“Do you like to run?” Cage asked while glancing to his Familiar.
“When I’m not flying I do. I love to run like you do. I’ve heard you tell others why you choose to run with your own two limbs, but I hope it will not be like that with us. Just as you carry me, I would like to carry you. I am no horse… so your reluctance won’t make you feel you are dominating a beast to do something for you that you can do for yourself. I know what I just said is confusing, even I got a headache saying it, but now that we are together, speed and distance mean little for us. I will carry you wherever you need, especially when time is a factor. What would take you many more weeks to reach your other mate will take me a tenth of the time by flight or quarter if I run. I am very versatile, like yourself.
“The bond we share as mage and Familiar cannot be broken. That said, our connection is best together. My own void of solitude is gone when we are together. When you called me, and I overheard you speaking to Megdline when she arrived in Frozen Forest, it was similar to how you described what the Great Prophet did to you by using Meeka and Brooke to do a spell that destroyed your feeling of loneliness. I have a new friend who I truly wish to have near at all times.” Daku smiled and fluffed his four inch wings. “I know you well enough to say that you should not hold back now that I’m here. We will rely on each other more than anyone else, even your mates.” Cage smiled and could tell that the griffin meant every word and expected the same in return.
Nearing the helm, Cage asked “What is the situation?”
Zatal said “Good morning, Chief… And Daku.” He added when the Familiar cleared his throat. “Everything seems to be going well. The other ships seem to be keeping together and we’ve seen fishing boats from time to time, but no dangers have yet to surface. Chief, are you better? You seemed so tired and still pushed yourself to help everyone.”
“After a good night’s rest I’m better, Brother.” He replied as he was taught when speaking to a fellow member of the tribe. “I just overdid the magic like usual. I’m just glad I was able to get so many out.”
“Filthy savages.” The helmsman muttered and the three heard it.
Before Zatal severely beat the man to a messy pulp and threw him overboard, Daku launched himself off Cage’s shoulder while growing to stand over three and a half feet in height and just over eight in length with a weight of nearly five hundred solid pounds. The size of a lion. If not for the head and wings of an eagle he would look like an albino African lion without a mane. The size change took less than two seconds and Cage felt the enormous rise in magic make his skin crawl and ended as he stopped growing. Daku landed heavily, startling both the helmsman and Zatal. Cage had a suspicion his new friend would do that, mainly for intimidation purposes. Daku raised his head enough to look nearly eye to eye with the sailor. “And what gives you the right to call your own kind savages, Human? Just because they do not prefer to wear things, is that it? Answer me this truthfully, what if a group of people came into your nest and bound, tortured and took you from all you love… just to become someone else’s plaything? You call them savages, but they have shown you more respect than I’ve seen any from this Laqura Empire gave them. You beat hatchlings or let it happen… They are no savage, you are.” Daku pointed a finger/talon at the center of the man’s chest. “Hurting your own kind to do things because you are lazy is foolish. Only the weak minded label others who are less than you are. Tell me, in honesty, would you let those who hurt you live? They did.” Daku’s hand gestured to all aboard. His blue eyes bored into the sailor’s, silently waiting for an answer. The man couldn’t hold such a powerful gaze and turned his eyes to the wooden deck and submitted in overwhelming defeat. He said not a word for he could not dispute such logic presented. “I thought as much. Such insensitive words will get you killed the next time and I will not intervene on your behalf again.” Daku poked the man’s chest with a sharp talon. “Tell the other human’s what I said and evolve into a better person. Stand by yourself and don’t be lazy. I know your scent now and if I ever catch it again to find you are stagnant and haven’t changed, I’ll make a meal out of you.”
The man’s wide eyes turned to Cage. “You would allow your Familiar to eat a living human?”
Cage crossed his arms. “I see no human in you, only a rat. A rodent and nothing more. Daku eats rodents.” Zatal grinned.
“But I am human?” He man’s fear wouldn’t allow him to understand.
