A new wave of small monsters washed forward, there were still many of them left, but this time they moved in a wide circle around the few adventurers that stood in front of the wall.
The Hydra accepted the challenge, but they would need to come to her, while the smaller ones would fiercly attack the walls again. The three alpha class monsters moved forward, each of them glowing purple between their scales.
The one to the left made cracking sounds as a massive hornplate grew out of it´s neck. At the right, it´s body cracked and moved upwards, forming something like an upper body with two arms that were only two giant scythes.
And the one in the middle...it´s maw changed so that instead of teeth it had lot´s of tentacles...it actually looked very familiar to the monster that Tione nearly summoned back at the cook off...
"Finn!"
"Tiona?"
"I´m not fighting that tentacle thing! No chance! I have read enough stories to know how that´s gonna end!"
"I agree with her! But what stories do you read?!"
"I thought they were hero stories!"
The amazon sisters were of one opinion.
"Everyone listen, Tiona, Tione, you two take the one to our left, with the horn shield. Gareth, Bete, you two take the one with the scythe arms. I will fight the one in the middle. Bell, Ais...you know what you have to do."
Bell glanced at Ais and smiled. "Shall we go, lady of my heart?"
Ais returned his smile. "I am by your side ... Bell."
They all heard the strong love for the other in those words.
"Could you two wait with your flirting until this is over?!" Bete growled and cracked his knuckles.
The seven adventurers readied their weapons and started to move forward. Slowly at first ... they gradually fell into a quick rut ... and finally they ran. With an earth shattering roar, the hydra ordered her three bodyguards forward.
The two ont he sides roared with their queen, the one in the middle made strange noises and the tentacles waved around. All three monsters had grown bigger after the injection of their queen, the ground shook as they ran forward.
But monsters didn´t fought fair, all three aimed for the middle...focussed on Ais and Bell.
"Protect them!"
The one with the scythe arms was the fastest, and as it charged forward, its left arm tore a huge furrow in the sunken ground. Ash billowed up with each step.
"Not so fast, laddy!"
Gareth charged forward, the axe raised, the monsters was easily five times as tall as the dwarf...maybe six due to the upper body. Bete ran behind Gareth, while he was faster, Gareth had the greater defence.
The scythe arm came down and the ground beneath Gareth cracked as he blocked the enormous slash. This attack would have already beeen strong enough to carve through one of the gates or damage the wall.
While the scythe was still on the axe, Bete jumped up and kicked at the transformed head, the fins were still on the side and top, but ended in spikes now. The wind magic from Ais were still in his boots and Bete intended to take it to good use.
The other five ran around the enraged first monster, evading a massive stomp from the one with the horn shield. More horn plates had grown at various spots, making this thing a moving bulwark.
"Out of the captain´s way!"
Tione charged forward and attacked directly with her foot, Tiona joined her sister with Urga III. The monster lowered it´s head and took the attacks directly, not jerking one bit.
Both colossal monsters were close to each other so the four adventurers had a hard time to not get between them.
"Follow me!"
Finn whirled his spear around while Bell and Ais ran after him. The last one, tentacle head, didn´t waited for them. A stream of something purple shot out betweent the tentacles and hissed as it hit the floor.
"This one is mine, go!"
But it wouldn´t become so easy for the Loki Familia, Finn´s plan was simple but smart, to divide and conquer. But the monsters wouldn´t move far away from each other, sometimes when one would crouch down, the other would jump over it.
Finn had planned on two versus one fights, but it would become more a five versus three fight. In addition, the hydra sent most of the smaller monsters to the part around the gate, increasing the pressure to make sure Ottar wouldn´t come to them.
.
.
Why do I have the feeling that was the simple part?
Bell and Ais ran fast away from the fighting Loki Familia, heading towards the hydra. The closer they came, the bigger the monster appeared. Both saw it for the first time how it really looked, due to the missing Miasma. Completely clad in black with purple lines between the scales, five roaring heads. A huge body that could have been majestic if it wasn´t the incarnation of demise. The titanic roar thundered acroos the field towards the two people running towards it.
From the sole of the foot to the head ... twenty meters ... with five heads, the middle one being bigger than the others ... huge claws on the feet ... six horn vents on the back which again produced new miasm. From the distance, while it was in the Miasma cloud, it had looked taller...maybe some sort of trick due to the cloud?
It looked really strange how these two small figures faced such a monstrum. But that was the fate of heroes...or those who wanted to become one. Bell was sure about one thing...this would become the fight of his life...no monster would have been harder than this one.
Their opponent was massive, a titan and heavily armored, which meant they couldn´t risk getting hit.
"Aerial!"
Ais ran faster and accelerated herself upwards with her wind magic. Bell followed her by charging his legs for a short moment. He had the feeling that a literall wall of scales was in front of them. Suddenly...the hydra started to move...much faster than they thought it would be able to. The right leg smashed down on the ground, claws dug into the scorched earth, Bell managed to evade just in time. The five heads rose in front of him higher and higher...Bell had to admit he was a bit frightened...
It was most likely a threatening gesture...and it worked.
"""""Groooooo!"""""
The five heads screamed in unison, Bell felt his heart throb. It was a primal fear reaction to the scream of an apexpredator ... a queen among monsters. The staring of the thirty eyes of the hydra alone would let most adventurers freeze in fear. Making them easy prey. Bell had felt fear before...true fear...he wasn´t ashamed of it...that was part of life.
His grandfather had told him the number one rule for all heroes.
Say Bell, do you know what is the most important thing for heroes?
To have no fear?
No, it is okay to feel fear...be afraid...but what is important...to still fight...to protect the girl. Feeling fear is normal, bravery isn´t to feel no fear at all, but to get back to your feet and fight even when you are afraid.
Bell felt fear...was afraid because of that scream...but he would fight. He wanted to be a hero...Ais´ hero.
