The missing Auras

Chapter 17

I look from Hercules to Hydra as a fresh wave of fear rolls over me.
- No, no, no. What is he doing here, I ask in my head. I'm both relieved and terrified to see Hydra.
- I'm happy he came for me, but Hercules is on the warpath, I say in my head.
- Hydra, get up. Come on, I shout. I internally cheer when Hydra gets to his feet. His Aura flares to life around him.
- Never thought I'd be so glad to see the color blue before, I say in my head. His gaze flickers in my direction. For a second, I see his eyes widen before a kind of fierceness crosses his face.
- I'm not letting you get away this time. I will end you, Hercules says. Hydra turns back to Hercules, his expression hard and unforgiving.
- Funny. I was just about to say the same thing, Hydra says. I look between the both of them, and then over at Cassandra. She's watching them both with an amused smile playing across her lips.
- Please. Stop them. They're going to kill each other, I shout. Cassandra just laughs.
- This is what they wanted, Cassandra says. Hercules throws out both of his arms. The boar and the lion emerge from his Aura, charging at Hydra. Hydra uses his snakes to grab onto a sofa and hurl it at the two incoming Auras. They crash into it, slowing them down, but suddenly the water serpent is there.
- Look out, I shout. Three snakes rush to stop the water serpent from digging its fangs into Hydra's side, the other two push off the floor, propelling to the other side of the room.
- Give it up already, Hercules says. The crow caws loudly, diving for Hydra's head. Hydra lunges to the side, right into the path of the stallion.
- Damn, Hydra yells. Quickly, he throws up  his arms. His snakes are barely able to regroup when the stallion's front legs kick him down. His body spasms with pain, his Aura flickering weakly.
- Hydra, I yell. I don't know if my voice reaches him, but he twitches before getting up to his feet shakily.
- This is not good, not good, I say in my head. The blue of his Aura flares up as he punches, directing all five heads towards Hercules. They come at Hercules from different directions. But all five are thwarted by the five different Auras in Hercules's possession.
- Hydra can't do anything against five Auras, I say in my head. The terror I tried to keep at bay is threatening to swamp me entirely.
- Enough playing, Hercules says. Be brings his fists together in a crash. The boar and lion combine in a dual attack, storming straight through Hydra. Tears well up in my eyes as Hydra gasps, coughing up blood.
- Hydra, I yell. Hydra struggles weakly to his knees but I don't see any fear in his eyes. He stares back at Hercules with a mix of defiance and indifference.
- Sweet dreams, Hercules says. Hercules stands over him, moving in for the kill shot. I scream. Hercules's fist pauses just over Hydra's heart. The momentary respite has me breathing in choked gasp.
- Victory's right there in his grasp. Why did he stop, I ask in my head. Ice spreads through my veins when he glances in my direction.
- Maybe, I should kill her first. I'll make you watch so you can suffer, Hercules says.
- No, Hydra yells. Hydra's indifferent mask falls away.
- No. Don't you dare touch her, Hydra says. His Aura flares up a blinding shade of blue, but it's quickly subdued as the water serpent Aura wraps around him. Hydra makes no move to struggle. Instead, he looks Hercules right in the eyes.
- It's me you want, right, Hydra asks. Hydra's reaction seems to pique Hercule's interest.
- Looks like you really do care, Hercules says. Hercules tosses a glance in Cassandra's direction.
- How about that, babe. The snake has a heart, Hercules says. Cassandra laughs.
- Well then. It really was worth keeping you alive after all, Cassandra says. I flinch away from her touch as she reaches out to me.
- You need my power to save yourself, right. Well, then take my Aura. Take it. Just don't hurt her, Hydra shouts.
- Is he insane, I ask in my head.
- Are you crazy. No. You can't give up your Aura, I yell.
- Be quiet, Hydra snaps as he turns towards me. Even with the distance between us, I can see the fear in his eyes. But not for himself. For me.
- You don't want her, you want me. You've always wanted my Aura, now's your chance, Hydra says. I struggle against my bindings.
- No, Hydra. Don't give him what he wants, I yell. Hercules ignores me, looking Hydra straight in the eyes.
- I guess getting to watch the two of you suffer in exile works too, Hercules says.
- No. Stop, I yell. Neither of them pay me any mind. Cassandra is smirking next to me and I scream even louder. Hercules lifts one fist and brings it down. His Golden Stallion follows the motion and its hooves stomp on Hydra. Hydra makes no move to dodge. He lets the golden Aura crush him back down to the ground. The pain must be excruciating, but Hydra is letting only a fraction of it show on his face as his body spasms. His Aura shatters into blue specks. The glow around his belt artifact is the last to fade away. The water serpent slinks up to him, snatching it out of Hydra's grasp.
- No, I yell. The moment his artifact leaves him, Hydra slumps to the ground, weak.
- Oh gods, Hydra. What did you do, I ask in my head. Hercules stumbles back as his already colorful Aura is imbued with shades of blue. The five headed serpent surges upward as Hercules struggles to control it.
- Let her go, Cassandra. We don't need her anymore, Hercules says.
- Looks like this is your lucky day, Cassandra says. I glare at her as she laughs. She uses a pen knife to slash through my bonds. I run over to Hydra the second I'm free. I ignore the pain in my wrists and ankles as I check him over.
- Oh gods, oh gods, I say. I pull Hydra up as best I can and make him lean against me.
- You're fine. It's okay, I whisper. Cassandra joins Hercules at his side, her head held high as she glares coldly at Hydra and me.
- Don't even think about showing your face at H.E.R.A. ever again. Now leave, Cassandra says.