“No, you are not.” Cage clarified. “We are all animals, but what makes us human is our choices. To allow cruelty and pain to flourish shows you are weak. Grow the fuck up or remain an animal to die like one. Real humans help without forcing others to do something they don’t want to.” He pointed to the helm. “Get back to work and keep your trap shut. When you get relieved, tell the others what we said. And any further remarks of savages or heathens will show you exactly why you’ve been taught to think that way. Your death will be quick and far less painless than anything all these people suffered.” Cage’s black eyes shifted. “Zatal, go lay down and rest, I’ll watch over him till someone trades places.
An unstoppable yawn escaped the large, naked warrior who nodded and left to rest with his friends. Railing in the back had a bench where one can sit and Cage took it to keep a close eye on the man while Daku said “I’m going to fly and see if there is trouble ahead or following behind. Be back in an hour unless I find anything. This time in the morning offers great range.” After a quick pat on a furry shoulder, Cage watched as Daku took to the sky to become a speck high above.
Not long after that, Sean and Brooke woke and found him sitting alone. “Here Dad!” Sean tossed a juicy red apple, testing his new father’s reflexes and watched as Cage’s arm struck like a snake and snatched the ball of fruit out of the air. Sean smiled widely and came over. His little brown eyes grew wide as Cage gripped the apple between his large hands, added just the right amount of pressure and twisted his grip in opposite directions to rip the fruit in half. “How did you do that!”
Youthful excitement from his boy made Cage smile. “It’s an old trick I was taught by the man who raised me as his own. You must have not seen me do it yesterday. Beau, the old man, said a man’s grip shows his strength, but the precision on how to fully use it shows control. Even before these gauntlets were put on, my grip strength could tear through flesh like bread. To get my fingers so strong I had to hit them against a tree about a thousand times a day. Your mother can tell you how strong my hands are.”
“It is true.” She said, sitting beside her man and wrapping an arm around his waist. “With just one hand, he ripped a man’s throat out. Even I never seen someone do that before.”
Cage took a bite out of a half. “I have extensive upper body strength, but control is much harder. To split an apple, your control must be great. You have to apply enough pressure to spin it free without bruising the meat or turning it to mush. It is a very delicate technique that changes from apple to apple, just like people. You cannot expect every battle to go the same way every time now can you? Nothing remains the same and something as simple as splitting an apple can teach you how to adapt and overcome. If you want to try yourself, go get another apple and one of the bowls from my bag. I guarantee you’ll make a mess.”
Sean grinned, got up and quietly hurried back to the front to return minutes later with three apples in a bowl. By that time, Cage ate his apple and threw the seeds over a shoulder and out to sea. He sat down on the deck and picked up an apple. Brooke pressed herself closer to Cage on the bench and began rubbing slow circles on his back as they watched their son gripping the apples as he seen his dad do. His hands were much smaller as he held the ripened fruit and attempted to duplicate the result. Sean unfortunately neither had the control nor the grip strength. His face turned red with strain before his little hands slipped and shot the apple straight up. Cage acted fast, extending a foot and gently kicking it skillfully back inside the bowl between Sean’s crossed legs.
; Brooke couldn’t hold back a merry laugh at Sean’s embarrassed expression. She covered her mouth with both hands saying “Sorry.” before visibly shaking and trying to hold it all in.
“Try again, Sean. I killed over a thousand apples before perfecting the skill.” Cage urged. “You have plenty of time to learn.” His gaze shifted. “How about you try it too.” Sean gladly tossed her one and she stopped laughing.
She held it and raised a delicate eyebrow. “Doesn’t seem difficult.” Then she tried it. Her fingers bit into the skin without mercy, spraying juice in her startled face. This time, Cage and Sean laughed and she joined them. “I guess I was mistaken.” Brooke licked her fingers with mirth dancing in her soft brown eyes.
