A/N Oh boy here comes a big one. HYDRA FIGHT! Going to be very busy tomorrow so I'm posting early instead of forgetting it until 11PM like last week. Enjoy!

Ascanor flailed as the hydra lifted him off his feet. The creature's sharp teeth pressed firm against his leather overcoat, but either chose not or were unable to pierce it. The beast held him firm as it rose to its full height twenty some feet off the ground. Ascanor squeaked, never noticing a crippling fear of heights before now. He hung limp, hoping the hydra wouldn't desire to increase its pressure on his body. But based on the glowering stare its head was giving the tiefling, it didn't look good.

Another head looked at him before turning to the other rangers. "You really know how to work up an appetite."

Alandil notched an arrow. "Allow us to increase that." He let the arrow fly into the left eye of the head holding the tiefling. The beast roared, Ascanor cringing at its rancid breath, but it did not let go, rather pressing down harder on him.

"Alandil that's really not the best thing to do right now." The tiefling screeched.

"My apologies. Do you have the means to escape?"

Ascanor bared his fangs in a smile. "Of course." His knife flashed from its sheath, diving for the hydra's gums. Ascanor drove the blade between the beast's teeth, wiggling it back at forth for good measure. The hydra writhed in a high pitched roar, dropped the tiefling violently onto the ground. Ascanor rolled, trying to rid himself of as much of the creature's blood as he could. He stood up, brushing at the sleeves of his coat. "This thing cost me twenty gold you know." He sighed. "Well the damage is already done." He took a coattail and used it to clean his knife before depositing it back in the sheath.

Ereven rolled his eyes. "You poor thing. Alandil, what's the plan."

"Unknown, I will need time to ponder this."

Sharyas somersaulted over a diving head. "We don't have time for this. We need a plan now."

"Well we could always cut every head off. Without a head it will die."

Ereven deflected a biting attack with his blade. "I can't take all of them at once. Not now, not before."

"It needs energy to regenerate its heads. Perhaps forcing it to regenerate can make it lose energy."

Ereven smiled. "Now that I can do." As another head moved for attack, the warrior sidestepped the blow, driving his sword down through the creature's skull. "Let's see you regenerate from that." The hydra howled, obviously capable of feeling pain given to different heads. Ascanor rubbed his chin, it'd given him an idea.

"Alandil, where is this thing's heart?"

"Each head is given its own heart, but they share other functions."

"Just what I wanted to hear." The tiefling gripped his knife in his teeth, drawing his sword. Sprinting forward, he dove onto his back as he slid under the hydra's legs. He held up his sword, easily slicing through the soft flesh of the creature's underside. As he passed out the other side, the hydra's tail dropped down, pinning the tiefling to the ground. He squirmed, but the log-like tail remained static under its weight. He took a few test stabs with his knife, but the scales of its tail had been hardened stronger than tempered iron. "A little help here?"

Sharyas stood to one side, one of the hydra's heads cradled in her arms, a dazed glaze over its eyes. She giggled, murmuring something inaudible to the hydra, who's mouth dropped. Ascanor felt muscles ripple in the tail above him. A massive gust of wind rushed through his horns as the hydra's tail lifted and swung away from him. As if the monster were wagging its tail like a hound, the tail came back in another gust. Ascanor managed a small yelp before the tail swept up his body and threw him through the side of the hydra's nest in a cloud of splinters.

He sat up, brushing his hand on some cold object as he moved to rub his head. He felt rather stupid in his negligence to let those with armor take the close quarters combat while he cast spells from the sideline. Remembering something laid on the floor next to him, he turned his gaze to it. His heart stalled. He'd found what he'd come looking for. Ascanor raised the relic, letting himself bask in the golden glow reflecting off the hydra's infernal scales. He fingered the cut gems embedded in the metal cylinder. Whatever purpose this device had, only his father knew. Ascanor placed the trinket within his pack, which had somehow remained on his back through the fight. He smiled with anticipation. He had what he came for, his father would be pleased. He slunk through the shadows towards the stairs. Ereven stood in a tangle of hydra, the beast having now at least twelve heads. Sharyas stood with another head, seducing it into a stun before Ereven and Alandil delivered a finishing blow. Ascanor shrugged, they wouldn't need him.

