by Kenaren
“Hello?” I walked over and stood beside her in case whoever this was, wasn’t friendly.
“Hello, ma’am. You asked for a six a.m wake-up call?” Lena sighed and pulled the door open a little further.
“I did. Thank you, we’ll be down in a few minutes.” The man must have nodded because I didn’t hear anything for a few seconds, then I heard his footsteps walking away from the room.
“You asked for a wake-up call?” I asked, while tilted my head to one side. She nodded and began to explain.
“Yes, I didn’t want to leave Torga alone at the ship, any longer than necessary.” I rolled my eyes, then padded back over and jumped on the bed.
“You act like he’s a child that needs to be protected.” She glared at me. Then finished getting dressed by slipping on her boots, then her robe.
“Don’t act like you aren’t thinking the same thing, Fenris. You’ve been glancing back towards the ship since we entered this city.” She walked over to the children and began shaking them awake. Hali, as per usual, woke up almost immediately. But Solon… He needed several shakes before he woke up.
Then she set about getting them ready for the day, she brushed through Hali’s hair. While Solon pulled on his gray shirt and slipped on his boots. Then Hali did the same with her dark red blouse and boots. We left the room after gathering our discarded stuff and headed to the checkout desk.
Upon arriving there, we noticed that the place was abandoned. We checked around for the young woman that checked us in last night, but she was nowhere to be found.
“I don’t like this…” I stood at Lena’s back to ensure no one got the drop on us, and Lena twisted her fingers in an intricate pattern. A burst of energy immediately followed and she went glass eyed.
That was something I never understood about druidic magic. Druid’s didn’t require spells like other magic classes, but their magic required complete focus in order to use. Unlike other spellcasters, who could simply say the spell and forget about it. If a druid tried that, the magic would either fizzle out and become inert or would backfire. However, a backfired spell rarely, if ever, happened. As most druids refused to use attack spells because they saw everything as a part of nature and refused to harm any of it… Lena wasn’t one of those druids. Though she did refuse to attack animals… She was quite happy to put another elf, human, or other humanoid creature on their ass if they threatened her.
Which was about to come in handy because, as soon as she regained focus. The door was kicked open and a group of ten well-armed, masked men stormed in. Though most of them were brandishing swords, a few were carrying auto-casters. Small devices with a barrel and a rotating cylinder that, when loaded with an enchanted stone, was capable of firing out whatever spell the stone was enchanted with. However, these devices were exceedingly rare outside of the dark elf kingdoms, as they’re the only ones who know how to make them… And they don’t like sharing their technology with anyone. So… Either these men stole those auto-casters. Which was unlikely, as they’re usually enchanted to prevent theft… or there was a dark elf supplying them.
The man at the front of the group took a step forward and raised his auto-caster, then pointed it at Lena.
“What did you do with my men!?” He yelled. His race became apparent, as his voice had an undertone of hissing. And only one known race had that feature.
“A Snake demi-human…” The man asked his question again, and this time, Lena answered.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” The man pulled the caster’s trigger, which caused a blue light to shoot into the floor between Lena’s legs.
“You lying Bitch! A group of my men went to your ship last night, and haven’t been seen since. Now, tell me where they are!” He pointed the gun at Solon.
“Tell me!” I could tell the moment Lena decided to drop her ‘innocent’ druid act… And it was the moment he dared to threaten one of her ‘babies’.
“I. Said. I don’t know!” The wooden floor glowed green and a spike of wood shot into the hand holding the auto-caster. Then another stabbed into his face, piercing his eye and puncturing his brain. The other men stood in silence as the snake-man fell onto his back.
“Kids, get behind the desk…” They nodded and jumped over the top, then huddled together.
“Fenris… if you wouldn’t mind?” I nodded, then my body glowed a bright green as I revealed my demi-human form. Though I wanted to turn back to normal, inside this cramped space, this form would have to do. When the glowing died down. The men could see a half-warg demi-human standing in front of them… naked.
