Desierto Desolation

The woman was on one hell of a roll at the moment and all too eager in quickly diving back into the thick of things. The events of her previous missions 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 ultimate powerl 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 ginger 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!”

Lena 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 Lena 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 woman’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 ginger 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 spell casters 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 woman would start the long trek across the sands, while Anna would point out various locations and settlements as they flew over them. Lena 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 rule 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,” Lena 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 ginger haired woman giggled as the pair continued across the sands.

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 ginger haired slayer found it quite sad that these people were so old fashioned in their beliefs. The simplest spell could be so much more than a normal tool and weapon and Lena 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 Lena, 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,” Lena 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 ginger haired woman’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 Lena 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, Lena 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 woman 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.

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 woman 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 ginger 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, Lena 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 ginger haired woman, each one with the same hungry look in their eyes.

Slithering across the ground, they’d work in complete tandem with each other, slowly moving in, ready to strike. Lena would instantly mutter a few words, causing a pair of water 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. Lena 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 ginger haired woman and infect her with their vicious poison. Yet, the woman 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 Lena 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 ginger haired woman 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 getting her claws and everything else into. She wouldn’t stop until the entire oasis had been cleared out, that was for sure.
The tables had definitely turned and as the ginger 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 woman 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 Lena 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 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 water and launch a projectile of water 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 woman and their fallen ally. Clicking furiously, they would work together quite harmoniously in trying to force the woman backwards but in the end, Lena simply resorted to her other abilities, causing a wave of water 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 water bolt to strike her foes and leaving them as little more than drowned rats.

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, Lena would unleash a water tornado to capture the winged creatures and stop them in their tracks. Shrieking in pain in terror, the birds would be infected by the woman’s horrible water spell and as they crashed to the ground, the mage would then create a water 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, Lena would just about evade and deliver a powerful water 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, Lena 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 Lena 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 woman 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 were not finished yet, all carrying the same wrathful look that the axe wielder had worn. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

With a wicked giggle of her own, Lena 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 woman 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 woman’s smile to widen. Releasing a spurt of water from her hand, she’d splatter one of them in the face with it and as the spell began to take effect, her target's 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 woman 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, Lena would come forward and deliver a water 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 ginger 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, Lena would then remove the spear and stab him a second time. With a gurgle, his life would expire and the woman 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 woman’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 Lena had launched a water javelin in her direction. The oasis mage  would try to protect herself by creating a shield of fire but the water attack would begin to burrow through the shield and hit its mark, causing the woman to spasm with pain.

With a snigger, Lena would open her mouth and unleash a powerful roar of water which would then strike her paralysed opponent, poisoning and causing her even more pain. “If you’re gonna fight, fight, don’t talk,” the woman said brightly, before surrounding herself with water 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 Lena 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 Lena’s, who would eventually bring her head back out of the water, just in time. “Right,” Lena 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 woman quipped, before forcing the woman’s head back under the water and holding her there until she stopped struggling. Lena 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 Lena 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 woman had darted inside, they would slowly begin to turn to life. After glancing at each other for a few moments, they would then follow Lena inside, ready to stalk their newest prey. Meanwhile, the unaware slayer would continue 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.

The sound of water was getting louder and as Lena 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 woman instinctively turned to water 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 Lena 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 woman with a look of superiority. It was an expression that angered the woman 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,” Lena 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 ginger haired woman 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, woman 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 water would suddenly cut him off as the slayer released her water body spell, covering her from head to toe in the lovely blue liquid. With her speed boosted greatly, the woman 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 Lena to stop her attack and turn her focus to the other sphinx instead. With a snarl, the slayer would launch a powerful water godesse’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 know 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. Lena was able to dodge quite easily before releasing a wave of water 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 water, 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, Lena 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 predator around here. Her.

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 woman’s gaze returned to the middle of the oasis, her ginger 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 her and as the woman 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 torrent of water to strike her, as she took her strongest form. Her water 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 water 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 woman 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, Lena would raise a hand, causing the spell to strike it and vanish into nothing, negating the attack.

Giggling, the woman 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 woman 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 water form and the massive lizard's 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 Lena landed in the oasis again. The two heads were still dangerous and the monster began acting more aggressively, swiping at the woman with its tail and unleashing more blasts of poison. Having to dodge for a bit, the mage would then summon her water 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 ginger haired woman 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. Lena would tap into her magic and launch a water 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 beast's last head and the woman would repeat the process from before. The hydra howled with pain and sorrow but that all came to a head 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.

