The water’s peaceful. Ducks and geese swim without a care in the world. A small waterfall feeds the lake, drop per drop. Leaves float down from the trees and find rest onto its surface. From the depths of the lake, the water starts to quiver and shake. The surface tension breaks when a monstrous head with hundreds of sharp teeth comes out of the water and looks for prey to feed its insatiable appetite. The beast’s savage jaw closes around a duck’s tender flesh. When the other animals try to flee, its other six heads emerge to continue their feast. Every corner of the lake is tainted red. The heads hide beneath the surface once again, waiting. The Hydra isn’t sated.

  The smell of fresh blood tickles Scarlet’s nose; she’s the first one to notice. The four adventurers move stealthily, careful not to make a sound. The bushes shake when the girls hide and shift behind them, as they try to get a better view of the lake. Emerald eyes stare into red water. Two shadows, one pink and one red, go across the greenery to position themselves opposite to the other two. The priestess searches inside her bag and takes out a piece of raw meat. With great aim, the meat is flung towards the lake, and it floats on its surface for a few seconds.

  The maw of the Hydra roughly grips the piece of meat and devours it whole. Among the bushes, a red aura arises. The beast’s eyes open wide in the instant a blood stake forms in its mouth, and through its palate, stabs it in the forehead.

  “Stay there.” Her smile is evident, and her eyes, focused on the plan. Scarlet runs towards the injured Hydra and cuts off her own arm, which she then throws to the monster. “Bon appetit.”

  The burst of blood transforms into chains that link around the stake. The assassin grips the chains and throws them to the only one who could move such a beast. Her gauntlets catch the restraints and with all her strength, Erthilind tugs more of the Hydra’s body out of the water. The creature’s front claws slide along the ground, as it tries to find purchase on the edge of the lake. Its other six heads let out a raucous roar. One of them falls to the ground, lifeless, as Valor’s pink blade is tainted red.

  The monster’s giant legs come out of the bloody water and grip the ground tight. Its long necks rise and its eyes stare at the three warriors. One of the heads bites down on the chains and breaks them under its teeth. Continuous attacks are parried with the hilt of the spear. Rose’s lower lip begins to bleed. It is thanks to several earth pillars that the assassin is able to move undetected and slash at the beast with precision and stealth.

  Its multiple heads move fast and identify the dangers before they arrive; that way, they stop each attack with its dozens of rows of teeth and the incredible strength of its bite. The knight not only changes the terrain to their advantage, but her sheer power and her weapon sounds all the alarms in the monster’s head.

  Scarlet notices something.

  Rose gets an idea, but she can’t do it alone.

  A wink from the assassin gives her the green light.

  The blood from the lake is drawn away from the water, and Scarlet’s aura grows a considerable size. I’m not strong enough to pierce its scales with my blood, but I’m far from being out of options. The assassin knows what to do. She knows exactly what Rose wants. Hundreds of red spines are shot down toward the monster; it’s not strong enough to hurt it, but that’s not the point. The spines melt onto its scaled back, painting it red.

  For merely a second, Rose and Erthilind’s eyes meet, and their minds connect. A white aura appears amidst the bushes, and [Blinding Light] is used against the beast. [Divine Blessing] is activated just an instant later; Rose’s muscles power up, and the four girls can already see victory in front of them.

  Blood chains six of its necks. Erthilind holds onto three, and Scarlet, the other half of them. Even the beheaded one has to be restrained to make sure there’s no chance of failure. A mix of blood and stone rises beneath Rose’s feet for her to run towards the remaining head.

  “This is…” Scarlet starts.

  “Your [Red Carpet], princess,” Erthilind finishes.

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  Rose stands face to face with the monster’s only free head. Improvise… improvise… A thrust makes the head move to the side, but the princess stops, digs her foot into the ground, spins and cuts its head off in one clean slash. Rose jumps onto the beast and stabs it in the back. Her eyes sparkle when she finds what she’s looking for and roughly shoves her hand into the body of the dying Hydra. Its veins are cut, and its heart is digged out, unharmed. Rose holds it up for all to see and celebrates with her fist. The Hydra’s lifeless body crumbles onto the ground, soon to be food for worms. Its hunger has finally ceased.

  The three girls high-five and Aira claps in celebration. They wrap the heart in a cloth bag and leave victorious.