"Daaaaaaah!"
Bell raised Olympus with both hands and ran away from the colossal monster. He didn´t even attacked the leg, it probably wouldn´t work. The main head in the middle growled in a strange way...it sounded almost like...it was laughing. The hydra chased after Bell, three heads focussed on him, the other two turning around and looking for Ais. Bell and Ais didn´t had enough time to talk about a strategy, but that wasn´t necessary.
He had trained with the Loki Familia and started to study with Ais, under the merciless eyes of Riveria. So far Bell had only experience in learning with Eina for specific floors, but Riveria teached him how the encountered new, unknown monsters.
Observe, evaluate, weaken, fight!
It was a natural instinct for adventurers, observe what the monster is capable of. Evaluate the threat and what you can destroy to rob the monster from abilities. Destroy what you can to weaken the monster...and move in for the killing blow.
All the tips he had gotten from various people mixed in Bell´s head, together with his nature and the teachings that formed his character, made him the adventurer he was. So even when he moved in for a killing blow, Bell never forgot Ais´ teaching. When someone aimed for the final blow, their guard was the weakest, so never underestimate an enemy, it could be a trap. Since he couldn´t use the terrain to his advantage, Bell rememberred another teaching of Ryu.
Improvise. Adapt. Overcome!
He had to do that often down on the 37th Floor, he already thought about various options.
And most important.
Protect the girl, Bell!
Bell would protect Ais, with everything he had.
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The hydra followed Bell and stomped on the ground again. While he was fast, the hydra only neeed one step for a dozen of Bell´s. He ran to the side to evade the stomping leg, when he tried to jump backwards, the long, lashing tail of the hydra blocked his way. His heard jerked around and he leaned back just in time to evade the snapping jaws of one of the heads.
Three of it´s eyes looked directly at him, the purple glow in them spoke of a malicious intelligence. Before he could use the situation, a second head came down to devour him. But Bell was too fast and evaded again, so far he didn´t attacked on his own, tried to see how much the hydra could move. Suddenly the head that was next to him rose together with the other one and the hydra started to turn around, the heads followed the movement of Ais.
"Firebolt!"
Bell´s aim was perfect, he fired his magic into one of the eyes before it could be closed, letting the hydra scream in outrage. The massive tail came down to shatter Bell´s body, he ran for his life and rolled up, slicing the scales with Olympus. It didn´t dealt much damage, but he had to test the durability of the scales. One of the heads shot towards him, he raised his sword with both hands, but the head stopped and just screeched at him, a long, red tongue was visible during that.
It was like Bell was fighting against a monster with multiple limbs.
"Bell!"
Warned by Ais´ yell, he ducked down when another head came from the side, the maw closed and tried to ram him.
This thing is ridiculously flexible!
He noticed that Ais was fighting against two of the heads...he had the honor of the attention of three heads on him ... The main head didn´t attacked much, it´s neck was thicker than those of the others, so it was probably less flexible. One of the side heads came down and tried to bite Bell...or rather...bite off his upper body. He sliced upwards and managed to carve a bloody line in the underside of the chin, the hydra was a monster descending from the combined essence of the leviathan and the behemoth...so Bell´s weapons were anathema to it. The head glared at him angrily as it got pulled back, the other hammered down on Bell immediately.
He jumped to the side, kicked himself off and aimed for the eyes to stab at least one. A shadow fell over him and he barely escaped the main head that was rammed into the ground.
.
Ais jumped to the side, her magic let her nearly fly. She was over the back of the hydra, fending off two heads that attacked her furiously, giving her no chance to attack on her own, only to counter. Ais released a series of fast stabs and thrusts, scratching the scales of both heads, whenever one of them came near her. In the first moments of the fight, Bell and Ais tested out how the hydra moved.
Not only was the main head bigger than the others, it was the literal main head. The hydra had five heads and all moved separate from each other, but even with a brain in each head, the hydra only had one real mind. Basically, it was one monster with one mind, it just had four additional "arms" with eyes on it. Ais couldn´t imagine what it would like to have such a field of vision, but the way this monster moved, it was like a minotaur fighting Bell with one arm and using the other to fend off Ais.
I have seen
She moved forward and evaded the heads on her side. As soon as the hydra noticed that she was moving towards the other heads, it moved it´s enormous body to the side. But that wasn´t her intention, she just wanted to move to Bell.
"Bell!"
"Ais!"
Ais landed next to him and held Hurricane ready, the giant black and purple monster towered in front of them, raising it´s heads in a threatening gesture. For the people on the tower who had time to look at them...Ais and Bell were the very symbol what it meant to be an adventurer right now.
Dark clouds hang over Orario and no one had seen the sun really in days now...even when the morning dawned it only got more gray than really bright. The colossal hydra produced a light cloud of Miasma, covering the feet of Ais and Bell. While it smelled bad, they were immune to the posionous effect. Finn and the others had to keep their distance, but even so it weakened them over time.
And then there were these two young people facing this titan...
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"Goooooo! Aiiiissss!"
"Beeeeeell! You can do it!"
Loki and Hestia cheered for their children in the chamber of the gods, every activity in Orario came to a hold, except for the fight on the walls. Hermes had created more magical mirrors so the people all over the city could see the fight of their saviours...so he hoped...of their heroes.
Hermes had a grim look when he saw the hydra moving forwards. The preliminary skirmish was over ... now ...
"It begins..."
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Ais threw Hurricane´s scabbard to the side, she needed every ounce of movement possible.
"Let´s go, Bell."
"I am with you, Ais."
Five heads shot downwards to them, the hydra charged forward. Instead of running away, both sprinted towards the hydra, taking the monster head on. No time to talk, no time to think, only react and counter.
When the first head shot towards Ais, but Bell blocked for her with his sword, while Ais thrusted forward and managed to stab one of the six eyes. The hydra hissed as the head was pulled back, but smoke rose from the eye socket as it started to regenerate.
