Turtleshift

by Linton Bowers

  “Yeah. He rang my bell, but I have all of you. I’m never alone so he could never really hurt me”

  Instead of answering, I felt confusion from her. A moment to replay what I said and I knew why. I stopped and looked down at my hands. The old me was back. The giant knocked some sense into me. Fucking awesome.

  Jumping up, I whooped with delight. I was back, and I was going to kick giant ass.

  I ran, but slower. Last thing I wanted was to get swatted away again. When a blue and red beam hit the creature I made my move. I darted past its left leg taking a hard swipe. The blade hit tje creature and bounced back throwing my arm behind me. The vibration from the blow ran down the blade and hurt my hand. Even though my fingers felt like they were in a wasp nest being stung over and over, I kept hold of the blade. I reached the far wall and stopped.

  “Izzy, tell me you have an idea?”

  “Sorry, I have nothing. This is so far out of my wheelhouse,” She sent back.

  “Hey, Merc girl two.” I sent the first mental communications to her.

  “What the fuck is happening right now?” She thought back.

  “Mental communications. It’s a Tua to Tuatha thing.”

  “Oh. So what’s up?”

  “This thing is tough. We need a way to beat it. Do you have any ideas?” I sent.

  “I wish I did. Kill it with fire?”

  “That’s not… wait. You’re a genius. Thanks.”

  “Sure?”

  “Hey, Morgana,” I thought to my fire mage while watching the lycans run around the giant shooting.

  “Ahh! What the hell are you and why are you in my head?”

  “It’s me, Terry. This mental communications is a Tua and Tuatha thing.”

  “You really need to give out a hand book for this.”

  “Ha, nice. Can you switch to flames and try roasting this thing? And I have a tiny job for you.”

  “I’ll try.”

  Kicking off the wall, I took off at a sprint. In just a few minutes, I was on the other side of the massive chamber. Stopping next to my mages I had to catch my breath before speaking.

  “Can you. Fire my. Blade?” I asked while holding up the machete.

  “Huh?” She asked with confusion, then her face lit up. “Oh, yeah.”

  Morgana touched thwb side of my blade and her hand began to glow read. After a second a fire burst to life around the blade. To my surprise and delight it didn’t burn my hand.

  I grinned. “A fire enchanted blade. This is awesome as fuck!”

  “Great,” Izzy thought to me. “How about you use it?”

  “Right.” I thought back.

  “Morgana, run after me, but keep your distance. I’m going to get it’s attention while you roast his ass.”

  Not waiting for her to respond I turned and ran. As I moved I sent a little power to Morgana to help her run the distance quickly. As far as I knew mages were like regular humans when it came to the physical stuff. There was more to learn than there was time to learn it.

  The giant spotted me coming in with my flaming machete. It swiped down, but I was ready. A forward somersault but me under the atack and stopping on my knees next to its leg. Slashed with the fire blade and the stink of burnt dirt and leaves hit me. Then I was off again running.

  Needing the monster to stay focused on anything other than Morgana. I turned and ran across its path close enough for it to be drawn to my flames, but out of reach. It swung its massive arms with tree trunk finger inches from my head. The wind of the attack sent me forward into a tumble. I kept the roll going to get away as a enormous foot hit the ground where I had been.

  The giant roara and leaned forward with its arms spread wide. Flames wrapped around from the back hungrily eating the vegetation that partly composed it.

  Not much changed in the battle after that, unless you count the hundred foot tall stone, dirt and flaming plant matter monster. The flames spread up its body and down. Then down its legs and arms. It must have been packed full of vegetation because the fires kept burning.

  When the arm swung down and missed me this time the flames caught my hair on fire. Stop rop and roll became the most important plan of the day. The fire seared my skull and hurt like a son of a bitch. I didn’t pull any power away from where it was going as doing so might weaken Morgana’s attack. I jumped back up once my hair was out and moved.

