, they’d work in complete tandem with each other, slowing moving in, ready to strike. Cierra would instantly mutter a few words, causing a pair of blood coloured claws to burst from her hands, a feral look crossing her features. Wildly swiping out at one of the snakes, she’d narrowly miss as the slimy reptile was able to move its head back and out of the way, before another of the four would suddenly strike out with its venomous fangs. Cierra could feel the attack just briefly miss her but in a flurry of movement, she was able to swing around and decapitate the snake, cutting its head clean off of its body and causing its carcass to slump to the floor.

With a kill under her belt, the velocity and strength of her attacks would start to increase as she began to lash out more viciously at the reptiles. They in turn seemed to have been spurred on by the scent of their deceased brethren and began to become more hostile. The air became charged with the sounds of battle as the slayer fought against the creatures. A wicked grin would cross her features and her pupils would dilate and as she brought her claw around and sliced another snake clean in half, her lust for blood would only increase.

The other two snakes were far more cautious now and as they moved around together so that they were side by side. Together, they would begin to lash out with their jaws, trying to grab hold of any part of the pink haired girl and infect her with their vicious poison. Yet, the girl was more than prepared at this point and was able to sit and wait until they made a fatal mistake. The third slithering creature would lunge too far, causing Cierra to dart to the left, before bringing her foot down and crushing the snake’s head with her foot, before inserting her claws into its body.

That left only one and as it came to the realisation that it was alone, it simply backed away from her and instead dived on top of one of the dead corpses, deciding to pray on the body of its kin rather than be killed by the slayer. The pink haired girl briefly considered killing it too but in the end, she simply left the beast to it. People had to eat and so did the animals. It seemed to have no further interest in her anyway and as she turned away from it and took to the sky, her wings  beating hard as she flew back up the long drop, heading for the surface.

This little adventure had already stirred up the fire inside her and as she burst forth from the darkness and back out into the forest terrain, she was already eager to continue her little trek. Her wings would vanish once again, as she preferred to walk through the lush greenery and she was soon wandering through the undergrowth, her senses hopefully a tad more in tune for traps this time around. With a wicked grin and her claws spread wide, she began to dash through the grass once more, looking out for whatever challenge she would face next. Her employer had spoken of large cats, monsters and mythical creatures which she was certainly looking forward to get her claws and everything else into. She wouldn’t stop until the entire oasis had been cleared out, that was for sure.

(1003 Words)
(3051/7000 Total WC)

The tables had definitely turned and as the pink haired slayer continued her decimation of the forest, it seemed that strength and might only grew. Her eyes were wide and dilated, while her senses were at fever pitch. She yearned for more blood and couldn’t care less as to whether it was human or animal. Everything guarding this forest was going to be removed and slaughtered like cattle. The battle with the snakes had put her on edge and she was looking forward to seeing what else was hiding within the undergrowth to try and kill her. Yes, her employer had given her a fairly good idea as to just what to expect but if she’d learned anything by now, it was that things were rarely as simple as they were supposed to be.

A sudden clicking noise would capture her attention and the girl would briefly dive to her right in order to avoid a large stinger which seemed to come out of nowhere. It was a vicious looking weapon and as Cierra turned to face her foe, she could certainly see why. In front of her was a scorpion, at least three feet long, with massive pincers, as well as that mighty stinger at the edge of its tail. With a grin, the slayer would once more lash out with her claws in an attempt to bait the creature into attacking again, which the animal took fell for. Lashing out, only for the mage to dodge the attack and cut the stinger clean off, causing the animal to click in anger and try to grab her with its pincers. Moving quickly, she’d surround her fist with blood and launch a projectile of blood that would throw the creature back, causing it to slam into a tree.

The noise didn’t go unnoticed though and two other scorpions emerged from the tall grass, coming between the girl and their fallen ally. Clicking furiously, they would work together quite harmoniously in trying to force the girl backwards but in the end, Cierra simply resorted to her other abilities, causing a wave of blood to tear forwards from her position and sweep all three of the scorpions away, resulting in them lying motionless on the grassy floor. Her grin widening, she’d then raise a hand to the sky, causing a wicked lightning bolt to strike her foes and leaving them as little more than charred shells.

