“How long?” asked Natalie.

Suddenly, some of the lava around them coalesced and changed shape. The hydra’s heads and necks appeared inside the sea of molten rock, like ghostly phantasms had returned from the dead.

They bit into Natalie’s bubble, making her bend at the waist.

“How long!?” she shouted.

“30 seconds! It’s faster every time I do it.”

“Make it twenty.”

Natalie suddenly burst into flames, embraced Finn and shrunk her bubble. While he literally burned alive, they slipped through the myriad of molten jaws and reached the bottom of the cave soon after.

“Why are you helping him?” asked the hydra.

Finn and Natalie finally reached its body, which was now just a cluster of lava imbued with way too much mana. Only the hydra’s brain could be seen inside the cluster, since all other organs had liquified into molten rock.

“Second master, I thank you for your lessons.”

“He is the son of Mathew, the third abomination!”

“I don’t know who that is, but he is my friend.”

The hydra bellowed, the sea of lava trembled and even more molten necks sprung out of its body. They clasped the pocket of flames protecting Natalie and Finn, and by adding more and more energy into its jaws, they tried to crush the duo to bits. Not only would these jaws obliterate their bodies, but their spiritual selves would also be consumed.

“Finn, you’ve got 1 minute.”

“I only need 10.”

“What!?”

“9, 8, 7,...”

Finn’s left goat horn started to glow red. Slowly but surely it melted in his palm, changing shape into a weapon completely foreign to this world.

“You’ve copied Bluntcoat?” asked Natalie. “I thought it’d be a bow.”

“It is… better.”

Finn pointed the muzzle of his new red desert eagle at the giant mass of energy below. With his free, burning, almost bony hand, he pulled the slider backwards and chambered what was technically a round.

However, it wasn’t a bullet. The red gun in his hand had ammo of a much more terrifying nature.

“Natalie, say goodbye to your second master.”

“Are you…” ‘He’s serious.’

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Finn’s lips were sealed, his brows were furrowed, and as he slowly pulled the trigger of his gun, he gulped audibly.

“Wait!” Suddenly, the molten heads retreated, and even the ocean of lava backed off. “I want to talk,” said the hydra.

“And I want to shoot.”

“I admit defeat. Allow me a moment with my… pupil, please.”

Finn’s concentration momentarily broke and the hand holding the gun started shaking. Sweat began pouring down his face, even though his body had rapidly healed from the burns. He looked at his friend and she nodded. Slowly, as if defusing a bomb, he removed a trembling finger from the trigger.

“Get rid of the lava.”

“As you wish.”

Immediately, the molten ocean retreated into the hydra’s body and its color returned to that of a scaly, red lizard. However, instead of a head popping out of its torso, a tall, human-like creature emerged instead.

It had tentacles for legs that were merged with the hydra’s body, large fin-like ears and a commanding presence. His arms were large and muscular, his torso well sculpted, and although tiny tentacle-like protrusion appeared all over his body, his face was clean and imposing.

“This form could have better defense,” said Natalie. “We should take some distance, just in case.”

“It doesn’t matter,” said Finn.

“It does have better defense,” said the hydra’s fishman head. “But it doesn’t matter. You can kill me after our conversation is over.”

“If you try anything...”

“Your friend is not so weak as to be taken by surprise.”

Finn paused for a second, then clicked his tongue and retreated to a corner of the cave. Left alone, the hydra and Natalie stood face to scaly face, and upon noticing the woman’s confusion, it explained.

“That weapon has the power to kill me three times over. It’s an abomination, like its owner.”

Natalie’s eyes went wide. She stared at the hydra for a moment, then lowered her head, clenched her teeth and said: “Master, I’m sorry I do not have the power to kill you.”

“... Pupil, it’s not death I seek, but a meaning to my existence. The power I wield does not belong to me. My thoughts are not my own, just a perverted copy of a greater being. I’ve spent all this time trying to give my existence meaning, and on my dying breath, I may have found a way.”

“Master, why did you try to kill Finn?”

“He’s a hero.”

“I’m also a hero.”

“Not like him. You’re a new breed, a purer being. That human, on the other hand, could one day spoil this world anew. The destruction and suffering will surpass what transpired half a millennium in the past, and may even spread into the cosmos.”

“Impossible.”

“Nothing is impossible.”

“Master, I will need an explanation.”

“And I will give it to you… along with everything else.”

Natalie paused.

“Grab my hand, unexpected pupil. The answers you seek, the power you desire, I will give them all to you. In exchange, promise me: When the time comes, for this planet’s future, slay your friend.”

“I won’t do it.”

“You must.”

“Is this the meaning you talked about?”

“Yes. My actions here today will give this world a second chance.”

After some hesitation, Natalie steeled her nerves and grabbed the man’s palm.

“I will find another way.”

“Perhaps. It’s up to you.”

Suddenly, the two of them melted into lava. Natalie and the man’s forms collapsed into a pool of molten rock which seconds ago had formed the hydra’s body.

Finn’s eyes went wide. He teleported right above them, aimed his gun and shouted: “Release her!”

There was no response. He cocked his gun and spoke again: “Release her or die.”

There was still no response. Finn placed his finger on the trigger but after some time, he removed it.

‘I cannot shoot it without killing Natalie. Why did she take his hand? What is happening?’ “Fuck!”