  “Keep going, Morgana,” I shouted.

  “I’m giving it all I’ve got,” Morgana shouted. She sounded strained.

  I ran away from the giant and it gave chase. So I turned around and ran at it. Fear stabbed into me while I ran. After facing werewolves and the army of mixed up lycans you would think I was beyond fear. Something about a giant minster on fire scared the shit out of me.

  There was something more important than my fear driving me on even though I wanted to run screaming. This monster was trapped in here with my Tua, and If I faltered, they died.

  It didn’t take a swing at me when I was close enough. So I kept on going until I was at its feet. Instead of swinging I stabbed at the ankle. The first hit clanged and bounced off stone. The second stab found a soft spot going half the length of the blade in. I twisted and pulled it free.

  The monster roared and raised its foot. I jumped back bumping into its right leg. I spun and plunged finding soft material again. Once more I twisted and pulled. The monster stumbled back.

  “Coming through!” The werebore. She jumped and stepped on my shoulder. Using me as a springboard she pushed of and soared. Her head hit the giant right where his nuts would be, if he were in fact a he. It was enough to through it off balance. The giant fell back as a flaming werebore hit the ground.

  My heart soared with relief at seeing the monster fall. It then did a nose dive at feeling the pain my bre was in. I stepped toward her just as I heard a scream. Looking over, I saw between the giant’s legs. Morgana was there, right in the path of the falling monster.

  Chapter 34

  I took one step and froze. Rage spread, first from my eyes to my face heating my cheeks. Anger filled every part of me like a cancer. I took another step in Dragonshift activated.

  My large wings propel me forward at breakneck speed. Burning plant matter popped and hissed above me is I spent underneath the giant. As I reached Morgana I felt the Giants burning body touch my wings. I shoved with everything I had.

  Crushing weight fell on me. Pin me down trying to drive me through the floor. I futilely screamed in rage but I was unable to push the weight off. With rage smothering every thought pulled from my Tua, then I pushed with everything I had, and blacked out.

  I drifted in a sea of white and blue. Faces drifted by muttering and screaming. Nothing was coherent. The faces became people with bodies. Women, all nude and all beautiful. The shouted and waved. All seemed to want my attention but I couldn’t hear them. I couldn’t reach out, or reply. All I could do was feel the rage. Feel the desire to destroy.

  The earth above me shifted, the muscles in my back and arms tore. I pulled so much from my Tua that my damaged muscles healed as fast as they were destroyed. The more I pushed, moral weight shifted, and the lighter it became.

  "Terry…"

  "… Okay?"

  "… You can…"

  Words assaulted my rage addled mind, but I didn't understand them at all. It was all noise that threatened to distract me from the one and only goal that matter, to get free.

  The weight lightened enough t0 break loose. I stood and roared in defiance punctuating it with a flame straight up.

  Red letters flashed in front of me, but I couldn’t make them out. With long wicked claws I swiped at them and they vanished. People around me shouted and words filled my head again. In response I clutched my head and roared.

  My wings beat and pulling me out of the carcass of my defeated foe. Then an arm as big around as I was tall swung around and hit me sending me on a flight path to the wall. I beat my wing and pain shot down from my right causing my t
o flinch to the side. At the same time I spun and my back hit the wall. I fell and stretched out my wings which sent another wave of pain from my right wing. I shouted a deep guttural sound and pulled the hurt wing in tight. The left wing was still out and sent me falling to my side. The ground met my right side and a pop sounded from my shoulder and a snap came from my already hurt wing. I roared in pain.

  Rolling over I used my left arm to push up to my knees. The enemy wasn’t dead. It struck my and hurt me. It had to die. It threatened me, and mine. It would not, could not, be allowed to continue. I rose to my feet and looked up at the enemy.

  A green light surrounded it. Through the transparent wall, I saw pieces of the enemy floating in the air and spinning in a slow circle. The pieces slowly drifted back together.