“Please, do make this interesting. I haven’t had a good brawl in awhile as I’ve been cramped up on that ship…” Two more wooden spikes shot out of the floor and pierced through the casters before they could even be raised. Then, a large wooden spike pierced through a man’s gut… and the fight began.
A man to my left charged at me and swung his sword in a horizontal arc at my neck. I ducked under it and punched him in the groin, then grabbed his sword arm and flipped him over my shoulder, and onto the desk with his head hanging off the edge. Where I then slammed my elbow into his forehead hard enough to snap his neck.
I picked up his sword and charged into the other swordsmen, while the casters were handled by Lena. I blocked one sword slash, then kicked the offender in the knee, causing the bone to snap in the other direction and pierce through his flesh. A wooden spike finished him off. I punched another man in the face, as I ran another through with the ‘borrowed’ blade.
I had to quickly let go of said blade, as another blade almost sliced through my hand. I jumped over a second blade, wrapped my arm around the attackers head, then kicked off a third attacker. The sudden movement allowed me to snap the man’s neck, as I simultaneously threw him into a fourth man, which sent the two of them falling back. A wooden spike grew from the ground and impaled both the falling man and the man I had thrown.
I had to roll out of the way, as one of the remaining men bull-rushed me. A wooden spike was awaiting him as he passed by me, and it pierced through his stomach, as another was shoved directly into his eye. Courtesy of a pissed off Lena. The last man attempted to run away, but I quickly caught up to him and swept him off his feet, then pinned him to the ground. A spike grew out of the ground next to me, and I snapped it off and pressed it against his throat.
“Now… are you going to be a good boy and answer my questions? Blink once for no, twice for yes.” The man blinked twice very quickly.
“Good boy.” I answered with a smile on my face. I lifted him off the ground and threw him into the wall, then I pressed the spike against his throat again.
“First question. Who sent you and why?” He glanced down at the spike, then back into my eyes. I pulled it away slightly and he breathed a sigh of relief.
“Mr. Bones sent us to kidnap the two elves. That’s what the men at your boat were for as well.” I nodded.
“Who’s Mr. Bones?” The man glanced around before he answered.
“I don’t know who he actually is, as I’ve never met him personally. But, he’s a slave trader who specializes in… uh..-” Lena spoke up.
“Sex slaves?” The man slightly nodded.
“You’re doing great. Only one question to go… How many more men are waiting for us outside, and what are their locations?” The man’s eyes widened.
“Tw… Twelve, and they’re stationed around the front and back entrances.” I nodded.
“Thank you, for being so cooperative.” I smiled at him… Before I slammed the spike into his forehead and pinned him to the wall. As I stepped away from the body, I shifted back into my miniature warg form.
“We need another way out of here.” Lena nodded and went to retrieve the kids, while I searched the ground floor for another way out. And, though I did manage to find one… It wasn’t a particularly ‘nice’ one.
“Is… Is it really necessary for us to go into the sewer?” Hali asked. I nodded and
Lena patted her on the head.
“Sorry, sweetie. It’s the only way out that doesn’t involve a big fight.” The children sighed but complied anyway. I led us into the sewer by jumping down the twenty feet deep, circular hole and awaited my family. Solon, following my example, quickly jumped down as well. With Hali and Lena following shortly after. Once we were all inside, Lena waved her fingers and the hole was closed.
“Alright, that should buy us some time.” I nodded. Hali and Solon climbed on my back, then Lena and I started to run.
* * *
Torga POV
When I opened my eyes the next morning, the first thing I saw was several pop-ups floating around me.
You have eaten the following race for the first time. Cobra beastman: Tier 3
You have eaten the following race for the first time. Wolf beastman: Tier 3
You have eaten the following race for the first time. Dwarf: Tier 3
“Hmm… so that’s why they tasted slightly different.” It wasn’t a bad taste, by any means. But, I could definitely tell the difference between them and the humans. They were also slightly harder to sneak up on, and I’m assuming it was the wolf beast-man that managed to spot me, then alerted the others by screaming as I dragged him off the ship. Admittedly, I should have just bitten his head off. But, I was trying to prevent the ship from being covered in blood. I didn’t want to scare the children, after all.