Alandil scanned the room. "Hmm, the tiefling has disappeared."

Ereven drove his blade through his sixth head. "Probably eaten. Maybe the hydra got rid of him for us."

Sharyas gasped, dropping her grasp on the hydra. "No."

"I'm joking. Not that it matters. He's gone isn't he? That little traitor scum."

Alandil sighed. "Drop it Ereven. It appears to be slowing in regeneration. We've almost had it. Keep it up."

The hydra took a step back, hissing like a bundle of snakes. "Not quite." The creature roared, its body rippling. More small horns began to protrude from its body, the ones along its heads beginning to glow along a spiral to their tips. A fiery aura began to shimmer around it. When it opened its eyes its pupils has disappeared into a molten flame. The creature opened its mouth, its teeth had curled into obsidian black daggers, while smoke poured out like a fog from a furnace within the creature's bowels.

Ereven took a step back. "This might be harder than I thought."

Ascanor stopped dead in his crawl through the rubble. He'd sensed the shift in the magical field, an energy that could only match one from his past. One he'd hoped never to use again. He turned around, sneaking over to the low wall. The rangers had cowered against the wall while the hydra burned with infernal wrath. Ascanor trained his ears towards the low voice of the hydra.

"-it's been with me since I began to rest within this chamber. You've disturbed my slumber and are too much to be a decent meal, so I'll enjoy myself in killing you instead. Congratulations should be in order, you've been the first to see my true power. Even though you never stood a chance, you're worthy of this small gift."

Alandil's eyes widened. "Remarkable. It possesses more intelligent than I previously thought."

Ereven growled. "That traitorous little demon scum. Leaving when he feels like it. I knew we should have never have trusted him."

Ascanor scowled, turning to leave. He heard all he needed to. He didn't have to take that from the drunk. He spat, he didn't have to help them. They wanted nothing to do with him. He looked over his shoulder, the scene nagging at his conscious. He shook his head. No, he owed nothing to then. He began to leave when he heard a feminine shriek that could only come from Sharyas. In an instant, Ascanor had made up his mind. He sprinted to the rail, vaulting over it to land on one of the hydra's heads. He rode the neck to the ground, rolling to stand in front of the adventurers.

The hydra growled. "You again."

"That's right."

"Why have you returned?"

"You are not worthy of that power."

The hydra took a testing snap at the tiefling, who leapt over the diving head to land on top. The hydra flipped him off, hissing. "Only I am to say what I cannot have."

"Then I'm just going to have to show you." Ascanor reached deep into the pits of his heart, pulling upon the lump of molten rock given to him by his heritage. He felt heat erupt through his body, out his horns and tail. An orange spiral snaked its way through them, shimmering with a fire quite similar to that in his golden eyes. He bared his teeth, having all elongated into tapered fangs. "You are nothing more than a fake, beast. You face true blood. For my life I have been trained in this art. You will perish."

"You are quite the bluff, tiefling. But truly it is you who is the fake. This power is mine, and always has been. It was gifted upon me by the gods to bring upon a new age. They made the perfect choice! What better being to bring the gods' will to the Realms but one who cannot die! And now that you have awakened me and brought my first meal, I can spread their message and glory to all of Faerun!"

Ascanor smiled at the display of the hydra's instability. He almost pitied the creature, and he would've, had it not done what damage it'd already done. "Then prove it."

Ascanor's fingers twirled, drawing upon the magical node burning within him to combine its energy with the ambient energy to create a swarm of magic missiles. Blue bolts of energy crackled between the mass, giving them the noise of a swarm of angry bees. Though not bees, they sure were angry. Ascanor whirled the cones in a circle around his body, driving back the hydra with sheer numbers. He met glowing orb upon orb. "You see now the true power of the infernal. You will not touch them, I shan't allow it."

"I shall do what I desire. You have no strength to argue with a god."

