The three woke up as the aroma of sea water hit their faces.
"Say what you want about the length of the bridge, Aquanox truly is a beautiful place!", said Anneliese as she yawned and woke up.
"Preach to that! Let's get going though, we shouldn't spend more time here.", said Natasha as she knocked herself awake too.
The three were well rested and full of energy as they sat aside Thea at the breakfast table.
"Mmm! Aquanox has such good food!", said Natasha as she stuffed some bread down her throat.
"It does, indeed. These towns were known for their delicacies back in the day. They were absolutely flooded by visitors, which is why we had to build a watchtower.", she said smiling at the three.
"Thank you for you hospitality, Thea, we really appreciate it. It's a shame you're not accompanying us, it would be an honor to fight alongside a mythic.", said Violet, munching on bread herself.
"It would, my child, but as I've explained before I could do you more harm than good.", she said looking down at the table.
"That's okay, Thea. Would you be able to give us some information regarding mythics, though? We don't wish to be caught by surprise.", said Violet as she drank a jug of honey.
"Sure, my child! The mythics I'm aware of here are mostly fluid. They have a unique property of turning themselves into ice, water and steam all in one mythic.", she said recalling her battles.
"So if we were to encounter one, what do we do to stop it?", asked Anneliese gulping.
"Anneliese," said Thea as she gripped her hand, "you are the key to stoping such threats. You three have an elemental at your service, what more could you need?", she said smiling.
"Uhhh, I wouldn't be so sure.", Anneliese said squeaking.
"Don't fear, my child, you three are skilled enough to take on such a threat if you encounter one. Just try not to attract more than one!", said Thea chuckling.
The three got up after a plateful breakfast and began to walk towards the end of Aquanox with Thea on their side. They walked till the last piece of populated land as they saw the continuation of the Aquamara Bridge.
"Truly remarkable it is.", said Thea as she gazed upon the bridge. "Travel safe, my children. Let me know if you need anything.", she said as she hugged the three one after another.
"Thea, is there anything we should be scared about? You're a wizard afterall, is there any danger in the future you must sense?", asked Violet as her voice deepened.
"I shall admit, I do feel a strange tingling feeling inside me ever since the fight between us and the mythics. I can't say for sure, my dear, but I can tell you three that you're bound to do great things, for that is the truth. I recommend you embark this journey with all your spirit and not end it for the worst of times, for if there's a few people on this planet capable of rebuilding our world, it's you.", she said as she clenched Violet's hand in her's.
"Thank you for all your services, Thea. Also, thank you for the orb, I shall use it when the time is right.", Violet said as she hugged Thea goodbye.
The three waved to the elves and the wizard as they continued their path on the Aquamara Bridge.
"We're back to walking on water, cool!", said Natasha as once again water surrounded the three.
"Hey Violet, I'm a little scared about the whole mythic thing. Do you really think we have a shot at winning?" asked Anneliese as she firmly held Violet's arm.
"Don't worry, my love, you've got me and Natasha, we're here for each other; and didn't you hear what the wizard said, if anyone has a shot, it's us.", she said kissing her cheek.
"Alright, if you say so. Natasha, you scared?", asked Anneliese as she turned to Natasha.
"At first, yes, but the talk with Thea really got my blood running, so not anymore.", she said bravely.
"Well, guess then I'm the only one who's scared.", Anneliese said weakly.
"Don't be sad at that! Fear is healthy, it's what keeps us away from snakes and cliffs.", said Violet holding her arm in her's.
"I suppose, I just wish I was just as brave as you.", she said looking at the ground.
"You're braver, Anna. When the times comes, you'll see for yourself.", Violet responded as she hugged her.
The three continued walking on the lesser half of the Aquamara Bridge as their legs begun to strain. A long walk it was, but only a day's until they were at the foothills of Pyrothos. They enjoyed the gleaming waters and the crashing waves, but most of all, they enjoyed each other's company.
"Alright.", said Violet pulling out the large map she had requested from Thea, "As per this map, another two or so hours and we shall be at The Narrow Arc!", she said as she folded it into her bag.
"Great! We'll get to see new sights! I hear that the path was so clearly marked into Pyrothos -", Anneliese had only begun her lovely childhood tale until a crashing sound came from the West of the bridge.
"What was that?!", asked Natasha as mist covered her hands.
"I don't know! It might be the thing Thea warned us about!", cried Violet as her eyes turned purple.
Violet is rarely mistaken, and unfortunately she wasn't this time either. The crashing sounds became louder as a meter tall wave came raining down at them from the ocean.
