Chimera^

—————

Once again, Mikyla tore through the checkered foliage, blindly trusting her instincts to not face-plant into mottled earth beneath. Arid twigs and branches snapped underfoot as she stormed onwards, unaware of the path she was taking. With Sam bringing up the rear and the chimera close behind, Mikyla could only hope her agility as an elf equalized the chimera's acceleration whenever she came across a fork road.

She couldn't keep it up. If this dragged out any longer they were mincemeat for sure. With her endurance dampened from transition from Drow to Noble and spirit weathered by the past Trials, little seemed possible. The forest was naught but kindling whose branches could not support the weight of a single lead, the path from whence they came was blocked by an elf eating beast and the only viable route was towards the portal to which all other dangers seemed possible.

"Take a left!" Sam yelled as Mikyla neared another fork in the road.

Having no time to argue, Mikyla rounded the corner to the left but it made no immediate difference. The turn marginally diminished the chimera's speed but it wasn't enough to make a difference.

"This time a right!"

Mikyla took the right as instructed, pouncing off a burned out tree stump in the hopes of increasing maneuverability.

"Left again!"

Mikyla took the path Sam navigated. She didn't know what he was doing as a backseat driver but as the trees slowly diverged outwards, Mikyla shook her head and felt her speed decrease.

The forest had opened up into barren plains once again and the mountains were looming into view, the portal flashing with the lightning, the only cool colour in the mass of black and neon yellow. The only barrier? The one thing in the way? A lagoon.

The only thing that gave it away was the occasional sloshing of putrid waves and the stench of stagnant water. It's surface had alginated into a sickening oobleck and bubbles that popped with sulfuric gas were dotted like pimples on the surface. Its nidorous appearance, however, wasn't the thing that screeched the brakes for Mikyla- it was the entity emerging from its rancid depths.

It wasn't real but the appearance of Mikyla's corrupt reflection had already turned her legs to jelly. Mikyla could hear Sam and the beast catching up but as the Drowish figure ripped its way into reality, Mikyla couldn't ignore the soulless eyes that defied logic. The midnight skin that fringed the illusive terror. The jet black hair that curtained the hallucination that Mikyla couldn't escape.

"No." Mikyla whispered in defeat as she slowed to a halt. "It can't be. It should have been left in the past realm. W-why is it here?"

Suddenly, Mikyla felt warmth seep through her arm, dispelling the ghoul before her. She felt her arm being tugged an as a voice thundered in her ear and she felt her life restart as her legs started to repump blood through them, fueling her escape from near death just as the wisps of claws shred through the back of her clothes, barely missing the clammy skin that was just doused in cold sweat.

"Mika! Come on!" Sam tightened his grip on Mikyla's wrist as the raced towards the lagoon.

Mikyla meekly nodded as she felt the wind of a jaundiced roar breeze past the back of her tattered clothes, the close encounter an adrenaline boost towards the noisome liquid. She felt the ground underneath moisten as the waves ebbed closer and without hesitation, she dove into the noxious depths soon after Sam.

Indifferent to the foul water, Mikyla tunneled he way through the oobleck, at times feeling as if shoveling through diamond and others like gliding through smoke. She forced herself to dolphin kick as far as she could go until eventually her lungs burned out and she was forced to surface, taking in a gulp of carcinogenic air.

"Look!" Sam breathed with a grin that could mock the Cheshire Cat. "It didn't follow us into the water."

Mikyla wiped slime from off f her face and following the direction in which Sam pointed, she too breathed a sigh of relief as she caught sight of the chimera prowling the shore to the lagoon, its snake tail snapping like a whip.

"I didn't expect it to sneak up on us so fast!" Mikyla finally said as she caught her breath, combing whatever pollutant out of her hair.

"Of course it did! Don't you know lions are kings of the jungle?"

"Firstly, we're not even in a jungle!" Mikyla winced but she didn't know wether it was due to Sam's stupidity or the stitch stabbing at her side due to the constant skulling of water. "And secondly lions don't even live anywhere near jungles."

"Hmm... that's probably why it was chasing us just now."

"Just because it looks like a lion doesn't mean it is one."

"Clearly. We don't classify everything based on appearance." Sam began to which Mikyla frowned in confusion. "I mean, if we did that we would have eradicated the whole Drow race. You can't judge other things just because something is similar."

Mikyla's head drummed with a dull throb and she doubted it was due to the mephitic fumes she was inhaling. Sam, like Sade, didn't always make sense but when it came to emotional intelligence, they usually left Mikyla stumped. The way they viewed things was just to bizarre. It was borderline psychopathic. One moment you're fine with enslaving an entire race and the next you want to create equity in spite of an individuals mistake.

"When it comes to behavior though-" Sam continued his lecture as the lagoons bottom slowly came into contact with their feet, it's texture revolting to say the least. "That's another thing."

"How so?" Mikyla grimaced as she trod on something that squirmed.

"Well, if I was being honest my theory should be almost foolproof but-"

"What's the exception?"

"Funny you're the one to ask because it's you. Especially of late, you've really been out of it. You always were a Dreglover but recently your actions almost mimic them. It's almost as if you're a female Drow in a Male Nobles body but that would be preposterous."