"For every god there is a demon." He sent forth his arcane army. The creature bellowed as cone after cone exploded along its flanks. For every missile he launched, two more popped into his hands. He found it a nice twist of irony, even if the hydra was taking too much to notice. He felt the pressure of the magical field drop around him as he drew upon more and more mana. Through all his spells the hydra refused to back down, magical void or not, neither could he. Ascanor spun fireballs into his hands, combining magic into spells never seen before. Flaming magic missiles, fireballs dripping with acid, and caustic arrows crackling with blue lightning.

Eventually, the magical essence refused to take anymore strain for the tiefling. Magical energy surged in to fill the void, blasting the wizard off his feet a foot into the wall beside the spectators. He groaned a whine before flopping to the ground, the infernal blaze in his horns beginning to flicker and die. His ears rang, his eyes scrunched up in pain, but he managed to pick out the flowery, woodsy scent of Sharyas rise above the metallic tang of blood and sweat. He felt as her soft fingers began to probe his ribs and spine. He grunted, nothing felt broken, yet the pain remained. He knew this would happen. He could never draw upon that power without overdoing it. How foolish. His father proved himself right again. Ascanor couldn't handle any jobs of his. He'd failed again. He sighed, letting the kitsune's scent waft him away from the pain.

Sharyas knelt besides the fallen tiefling as he drew a long, shuddering breath. She let out a small cry between the fingers clasped over her mouth. Alandil moved silently up to her. "It's alright. He isn't dead."

She gasped. "Really?"

"Yes, but by very little."

"You've got to help him!"

"I cannot. His wounds are inflicted in his magical essence. It is beyond the reach of any potions."

"Then...I'll do it. Ereven hold off the monster until I'm done."

The warrior grunted, charging forward into the gaping jaws of the beast. The hydra flicked its head, easily tossing the warrior to the ground, where a waiting head moved to dive onto the warrior and bring his end.

"No..." Ascanor's eyes flickered open. Sharyas gasped again, shifting back to her heels. The tiefling pulled himself up, standing in front of the fallen Ereven in the blink of an eye. He brought up his sword, holding back the piercing teeth of hydra head. His sword began to bend, the iron cared for over the years so as to not become brittle. The hydra's bellows stopped. Through the barrage chunks of flesh had been rent from its body, other places scorched, and just as many melting from acid. The monster looked at the tiefling with a head that'd lost an eye to a fireball. "How are you still alive?"

Ascanor tossed the sword aside. "That state cannot destroy me, but it will destroy you. While I stand, you will not touch these people. I may have only known them for mere days, and barely know them at that, but I know deep down that they mean something to me. And I never get rid of something that means something to me. I've been so confused these past few days. How I can possibly enjoy being in the company of those who tied me up as a thief? I do. They've got every right to hate me, I know that, and if they cast me out so be it, but you will not be the one doing that for them."

"Ascanor..." Sharyas whispered.

"You." Ereven got up beside the tiefling. "Why did you come back?"

"Something has been bothering me. For the past few days you've talked so much about taking my head. And let's face the truth, you've had plenty of opportunities to do it. So why haven't you? There lies my answer."

Ereven's brow scrunched up as the warrior searched for a reasonable answer. He couldn't find one. He met Ascanor's gaze, and gave a firm nod. "You have my blade, Ascanor." The tiefling smiled widely at the first use of his name the warrior had given.

Alandil stood beside the tiefling. "We do have right to hate you. You're arrogant, and stupid, and you think you can do this yourself. But somehow, you've pulled through when we've needed help the most. But every person deserves a chance. Do you stand by what you say?"

"Every word."

"Then stand with us, and you will never have to carry yourself again."

The tiefling smiled. "You mean it?"

"Of course."

"Very well." The elf silently drew an arrow. "Shall we make this quick?"

"Yes." Ascanor cracked his neck. Sharyas silently nodded, forming fox-fire.

"Do you have a plan?"

"I do. Earlier, I scored its stomach. I get an acid arrow in there, we can tear it up from within."

"Very well. Everyone draw its attention. Ascanor, it's all yours."

The tiefling grinned. "My pleasure."

