Chapter 11: Soul Seeds

Day 2, 11:30

Lightning returned to the industrial area where Solandra was waiting for her. She looked genuinely surprised to see her up and about, much less returning to the scene of her near death.

"You're really gonna try this one again?" Solandra asked.

"I have to," Lightning explained. "I can't really explain why though."

Solandra shrugged. "Fair enough. But let me come in with you this time."

Lightning folded her arms. Solandra was just a bounty hunter and God's own Savior had been throttled by this beast. She'd be putting herself in tremendous risk, for the second time. But then, so was Lightning.

"Are you sure you can handle it?" Lightning asked.

"I have to. If I don't try again, I'll just regret it for the rest of my life," Solandra nodded.

Lightning returned the nod. "Very well. But I'll need you to follow my lead."

"Oh, you have a plan?" Solandra asked.

"We're going to stay out of the beast's reach and force him to attack us on our terms. We need to get to the rooftops," Lightning explained.

"Got it. Don't worry, I'm great at climbing," Solandra replied.

"Very well then. Let's go," Lightning said, plunging herself into the Chaos.

Solandra was right behind her. Lightning was heavily affected by the Chaos, divine being though she was. Solandra appeared to be in absolute agony.

"Damn it," Solandra cursed as she gasped for air. "I forgot what this sensation felt like."

"You can always turn back," Lightning replied.

"No. I'll get used to it. Just don't wander too far from me okay? I can barely see in this stuff."

The two warriors made their way through the alleyway where the Zomok was waiting for them, still guarding that passageway with its entire body. It shrieked with recognition at the approaching threat.

"This pipe," Lightning said, grabbing onto a gutter pipe on the side of the building. "Let's move!"

Lightning climbed swiftly up the pipe, and to her credit even pained as she was, Solandra kept pace. The Zomok lumbered slowly towards them, the ground shaking and the surrounding Chaos rippling with each step it took.

"What now?" Solandra asked.

Lightning raised her sword. "Off with its head."

The plan had worked somewhat. They were high enough off the ground that it could not use its tail or really maneuver. But the beast rested its front legs on the top of the roof. It was forced to use its wings to stabilize itself, but it was still able to swipe at them as they tried to come closer.

"The beast is smarter than we gave it credit for. It knows what we're trying to do," Lightning cursed.

The dragon's left claw smashed down on the rooftop right beside Solandra who barely dodged it. She lifted her blade and tried to stab at it, but it had already retracted its leg and was swiping towards Lightning with its right.

Lightning leapt away from it. She, like Snow, had been given the gift of magic; only hers was the blessing of God. But Dragons were naturally resilient to magical attacks.. And neither her nor Solandra could get close enough to the beast to attack with their weapons. There had to be another way to attack this monster, if she could only find a way.

She looked over to Solandra who had just dived another swipe from the beast. That was it. They would have to strike together. She would have to count on her as well.

"Solandra!" Lightning shouted. "We attack together!"

"Together?" Solandra asked.

"Right up to him! Just push straight for him, no matter what!" Lightning yelled.

"Got it!" Solandra called back.

Both women rushed towards the dragon's torso from opposite directions. It was in that split second of indecision, where the dragon tried to determine which was the more legitimate threat that it happened. It stood for just a moment on both of its legs with no support other than they and its wings. Lightning lunged forward with Solandra just moments behind her and thrust her blade into the monsters chest.

Collapsing under the weight, it fell onto its back, roaring with fury.

But it was too late, they had the advantage now and they took it. With a final strike from Solandra's sword, the dragon was decapitated, and slowly evaporated into nothingness. The Chaos around them slowly dissipated, returning the sunlight that had once been.

Solandra sat down on the sidewalk looking at the place where the Zomok had fallen.

"Are you okay?" Lightning asked.

Solandra shook her head. "It's over. Because of your actions the other men... they're resting peacefully now. They know their deaths weren't in vain."

"You helped too," Lightning said. "I couldn't have done this alone."

Solandra shook her head. "I wouldn't have even gone back in if it weren't for you. I was a coward. One failure and I turned tail and fled. In my mind, the beast had become Chaos itself!"

"But you were brave enough to come back. To finish what you started, even knowing what awaited you should you failed."

Solandra nodded slowly. Lightning felt the all-too-familiar sensation once more.

"You really inspired me, you know that?" Solandra replied.

Lightning folded her arms. "Not to be reckless, I hope."

"Never- caution is my middle name, after all. But we bounty hunters, we like to live on the edge.

Danger! That's what it's all about! Can't live without it like you can't live without air!" Solandra announced proudly.

"Nice work," came a man's voice from behind them.

The two looked over to see a man in a brown pointed mage's cap and a dark purple robe.

"Were you planning on giving us a hand back there?" Lightning asked.

"I was going to, but you ladies seemed to be doing a wonderful job by yourself," the man said, smirking in a somewhat superior way.

"Who are you?" Lightning demanded.

"Baird's the name. I'm a Seed Hunter," the man bent down on the ground near where the Zomok's corpse had been. He picked up a dark puple gemstone. "And this is what I hunt for: Soul Seeds."

"What is that?" Lightning asked.

Baird shrugged. "To tell you the truth nobody knows for certain, but my employer has theories. I won't bore you ladies with the details." He turned to leave. "But Iwill tell you that I or anyone else in my guild will pay handsomely for these if you come across any."

"Shouldn't we get paid for that then? We killed the monster," Lightning said.

"I have paid you. With valuable information," Baird replied. "Ta ta."

Baird ran down the road, back into the Industrial Sector.

"What's with that guy?" Solandra cursed.

"What's that saying? Those who fight and run away-?" Lightning asked.

Solandra chuckled. "I guess it's true enough in our case." She turned her heads towards a small alley. "Hey, what's that?"

Lightning turned over to see what Solandra was looking at. Inscribed on the wall in a deep glowing purple text was the number 7.

"Hope," Lightning said, tapping her earpiece. "Do you see this?"

"Yes, Light. Looks like we have one piece of the code at last."