A large reptilian head with dagger-like teeth blinked down at her from a long neck. Merse cursed under her breath, then readied her stance with her short sword. She guessed the creature might be a water dragon of some sort, as she had never actually seen one before. Knowing she would only get one shot, Merse focused.
With no warning, the head shot out at her, its maw open wide. Remaining in position until the last possible instant, Merse suddenly rolled to the side and forward, coming up just next to the monster's neck before it could pull back. With all her strength, Merse slashed down, severing the head, which twitched and spasmed. Exhaling heavily, Merse wiped some of the blood spatter from her eyes, then walked towards the head, the body of the creature already having slid backwards into the bog. However, just as she rounded the snout, two heads identical to the one she had just removed exploded out of the water.
This is no dragon, Merse thought, stupefied. This is a hydra!
Merse backed off towards dryer land, but it was no use, as the hydra was now intent on avenging its injury, and slithered forward. While she managed to dodge the attacks of the two heads by the skin of her teeth, she knew they would eventually wear her down to the point that she would make a mistake. She would have to attack the body while she still had the energy. She once again played chicken with the hydra, managing to decapitate one of its necks, then heading for the body. However, the hydra was too quick, and as it swung its body out of the way, its remaining head did not allow Merse to proceed. By the time she readied herself for another run, she was facing three heads.
I can't move fast enough! Merse screamed internally as she dodged, ducked, and rolled away from the barrage of attacks. Panting desperately, Merse staggered back into fighting stance, only to find the three heads coming at her from three different directions, pinning her in position. Terrified, Merse knew her only chance would be to leap at the last minute over one of the incoming heads and get behind it, but she was well aware that even if she managed to make the leap, there was no way she would be able to maintain her position out of reach of the hydra's fangs for more than an instant.
"Aaauuuuugh!!!" Merse hollered as she ran towards one of the incoming heads, adrenaline and fear pumping wildly through her body. Just before reaching the head, knowing that she was probably breathing her last breaths, Merse gathered all her energy for one last leap. However, as she crouched to jump, Merse dizzyingly felt as though she were looking through eight different windows at the same time. Her consciousness reeled as though she were watching the scene before her, unable to act; but she was aware of something else, something vaguely familiar, taking control. Her body seemed to shift and expand, clothes ripping and falling off, an intense strength flowing throughout it. Before Merse knew it, she felt herself flying through the air with ease, landing agilely on the hydra's neck and moving smoothly as though she were on flat land.
Of course, having eight long legs helped. The giant spider darted down the body of the hydra, moving past the necks to the main body which, in spite of its thrashing, could not throw the spider off. Before the heads could turn back far enough to pose a nuisance, the spider drove its fangs deep through the thick hide of the hydra and injected it with a massive dose of poison. Roaring in agony, the hydra's heads snapped relentlessly at the giant spider, which dodged with ease, using the hydra's own body and necks as a shield. Eventually, its struggling grew weaker, and it finally flopped on the ground, spent.
Merse, who could not believe the reality of what was happening, backed further into the corner of her mind that was still her own. However, out of the darkness surrounding her soul blinked a pair of reptilian eyes...then another...then more than she could count. Merse screamed soundlessly in the depths of her own mind as she felt herself torn to pieces.
The spider immediately began wrapping the large beast in silken strands, despite the hydra's size. Although it took some time, the hydra was finally bound, and the spider proceeded to inject the body with its digestive fluids. After an appropriate wait, the spider greedily slurped up the innards of the hydra, which were now liquified. Its hunger sated, the spider then proceeded to one of the large cypress trees nearby, and climbing into the limbs, built itself a web-like shelter. Its immediate needs met, the spider faded into a post-meal stupor.