Striking as one the adventurers drove their way into the hydra's plentiful wounds. The creature howled in pain, its eyes wrenching shut. Ascanor limped up to the beast slowly, summoning a small bolt shining with lime-green light. He flicked away the acidic stick, sending it upon a magical wind underneath the hydra's flank and into its mass of organs. Something began to hiss and crackle, acrid smoke pouring out both underneath the hydra and from each of its mouths. The hydra curled upon the ground, whimpering soft as death overtook it. With a roar, an immense orange light erupted from every orifice of the monster as its infernal curse was driven from its body. Ascanor watched as the energy pulled itself through minute rifts in the magical field, returning to the plane it came from, and belonged. As the light faded, Ascanor could see its horns had returned to a normal shape, and its scales and eyes glowed no more. It opened an eye, taking one last look at the tiefling. It managed a small nod before haze clouded its eyes and the hydra collapsed within a pool of its own blood.

Ascanor sighed, falling back gratefully onto the hydra's nest. His body had become too numb to notice the rough, pointy sticks digging their way into his back. His eyes began to droop, and he only noticed Ereven once the warrior stood at his side. He felt his body rise into the air as darkness enveloped him.

Alandil watched over the dancing flames at the tiefling who remained still in the blankets he'd been wrapped in. Despite the blaze the elf's breath still clouded in the moonless night, and a chill would prove fatal for one so weak as Ascanor. Sharyas, who'd been sharing his gaze, turned to him. "Do we still need to heal him?"

"I think he will pull out in time. He seems surprisingly capable of healing damage such as that within himself. When he was blasted back he should have been unconscious, if not dead. Truly a remarkable case. I've certainly never see anything like him before. Tieflings have always been solitary creatures."

"And rules..." the tiefling's head had rolled to the side to look at Alandil, "were made to be broken."

Sharyas laughed, clasping the tiefling in a big hug. He groaned at her first grasp, but smiled and accepted the kitsune's affection.

Alandil came to kneel beside the wounded wizard, resting a hand upon the tiefling's crimson forehead. The elf nodded. "Your fever seems to have broken."

Ascanor smiled again. "Everything else feels the same way. Should have known better than to use up all the energy in the area. Comes back to bite you if you do."

"Yes, that's been puzzling me since you first began. How do you know so much about how magic works?"

"Well, I can see things. There's this...it's almost like a plane of existence. Only it overlaps our own, meshing together into the real world. It's the energy used to create magical spells, and I'm able to see it, always could. I guess it sent my father into a frenzy over magic. He devoted his life to training me and together we've made a living of working with magic."

"So you're pretty good with magic?" Sharyas' voice had been piqued with sudden interest.

Ascanor nodded.

"Could...you teach me?"

Ascanor's neck grew weary, and his head fell back against his coat. "I'd be happy to. You want to start in the morning?"

"Sounds good."

"About your work with your father, is that why you have this?" Alandil's face turned dark as he held out the golden relic from the temple.

Worry lines scored the tiefling's brow. He nodded, fear clenching his throat shut.

"Is this why you left?"

Again, Ascanor nodded.

"Why?"

"You don't understand." The fear had finally let go of his throat, instead pouring into his voice. "If I failed my father again..." He trailed off, a stray hand reaching down into the covers to his back.

It was the elf's turn to show worry. "So he's been using you."

"What? No!" The tiefling made haste to deny. "He trained me so I could assist him." His voice squeaked at the emphasis.

Alandil nodded, having his suspicions. "We picked this up before we left." He dropped Ascanor's bent short sword at his feet.

Ascanor smiled. "Hey, thanks." He lifted up the blanket, sliding it into its sheath. It sat at an awkward angle, but Ascanor manged to wiggle it in. He yawned, and scanned the camp, noticing a lack of loudmouthed, armored humans. "Where's Ereven?"

"Oh, out hunting somewhere. He's due back by now."

Ascanor nodded, his head drifting back onto his rolled up overcoat the elf set out for a pillow. "Man, I'm starving."

"Rest, you can eat in the morning."

Ascanor's head bobbed drowsily in another nod before he fell back asleep.