  “Some incredible acting skills there, Rosy. I thought we’d have to get in the lake; I hate freezing water.” Scarlet’s happy their plan worked. “And great name choice, Erthilind. I love [Red Carpet]. I mean, we’re literally the princess’s red carpet.”

  “I came up with it on the spot; I didn’t think about it too much. But you’re right; that was a great idea, princess.”

  “Thank you. I’m glad we were able to coordinate so well. We make a great team. And you were super cool, too, Aira. I’m glad to have you with us.”

  Aira smiles, not really knowing what to say; she doesn’t think she did much, but she appreciates the sentiment.

  “I still don’t get how you manage to read our minds, Scarlet.” Rose laughs and gently punches the assassin on the shoulder; the latter answers with a cocky grin.

  “I simply feel what your hearts are telling me.”

  “That is amazing, miss Scarlet,” Aira adds on.

  “Warmed up to me already?”

  “Oh, not at all. I am merely saying that you are amazing, which is not to say that I like you.

  “Aw. Luckily I always have Erthy to make me feel better.”

  “You can dive off a building for all I care.”

  “Thanks.”

  The four girls burst out laughing. They might have some mixed feelings, but it’d be a lie to say they don’t have fun.

  That gigantic cathedral watches over them once again. Rose still doesn’t like it. When they come in, Sania, the young woman at the counter, greets them with a smile.

  The Supreme washes his face. Careful and soft. The door to his chambers creaks open and Sania peeks in.

  “Sir, there’s someone here to see you.”

  “Tell them to come next week. I’m not in the mood.”

  “It’s the girls you sent out last week to get the heart of the Hydra.”

  “What?”

  “They’re back, and they have the heart you requested.”

  “How…? Fine, tell them I’ll be down in a moment.”

  Sania leaves the room and the Supreme turns to his mirror. Tired, and angry. He didn’t think it was possible for them to survive. It bothers him, it really does. A voice makes his angered expression become annoyed, then even madder than before.

  “Did I or did I not tell you?”

  “Larian… what the fuck… are you doing in my chambers again?”

  “I came to laugh at you for a bit.” His mocking smirk goes well with his closed eyes.

  “And what the hell do you mean?” A vein starts to protrude from the Supreme’s neck, close to popping.

  “I told you not to look down on that princess. Now, what are you gonna do? I’m guessing you’re gonna start by giving them that pass you promised them.”

  “I don’t have a choice. I can’t break promises in front of my subjects.”

  “It must hurt you so; I can tell when you’re upset.”

  The veins on the Supreme’s neck start to throb violently, his eye twitches and his teeth clenching can be heard from every corner in the room.

  “You say? You must be a master at reading people.”

  “Thank you, I like compliments.”

  “I’m asking you, please, to go die in a ditch somewhere.”

  “I don’t intend to. If you don’t mind, I’m leaving.”

  “I beg of you.”

  “Thanks for the free entertainment, Sups.”

  Larian lifts his right hand and makes a very specific gesture: An ‘L’ formed by his thumb and his index and middle finger. An electrifying aura surrounds him.

  “{Teleport}.”

  With a dazzling flash, Larian disappears; the Supreme is left on his own. He splashes water on his face once again, takes a deep breath and tries to calm down. After brushing his hair back with his fingers, he exits through the door.

  The girls are chatting with Sania when the Supreme opens the door to the stairs that grant access to the upper levels of the cathedral. He brushes back a hair strand tickling his face and looks down at the adventurers. Rose takes out the cloth bag from her purse and presents it before the Supreme.

  “I see you’ve kept your part of the deal…”

  “That’s right, we have what you asked for.”

  The Supreme narrows his eyes in both anger and annoyance.

  The four girls leave the cathedral’s city, content with themselves. Rose high-fives Scarlet.

  “We did it! One step closer to Bellum,” says the excited princess.

  “Now everything should be easier, with no more detours until arriving at the wall,” Aira adds.

  “We really do seem invincible.” Rose is feeling confident and in high spirits. “Thanks to you two (Speaking to Scarlet and Erthilind), I feel better than I ever have on the battlefield, and we also have to give Aira her flowers for keeping us alive.”

  The four girls enjoy their accomplishments as they walk deeper into the forest. But there’s something bothering Rose. She doesn’t know what it is, so she decides to pay it no mind. Yet deep down, she’s unsure about something.

  A purple eye watches them from afar. It stays, unflinching, focused on the back of Scarlet’s head.