The Hunt For The Lacrima

It was a dreary night and as the teenager walked down the street, she briefly shivered and wrapped her jacket a little tighter around her. Even though she was a member of Plumed Serpent now and had a home, she still found herself returning to Motor City now and again, despite the fact it was an absolute dump. It had been a rough place to toughen up and Elara would be the first to admit that it hadn’t been easy. A teenage girl in a country she didn’t know, with no knowledge of how to look after or defend herself. She’d been lucky that her magic had begun to show itself though and ever since she’d met Taurus and the others, she hadn;t had any real trouble. Well, besides the encounter with Lehanna and the witch. A confrontation that had pretty much been all she’d been thinking about since it had happened. So much had been said and done during that job and it’d taken her time to process it all. She had bullied her ex foster sister so much during their childhood and yet now, they were friends. Everything had come out and the black haired girl was actually looking forward to meeting the brunette again.

Of all the feelings and emotions that had been flying around during the teenagers job though, it was envy that Elara had felt rather strongly. She had felt jealous that Lehanna was able to fight on her own, without relying on spirits as the summoner did and that was partly why she was in Motor City. She’d heard that the leader of one of the gangs fought with a similar magic to the slayer and so she’d decided to go after him and either force him to teach her or if that failed, steal the source of his strength and kill him. The thought of ending his life meant nothing to her and getting rid of one of the gangs was always something that she enjoyed doing. They were scum of the earth anyway and she saw no reason as to why they should be allowed to survive. Besides that, the scumbag at the top of the ladder had what she wanted, which was more than enough to cause her to take action.

The gang in question were known as The Black Widows, a name that was so stupid that Elara could barely believe that anyone took them seriously  Most of the gangs had moronic names but that was absolutely the worst. They didn’t even fight like spiders nor like to play with their food. Instead they were just brutal thugs who beat up people that they didn’t like. It was pathetic really and what was worse than the usual gang members? The leader himself. A guy who went around with the nickname The Flaming Widow due to the fact he was actually a fire wielding mage and if her sources were accurate, a god slayer to be specific. Apparently he was a short tempered individual who wasted no time in talking and so Elara knew that she wouldn’t have to wait long for him to blow his top. He was kind of like Lehanna in that way.

Neither he nor his minions had ever been kind to the teenager either and more than once had she run into their members before although never the leader but he would tonight and regret it completely. She was going to have a lot of fun teaching him a lesson and already the girl could feel Taurus’s influence, as if she was just waiting for her summoner to call her to the battlefield. She would but not just yet, wanting some of the others to get involved for a change first. She’d been a little negligent with some of them and desired to keep them happy or at least enough to keep them with her. The last thing she wanted was for them to just disappear when she needed them after all and she knew that not all of them were as loyal to her as Taurus was.

It was as those thoughts crossed her mind that she suddenly sensed the presence of others and she swiftly turned around to see two hulking men, wearing an outfit that she quickly recognised. These two were definitely members of the widows and as they gazed stupidly at her, one would speak. “We told you before that you shouldn’t be skulking in our neighbourhood. Do we have to teach you another lesson or are you just going to piss off now like a good little brat?”

“If anyone’s going to piss off, asshole, it’s you two. I’m here to wipe you out and I’m going to start with you two dickheads.” Elara replied, her hand moving towards her keys. “Come on out, Brand!”

In a flash, a fairly tall woman would appear beside Elara, blazing with flame. She would summon a pair of fireballs and throw them at the goond without even waiting for a command, cackling with pleasure. The two fools didn’t have any defence and soon caught fire, dropping and rolling on the ground in a pathetic attempt to put the flames out, not that it’d work. The spirit meanwhile would only watch with glee though and merciless rain down on her helpless foes, battering them with her fists aflame, causing them to scream and shriek. It was a rather horrible sight but Elara watched every moment, her head tilting to the side as she surveyed it. Her bond with her spirits was strong enough that she didn’t even need to give verbal commands and so Brand simply kept striking at the goons until their screams stopped, leaving them as little more than ash.

With the hunt now well and truly on, the summoner and her spirit would swiftly begin to move towards the homebase of the widows, ready and willing to destroy everyone who got in their path. It was going to be a massacre and the people of Motor City would never forget it.

