Isabel's eyes shot open. She wasn't sure if she heard them or smelt them at first, but she knew that they had company approaching, and it seemed to be quite a few of them getting closer.

She rolled over to the side her mother slept and gently nudged her. ''Mom, wake up. I think there's someone coming.''

Helen groaned as her tired eyes fluttered open. ''What?''

''I can hear footsteps. I don't think we're alone.''

It didn't take long for Helen to become fully awake after that statement. She got up and tried to look outside the cave to see if her daughter was right. However, the landscape had become so dark under the night sky, she could barely see past her own nose. It was all up to Isabel to be her eyes and ears.

''Is it human?'' Helen asked, not sure which answer she would prefer.

''I think so,'' Isabel whispered, rising to her feet.

Glancing out into the distance, she could see half a dozen figures marching towards them. They had crouched down, donned in protective gear with metal plates roughly stitched to their bodies and goggles to shield their eyes from the harsh winds. Each of them carried a different weapon in their hands; half-broken machetes, metal chains, chipped bats. While Isabel almost wanted to test her abilities to see if she could take them on, she had another concern to worry about.

''It must be the Vipers that Angelique talked about.'' Helen said. She then felt a protective arm wrap around her waist and guide her further into the cave. ''What are you doing?''

''We need Angelique alive if we're going to get Thane,'' Isabel said, lowering her mom to the ground so that she was completely hidden in the shadowy depths of the cave. ''I'm going to get her before they do something. You stay here.''

''No, I'm not letting you deal with this alone.''

Isabel looked at her amusedly. ''Mom, we both know I can take care of this.''

''I still want you to be safe. You're still new with these abilities…''

''All the more reason for you to stay hidden!'' Isabel said, cupping her mom's cheek and forcing her to stare deeply into her eyes. ''I can't fight if I'm worrying about you. I won't kill them, but I'm going to give them enough of a beating to show they shouldn't mess with us.''

Helen trembled, both with her daughter's words and realizing how close their faces were together. While she had trouble seeing Isabel's features, she could feel her hot breath brush against her face. It shouldn't have bothered her too much considering what Isabel did to her face earlier, but there was something about her daughter's lips being so close to her that made her heart race. Then the rational side of her brain told her that her heart was racing because of the impending danger, and she was smart enough to know that arguing with Isabel was only going to bring the Vipers closer and make things difficult.

She sighed, grabbing Isabel's hand and kissing her knuckles. ''Be safe.''

If Helen could see in the dark, she would have seen Isabel's face go bright red.

Without another word, Isabel snuck out of the cave and hurried to where she had left Angelique.

''Pull it together,'' she mumbled to herself. ''Why is that the thing that makes me blush? Some badass I am…''

She lost her words as she rounded the corner and found that Angelique was no longer alone.

''Get your filthy hands off me!'' Angelique grunted, trying to bite the hand of the Viper that was tugging on her chains. A group of four circled her, taunting and laughing at the woman.

''Calm down, firecracker!'' Said the man pulling her rope, the tallest of the Vipers and with a steel bar strapped to his waist. As his comrades, two other men and another woman, heckled Angelique, he pulled her along.

''Hey!'' Isabel cried out.

The Vipers turned to her and withdrew their weapons. The lead Viper gripped Angelique's rope with one hand and retrieved his steel bar with the other, pointing it towards Isabel. ''Well, well, we've got double the luck tonight.''

''Actually, finding us was an unlucky moment for you.'' Isabel said. ''Let us go, and we don't have to go through any trouble.''

Unsurprisingly, the Vipers laughed at her. ''That's cute. How about you drop your weapons, and we'll consider your offer?'' one taunted sarcastically.

''I don't have any weapons.''

The Lead Viper eyed Isabel curiously. ''Is that your attempt at a bluff?''

''No bluffs, no tricks. This is your final warning. I'm more trouble than I look.''

Angelique turned to the Vipers. ''She's right. I've got a broken hand to prove it.''

''Ha, even if you know how to fight, you can't save your friend. I could bash her head in before you get near me.''

