Helping a Nephilim

"Hello?" The voice said from behind the door. It was a voice that made the man think of innocent and gentleness. It reminded him of-He immediately marches over and opens the door with such ferocity he almost breaks it. The woman was startled as she damn near tripped over herself trying to get back.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to bother you!" The woman said as she put her hands up to placate him. She was short, wearing a black shirt with a dark green knee-length skirt. Her blonde hair tied into a loose and messy braid that hung over her shoulder. She had a picnic basket in one hand. A knife with a baby blue handle attached to her belt. Her soft green eyes gazed upon the armored man as he towered over the young woman. His face obscured by his demonic looking knight helmet.

"Who are you and what do you want?" He asked her with a deep, clear and above all else meancing voice that produce a echo, It sent chills to her very core. she calmed herself and explain the situation.

"My name is Hera, I heard about you from the newspaper. I need your help finding my friend. I can pay you upfront." She stated bluntly, hoping that would be enough to entice him until realizing it was stupid. As far as she knew he never took monetary compensation for slaying these horrors beyond comprehension. But it couldn't hurt right? Extra incentives and all that.

"Oh no, what if i actually offended him? Me Thinking that he nothing more than a heartless mercenary when he put his life on the line for those people In Holten not too long ago." Hera thought, scolding herself for being so careless and rude.

The Slayer stood there for a moment, seemingly perplexed as Hera stood there, extremely nervous awaiting the Slayer's response.

"Well, You're straight to the point. Keep your money. I'm just happy to be out of the house." He tried to lighten the mood, it was a habit he picked up from someone dear to his heart.

Hera was surprised at this casual response.

"I-I can't do that, you're going out of your way to help me so..." Hera stammered.

The Slayer did something of a sigh as he placed his sword in his scabbard.

"Tell you what, let find your friend first and we discuss payment later" Slayer told her as he motioned her to follow him. She noticed the unique purple and gold armor he had on, it gave off a godly aura. She was sure she seen this armor somewhere in her father's books but she wasn't sure as to what it could be as it been such a long time ago. Not to mention how terrifying the armor look, the helm itself had two golden horns sticking out, the bottom of the helm look like the maw of a monster. The pure darkness behind the visor did not help placate the intimidation of this legend. Hera tried to read his aura, but to her surprise and disturbance there was no aura.

"Maybe it a living armor?" Hera thought to herself, curious about the origins but decided to focus on the very important task at hand.

"Um how do we leave this place?" Hera had to ask. She thinks that this was a different plane of reality entirely. The Map that kind woman gave her didn't match up with the local map of Burock she had in her skirt pocket.

"And there no guarantee that going back into that field will send me to Burock. I could end up anywhere." She thought to herself until a sense of horror encroach upon her as she had a realization. What if time flow faster here, what if by the time they leave, her precious friend Bertraim was already dead?! 

"What about my parents? I mean they could surely handle themselves but i can't help but worry!" Hera thought as various disturbing scenarios ran through her head. Thoughts of her parents being assualted in their own homes made her blood boil, a visible vein was now seen on her forehead.

"What about Furiosa?! She can defend herself of course but what if they ambushed her with a big group and they'll-ohgodsohgodsnonononono-" 

"Calm down." The Slayer told her seriously, placing his metal hand on Hera's shoulder.

Hera was surprised at the gesture. She noted at how it was firm yet gentle. 

"Oh I'm sorry. was I speaking out loud?" Hera asked, trying to keep her breathing under control and failing to do so.

"No, but you don't need to be a thought reader to see that you are in despair." He told her seriously.

"I guess so. Do time flow differently here?" Hera urgently asked the armored warrior hoping that wasn't the case. 

"I stop keeping track of time long ago." He answered her, not helping her rising anxiety at all.

The Slayer motioned her to follow him. They both kept walking until they reached a broken down bar. He stepped inside and Hera reluctantly did the same, keeping her wits about her, her free hand near the knife. The Slayer walked toward a wooden corkboard that had old and yellowed paper attached to it and gesture to Hera to come over.

"I want to say, thank you for comforting me." Hera told him with a small smile she managed, couldn't smile too much considering the situation she was currently in.

The Slayer shrugs.

Hera look at the corkboard and saw a paper that stuck out to her. It was white and brand-new, she pick the paper off the wall and look at the writing.

Wanted-Two man job for the rescue of a golden-retriever sized spider. 

Location:CraneSal, The abandoned pickle juice warehouse off 91st and Sukelly.