(1009 Words)

The screams of their fallen gangmates seemed to draw them out and as Elara and Brand pressed on, more of the gang members began to stream out into the streets. None of them appeared to be all that strong and as the flame haired spirit started to throw fireballs at a quick rate, they began to fall quite quickly. The spirit was in her element and was soon performing trickshots with her flames, causing them to bounce from one to another, spreading more and more pain. She was as delightful as she was deadly and caused Elara to feel another stab of envy. Oh, how badly she wished to be able to wield fire herself and the desire to match both Brand and Lehanna was strong. It would be so soon though and that drive certainly pushed her onwards. It didn’t matter how many that her spirits had to kill, she’d learn the power of the slayer and nothing would get in her way. The spirit certainly loved the experience and her laughing could be heard throughout the street. The smell of burning flesh was starting to emerge and as horrible as it was, the summoner managed not to let the scent make her violently sick.

The shrieks were becoming louder too and as the bodies piled up, Elara decided to bring a second spirit into the mix. Raising her hand again, she would utter. “Kennen! Come and join the fun!”

Another sparkle of magic and a second spirit emerged. Dressed like a tiny ninja and ready to explode with energy, Kennen would happily join in, launching lightning charged shurikens at her summoner's foes. It was complete carnage and between Brand and Kennen, the street was becoming an absolute bloodbath. The gang members were just trash and with a smile, Elara would sprout a pair of celestial wings and rise up into the air, watching the destruction below with satisfaction. To see her spirits enjoying themselves so much brought her joy and the thought that perhaps it would be her family one day who’d suffer caused her small smile to widen. They were her true goal. To punish her parents for treating her like a doll for so long. She’d never meant anything to them and had forced her to be their little princess, without a will of her own. Her only comfort had been to take out her frustrations on Lehanna, a fact that she had come to regret and had actually apologised to her for when they’d met. There was so much about her past that she despised and the longer she spent in Fiore, the more that her desire for revenge grew. She was finally free and wished for nothing more than to bury those who ruined her childhood. The people of Pergrande were horrible by nature and her parents were precisely the reason why. Complete pricks.

Moving at great speed, Kennen would suddenly dive in the midst of a group of grunts and unleash her electrical storm attack, frying absolutely all of them. They had no defence at all and simply fried until they were little more than charred skeletons. Feeding off of each other and their summoner desires, the spirits would keep pushing, mowing everyone down in their path. The street was becoming decorated with corpses and as they headed towards the large hideout at the end of it, the amount of grunts and members started dropping. They only had so many after all and none seemed to have any magic. They just clumsily tried to stab the spirits with knives and blunt objects which obviously did nothing. It was just a procession for the summoner, who couldn’t have been more pleased.

“We’re almost there! Keep frying them!” Elara telepathically said to her spirits. She followed close behind, giving them enough space. It was all too easy but that’s what made it so much fun.

As the trio reached the hideout, the way forward was blocked by a group of far larger gang members. All wielding what appeared to be magical blades that thrummed with power. The guards of the boss perhaps? Elara didn’t care either way and simply sent her spirits forward, who charged in without much thought although the summoner mused that she might just need to send in someone else too. So, she would draw out one more key and utter. “It is time! Taurus!”

A large roar would erupt before Taurus would appear, leaping into the fray without a word to her summoner, prepared for battle. Her axe would explode with magical power as she fought against the guards, carving her way through her foes with reckless abandon, every strike fuelled with rage. The power of her three spirits combined was potent and they were soon battering their way through the latest wave of enemies. The guards were tougher than the normal members but there was never really a moment where they threatened Elara, hovering as she was in the background. Her spirits worked too well together, whereas the guards were a mess when it came to teamwork.

“You guys don’t have a chance against us,” Elara said confidently, “Do yourselves a favour and get your cowardly excuse for a leader out here. You’re all going to end up dead anyway so stop wasting time. The Black Widows are going to be destroyed today, by the hands of my spirits. You’ve polluted this place for long enough. Die.”

Her spirits roared in agreement and increased their attacks, launching lightning, fire and Taurus’s axe at everything that moved. The gang was being annihilated, one goon at a time and as the guards dropped, it truly did seem as though this time, there was no one left to replace them. Elara would soon have the leader in her sights and then she could force him to teach her his magic. She wasn’t sure whether he was a first or second generation slayer but it didn’t matter. If he was a first, she’d make him teach her and if he wasn’t, her spirits would get rid of him and she’d swipe the lacrima from his cold, dead corpse.