It certainly was fun but unfortunately for the vampire, a group of slave masters unfortunately thought that she was an easy target...

“That wasn’t very fucking clever, was it?” the short ginger woman spat, glancing around at the sands around her, caked in the blood of the idiotic morons who’d decided to try and attack her. There she was, flying across the sands after her successful mission with the oasis and what happens? A bunch of slavers notice her from their camp and start opening fire on her with bows and arrows. She’d set upon them the moment that the first arrow had barely missed her by inches and what followed was absolute savagery on her part. Her water claws had torn the fools to pieces although they hadn’t been enough to satiate her now rekindled blood lust. In truth, she hadn’t even been looking for a fight at first, having spent a fun few hours with the lovely Anna after completing her previous task. Now though, she was pumped up once again.

What had previously been a small camp was now just a pile of bodies and the dual slayer had no intention of hanging around any longer but a voice would suddenly pipe up from behind one of the tents, causing the woman to whip her head around, claws ready to strike. As it turned out, there was little actual need for alarm as a rag wearing young male approached her, clearly weak from the sun and poor treatment from the slavers. Yet, he was smiling and bowed his head to her as he walked, seemingly happy with her work.

“Thank you for freeing us from those brutes,” he said in a deeply accented voice, “They were going to drag us off to an arena and force us to fight to the death or so they kept saying. None of us would have stood a chance in our current state and we are not even fighters anyway, unlike you. We owe our lives to you although I ask that you please listen to our full story before leaving as I believe that you could help my people even further. This country is rife with slavers and with your help, we might be able to put one of their main hideouts out of business. I was actually searching for a warrior to help us before my capture and I am sure that by saving us, you would be capable of this. I understand that you may not care for the lives of those from our land but if my plea does not convince you, then I know of a man who will pay you a great deal for your service. My employer and a man who wants nothing more than to see the end of this brutality.”

“If the pay is good, then I may as well help and after being attacked by these idiots, I do have a hankering for blood,” Lena answered with a grin, “I’ll meet with your boss but no funny business now. If I sense any treachery then everyone will face my watery claws, you included. Are we clear?”

“Trust me friend, after what you have just done to those men, I would be an absolute idiot to try anything stupid,” the rag wearing man answered, “My name is Nasir, by the way.”

“I’m Lena,” the woman quipped, “A mage from Fiore. Now, let’s get you and your people back home and I can meet your boss in person.”

The ginger haired slayer had never cared about the lives of others all that much but seeing the bad shape that the hostages were in was an unpleasant sight for sure. Beaten black and blue, they’d been treated horribly by the slavers which only made the woman even happier about cutting them to shreds. Together, she and Nasir were easily able to cut the other slaves free from their bonds and were soon heading back out of the desert, using one of the slavers' own trucks. Rather than be in the front, the woman would instead be in the back tending to the wounded people. Helping them to drink, as well as try and do what she could with their wounds. She was no healer and her magic was used for anything but she managed to wrap up any wounds easily enough, receiving praise from the former slaves for her swift work.

By the time they returned back to civilization, she’d managed to get around to the majority of the men and women. The back doors of the truck would open and members of the local hospital would help them out of the truck to safety, while Lena would clamber out afterwards and start to follow Nasir to his bosses headquarters. The city itself was rather grand and had honestly been the first time that Lena had been in one of the country's cities. The sights and smells were almost overwhelming and her mouth watered as she caught glimpses of the local cuisine. Food would sadly have to wait though and after about ten minutes of travelling, the pair arrived at a massive building, with guards stationed outside. Nasir would briefly converse with them before they were both invited inside, walking into an enormous great lobby.

“This is where we part ways friend,” Nasir said in a relieved tone of voice, “Thank you once again for saving me and my friends, we will be forever in your debt. My employer is rather busy but he is making time to see you so it should only be a few moments. Please get rid of that awful place, for my people.” With a polite nod, he would then leave the woman alone while she impatiently waited to be seen. Patience had never been her strong suit and as the minutes passed, she became more and more restless and although she only ended up waiting about five minutes, it felt more like five days.

Finally, a well dressed gentleman would walk down the large staircase and approach her, “I apologise for the wait, he will see you now.”

A slight frown on her face due to the wait, Lena would follow as he headed back up the stairs, where her employer for the job would be waiting.