*Alarm blaring!* “Hmm?” An extremely loud siren was echoing across the city and was causing the populace near the harbor to panic.
“What’s happening!?” One man yelled as he tried to keep his wife and children behind him. Several other people began to scream and yell following the firsts outburst. Captains of the surrounding ships started their departure preparations early. And, the only person to stay calm, was the owner of the harbor.
“Please, please, everyone, calm down!” Some of the people calmed enough to listen to him, but most just ignored him.
“I’m sure the guards have everything under control, and the alarm will stop shortly!” Shortly after, Jordan was proven correct. As the alarm ceased and the city returned to a state of normalcy.
Deciding that it probably had nothing to do with me, I submerged myself and waited beneath the ship for the families return… But hours later, I was still waiting. The sun had already passed its apex and was beginning to decline and yet, I’d not seen the family. So, I continued to wait until after the sun had set…
*Splash* I looked to my left and saw a dirty and bloody Solon splashing his hands in the water while hanging his upper body off the dock. Raising my head out of the water to meet him, I saw the extent of his injuries. His left arm was missing a bit of flesh and blood was sliding off and into the water. I gave him a once over as he stared at me.
“…What happened?” He went on to explain, they had been running through the sewer and were closing in on the exit when they were ambushed. Fenris and Lena managed to successfully force their way passed the first group, but the second group saw the fall of Lena and she was taken by the men. Fenris fought until he was able to let Solon and Hali through, then he was captured as well.
Then, Solon and Hali were separated from each other when a group of guards saw them. Hali tried to ask them for help, but one of them knocked her out and attempted to do the same to Solon. In order to defend his sister, Solon pulled out his dagger and attempted to stab the man. He got backhanded for his efforts, then had to dodge a sword swing that took a chunk out of his arm before he could escape and make his way here… To ask for my help.
“Please, Torga. Help me get my family back!” Solon bowed his head to me and begged. I stared down at him, then looked towards the city.
“Stand up, boy.”
He raised his head to look at me “Sir?”
“I said, Stand. Up.” He quickly obeyed.
“So… You’ll help me?”
I licked my lips as I stared at the towers that made up the cities center, then I nodded my head.
“You kept me waiting for so long… I’m starving. And, all those people look… Delicious~” He seemed confused for a moment, then the realization hit him.
“Dad always said I should embrace the warg part of me.” A grin formed on his face.
“If you come… don’t touch my food.” He nodded, then climbed on my back. I climbed out of the water and was quickly seen by a patrol of guards.
“M… Monster! Sound the alarm!” I opened my ‘eyes’ and glared at them. The three guards looking at me were almost instantly turned to stone. The other two had been looking at each other, so they weren’t affected. Instead, I quickly bit down on one of them, my long fangs and sharp teeth puncturing through the leather armor and into the flash beneath… I could actually see my acidic venom as it flowed into his veins. Because said veins took on a bright green glow and dissolved the surrounding flesh. The man died a few seconds later.
Meanwhile, Solon had leaped off my head, landed on the other guard’s shoulders and held his dagger to the man’s throat.
“Where’s my family!?” He yelled, temporarily confusing the man.
“What?” The blade was pressed into his neck until it drew blood.
“Where. Is. My. Family!?” The guard snapped out of his confusion and told Solon that prisoners were taken to the prison on the other side of the island… The building with the large towers that were used to hang criminals.
“Thank you.” Solon hopped off the man’s shoulders and seemed content with letting him go… But I wasn’t. I snapped my teeth together and bit the man completely in half, then I ate both sides while glaring at Solon.
“Never. *Munch* Leave *Munch* Witnesses.” Solon’s face went white, then he quickly nodded his head.
*Swallow* “Get on.” He complied and I set out for the other side of the island.