(1025 Words)
(2036 TWC)

It was only when the last guard fell that things changed as all of a sudden an immense amount of heat would burst out from the hideout entrance. A figure emerged, head to toe covered in flames and standing at about eight feet tall. He was nothing like any of the other members and as he slowly started to walk forwards, the atmosphere began to darken. The temperature began to rise and the eager looks on the faces of Elara’s faces seemed to melt away. There was no doubt as to who this was and as the summoner watched him approach her spirits, Elara’s smile would turn to a frown. He was definitely strong and she briefly pondered about whether she had made a mistake. After a moment of thought though, she’d shake her head. She wasn’t weak enough to just dwindle at the sight of a stout foe, she was tougher than that. Her spirits perked up, feeling their summoner's resolve and prepared to fight once more. Taurus moved in front of the other two, a determined expression on her face.

“Brand. Kennen. I appreciate your help but it’s time for you to return now.” She uttered sincerely and after a few moments, the two spirits would vanish, leaving Taurus as her sole spirit on the field. She could not afford to tax herself by having multiple spirits out at this stage and knew that Taurus was capable of defeating him alone or at least, that was her hope. With a roar, Taurus would spin her axe in her hands, before beckoning the flaming figure towards her, completely unafraid.

The flaming figure came to a stop about six feet from Taurus, his eyes and body burning with rage, his gaze looking up to meet Elara’s. “I have no idea as to just why you decided to assault my gang but you have made a grave error, child. Your spirit will not be able to defend you from me and I will destroy her and you. You will pay for murdering so many of my men and I will personally make your final moments horribly painful. I will burn you to a crisp and then devour your bones, not that you’d make much of a meal, being a mere scrap of a runt as you are.”

Taurus was having none of it and moved forwards, bringing her axe down with such force that a shockwave was released. A powerful blow and the flaming male had to move quickly to dodge it. Growing a pair of bone claws, the male would then engage the spirit in close combat, a brutal battle with neither side giving an inch. Blow after blow, strike after strike, slash after slash. Two masters of their perspective magics battling one another. It was a lesson in savagery and neither gave an inch while Elara could do nothing more than watch, using her magical power to boost her spirit. She closed her eyes, focusing on her spirit, feeling every wound that she was struck with. Yet, she refused to falter and began to tap into her own feelings, using her emotions to fuel her spirit. Her jealousy, her fear, her anger. She channeled it all, allowed it to fill her and it was that which turned the tide of the battle and that which brought her side victory.

Evading a lethal attack, Taurus would spin around and cut off the left arm of the slayer, causing him to scream in anger and rage as his limb was removed. Reeling backwards, he would scream, his rage amplifying his own powers and amazingly causing his arm to regrow. Unfazed, the bull would resume the contest, her axe starting to have more success as she pushed the slayer back. Fuelled by Elara’s emotions, she became all the stronger and with a mighty blow down the middle, the slayer would howl with pain.

“Go on! Piss me off more! My rage only increases my strength! No matter how many limbs you remove, I will just grow them back. I know now why you came, brat. You want my magic. Well, if you want it. You will have to take it from my body!” He screeched, already starting to regenerate from the bull’s attack.

It was at that moment that Taurus and her summoner had the exact same thought. One simple word.

Head.

Stepping forward once more, Taurus would open herself up, receiving a horrible flaming fist from the slayer but as she reeled back from the attack, she’d then counter with a massive swing, decapitating the flame covered mage as he moved in to follow up on his last attack. The slayer’s body exploded with fire and blood, before collapsing to the ground. Dead.

The fight was over and as Elara flew down to land beside her spirit, Taurus would turn to her and utter. “I have no doubt that his magic will benefit you Elara but are you sure about this? If you implant that lacrima inside yourself, it may change you for the worse. Such magics always have an impact on the user, after all. Is this truly what you want?”

Slowly walking towards the body, Elara would crouch down beside it and force her hand inside it without a moment of hesitation or worry, soon enough pulling out the lacrima. It was an odd looking item indeed, a jet black, almost oily like device. It gave off a fair amount of heat too and she could feel its power quite strongly. After a few moments, she would then stand up, bloody lacrima in hand. “I can’t rely on you and the others forever, Taurus. What if I find myself in a position one day where I can’t summon you guys? What do I do then? I need a backup plan and more than that...I want to be able to fight like she can.”

“Lehanna?” The bull asked, twitching her ears.

“Yeah, Lehanna.” Elara replied softly, looking up at the starry sky.

(1002 Words)
(3038 TWC)