76 Gnoll Tenacity (1/2)

”Be careful, that's an Alpha Gnoll!”

Athena's warning prepared Zoey just in time for the Alpha Gnoll's attack. It leaped forward with incredible speed, slashing its claws at Zoey. She managed to activate her Dark Star Vision barely in time, and even with that she narrowly avoided the claws tearing through the air as the creature lunged at her. She managed to dodge and recover as Athena wielded her staff at the Alpha with several quick strikes to draw its attention.

There was a series of impacts and to their surprise, the Alpha Gnoll managed to actually defend and block Athena's strikes! Realizing that this Alpha was not to be messed with, Zoey sent her knife whistling through the air at the creature's back. Her Dark Star Control however had no way to activate her arrays on the knife, making it harmlessly bounce off the thick fur and into the air.

Zoey recalled her knife as she strafed around the Gnoll while Athena kept it busy. She would have to get in close if she wanted to use her knife to cause damage, or she could use her 9mm Custom. It was loaded and ready in her inventory with the Mk1 Prototype Armament applied as well, all she needed to do was pull it out. She had only avoided using it to stop people from asking questions, and for fear of drawing too much attention, but why did she have to care about that? Why should she care what others thought about her? If she wanted to control her own fate, she could not afford to hold back.

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With her resolve strengthened, she brought out her hand gun and started feeding her magic into the boost array as she yelled out to her friend, ”Athena! Get some distance!”

Athena was quick on the response, sending a powerful strike at the Alpha Gnoll with her staff that threw it off balance and leaping away after she did.

Now that Zoey didn't have to worry about her friend getting hurt, she took aim and fired. A boom rocked the area as Zoey fired off a fully charged shot from her 9mm Custom. The round impacted the back of the Gnoll's head with a loud smack, and the creature toppled over onto the ground.

As Athena stared at her in shock, Zoey grinned and twirled her handgun around, stopping the flourish by blowing the magic vapor away from the barrel with style.

”What was that?!” Athena asked, still stunned from what she had just witnessed.

”This little thing? Its a type of magic tool called a gun,” Zoey replied nonchalantly as she walked over. ”I uses magic to fire projectiles at a target, to put it simply.”

”Right... I suppose you made that thing too?” Athena asked, raising her eyebrows in disbelief.