With a nod, she’d continue on and after a few minutes or so, came out of the forest and found herself beside a small pool of water. Clearly, it wasn’t the oasis she had been searching for but it was at least a step in the right direction. She mused that she could probably follow the pool to its source, which would hopefully be her destination. With that in mind, she began to do just that, jogging down the side of the pool and once more continuing on her trek. For a while it went great but a caw from above would soon capture her attention and as her gaze turned skyward, she noticed a large amount of birds circling her position. It was tough to count just how many they were but it was easy enough to know their intentions. Swooping around, they would soon start to descend on her as they came down towards her, Cierra would unleash a blood tornado to capture the winged creatures and stop them in their tracks. Shrieking in pain in terror, the birds would be infected by the girl’s horrible blood spell and as they crashed to the ground, the mage would then create a blood puddle underneath them, which the birds would then sink into, killing them all.

The place was certainly lively and just when the slayer thought that she’d finished clearing up her current area, a figure would dart about from the forest from behind her and try to slash her with a blade. Startled, Cierra would just about evade and deliver a powerful lightning infused kick to her attacker, knocking them backwards and crashing to the ground. The figure was clearly male although judging by his garb, he was a native of the region, which she assumed meant that he wasn’t going to just let her pass, not that she would have spared him even if he did. Annoyed by the sudden attack, she’d then bodily pick up the fool and throw him into the water, leaving him to splutter in the cool liquid.

With a wild shriek, a second figure would then emerge, wielding an axe and looking overwhelmed by anger and rage. It was an expression that she knew all too well and as he started to swing like crazy, Cierra would just giggle while dodging his blows, before catching him with a powerful punch to his stomach, followed by a pair of horrible looking slashes with her claws in the same area. Howling in pain, the man would drop the axe, only for Cierra to catch it and remove his head. Crying in anguish, his fellow warrior in the water would curse at her but the mage just threw the axe at him, which finished him off and sent him to the bottom of the pool, turning the water red.

Having defeated the two, the mage briefly pondered if there would be any more but for the moment at least, things seemed to have quieted down. Enough for her to feel that it was safe to continue moving and so she began to make her way across the pool’s edge once more, leaving the two bodies to be eaten by whatever scavengers were in the area. The girl was starting to enjoy this little mission of madness and it was with almost a shriek of glee when she soon saw three more figures coming out of the trees to block her path.

The natives wern’t finished yet, all carrying the same wrathful look that the axe wielder had worn. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

(1005 Words)
(4056/7000 Total WC)

With a wicked giggle of her own, Cierra dashed into the group of three, claws flying out in all directions and causing the three native warriors back. Her swings were wide and combined with her speed and athletic ability it made her a very difficult target for them to hit. They were all wielding long spears and tried to keep her away but her movements were so erratic that they just couldn’t keep her off. A weak parry would soon be taken advantage of and with a vicious slash, the girl would cut straight through one of the spears, before planting her other claw into the man's chest, causing blood to burst from him as he started to howl with pain. The blood instantly set her off and quickly slashed him twice more, causing him to fall to fall to the ground, cuts across his torso.

The other two were clearly shaken and their looks of anger turned to fear and worry which only caused the girl’s smile to widen. Releasing a spurt of blood from her hand, she’d splatter one of them in the face with it and as the spell began to take effect, her targets eyes would roll back in his head as he fell under her control. Chuckling, she’d then force him to attack his ally and the girl would watch with unbridled joy as the two natives were forced to fight each other in a brutal battle. The two men would battle on each other ferociously, one out of confusion and fear and the other because he was simply being pushed into it. It was a savage little frenzy and to her utmost delight, her warrior ended up winning by planting his spear through his former friend, killing him swiftly.