Their laughter slowly woke those on board, but not in a bad way. Some came up to see what was so funny and smiled. It was the simple laugh over the mundane that truly mattered and the months of pain made such things rare and almost forgotten. Brooke and Sean continued trying, but it soon escalated into a challenge to see who would succeed first. She soon grabbed for the second.
The end result consisted of apple pulp.
The remains of the apples were placed in the bowl, per Cage’s request. He picked the bowl up and levitated it effortlessly while conjuring a flame beneath that cooked the apple into a bubbling mess. Sean grabbed some hardtack for his dad who ate until full. The tingle of magic woke Megdline and Frill and while they ate they asked about Daku’s whereabouts. Cage simply pointed up.
Feeling full and well rested, Cage cleaned more water from the sea, enough for everyone to wash dirt, blood and grime off. The whole ship’s morale boosted from the simplest things denied after so long. Just food, water and a bath was bliss for these people and not one felt anger or resentment towards the few who saved them. Megdline teleported to the other ships using magic and helped do the same for everyone. She returned not long after and sat down to rest after relying mostly on her inner power to complete the tasks.
Then Daku’s whiteness reflected the sun’s light to precede his imminent arrival on deck. He landed the same size he left saying to his partner “One floating tree follows, but is more than a day behind us. To the south is another headed this way at nearly the same amount of time. It looks somewhat like that one over there.” He pointed a talon to a nearby boat following.
“A cargo ship?” Cage asked before turning to the others. “Do you think they’ll be carrying more slaves like how they transported all of you?”
Zatal stepped forward. “Chief, can you use magic to see… like you told us how you followed us?”
He nodded and focused his mind. The tingle of magic tickled between his shoulders as a sight mirror came to life. Cage focused in the direction south and looked into the conjuring as it peered down from high above. The image scrolled south as Cage commanded it to. Within three minutes he found an oddity over the blue water with the beach always on the right of the image. The oddity did indeed turn out to be a rather large cargo ship. All standing on board with Cage watched as the image zoomed close to find a dozen sailors waking on deck, working the boat properly. He turned to the cargo area and the image acted more like a ghost as it clearly passed through the boat and into a dark area. Instantly it became clear it was indeed another slave ship carrying many Emrocan citizens, about fifty in all, some more tribal people as well. Those standing with Cage began to shout, but Daku silenced them with an annoyed rumble deep in his chest. Cage didn’t pay attention as he spied a mage and crow Familiar lounging in a luxurious room. He spent another minute gathering knowledge before the strain of continuing the difficult magic could drain him. He turned around once it disappeared.
“You have a plan?” Megdline asked, knowing her student well enough by simply seeing determination in his eyes.
“Yes. And yes, I’m not going to let that ship reach its intended destination.”
“What do you want us to do, Chief?” Moril asked, drawling her knife meaningfully with a wry smile.
“I feel that this is something Daku and I need to do alone. If we tried a direct assault with the fleet they could use the captives as hostages. I know none of you like the idea of us going alone, but I can find no other alternative in which to truly save everyone.” He said aloud.
“And I agree.” Daku spoke aloud. “Cage, I too feel this to be the correct path of success. What you are feeling is part of our bond that needs to be solidified. Warlocks and griffins always sealed their union in battle and I sense it will come to that.” His beaked head bobbed in a nod.
“Before that, since we have time, I want to fight you.” Cage staked.
Daku smiled with twinkling blue eyes. “As do I.” He lowered his head and parted his wings meaningfully. Crouching into an attack position. The griffin felt a stirring in his blood that his warlock also felt that said a good battle is close. Adrenaline coursed through their veins, awakening their senses to the maximum. Cage, feeling excitement and seeing a twin in Daku’s eyes, lowered into a counterattack stance with his left arm extended to divert the initial strike and a curled right fist to send in return. His knees bent, making it near impossible to be knocked off balance and also able to move or kick, depending on what comes.
Just before they went to fight, Megdline leaped between them. “What is wrong with the two of you? You two are so focused you do not see this place is too crowded. There are other means we can try, like sending me. I can deal with that mage easily and still keep everyone safe. Listen to me!” Megdline shouted as she noticed the warlock and griffin still poised.