  I made my way toward the wall with my win dragging along the ground behind me and my arm dangling uselessly at my side. A group of women ran to me. The tried talking with me, but I couldn’t make out their words. They jumped and waved their arms, but I only had eyes for the enemy.

  One moved before my and placed her hands on my chest. I stopped and looked down at her. Her lips moved animatedly and she assailed. Me with her loud noises. She was mine, that much I knew, so hurting her was out of the question. I stepped in close to her and wrapped my good arm around her waist then lifted her. I moved her to the side and continued my march. The cost of moving her was a ripple of pain from my wing and shoulder. It didn’t deter me from what needed to be done.

  I reached the transparent green wall and looked left and right. Seeing no way in I looked up and the shield went all the way up to the ceiling. There were still a couple options available. I sent a line of fire from my mouth with all the force and heat I could muster. The flames wrapped around the green cylinder causing it to glow and become opaque. It didn’t waiver though, so I cut the flames. It was time for my other weapon. Using my left arm, I slashed at the shield. Sparks flew and light flashed as green arcs of electricity ran down my arm. It hurt, but not enough to stop me. I slashed again with the same effect. The pain angered me more and I continued slashing again and again. Each strike enraged me more and before long I was roaring my defiance and slashing away with both arms.

  The shield became bright then sent a wave of energy out in all directions. The blast sent me flying across the room to slam on the floor and slide to a stop. I jumped back up and ran at it to continue my attack.

  As I slashed the wall of energy dropped before my claws conected. The atack put me off balance and I fell forward landing on my side. Looking up, I saw a tall slender creature made of stone and earth. It was around fifty feet tall and slender. Green glowng eyes in the clump of rocks that made up its head looked down at me.

  A large foot rose and fell much faster than the hundred foot tall monster was capable of. It narrowly missed as I rolled out of the way. An explosion of sound and light came from the women in the room as they attacked.

  Before I could rise to my feet the giant dashed to a group of four Lycans and swipped its arm out knocking them down like bowling pins. The pain they felt hit me like a speeding truck and I stumbled. Then I roared as the rage in me grew to volcanic levels. I beat my wing and flew as swiftly as I could at it.

  Slamming into the creature claws first caused it to fall forward. It arrested its fall using the wall and pushed off hard. The sudden change in direction launched me off of it. While I fell I felt the pain of another attack against the Lycans, my Lycans.

  Beating my wings in a frantic manner stooped my uncontrolled flight. I shifted my position and took off once more. As the creature raised its arm I flew under the arm and cane up along its front slashing with my claws. The giant changed the direction of irs attack to attempt to hit me.

  Dodging was difficult as it moved quick when trying to nail me. Every ounce of strength I possesed went into powering my wings to get away from the creature and maneuver out of the way of its strikes. The sounds of gun fired picked back up while I flew a frantic pattern of zigging and zagging.

  An explosion sent a wave of heat t me that disrupted the air current around me causing astounding turbulence. As I plummeted toward the ground the creature turned away. A large fireball slammed into it while I watched and another blast of warm air hit me. My wings beat furiously catching just enough for me to right myself and land hard on my feet.

  I fell to one knee then sprang back up. Wings extended I took a step and flew. Another hit wind sent me back down, so I ran pulling my wings in tight.

  The giant being peppered by fire, water, and bullets couldn’t spare me a thought. I stopped behind its legs and slashed my claws against the back of its legs. Sparks flew and shallow grooves worn into the stone. I growled in frustration and let loose a blast of fire. The stone were my flames had hit was smooth and shiney.

  I tilted my head. There was something there. A half thought at the back of my mind that wanted to explain what I saw, but couldn't navigate around the rage and pain.

  I went back to slashing as I now had to redo the damage I did before blowing fire. My arms moved like well oiled tierless machines. The furrows in the stone grew by millimeters with each swipe, but I didn’t give up.

