The Swamp

The swamp was so vast that its end was impossible to see from anywhere. The water was dark and dirty, impossible to see through. A pestilential scent could be smelled, as many animals or even humans might have died in this water. 

In the swamp rose gigantic trees, three, five, even ten times bigger than Iwao. These dark trees blocked the moons’ light, their shadows so dense that nothing beneath them could be seen. Fortunately, they did not cover the entire swamp, and some areas were still lit.

A fog normally rose above the water, but because of Lo it was impossible to see further than their nose, as its spell to heat the water had created dense steam, thickening the fog. In such an atmosphere, anything could have emerged from the depths of the water or from the shadows of the trees – and it would have seemed almost normal.

“Did you hear that?” Saya asked.

“Oh yes, we heard it. It’s coming right at us. In position – we’ll have to disperse the fog first before fighting, or it would put us at a disadvantage. So, Celi and Saya, do it. Lo, you come with me – we’re going to prepare the battlefield, otherwise the water will hinder us.” Iwao shouted.

They began running through the swamp, but instead of being drenched in mud and water, they remained completely dry. They didn’t run in the water, but on it. Beneath Celi’s and Saya’s shoes, and under Lo’s and Iwao’s bare feet, the water rippled slightly with each movement.

They were actually using a wind spell to keep themselves just above the water so they wouldn’t be attacked by whatever might be beneath. The speed of their run swept the fog aside, allowing them to see a little farther ahead.

As they heard the creature approaching, they found a place with fewer trees and decided to execute their plan.

Saya and Celi walked in opposite directions. After a few steps, they set up what they needed to make the fog disappear. Celi struck her sword on the water, and a whirlwind of wind swirled around it, as if the spell had been cast from the blade itself. Meanwhile, Saya made a whirling motion with her wrist, raising it into the air, causing a large gust of wind to burst forth in front of her.

Their powerful spells proved effective, clearing the fog in a wide circle to form an arena, while the remaining mist shaped its boundaries.

Iwao and Lo stood at the center of the arena above the water. Lo tapped his foot three times in the air, and bolts of light, crackling like electricity, raced across the water in all directions until they reached the arena boundaries. As they reached these limits, the lights sparked small explosions, and the ground began to tremble. Walls of earth rose up, trapping all the water within this vast enclosure. Iwao clenched his fists, readying himself for an attack.

“Be quick, Iwao. The creature will be there in just a few seconds.” Celi shouted from afar.

"I know. I can feel the ground shaking more and more as it approaches, and its roar is growing louder. Lo, stand back – it’s going to shake even more.” Iwao ordered.

Lo walked away and cast a barrier on itself – they all did the same. Iwao struck the surface of the water with his fists, with a force that could have shattered a mountain had he not restrained it to affect only the water.

The shockwave from the blow sent all the water soaring into the sky – but thanks to their barriers, they remained dry. At the same time, Iwao swept the air with wide gestures from right to left, casting a flame spell. The flames were so hot that when they reached the water, it turned to steam, leaving only muddy ground beneath Iwao and the others.

“Everything's ready! It’s here – prepare yourselves for the fight!” Iwao shouted.

An immense form leapt over the far side of the arena walls and landed inside. Iwao and the others dodged it in midair while still hovering, descending gently to the ground – a few meters below them, since the water was gone.

Standing on the muddy ground was a creature with the body of a toad, but instead of a single head, it had eleven snake heads. It also had duck-like feet.

“A hydra?” Iwao thought.

He looked closely at the monster rushing toward them.

“Well, monsters or animals, whatever they are, they all seem to be mixes of many species I know – giving birth to strange creatures.”

They were not afraid of this creature’s appearance or strength, but they knew it would be tough. That’s why they were testing a strategy of their own design.

All placed in a square around the monster, they floated above the ground, glancing at one another. The monster skidded to a halt, sliding several meters through the mud. All its snake heads seemed panicked, thrashing in every direction, while the main body didn’t know which way to go. It was as if there were eleven different brains, all wanting something different.

“It doesn’t know what to do! Now let’s trap it!” Iwao shouted to his companions.

They knew what to do. They all crouched to the ground and cast flames that sank into it. The mud, heated, hardened across the arena until it reached the monster’s feet. Covered in hardened mud, its feet were blocked in place.

“Alright, it worked! But we don’t have much time before it breaks free! Let’s be quick and cut its heads off!” Celi shouted.

They all rushed toward it at full speed, no longer needing to float since there was no mud left.

“It’s too easy… something’s wrong.” Iwao thought.

He stopped, watching the monster struggle to free its duck feet from the hardened mud. But Celi, Saya, and Lo didn’t stop. They kept charging, spells ready, and Celi’s sword glowing, strengthened by a spell.

“STOP! NOW!” Iwao yelled, panicking.

