"You save everyone. But who saves you?"
One moment she was catching a soft spot in the serpent's scales and the next she was being slammed against the wall. Her body ached and begged for her to rest, but she knew she couldn't, not until the thing was dead. Even if that meant she died too. Time was beginning to dwindle, she could feel it as her knees began to buckle and her body slouched against the wall.
And then the thing was upon her, hissing and snarling with its mouth bared with sharp disgusting fangs. It's breath stank, she had noted, of death and destruction. Not her favorite smell, but not the worst one either. The warrior had mused but now as she heard the clink of scales and the hissing tenor of her enemy, she quashed her musings and slowly urged herself to her feet.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are, little Giant. I jusssst want to play."
Tightening the straps of her shield as best as she could with a shaking grasp, she lowered herself into an unsteady, ramming position as she soon caught sight of the slithering beast of shadow. It was gigantic and towered over even her own large frame. Letting out a breath, she began moving forward. And then with a mighty battle cry, the warrior leapt from her hiding spot and side-swept the creature's large head to the side with her shield.
The beast let out a surprised hiss and then one of pain as it's head collided with the metal of the shield and then the stalactite above it. The cavern shook and rocks fell from the ceiling, thudding around the pair. Letting out a huff of pain as smaller rocks clanged against her already dented armor, the warrior lurched over the fallen boulders with the grace of a newborn deer. A very large newborn deer, but a newborn deer no less.
Landing with a thud similar to the boulders, she let out a groan as her eyes danced with stars and her head swam with jumbled thoughts and visions. The gentle glow from her own stone-like skin called her back to the present along with the irritated hissing of her enemy.
"Clever move, little Giant. But not clever enough!"
The serpent's tail curled around her ankle and yanked her upwards. Her sword fell from grasp and skidded across the cavern floor. As she hung upside down and was swung towards the beast's smouldering gaze, it laughed at her. A hissing and dry laugh as it's forked tongue of pitch slithered from its maw.
"And sssso I have caught you at lasssst. Any lasssst wordssss?"
"You won't win. I won't let you."
The warrior panted out as she yanked her shield free from its spot on her arm. With what little strength she had left, the woman used her own present position and rocked herself backwards; swinging back before tossing the shield straight into the gigantic snake's face. With a snap and a snarl, the beast released it's hold on her as she went tumbling to the cavern floor.
Scrambling with very little grace, she swept her sword into her grasp. Rising with a grunt and many a groan, she lifted herself up into a standing position. Her armor was damaged, her helm gone, and her crimson cape torn as she swung her sword about, glaring at the beast. Now as she stood her ground against the creature, she pondered why she truly felt no fear, but rather a sort of feeling of familiarity and dejavu. It was thrumming through her veins: the feeling of being here before and the actions that were to come layout before her like dance steps she knew by heart.
Shaking the thoughts that swam through her mind, she cast a quick glance in the direction of the center of the cavern, where the half-sphere of untouched and unscarred stone was present. Still safe, still up, that's all that mattered to her. Giving herself a firm shake, she tore her eyes back to the path before her as the shadows gave way and her enemy reappeared. The bruised, injured, but still, quite living serpent hissed and spat.
"Niceeee trick. But trickssss will not ssssave you from death."
"And witty remarks won't save you from yours."
Came her own hissed response, her lips pulled back to reveal a bloodied mouth. Spitting out saliva that was near red and thicker than what was healthy, she began moving forward. Grimacing with each step, it became harder and harder to hold herself steady, she tightened her grasp around her weapon."Enough… Of your tricks…"
"Starting to feel tired, little Giant? Perhapssss you should resssst, lay down and give up."
"Never."
And yet, her body was betraying her, as once more, her knees buckled and she felt herself falling to a knee. Lifting her head upwards, she glared into the swirling shadows of the scales of the serpent as it began to circle about her. The beast was teasing and taunting her now, as she was dying. "Once you die, I will have my prize. Oh yessss, ssssuch a delicioussss one it sssshall be. Only made sweeter by seeing you die."
"Won't… die… Can't…"
She gasped out as she shoved herself to her feet once more. Stumbling, she wavered on the spot and held onto her weapon tightly. Her feet unsure in their placement and her knees knocked together; she felt like a squire again, a new blood. But even then, she knew she could defeat any foe that came before her. She was stronger than this, and yet, her strength was leaving her.
The point of her blade began to dip downwards as the warrior's vision turned blurry. Swaying on her feet, she squinted against the fog that had filtered into her eyes and grit her teeth as the pain continued to rise in intensity. Lifting her head as high as it would go, her sight cleared for a moment as she observed her foe's head coming into view. Bared fangs glistened with what could only be salvia filled venom and promised her a quicker death.
Letting out one final shout of anguish, anger and pain, the warrior barreled forward and lept to wrap one of her large arms around the serpent's throat. The beast let out a noise of glee only to have it cut off and be replaced with a sickening slick and wet one. It's smouldering eyes stared wide as the warrior fell away, landing on her side and holding tightly to her blade, covered with a foul-smelling liquid. A steady stream of blood began to pour from the large slash from the serpent's throat. A guttural noise came from its maw as a singular word came from it.
"No…"
"I… Win."
The warrior retorted, a grim yet victorious smile on her paling features. Closing her eyes, she listened to the crash of the mighty beast falling around her and shifted as the cavern itself shook with the fall. Letting out a slow breath, she opened her eyes and looked towards the slowly crumbling rock shield. Her smile widened as their gazes met before her eyes fluttered closed once more and the smile faded along with what little life was left within her. Her eyes shifted under her lids as she awoke from the dream that had been plaguing her for the past two nights. Sitting up, she listened to the sound of the rain that pitter-pattered against the leaves and then dribbled down onto the fabric of her tent. She had escaped to the wilderness for a brief reprieve from the pressing stone walls, both metaphorical and literal. Rubbing her temples with her left hand, she eyed the jingling bracelet that was wrapped tightly around her wrist.
Sighing deeply, she worked the knot carefully with her fingers and removed it from its near-perpetual position around her arm. Cradling the accessory within her scarred palms, she rubbed her thumbs over the various beads that were present there. Tightening her fist around it, she rose, not caring to properly dress as she exited the tent. Walking barefoot through the waterlogged clearing, she soon reached the far edge of it where her horse rested. The great beast raised his head and snorted in a sort of greeting as she passed.
"Not yet."
Was her only response as her large form soon disappeared into the woodwork. Taking care to not actually step on anything that would be damaging to her feet, she soon arrived at a river, where further down a bridge was present. As she stood beside the bank, watching as the water rushed past and allowed the rain to fall around her, the woman glanced down to her clenched fist. Opening it once more, she ran her thumb over the beads and looked back towards the water. Shifting her bare feet in the mud, she contemplated the bracelet and seemed to weigh it in her grasp. Time stretched out before her as she gazed at the artifact that rested there. Letting out a slow breath, she lifted it from her palm and returned it to its proper place on her arm. Once it was firmly secured, she turned heel and made her way back towards her campsite.
Whatever it was she had been contemplating left her mind, only to be replaced with the memory of the dream. The power of the artifact was far more important than a recurring nightmare; even if it meant dying each time sleep overtook her.
