The Hero Hub's First Hero, Elma, called to her partner. "Zee! Get over here!"

The nun, Dorthaunzee, ran up to Elma and took her place at her side.

"Zee, heal up these three--according to the info I gathered, that old man is one of the strong ones."

Dorthaunzee happily got to healing Gwenybell and the other two once Elma's disconnected hands dragged them over.

"Remember, Zee--don't keep your surprise out for too long. We don't want a repeat of the last time." Elma smiled--one that was for herself. "Minimal casualties." She ran ahead toward the monster that was once more standing. "We've got to improve as Heroes too!"

The malefic tortoise fired a wave of miasma at Elma, and she once again countered with a wave of her own magic, releasing it from the darkness of her wrists. The two energies met and clashed, their point of contact clear for all those who watched. There was no neutralization--these magics were equivalent in nature and only opposite in direction. The one who would win was the one who was stronger.

"Of course!" Elma yelled. "Of course, I can't overpower it!"

Unfortunately for Elma, she was of a race not known for its magical potency. She took control of her flying hands, pulled the daggers from her holsters, and sent her hands into the turtle's shell, right at the glowing eyes.

The creature's pained reaction was swift. The garbled cry echoed from within the shell, and the flaming snake pointed its head to the sky as it let out a pained roar.

Elma took her chance to blast the snake's neck with withering magic and quickly ran to the side, her hands floating alongside her.

I really am mismatched... Elma thought as she watched her mana prove itself ineffective against the flaming snake. The flames didn't even waver... Is that creature not alive? Undead?

Elma had never conceived of such a creature--one made of the blackest flame... All she had that she could use to make sense of it was her knowledge of the undead. But that knowledge, itself, told her that the creature before her wasn't undead.

The snake fired a ball of black flame at Elma--a new attack. Elma rolled out of the way, dodging the flame as she reconnected her hands. Her eyes went to the turtle shell.

Maybe... The snake part is just some kind of magic...

Elma flexed her fingers, confirming her awareness of her fingers and that her magic was flowing into her hands. The moment the turtle shell's opening was facing her again, she sent her hand flying into the opening. That black hand of Elma's released clouds of withering mana into the shell.

"I can release my mana even when my hands are disconnected!"

Once more, the malefic tortoise cried as Elma's hand flew back to her body. The snake's head writhed and thrashed. It released fireballs in all directions, haphazardly and quickly. Many of those fireballs fell around Elma, cutting off her escape routes. She turned to move around a fireball that had landed in front of her, only to run into a fireball bigger than the others heading straight for her.

She resolved to meet it with the last of her mana, but just then, a dart of light flew between her and the flame, and expanded into a large, golden array, shielding Elma.

"Thank you for buying us time!" screamed Nixim, back in the fight with her physical wounds healed.

The snake seemed to react to the holy magic. It hissed as its mouth opened wide.

"That's a new move!" Nixim screamed.

Elma and Nixim were both about to try something to stop it, but then, the tortoise itself sent out another pulse. Nixim was quick in erecting another holy barrier while Elma's barrier shook against the pulse.

"It's too late!" Nixim screamed.

Electricity arced along the black flames for a split-second moment before the snake fired black lightning into the sky.

"What the?" Elma asked as she looked at the dark sky. Lightning lit up the clouds--actual white lightning. Thunder rolled, and then black and white lightning bolts fell down on the battlefield.

It was like the black lightning had enslaved what could be considered the white lightning. No one could really fathom what was occurring, but they knew it was dangerous.

"You!" Nixim screamed. "Run! The barrier won't protect you!" Lighting struck Nixim from above and sent her flying back.

Gwenybell too--she was on her feet and about to be struck down again when a holy barrier appeared above her head.

"Nixim!" she screamed as the bolt meant for her crashed against the barrier. She watched as Nixim smiled, her hand stretched toward her, and she kept watching as another bolt struck Nixim's stomach.

While Nixim screamed, Elma leaped away, her hands pulling her away by the shoulders--she had never been more thankful for her lightness than this moment.

The moment she landed, lightning flashed. Elma let out a scream as the crash echoed.

A bolt of lightning had struck the ground near Elma. It sent her flying back a few feet, the discharge actually electrifying her. Another bolt flew at the fallen woman, and a giant wall of muscle stepped in to deflect the blow with his greatsword.

"Heal her quick, Lass!"

Goff covered his sword with his sheer spirit and struck the discharge, deflecting it away. He grunted as he completed his swing. If Nixim hadn't enchanted him with holy magic, the deflection would not have been as effective.

Meanwhile, Dorthaunzee ran to Elma's side and quickly applied her healing magic.

"Thanks, Zee," Elma said, catching her breath.

Dorthaunzee got up quickly, surprising Elma, and tapped on Goff's shoulder as he struck at the remaining bolts.

"Ey? Time to carry her away? Got it!" He deflected one final bolt and then ran his sword into the ground. "Stalwart!" he shouted.

Magic energy erupted from the sword and traced the form of a giant man's upper body. The giant folded his arms, standing between the group and the malefic tortoise.

"There! That will protect you, Lass." He turned on his heels and ran toward Elma.

"Huh? What?!" Elma yelped as Goff scooped her up onto his shoulder.

"The Lass indicated she needed me to run away with you!"

"She needed you to?" Elma looked back at Dorthaunzee, and the energetic nun responded with a thumbs-up. "You've got this, Zee!" Elma shouted.

The lightning attack had ended. It was time for Dorthaunzee to earn her keep--

Dorthaunzee jumped when a black fireball hit the stalwart guard. She focused once more on the malefic tortoise, watching its movements. She glanced at Elma and Goff quickly--they were still too close. Again, she looked at the malefic tortoise. The snake had returned to firing fireballs at random.

She looked away once more. Still too close. Her eyes went back to the enemy, her grip nervously tightening on her staff. Multiple fireballs struck the stalwart guard, but the magic still stood. Dorthaunzee looked at Elma again--

"ZEE! WATCH OUT!" Elma screamed.

Dorthaunzee looked ahead, but her view was obscured by black flames. Suddenly, her eyes went wide as her body jerked. Burning pressure was on her torso. She looked down and saw the snake's head 'biting' down on her torso.

The snake had extended its neck and whipped around the guard to catch Dorthaunzee from the side.

It all happened too quickly for the stunned Dorthaunzee. It hoisted her into the air and whipped her around quickly, further disorienting the young woman.

Dorthaunzee's eye indicated nothing but frustration.

Normally, at such a moment, her Abyssal Curse would have responded, but at the moment the snake bit her--during that small fright induced by being bitten--she thought of Fainn, the person the tentacles feared.

The snake snapped its neck suddenly and whipped Dorthaunzee away into the forest behind itself. The nun flew, and collided head-first with the trunk of a colossal tree. The sounds of snapping and wood splintering echoed further than it should have.

"ZEE!" Elma yelled.