Zilla stood up and gave a twirl, her long blonde hair flowing majestically behind her. “Now, ya can all follow me and see just how badass I really am!”
Rachel rolled her eyes as Zilla turned to leave. “This is gonna be a long journey…” she muttered underneath her breath, underwhelmed by Zilla’s antics.
Zilla looked over her shoulder and smirked. “What’s that, shortie? Too intimidated by my awesomeness? Don’t you worry your li’l head, I’ll make sure to keep it fun for all of you. We’ll have a great time, I guarantee it!”
Rachel sighed, crossing her arms in front of her. “Well, this journey just got a whole lot more interesting. Are you sure we need her, guys? She seems a little…”
“Unhinged?” Blair finished, raising an eyebrow.
Noelle let out a small chuckle. “A little, yes. But she’s the only person who can help us. I think we just have to endure her…unique personality for now.”
Zilla turned back to the girls, a smug smirk on her face. “Oh, do you have something to say, ladies? Go ahead, I can take it.”
Rachel, Blair and Noelle exchanged glances before looking back at Zilla. “No, nothing at all,” Rachel responded, her tone clearly feigning innocence.
Zilla stuck her tongue out at the girls and snickered. “That’s what I thought. Now let’s keep going.”
Zilla strolled out of the room confidently, her steps echoing through the halls. The girls followed in pursuit, the atmosphere in the air still slightly tense with uncertainty. Zilla was unfazed by the odd stares and looks from the people around her, her gaze focused forward and her smirk unwavering.
The girls all reached a pair of grand double doors at the very end of the hall. Zilla stopped in front of the doors and looked over her shoulder at the girls, her smirk widening into a gleeful smile. “Now, leading the rest of the way is up to y'all, so get to it!”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah…” Rachel groaned.
…
Noelle led the way, from the Forgotten Kingdom to the outskirts of Gloomhand Forest, where the Elders reside. The dense scent of verdant woodland hit Zilla's nose as she walked along with the other girls.
“We there yet?” Zilla asked.
“No, not quite yet,” Noelle replied in a gentle voice.
Zilla smirked. “How ‘bout now?”
“No, please be patient.”
“How ‘bout NOW?” she asked again, her smirk widening.
“Geez, Zilla, she just said two times that we're not there yet!” Rachel huffed.
Zilla sniggered. “Well hey, I was trying to get home already, but noooo, you peeps needed me!” she shot back with a roll of her eyes.
The atmosphere between the girls continued to be tense as they journeyed onward through the lush forests. Zilla's constant questioning was starting to grate on everyone's nerves, but they pressed on regardless. It was clear that the young Void Exorcist lacked common sense when it came to handling sensitive matters with tact. Alice tried to steer the conversation in a different direction.
"So Zilla, how did you become a Void Exorcist at a young age? That doesn't seem to be something that happens every day." you asked, trying to divert her attention from asking about their location.
Zilla scoffed, a hint of arrogance in her voice. "Hah, you think I was handed this kind of power? Honey, I earned it. Just like anything worth having in this world, I worked my whole ass off to get to where I am. I trained day and night, pushing myself to the limit until I finally got powerful enough to be a proper Void Exorcist! And let me tell you, I’m damn glad I did 'cause it feels good. It feels really damn good.”
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
She stood up straighter, flexing her muscles in an exaggerated way, "See these muscles? These guns? I got those baddies after hours upon hours of trainin’ each day. I ain't no slouch, babe."
“Yeesh,” you said as you looked at Zilla's toned figure. You then noticed a tan line on her hip bone, your eyes widening at the contrast before you said, “Damn, you're…”
Zilla giggled at your reaction, which was not shocking in the slightest compared to some of the reactions she got from the people she teased in the past. You couldn't help but chuckle inside at Zilla's over-the-top antics. She certainly had a flair for the dramatic! But your attention remained stuck to her tan lines. The stark contrast between her tanned skin and her untanned skin was striking, and it was hard not to notice. You couldn't help but stare, and Zilla seemed to revel in the attention. She bit her lower lip and gave you a wink.
“Yikes,” Rachel said under her breath as she joined you in staring.
"Like whatcha see, don't you?” she said, putting her hands on her hips. “Don't blame ya, not many people can pull off this kind of look. But me? I make it look hella good.” Zilla continued, striking a sultry pose for your benefit. "If you keep staring, you might burn a hole right through me, honeybun.”
“Let's gooooo!!!” Rachel protested, rolling her eyes as she stomped forward.
“Hey girl, you're on MY time so I can do whatever I please, thank ya very much~”
Noelle's steps slowed down until she came to a full stop. The path ahead looked familiar to her until she saw a blue barrier, turning around to look at you and the others. “We're here.”
Zilla grinned and stepped forward, getting a better look at the barrier, twirling her golden hair with her finger as she smirked. “Ah, there goes the oldies. So ya need me to break this barrier thingamabobber?”
“Mhm,” Noelle replied. “We need you to destroy this seal to unfreeze the Elders within it.”
