Lastland AU: Cybersteam

The Hydra

Storm crossed her arms and looked away again, staring almost angrily out the window of the little hovercar (more of a hoverpod, really) that Iris managed to acquire for them. She sat in the driver's seat, gripping the wheel eagerly, racing to the city docks.

"I get dibs since I was the last one to see where Masquerade was headed!" she insisted, pushing past Storm to dive into the driver's seat. Storm could only scoff, some of the respect she felt previously felt for Iris already diminishing again. It was hard enough for her to accept that, in a way, Iris was supposed to be stronger than her, even though she might not have looked the part. She was still Storm's divine patron, after all.

Storm just wasn't sure how she felt trying to imagine Iris as her protector rather than the inverse. Hmph! I still do not understand how or why she is the one I summoned. What did I do wrong?! Was it the ritual? My prayers?!

"Ah, here we are!"Iris interrupted Storm's thoughts and made her cringe at herself, then she berated herself for failing to pay more attention.

Of course, instead of wasting time being distracted by unimportant matters, Iris has been driving us to our destination!

Iris parked the hovercar a safe distance away from the docks, gesturing for Storm to sneak with her to the ships. At last, they spotted a shady group unpacking one of the large, black boats near the middle of the docks, and Iris was able to identify one of them as Masquerade.

"Let me see if I can ghost my way through first," she whispered to Storm, then she sat down, cybernetic eye powering off as her spirit left her body to sneak aboard the ship. When she returned, she confirmed that Masquerade was dealing in arms and treasure.

"All likely stolen," Storm snorted, and Iris nodded grimly in agreement.

"If there's one thing worth stealing back, it's a ruby she's got called the Heart of the Phoenix," said Iris. It was named because it was the largest, reddest ruby naturally unearthed, and near the rounded base of the large gemstone, the red slowly turned so dark that it almost looked black, like smoke. That was what inspired the gem's fiery name, especially since the shades of red became more saturated closer to the center of the stone. It was a thing of beauty, and because of its name, it was rumored to have mystical properties.

"But it doesn't actually heal, resurrect, or do anything magical?" Storm snorted as Iris told her the tale.

"No, but it might make a good gift or offering." She gave Storm a knowing look. She was the patron that answered Storm's prayer, but there were entities far more powerful than her—or even Masquerade—out there. They were just less likely to dabble in the affairs of lower beings, whether because they were too haughty, or too savage. "Like our friend guarding the ship." Iris jerked a thumb over her shoulder. That was her real concern. They could wait out Masquerade and her minions, but the hydra guarding the treasure...?

"The what?" Storm echoed, but already, inwardly, she was sighing in resignation and mentally drawing her axe. Let's go, Labrys...

ooo

As Iris predicted, it was easy for her to use her ghost powers to trick Masquerade and her minions away from the ship. The hard part was approaching the hydra, and no sooner had they started—reaching the doorway of the ship—than did the first of the three heads open its eyes.

"Who are you...?" it rumbled, voice low and masculine. He was the first, oldest, and leader of the trio.

"Uhhh..." Iris and Storm both hesitated, looking at each other out of the corners of their eyes.

"I am Shi..."

The next head had a higher, softer, younger, more gender neutral voice. Their personality was likewise lighter and friendlier than Shi's. "I'm Air!" they said, waggling their head and long, scaley neck.

The newest head seemed like a mix, a balance, of the other two, voice oscillating between high and soft, and lower and gruff. Likewise, their personality seemed between Shi and Air too, sometimes guarded and sometimes forward. "I am Nyx!"

"You have come to steal our treasure?" Shi growled, raising his head dangerously.

"To what end?" Air asked gently, counterbalancing Shi's implied threat. "Maybe we can come to an agreement!"

"You are suspicious. Let us see what you are made of. We know why you are here. Convince us you are worthier than the current holders." Nyx completed the trio and the challenge. The hydra was not going to deny that the treasures were ill-gotten gains in Masquerade's hands just as much as they would be in Storm and Iris', but if they wanted any share of the loot, they would have to take it.

"Ok, I think I can swoop in and steal that gem if you can buy me the time?" Iris asked in Storm's head. Storm gave an imperceptible nod. "Just try not to lose YOUR head," Iris advised, then she stepped away.

What? Storm scoffed, but she didn't actually ask, certain that she didn't need the advice. She removed the energy axe from her back, turning it on. It glowed and hummed, and she couldn't keep a smile off her scarred face as her cybernetic eye began to glow too. Let's go, Labrys!

Shi struck first, snapping his big, brown, square jaws the moment he saw the gold-blue glow of Storm's axe.

"Are you sssure we can't talk thisss out?" Air pleaded, slithering towards Storm from the left. She knew Nyx would soon come in from the right. Iris' command echoed in her mind, but she couldn't tell if it was just a memory, or Iris repeating herself.

Just try not to lose YOUR head! Time slowed down, and Storm felt like she was moving through molasses. She tried to reach out, tried to scream, but everything was too slow, too heavy. The moment Nyx's head rose up beside their two "siblings", all three of them locking their eyes on Storm, reality began to drift away from her (or was she drifting away from it)? Storm tried to shake her head to clear her mind, but by the time she managed to stop, Shi's head struck forward again. This time, though, Iris was the one he attacked. Storm's breath caught in her throat as she heard Iris scream. Then Shi bit down and her body broke in half, flesh and metal crushed instantaneously. The vision flickered, and Storm reeled.

No! This is... just an illusion...! She fought to reassure herself as Iris' severed body hit the ground.

"Is it?" Nyx asked Storm silently, voice suddenly low and smooth and ominous. At the same time, Air gave her a sad look. Another vision flashed through Storm's mind. She stood at the mouth of a massive pit, a storm brewing overhead. The lightning danced and answered her command. Even from the vision, Storm could feel how powerful she was. Iris stood beside her, watching her, but just as Storm raised her hand, a lightning bolt arcing down from the clouds to meet her, Iris dissipated in a mist of rain.

"GOT IT!" Iris' excited cry broke the spell, and Storm shook her head again, faster than before. It cleared her mind this time, and the next time her eyes focused on something that wasn't the six eyes of the hydra, Iris was racing at with her with a large, red gem tucked under her arm. Giggling, she grabbed Storm by the hand and dragged her away. Immediately, all three hydra heads roared to life.

"Thief! Thief! Thief!"

AN: Based off a friend's 3 favorite OCs (I also used a quartet of their OCs in the Sleeping Citadel Dragon Chess DND story).