Ophidia

CHAPTER NINE (Battle on the water.)

    After Nima started paddling, she had to think of a way to make 500 million Scales and fast. But she

had to get rid of the Slitherane on board the boat with her. The slitherane had a long blade that had

spikes on both edges( kind of like a comb but with teeth on both sides) aimed at her, so if she had to

fight, she at least need to get her hands on one of her spears.

    "I could push her in the water, Slitheranes are terrible swimmers, she'll sink like a rock.",she thought.

    "But that's too risky there's no way in Ophidia she'd be pushed in without a fight. Plus that weapon she

has won't make retrieving my spear any easier."

    "Hey! Why did you stop paddling?" Asked the slitherane. Nima was so lost in thought that stopped

paddling and didn't realise it. But she didn't reply, she just kept quiet and didn't continue paddling

either. "Hey Ophidian, answer me when I ask you a question. Unless you want your blood on my blade,

you better start talking." She still didn't reply.

    "What do I use as an excuse?"she thought. The slitherane lost patience and hit her in the head,

but with the flat of the blade. "I'm tired! And hungry!" She yelled with her head facing downward.

    "I've been paddling since last night and I haven't had anything to eat since my people were almost

massacred yesterday. Or did you forget." The slitherane smirked.

    "Okay, Ophidian , you'll be allowed one meal and a short break."

    "Thank you." She said as she reached for the sack where her food was. Next to the sack was her

spear. Once she'd grab her spear, she knew she'd be able to fight her, because of the range spears

have over most weapons. But just as she reached for it, the Slitherane blocked her hand with her

weapon, grabbed the food sack and threw it to her. She grabbed the sack and ravaged through it.

"She's actually smarter than she looks. I'm going to need a better way to handle this situation." She

saw a lemon that was sliced in half and had an idea. She could go for a long time without rest but not

without food. If she was going to attack she needed some food to regenerate. She sipped some juice

her mother packed for her and a loaf of bread. Nima thought she could also make the slitherane loose

her guard a little bit, by distracting her through talking. When she finished eating, she turned around

to face the Slitherane.

    "What are doing Ophidian?"

    "Just getting comfortable."

    "Turn Around. "

    "You don't want anything to eat?"

    "My body is 3 times stronger than yours. I can go months without food."

    "Try this." She hand her a lemon, then just as she bent to see it, she squirted it in her left eye. The

Slitherane wailed in pain as she was holding her hand on her eye.

"You little piece of s**t, I don't care what Sando's orders are....now I'm going to kill you." After she

uncovered her hand from her eye, standing in front of her, aiming her spear at her gut was Nima.

She had a fierce look in her eyes and she held her spear so tight that she almost left a dent in its

shaft.

    She was feeling anger,loss andfear her people were in danger, her mother was in danger and Njoma

was killed. But her rage was the most dominant of emotions. She was ready to brawl and she wasn't

taking prisoners.

    Nima was wearing a grey sleeveless shirt , a short red loin and some trouser underneath it . So she

only her spear to protect her. "So you're actually going to try and fight me?" Nima didn't answer she

just had her spear aimed at her. "Very well, I guess Sando won't get his money after all. This was a

waste of my time, so I'm going to make your demise slow and painful." She struck with her blade from

above, but Nima blocked her attack and drove her spear towards her neck, but the Slitherane moved

out of the way promptly.

    Nima did a 360 degree spear turn. She was so quick that she managed to s***h the Slitherane's left

cheek. The Slitherane got upset and swung sideways at her. Nima ducked quickly and jabbed her in the

knee. "Ahh", the Slitherane yelled. She started striking in all directions. Nima blocked all except one,

which only grazed her leg,but coming from the Slitherane it caused a great deal of pain.

The Slitherane then went for Nima's neck, but she deflected the strike with her weapon. They held

that position for about a minute as the Slitherane was trying to over power Nima. She managed

to pin Nima's spear down. Nima dropped her weapon in the process, which confused the Slitherane.

The Slitherane quickly raised her blade to end the battle. But,Nima acted quickly and she gave the

Slitherane a mighty punch and two kicks in the shoulder, causing her to drop her blade into the sea.

Nima new she couldn't beat her when it came to strength, but if she could weaken her slowly she'd be

victorious.

    She quickly picked up her spear while the Slitherane was recovering from the attack. It was

probably the hardest Nima, had ever punched and kicked. She gave her three jabs in the gut and

swapped the blade with the end of the spear and struck her in the neck. Nima was ready to finish

her off when, the Slitherane got up and knocked the spear out of her hand by kicking it . She was

weakened but she still had some strength to spare.

    Then she and Nima faced each other at each end of the boat,ready for a fist fight. When they

stood opposite each other Nima's looked like a dwarf compared to the Slitherane. It was like the

battle of David and Goliath(but with no sling shot and two females.)

Nima struck the first blow and landed it on her face. The Slitherane punched Nima in the gut and

blood spewed from her mouth. Nima stumbled a bit backwards.

"That was a hell of a blow". Nima was ready to give up but decided that this wasn't the end of her

journey. She charged at the Slitherane and ended up locking hands. She was in a strength battle with

the Giant. She pushed as hard as she could but she was no match for her. The Slitherane even broke

one of her hands. But She wouldn't stop fighting, if she was going to die, she'd die fighting. Then all

of a sudden the Slitherane wailed in pain.

    Nima took a glance at her and her arm fell out of her socket. It must've been like an aftershock of

when Nima punched and kickes her in the shoulder, it was a true miracle. She dropped to her knees

and screamed so loud the water that was around the boat rippled. Then Nima took a step back. The

Slitherane said. "I lived a Slitherane I'll die a Slitherane, finish me off you rat." Nima gave her a hard

kick in the chest,causing her to fall into the water, discolouring the sea with her blood. After that

happened a water serpent,passed with pieces of paper, in it's mouth. Nima grabbed one of the pieces

from it's mouth and read it. It said

    JACKANDI VAYA, WELL KNOWN AS SCOURGE. WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE FOR CHIEF MURDER

AND PRISON ESCAPE . A REWARD OF ONE BILLION SCALES WILL BE REWARDED. At the bottom

of the paper was a painting of Jackandi's face.( this one was really clear.)

"Well then." Nima said clinging on to her breath. "I guess I'm a bounty hunter for now."