"Everybody get behind me! Enchanta-Protectey!", yelled Natasha as she covered the three in her mist sphere.
The waves crashed into the sphere and died out, leaving the three unharmed.
"Nice save, Natasha! That wasn't so bad--", Anneliese was about to rejoice as a geyser shot up from the West of the bridge.
"The hell is that?", cried Violet.
The geyser shot up for long distances until it finally halted midair. It reshaped itself and took the structure of a long and terrifying snake.
"Looks like it's a water-snake-thing!", yelled Anneliese as her spine shook from great fear.
The thing was called the Hydrofang in common tongue. It was a long snake with a fluid body made up of nothing but the ocean water, while it couldn't control the entire waters of Oceanus, it still had great control in its particular habitat. It was often feared by many fishermen and pirates who would journey through Oceanus.
"We need a plan! Violet?", yelled Natasha as she stared at the humongous aqua beast.
"Can't think of anything yet! Halt it for a few minutes, I'll come up with something!", she yelled as her bracelets slid off her wrists and morphed into her blade.
The snake rained down on them with it's strong ice fangs as it reach for Anneliese.
"In your wildest dream, waterhead!", she said as she chanted a shield around herself.
The snake's fangs struck themselves at the shield and bounced off.
It then rushed into the shield again, this time with more force. It came close to touching the shield as it's fangs somehow hardened ever stronger as it bit the shield with a great force, shattering it. Anneliese flew across the bridge landing on the other edge, dazed.
"You're going to pay for that!", said Violet as she jumped up high with her elf legs and slashed the thing's neck with her golden blade. The blade however, cut clean through its water body as it did no damage.
"Fuck! It's made of water, my blade is useless against it!", she said as the Hydrofang's shadow casted above her.
The snake rained down on her with its ice fangs sticking out as it nearly caught hold of Violet's body before she jumped out just in time.
"Pierceia-Spikus!", yelled Natasha as purple spikes rushed themselves into the Hydrofang's body, impaling it.
The Hydrofang shrieked and was now maddened. It leapt with strong force towards Natasha, coming out of the water. Natasha jumped out of it's range and landed gracefully near Violet. The snake was now outside the water, still in liquid form. It slithered hissing at them as it left a watery trail behind it.
"Take this!", Violet yelled as she muttered a spell that rushed purple aura at the snake. It caught the snake in it's torso as it sent it flying a few feet.
"Anna! Little help!", yelled Natasha.
Anneliese was alarmed as she stood up and pointed her staff at the thing. The Hydrofang was done playing with the three, it now rammed towards Natasha with its head out.
"Not so fast! Enchanta-Protectey!", cried Natasha as she surrounded herself in her mist.
This time however, this snake's entire head solidified before striking the shield as it smashed it into clean pieces. The impact sent Natasha flying several feet as she landed with a thud on her back. Violet then pulled out her mom's spellbook as she read,
"Magnar Spherica!", and a purple bubble filled with magic energy rushed it's way at the snake. The Hydrofang however, was done messing with the three, it dodged the spell with its slithering elegance as it rammed it's head at Violet, sending her aback too. It then looked at Anneliese with a wicked eye, who by now was trembling uncontrollably. It charged it's horrible ice fangs in Anneliese's direction with great force.
"Ahh! Mother nature, do something!", she yelled as she pointed her wand at the ground. A strong rock erected itself from the ground as it blocked the snake's attack.
"Holy shit! I can do that?!", she yelled amazed.
The snake crushed the rocks with it's strong jaw as it once again tried to catch hold of Anneliese. Just then, however, a purple sphere smashed its head as it sent it aback.
"I got your back, sis!", said Natasha weakly standing up.
"Alright, guys, listen closely. We don't have time to come up with a plan, we're stranded in the habitat of a water snake, and we have nowhere to run.", said Violet as the three gathered together.
"So what do we do?!", asked Anneliese yelling.
"We do what we do best, let's fuck things up!", said Violet clenching her fist. "Let's just go in there and do our thing, all for one and one for all! Give that bitch all you've got!", she yelled.
The Hydrofang shook it's head as it got up, once again erecting itself in the middle of the bridge. It snarled at the three and shot it's head towards them at great speeds.
"Anna, you focus on harming that thing, Natasha, you'll protect us, and I'll guide you three!", said Violet as her eyes purpled.
"Done! Protectus-Maxima!", cried Natasha as a dense cloud of mist surrounded the three. The snake latched onto the cloud with it's two ice fangs trying to break in.
