Completed Only I Can Be Allowed To Free You

[Xen]

Fall 7, 513 A.V.

[Xen]

“ ..... ”

Xen walked silently across the moist cavern floor with a shield attached to his forearm and resting in his sturdy right hand. In the other faithful hand was Xen's machete-sword—unsheathed for battle. Xen could hear nothing but the steady rhythmic beats of water droplets all around him. He slightly raises the shield beside him and tightens his grip on the handle of his machete. He was alone, not a single soul was around to distract him or get in his way... he made sure of it. There were brief moments of silence when the symphony of drips came to an end.


The viper’s ambition was clear; he would get rid of this large salamander at any cost. Xen was hoping that the salamander hadn’t created a nest; however, he casts such delusions aside, he knew that any creature this size would have created a few nests or birthed a few clutches of eggs by now. Xen observed his surroundings, allowing the dark pupils in his eyes to dilate and adjust to the enclosing darkness. The viper stops, as he listens to a subtle yet familiar noise echoing in the gaping-maw in front of him. Xen could hear the steps, pit…pat…pit…pat, getting closer and closer to him. Xen readies himself, bending his knees to prepare for a potential ambush. The viper’s spirit was calm in this tense moment and he was thankful for the patience and courage he had. Xen was at a severe disadvantage and he knew it. This was the salamander’s home, its territory. The amphibian was probably aware of the places it could hide—where it could conceal itself.


Xen continued onwards, as he was beginning to understand that the noise was indeed approaching him. However, he did not from where, he was certain that the noise originated in front of him but as he went further and further into the darkness—the evidence became clearer. The salamander was nearby but it couldn’t find Xen’s exact location, it knew he was near, it could sense him…the one who killed its brethren. The pit and patting stopped. Xen stops as well but only to observe his surroundings, he was sure that this was the place where he sensed the salamander’s presence the last time. Xen’s eyes darted from left to right—back to his left and to his right again. He checked the two vacant openings to his left and to his right then continued forward, he turns around for safe measure.


The noise continued. Xen knew he was close and seemingly, so did the salamander. The pit and patting sounds were quicker than usual; it was as if something was moving and moving fast. Xen couldn’t pin-point the noise during his observation and decides to enter one of the hot baths to his right. A large salamander jumps forward! Xen spins to his left but couldn’t raise his shield in time, as a result. The salamander bites onto the dull side of his machete and uses its weight to pull Xen down.


Xen lets out a growl and the hold he held on his machete, as he stumbles across the slippery floor. The salamander seemed displeased with its accomplishment; its beady eyes seemingly squinting in disappointment. The large salamander was at least one-hundred, eighty centimeters long—six feet long. The amphibian was coated in slim and its firm slimy skin looked toned and toxic. Xen gained his footing and backed away as the salamander stepped towards him. The viper needed to retrieve his weapon from the creature’s mouth. The salamander seemed too had picked-up upon this and shakes its head violently to toss the machete to the side.

“Damn it… ”


Xen cursed under his voice, he needed his machete to kill this monster. He was preparing to bash the salamander with his shield until the amphibian does something unexpected. The salamander arched its back and its cheeks puffed slightly, as if inhaling and then trying to exhale something. A stream of liquid bursts out of the salamanders mouth and hurtles towards Xen’s face. Xen reacts without knowing the liquids purpose and dodges by jumping and rolling to his side. He tries to stand up afterwards but barely manages to do so, as his hands and feet were trembling, struggling in attempts to gain some footing.


The salamander doesn’t waste a second, it attacked in Xen’s struggling moment and pounces onto him. Xen was able to raise his shield on time and the large amphibian body slams against the metal of the shield. Xen’s falls backwards and was sure to keep his head from bashing into the stone floor. A solid thud could be heard—followed by the sound of grinding metal and a loud splat! Xen was now on the floor, struggling with a large salamander biting at his face. He clutches his fist and punches the salamander in the side of its neck. The salamander winces in pain but retaliates with a series of hissing and trying to raise itself above Xen’s shield.


“You’re trying to get to my face huh?”


