NINE

Sylva’s heart raced and her body ached, she could feel sweat falling down from her face, she was tired and weary, the cost of being brave was weighing down heavily on her, she had to do something fast or they'll both be dead soon. Then an idea conjured in her mind, from where all good idea comes from.

So she acted upon it and commenced to running he up a tree, climbing with haste. The tree's branches shook and vibrated as her body stood on it, it was a very brave idea she had, stupid but brave.

Then Sylva leapt off, jumping on the hydra's body, there was a thick slimy goo on the monsters’ back that almost fell her down, by stabbing the monster with her katana she was able to hold on rigidly, penetrating it's thick skin, trying to keep her balance.

The hydra was beyond furious, it's head slithered towards it's back, sighting Sylva rather quickly, then it twisted and shook straining in an attempt to shake her off, but Sylva didn't budge, she kept on stabbing her katana in the hydra's back fiercely, with all the might and force she could muster.

Joanne couldn't miss this opportunity presented before her, she held her shards of glass tight with her hands, then embarked on tearing up the monster’s underbelly, it shrieked noisily in pain. its slimy guts began pouring out from its body, a dead deer slipped out of the monsters’ stomach almost unrecognizable because of its rotten body, that would’ve been boiled with the monsters’ gastric acids in the hydra’s body. Then its three head stopped moving, suddenly it crumpled to the ground motionless.

So Sylva climbed off its body with the monsters green slimy goo staining her armor, her mind held a private state of disgust and her face held a scornful frown, she began spitting, trying to retain her last shred of decency and cleanliness, she composed herself, then turning towards Joanne she spoke. “Are you serious! Wine bottles?! Is that your solution to everything?” she asked.

“It worked didn't it? And just so you know I fight better while drunk and high as mount Olympus.” replied Joanne, her thoughts raced and the buzz of the alcohol had numbed the adrenaline in her brain, so she didn’t really understand what had occurred previously, nor did she care either. She was just happy that she was breathing, because for now there’s hope to drink another day.

There was a silent pat in the back for a job well done by Sylva; that is, until the sound of rustling of leaves came from the mist beneath, the hydra wasn't exactly dead. This was confirmed by its scaled body crawling viciously, attacking them both, ready to take a bite from its astonished preys. The attack was too quick that Joanne and Sylva couldn’t defend themselves against it, the monster was like a fast blur. Soon The monster was inches away from them, so they stood still like a deer caught by the arrow of a hunter, giving up and awaiting their accepted death sentence.

Then suddenly, a feathered creature flew in and jacked the hydra up towards the sky quickly, saving them from a ghastly death.

The creature carried the hydra with its sharp talons. it all happened in a blink of an eye. The creature then proceeds to tearing up the Hydra apart to small bits and pieces with its notched beak. It was an eagle, a large exquisite one, with widely elongated pointed wings and feathers that alternated on its body with red, blue and yellow colors like a motioning rainbow in the skies. When it tried to land, it produced a strong wind as it fluttered its large wings, its height was like that of a sturdy barn.

Joanne and Sylva were in awe, they looked on with admiration and the terror that came with fear. Such a marvelous creature was so rare to encounter even in one’s lifetime. It was riveting to believe that such a wondrous creature had remained in the realms, since the disappearance of the goddesses and the magical possibilities they brought while they settled among mortal ages ago has lost its lore, but here was an evidence of their greatness before them, their mouth was left ajar, as the falcon landed on the grassed ground.

“Are you by any chance seeing this, General?” asked Joanne, trying to confirm her state of sanity.

“Yes, Regent . . . I am” replied Sylva, greatly bemused.

“Good, that means I'm not insane . . . yet.”

The eagle approached them, moving in small strides, and then it spoke.

“Greetings heiress of Juventas; the city protected and worshipped by the goddess Hebe herself . . . youth be unto you! . . . Please do not be afraid for I come in peace and not to war.” It spoke with a bass voice that resonated. “You may call me Gibran. I am the messenger to Hebe, the goddess of youth,”

“Oh Hera! It talks, this is not creepy at all,” said Joanne sarcastically. “*hick* Uhm greetings! . . . I am Joanne, the drunken Regent . . . I mean the Imperial Regent of the city of Juventas and I seek the Fountain of Youth, to cure me, otherwise I'll be dead by sunset as I’ve been told,” her mind was blank, she was perhaps too excited.