Chapter 21
With Solon riding on my back. I moved over to a tall building and used it to raise my head above the rooftops, then I looked around for the towers the guard had mentioned. Since it was nighttime, I didn’t have to worry too much about being seen. So, I could focus on the task at hand, reaching the tower, freeing Lena, Hali, and Fenris… And eating a nice meal on the way. However, I was currently having a slight… problem. Said problem, was actually a group of guards circling overhead on a giant half bird, half cat… things. Each of these things was only slightly smaller than Fenris in his normal state. So, I was forced to hide between the buildings as they flew overhead, lest I be spotted, and put the family in danger. Solon, after following my eyes and noticing what I was seeing, said.
“Those are Griffins. They’re often used by the beast kingdom as mounts and war-beasts.” He pointed at them to make sure I understood what he was referring to. I nodded instead of answering him as I didn’t want to lose focus on the Griffin that was about to pass overhead. I retracted my body until it was coiled like a giant spring and waited… As the bird flew directly over us. I shot my head out as fast as I could and snapped down on the bird’s neck, then I tried to quickly retract my body so I could return to my hiding spot with my new meal… But the bird was larger than I’d previously thought and it slammed into the building next to me as I was pulling it, kicking and screaming, into the dark alley.
The rider had fallen off due to my impact with the bird, so dealing with him was most likely unnecessary… That didn’t stop me from finding him after killing and eating the Griffin, so I could eat him as well. Speaking of the Griffin, I was actually disappointed in it. Here I was, expecting some grand fight within the confines of the alley… But the damn thing died after I accidentally slammed it into a building. It also wasn’t quite as big as I’d thought. Though its wingspan was definitely over twenty feet, the rest of it was fairly small. It was probably about twelve feet long and about six feet tall, so it wasn’t small by any means. Unless you were comparing it to me, then it was little more than a snack.
Solon had jumped off so he wouldn’t disturb my meal… or become my nex
t one, I wasn’t quite sure which. After waiting for me to finish, jumped onto my back. Then, he pointed towards a building to my right.
“I think the tower is that way.” He said with a slight quiver in his voice. I could tell he was trying to hide it, but I was scaring him. He’d always seen me arguing with his father, or talking with his mother, but he’d never seen this side of me… The monster was always just beneath the surface… The glutton. My hunger had been satiated during my time in the ocean, so they had never seen me truly hungry. But, now that these people have given me an excuse… why shouldn’t I eat my fill?
I nodded my head to show my understanding. Then, I moved along the side of the building until I reached the end of the alley. Upon reaching the end and heading into an open street. I was spotted by a passing patrol of guards. Though only one of them managed to avoid looking me in the eye long enough to open his mouth and scream. I bit into and threw him into a building with such force. I could hear his bones being crushed from the impact and was stuck to the wall for several seconds before falling to the ground. He died only a few seconds later, as my venom saturated his body and melted him from the inside.
“Damn it, I wasn’t fast enough!” I quickly smashed the petrified guards. Then, I moved into another alley on the other side of the street. I hid inside for a few minutes before peeking my head out, so I could try finding the tower again. This time, I managed to see it. However, even from a distance, I could tell it was heavily guarded. Three guards could be seen on the roof of the tower, and a head could be seen peeking over the building and moving from side to side.
“What’s that?” I motioned with my head, causing Solon to look in the same direction.
“I… I’m not sure. It looks like a member of the giant race mom used to tell us about… but the color is different. Mom always said they appeared as humans, just a lot bigger. But that one is blue, so it can’t be the same race as the one mom told us about.”
I nodded my head, then proceeded to move through the alley on my way to the tower. Making sure that I remained hidden the entire time wasn’t as difficult as It could have been, but the guards only seemed to be searching for Solon, so they were looking in places a young boy may hide. Leaving me to mostly, do as I liked. Which I took advantage of, at every opportunity. Anytime a group of guards passed in front of me, I would petrify, then eat them. Until I had eventually eaten several tens of guards and cleared out a good sized chunk of the city. I continued to do this even after eating my fill because I wanted to cut down on the number of possible enemies on our way out… Well, if I succeed, anyway.