Vivienne skidded to a stop just behind Cirrus and Owen.
“What are you doing?” Cirrus yelled.
“Trust me! Move back. NOW!” she shouted.
Owen glanced over his shoulder, his eyes widening as he realized what she carried. He yanked Cirrus backward, clearing the path for her.
She ran forward and slammed the flowers onto the ground between her and the beast. A thunderous explosion of neon-orange pollen erupted into the air, swirling in thick, shimmering clouds.
The Zhalak inhaled. It froze. Its slitted eyes narrowed, blinking rapidly as the effects took hold. The beast staggered, its powerful limbs shaking as its balance faltered.
Vivienne didn’t stop. She wielded the flowers like a hammer, banging them on the ground again and again, releasing puffs of pollen with each swing.
The Zhalak shook its massive head, snapping its jaws wildly at nothing. Its entire body convulsed, its tail lashing out in confusion, sending debris flying. It hissed—a strangled, disoriented sound. The monster reeled, its scales flickering erratically between hues as it lost control.
One final burst of pollen, and the Zhalak’s massive legs gave out beneath it. With a deep, guttural groan, it collapsed onto its side, half-submerged in the lagoon.
Silence. Only the murmur of the waterfall remained.
Vivienne stood frozen, her chest heaving. The pollen-coated stems fell from her trembling hands, her vision spinning from the minimal exposure. She jogged backward and ripped the handkerchief from her face, gasping for clean air.
Owen and Cirrus remained motionless, blades still poised as if expecting the beast to rise again.
"You... subdued it," Owen finally spoke, his voice an odd mix of awe and disbelief. "How did you?—"
Cirrus stared at her. His face was unreadable at first, then slowly shifted into something close to wonder. "You’re brilliant," he murmured. Then his lips curved into a slow, stunned smile. "Completely insane,” he added, “but fucking brilliant."
Vivienne let out a breathless laugh, her fingers still trembling.
Lewis slid to a rough stop beside them, wide-eyed and panting. "Okay, I know I had a different viewpoint, but… did you just defeat a godsdamned lagoon monster with abouquet of flowers?"
Vivienne swallowed a hysterical giggle, nodding. "Yeah, I guess I did."
“I’ve never been more proud of you!” Lewis made to hug her, but thought better of it when his eyes caught the lingering orange powder on her clothes.
Cirrus smirked, wiping sweat from his brow. "Back on the ship, I'm teaching you how to use an actual weapon. Floral arrangements aren’t going to cut it in a sword fight."
Owen sheathed his sword with a low, resigned sigh. “I hate to break up the victory party?—”
Lewis groaned. “Ugh, too late.”
“But we don’t know how soon the pollen’s effects will wear off.” Owen gestured toward the twitching Zhalak.
Cirrus straightened, his smirk vanishing. "Thorne's right. We need to move."
Vivienne took one last look at the beast—half-submerged, its massive chest still rising and falling.
Then she turned toward the mouth of the mountain trail. They had no time to waste.
* * *
The mountains loomed ahead,jagged spires piercing the storm-heavy sky like the fangs of the beast they'd barely bested hours before. A constant roar echoed in the distance—the waterfalls, their destination, their hopeful salvation. Yet, they remained frustratingly out of reach, hidden behind sheer cliffs and treacherous paths that offered no kindness to weary travelers.
Vivienne swallowed hard as she stared up at the ascent before them. The path was a cruel labyrinth of slick rock, crumbling ledges, and perilous drops. Every muscle in her body screamed in protest, heavy with exhaustion from the relentless cycle of running, fighting, and surviving. The cool embrace of the lagoon was already a fading memory, lost beneath layers of grime and fatigue.
“We still have to climb this?” Lewis muttered, the usual warmth in his voice replaced by raw disbelief.
Cirrus, walking a few paces ahead, cast a grim glance over his shoulder. “It’s the only way to reach the waterfalls.”