She’d then cruelly release her spell, allowing him to regain his senses and discover what he’d just done. His eyes would widen with surprise as the realisation hit him and as that surprise turned to hatred and he turned to face the slayer, Cierra would come forward and deliver a blood coated uppercut, catching him in the chin and forcing his head backwards. There was a horrible crack as her punch made contact and in one beautiful movement, the pink eyed savage would grasp the man’s falling spear and impale him with it. Falling to the ground, he would hit the sand hard and just to make sure he was dead, Cierra would then remove the spear and stab him a second time. With a gurgle, his life would expire and the girl would broadly grin as she was once again victorious. This was becoming such a blood fest and she couldn’t be happier.

“Stay where you are,” a voice would shout all of a sudden, causing the girl’s head to snap around. Standing about twenty feet away from her was another native, a brunette haired female, wielding what seemed to be a staff. “This is our territory and you must pay the price for the crimes you have committed. Had you stayed your hand, you may well have lived but there is only answer to the murder of my kin. Death…” Before she could even finish, the woman was forced to defend herself as Cierra had launched a lightning javelin in her direction. The oasis mage  would try to protect herself by creating a shield of fire but the lightning attack would begin to burrow through the shield and hit its mark, causing the woman to spasm with pain.

With a snigger, Cierra would open her mouth and unleash a powerful roar of blood which would then strike her paralysed opponent, poisoning and causing her even more pain. “If you’re gonna fight, fight, don’t talk,” the girl said brightly, before surrounding herself with lightning and charging at her opponent. With a mighty crash, she would hurl herself bodily at the oasis mage, sending her flying backwards and crashing to the ground. Winded and battered the brunette haired woman would try to struggle to her feet but Cierra was there first, bringing her foot down on the staff, breaking it in two. Glancing at the water, the dual slayer would then roll the woman over towards it, before kneeling down beside her and forcing her head under the water.

Desperately struggling for air, the woman’s arms would thrash about but her strength was no match for Cierra’s, who would eventually bring her head back out of the water, just in time. “Right,” Cierra giggled, “I want you to tell me what else is guarding this oasis and I also wanna know why you guys are so aggressive against strangers. Speak quickly because I ain’t known for my patience.”

“I am not going to tell you anything you little…,” the woman hissed, spluttering and coughing, “Do your worst you…”

“Have it your way then,” the girl quipped, before forcing the woman’s head back under the water and holding her there until she stopped struggling. Cierra didn’t believe in second chances and the mage had definitely blown her first and so she could die. Once the woman had drowned, the slayer would just roll the body into the water and continue on her path.

The trail of water would soon lead to a cavern, where Cierra assumed that the source of the oasis would be and with an excited skip, she plunged head first into the semi darkness, rager to continue her adventure. Yet, what she hadn’t noticed were a pair of large statues that had been on either side of the caverns entrance and the moment that the girl had darted inside, they would slowly begin to turn to life. After glancing at each other for a few moments, they would then follow Cierra inside, ready to stalk their newest prey. Meanwhile, the unaware slayer would continue to obliviously to follow the trail of water, her heart beating at about 100 beats per second by now, knowing that her goal was near. She’d soon be able to see the oasis, in all its glory.

(1009 Words)
(5065/7000 Total WC)

The sound of water was getting louder and as Cierra continued her merry trek through the cavern, she became more and more convinced that her task was almost done. Her claws were still out though as she expected further challenges but she was so filled with blood-lust that it was hard to remember what those opponents would be. Her hunger for carnage was in full control and almost all of her rationality was thrown aside, replaced by her animalistic impulses. She wanted to kill, maim and destroy everything in her path and the deeper she delved, the more this feeling continued to grow. There had to be more to this oasis than just a few animals and natives.