Only massive damage would slow a monster with regeneration down...and both intended to damage it very much.
Bell´s sword was still raised to the block when the next head came, this time Ais countered for Bell and opened a path for his weapon. The gems in Olympus started to glow, as did the edges of Hurricane, both swords "felt" the presence of it´s other half.
A lashing tail came from the side, Bell used all of the strength he had to take the hit instead of moving out of the way. Two heads came down from above, but the hydra screeched when the tail hit Bell´s shoulder and it flashed bright golden, blinding the eyes for a moment.
Ais had turned her face away, waiting for the bright shine on the hydra´s scales. Without talking, both moved immediately and jumped forward. Bell hacked with Olympus from above, Ais with Hurricane from below, aimed at the same spot. The still blinded head screamed in pain and rage when they slashed together and cut about one third through the neck.
"Tempest...Shred!"
"Firebolt!"
The scales gave the hydra great resistance against magic...but when they were cut...
Ais channeled her wind into the wound, using it like many blades while Bell used his magic. They scorched and cut the flesh more, tearing the head halfway off before jumping away.
Not stopping, both charged at the right, front leg and thrusted their weapons into the spot where the scales had to be less thick to make it able to move. The hydra simply dropped it´s giant body onto the ground, trying to block their escape route with it´s other heads and necks. The one they had nearly cut off just wavered around with lifeless eyes, smoke rising from the deep wound...slowly growing back together.
A rush filled the air as three of the remaining heads inhaled deeply, only the primary head just stared down at them. The heads rose higher and higher, sucking in more air before reaching the peak point. Ais and Bell ran for their lives when it attacked. If it weren´t so deadly...it would have been a beautiful sight.
Bright, purple flames rushed out of the three maws and cremated everything they touched, deadly...but the color was beautiful. Where the flames hit the ground, it didn´t got scorched further or turned into ash...something like a wetness enveloped it, but also small streams of smoke rose. A few small monsters got hit by that breath attack, the lucky ones just dissolved to ash...the others screamed while they fell to the ground, their bodies dissolved while their screams went over into a gurgle.
Poisonous Acid that looked like flames.
After the use of it´s breath attack, the purple glow between the scales got a bit lower...only slowly getting stronger again. Ais´ eyes widened when she noticed the wave of acidic mist washing towards them, brought forth by the breath attack...it was faster than them.
"Bell!"
She jumped behind him and Bell stopped while she turned around.
"Aeriel...Tempest...MAX OUTPUT!"
Like a small tornado, Ais created a field of wind magic around herself and Bell, blasting away the breath that came towards them. She felt Bell´s hand at her neck after a few seconds, boosting her magic a lot after the gathered his magic for these few seconds.
Eventually the rush in the air stopped and the breath attack ended. The three heads closed their maws and moved up again, the main head had watched everything and looked...amused. Slowly, the fifth head started to move again as the wound closed more and more.
While it wasn´t the ultra fast, insane regeneration of the Black Goliath, the Hydra still regenerated pretty fast.
.
.
"Take that!"
Gareth´s ax dug deep into the forehead of the monster with the tentacle maw in front of him, its eyes glazed over and it slumped with a loud groan. His muscles bulged as he yanked out the ax and turned to rush to the others to help. Bete freed himself from the tentacles that had held him, the sliminess had burned some holes into his clothes and his skin had reddened where he was touched directly...acidic slime.
Now they had only to fight against two monsters, but didn´t had time to wonder why it didn´t dissolved to ash. Unseen by them, tiny tentacles appeared at the wound edges and crawled towards the other side, the tentacles combined in the middle and formed new flesh, closing the wound.
Scales followed and slowly...the eyes started to shine again.
"Aaw! You gotta be kiddin´ me!"
With an angry roar, the tentacle head started to get up again. As long as their queen lived...the body guards wouldn´t die. .
.
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"L-Lady Riveria?! Shouldn´t we help them? Attack?!"
Riveria held her eyes closed to focus on the magic circle she had created with her skill "Alf Regina"...a really fitting name for the princess of the elves. Ryu waited on the other side of Riveria, Mikoto next to Haruhime who stood in the back. Hedin Selland had reached the tower after the Loki Familia member had brought him the message. The circle under Riveria´s feet strenghened her magic abilities, the effect of her magic and all elves within the circle. It also converted the used magic energy of elves and brought it back to their minds, easing the exhaustion and let them regenerate faster.
That was why they needed the elven magic user, if Alicia would be here already, Riveria also had called for her. Mikoto and Haruhime were here for a special reason.
"Not now Lefiya...we have to wait for the right moment."
"What do you plan...princess?"
Hedin smiled wryly.
"Helping them to fight the hydra, prepare your magic but don´t to it too fast, we are waiting for something."
"And what would that be?"
Hedin had covered his now empty, left eye socket with a bandage.
"An emergency situation or a good opportunity. Lefiya...prepare your Arcs ray and store it...be prepared."
"Understood!"
Behind them, Haruhime had folded her hands like in prayer and started to sing...the longest version of her special chant.
"Kokonoe. Beloved snow. Beloved crimson. Beloved white light. Please let me be beside you - this love I have found at the end of two thousand nights. My name is Magic Fox. "
They would only get one true chance, it was Riveria´s job to decide when.
Ais...Bell...
.
.
"Thank you, Ais!"
"No problem!"
Her wind magic had protected them from the breath attack of the hydra, Bell could move to Ais´ side again. The formerly dead head of the hydra rose again, the wound had closed. The maws of the heads parted a bit and a strange growl came out, thundering up and down.
It was...laughing.
As if it wanted to say. "Is this the best you can do?"
For now the purple glow was still diffuse, but they were sure it would start again. If their theory was correct, the hydra could use the breath attack again when the glow was complete.