Her eyes started to drift as she followed the man up the stairs and through the long corridors, amusing herself with the odd pieces of decoration that were placed on the walls. Most of it looked like it had come from ancient times and the woman couldn’t help but wonder just how much it all cost. Old weapons, pieces of armour, painting and statues, the place had it all and there were a few moments where Lena considered just grabbing a piece or two and running off with them. It was in her power but she decided against it in the end. If he could buy all this then he’d surely pay her a great deal in order to fulfil this little job of his and honestly, the idea of ripping even more slave masters to shreds was a pleasant one for her. They’d made a massive mistake in starting this and she was looking forward to finishing it.

Eventually, the pair reached a large set of double doors and after a quick knock from her chaperone, they entered into a large office that made the rest of the building look almost shabby. It was furnished in the finest silks, with items made of solid gold and crystal scattered everywhere. This figure must have been a billionaire or something and as her eyes turned to him, his appearance would seem to match that opinion. Dressed in the finest clothing, sat behind a large desk was the owner of the empire and the boss of Nasir. A well tanned and toned male, he watched her quietly for a few moments, before signalling for Lena’s chaperone to leave and close the door behind him.

“So, I have you to thank for saving Nasir from his horrible fate,” he said quietly in a clearly accented tone, “You did me a great service in saving his life and I am sure that by ridding us of that band of thugs, you are more than capable of getting rid of the rest of them. Nasir has no doubt already told you about why he was out there and the fact that you have come here tells me that you are interested in the task. I will pay you handsomely for obliterating the so called ‘Ring Of Blood’ as it has become known as around here. They capture anyone and force them to fight until the death, willingly or otherwise and I and my colleagues want it stopped. Now.”

“Tch, why’d you care about what happens to a few fools?” Lena countered curiously, a smirk across her face, “I’ve heard plenty about the corruption of this country as well as the hatred that your people have for those blessed with magical blood. How do I know that you’re simply not setting me up and trying to get me captured? I may have saved your allies' lives but don’t think that I’m just a do gooder who wants to save people. I’m not and I couldn’t give a damn about weaklings. Speak the truth or you’ll be the next one to be slashed by my claws.”

“From what I have heard, trying to capture you would be futile on my part as you would no doubt just slaughter anyone I could send to,” the boss answered calmly, “I can understand why you would be suspicious of my motives so I will come clean with you. They have taken my nephew and currently have him held hostage within the walls of their arena. I want him out of there and back here where he belongs. I couldn't care less about whether it is profit or the desire to do good that inspires you, I just want him home. If it was your relative in trouble, I am sure that you would feel the ...”

He was rather rudely interrupted as Lena suddenly drew her claws and moved so that she was face to face with him,  with a speed so swift that he barely registered it. “Don’t even think of bringing my family into the equation as that is the quickest way of ending up with your entrails on the floor. I would do anything to protect those that I care for and trust me, if I were in your situation then I wouldn’t be sitting here behind a fucking desk, I’d be out there doing something about it. I don’t have many people in this world that I genuinely care for but you’ll find that I can be a bit obsessive when I do find someone that I wish to protect.”

“Noted,” he said, surprisingly calm considering the situation, “I didn't mean to imply or threaten you or your family in any way, I just wanted you to understand how I feel and that I am genuine in my request. Your reaction is enough for me to know that you understand and now I am certain that you are the one to rescue my boy. I have no one left besides him and I will give all my wealth to keep him safe. Rescue him and wipe out every slaver and owner of that foul place, I beg you.”

The ginger haired woman looked him squarely in the eye for a few moments, her powerful gaze almost looking through him like an x ray, searching for deceit. After about thirty seconds or so, she pulled away from him and her claws faded away, satisfied by his answer and sincerity. “Alright, I’ll bring him home but in order to do this, I’m gonna need a backstory in order to get in there as I imagine that walking up to the front doors ain’t gonna work. I assume you have a scheme in mind?”

“It just so happens that I have a VIP pass that will get you there and pass the guards and magical enchantments,” the boss replied, “With it, you will be able to go anywhere you wish inside the arena and allow you into an area where most people are not. The arena has a security system that prevents anyone from trying to just fly or barge through the front doors so the pass is your only chance. Take it and do what must be done. When you return, I will make it more than worth your while. Good luck, mage.”

With that, he pressed a button on his desk and the chaperone once more entered, in order to lead the dual slayer out of the building.

The game was afoot.