It was just as that stray thought reached her mind that she felt a sudden surge of magic from behind her and the girl instinctively turned to blood for a moment, teleporting herself from harm. A jet black blast of energy tore through the air and could well have seriously hurt her had she not evaded it. A powerful attack for sure and as Cierra turned to face her latest foes, her eyebrows rose in curiosity at just who or in this case what she was facing. These were certainly not human and from what the job flyer had said, they had to be sphinxes. There were two of them in total, with the head of a lion but the body and tail of other creatures. They were monstrous in size and each looked down at the girl with a look of superiority. It was an expression that anger the girl and her hands turned to fists.

“Well, brother, it would appear that our quarry is nothing more than a bloodthirsty little runt. Such a shame,” the left one said in a clearly feminine voice, her tone patronising and mocking. “Here I thought that we might actually have a challenge for once.”

“How disappointing,” the second one answered, in a deep male tone, “I suppose it was only to be expected though. It is not as if those cowards would hire anyone with any actual brain cells to try and attack this place. Our reputation is well known among the land.”

“Reputation? You’re just a couple of half-breeds from what I can see,” Cierra snapped, interrupting the conversation, “No one has even heard of you outside the explorers who hired me. You’re just a myth and a laughable one at that. Kittens, that’s what you are.” Giggling, the pink haired girl would look the pair over before adding, “It’ll be fun tearing you to shreds though and I’m looking forward to seeing if you can do anything other than just talk. That little dark blast ain’t gonna be enough to kill me. Come on fuckers, let’s fight. I’ll take you both on at once.”

“Is that so?” the female sphinx asked in an irritated tone, “Well, I think we can accomodate you. I suddenly have a desire to see that pretty mouth of yours closed permanently and I believe that my brother would agree with me?”

“Absolutely,” the male replied with a frown, “Nothing worse than an arrogant little gnat who does not know her place. You made a mistake in coming here, girl and judging from the taint that has polluted the waters, it would appear that is not the only one that you have made here either. Those natives that you slaughtered worship us like gods and…”

An explosion of blood would suddenly cut him off as the slayer released her blood body spell, covering her from head to toe in the lovely red liquid. With her speed boosted greatly, the girl would dash at the male sphinx and unleash a powerful barrage of swift claw strikes, peppering his stony body with blows in a madness induced frenzy. The audacity of the creature forever to himself and his partner as gods was just ridiculous and that alone was enough for her to explode with rage. Her first successful blow would stun him, leaving her to swing herself up on to his back and rain down further blows on to him. Reeling and shrieking, the large creature would be unable to defend himself and could only lay there and suffer.

The female responded by launching a powerful blast of light from her eyes, forcing Cierra to stop her attack and turn her focus to the other sphinx instead. With a snarl, the slayer would launch a powerful blood demon’s rage to counter the attack and as the two attacks met, an explosion of energy would cause the cavern to be briefly bathed in an all blinding light. With a primal scream, the mage would then unleash a second rage, one combining the powers of both of her elements before unleashing it in the same direction as the first. It cut through the air with great force and an ear splitting howl that followed told her all she needed to about whether it had been successful.

As the light faded, the effects of her spell were clear to see as the female sphinx had a massive crack down the front of her stony face. Spitting with anger, the creature would open her mouth and unleash a desperate beam of light but the attack had left her weakened, leaving the spell lacking in power. Cierra was able to dodge quite easily before releasing a wave of blood in the direction of her foe, which struck home rather hard and launched the large creature into the cavern wall. Taking her chance, the dual slayer would rush towards her victim leap into the air and bring her hands together as though she was wielding a sword. A blade formed as she came down with a vicious cut, she removed the head of the stony creature, causing her to crumble to nothingness.

With his partner dead, the already battered male would unleash a powerful bolt of darkness that managed to hit the mage and cause her to stumble but she retaliated by creating a fist of blood, which she hurled towards her foe. The attack caught him flush on the chin and he collapsed to the ground in a heap. Just to be sure that he was finished, Cierra walked over to him and stabbed him straight in the eye with her claws, causing him to howl with pain once more before falling silent, his body breaking apart like his partners.

