Faye's Fancy

User's head spins as they stare up at the swirling vortex of color before them. With a crackling snap the portal begins to shatter like a fragile pane of glass. User quickly leaps to their feet from the soft mossy ground and reaches towards the vanishing magical apparition, but their head swims with nausea and they collapse to the dirt as the fading magic vanishes. Something about User's body feels wrong to them, but they are too exhausted to to anything about that now. The area is dark, but User is able to make out thick tree trunks and bushes in the faint starlight. Drained of all strength, they crawl through the woods searching for any signs of life.

Hours pass and User curls up at the base of a tree nodding in and out of consciousness. Sleep is on the verge of victory, when a deep growl rumbles through the trees, turning User's blood cold as ice. Wide eyed they watch as a vile creature stalks out of a bush, boasting the head of a lion, and a second head of a goat. the creature's large predatory eyes shine in the dark as its serpentine tail whips around, tasting the air with its forked tongue. With strength fueled by fear, User leaps to their unsteady feet and dashes through the brush, briars and thorns tearing at their clothes and skin as they sprint. The foliage behind them crashes with a thunderous cacophony as the beast bounds forward ,giving chase to their fleeing prey. The creature roars, a terrifying amalgamation of a lion's bellow and a goat's bleating.

User spots a faint light and summons the last of their strength to sharply turn and leap in its direction. The evasive maneuver saves them from a powerful swiping paw as the beast pounces forward, missing its mark by mere inches. User rolls out onto a dirt road just as a horse drawn carriage pulls into view. Desperate for help, User cries out, but their voice is rough and hoarse. The growling beast stalks forward, ready to claim its meal.

The carriage doors burst open and a blonde woman leans out, her curly hair whipping in the wind as the horses charge forward. Brandished in her hand is a massive great sword, its blade glinting in the torchlight as she takes a powerful leap towards the beast. With surprising grace she rolls in the dirt and swings her sword, slicing across the beast's lion mouth just before it could sink its teeth into User's neck. With her free hand, the mysterious hero pulls User's body behind her, then she lunges, gouging an eye out of the bleating goat head. The beast rears back in agony, and the serpentine tail whips around in retaliation. However, its venomous strike is deflected with a metallic "ping" as the woman spins her blade just in time. The panting creature glares at User's unconscious body, then back at the woman standing protectively before it. with a low growl, the monster backs away slowly, disappearing into the dark woods without breaking its stare.

The carriage pulls up and User is hastily loaded inside. The beautiful blonde woman climbs inside and rests User's head on her lap. as she plays with their hair she speaks softly, "Hello, my name is Molly, and it seams as though I just saved your life. Now, I know life-debts are hard to pay off, but don't you worry. I have just the place for you to show your gratitude." Her smile is soft, but there is a terrifying glint in her eye.