Mikyla bit her lip. Was it that obvious? No. Only Sade, or in this case, Sam could have picked up on a minute detail with that much accuracy like that. It must be a skill he developed with his drama specialization.

"So..." Mikyla changed the topic as something else squelched underfoot. "What's your theory? If it's got something to do with acting like characterization, I'm pretty sure you're correct. Just not with me- remember I'm the exception."

Mikyla let out a hesitant laugh. Why did she say that? Perhaps Sam was more of a danger now than help. If he had Sade's keen sense of whatever it was, Mikyla would have to keep a low profile for a while. He couldn't be her total alter ego though, after all, Sade was right about most things whilst Sam wasn't and she always seemed to have rotten luck...

"Okaaay..." Sam eyed Mikyla with a weird expression before deciding against prying further. "Remember, It's only a theory but if a chimera is part lion, don't you think it would have some of its primal instincts too?"

"Yeah." Mikyla nodded, glad Sam's attention had shifted to something of benefit. "For sure."

"Then where do you think a lion wouldn't go?" Sam's face turned thoughtful before all seriousness was gone with a shrug. "I wouldn't know. I thought lions lived in the jungle but you should have some idea, right? You do always have your nose stuck in a book or something."

"I do not! I just like reading that's all, and for your information, I read fiction, occasionally fanfiction, but that's it. I'm not a walking encyclopedia."

"That's fair I guess..."

"A clear answer would be this lake though." Mikyla inputted as she wrung another cobweb of murky seaweed off of her waistline. "I don't blame it- if you hadn't dragged me in here I wouldn't have wanted to wade through this gunk either."

"So we got to stay in this lagoon if we want to avoid the chimera then." Sam said as he flicked away a rotting piece of drifwood.

"I think I would rather take my chances with the chimera. Even if we're in a shallow section right now, who knows how long we can sit like ducks in this water before it corrodes into our skin."

"How about a small island then?"

"Yeah, as if we-" Mikyla stopped as she followed Sam's motioning. "Forget that I said anything."

With no better leads as to their plan of action, Sam and Mikyla waded their way to where the Lagoon formed a little patch of rocky land. The shore of the small island was black with decay but as a dry outcrop protected from imminent danger, it was the best shelter they had.

"Look Sam!" Mikyla's face lit up even in the darkness. "We can take shelter in this cave."

"But it's dark in the cave!"

"Wow! Really? Of all the things to worry about..." Mikyla said as she shoved Sam into the shelter. "If you haven't noticed it's dark outside the cave too but if you want to take your chances out in the storm, be my guest."

"Can you make it not dark?" Sam enquired as if it were the easiest thing in the world. "At least outside the constant flashes of lightning allowed us to see."

"I would but unless we suddenly become magica-" Mikyla pursed her lips before exiting the cave and leaving Sam to his own devices.

"Mika?" Sam called out but with a roar of red, Mikyla entered the cave once more but this time with a piece of driftwood alight.

The drying flame was comforting as Mikyla stabbed it into the sand allowing the two Nobles to huddle around and sap its warmth. The amniotic tranquility was almost surreal- how they managed to make it so far was a miracle and even with her guard up, Mikyla didn't feel this relaxed in a long time. Nonetheless, the cave was a temporary shelter and as the driftwood burned slowly, Mikyla could feel it taking an equal exchange, drinking the mana straight out of her.

"Okay then!" Mikyla opened her magic tome before the fire wearily. "Hopefully we'll find something that will help us get to the portal because apart from Phoenix Fire, I'm sick and tired of finding spells of how to turn a banana blue or create fireworks when you sneeze. Where's the good stuff when you need it? It like it doesn't want to help you until you're staring into the mouth of danger."

Sam shrugged. "Perhaps it doesn't like you."

"What about you then Mr. Lucky Noble?"

"Well... we need to get to the top of the mountain without the chimera catching us so... emmm..."

Mikyla snorted. "See? It's not easy."

"It would be if we could just fly to the top-"

Suddenly, Sam's magic tome started to glow at his waist and within seconds it was hovering in the air and fluttering to a page. Pages and pages past by until it decided on one near the end. The book shuddered slightly and with one final burst of light, it lost its levitation and fell into Sam's hand offering up a spell like magic.

"Heh, well what do you know?" Sam grinned. "I guess its too difficult to refuse my Noble charm."

"Whatever." Mikyla rolled her eyes. "Why not try asking for a portal to open up here instead then?"

Sam tutted. "It's about the journey, not the end result. We're here to... do something... but getting to the portals are only part of it."

"Sure. If that's how you see it fine. But just to let you know, that chimera has wings too."

"I know." Sam nodded as he beckoned Mikyla to look at the spell whose mouth had curved into small grin. "I know."

—————

Word Count for Chapter 21: 2016
Total Word Count: 34910

Authors Note:

Hope you liked the UNEDITED chapter 21! Don't forget to press on those magical stars to light up Mikyla's future path and leave a comment telling me what you like so far or what you don't like. Thanks for reading so far.

Happy reading 
~ Dracollavenore