“Why do you fight?” One of the heads spoke suddenly. We readied our weapons as the largest head lowered itself a little. “Our Master only wishes to converse with you.”
“What! He's been trying to kill us!” Neko spat back.
“You have entered his home, armed. However all of the traps were designed for capture, not to kill.” It's main head lowered again.
“Yeah he wants to catch us to take our power, then he'll kill us.” Neko said.
“Unless you willingly give. He offers your old lives back in return. Your powers for the lives of your loved ones.”
“I saw how he honors that promise.” Odin said.
“An illusion. A necessary one. He could return your family to you Odin, but only if you give him your gift.” It was now hovering close enough for me to smell its unwashed scales.
“I have no reason to believe you.” Odin said calmly.
“What of you Neko? Your friends returned, your lover restored. Do you not wish the best for everyone?”
“I'm not falling for that trick again.” She said.
“Leukos? Surely you would like to have your parents back, your brother, your friends?” I hesitated, I could almost touch its enormous red eye as it swayed there, slowly.
“N-No. Not like that. I can't...”
“Upsetting.” As it spoke a golden cloud engulfed us. Immediately my vision began to fade as I fell into a deep sleep.
Anatos
It took a while before Moot could walk easily on his own; but we had made slow progress down the stairs. However it wasn't long after we reached the bottom that we heard a large series of explosions coming from nearby. We followed the sounds as swiftly as we could manage, and soon stumbled onto a scene of eight giant snakes surrounding Neko, Leukos and Odin. I started moving but Moot held me back.
“Something's not right.” He said. I saw one of the heads slowly approach the group on the roof, and strained to try and hear what was going on. Then I saw a small puff of golden gas and the three fell down. I pulled Moot along.
“We gotta help them. He stumbled a little then caught pace.
“Careful, all eight heads are part of one creature.” He said before beginning to climb one of the roofs. I was in much better health so I charged forward and drew my staff, and launched myself into the air with a thin jet of water. I quickly closed in on the group of sleeping people. I switched the steady stream of water from a staff to a blade and cut into the head that was wrapping itself around the sleeping people. I felt bone, but I didn't go any deeper.
It shrieked in pain and thrashed wildly, sending me back into the air. I used some water to catch myself, letting the cool spray fall back on me. Below I could see Moot was resting on one of the roofs and the other seven heads had their attentions fixed on me. The eighth moved slowly, its wound bleeding freely.
I let gravity catch hold and charged back down, landing blade first on one of the heads. I felt my blade sink into its skull and waited as the neck shuddered before slowly collapsing to the ground. Two down. Even as I thought this I had to move as the other six were quickly converging on me. I ran along the dead length until I spotted a chance and jumped towards one of the open jaws.
With a quick stab upwards I cut through the soft mouth and into the brain. I again felt the body shudder as death overtook it and moved before I was caught. However as I backed out I was simultaneously knocked back in as another head came in close and pressed me into the now dead throat. With a quick blade extension though I quickly cut through. Again the head was waiting for me and rammed my back.
I felt my back twinge from the force, but wasn't ready for the second head to fly into my path and beat me back towards the first; my ribs compressing from the force. Soon the remaining five heads joined, as my body was tossed like a rag-doll between them.
Finally bored, One battered me into the ground where my bones gave one final groan of pain.
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