Headed by a Snake

Willow fell with a splash, just barely avoiding the Bog Creature's claws. She tried to call out for her sister but took a mouthful of swamp water, instead.

Imperia leapt backward defensively, swinging her palm downward, "⌈Mana Ward!⌋"

A half-bubble made of watery mana appeared in front of her, refracting light around her. Though it slowed the swamp thing's claws tenfold... it wasn't enough to stop them.

One claw cracked against Imperia's armored thigh. It bounced off, but part of the hard shell it was made of crumbled away. It would probably leave a bruise-- but that wasn't too bad.

The other... it gripped onto Imperia's right arm, squeezing its sharpened fingers and piercing into her flesh. She grunted and fell to a knee as blood ran black down her charcoal-skin.

"Insolent creature..." Imperia growled as she took hold of the creature's arm with her left hand... "I will not tolerate your revolting touch. ⌈Inflict!!⌋"

Willow felt it more than she saw it... violent water mana, like a crashing waterfall, surged through her sister's hands and attacked the Bog Creature's very essence.

The thing shrieked in pain, the ear-piercing burst of sound rippling the waters as its body undulated and writhed. The hole on its chest, too, seemed to grow larger and it withdrew its arms.

However, Imperia collapsed onto both knees and fell onto her forearms. Maybe she activated her Skills too quickly... or she took way more damage than it appeared. Whatever the case, she was completely spent.

Willow needed to do something. She shook out of her daze and coughed out water as she splashed her hand in the waters around her...

Where is it? Come on! Please!

Searching frantically through the mud, she grasped the haft of her spear and pulled it out of the mud.

She got to her feet and aimed... trying not to be intimidated by its Level 30 tantrum.

Willow wished she had some kind of attack Skill. She felt so incredibly stupid for spending her points on so many stupid talents. It didn't matter if she could run fast or see the speed of her enemies' attacks if she was powerless in a fight.

So even without a Skill... and not really having put any points in boosting her strength... she threw her spear with all the might her skinny arm could muster.

It felt... just right. And when Willow opened her eyes... she saw her spear... had hit?

"Bloodddd..." The creature tilted its faceless head... too far, like it had a broken neck, "BloooOddd... My... blood?"

The throwing spear had pierced halfway through the thing-- and through its neck! It should have had... some sort of effect. The thing should be dead, really! But it didn't even seem to notice.

Even though everything from her arms to her little toes was trembling in fear... she took hold of her stone axe and stood between the Bog Creature and Imperia, "S-stay away... I'm warning you!!"

"What in the seven hells are you doing, foolish human?" Imperia slammed a fist against the dirt, "Stand down-- you're no match for this beast!"

'Well, neither are you!' Willow wanted to scream... but she kept her attention on the creature that had her father's voice.

She took in a deep breath through her nostrils.

...She had to keep calm.

She... had the heart of a dragon. Dragons aren't afraid of anything.

She couldn't die-- not with Sprig still waiting for her... not when that scummy Elder was still sacrificing people to the monster in the swamps.

...Not when Imperia was relying on her.

"Dad..." Willow gulped... "Are you... are you still alive in there... somewhere?"

Even though she had the heart of a dragon beating in her chest... it seemed that dragons could still cry.

The faceless creature froze still... and it reached its long arms up to grab hold of the sides of its head.

"The... the Sea God..." The Bog Creature gargled... "The creatures of land... they... they will... all... They-- d... diiiie?"

It seemed... confused... maybe trying to hold onto whatever humanity was left inside of it.

Then, something seemed to snap. It roared in fury and began to violently thrash its arms and legs, "Die! DIE!! DIE DIE DIE DIE DIIIIIE!!!!"

Willow stared into the inky blackness in the waters spread outward...

Was that... all that was left of Dad?

"That's not your father anymore, Willow," Imperia whispered.

Willow shut her eyes for a brief moment.

"...I know."

She didn't really have any hope that he was alive... but hearing his voice on the creature's 'lips'... and hearing it change... She felt like she'd lost him all over again.

Willow wiped her tears with her wrist and turned to Imperia, "Your water magic, Sis..."

"It's pretty shite for that thing to be resistant to my ⌈Water Lance⌋... which is literally my strongest spell," Imperia sat up and rolled her eyes-- then winced in pain as she grabbed her arm.