They had been a far sterner test than anything she had faced so far and with a nod, she walked passed the pair and continued on her way, sensing something greater.

There was only one god around here. Her.

(1115 WC)
(6180/7000 Total WC)
(2/2 Sphinxes Defeated)

It must have taken about ten minutes or so before she finally reached the centre of the underground cavern but it was certainly worth it for the view alone. Before her lied the beautiful oasis and the source of all of the drama that had taken place during her mission. The water was a beautiful colour and as she gazed up, the mage could actually see sunlight peeking through the roof of the cave. Perhaps there was another way in after all but that was something to discover later on. For now, there was one final foe to deal with and as the girl’s gaze returned to the middle of the oasis, her pink orbs soon began to rise. This thing was massive.

It was an enormous dragon like creature with three massively large heads, each one spewing an unpleasant poison. All three heads were focused directly on to her and as the girl came forward and took her first steps into the oasis, the creature swiftly roared and caused a sandstorm to quickly pick up and surround the area. There were no words to be said between them and the monster clearly just wanted her dead and so, she raised a hand to the sky, causing a bolt of lightning to strike her, as she took her strongest form. Her feline thunder goddess form wasn't one that she showed every foe and up until now, there hadn’t been any need for it but if this beast was as strong as it seemed then she could well need it.

Grinning, she burst forward and engaged the beast, leaping as high as she could and smashing one of its heads with a lightning charged roundhouse kick. The creature didn’t seem all that affected though and slammed one of its other heads into her, knocking the wind out of the girl and causing her to fly into a stalagmite, before tumbling to the ground. Laughing, the beast would then open all three of its mouth and fire poisonous projectiles at her but as they all combined and joined together, Cierra would raise a hand, causing the spell to strike it and vanish into nothing, negating the attack.

Giggling, the girl would jump back up to her feet and unleash a breath attack of her own, combining her two elements once more. As it moved, it began to take a solid form, causing it to ram into the beast and pushing it backwards. Swiftly, the slayer would dart up the solid pillar and launch herself at the creature, with her managing to latch on to one of the monster’s heads, much to its annoyance. With a chuckle, the girl would use her claws to climb around so that she was out of the way of the vicious teeth, before starting to hack away at the creatures first head, causing blood to eventually start to flow and set her off again. Her strength was magnified by her thunder form and the massive lizards head was soon in tatters. When she felt that she’d done enough damage, the slayer would then jump off of the head and slash the long neck instead, causing the hydra to be down one head.

Howling in rage, the beast began to stomp like crazy as Cierra landed in the oasis again. The two heads were still dangerous and the monster began acting more aggressively, swiping at the girl with its tail and unleashing more blasts of poison. Having to dodge for a bit, the mage would then summon her lightning whip and with a powerful crack would lash out at the creature, causing it to wrap around the hydra’s second neck. Summoning all of her strength, the pink haired girl would pull and after what seemed like an eternity, a horrific crack would be heard, as the second head was removed from the monster and toppled into the water.

Having lost two of its heads, the hydra was more desperate than anything now and seemed to have lost all reason. It just swung around and lashed out at everything around it, its mind now little more than a fear filled mess. Cierra would tap into her magic and launch a lightning javelin towards her foe, catching it right in the jaw and keeping its final head still as it spasmed. That was all the mage needed and spinning the whip a few times, she would then hurl it towards the beast, using the javelin as a beacon. The whip would wrap around the beasts last head and the girl would repeat the process from before. The hydra howled with pain and sorrow but that all came to a ahead with one final snap as the head came free of the creature's neck. The body would topple helplessly into the oasis, all motion having stopped.

A smile on her face, the mage would deactivate her magic and simply revel in her victory for a few moments, before making her way back to camp. Another mission had been successfully completed and now was the time to get her well earned reward, as well as a fun few hours with Anna.

(860 Words)
(7040/7000 Total WC)
(2/2 Sphinxes defeated)
(1/1 Hydra defeated)

(Thread Completed)