…

Emerald eyes open, breath exhaled.

Drip drip drip

Drool hit the rock before her feet. Her emotionless gaze staring forward at jagged teeth in a double jaw situation. Ripping jaws in fact, outer almost like can opening supers on a living tank. A hulking form stood before her cloaked body shrouded.

The snap. A several meter tall scorpion-like creature, two massive claw arms and four smaller sets beneath. A huge stinger and eight legs. A smaller right claw missing, part of the big left torn off. An eye blown out and bleeding.

A couple of these creatures stood round though each of them a meter or two smaller and less damaged. Behind Elise a horde of horses with gunners in ranger attire and a cowboy in all black with revolvers drawn. A carriage lay behind, a couple other cloaked people surrounding it. And all the while behind that carriage a few more of the creatures stood.

“It would be a problem if a couple of local Lords went missing this way up,” spoke one of the cloaked figures who wielded an ax, “Can’t be havin’ that. So that leaves us with no choice but to interfere.”

The voice was deep, male, and very gruff. Beside him the cowboy stepped ahead, the black of his coat turning into an ash-gray blue with a wine red vest and ascot. His amber gaze sunk forward as the others in cloaks gathered round.

“Hey if you’re going to interfere you might want to back me up!” Elise called out, the creature before her snapping with its jaws as she did so.

“Dunno what you people are going to do against these things, so allow me to partake for a moment,” the cowboy spoke.

“Heh- be my guest,” the ax man agreed as he stepped forward, “Just don’t expect this to be easy now merc.”

“Hell. Since when is anything in life easy?” came the retort as he stepped forward with revolvers poised.

“True ‘nuff… your lil pistols there gonna be able to punch these things through Captain?” the ax man questioned, “Scorupi Mamba are literal living tanks you know.”

“Son- a well placed shot can take anything down. I’m more concerned about her little twig of a sword there.”

“Oh don’t you worry none about what her sword can do. She’s got it all sorts of figured out,” he chuckled, “’specially thanks to your putt shot there in the Alpha.”

Blood dripped from the blown eye of the creature before her. She held the rapier in her left, the tome in her right snapping shut and lowered to her side. A final guttural growl deep and brisk, followed by the howl. The Alpha chomped, large right claw lunging forward.

Elise dipped down with the boot sliding to a small bag behind her held to a strap that circled her. A light toss of her rapier from left to right. Grab. Thrust!!

RRRRREEEEAAAAAAAAAARRRUAAAAAAAAAUUUUUU!!!

A howl escaped the creature unlike any other. Her rapier pierced into the bleeding flesh of the creature’s left eye. One single stab as blood trickled along her blade. A quick rip and she shot herself back as another claw slammed down like a hammer.

The ground cracked. The captain behind aimed and fired, explosive rounds blowing sparks off of the two smaller Scorupi Mamba while the Alpha itself stammered back. She glanced ahead once and then doubled back with a leap. The stinger of the alpha waved and slapped about as the other two near it clacked forward.

“All she did was piss it off-” the captain growled.

“Oh ye of so little faith Captain Halkot? Give it a minute,” the ax man chuckled.

The beast snarled with snapping jaws once more. Saliva flickered and spattered the ground. A brief stagger and the creature was at once moving again. Elise’s sights narrowed ahead as it swung its mighty claws.

SWOOOOOOOSH-

Her hood flapped and her hair blew in the winds. The creature missed. A couple of paces back were taken. The creak came next- then the crash.

Down it dropped on its left. Legs twitching and claws sprawling out. The shriek of the creature loud and almost ear piercing. Its jaws snapping as it flopped along the ground.

Foam formed at the mouth, its head rising and crashing against the ground. Behind her the captain stared in awe, as did the soldiers still stood. The other Scorupi did not move an inch though all were most clearly watching the Alpha flail.

“?!”

The ax man grinned. Elise stood over the creature now as it thrashed violently with spasming legs and tail. The arms all flopped and bounced.

“No way did she pierce the brain. So what did, wait- poison on the blade?!” Halkot exclaimed questioningly.

“GGs as you humans say, you got it right. Your explosive rounds blew the protective lens to hell and let her get in there with the blade. She applied it to her weapon before engaging with the creature.”

“Hmph… smart,” Halkot murmured as the Alpha’s spasming ceased, “Break the lenses then and you guys can finish the job?”

“You’ve got it,” the ax man concluded.

“Well then,” Halkot spoke as the Alpha’s body grew lifeless, “Lets wrap this up then!!”

The remaining four Scorupi crept forward, jaws and claws snapping. Around all of the riflemen readied up whilst the five cloaked figures readied their own melee weaponry. Elise herself swung her sword flicking the blood right off- ready to go.