"Where do you think is the magic stone, in it´s head?"
"No, from above I could see that it protected it´s chest at all time, my guess is there."
"So...make it open it´s defence."
The five heads were focussed on Ais and Bell, not caring for the other adventurers who fought against the body guards. The hydra made a slow step to the side as if it was thinking. It could call in the body guards, but it had no information about the other five adventurers.
So...
With a changed roar, the chimneys on the hydra´s back produced more and more Miasma, covering the area around it and the two in a giant black cloud. From the tower, it looked for the mages as if the hydra was creating a dome, to not let anyone witness their fight.
Before the darkness closed around them, Bell´s armor flashed in bright gold as he used his magic. Like with the development of "Argo Vesta" Bell had thought about different ways to use his skill, combined with his Firebolt magic. Ryu wanted to cry when she saw something that was all too familiar...reminding her of a beloved, deceased friend.
White flames enveloped Bell´s feet and hands, granting him his enchantement for a longer time than normal.
The darkness closed around them as Ais and Bell charged forward.
All gods and the mages could only stare at the dark cloud, wincing whenever a loud sound or light flashed. Again and again they heard crushing sounds from the cloud, tremendous roars that thundered across the land. Sparks of green, white and golden light flashed from time to time. But even the mirrors of Hermes couldn´t see inside the cloud.
Inside the cloud, Bell and Ais went to their limits, showing just how strong level six adventurers could be, every stat of Ais had reached 999, Bell´s even surpassed the one thousand.
Only darkness was around them, punctuated by the occasional purple glow and thunder. A head shot out of the foul-smelling darkness, he tried to bite Ais arm off. Bell heard more than that he saw the heads from above. He hammered the Hestia Knife onto his shoulder guard and the golden flash appeared for a last time before running out of magical charges for now. The head jerked to the side, Ais used her chance to slash at all three eyes on one side at once.
"Ack!"
She yelled out in sudden pain when a blinded head rammed her from behind, catapulting her out of Bell´s sight. The flames still burned on his limbs, without hurting him.
"I`M HERE! COME HERE!"
The third head shot forward, Bell ducked down and rolled forward, as he came down he thrusted Olympus upwards, piercing the scales and carving a long wound. The flames on his hands went out after this attack, the others crouched upward to his right hand. Unheard by anyone except Bell, the sound of bells echoed.
The hydra screamed again and hammered down it´s heads onto Bell, ramming them into the ground to get him. But Bell wore his name for a good reason, with feet as nimble as a true rabbit, he dashed forward, jumping from one side to the other, enraging his opponent. For a reason that Bell couldn´t see, the hydra yelled out in pain again. He couldn´t hope for Ais returning, she would have to move out of the cloud and keep her distance or the Miasma would get her, she had to be close to Bell to get his immunity.
I alone against a giant black beast to protect the girl I love...
A wild grin appeared on the rabbit´s face...a dream came true.
"Daaaaaaaah!"
Gong...Gong...Gong...
As always, light gathered around Bell´s right hand, the flames that were at his feet for a moment had crouched to that spot. Bell started to use the hydras advantage against it. One, nimble, small, fast target...the heads got into each others way.
He rolled up, ducked down and moved faster, coming closer to the body. The hydra was too big to move away fast from Bell, he jumped between the front legs and continued to move. The hydra dropped it´s body down again in an attempt to crush it´s nimble opponent. Bell ducked away to the right just as the stomach of the monster hit the ground. He sheathed Olympus with one hand and jumped on the right hind leg, catapulting himself up.
The flames around his right hand screeched from the incredible heat, enclosed by his magic. Bell arrived at the joint, and jumped up to the back. The six chimneys were around him, producing lot´s of Miasma.
The hydra tried to shake Bell off, but he kicked himself into the air with the help of a chimney, before the hydra could move around, he pointed his right hand at it´s back.
"FIREBOOOOOLT!"
Charged by his magic, a ball of bright, white plasma shot out and smashed into the hydra´s back. .
.
The people on the walls almost flinched during their fight as an enormous, white explosion happened in the cloud and moved upwards, followed by an titanic scream of pain, five minutes after the dome was created. Heads with rage filled eyes became visible again as Bell destroyed five of the six chimneys with one strike. Instead of waiting, he charged for one second and fired another fireball right from above into the remaining chimney.
The hydra stumbled forward as...it´s back exploded. Horn chimneys were ripped away and fire engulfed everything. Ais caught a glimpse of gold in the air and used her magic to catapult herself upwards.
"Bell!"
She stretched out her hand to grab his. Faster than they anticipated, a head shot towards Bell and stretched out it´s long, red tongue. The tongue wrapped around his waist and yanked him down against the hydra's closed mouth. Bell gasped as he was pressed against the scales.
"Bell, watch out!"
He had one second to get what would happen...a second head moved towards him while the first pulled him away from Ais. The hydra didn´t bit Bell, it rammed two of it´s heads against each other with the snouts...with Bell between them.
"Buharg!"
The air was driven out of his lungs and he spat out bile and saliva as his stomach was compressed. Groaning in pain, he weakly got aware of the hydra pulling the head away and smashing another one into him a second later. Except for the main head, all the other heads hammered into Bell in a period of six seconds.
It was almost like one beast was holding Bell´s arms back and the others punched into his stomach...as it happened to him in the past with some adventurers when he was still weak.
"Raaaaaaah!"
Ais accelerated towards the main head and rammed Hurricane into one of the eyes. The hydra screamed in pain and let go of Bell. When he fell towards the ground, Ais moved down to catch him.
"Bell?! You okay?!"
"Ack..*cough cough cough*...irgh..."
He felt it, at least two of his ribs were broken from the hammer attacks. Ais crouched down next to Bell and searched for her potions, but their enemy wasn´t so nice to wait.
