“The Hydra is an ancient Greek mythical beast that was mentioned in the tale of the twelve labours of Hercules (also called Heracles). The hydra has many heads (possibly 7, 8 or 9), the number of head varies from different versions of the legend, however, more accounts agree on nine. It was said that the middle one was immortal and it has very poisonous venom and breath.

If the heads are cut off, the heads would grow back. One head cut-off would result to two heads growing back in its place.”

- The Journey to the Afterlife

***Dedessia, the Sea of Souls, Mana Storm***

***Elona***

What emerges from the portal is enormous and I instantly know that our time is running out. The creature looks like a strange mix between a dragon and a hydra with nine heads and serpentine necks. Its body has similarities to a dragon's, but without the wings. I draw in a sharp breath and look around to reassess the situation. If we have to fight this thing with our abilities restricted as they are, then I wouldn't bet on us.

One of the dog-like spirits jumps over a group of combatants and heads directly towards me. Raising my leg I bring it back down, placing my heel dead centre on its head. The creature burrows into the ground and lies still, its head smashed open like a split melon.

“I think that's what people would call rofl-stomped!” Shade calls out and sweeps his burning light to the right in order to halt the enemy advance. “Do you remember what that means? I keep remembering those strange lines, but I can't place them.”

“Who cares!” I point at the creature. “We have to get that out of our way!”

“We will draw its attention! You just have to hurry on and close the portal!” Aswang calls out and guides a part of our troops to the left. On his command several higher immortals start peppering the creature with long range attacks. They aren't doing any real damage, but the creature gets visibly annoyed and focuses its attention at the attackers.

“You can't! That thing will kill you if you can't use high class magic!” I reply, but they don't listen. In moments they have a hole blasted into Ishaan's ice wall and draw the creature away from the main battle group.

Shade takes my hand, his fingers like cool parchment against my skin. “Don't worry. If there is no other solution, they will kite the damn thing until we are done. And I wouldn't underestimate Manti's poison. If she finds a soft spot in its armour they won't need magic to bring it down.”

The monster advances and takes a casual swipe at Moonray's bunker, bringing it down like nothing. The entire scene has similarities to an oversized lizard stepping on a mushroom.

A group of spirits changes direction and heads towards us, but Ishaan and his entourage intercept them while we head directly towards the gate. The appearance of the hydra meant that the flood of small spirits was stopped, which in turn gives us the chance to advance faster.

Shade and I dash forward, leaving the safety of numbers behind. I channel mana through my feet and take care of the creatures which come at us from the sides. Shade concentrates his spell forward, clearing a path for us. Every once in a while I throw a surge of kinetic power behind us to discourage the spirits who decided to hunt us down.

We approach the huge lizard as it charges towards us, but like ants, we aren't even on its radar. Aswang and his group have its attention, but it is still between us and the portal. “Somehow I am not a fan of fighting the small ones while the big one is about to step on us!” I call out.

“Then we go up!” Shade replies and cancels his spell. I want to protest, but before I manage to utter a word he turns around and his body dissolves into shadows. He wraps me in darkness and for a moment I find myself in an empty and cold place.

He used spacial magic on me. I try to move, but it feels as if I am under water. Then the shadows retreat and I land on the ground. Rolling twice, I come back up to my feet and follow Shade who is reassembling himself in front of me. “Next time give me a warning!” I growl.

“Hahaha. Where would be the fun in that!?” He turns around and unleashes a torrent of white energy orbs at something behind us. “Watch out! It is angry.”

I risk a look over my shoulder and squeal as a set of white teeth closes around me. Jumping, I kick one of the man-sized fangs and break it out of its socket. Only then I realize that we are on the lizard's back!

“This is not what I meant when I said that I don't want to go under it and you know it!” I call out, running faster. Now we even have the attention of one of its heads!

“What's left if you don't want to go under it? Going left or right would have taken more time. I admit that we could have tried to go through it, but I doubt it is a pleasant experience.” Shade rolls to the side as the monster's head comes back down to snap its jaws shut. I use the chance to place a kick on the creature's chin, dazing it.

Then I notice that someone is fighting at the portal. Moonray and his underlings emerged from an underground tunnel and used the chance which was provided by the hydra. When it emerged from the portal the flow of small spirits slowed down. There are still some spirits coming through, but not as many as before. The number is manageable.