Isabel smirked. ''You're wrong about two things. One, she's not my friend.''

''And two?''

Isabel kicked up a cloud of dust as she charged forward and clattered her body against the Lead Viper's, sending him hurtling into the air and crashing to the ground. He coughed harshly, clutching his sore body, alive but unable to get back onto his feet. As the other Vipers stared at Isabel in disbelief, she cracked her knuckles. ''Want to tell me what else I can't do?'' she smiled mischievously.

''What the hell is she?'' one Viper questioned, backing away slowly.

''She's dead, that's what she is!'' Another cried out, raising his machete and running towards Isabel. He swing his weapon at her, but couldn't land a single strike as she effortlessly dodged his attacks.

To Isabel, it felt like they were attacking her in slow motion. Even when all three of them tried their luck with her at the same time, she was always able to stay one step ahead of them. Opening her palm, she pushed them away, using her superior strength to send them crashing to the ground. While she did her best to hold back and not kill them needlessly, Isabel couldn't deny the thrill and excitement she felt in the heat of battle. She almost wanted the fight to go on for longer just to release some more pent up energy.

Not too far away, Angelique watched the young woman's dominating display and cowered away. When she got to a certain distance she realized that while she was still bound by the rope, it was no longer shackled down to anything solid. Looking over to Isabel to see that she was still distracted by the Vipers, she quietly walked away.

However, she fell down when she felt something pull back on her rope. She looked up to see Helen staring down at her, holding her down. ''Don't even think about it.''

Angelique spat at her, but Helen shrugged it off and turned to her daughter. ''Isabel, there's more coming. They're going to overwhelm us.''

Isabel turned around to see that her mother was right, a dozen more Vipers were gaining speed and coming from behind. Even if she could defeat them, what would stop others from trailing them and trying their luck a second time? She couldn't leave that risk unchecked, fearing it would bring harm to her mom.

''I'll handle them.'' Isabel growled as she stood above the groaning, aching bodies of the Vipers she defeated.

Grabbing each of them by the sleeve of their dark jackets, she lifted them up and tossed them in the direction of the advancing group. The Vipers that had been flung crashed into the first wave. A Viper from the back notched an arrow into a bow and fired the projectile directing at Isabel's face. The metal point it is mark between her eyes and bounced off her skin like it had impacted a stone wall. As the Vipers hesitated, Isabel gave them a confident grin.

The lead Viper leaned on the shoulders of another and sneered at her. ''Don't think this is the end, you freak! Whatever crosses this land belongs to our crew and…''

''That's about to change!'' Isabel silenced him. She took one step forward and the whole group retreated one step. She smirked at them. ''We don't even have anything for you to steal. All we want is to save someone. If you cross my path, I will make you pay.''

''Listen here you…''

''No, you listen!'' She yelled at them. ''I didn't want to kill you, but I also had to be careful that I didn't break your legs and leave you to fend for yourselves. But, if you try to come after us again, I can make that happen! And don't try to ambush us, I will know if you're coming.''

That earned a perplexed expression from the Viper. ''What the hell are you?''

Isabel pursed her lips. ''I don't know. And in a way, it's scarier not knowing, both for me and you. Next time, I'm going to be a little rougher with you and who knows how ruthless I might be if that happens. Save us the trouble and don't bother. I have something bigger in mind, like a Drake, to deal with.''

Any Vipers that were still brave enough to hold their weapons up at her finally lowered them. They exchanged bewildered glances with each other and whispered amongst themselves. Even the leader seemed tongue-tied. He could only stare at Isabel speechlessly.

Feeling that she got her message across to them, Isabel walked over to her mother and grabbed Angelique's rope. ''We're moving. Let's go.''

''No need to tell me twice.'' Angelique replied, leading the way.

While Helen remained close to Isabel as they marched onwards, she could hear her daughter breathing heavily, grunting like a wild animal after an exhausting hunt. She tenderly grasped Isabel's muscular arm. ''Are you alright?''