"Anna, chant a spell! I'll let it go precisely in three seconds, then kick it's ass!", Natasha said straining, a maxima spell wasn't easy for anyone.
The bubble finally broke as the snake was once again released towards the three. Anneliese pointed her staff at the thing as she muttered a holy spell.
"Staff Of Arcane! Help me!", she yelled as a beam of bright white left the wand and caught the snake in it's face, sending it flying.
"Violet, do your thing!", said Natasha as she sent her magical mist on Violet's legs tossing her into the air. Violet pulled out her blade and enchanted it midair, piercing the snake's throat on her way down. The snake snarled and cried in pain as it whipped it's tail trying to shove Violet off, but just as before, Violet's grip was strong.
"Heck yeah! Two for two, baby!", cried Anneliese as she clapped her hands.
I'm afraid, however, the battle wasn't quite over. The snake grinned as it solidified it's entire body into pure ice, trapping Violet's blade inside it's throat.
"Gnn! I can't get the blade out!", Violet said straining.
The snake then launched a breath of hot steam from it's horrible mouth right at Violet, knocking her unconscious from the heat.
"Violet! How the fuck can it do that?!", cried a pained Natasha,
The snake again liquified as it remobilised itself. Clearly they had underestimated the benefits of switching states of one's body.
"Take this!", Anneliese yelled as she shot another white beam from her staff. This time however, the snake too retaliated, it shot a stream of hot smoke towards the spell and neutralized it.
"Fuck!", Anneliese cried as the snake charged at her.
Natasha got in the middle of the two as she shot some enchanted spikes at the snake. The Hydrofang avoided them elegantly as it crushed Natasha under it's massive body.
"nnnn... Anna! Do something!", cried a pained Natasha.
The snake then slowly begun to solidify, for it liked to kill it's prey slowly and painfully. The weight on her stomach increased as Natasha cried sounds of agony, but nothing could stop the Hydrofang. It became nearly clean ice, but by now Natasha had already passed out from the pain.
"No! Natasha! I- I'm sorry! I don't know what to do! Please, forgive me! I'm too weak for this, I'm sorry!", cried Anneliese as tears left her eyes.
Violet gained back consciousness as she leapt up high and struck her sword into the neck of the solid ice snake. The snake cried in pain as it let go of Natasha's body it laid on and slammed into the ground. This, however, did more bad than good, as once again her blade was stuck in it's rigid scales of ice. The snake was maddened by Violet's relentless pursuit as it binded it's tail around her torso, constricting her tighter and tighter.
"Ahh! Stop it! Stop!", Violet's pained cries echoed the bridge as they got louder.
Violet was being constricted harder and harder by that awful thing, Natasha lay unconscious after being crushed and Anneliese was immobilised by trauma as she saw the snake grip harder on Violet.
"Anna! Anna, please do something! It's going to kill me!", she said as she could barely breath anymore.
"I can't. I can't. I'm sorry.", Anneliese was lost in dream of death and misery as she saw her friends be slaughtered by mythics infront of her eyes.
"Anna!", a cry from Violet shook the bridge. All Anneliese could do was just stand there in fear and cry. Violet then, as a desperate attempt, pulled out the orb from her lowers that she'd gotten from Thea. She knew the orb would neutralize the snake's ice and buy her enough time to get to Anneliese, but she didn't even have enough energy to throw the orb. The snake didn't stop constricting her, for it was determined to have her dead at its tail. Snapping sounds were heard audibly as Violet's ribs begun cracking, this would be agony for anyone, but she was already too weary to yell. Eventually she passed out, still gripping the orb. The snake let go of Violet as she dropped onto the floor, bleeding badly from her mouth and torso as her entire lateral lines were bruised. Natasha stood up weakly once more, she saw what had become of Violet. The sight was horrific and bloody, it enraged her to limits never known before. Getting up back on her feet, as she held her bruised shoulder with one arm, she once again tried taking the Hydrofang head on.
"Swordin-Piercia!", she cried with all her remaining strength as a misty sword left her fingertips and headed towards the snake.
It hit the snake's ice body and shattered, for her spell was too weak to even pierce ice. The snake hissed a sound and shot a geyser of boiling water from its throat. The geyser caught Natasha in it's fury, she was too weary to even cry and she just stood there and the steam burnt against her skin. The water faded and Natasha dropped hard on the ground, her skin reddened from burns and blood oozing from her forehead. The snake now locked it's eye on Anneliese, who just stood there, expressionless, on her knees. In opened it's horrible mouth and rammed it towards Anneliese, solidifying it's fangs to pure ice.