A rather large warrior covered in many battle scars stepped forward. “Magic Woman,” he called out to gain her and everyone else’s attention. “in my tribe, warriors who do not know each other too well and have been paired, must do battle in a nonlethal way. It is to tell the fighters everything they need to know about each other. I believe they must fight to know how the other moves so that when the true battle arrives they won’t get in each other’s way. I could not go into battle if my companion and I do not have such an understanding. But what I’m seeing in each of them makes any warrior, myself included, feel like learning children. I believe they should fight or there will be trouble later when they encounter something that will get them killed if they do not have understanding.” He looked to everyone. “We should give them as much room as they need. Children, head to the back of the boat. The rest of us should get clear. These two warriors need to let loose and will hold back with us in the way.”
“I agree with him, Megdline.” Priestess Brooke spoke. “You and I both know they would be doing this sooner or later. After all, this is Cage’s way. He loves and lives for a fight… Daku by the looks of it does too. They are not entirely like us, remember?” Brooke began heading towards the back first to get a clear spot with which to watch clearly and unobstructed. Sean and all the children followed. The other adults tagged along, watching what would happen.
“Let them.” Frill said to his reluctant partner. “We’ve both read that warlocks, when they get ready to fight, cannot stop until they are satisfied. Griffin lore is similar too. True warriors learn best by fighting and they come no truer than these two.” With a high, raised tail, Frill walked over sit near the front of the huddled people.
Megdline sighed, realizing the hopelessness of putting a leash on these two. They’d just chew through. She walked away quickly and made a shield to protect those in front from any issues that might arise.
At the completion of her protective spell, the two struck.
Daku’s twitching tail is all that gave indication he was about to strike. He lunged, showing Cage incredible speed. Cage stayed put as his Familiar leaned back, raised a right arm with fingers and talons hooked to deliver a deadly blow. Cage’s left hand intercepted the griffin’s right and directed it aside. His curled fist sped forward as his legs did a small jump aside to avoid the bulk threatening to slam into him. The fist nearly connected with Daku’s neck, but the griffin flapped his wings just enough to miss. Cag
e’s grin grew, already liking the fight that didn’t end in a single blow. Daku rotated his supple body, folded his left wing as Cage went to step away and snapped it out, clipping Cage’s chin and used enough force with the original movement to make Cage flip over backwards. Before his head slammed into the ground, his large hands planted and continued the flip till he regained footing. The move impressed Daku, but not for long as Cage laughed in happiness of his element, fighting. He jumped and his arms seemed to blur as they pumped fist after fist without tiring. Daku’s body not only had power, but also a suppleness to it that gave him the ability to barely keep himself safe from his partner’s barrage.
Kicks mixed in and also were avoided. Feints blended into the attack, but each of them had skills that knew at a glance which would be fake or real.
The griffin crouched a second before jumping straight up with all arms, tucked his wings, flipped with blinding speed and extended a leg. The leg was just like a human’s axe kick would be like, only more dangerous. Daku’s move kicked Cage directly in the sternum with inhuman force, so much so that the move literally threw the warlock over ten feet and slammed his back directly into the mast of the ship. The hit knocked the wind from his lungs and sent pain shooting up and down from the painful impact. Stars danced in Cage’s vision for a moment from the strike and a gasping breath cleared them.
Cage grinned and stepped away saying “Ready to take the kid-gloves off?”
Daku didn’t fully understand so he nodded and was surprised as Cage laughed with glee and showed he had been holding back, but now freed his restraints. A powerful blow centered in Daku’s chest came as his human twisted low and brought a fist beneath a well defended area, something he never seen or felt before. The punch lifted his bulk clear off the ground for a moment and then a sharp elbow struck the back of his furry head, blurring Daku’s vision and sent him painfully hard to the ground.
Familiar's Ancient Throne (Book 2 of the Death Incarnate Saga) Page 46