Zak continued his trek through the forest, trudging through swamp lands and murky waters. He continuously swatted bugs away and occasionally stopped to rest and check his map, going through this swamp land was not his plan but he was never one to shy away from a challenge. He figured that cutting through the clearly gator infested area would only prolong his trip by a day or two, while walking he opted it would be best to put his hair up that way he could see better and it's not like there was anyone out here to see him he reasoned. Grabbing a rubber band from his pocket he pulled his hair into a long pony tail, once his veil of hair was removed he got his full vision back. He carried on through the swamp for another half a mile before his senses began to kick in, he could feel something watching him. He stopped dead in his tracks, standing in the knee high murky water, whatever it was, it was getting closer.
He began to look around sporadically, desperately seeking the location of his would-be assailant. He looked everywhere but saw nothing. 'To my left.' He looked left. 'To my right.' He looked right. 'Above.' He looked up fast but still saw nothing, he began to think maybe his senses were off when his thoughts were interrupted by a cryptid that bore a resemblance to an alligator except it looked prehistoric and had to be at least twice the size of a normal gator. Came shooting up from right under him, the opening of its massive jaws sent him flying off and into the air. For a moment he felt terror, but remembered his training and power.
"I won't lose to you scaly, so I hope you make a good pair of shoes." Zak donned his iconic orange glow and reeled back his fist, he threw his other hand behind him and let a quake of power emit from his palm thrusting him forward at dangerous speeds. He punched the gator with a right hook sending it skipping away a few feet, it immediately rolled upon hitting the ground and rushed him. Unused to his targets taking more than one hit since he received his new powers. This threw zak off guard, when the gator was in range it took its chance with a high bite to take his head off. Luckily for zak his moment of shock sent him sprawling back and onto the ground, narrowly avoiding the bite and sending the gator over him. He shook it off and capitalized on the opening by kicking the gator in its stomach, he sent it hurdling into the trees and shrubs wailing in pain.
Standing up thinking the battle was over due to a lack of noise and movement on the other combatant's side, zak began to walk away which is when he heard it. The sound of trees breaking and the ground shattering, he whirled around to be met with the site of the gators mouth wide open. It had leapt at him, in his guess it was its last all-out attack. He barely had time to put his aura up before the mouth clamped down around his mid-section, while it sopped the brunt of it zak still felt the teeth pierce his skin. He screamed louder than he ever had before but the sound was quickly drowned out after the gator began rolling with zak in its mouth. He began to panic and fear for his life, his lungs filled up with the muddy water and he began to suffocate. Then it all went black as he felt his head hit the swamp ground. He passed out.
The gator stopped it's roll and launched zak into the air, prepared to swallow its snack whole as it opened wide and awaited him to plummet into its mouth. Unfortunately the gator got a different snack, what was thought to be a human meal turned out to be a tree to the throat. (Rewind with zak)
As he was thrown up zak's body began to glow a dark orange almost red hue, his eye's opened and they were glowing red. Before he even began his descent zak used his claw to latch onto a tree and pull himself away from the gator, he landed next to a sizeable tree and with more strength then he'd ever exhibited before. Tossed the tree into the gator in one clean motion, sending it hurling into another tree effectively breaking its neck. Zak stood impressively for a moment, as if that expended none of his energy at all. Then he keeled over and began to puke a mixture of blood and the muddy water that filled his lungs, after emptying his lungs he passed out on the floor. A pained expression written on his face as he lay on the cold unforgiving floor.
The silent air was soon protruded by the sounds of footsteps inclosing on zak's position, a pair of slim feminine arm's came down and scooped the boy up. "don't worry young lord, I've got you now." A low sultry voice said as she pressed him tightly to her bosom, "no more harm sha'll come to you now that I am here my lord, for I am thy shield." The 6'0" woman said as she walked away with zak deeper into the marshlands, she held him tightly and treaded through the area as if she was born here and knew the placement of every root, stump, and animal. It was clear from this point on, zak's life had taken a turn, for better or worse well see.