Reward:A Happy Ending. (There was a detailed and disturbing drawing of a bloody Hera hugging Bertram as The Slayer is nowhere to be found.)

"Wha-" Hera started but another shift happen and she suddenly found herself on her back. The Slayer stood above her and offered his hand. Hera gratefully accepted it and got pulled up. She looks around and saw that they were in wallopa. A ghetto so ghastly that it didn't even have the first letter of their town capitalized. There were Orcs wearing miner outfits discussing their plans for tonight and Elves who wore more modern clothing that they brought off the local gang here as they got high off a special grade marijuana. Hera inhale the billowing smoke that permeated through out the area and smiled. Being reminded of her childhood. There was a run-down bar not too far from where they was standing and across from there was a shoddily made house made out of cheap wood and rusted metal and on the creaking stairs sat a random Dalisken, the name of dark elves for those uninitiated. He was wearing a leather vest with a insignia that had a broken halo as part of it design.

He took a sip of his beer and look at the two strange visitors. He pulled out a piece of paper and read it and look at them again. He nods to himself and finished the rest of his beer and walked back into the house after moving the sheet metal he pilfered that was functioning as a door. 

"wallopa is actually next to Abbaleen, So we actually not too far from our destination." Hera said with a smile that radiates hope. The Slayer nodded and they begin walking to the small town exit.

The evening air was cool, the lights of the lanterns illuminated the well-treaded path they was on.

"So, when is the last time you saw your friend?" Slayer asked of the Hybrid who walked along the path to the town of Abbaleen.

"It was one day ago, I had just came back from work. I opened the door to my house and found it vandalized. my friend Bertraim was gone." Hera said sadly, she kept her bubbling anger under control. 

"Bertraim is fine. Bertraim is still alive." She repeated in her head.

"How did you find me?" The Slayer had to asked, he was in what was essentially a pocket dimension.

Hera recounted the events that lead her to finding him. 

She had followed Devilla instructions and made it to Burock on horseback following the map she got from her local store. She thanked the white horse named Mind she borrowed with Devilla's permission and the horse neighed softly and went back the opposite direction. She also thanked her uncles for teaching her horseback while they were intoxicated at her 14th birthday party. 

It was nearing night time, Hera didn't stop to eat anything. She remembers when she would get bullied in the cafeteria back at the academy so she would just...not eat. 

Hera felt the anger resurfaced and she snuffed it out, now wasn't the time to drown in her bitterness. She needed to move forward.

The charred and blackened woods lay before her like a diseased welcoming. She steeled her nerves and breathed in deeply and then out. She walked into the twisting walkways, she marveled at the still roasted trees and charred grounds, no sense of plant life once so ever starkly reminded Hera how powerful the Gods can be. 

Devilla told her she will follow the pathway until she reach a clearing that was nothing more than a vast land, it wasn't populated and there was fields of berries and corn higher than Hera herself. 

"I found it a miracle since Shangor crash-landing destroy the eco-environment of Burock but when i took the first few steps." Hera continuing, recounting the bizarre experience.

Hera remembered walking through the fields, extremely relieved that she was able to get through the barrier. But the fields seem endless, it wasn't until the fifth attempt did she realize she was lost. Panic flood every sense and when she looks back all she could see was more fields of berries and corn, no sign of where she started. 

"Oh my. Are you lost follower of love?" A woman with a gentle voice that still give Hera goosebumps said behind her suddenly. Like ice creeping into her veins and then melting as quickly.

The young hybrid almost cast AllBire "A raging mini-fireball". Thank the Gods she didn't.

She turn around and got a good look at the woman, she has dark skin and long black hair that was curly and look soft to the touch. She was wearing a purple dress that was both simple and contradictorily complex at the same time, she had soft golden fur on both of her shoulders and she wore shoes made out of leather. But what really thrown Hera for a loop was her eyes. The pupils seemed to be fractured as the pupil seem to break off into a line. The color was a murky brown with a purple tint.

"Yes. I'm trying to reach the Slayer. Can you help me? i need their help in order to save to my friend." She explained with a sense of desperation that didn't go unnoticed to the woman. 

The woman nodded, a motherly smile on her face as she reached behind Hera's ear and pulled out a map much to Hera's bafflement and handed it to her.

Hera read over the map, and saw a little cartoon drawing of her and a red line that started from her all the way straight. Along with a cartoon drawing of her best friend Furiosa making a kissing face with hearts around her.

She blushed and went to ask this mysterious woman how did she make this so fast but she was gone. 