Having to trek across the desert again wasn’t the most fun task that she’d ever done but the thought of what was to come was enough to keep her spirits up. The ginger haired woman flew across the sands at speed, her large vampiric wings propelling her across the land. When she’d first visited the desert, she’d loved the beautiful looking sight but as time had worn on, that appeal had dimmed and by now, she was actually looking forward to never having to set eyes on it again. It was another country to cross off her list though and Lena was looking forward to making her last and most violent mark on the place before moving on. These slavers were going to torn limb from limb and as for their bosses? Well, they were going to experience a fate far worse than that. They’d made the mistake of having their goons attack her and that was all the reason she needed to seek vengeance. The so called ring of blood would be filled with the crimson liquid alright, so much so that the stench of it would never disappear.

The trip must have taken a few hours before she finally saw a large structure in the distance, glistening a bright white colour and almost calling her towards it. The VIP pass she had began to vibrate in her pocket, which she assumed meant that this was definitely the place. It looked more like a Colosseum than anything else and as the dual slayer got closer, that appeared to be the case. There were bodies attached to the walls, a warning to not only those coming to take part in the fights but also one to those who wished to invade the place. It spoke volumes or at least it would to anyone else. Lena’s only reaction to it was a small smile and as she looked down to find a pair of guards waving up at her, she chuckled and made her descent, landing in front of the large duo, both males wielding large axes. Scowling down at her as though she was little more than an insect to be squashed.

“Get out of here, runt, only those who are invited are allowed in here,” the left one said, “This is the most famous arena in the whole of Desierto and no place for a shrimp like you. Move it or else.”

“Or what? You’ll spank me or something?” Lena chuckled in answer, “You two should fuck off before I cut your balls off and feed them to you. Besides, I have a pass for your information, so let me in already and stop wasting my time.” chuckling, she withdrew the pass from her clothing and handed it towards the guard who spoke to her, whose eyebrows rose in surprise as she took it into his large hand and looked it over. “In case you need help when it comes to reading, it means that I can go wherever I want in your quaint little arena.” Her eyes were filled with mirth and they quickly turned to the second guard, who’d gripped his axe a little tighter after her insult, “Go ahead and take a swing at me if you want. Your funeral though.” For a moment, it seemed like he would do just that but his partner quickly grabbed his arm and shook his head, before handing the pass back to Lena.

“As much as I would like to teach you a lesson, brat, it seems that your pass is good,” he unhappily said, before standing aside to let the woman pass, “Welcome to The Ring Of Blood! I hope you enjoy your stay.” His tone could not have been any less welcoming and as Lena walked past him, she flashed a smirk in his direction, just to annoy him a little further.

Once she was inside the arena, the woman quickly began her search for her employer's nephew, knowing full well that he was obviously going to be heavily guarded, which would only make the job more fun. She had no idea as to which direction she needed to travel in but didn’t matter to her. Annihilation was the game today and everyone she met who was involved with the arena had to be destroyed, much to her enjoyment. For the moment, she played it cool and simply acted the part of a visiting tourist but there was only so long that she could up such a charade and whether it be by the wrong word spoken or the simple scent of blood, her true nature would come to the surface sooner or later.

It didn’t take long for her to start getting funny looks either as she started her search, with suspicious looking guards and slavers quickly starting to ponder about her motives. She supposed it was only natural but they didn’t dare say anything to her and one look from her purple orbs was enough to make the toughest of them quiver with fear. The place stunk of fear and desperation which didn’t seem to be coming strictly from those who were forced to fight. No, the guards reeked of it too and that interested her. Were they under that much pressure that they were actually afraid for their own lives? That if they made a mistake that they’d be thrown into the arena themselves? Sniggering at the thought, Lena quickened her pace as she moved through the corridors, with her eventually coming up to a large sealed door, with an enormous guard standing in front of it. He must have been 8 feet tall and the moment that he got close, he quickly drew his weapon and pointed it towards her.

“Turn around and go back the way you came,” he said calmly, his voice unshakeable, “Only those who work in the arena may pass. No visitors.”

“I’m going through regardless of whether I’m allowed to or not,” the ginger haired slayer answered, “I go where I please and will happily cut you to bits in order to do that. So, you gonna move or am I gonna move you?”

The guard simply ran a hand across his blade and it burst into flame. Clearly, he wasn’t just going to let her pass.

