Thea ran swiftly through the trees until the forest ended and transformed into a desert. She followed the tracks in the sand to the soldiers, and realized that they were no longer fighting the creature from before. Instead, they battled huge Scorpiox. The men had been divided and each group was having there own difficulties. She spotted Perseus and Draco, and raced to them. Along the way, she spun her blades at any part of the monsters she could reach, giving her comrades aid. Draco was knocked aside as the Scorpiox advanced on Perseus. It lunged at him and crushed him against a ruin pillar. His sword clattered to the ground beside him. As it prepared to strike with it's venom filled stinger, Thea launched herself onto its back and spun her blades through the deadly appendage. The stinger fell to the ground wiggling, as the Scorpiox screeched in pain. It dropped Perseus on the ground and snapped wildly at Thea. She flipped into the air, avoiding the monsters pinchers easily. She landed gracefully and rolled underneath the creature, stabbing its sensitive underbelly, rolling away as it fell. She stood up and brushed a stray hair out of her face smiling, and walked towards Perseus. He gapped at her, mouth open in shock.
"Are you hurt?" Thea asked, smile disappearing as she saw the nasty, black wound on Perseus's arm.
"What? Oh, I'm okay….that monster bit me earlier." Perseus said laughing it off, trying to act nonchalant, even though the wound was beginning to numb his arm.
"Let me take a look at it…"Thea said moving closer to him, hand reaching towards him.
Suddenly, from behind Perseus, another Scorpiox scuttled over the dirt coming right for them.
"Behind you!" Thea shrieked, pushing Perseus behind her as she grabbed for her blades. Thrown off balance by the power of her throw, Perseus stumbled slightly and skidded on the uneven sand. Thea only had time to get one blade ready by the time the monster was upon her. She struck at the pincher that flew towards her. The monster was bigger, and stronger that the last one she fought. The monster threw her back, so that she landed in front of Perseus, it's claws following. Thea rolled out of its path, and pushed Perseus down as the pinchers swept above them. The Scorpiox snapped at the pair.
"Get your sword!" Thea cried, eyes wide as the beast grabbed onto one of her legs and lifted her into the air. She struck at the claw and twisted in midair, avoiding the poisonous tail. The Scorpiox held on tightly and made its way towards Perseus who was dodging its other pincher with his shield. As the Scorpiox raised its stinger to strike, Thea flung her blade at its armored head. As the blade hit its eye, the monster released her, screeching in anger and pain. Thea fell to the ground, landing gracefully at Perseus's side. The Scorpiox recovered quickly and struck with it's tail, aiming for Perseus. At the last second, Thea tackled Perseus, both of them falling to the ground. Perseus looked up at Thea's face and saw that her eyes were wide with shock. He raised his head and saw the Scorpiox's tail protruding from her back. Her body was raised off of his as the Scorpiox lifted its tail. Thea cried out as it flung her to the ground in a bloody heap. It came for Perseus again. Calling her name, Perseus dodged the Scorpiox's blows and ran to Thea. Once he was at her side, he took Thea's remaining blade from its holder at her thigh and threw it at the monster. The blade pierced the monsters last good eye and went straight through to its brain. The Scorpiox fell at Perseus's feet. He turned away from the monster, and knelt at Thea's side. The armor at her back was dented in, pieces of the metal plates piercing her skin. She lay on her side facing him, eyes closed, face pale from the loss of blood and grimaced in pain.
"Thea, I'm going to get you out of here." Perseus said taking off his shirt. He took her hand and said,
"This is going to hurt, but I'll find you a safe place to stay, and the captain and I will fix you up." Thea breathing hitched as he pressed the shirt to her wound, staunching the blood flow. He tied the tourniquet and pulled Thea gently into his arms, careful not to press on the wound.
"You'll be okay." he said to her as he walked carefully towards the others.
"Warrior?" Thea breathed, looking up into Perseus's face.
"I'm right here." he answered her, smiling.
"I have to die here, it's my destiny." Thea stated, clenching her teeth as she was jostled in Perseus's arms.
"I'm not going to let you die. Just hold on until I can find the captain." Perseus told her sternly, quickening his pace, as the sound of fighting grew louder.
"You have to leave me here! I'm supposed to die…" she started, but surviving soldiers ran up to them cheering, until they saw Thea's condition. They grouped in the middle of the ruins, and were dismayed when they saw Thea's injuries. Suddenly, the sound of something big approached on all sides, leaving the men standing back to back searching between the pillars nervously. Four of the largest Scorpiox's crested the top of the incline surrounding the soldiers. The Captain, who was standing beside Perseus, swore colorfully. Just as Perseus was about to reach for an abandoned sword, Thea still in his arms, the monsters stopped in there tracks. Perseus eyed the beasts, confused, until he saw figures up ahead of them, one raising it's hand. Perseus turned to Draco.
"They are the desert Dijnn. Rulers of this domain, men who have escaped death." he said in a disgusted tone. Perseus shook his head.
"I don't care who they are, we should thank them." he said, starting in their direction. Suddenly, the pain in his arm flared up, and he fell to his knees. With Thea still in his arms he dropped to the ground, and the world around him went black.