With a thunderous roar the hydra moved forward to crush them...interrupted by a white ray of magic hitting one of the heads.
.
"Arc´s ray!"
"Luminous Wind!"
"Caelus Hildr!"
"Dio Thyrsos!"
The mages around Riveria bombarded the hydra with their magic, holding nothing back. She herself was busy with her incantation, as well as Mikoto. Fox tails made of light grew from the backs of everyone, Haruhime had eventually unleashed her buff magic and was down to her knees, swallowing mind potions to not black out.
Lighting from Hedin, Light orbs from Ryu, golden and white rays of light from Lefiya, all hailed down on the hydra and tried to get Bell and Ais time.
And...
The hydra was only annoyed by it...
The five heads rose and the purple glow in it´s body started to shine, all five heads sucked in air. This time the rushing in the air was even louder, a bright stream of purple, acidic, poisonous flames rushed towards the tower.
"Via Shilheim!"
In the last moment, Riveria finished her chant and created the golden barrier around them. The stones that got hit started to melt under the strange breath attack. Riveria gritted her teeth while she tried her best to keep up her magic.
This breath attack of all five heads at once had easily the strength of magic that the demi spirits could use, but more focussed. And the probably most dangerous thing was...the tower...started to melt. Adventurers had fled from the walls that were close to the tower, the poisonous, acidic mist spread everywhere.
They had bought time for Bell and Ais, but now it was them who were in danger.
.
Bell kept kneeling on the ground, coughing and groaning while Ais tried to help him up. The hydra was close to them and still unleashed the breath attack on the tower.
Riveria! Lefiya! Everyone!
Ais was torn, she wanted to intercept the hydra, but that could mean of it using the chance to crush Bell.
Wha-
.
.
Fwhp! Fwhp! Fwhp! Fwhp! Fwhp!
.
.
Something black whirled through the air, a sheme...too fast to be seen. Ais didn´t saw from where it came...but what it did.
The accuracy was...perfect. The strength was...inhuman.
A giant black sword whirled through the air, thrown from the gate that was defended by two level seven, a level six and a level five adventurer...all belonging to the Freya Familia.
Ottar had seen his chance, the others helped to clear a path so that he could step out of the gate. With a loud yell, he whirled around and threw his giant sword.
It whirled through the air right towards the hydra. Three of the heads noticed the black sheme but it was too slow to react in time.
Bell and Ais could only stare in shock how the sword hit the hydra...and cut off the two heads on the left side in one swoop...
Ottar´s strength was something entirely else...a true monster...combined with a weapon that was nearly worth half a billion Vals.
The first head was cut off clean, the second one only to ninety percent, the sword still remaining in the last part of the neck. As the hydra moved in pain and surprise, the head broke off and the sword was kicked to the side in the grass.
The hydra screamed like never before, more of rage because of pain. Stopping the breath attack, the enraged hydra turned to Bell and Ais, it listed a little to the right, because of the missing heads.
It was easy to see it was...angry.
.
"""Dooooooh!""""
.
.
The two cut off heads hit the ground and dissolved to ash, while the bleeding of the wounds stopped already. Growing two heads back wasn´t impossible, but would take some time. Bell and Ais readied their weapons, the hydra rose higher and higher before them...the front legs left the ground.
It´s coming!
They were prepared for an earthquake attack, for even a jump forward...but not for this.
It used it´s heads to balance itself to the right and turned around much faster than it should be able to, charging towards the stumbling tower. Ais´ eyes widened in horror, Riveria, Lefiya and the others were still busy leaving the tower. If the hydra would ram the tower, they would all die.
"Bell!"
"Right behind you!"
Both ran forward, chased after the hydra who charged forward, wiping after them with it´s lashing tail. Ais was faster than Bell due to his injury, so she got a bit ahead of them. The adventurers fled from the tower, awaiting the hydra just charging into it.
Ais readied her magic and raised her sword.
Only a little bit further...
Everything happened at once.
The tail whiped at Ais, as the hydra turned around with an unbelievable speed. So far it had never shown how fast it actually could move. Over the whole fight it had formed a strategy to lure both of them into it´s trap. Ais couldn´t stop her momentum in time, as the three heads turned around to her.
Suddenly the main head´s neck was much more flexible than they had seen before. Ais jumped over the lashing tail, blocked the first head trying to ram her, then all three heads came at her at once.
"Ais!"
Bell could only stare in horror as the heads came close and used their very flexible tongues to lash at Ais. The right one caught her sword arm, wrapping around her wrist, the left one caught her other wrist and they pulled their arms to both sides.
"Aaaaaah!"
It felt as if they were trying to tear her arms from her shoulder joints. The main head rolled out it´s long tongue around Ais´ waist, pulling her closer to it...opening it´s maw wide.
"AIS!"
Bell didn´t thought, there was no time to think. He used the shorest charge possible to jump up. Olympus flashed in blue, actinic fire as Bell whirled the sword around. Bell had brought his agility and dexterity over 999 at each level. So he used all the speed which he was capable of to jump up and save his love.
He saw Ais´ feet kicking air with a horrified expression on her face as she was held right over the hydra´s maw. For a moment, Bell saw only red. Olympus flashed as he swung it around, cutting not through one but all three tongues at once, grabbing Ais´ hand with his left, pulling her towards him.
"Bell!"
"Ai-!"
Something caught Bell´s foot, the tongue of the main head had shot forward again and was wrapped around his ankle. With a sudden jerk he was pulled backwards.
Ais didn´t even had time to scream in fear or his name.
.
.
CRUNCH!
.
.
Her eyes widened more and more, not believing what they saw. Ais held Bell´s left hand since he had pulled her away from the maw with it.
But...
That was all...
Bell´s hand was still attached to the forearm with his arm guard...but it ended at the point where the elbow should be. The main head had closed it´s maw...with Bell inside.
"BEELL!"
.
The hydra...
