Alara's Hunt

With their fertility festival drawing near, Alara had brought it upon herself to regale their tribe with one of the most exotic of meats.

A festival to ensure the continued existence of their tribe, the festival's merriment would be enhanced by her hunt. For it is a meat unlike no other.

Alara hid her presence from such gargantuan prey, the refined huntress harbored ruthlessness in her eyes as she gazed at her hunt from a distance, ensuring that her blue skin wouldn't give her away as it contrasted the marsh's greenery.

As one of its heads feasted on the slain tiger, Alara began to move silently. With a straight line of sight, the 8 foot tall woman took her spear throwing stance. Not a single muscle in her ripped body was wasted as she perfected her throwing form, raising her spear above her head and taut it backwards. A single throw from the spearwoman was enough to decimate its head, such was the half-frost giant's physical strength. But decimation isn't solely what Alara was aiming for, cauterization was needed lest her battle with the creature would last an entire day.

Calling upon her heritage, Alara imbibed her spear with the frigidness of an unforgiving tundra. Ice vortexed around the tip of Alara's spear, she inhaled, bracing herself for the assault.

The Jotunn's exhale was swiftly followed by her powerful arm, launching her spear not only with the might to rival a cannon, but also exceed it in terms of speed.

One of the Hydra's heads exploded in flesh as Alara's spear pierced through, its stump was cauterized by ice, preventing its accursed regeneration. The Hydra's shriek of agony shook the entire marsh. Its previously six heads were now down to five, five heads that turned around and brought its malefic stare upon the culprit.

The unfazed Alara smiled amidst the mortal danger, defiantly smiling at each of the heads, its jaws can no doubt snap even her half-giant constitution in half.

Alara brandished another spear, addressing the quadruped reptile afar from her.

"No hard feelings, but that meat of yours is too good to pass up. Don't worry, I'll make sure that your death arrives swiftly, all five of them." Alara taunted, bantering in a fight was a habit that she shared with her sister, developed through their numerous times sparring. Even as her opponent was incapable of speech, she can't help but call it out before inevitably ending its lives.

It was as if the Hydra caught the spirit of Alara's words, the titanic reptile began its charge, each of its steps would make the ground rumble as a testament to its size.

Thrilled to see its prey charging to its demise, Alara wore a manic grin as her legs ran, meeting the Hydra's advance.

A single head shot down from the heavens, striking down the speeding Amazon. Alara's agility allowed her to easily strafe to the right, yet the Hydra's cold-blooded fury was relentless, another head followed up, anticipating Alara's dodge.

As soon as Alara strafed to the left, she would soon find out the Hydra's attacks weren't done in anticipation, but through its heads planning in unison at how to bring down the insolent insect that dared to strike down one of their own.

Its third head shot forth right after Alara's dodge, its jaws that can tear a treant with a single snap bared down towards Alara.

Dust rose around her as Alara was hit by the full brunt of the Hydra's head. Or was she?

The Hydra felt it, her jaws unable to clamp itself down. The dust cleared to reveal Alara, holding the Hydra's powerful jaws with an even greater force summoned by her arms. Even as a Half-Jotunn, her otherworldly strength was on par with her full-blooded kin.

"Ah, Crap." Alara's smile faded as soon she felt heat gathering inside of the deadly maw.

Crap indeed, Alara was suddenly blasted point blank by a ginormous fireball, sending her flying and crashing into a tree.

Her blue skin scorched with burn marks, Alara stood. Had she bitten more than she could chew? Alara hunted a monster that would give even a band of emerald adventurers a run for their gold. Alara's grin returned.

Nay, she merely needed to start getting serious.

Alara called forth Ymir's boon, the God of the frost giants would favor even those that aren't pureblooded, spreading winter's chill wherever they may tread.

The coldness of the air grasped the Hydra forcing it to step back, its reptilian nature was simply not equipped to deal with harsh cold, even with its enormous size. It will be killed simply by being near Alara if it refuses to flee.

The Hydra may be at a disadvantage, but its downfall would come with its multiple heads understanding pride, the shame of backing down from a creature far smaller than it is.