Chuckling, Lena would tap into her magic, resulting in her trademark water claws appearing from her hand, her bright ginger orbs focused directly on her foe. He made no effort to attack and simply remained by the door, blocking it off and so she took the initiative instead. Darting forward, she swiftly began to advance, lashing out with her claw and foot as she attacked with a barrage of physical strikes. Her movements were fluidic as well as forceful and the guard swiftly realised that defence wasn’t going to do much good. He was just too slow and clumsy to hold her off and so he countered by simply bringing his flaming blade down in front of him, releasing a powerful wave of flame that the woman quickly had to dive out of the way of. It was quite an attack although all it actually did was spur the woman onwards. She was soon back in close and soon began to break through his guard, using her powers of water to enhance her already formidable physical strength. He swung like an ape and as he missed with a mighty swing, she dodged to her left, before slashing upwards, which not only cut him but tore it off, resulting in the bloody limb ending up on the floor. His sword would drop to the floor and the woman would quickly pick it up and ram it through his midsection, causing the flames to tear through his organs and burn him to a crisp. Howling with pain, he writhed around for a few moments, before crashing to the ground, dead before he hit the ground.

(10476 Words)

With a happy laugh, the ginger haired woman skipped over his body and smashed her way through the door with a punch, sending it flying and crashing into an unfortunate slaver who happened to be on the other side. Her eyes almost flaming with adrenaline and blood lust, she burst into the room, ready for further bloodshed although what she actually saw was enough to even cause her immense desire for blood to dim for a moment. The large room that she was now in was little more than a prison complex, with dozens of malnourished men, women and children lying and moaning in a horrible state. Clearly, the slavers had been incredibly busy with their kidnapping and although she’d never been one to care about strangers all that much, seeing so many people in such a state was enough to stir her anger even further. Would this have been her fate had they managed to capture her? The nerve of it.

More eyes were soon upon her and a group of slave masters would sprint towards her, wielding little more than stick and the odd whip or scimitar. Yet, they were weak and the woman easily carved her way through the idiots, her claws slashing and stabbing as she catapulted from one to the next. Their screams echoed throughout not only the room but the rest of the arena too and the woman definitely hoped that the owners of the place would be able to hear them. This would be their fate soon enough and she was looking forward to smashing their faces in too. She wasn’t sure just how many fools she killed in that explosion of violence but by the time Lena was done, the floor was absolutely saturated with blood and body parts. Laughing with joy, she’d raise her hand and unleash a barrage of water from her fingertips in order to get rid of the last twitching idiot, causing him to convulse with pain for a few moments before he expired.

Once the slavers were dead, she’d quickly begin to sprint past the cells, looking for her employers nephew. Apparently he was the spitting image of his uncle so she shouldn't be too hard to miss but to her annoyance, he wasn’t in any of the cells at all, causing a frown to cross her features. If he wasn’t here then just where was he?

“Hey, mage!” A voice called out from behind, causing the woman to snap around, her claws raised in a combat stance. As it turned out, there was no need for that, given that the speaker was a battered looking male, trapped in one of the cells. “Look, I have no idea why you are here but please let us out. The slavers here are treating us like animals and none of us will last very long without help. We will not get in your way and I am sure that there are some here who will be more than happy to help get rid of this scum.”

The ginger haired woman tilted her head for a moment or two, thinking, before walking over to the prisoner, “I’ll let you guys out on one condition,” she said with a smile, “I came here to save the nephew of one of the city bosses, do you have any idea where he is?”

“Oh, you mean the arrogant little punk?” the prisoner answered, “Yes, he is here and currently being forced to work as the arena owner's butler. A fitting role for such a conceited little wretch in my opinion. You will need to reach the very pinnacle of the arena in order to save him and I imagine that he will be well guarded. That is all I know now please release us.”

“Well, since you answered my questions and asked nicely,” Lena quipped, before slashing the lock off of the cell and letting the prisoner out, “You can go.” With that, she would then swiftly proceed to slash the rest of the locked cells, allowing the tired and exhausted prisoners to escape and start to make their way out. A couple of the more aggressive prisoners picked up the slaver's weapons in order to arm themselves. “There are two guards posted at the entrance to the arena, be warned,” she’d briefly say to them, before turning away and sprinting in the other direction, in search of her quarry.

The sound of combat could soon be heard from behind her as she pressed onwards, her keen slayer hearing detecting the lovely sound. The captives had clearly found a few guards to take out their frustrations on, a thought that brought a smile to the woman’s lips. Vengeance was always so rewarding and the emotions that came from that one simple desire were always so thrilling to experience, both the want and need before hand, as well as the elation and pleasure of the moment itself. She hoped that they would enjoy themselves as they bashed some slaver skulls and was eagerly anticipating her own chance of doing that to the ringleaders of the group. Killing a few slavers was certainly not enough to satiate her own lust for blood and if anything, it had only caused her to hunger for it more. Yes, her job for the day was to wipe them out but she could well have done it regardless of that. The moment that they had shot at her, they’d sealed their own death warrants.