.
swallowed.
.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
.
.
"AAAAAAAAAAH! BEEEEELL!"
"NO WAY!"
"NEVER!"
The gods in the hall screamed out in horror as they witnessed...how Bell was swallowed whole by the colossal monster.
.
.
The time went slower than honey for Ais...and she was aware of every sensation, no matter how small...every detail flooded her mind. The slimy feeling of the three tips of the tongues at her body. A strange feeling as her battle dress dissolved slightly under the acidic effect of the saliva.
An airy feeling as she fell towards the ground, further and further away from the heads of the hydra. How the three heads rose towards the sky and roared out their triumph. The shocked expression of every adventurer on the walls that saw what had happened. Screams of terror from the few people that knew Bell personally.
How slowly his forearm drifted through the air after it had slipped from her. The armguard was the one with Hakugen in it...Bell didn´t even had time to use this weapon. Every small hope vanished from Ais...to save Bell...to re-attach his arm...as the hydra´s foot stomped down on it, leaving behind a red smeary spot with a bent, golden armguard and a shattered knife.
And most of all.
The painfull pang in her chest as her heart broke. Bell...her Bell...the boy she had fallen in love with...her everything...her...hero...was gone. Swallowed by the titanic monster that roared fiercly now that it´s victory was sure.
Her feet touched the ground in slow motion, the tongue tips fell from her body, she didn´t noticed the reddened skin due to the acidic effect.
Bell...my Bell...
Tears filled her eyes as the hydra lowered the heads...grinning...literally grinning...down to her. Bell was her everything...the one that owned her heart. In the past it was thanks to Bell that the black flame inside her was extinguished...that she was still her mothers little girl and not some monster.
Her heart was filled with a white flame thanks to Bell...that had spred even more after both had united their bodies for the first time. Her heart belonged to Bell and his belonged to her.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Ais screamed in immense pain from her broken heart. Pure hatred and wrath filled her eyes. Black wind started to gather around Ais, strengthened by her hate.
It was the one attack she swore herself to never use again after she nearly lost herself in the fight against Revis. Bell had made it impossible due to his presence for her to feel such hatred.
But now...Ais wanted to see this monster dead.
Badumm!
No...it can´t be...
Badumm!
Not again..
Badumm!
The expression on Ais´ face changed when she looked at the hydra.
Badumm!
A black monster...
Badumm!
Her heart pounded like never before.
Badumm!
It took Bell away! My loved one!
BADUMM!
Kill it!
BADUMM!
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!" More than anger exploded in Ais Wallenstein...pure hatred.
"AAAAAH! AERIAL!" Black wind whirled around Ais as she accelerated.
Kill it! Kill it! Kill it!
"AVENGER TEMPEST!"
Ais readied herself to jump...
"LIL...!"
Kicked herself forward and thrusted her sword towards the first neck of the hydra.
"RAAAAAAAAAFAAAAAAAAAAGAAAAAAAAAAA!"
The hydra was too slow, Hurricane sank into it´s neck of a side head up to the hilt and together with her magic, she rammed her sword deep into it, letting the hydra stumble as she ripped out her sword and cut off this side head with one attack.
She was bathed in blood with a slight acidic effect. But it didn´t matter...all that mattered was to slay the hydra. Ais moved downwards and slashed at the hydra´s flank.
Generating a stream of blood, she yanked her sword from it´s flank, still covered by her...now black and red colored due to "Avenger"...wind magic, Ais jumped onto the flank, ran up and hacked at the other side head. She screamed the whole time in pain, rage and hatred.
It screeched in agony and tried to get away from her, dragging it´s damaged right leg behind.
I will kill you!
.
.
The hydra fought back, the other side head and the main head attacked her fiercly, grazing her with her teeth, one ripped away her right shoulder guard.
Lefiya who stood on the wall now with the other mages wasn´t sure what happened, she had covered her mouth with her hands after she saw what had happened to Bell. Ryu was down to her knees, cried and screamed in horror and disbelief. Riveria witnessed shocked how Ais went berserk.
Like a whirlwind of destruction, Ais attacked the hydra with a series of fierce attacks. Ais´ mind recognized the dragon as a monster...a true monster.
Even though she was so angry that she saw literally red, Ais was an excellent fighter and her garment and sword only strenghtened her further.
The hydra moved around to avoid Ais somehow, the bleeding of it´s wounds had stopped and the first two heads...started to grow back.
With a roar it charged forward, attacking the blond girl with it´s claw. Ais just intended to block the attack, but her eyes widened when she was catapulted into the wall by that immense strength.
"Ack!"
She spat out as her back hit the wall, but her rage didn´t let her stop. Ais pulled her legs under her body and her feet against the wall, staring at the hydra with an expression...that she had the last time when she had chased the monsters in Orario. When she had nearly lost herself...which now happened again.
"Aerial! Avenger Tempest!"!
Ais dashed forward and slashed at the hydra´s head, it jerked backwards, whirled around and whiped after her with it´s lashing tail.
She jumped over the tail, slashing it with her weapon and blocking the incoming claw the next moment, it still tossed her to the side again. Equipment and being a strong adventurer or not, the hydra had the bigger mass so it´s attacks had more natural power.
But Ais was protected by her wind so instead of slamming into the tower, she cushioned herself and now her attack really began.
Like an angry hornet...or spirit...her wind magic let out an loud angry hum. Ais jumped and whirled faster and faster around the dragon, slashing it in countless places. The hydra fought back with all of it´s power as the ground started to shake.
Ais was too angry to hear the roars of the three bodyguards who charged towards her, followed by her Familia members. Two horn chimneys had regrown and produced new Miasma, it let Ais cough but not as much as she had expected.
Suddenly the hydra turned the main head to the three monsters below...and opened it´s maw.
The three body guards...just exploded to ash.