Thus, the Hydra attacked with all of its head at once, hoping to end the insect in one blow.

With renewed vigor given by the cold, Alara's already impressive strength and speed were doubled, allowing her to vault an unfathomable height and evade all of Hydra's heads.

Alara's grin grew wider, how nice of her hunt to gather all of her targets in one place.

Taking advantage of her momentum mid air, Alara gathered all of the strength she could muster, resulting in a more fearsome throw than her opening strike.

"RAAAAAAAH!"

Alara released her war cry alongside her spear, the power from her throw was accompanied by a frigid shockwave, devastating the congregation of heads with a rimy explosion.

Alara gracefully landed on her feet, she admired her handiwork but her labor wasn't finished yet. Now, she needed to drag its corpse all the way back to their tribe.

+++

In a lush and fertile forest, Queen Ysbeil had just concluded a hunt of her own. The bronze skinned beauty wore a regal fit that's a combination of red and brown, adorned by tribal trinkets as a belt and necklace, it was dress to emphasize her status unlike her scantily clad subjects that prioritized mobility. Her royal attire was topped off by a stunning fur cape that blended splendidly with her sunburned long and wavy hair, exemplifying her maturity.

"You are saying that Antani is about to come home soon? Then that's great news." Ysbeil retrieved her arrow from the forehead of the Calydonian boar, her bullseye killed the beast thrice her size with but a single strike, Attesting to the Queen's marksmanship.

From high above the trees, Artemis had shrunk herself and watched the whole spectacle unfold. Ysbeil was simply sublime with the bow, she would show beauty and grace whenever the Amazon queen would use the legendary artifact Artemis had bestowed to her. This fact remained even at the age of 45.

Up high, Artemis's lips twisted into a knowing grin, "What if I told you that she is about to challenge her sister for the right to become the next queen?"

Ysbeil's brow shot up. So Antani still hasn't given up on her dream? Ysbeil didn't know whether to lament or be proud of the fact. The right for Amazon Queendom would result in a battle to the death between two royal siblings, Ysbeil cared for both her daughters but the way of the Amazon is something she would not deny, after all, she was their Queen.

"Then it will be a spectacular fight that would not doubt echo through Amazonian history." Ysbeil softly smiled as she replied to the Goddess.

It was no secret to Artemis that Ysbeil cared deeply for both of her daughters. Yet her respect for them would not bar them from making their own decisions as a grown woman.

"That may well be, but who do you think will emerge victorious?" The Goddess inquired.

"It's hard to determine the outcome. They are both equally powerful in their own right." Ysbeil simply stated that she wasn't playing favorites. Alara was born for battle, such was the legacy of the frost giants. But Antani's unyielding tenacity that she inherited from her father allowed her to always be one step behind her sister, human she may be. The odds tip slightly towards Alara but Ysbeil isn't counting out Antani just yet.

"I see, then let us end this hunt with a final gift of foreknowledge. Antani has picked up a rather troublesome lover along the way." Feeling rather whimsical, Artemis withheld the details from her champion.

"Is there something wrong with the woman she is with?" Concern flared in Ysbeil's expression. Ysbeil knew her daughter well enough for Antani to open up about her preference. She was ecstatic to hear from Artemis that her daughter had escaped from the underdark, Artemis didn't give the specifics but it was delightful to know that Antani was now free from the clutches of that vile dark elf woman. But what had Antani gotten herself into this time? It seems important enough to warrant a mention from Artemis.

"When you think about it, there is plenty wrong with her lover, but your daughter still chose to stand by her side."

These were the last words Ysbeil heard as she was rudely awoken by the chattering of her subjects, removing herself from Artemis' dream of the hunt. Rising from her bed, gone was her regular dress as she was now back to her sleepwear, a plain white dress.

Ysbeil emerged from the veranda of her elderwood palace to witness a hydra carcass bound by ropes. The impressive part was how her daughter dragged it into their front yard.

Alara raised her head to greet the Queen with a smile, "What a lovely morning, isn't it, Mother? Consider this my contribution to the festival!"