Sprinting through the arena corridors, the woman viciously lashed out at any fool stupid enough to get in the way of her progress with an animal like ferocity. Her blood covered claws were certainly getting their fill today and she chuckled with joy as she ducked under a sword strike from one of the guards and planted her right claw into his stomach, before ripping her blades back out. These men were no match for her and it only convinced her that this so-called arena was little more than a place where the pussies of the world simply exploited the weak. There didn’t seem to be anyone with true strength and as the ginger haired slayer shed more and more blood, she wondered if there was anyone in the place that could give her any trouble. Sure, it didn’t really matter and they’d all end up dead anyway but it’d at least let her get her heart racing a bit.

Reaching a large staircase, she shot up it without a moment's thought and just as she was charging upwards, a group of five axe wielding men were coming down. They seemed to look a little tougher than the filth she’d fought already and the look in their eyes seemed to match hers in terms of ferocity. They wanted to fight and she was more than happy to give them one and so she simply kept moving upwards. The smallest and weediest of the group was the first to engage her and he began to wildly swing the blade from left to right, with a vigour that might be inspiring if it wasn’t so bloody stupid. He was clumsy as hell and after missing with a slash, Lena simply cut the blade of the axe from the pole, leaving the fool just holding the stick. With a chuckle, the mage surrounded her fist with water and threw a punch, catching him full in the jaw and sending him smashing up against the wall, before he fell and tumbled down the staircase, landing in a heap at the bottom. He had heart but certainly lacked brains.

The next two decided to try and fight in unison and for a short time at least, it seemed to work rather well, with Lena having to dodge and weave to stay out of harm's way. However, they eventually got a little too close to her and with a grin, she caused a large stream of water to surround the area around her, striking both of them and causing the other two behind to have to run back up the staircase to stay out of harm's way. Disgusted by being covered in the lovely liquid, the two men lost concentration for a moment, which was all Lena needed to finish them off. Briefly vanishing into a pool of water, she’d disappear and reappear behind them, before unleashing a wave of water that sent the pair of them tumbling down the stairs to join their fellow fool. To make sure the three of them were dead, she’d raise a hand and a torrent of water would hit the three of them, causing their movements to stop completely.

Dashing up the rest of the staircase, she’d meet the final two who were certainly more wary of her now after the deaths of their companions. The reckless abandon and lust for combat had vanished from their faces and body language and so the mage simply grinned and unleashed a small spurt of water that struck one of them in the face. His eyes would dim for a brief moment before he’d suddenly swing for the other patron, who just about managed to get his axe up to block it. Controlling her puppet, the woman would force the two to fight each other, one emotionless and unable to resist, the other completely nonplussed to what was truly happening. It was quite a spectacle though and the ginger haired mage took a seat on the closest windowsill to watch the match, like a spectator watching a duel.

“Come on! This is what your masters have been doing, isn’t it?” she yelled at the pair, “Forcing people to fight one another? Now it’s your turn, bitches! Fight for my amusement! Fight to the death!”

The battle ended up being quite a good one with the two patrons going back and forth but in the end, Lena’s one ended up being victorious. With a sweeping low strike, he’d slice his opponent in the leg, before coming higher and smashing him in the side, the decisive blow. Shrieking in pain, the fallen patron would squeal with pain and torment, while the controlled one would turn to Lena for instructions. For a few moments, the woman would think, before raising her right fist giving a thumbs down like an emperor would. With a nod, the hypnotised patron would walk over to his former friend and with a single downward slice, remove his head from his body.

Clapping happily, the slayer would then get up off of the windowsill and say to her minion, “Now, jump out of the window.”

Without a moment of hesitation, he did just that, sprinting passed the woman and leaping through the glass, plummeting to his death without a thought.

With a snigger, the mage would then continue with her mission, searching for her next victim and with any luck, her employer’s nephew.

The cries and roars of battle were everywhere by now and as Lena continued her bloody path through the arena walls, it seemed as though more and more people were getting pulled into the carnage. It was an amusing thought and even some of the more rowdy guests were getting into the swing of things, throwing punches at each other and appearing to be having fun. Well, they were having fun, until the ginger haired slayer reached them and turned them into drooling sacks of meat. It was becoming harder for her to tell who was who as the blood lust began to overwhelm her and so she just killed everyone. Anyone who she ran into was removed with a slice of her claws or a vicious kick from her well muscled legs. Her raw physical power was more than enough to deal with weaklings such as these and the smartest of them seemed to know that, running in any direction besides hers. It didn’t do them much good but it made the chase a little more fun at least.