The hole on her waist wasn't going to close up anytime soon, either.

"Step back," Imperia urged. "⌈Inflict⌋ seems to work alright..."

Willow pursed her lips... "But?"

"I should be able to cast it one more time... probably."

Willow sucked in air through her teeth... "Sis, do you have any spells that could help us escape?"

"Tch. Of course I do," Imperia glared. "But it uses *water.* Hence, escaping from a *water* monster is beyond stupid."

"Let me try something," Willow grit her teeth.

"No."

"Like you have a choice," Willow groaned as she stepped towards the thing with her dad's voice.

"Hey, dad..." She whispered... "It's me... Willow."

The creature ceased its shaking... and even though its body was facing away, it twisted its faceless, ink-black head to 'look' at her.

"I'm... I'm sorry I was such a brat... I know it was hard after Mom died... and I know... I know you did your best for me and Rickert."

Dad wasn't perfect. He had a lot of problems... he wasn't really all that smart. Choosing to move to Thorne Village was a perfect example of that.

But he tried.

That's what mattered, really.

People that stop trying... that's when they stop being good humans.

"Www... wiLL..... LowwwWw..." The creature groaned with wet, wheezing breaths... "R... r... unnnnNn..."

Willow nodded. That's what she was trying to do.

"Willow!!" Imperia raised her voice, even though it cracked with fear and uncertainty, "SISTER!!!!"

The half-dozen black claws rising out of the swamp water around them were probably going to make running difficult, though.

« System. Add my talent point to ⌈Force Shout.⌋ »

⟬ Talent point added. ⟭

⟬ New skill acquired. ⟭

⟬ ⌈Force Shout.⌋ Offensive ability. A thunderous shout deals 25-165 sonic damage and forces opponents 10-fulms away. ⟭

Willow stepped forward, splashing her foot hard in the muddy water, "I am the heir of ⌈ASH AND FIRE!!!!⌋"

Her voice rang in her own ears-- the ground beneath her shook, and the waters made waves outward from where she stood.

The creature was launched backward by the invisible force-- through the reeds and trees and out of sight.

Thankfully, all the arms seem to blink out of existence at the same time. Or maybe they were just part of Willow's imagination?

That'd be a nice thought... if everything up until now was just a bad dream.

"WILLOW!!" Imperia shouted, "What was that? What the HELLS WAS THAT?!!"

"It doesn't matter!" Willow grabbed Imperia's arm, "We have to go! Now!"

...

"Hurts... it... HuRRrrRtsss..."

The pitiful creature sang its lamentations.

"Blood... my... BLOOOODDDD... It runnssssssss..."

"And so shall it run freely," King leapt down from his tree, landing with one foot carefully balanced upon a smooth stone... "until your last breath leaves your lips, monster."

The faceless creature reared its ugly, misshapen head... and even without eyes, stared in awe upon his greatness.

⌈Winds at my back,⌋ King lowered his body and flipped forward, his swords arcing overhead, one after the other.

Suspended by the gentle winds, he rotated his dragon blades in a smooth circle... the weaving motion practiced by him and his descendants for a hundred thousand years. "⌈Fire in my heart.⌋"

One cut. Two cuts. Eighteen across. Seventy-two twists of pure mana... to rent evil into nothingness.

Evil destroyed.

Goodly beings kept safe from their existence.

All things as they should be.

The foul creature fell... returning to its original form, diffused into the marsh waters.

King stood tall and flourished his blades before returning them to their sheaths...

"I pray thee are safe... Imperia, daughter of the Vulkoori who I once loved with all my heart. Heir of ash and fire... daughter of my oldest allies and greatest rivals."

He had heard the saplings' voices earlier, but he had arrived too late. Thankfully, their resourcefulness had bested the creature and they managed to escape.

Yet still... the creature that King had defeated was not the only one of its ilk.

The children remained in the swamp, where danger lurked around each tree and behind every stone.

He would not follow.

There were greater dangers for him to face... perhaps some even worthy of crossing blades with him.

"...I shall stay the course. I do my part to cleanse the evil from the marshlands... and from this Realm... Survive, saplings. Survive and grow strong. Though I will be the hero of this generation, thou shalt champion the next."