Zilla huffed and walked up to the barrier, cracking her knuckles. “Easy work, watch this,” she said as she extended her arms, putting her hands on the barrier and surrounding it with her aura. Zilla grunted and flushed, but the barrier remained unaffected. After a good while of struggling, Zilla removed her hands and shrugged.
“Eh, this is beyond me,” she said in a smug tone.
“Miss Zilla, please,” Noelle begged. “We don't know where we can find another Void Exorcist, please give it another go!”
“Told you she was all talk,” Rachel taunted, clicking her tongue.
“I'm all talk, huh?” Zilla called back, grinning maliciously before touching the barrier again. This time, it shattered like nobody's business and with no effort on Zilla's part, leaving you and the other girls shocked at the display after her supposed struggle during the first attempt.
The Elders began moving once again, with Ophelia being the first to speak.
“My oh my, took you all long enough!”
“Yes, we found a Void Exorcist!” Noelle responded, gesturing to Zilla.
“Ohhh, that one,” Hecate said, a sly grin on her face as she looked at her.
“Yeah, “that one”, the one that just saved your life!” Zilla puffed out her chest and grinned triumphantly. “That's right, I'm all that and a bag of chips. Ain't no barrier, spell, or curse can stop me, ya got that? The name's Zilla, the one and only badass Void Exorcist of the Forgotten Kingdom. And trust me, when I say I'm the best, I mean it.”
Hecate chuckled. “I see, that's quite a boast, isn't it? Care to put your money where your mouth is, or is it all just empty bravado?”
Zilla smirked in response. “Empty bravado, huh? You think I'm just all talk? Pfft, oh puh-leeze, I could take down a whole army of demons with one hand tied behind my back. Just try me, bae.”
Galadriel chuckled at that, looking over at the other Elders. “Hmph, I see we have a feisty one on our hands. I quite like your attitude, Zilla. It’s a refreshing change from the monotony of dealing with humans who often bore me.”
Zilla grinned wider. “Well, that's what I'm here for, sweetheart. I bring the excitement and badassery to the table. And trust me, monotony? Not a word in my dictionary.”
Galadriel smirked, nodding as she stroked her chin between her fingers. “Alright, Zilla, you certainly have a way with words. I guess it's time to see if you're as good as you say you are.
“Yep, you know it! So can I go now?”
“Not quite, little one. After your excellent performance, we Elders have a job for you. Think you're up for it?”
Zilla's eyes lit up at the challenge. “Oh, y’know I'm up for anything, sugar. Whaddya got for me?”
Galadriel chuckled before giving Zilla a sly look. “We've got a powerful curse affecting the Heart Tree. It needs to be lifted, and we think a strong Void Exorcist might be able to help us do it. Are you in, Zilla?“
Zilla's smirk widened even more, the challenge exciting her. “A curse on the Heart Tree? Heck yeah, I'm in! That sounds like some serious badassery I can't miss. Count me in.”
Titania clapped her hands together. “Excellent! Good luck Zilla.”
Zilla gave the Elders a cheeky wink. “Don'tcha worry ‘bout me, babes. I'm gonna slay this curse so hard it won't know what hit it.”
Magnus nodded, but maintained a stern expression. “That's the spirit. Just remember, this curse is not like any you have ever encountered before. It's powerful, and very difficult to break. You'll need all your skills and determination to eliminate it.”
Zilla raised an eyebrow, her smirk not budging. “Did you just say a curse was stronger than me? Nah, buddy, I eat ‘powerful’ and ‘difficult’ curses for breakfast. This curse ain't nothin’ I can't handle. This ain't my first rodeo.”
Magnus couldn't help but smile a bit. “Your confidence is admirable, Zilla. Just make sure it doesn't turn into overconfidence. Sometimes, even the strongest beings can be humbled by underestimating their enemies.”
Zilla rolled her eyes, clearly unconvinced. “Nah, I don't get ‘humbled’, my guy. That just ain't my style. I charge into battle head-on and bust out swinging at peeps' kneecaps. This curse's gonna learn today that I ain't no weakling. It better brace itself for a good ol’ ass whoopin’.”
Titania chuckled at Zilla's feisty response. “You certainly have a lot of spirit, Zilla. We'll see how that serves you when we face the curse. Good luck, and remember, we're all counting on you.“
Zilla grinned, her confidence unwavering. “You ain't seen nothing yet, Titania. This curse better start praying to whatever gods it believes in because I'm about to turn this battle into a one-sided ass-kickin' extravaganza.”
Magnus shook his head with a small smile. “You're the kind of person who never backs down from a challenge, aren't you? I think Noelle and the Ephemerals here made the right decision in calling you here. Good luck, Zilla.“
Zilla gave a cocky salute. “You can bet my sweet, tanned buns that I'll show this curse what a true Void Exorcist can do. It better start praying for mercy, cause it ain't gonna get any."
Zilla then turned to you and the other girls, her grin widening. “Alright, ladies, let's get a move on. We've got a curse to break and a world to save. Time to kick some serious supernatural boo-tay!”