The ash flew towards the hydra and increased it´s self healing abilitly. Ais cloud literally see the chimneys growing back.
A tiny spark in Ais...her tiny, maiden like self...yelled out...it came even out of her mouth.
"BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELL!"
.
.
Nothingness...
.
.
Darkness...
.
Only the tiniest bit of light...red mist...filled Bell´s eyes.
Where am I...
He turned his head around...his eyes half closed...he felt his skin being burned from the acid of the hydra. A bad smell was in the air, his surroundings shook again and again, he heard a muffled scream from something.
A bubbling reached his ears, when he looked down...he thought he saw...liquid..
What happened...
His left arm hurt like never before...well...not exactly never before...it was actually...a quite familiar feeling. The faint shine that reached his eyes came from his golden armor.
Where is my sword...where is...Ais...where am I?
Slowly it dawned to him...the hydra...had swallowed him.
Is Ais save...am I...dying?
Ais would surely be safe...
And dying...
If Ais was save...if he died to protect her...the love of his life...that...was okay.
Ais...I´m sorry...I...broke ou-
He heard the voice...muffled...but he heard it...
Bell gritted his teeth. He still didn´t kept his promise to her! Promised to her to save her mother, defeat the black dragon king together with her!
I...can´t...die like this...
"BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELL!"
With his right hand he held the Hestia Knife, somehow rammed into the flesh of the hydra´s neck from the inside and dangled over the stomach. When he raised his left arm...it ended right below his elbow.
.
"BEEEEEEEEEEELL!"
Tears streamed endless over Ais´ face while she yelled out the name of her true love with her innocent voice. No hatred was in this yell...only love for her now gone partner.
The hydra would kill her...no doubt about it. No matter how much damage she dealt, the hydra regenerated while Ais got weaker and weaker. Her body screamed...pleaded her to end this magic...to let it rest.
It came...the end.
The hydra thundered towards her, two of the cut off heads nearly fully regenerated, the other slowly growing back. She couldn´t win.
It raised it´s heads to crush her.
But...
Suddenly the main head threw itself upwards, opened it´s maw and a bright, red flame came out of it.
Ais´ eyes widened, the hydra´s breath was purple...not red.
"BELL!"
.
.
"DAAAAAAAAH!"
Bell pulled himself up with the Hestia Knife, dug his teeth into the flesh to get a hold. Then he ripped the knife out and rammed it intot he flesh again, over his head. Letting go with his teeth, Bell pulled himself up again. Slowly...he climbed up from the stomach.
I will not die here like thiiiiiiiis!
"FIREBOLT!"
He raised his left stump and used it to fire his magic upwards, to hurt the hydra from the inside and also to cauterize his wound.
Pulling himself up with just one arm and his teeth...his muscles screamed in pain and he felt blood in his mouth, from the acid.
.
.
The hydra screamed in pain as it spat out more red fire, Ais could have sworn she saw something glow inside for a moment.
"BELL!"
Her black and red wind turned green in an instant.
"Aerial! Tempest!"
Ais Wallenstein ran as fast as she could towards the screaming hydra, jumping up towards the main head. The only fully remaining other head shot towards her, got into her way.
"Lil...RAFAAAAAGA!"
She waisted no time, pointed her magic and sword forward. The head moved towards her at an bad angle and got jerked to the side.
A red glow filled her field of vision and her eyes widened in shock about the sight.
"ESTAAAAAAAAAA!"
.
.
Bell rammed his knife into the tongue of the screaming hydra. He shook heavily from side to side, seeing the outside through the opened maw. Walls, scorched earth, something green, walls again, the melting tower, earth again. Whenever the head moved around, Bell caught glimpses from the outside.
With gritted teeth, Bell pulled himself up to his knees...he was inside the maw of the hydra.
The runes of the Hestia Knife shone red and then white as Bell charged his magic into the blade. It looked like the blade of the knife got longer and longer, almost like a sword...consisted of white fire. He had only one chance and he would use it!
"ARGO VESTAAAAAAAA!"
.
An explosion of white flames rushed out of the hydra´s maw.
.
.
Bell kept himself steady with his feet and thrusted his burning sword deep into the hydra´s Temporomandibular joint. With a battlecry, Bell thrusted his knife deeper and ripped it to the side, cutting through flesh and muscles.
With a last scream, Bell pulled his knife through the other joint and the hydra´s jaw dropped, letting him fall down.
.
"BELL!"
Ais saw him falling as the jaw dropped, still connected due to flesh and scales. The hydra stumbled backwards after getting hurt so badly. Bell fell right before her eyes.
"Aerial!"
She shot towards him and catched Bell with her arm...he looked horrbile.
.
Both hit the ground and Bell groaned in pain, pressing his stump to his body. The ground shook as the hydra threw itself around in pain and screamed. Eyes filled with endless rage shot towards the two...only wanting to kill.
"Bell, get up, hurry!"
"I can´t-..argh."
As the hydra got closer, light, light and more light flashed from the walls of Orario towards it. .
.
"Futsunomitama!"
"Luminous Wind!"
"Luminous Wind!"
Lefiya and Ryu casted this spell together.
"Freeze, binding chains of winter!" Alicia was finnaly there, together with the rest of the Loki Familia.
"Wynn Fimbulvetr!"
It went on and on...every mage of the city saw this one chance. Many of them were close to a mind down but they put every last ounce of their mental strength into their magic and rained down a bombardement on the hydra that could have wiped out cities.
Haruhime was down to her knees and screamed in pain from mental stress to boost nine people at once.
Orario...fought back.
.
.
"Ais."
"Bell?!"
He pulled himself up to his legs, supporting himself with Olympus that Ais had caught.
"Let´s...finish this...before I pass out..."
She only nodded.
An army of monsters rushed towards them, protecting their queen.
Particles of light gathered around Bell´s remaining hand, he felt a touch as Ais closed her hand around the hilt as well, helping him to raise up the glowing sword.
