Headed by a Snake

Coraline was counting on the angel to dodge.

If her second ground-targeted spell was as successful as the first... well-- then her opponent wouldn't have been a very good Gold-Rank.

Suffering the recoil of her ⌈Earth Spike⌋, she tumbled backward on the ground but she managed to right herself in a somewhat graceful kneel.

If she was being honest with herself, it was a small miracle that she didn't fall flat on her face.

Creepy-angel-guy was coming straight for her... so she lowered her body... counted to one, then sprung upward with all her might.

"⌈Flaming UPPERCUT!!!⌋"

**BAM!!**

Coraline's fist was... caught by the angel's hand. He held onto her tightly with a vice-like grip.

She was going to bruise for sure... but in theory, HE should have been hurting way more!

Looking up with an expectant grin-- Coraline had her hopes and dreams shattered and destroyed yet again.

The angel's face didn't change at all... no pain, no remorse-- or even acknowledgment!

It was like he didn't even care.

...Coraline's hand felt burning-hot... and the very recognizable stench of BURNING flesh wafted up to her nose.

The angel kept them both aloft by flapping his wings, but he spun 180 degrees just as a certain ⌈Delayed Fire Bolt⌋ activated.

"Empty FRICKIN' NIGHT!" Coraline cursed.

She swiped her other hand to dispel her own fiery attack...

--which effectively made her whole plan a gargantuan waste of mana.

The delayed spell was SOOO GOOD, too!! She casted it at a major completion rate... and she even weaved in some of her familiar, Beatrice's, fiery nature into it for extra spiciness!

Though it was really stupid of her, Coraline was really hoping that her opponent would have the courtesy to take her fire spells head-on.

After all... he-- that guy took the CORAL BOYS' ATTACKS!!

What kind of double-standard was going on?!?!

...Bleigggggh. Her duel to the death was so, sooooo incredibly frustrating!

With the threat of being burned alive by her own flames out of the way... Coraline had to deal with the skyborne angel still holding onto her.

...Then she had to hope to fall without hurting herself.

Why couldn't watching the beach be boring like the normal adventuring work she was used to?

"Don't suppose we can just talk this out, um... Sir?"

The angel lifted her up so they were face to face. Then... he placed a strong arm behind the small of her back.

She heard his voice-- not ringing bells, but... heavily accented Common that hinted at an upbringing in Nemaya Strana.

"I have single offer," He licked his lips... like a creep... "Make love to me while allies watch with dead, staring eyes. I put hands on your neck as I breed you."

Aaaaalright.

While normally, Coraline figured she was okay with a hot guy making advances on her-- that was a very, verrrry unwelcome advance.

She didn't want to date a psychopath. She wasn't like her best friend, Ellie.

"Yeah, no thanks. I have a boyfriend," Coraline hmphed.

**PAP**

Tears of pain stung Coraline's eyes and it felt like her entire consciousness was orbiting the outside of her head.

Tiny silver shards of mana drifted all around her.

The angel had... slapped her.

With a single strike, the protective ⌈Mana Ward⌋ enchantment weaved into her very expensive cloth armor had shattered.

...Baron Tychon was going to be very upset when he found out.

"You will speak only when spoken to," The angel grimaced.

Coraline scrunched up her face to expertly convey her innermost thoughts:

'What in the gods' names did you JUST say to me?!?'

Tychon might be upset that his super-expensive investment exploded into tiny mana bits and pieces.

But...

Coraline would MAKE IT UP TO HIM by showing him the CHARRED CORPSE of an OVERSIZED, CHAUVINIST CHICKEN-WINGED BI-OTCH!!!

Words unbidden came to her lips... in her mother's mother's mother-tongue... a passage transcribed in the depths of her Elven bloodline.

"(Hark, fallen servant, for thou dost not know the death you court.)

"(Flames born of molten earth, blessed by the twin suns of Phlegethos... COME TO MY AID!!)

"(SCOUR this GODLESS BLIGHT from the Realm!! And GRANT!! ME!! MY!! VENGEA--) HrrRKkk!!"

A series of sharp lines bit into Coraline's neck, stopping her from breathing-- interrupting her spell.

The mana she was channeling so... furiously dissipated in an instant.

The words... the ancient words from a place only the gods knew where...

--they left her.

Poof.

Gone.

--couldn't even remember a single syllable.

...and there weren't more than a hundred syllables in Ancient Elven.

She reached her free arm up to her throat... feeling mana-created wires and fresh, wet blood.

The angel leaned forward... and Coraline felt the lick of his tongue.

It sent shivers down her spine... of shame... and disgust.

The latest and greatest dominant thought in her mind... was to get away-- as far away as possible.

She was held tenuously by just her fist over a dozen fulms in the air... so that was a very stupid idea. Still,  she'd rather do something stupid than-- than let some angel psycho take advantage of her!

Coraline grabbed onto his trousers to stabilize herself.

"OhHhh," The angel cooed. "Pants come off eventually-- but better you die before."

'Yeah, you wish,' Coraline thought.

Snorting the last of her breath away, she kneed her captor in the balls as hard as she could.

Instead of a high-pitched scream, she heard what sounded like a dozen discordant glass bells ringing as hard as they could.

It would have been funny if Coraline didn't feel herself plummeting back down to the beach.

Since she didn't have any more defensive enchantments, she was pretty sure that the impact wasn't going to be pleasant.

What was funny, though... was that she remembered preparing a ⌈Featherfall⌋ spell a few bells prior.

...which she wished she remembered about three seconds earlier.

**POMF**

Coraline's back hit the sand-- and her head bounced a little.

A cloud of fine filled her vision... and got in her mouth for a little added discomfort.

And... everything felt numb.

",