The place was enormous though and no matter how many she killed, there seemed to be another group waiting for her, resulting in litres of blood being spilled, resulting in her claws, as well as her eyes to glow with the thrill of it. This was living.. She had been born and raised for battle which only made the current massacre all the more pleasurable. It was bliss, pure unadulterated bliss and as she carved through those she met, her ecstasy only grew. She’d remember this day for a long time and knew that her guild mates would wish to hear every gory detail and the woman did her best to remember every blood soaked moment, as difficult as that was.

Eventually, she took a right turn and found herself sprinting down what seemed to be an entrance ramp of sorts and to astonishment, the slayer came out of the tunnel to find herself being watched by dozens, perhaps hundreds of pairs of eyes. Of all the places that she could have ended up, she’d come out in the lion's den, the main arena. It was a hell of a spectacle and as the woman dropped at her surroundings and her gaze turned to survey the enormous area, she briefly pondered about just how many more would fall under her blades that day.

“Well, this is a surprise,” a voice boomed from above her, as a large male stood up from his chair and walked into view, dressed in golden coloured robes, “We were expecting to see a battle between two of our strongest gladiators and what do we get? A ginger haired little woman? This must be some kind of joke.” There was a ripple of laughter from the crowd as they chuckled along with the owner's attempt at humour. However, the laughter soon turned to terror as the spectators were set upon by the freed prisoners, who began to burst from every entrance way and relive their frustrations on the idiotic sheep. The owner’s face turned red with anger and he roared, “GUARDS! DEAL WITH THIS SCUM!”

Chuckling, Lena would simply watch as the captives got their revenge, while she would turn her attention to him, screeching at the top of her lungs, “You’re gonna get your battle, you fat old bastard but it’s gonna end with your head laying at my feet. Your men decided to try and abduct me and everything that’s happening now is a result of that. I’ve freed your captives, killed your guards and turned this place red with blood. All that’s left is to tear you and your allies to shreds and it’ll all be over.” After a second or two, she’d slap a hand to her head and add, “Oh, I almost forgot, I’ll be taking your butler too, since his uncle’s paying me a lot to get him back home, you know.”

“I think not,” the owner answered and with a click of his fingers, a trio of gladiators would appear behind the mage, “These gladiators are more than enough to deal with the likes of you.”

Lena simply rolled her eyes at that and turned around to face her foes. They certainly looked the part but looks didn’t usually mean much and as the woman’s eyes switched from one to the other, they seemed a tad reluctant to engage her. Perhaps they’d seen the blood that she’d already spilled and were having second thoughts. With a shrug, she engaged instead, diving in close and leaping over one of the guards spear thrusts. Landing on his shoulders, she’d then drop down so that she was almost in a piggy back ride position and slashed him across the throat with her right claw, causing blood to burst from his throat and for him to just drop to the ground in a heap.

Smirking, she’d quickly roll off of the body, in order to avoid a swipe from the second gladiator’s scimitar which narrowly missed her. The sight of his dead ally seemed to rattle him and the woman just took advantage of that, unleashing a powerful roar of water from her mouth which threw him backwards and slammed him against the arena wall, causing it to crack slightly. She then  turned her attention to the third gladiator, who’d got some distance between them in order to unleash a flurry of magical bolts from his crossbow. They were pretty accurate and the woman had to counter by vanishing into her water pool once again, which allowed her to slip underneath him and reappear behind. He was slow to turn and she took advantage by delivering a water enhanced uppercut, jumping to give her additional force, which knocked his head backwards, before unleashing a powerful water fused kick to knock him to the ground. Diving on top of him, she’d deliver a quick barrage of claw slashes to finish him.

The second guard still lived though and as he recovered and came towards her, she simply raised his hand and unleashed a barrage of water from her hand, causing him to crumple to the floor, twitching. They’d been as effective as she’d expected and as she glanced back up towards the owner in the royal box, she just shrugged.

The agitation was clear on his face and after turning around and yelling at someone behind him, a figure would boldly jump from the box and land about ten feet in front of her. This was something else and a smile crossed Lena’s face once more as she looked up at her newest foe. He could be fun.