"Let´s finish this, Bell!"
With a last warcry, both charged forward.
Hundreds of monsters awaited them.
.
"Not so faaaaaast!"
Tiona came down like meteor, her impact threw countless monsters into the air.
"Oooooorraaaaaa!"
She whirled Urga III around and cleaved the monsters in half.
"Ais! Argo! Go!"
Both charged past her, the glowing of Olympus increased.
.
"Tione!"
"On it!"
The next wave of monster were pierced, slashed, cut, stabbed and multiple other things. Finn and Tione jumped in and mowed them down, clearing the path for Bell and Ais.
"Go!"
"Run!"
.
"Raaaaaaaah!"
"Daaaaaaaaah!"
Ais and Bell screamed in unison, holding Olympus up like a lance, aimed at the hydra´s chest. The bombardement of magic wasn´t strong enough to hurt the hydra really, just to stop it´s regeneration.
Ten bigger monsters jumped with opened maws towards them.
.
"You´re slow geezer!"
"Shut it, young one!"
Bete flew into their view from the side, kicking away the first monster before whirling around and attacking the next. Gareth charged behind him and tackled the monsters out of the way.
Ais and Bell continued their charge...Olympus started to shine.
.
One hundred meters separated them from the hydra, which started to cover itself in Miasma. Over a three hundred monsters were still in the way and rushed towards them.
"Unya!"
"Doh!"
"Out of the way!"
"By her will!"
Anya, Allen, Mia and Ottar finally got out of the gate and smashed into the monsters, a literal explosion of ash filled the air.
Every adventurer outside of the walls and on the walls did everything they could to clear a path for Bell and Ais.
The hydra was in front of them...the heads came down and the maws opened again, glowing bright purple.
"AAAAEEERRIAAAAL!"
.
.
Every action in the city had stopped, all looked at the magical mirrors. It was as dark as night due to the black clouds and the Miasma. Only the one spot on the field was light.
Like a new born star, Olympus shown so brightly that it let the scene look bizzare. The citizens screamed in horror as a new wave of breath washed towards the two heroes. But cried out happy when they noticed Ais´ magic. A green tornado enveloped the two and tossed the breath attack to the side. The warcry of the two didn´t stopped, it was now or never!
.
.
The hydra...panicked. It couldn´t evade and increased the breath with everything it had, the magic attack from the side had stopped, every mage of Orario had a mind down after they gave everything they had.
The titanic monster tried to move away, but it stumbled suddenly when the left hind leg suddenly buckled. It had stepped on the one thing on the battlefield that was dangerous, Ottar´s black sword...and it cut right through the foot, imobilizing the hydra.
"DROOOOOOOOOOOOOH!"
.
"AAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
.
Bell and Ais poured every ounce of their mental strength into this one attack. Olympus shone brighter than the sun and was enveloped in shredding winds.
.
They screamed in unison.
.
""ARGO RAFAAAAAAAGAAAAAA!""
.
Olympus pierced the hydra´s chest. Bell and Ais kept screaming and pushing as they drove the sword deeper and deeper into the black monster. The hydra screamed in immense pain, as the sword pierced the one spot that was really dangerous.
.
"GOOOOOOOOOO BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLL!"
"AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS!"
"SWORD PRINCESS!"
"RABBIT FOOOOOOOT!"
.
The people who knew them...every person in Orario yelled out their name.
.
""Aaaaaaaaah!""
Blood gushed out and got evaporated as Olympus sunk deeper and deeper into the hydra´s chest. With a last scream of all five heads...they pierced the giant magic stone inside the monster.
.
"""""REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"""""
.
.
The Hydra exploded.
.
.
Both were unable to stop their momentum as they stumbled forward, hitting the ground with their tattered bodies.
"Ack!"
"Unf!"
Even when her body screamed to get some rest, Ais pulled herself up and turned Bell around. He was panting and clearly at the end of his strength.
"Bell!"
"Ais...we did it..."
"Bell! Please hold on! Help is coming!"
"I´m...not going...anywhere...Ais."
He smiled up to her and tried to touch her cheek...then he noticed again that half of his left arm was gone.
"Ow..."
"Bell, your arm..."
"Ow...I will...have to...apologize...to Ms. Amid..."
It was the third time that Bell´s left arm got destroyed. The first time it got healed by the mermaid Xenos...the second time it got repaired and healed by Amid...but now...
"Heh...I guess...I...will probably...need a...prosthesis ..."
Tears fell down to his face, Ais was crying.
"Stupid! Stupid Bell! You made me worry so much! And your arm..."
"Hehe...it was...worth it..."
Bell raised his right hand to wipe away some of Ais´ tears.
"Sorry...for making you worry..."
"Never...do that again...and I will forgive you..."
"Okay...ouch..."
"Bell?!"
"Ais...is it okay...if I...pass out...now?"
She smiled while he wiped away some of her tears.
"Of course...get some rest...I will be there when you wake up."
With a last smile, Bell lost conciousness.
.
.
With the death of the hydra, the battle eventually ended after a short while. Adventurers, gods and citizens stared in disbelief onto the spot where the sword princess sat on her legs, giving the hero who had saved the city with her a lap pillow, gently stroking his hair.
.
It was over.
.
.
Authors Note: So the fight is over, but the arc isn´t. I will just say as much, I have something special prepared for Bell. Killing him was a no-no, but just winning the fight without an injury again would look strange for me. And since I was asked by a friend, no the swallowing and getting out again was not a Attack on Titan reference, since I never watched this anime. Next chapter will now for real be with Bell and Riveria in "Blood of Zeus", I have my head now free after this chapter here to continue there. Then we will see the next chapter for this story.
Some may think the description of the fight was short, but I didn´t wanted to write 100 times "Raised his sword, blocked etc etc etc"