But it was too late. The monster crouched, its heads suddenly elongating. It leaned to the right, then violently swept its heads across the ground to the left. Celi, Saya, and Lo were all sent flying by the powerful strike. Even with shields, they spat blood – except Lo, who expelled a blue, viscous substance.

As they were hurled through the air, Iwao sprinted to catch them before they fell, as they were too stunned to act. He ran toward Lo, the nearest, dodging the monster’s flailing heads.

While doing this, he cast a small thunder spell meant to awaken someone who had fainted – like he had once done for Celi in Greyford Valley. He directed it at Saya, who was falling at the opposite side of the arena.

The spell shot across the arena and struck Saya’s head. She woke instantly and, regaining consciousness, realized she was plummeting toward the ground. At the last moment, she cast a shield spell on herself to cushion her fall. The crash echoed throughout the arena, but she was safe. She stood and desperately searched for Celi.

She saw her, still falling, too far to reach in time. Saya raised her hand toward her. In a fraction of a second, she cast an ice ramp rising beneath Celi to soften her descent. The ramp flattened parallel to the ground, and Saya waited at the end, preparing another spell.

“I don’t like using spells I haven’t mastered... but I have no choice. Even if it looks ridiculous, I have to do it!” Saya thought.

She took position, one foot in front of the other for stability, bending slightly on her legs, with both hands raised in front of her at face level. She was ready to catch Celi. Enormous gloves, as large as her own body, materialized on her hands. She spread them wide, like a crocodile’s jaws, as Celi, unconscious, came toward her. Though the ramp had slowed her fall, her speed was still dangerous, so Saya cast a spell to anchor her feet to the ground. She was ready.

Celi landed in the gloves. Despite the anchoring, the impact drove Saya back several meters, her feet digging trenches in the hardened mud. But Celi was safe – and Saya could heal her.

On the other side, Iwao leapt and caught Lo midair. He cushioned the fall with sheer strength, the impact cracking the ground and shaking the arena. But the cracks spread to where the monster stood, freeing it from the hardened mud. It immediately charged toward Saya and Celi.

“No! No! No! I won’t reach them in time, and they still aren’t healed enough to fight or flee.” Iwao thought, about to sprint. But Lo, barely healed, grabbed his fur.

“There’s only one way for you to go faster – or save them, Iwao. You need to use the pendant.” Lo said weakly.

“But how? I can't activate-”

“I can. Come closer, quickly, before it’s too late.”

Iwao obeyed and leaned toward it. Lo touched the pendant, which began glowing as it had before. Shocked, Iwao muttered some words.

“So… you were the key.”

As he said that, time slowed around him. Before him appeared three ropes, but two drifted away. He instinctively grabbed the one that remained. Strength surged through him. 

Time resumed its course. Iwao appeared in mere seconds, right in front of the monster about to strike Saya and Celi.

The monster charged, its eleven heads shrieking. Despite its toad body, it could run as well as leap – though its gait was horrendous, its rear legs far larger than the ones in front.

Iwao raised his hand, all his body tensed. The ground shook. The monster staggered, disoriented, spinning in circles.

“Time to kill it!” Iwao thought.

“WAIT! I WANT THE BOUNTY ON ITS HEAD!” A voice shouted from the distance.

A group of four men appeared in the arena. One moved so fast it seemed like teleportation. He leapt over the creature and, with twin axes, amplified by a wind spell, sliced through all eleven heads in one stroke. The monster collapsed instantly.

“Not a real hydra if the heads don’t grow back…” Iwao thought.

The man stood by the corpse, eyes locked on Iwao, as his companions approached.

“Mero, come here!” The man barked in a deep, violent voice.

A tall, muscular, bald adventurer with a scar across his face stepped forward.

“Yes, yes. I’m here. What’s the matter, Mr. I-kill-the-monster-before-my-companions-arrive?” Mero said.

His footsteps were heavy, his breathing loud enough for Iwao to hear clearly.

Mero froze, staring where his friend stared. When he saw Iwao, his sword dropped. Eyes wide, mouth open, his shock turned swiftly to rage.

“As adventurers, we came to kill this monster for its bounty. We never expected to find you here again, killer!” He roared.

Iwao stood ready, shielding Saya and Celi while Lo healed himself where he had left it.

“Don’t you remember? You killed my brother two years ago! You ripped his heart from his chest! It was impossible for me, for us, to forget you, to forget what you look like. Today, I will avenge him and claim two bounties at once when I bring your head to the Adventurers’ Guild.” Mero spat, laughter lacing his fury.

He seized his sword and pointed it at Iwao with a murderous glare.

“I, in the name of the Believers, will kill you today. This is for you, Lupo!” He shouted, charging.

Iwao didn’t move. It was already over before he could react.