It was an odd creature indeed, a two headed humanoid who must have been three or four times Lena’s height. It was built like a truck and wielding the trunk of a large tree. She’d never seen a human quite like it before, although that only caused her excitement to grow and she was also salivating at the thought of fighting with it. This would be the last fight as by now the prisoners had seemed to have got the edge on the spectators and patrons, leaving just this thing and the owners to deal with. One last fun scrap and this little adventure would be over, which was a shame in a way, as she was just getting in the groove.

With a roar, the abnormality lumbered forward and slammed the tree trunk down towards her, trying to flatten the woman underneath it. She dodged to the right and moved in close, before delivering a quick flurry of claw strikes against the only part of its body she could reach, its legs. To her surprise though, she didn’t do much damage against the creature's strong skin and with a deep throated laugh, it would lean back and punt her away with a mighty kick, sending the woman flying backwards. She was able to flip all the way over and land back on her feet but her hand did briefly touch her stomach, a wild smirk crossing her features. It’d hurt like a mule kick and with a chuckle, she’d raise a hand to the sky and allow herself to be struck by a torrent of wicked water.

Infusing herself with the torrent's power, Lena’s entire look would change as she took on her water goddess form, her black dress switching to a yellow one, while her arms and legs crackled with electricity. Just to add a little more power, she’d then cast her water body spell, which would cover her body with the lovely liquid and increase her movement speed. It was a combination that she rarely used but against a worthwhile opponent, it was always fun to use.

Charged up, she’d then come forwards again, leaping up as high as she could and embedding her claws into his, as the creature was clearly male judging from his anatomy, tough skin. He’d roar and swing the trunk wildly but she held strong and slowly began to climb up his body, leaving a trail of small cuts as she went. His strength was immense but his intelligence seemed to be low and so she was easily able to climb. She was able to reach his chest before he finally realised what she was trying to do and managed to rip her off, tearing a nasty hole in his skin for his trouble and making him howl. It was a weak spot now and that was just what she’d been hoping for.

Landing well enough, she’d create a whip of water and start to crack the weapon in his direction, attempting to hook it around the creature's tree trunk weapon in order to get rid of the damn thing. It wasn’t an easy task but she eventually managed to get a hold of it, before pulling with all of her might to try and disarm him. It ended up being a tug of war and although the woman was exceptionally strong, the monster ended up laughing and pulled her towards him instead, launching her up into the air. With another deep throated laugh, the creature would laugh at her and open one of his large mouths in order to eat her whole. Unfortunately for him, he’d forgotten about the whip, as just as the woman was dropping back down, she’d release the whip from his weapon and crack it down towards him, striking him clean in one of his eyes.

Howling, he’d bellow and grasp his injured face, dropping the weapon and with a smirk, Lena was able to land right in between his two elongated necks and with a maniacal cackle, she began to slash away at them. She remembered how she’d defeated the hydra during her last job and that knowledge was coming in handy now. Her barrage was frenzied in nature and with one final cut, his left head was slashed from his body, dropping to the ground.

Distraught, he grabbed her roughly with his right hand and threw her off of him but the damage had already been done. Racked with pain and missing a head, he was more than open and once Lena returned to the ground again, she simply opened her mouth and unleashed a powerful roar, combining her powers of ice and water together which struck him hard. It didn’t knock him down surprisingly and so the slayer created a javelin of ice and hurled it at full force, catching him in the hole that she’d made earlier, causing him to spasm with pain. He was almost done and surrounding herself with all of the water she could muster, she then dashed towards him and crashed into him, sending the beast to the ground finally.

The owner was beyond shocked and as the realisation dawned on him as to what was going to happen next, he quickly pushed past the others in the royal box and tried to make a break for it. Yet, he would only find a group of sword wielding captives on the other side and without mercy or remorse, they would cut him, as well as all of the other VIP’s to shreds, ending the ring of blood. An anticlimactic end perhaps but as the woman deactivated her spells and flew up towards the box, there was a wide grin on her face.

The only person spared by the captives was a cowering male who was hiding in the corner of the royal box and one look at him was enough to prove who he was. Her employer's nephew. There was no smart ass comment from him or anything of the sort, clearly shocked into silence by what he’d seen. Without a word of warning, she’d scoop him up into her arms and after giving a fond farewell to the former slaves, took to the skies, in order to deliver the boy back to his waiting uncle. It had been a fun job for the vampire and as she and the boy flew back across the desert. She couldn’t help but consider perhaps hanging around for a while and seeing if there were any other tasks for her to complete while she was there. The boy remained silent for the entire journey and when she did finally return him home. His uncle couldn’t have been any more overjoyed with her work, paying her handsomely.

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