[Gift] Oaks heart part two -endurance-

Maze of the triskelion- part two. 

             Xena growls, sensing something stepping into the light on the other side, “Looks like this isn't a typical test,” Li jumps out of her back as she pulls out twin blades, “Thanks, Riddick,” she says softly, pulling them out of their sheaths. It's a tiger…a blind tiger. “Looks like we are gonna have to doge the tiger as we try and get the pieces of the door key,” she says putting the pieces together. She reaches into a compartment in her bag and pulls out twin wrist guards and straps them onto her wrist. “Looks like my freerunning will come in handy.” 

          Li looks at her, “Free running?” he asks. 

          She finishes with the buckles. “I learned it back in my world…these walls look rough enough for me to climb up and keep me out of the way,” she climbs up on the wall, “You guys keep it distracted,” Li you with me. Oak, you go for the one on the other side.” 

         He smiles, “You got it,” he takes off as the massive tiger tries to get at him as he flies around the arena. He shoots a blast of energy at it as it goes flying. It quickly recovers as it goes for Li and Xena. 

       She sees it as Li tries to growl at it, she runs across the ledges as she grabs him, and slides to a stop on a platform. “That's the way you wanna play it??!!” she sets him down as her eyes glow and roars. Energy surrounds her hands and feet as she launches at the beast. “Don't try it, pest” she roars as she executes a sidekick and spins as she lands on the ground in a 3-point landing. She stands. “This is gonna be my test as well.” 

          Oak smiles, “Like one?” he asks her as he lands and stands back to back to her. 

         “Let us go!!” She and Oak run at the tiger as they fight it. “LI!! Grab the amulet pieces!! We will keep him busy.” 

       “You sure?? I'm small and…” 

       “Where I come from it's not about size, size matters not,” she says as the tiger tries to take a swipe at her as she growls, “Oak!” he threads his hand together as she is launched into the air. She throws a fireball at the tiger as she lands on its back, “Guys!!” 

       “I know what to do,” he says as the two work on getting the pieces. “Keep that thing busy” oak takes off with the mini Drak in his arms as he lands on the top of the tower. “Li!! Go for this one i'll take on the one on the moving platforms” he says as the two split up and Xena is pinned down by the tiger.
      “Oak!!” she calls out as she yelps. The tiger lines up for an attack against her as he growls, a second later she sees the tiger get thrown sideways as she pants, “Thanks,” she says as the tiger's tail slams oak into the wall. She pants and whimpers. “Oak!” she runs to him as she whimpers. She turns around and growls. “That's it! You wanna go?” she growls as she transforms into her spirit cat snow leopard form. She growls as she roars and swipes at the tiger. 

       “Thanks for the save,” she turns and nods at the two draks goes for the puzzle wall and gets thru the puzzle to get the pieces. 

       Back with Xena, she rears on her hind legs as she collides with the tiger in a furious fight. The Neko inside the colored cat acts much like a cat as the avatar skids back. The tiger stands on its hind legs as it goes digitigrade legs and grows in size. Xena does the same as they collide. 

        “Li, you got it yet, Xena may need our help,” Li watches as the two duke it out. 

        “The scary cat lady has things covered,” he says as Xena goes flying crashing into the stone wall, she shakes it off and growls. “You guys go!” 

        Li and Oak jump from the outcroppings and other bits as they pant. Xena’s claws screech across the ground as she keeps the distraction going. She looks at him nodding as he and Lil Li jump up higher. 

        “Li this is our test, a test of endurance to see if we can reach the pieces,” he says as Li nods. “Please be careful Xena,” he says as she finally scores a good hit on the tiger racking her ghostly claws over his shoulder. He smiles as he jumps up and smiles. His claws dig into the stone as they reach the first pedestal. He hears roaring as the ground shakes. The piece sits on a pedestal as he takes it; the layout changes as the tower crumbles. Xena sees him and Li falls and jumps off the pieces as she lines up for a save. They land on the ghostly aura armors back as she smiles. “Thanks for the save.” 

         She nods and chuckles as she launches at the tiger and grabs its throat. “Bad kitty,” she growls as she snaps its neck. She throws the body aside as she returns to normal form. “That was combat magic,” she says. “It's something I specialize in back home,” she smiles, “I also specialize in fire and ice magic.” 

         Oak looks at her. “At least you're safe,” she hugs him as she holds her side, “Draks form very close bonds with their companions,” she laughs. 

        He smiles, “Looks like we only have two more pieces to go,” he says. “Have any clue?” he holds the strange triskelion piece. “Looks like a piece of a bigger puzzle.” 

      “We have to do that two more times???” Li asks as he whines. 

      “I might be able to make this easier,” Xena says as she uses a tracking spell. “Looks like the next part is this way…the test of Valravn, the test of the strength of the mind,” she says. “Stay close,” she says as they walk into a different world. The rain falls gently as they walk giving everything a sweet scent.  Oak transforms and Xena gets on his back. 

       “This seems nice,” Li says from Xena’s backpack. “It's quite relaxing.” 

       “Guys stay vigilant, this doesn't seem normal,” Xena says. “This place feels off.” 

       Li shivers, “I'm getting that feeling too,” returning into the bag and looking out the bubble window. Oak stops and raises his foot. 

       “What is it,” Xena asks him. 

       “It's like an imposter world, the same but different” 

       “Agreed we stay together and find the triskelion pieces,” she says as they move through an arch… suddenly the world changes to sunny and bright with the bridge in front of them in good condition. They don't seem to notice it as they walk. They come to some ruins as Oak looks around. The way seems to be blocked by ruins and vines. On the far side, a cool-looking wreath/arch sits. Li looks at it. 

       “Well, the way seems to be blocked.” 

       “Guys!!” 

       “Well that just stinks…oak try and fly over it” he takes off as vines grab his hooves and keep him on the ground. “Ok, that won't work..”

       “Guys!” 

       “Not now li we are trying to figure this out” 

        “GUYS!!” he calls. “The wreath might have something to do with it.” 

         Oak turns and sees the wreath… “ok…maybe” he says as they walk up to it. “Look at the symbol on top… it's facing our direction,” he looks through it as they see a fixed version of the ruins without the vines and stuff in the way. 

         “Ok,” Xena smiles. “Looks like the test is of the mind,” she says. “Ok let's walk through and see what changes” they walk through as the scene changes to a sunny day with the ruins fixed. “So it's an alternate reality.” 

         “Mabey a mirror universe?” Li says. “It seems like it.” 

         Xena smiles. Li does have a point…it's like a mirror of the universe. They walk up the steps as they reach another door…it opens as they walk through and enter another area. 

         “Don't trust your eyes,” a vice says in her head. “Don't trust them, use your other senses to see the truth” 

         “Do you hear that?” she asks them. 

         “Hear what?” Li asks, “All I hear is the rain,” he says. 

         Oak looks at her. “Xena you alright?” 

         She shakes her head, “Im ok.” 

        “You scared us there for a second.” 

        “I'm fine,” she says as they move into the area. Xena starts to hear a very low dronin growl as they walk deeper in. She shakes her head. 

        Oak stops, “Something feels off and I don't like it,” he says. “Something is very funny,” 

        Li sniffs the air, “Yea somethings off but i can't place it.” 

        Xena gets off of Oak as she surveys the world around her. There is a house built into the rock… they might find respite there to plan out how they will get through this strange mirror world, “Lets rest there.” 

       “Good idea, we can get our bearings and figure out how to get out of here.” 

       They make their way to the house as she finds a place to make a fire. “We need to get some rest and then we will figure out tomorrow what to do.”