"I have so many questions. How did she know about Furiosa?" Hera said to herself as she begin to follow the trail on the map. And then after about three minutes, She felt a shift and it felt like she was falling to her death but she was still walking until she suddenly lurches forward and her face hit the dirt. She got up quickly and wipe her face and found herself at a well-built house.

Hera pulled out a map and showed it to Slayer. "I'm really grateful to her however, as-"The Slayer took the map and tore it to pieces which faded into dust covered ants.

"That was rude." Hera commented, annoyed looking at the shredded map on the ground.

"Don't suppose you have any leads on the person who did this?" Slayer asked of Hera who was brought out of her annoyance and thought for a moment as they walked pass the giant red sign that said "Welcome to Abbaleen and may the Gods have mercy on your souls."

And below that.

"OR BODIES FOR THOSE WITHOUT SOULS, OK SECLARNITY? YOU FEEL INCLUDED AND REPRSENTED?"

And below that wedged in the corner of the sign.

"yes =)"

"Well i know who the group is based on what was written in this note." Hera took out the note and showed it to the armored man.

DEAR ABOMINANTION. BECAUSE OF YOUR BITCH ASS ANTICS, WE HAVE TAKEN YOUR BEST FRIEND AND IF YOU WANT TO SEE THIS DIGUSTING CREEP IN ONE PIECE THEN YOU WILL BRING THE FOLLOWING:

YOUR SLUTTY SUCCUBUS LOVER

5,000 COINS

THAT IT. BRING IT TO THE LOCATION LISTED ON THE BACK. FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN COMPLETE DECIMATION OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU LOVE. AND DON'T EVEN BRING THAT GODDESS YOU WORK FOR INTO THIS BECAUSE WE WILL KILL YOUR FRIEND ON SIGHT.THAT ALSO GO FOR ANY LOCAL AUTHORITES. YOU HAVE TIL TOMMOROW UNTIL MIDNIGHT. FUCK YOU SINCERELY, SPAWNS OF RETRIUBTION.

Slayer look at the note, even more perplexed which was a feat in of itself.

"So you work for a Goddess and you came to me?" He inquire incredulously. He couldn't make any sense of it.

"Even if they threatening your friend life, they not going to do anything if a God show up right in their faces." Slayer thought to himself.

"I know it seem foolish. There a good chance the leader of the group who did this is bluffing but I want to save my best friend at all cost and i didn't want to take any chances. Plus she was the reason I got a good head start to find your general location." Hera told the Slayer as he looks at the location that was listed on the back one more time. CraneSal, The abandoned pickle juice warehouse off 91st and Sukelly. 

"It not the first time i took on a mission like this." Slayer thought to himself as memories from the past flowed through his head. He forced them back, back into the lingering abyss of his tormenting subconscious.

"I assumed you have a plan in motion." Slayer asked her as they passed a lactating cactus, the juice is rumored to send you into another plane of reality.

The blonde hybrid nodded. "Yes, we will be meeting up with Furiosa by Threads and Lead. A weapon shop that also strangely enough have a large ensemble of clothes. My Dad shops there sometimes." Hera said, remembering the times he brought her there unbeknownst to her mother.

"And this Furiosa is a friend of yours?"

Hera blushed and coughed.

"Ah, your lover." Slayer clarified.

Hera just silently nodded, her face as red as the blood that used to spill out of the Slayer.

"Is she the-"

"NO SHE IS NOT PROUMISUIUS AND I AM SO ANGRY THAT THEY CALLED HER THAT HORRIBLE WORD!" Hera yelled in a guttural outburst, her pent up rage boiling over before catching herself.

"Sorry about that." Hera said, now embarrassed at how quickly she lost her temper.

"No need to apologize, you have every right to be angry. If-" Slayer decided to stop speaking, he is failing the battle that takes place within his mind.

"If?" Hera asked curiously, wondering if this mystical warrior was going to continue.

"Nothing." Slayer responded.

"Is everything alright?" Hera had to ask, a little concerned.

"No. But that not what important right now." The Slayer responded as they passed by what seems to be some sort of weapon deal going on. A group wearing insignias Hera couldn't quite make out from the distance was engaging with a man with a metal plate in his head. They made their way to Threads and Leads, both of them aware that they were most likely being followed.

"Would you like a sandwich? To keep your energy up?" Hera asked with politeness.

"No need. I lost the need for hunger a long time ago. Thank you however." The Slayer said simply.

Hera nodded, she wanted to know more about this warrior but knew that it wasn't the time to be theorizing about this. She had a best friend to rescue!