Isabel nodded. ''That was just talk. I needed to be sure they would be too scared to follow us.''

''Good,'' Helen said. ''Because there is no way I'm letting you fight a Drake. That's not our mission.''

''I know. But, judging by the looks on their faces, my threat worked.''

A snicker escaped Angelique. Their prisoner looked back at them. ''You keep throwing around the word Drake like it means nothing. You're strong, dirt-walker, but you'd still be crushed if Lord Lacron got his claws on you. I don't know how many times I have to emphasize that to you both.''

Isabel tugged on the rope. ''And don't try to run away from us next time. You have nowhere to go even if I did let you escape.''

''If I had the choice between wandering aimlessly through a wasteland and facing a pissed-off Drake, I'd ask you to point me in the direction you'd like me to go.''

Isabel looked away, trying not to show any sign that this talk of Lord Lacron was getting to her. She knew of the dangers of Dragons and Drakes. She'd heard enough warnings growing up in the colony, and from the stories her mother would tell her from historical texts and findings. There was a burning desire inside of her that wanted the challenge, but she couldn't be a fool, not with her mother in the line of literal fire.

She was dragged out of her thoughts by her mother rubbing her shoulder. ''Let's focus. You're stressed and tired. We're going to get Thane, return home, and then I'm going to make you something nice.''

Isabel giggled. ''I should be the one making you something.''

''We'll discuss it when we get back.''

Angelique groaned. ''Gag me.''

Helen glared at her. ''Keep talking and that can be arranged.''

Isabel forced herself to look away again, this time to hide the smile and blush created by her mother's commanding tone.

As the three of them disappeared over the horizon, the Vipers stood in disbelief. The leader turned to his closest companion. ''We should head back. Cruise will want to hear about this.''

XXX

HELLO, MY SWEET SUPERSTARS! THIS WAS MORE OF AN ACTION-PACKED CHAPTER THIS TIME AROUND. THERE WILL BE MANY DANGERS THAT ISABEL AND HELEN FACE ON THE SURFACE, AND THE VIPERS ARE JUST ONE OF THEM. WILL THEY LISTEN TO ISABEL'S WARNING? OR WILL THERE BE ANOTHER SURPRISE IN STORE WITH THE MENTION OF 'CRUISE'? WHILE THE FIGHTS ARE A BIT ONE-SIDED NOW, THEY'RE NOT AS DETAILED, BUT THERE WILL BE MORE ELABORATE ACTION SET-PIECES COMING SOON. I WANT EACH CHAPTER TO HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU, WHETHER THAT BE ACTION, WORLD-BUILDING OR SMUT. EACH WILL GET MORE DETAILED AS THE STORY PROGRESSES. I LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THEORIES AND OPINIONS, I'VE SEEN SO MANY INTERESTING THINGS. YOU ARE ALL AMAZING AND SO THOUGHTFUL.

I DO HAVE A RELEASE DATE FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER...WEDNESDAY APRIL 8TH. LESS THAN A WEEK AWAY. I AM SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY. ANNA'S ADVENTURES HAS TAKEN A LOT OUT OF ME, PLUS THE ONGOING PANDEMIC. I AM STILL OKAY AND I HOPE THAT YOU ARE ALL SAFE TOO. IN THE MEANTIME, I AM GOING TO TRY AND WRITE AS MANY STORIES AS I CAN FOR YOU ALL SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE SOMETHING TO ENTERTAIN YOURSELVES.

I ALSO HAVE NOW STARTED POSTING MY STORIES ON WATTPAD TOO. SO IF YOU HAVE A WATTPAD ACCOUNT OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO DOES AND MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN MY STORIES, YOU CAN FOLLOW ME THERE. I HAVE THE SAME PENNAME AS HERE.

I STILL HAVE MY POLL ONGOING AND MY STORY LIST ON MY PROFILE IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT I'M WORKING ON NEXT. SO STAY SAFE, LOOK AFTER EACH OTHER AND STAY AMAZING. TA-TA FOR NOW.