I point at them. “They are trying to flee through the portal!”

Shade throws himself onto his belly as the hydra tries to bite him, then he slides down its tail and I join him, falling on my butt as the climb gets too steep. The smooth scales allow for a fine ride to the ground.

We land rather unceremoniously in the dirt and are immediately attacked by small spirits. I slice and stab to clear a path, following Shade.

“He is trying to flee through the portal!” Shade dissolves into shadows and swallows one of his attackers. Then he surges towards the portal where Moonray seems to be waiting for us. I speed up, following as fast as possible.

Right before Shade reaches Moonray, his shadow form runs into some kind of barrier. It flattens out and spreads right in front of Moonray who is watching us with a raised eyebrow.

“That won't work. This barrier is fed directly by the storm.” He says with a bored voice.

I reach them and slam a fist into the invisible shield, releasing my energy into it. My knuckles break and the sheer force sends ripples of blue energy spreading out from the impact zone. It doesn't look like I achieved anything. While setting the bones in my hand, I turn my attention to Moonray.

“Thank you for distracting the spirits. Otherwise I doubt that I would have accomplished my goal. But I guess that the outcome was inevitable. Tell Doreen goodbye from me,” Moonray gives us a slight bow, as if we just finished a friendly duel.

“That's all you have to say for yourself? After everything you did, you even create such an abomination to release even more spirits into this realm?” I gesture at the portal behind him.

He turns around and spreads his hand towards the ring of orange energies. “Oh, you misunderstand. The spirits are just an unfortunate by-product. Their realm is trying to invade all the other realms. They are always on the lookout for someone or something opening a portal to bridge the gap between dimensions. Their hate for everything that's not as twisted as them is without comparison. When they get a response, they immediately launch an invasion. All I want is to go home.”

Shade returns to his human form. “Home!?”

“That's right, I guess. You see, I am not a native of this realm. I was thrown here a few centuries ago. My experiments with dimensional travel led me to explore the mana storms, which are zones in which the gap between dimensions is almost non-existent. Unfortunately I had an accident and was pulled into this horrible dimension. Ever since then, I've worked hard to leave.” He gestures at the battle behind us. “But that's not a simple task as you can see.”

Shade levels his spear at the barrier. “You won't escape. No matter where you run, I'll find you.”

A lance of white energy stabs out at the barrier and sparks fly. The barrier doesn't break, but it is clear that Shade's attack has some kind of destabilizing effect.

“Yes, I've heard about your previous reincarnation. If I had heard about you earlier, I might have consulted you for a better way. But things are as they are. Honestly, I am surprised that you were reincarnated into a realm like Dedessia. I doubt that there is a dimension which is worse to live in. Even the spirits' native realm is friendlier. It's a place which is littered with mana storms, but that's to be expected. They are beings which are born from natural magic after all.”

Moonray's attention wanders towards the barrier which is showing signs of breaking down. “I fear I have to go now. You should close the portal instead of following me. Currently the portal isn't spitting out spirits because I attuned it to my realm. Once I am gone, the spirits will reconnect to it.” He turns around and walks into the portal, disappearing from sight.

Shade screams and the barrier shatters. He jumps forward, but I grab him and hold him back. “Don't be stupid! We can search for Moonray after the portal is closed. Who knows where you might end up if you simply jump through.”

“It could take forever to find him again. Who knows how many realms this multiverse has!?” Shade points his staff at the portal. As if on command a spirit comes through and I use a surge of power to blast it apart. “Is it worth leaving everyone behind!?”

Shade curses and takes off his backpack. Then he throws it at the portal. The cloth disintegrates and reveals the seed. It greedily starts absorbing the portal and the storm's energies. While doing so, it grows and casts out a fine web of roots which grow thicker and thicker.

Shade curls the corners of his mouth downwards, watching the scene unfolding. “Say, have you ever thought about what the seed will feed upon if the storm doesn't provide enough power?”

I look at him and study his furrowed forehead. “It feeds on any big mana source it can reach, why?”

“What's the second biggest mana source aside from that storm?” He asks calmly.

I return my attention to the growing seed. The biggest mana source aside from the storm...

“Gods!”

Both of us turn and run for our lives.

“You could have thought about that earlier!”

“Why!? I didn't intend to be anywhere near it!”

.