The salamander nearly succeeds in biting Xen in the face, as it could smell the dhani’s sweat upon its nostrils. Xen could feel the salamander’s breathe on his face and retracts his fist to places it behind his shield. He places his upper body strength into the back of the shield and pushes forward; as he pushed forward he turned on an angle towards the searing hot pool beside him. The salamander found itself being lifted and thrown off of its target. Xen had a satisfied grin upon his face, as he watched the salamander cascade through the air and land on its back onto the solid stone floor with a painful impact.

[Xen]

“ ..... ”


Xen didn’t care at this point if he fell, or scraped himself against the floor—he needed the machete. Xen rushes towards his machete-sword. He runs and almost slips but manages to jump and thanks to his bodies quickly adapting skills, he was able to maintain some of form of balance once he touches down onto the floor, slides and grabs a hold of his weapon—he was back in action. The salamander hissed as it rolled from off its back and notices Xen holding his machete. The amphibian sensed the rejuvenation of its enemy’s strength and tries to run into the water—only to find that it was trapped.


A deep and searing hot pool of water replaced the soothing and cool water the salamander was accustomed to. Xen grinned maliciously; as he looked upon the salamander’s face holding an expression of realization…it was trapped. The viper was steadily closing the distance between the salamander and himself, he was careful to avoid slipping and made sure to avoid whatever the liquid was that it had spat-up the last time. Xen looked on with a grim expression—that liquid from before was sizzling slightly and melting the floor!


“What is that, acid? ”


Xen realized the true lethality of this salamander; it had to be killed—even if he didn’t enjoy the idea of murdering the amphibian. He would be doing Zinrah and its inhabitants a favor by killing a dangerous obstacle and predator. The amphibian lunges itself forward but not at Xen. Instead it aimed for the cavern entrance which now served as an exit. Xen made a mad dash towards the exit and leaned his right foot backwards then propelled his foot forward—a kick. The blow was hard and swift! Xen losses his footing and falls backwards as the salamander slides across the floor and lands into the boil abyss which would serve as its grave.


The salamander lands in the boiling pool with a satisfying splash. Xen positions himself on an angle and regrets being able to see the salamanders last moments. The amphibian lands in the shallow end of the pool however, as boiling water washes over its body. The salamander hissed in pain, it thrashed and jumps out of the pool with charred flesh and eyes. Xen knew the salamander was at its limit, it was now his job to put it out of its misery. He watched as the pitiful creature lacked the strength to even run, he raised his blade and the salamander watched as a blade sweeps across the air and then—total darkness.

“I releassse you from the tyranny of the physssical realm.”

Xen prayed over the beheaded and defeated salamander. The amphibian was a true warrior and fought till the end. “The salamander deserved more than this”, Xen thought: a warrior such as this salamander would have been buried by Xen, if there was any dirt present. He could only push the salamander back into the water and watch as its body disintegrated into the bubble depths below. Xen sheathed his machete and holds his shield over his shoulders, wishing that there was some way he could’ve communicated with the creature.

Xen walked from the cavern with his shield over his shoulder, he was tired from the ordeal. Xen knew he would reward himself with a good rest when he got back home and into his bed. The viper walked down the empty corridor with a victory on his shoulders—even if it was small.

[Traverse]

Xen

Experience:

• Acrobatics 2 XP
• Brawling 1 XP
• Machete 1 XP
• Observation 2 XP
• Running 1 XP
• Shield 1 XP
• Tactics 1 XP
• Wrestling 1 XP

Lore:

• Searching for Prey in the Darkness
• Exterminating a Threat to Zinrah
• Giant Salamander: An Honorable Opponent

Additional Notes :

Interesting little thread. I would ask that from here on in you put the date in your regular post, it really doesn't need to have it's own. Also it would be really hard to decapitate a salamander in one stroke from a machete which is a hacking weapon not so much a slicing blade, just to note in future threads. Other than that it was a fun read!

If you have any questions, concerns, accolades, complaints, etc about your grade, drop me a PM and we can most certainly talk it out.

As always, Safe Travels!