Tails of the Whip

Summoning our flying swords, the race began once more as the beast chased us continuously along the forest. Doesn't the beast have resting hours? It's been active since we got here, too active to still chase us around like this while Bai QingQing and MingXia managed to sneak away from the rest of us, going in search of more hidden artifacts. Zhangjie, Yang Fe and I kept the beast on our trail as we sent different spiritual powers at it but the beast was equally smart and managed to circumvent it's way past it.

Ahead of us, we could see the portal opening up, swirling in a huge purple black circle, equally gaining everyone's attention and it seemed the portal had been opened for a bit longer cause it was slowly starting to close up.

"The portals opened, hurry up before it closes." He announced and everyone raced towards the portal with the beast catching up to us, trying to gain in on us but we added more speed and avoided getting it's claw into our skin, the portal was closing and if we raced in like this, we definitely wouldn't make it which meant we had just one option.

"Everyone, jump!" I voiced out and within seconds, everyone jumped out of their flying sword and headed straight into the portal, the beast nearly giving me a cut on my leg but I somehow managed to get into the portal on time before it could strike me and we all surprisingly landed on a soft bed of grasses, falling to our feets.

That was a close call and an equally bumpy ride, I slowly got to my feet and gazed at everyone with relief washing over me, luckily no one was left behind. Yang Fe worriedly helped Bai QingQing up to her feet.

"You okay?" He asked and she nodded releasing her arm from Yang Fe's grip.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

She stepped away from him heading towards me with an apprehensive look.

"You alright Shanxia?" She asked and I nodded in reply, dusting myself clean.

"Yes, luckily we all made it out before anyone got hurt."

"I'm fine too, thank you all for caring." Zhangjie sarcastically spoke up as he equally got to his feet and I walked up to him as he playfully glared at me.

"Don't sound like that, we're all dazed at the moment so sorry." I apologized.

"Well now where are we?" MingXia drew our attention back to the area we were suddenly transverse to, that's when we finally took time to study the place, luckily there wasn't any beast waiting at the end to claw us in pieces.

"What is this place?" Zhangjie asked curiously, unlike the dark forest we left earlier, this place was slightly calmer and the soft grass all looked fresher with greener pastures, there was a lake in front of us and ahead of the lake was a bridge, mind grabbingly, there was no other path to follow except the bridge.

"Just a bridge?"

Yang Fe questioned slightly and I also gazed at it a bit unsure of why there was only one path, Zhangjie relaxed on the soft grass, laying his back on it with a sigh.

"Let's take a minute break before continuing, that annoying leper wasted all my energy." Yang Fe walked up to his brother with an apathetic gaze.

"It's different today, we're timed and we need to gather artifacts, no time for resting so get up"

Bai QingQing was already washing her face with the clean water from the lake. "Hard to believe all these are just illusions, the water feels so real." She breathlessly said enjoying the feeling of the cool water and I was left dumbfounded.

"Wait, all these are illusions?!"

I couldn't hide the surprise in my tone while MingXia scoffed at me.

"Of course it is, but that doesn't mean we can't get hurt, this place looks calm but equally dangerous!"

Yang Fe nodded in response, carefully observing the place. "Yes it is, the fact it looks so calm already states how dangerous it is!"

"Let's keep moving then." Bai QingQing added and with that, everyone tagged along. Slowly, we crossed the bridge that didn't seem to have an end cause it felt like we'd been walking for hours, the water below us shimmered and I wondered how they expected us to find artifacts in this place.

"Each artifact we get is protected by beasts. How do we find artifacts in this place and most of all, where is the beast?" Yang Fe darted a suspicious glance along the bridge which was completely surrounded with water underneath it.

The place was awfully quiet to the point our voices echoed as we spoke. It all looked calm but there was an eerie feeling deepening inside of me, something tells me the beast is close by, silently watching us but where??

I heard a silent but equally sharp sound behind me and I swirled alarmingly to see what it was, there was nothing but yet I could sense it's presence. I glanced at my teammates who kept walking ahead, why do I get the feeling they aren't sensing the same thing as me.I was somehow, not sure how but I was instinctively pulled to look below the water, more like I was pushed and while the rest walked ahead, I strode over to the edge of the bridge and gazing down at it, the waters shook vigorously underneath, shaking the bridge it sent everyone staggering on their steps.

"Woah, what's happening??"

The water immediately rised up and gazed down at me, it swallowed me whole, making me topple over as I fell into the lake.

"Shanxia!"

They called out to me after hearing the water splash underneath. What was that?! I swam upward, bringing my head out of the water, waving at them to indicate I was fine.

"I'm fine." I voiced out to them but their expressions changed for the worse. Freezing at their spot, I tried calling out to them but their shocking gaze seemed to be fixated on something behind me. A shadow slowly enveloped me and I could sense it was nothing but doom behind me. Turning to see what it was_The water had rised up taking the form of a snake as it hissed viscously at me, it was so huge I bet enough to swallow hundreds of people. It had no eyes but I could tell it had sensed my presence. My eyes widened at the sight of it I could barely move, my teammates remained speechless. A water snake??

"Run Shanxia, get out of there!" Bai QingQing shrilled at me and before the snake could clout heavily at me, I dived back into the water and a sudden boom sounded straight in which I had luckily managed to miss, unsure how good of an idea that was. The rest of my teammates summoned their flying sword and went after the snake but heck! You can't fight water because every strike seemed useless as it only penetrated through it's water body but the advantage of it was that they had it's attention.

I swam deeper as my teammates diverted the snake's attention from me and underneath laid the precious artifacts glowing in blue and red resting on the cool sand, they were just two of it but the power emanating from it was worth a shot. I grabbed hold of the glowing stones and now how to get out of here.

I swam upwards and brought my head out of the water for some air as I immediately let out a gasp. I can't summon my flying sword over here so I just have to swim my way out.

Glancing around alarmingly, the place we first rested on, the smooth grass came in view and thankfully it wasn't too far. I immediately headed straight for that place and everything seemed to be going well, not until the stone's suddenly glowed brightly in my hand, drawing the snake's attention to me. It had spotted me with it's object and let out an angry shriek, heading my way instead and I swam faster.

Bai QingQing lowered her flying sword, stretching her hands out for me to hold.

'`Grab on!" she says but I only threw the artifact for her instead.

"Hold this."

She caught it out of involuntary measures while the snake still chased me, I loosened my golden whip and just holding it sent it's golden light shimmering brightly, I dived back into the water unsure of what I had in mind, the beast had it's wide mouth opened ready to swallow me and drown the life out of me when the four tails of the whip summoned themselves except I didn't draw them out this time around.

"H..how is this possible?!..." I was left stunned and equally frightened.

The tails moved in an also snake-like manner, wait how come I didn't recognize this before? When did the tail suddenly turn four?!

The energy pulsating through me...I...I've never felt anything like it and it all flowed straight into my whip, the tails of the whip elongated themselves and lashed out violently at the water beast and I could sense a clash coming, closing my eyes, I wondered exactly what would happen next when…..

"Boom!!"