  The giant vanished, as did the room and everything in it. White swirled with blue was the only sight. Then a woman appeared. She was mine, but I couldn’t remember her name. I knew I should, but it was blocked, unimportant in the face of my rage.

  “You have to let the dragon’s power go,” she said. Her voice was pleading and concern flowed from her in great and terrible waves. “You have to come back to us, Terry. You have to come back to me, please?”

  I felt what it was she wanted. I was to let go of my power and become weak. To give the enemy the break to needed to win.

  “What’s going on?” A familiar blond woman appeared next to the darker skinned one with dark hair. “What is this, Izzy?”

  Concern cascaded off of them both threatening to wash me away. The effect it had was to cool my rage. The mind that was mind began to emerge. If I stayed, I would give in and become weak. The enemy would win, and hurt my…

  I roared.

  The women jumped and looked at me with fear in thier hearts. They could not be allowed to succeed. I had to protect what was mine and destroy the enemy, at all costs.

  I pulled away, using the force of my rage. The anger gave me the determination and will I needed to get free of the white blue space.

  My eyes snapped open in time to see the giant’s foot swing back. The stone that would be the heel hit me square in the chest. Once more, I was in flight and the wall was my landing zone with the floor being my secondary landing pad.

  As I rose, the woman who was mine from the white and blue space stood before me. She looked angered and worried.

  “Terry, you have to come back to us. I don’t want to do this, but I will if you force my hand. Come back!”

  My response was a warning growl. She was mine and she needed to know her place.

  “I know what you’re doing, but I won’t back down. I’m not a damn wolf willing to give in to my alpha. I’m a turtle. An independent creature ready to take it slow and come to a reasonable conclusion. I have concluded that I will have to enact the contract if you don’t back down now. Do you hear me?”

  Another growl and a step forward to drive the point home. I didn’t want to use force to remind her of who was in charge, but I would do what it took to keep her from giv8ng the enemy the upper hand.

  “Last chance, Terry. You have to let go of the anger and come back to us.” She stood taller and raised her head high. “Do it now, or else.”

  My lips peeled back revealing the rows of sharp dragon teeth in my mouth.

  “So be it.”

  A window appeared in front of me with flashing red letters. I sashed at it so it wouldn’t block my view of the woman or the enemy. The woman raised her hand and pointed as if she touched something.

  Chapter 35

  White, blue, and green light hem
orrhaged from my pores and streaked toward the woman. The energy circled her while I ssnk to my knees. Whatever this was, it weakened me. The swirling power collected around her until it stopped leaving me. Then it crashed into her and she screamed.

  A window opened in front of me and I realized it was the turtle skill tree. The energy leaving me bled away the rage that clouded me. The anger had been a tidal wave of misery that smothered me. Freedom from it was sweet and welcome.

  The skills already purchased for Izzy, for my turtle Tua, glowed a bright amber. Then the skills I hadn’t purchased began to glow. The bright light moved up the tree one tier at a time. So bright was the light that I couldn’t read the words.

  The last box, the lone one at top center lit up, but I could read the words.

  The window blinked out.

  Izzy still screamed in pain. She grew taller and wider shredding her clothes. The shell on her back thickened and grew wider than her shoulders. Hwr face shifted causing the worst screams yet. The lovely head of my latina turtle became the long snout of an alligator, teeth and all. Her skin became the thick bumpy hide of a gator. When it was done she stood fifteen feet tall.

  Izzy stopped screaming and lowered her gaze to me. “Terry?” She sent through our mental link

  “I’m back, Izzy. You look fucking awesome!”

  “Thanks. You going to be OK?”

  “I think so. Can you destroy that giant?” I asked through our mental link.

  “We’re about to find out.”

  Izzy, the grand alligator turtle, turned away from me and made her way towards the giant. Though she was much bigger steps were slow instead. The stone and earth monstrosity heard the booming rumble of her steps and turned to face her.

  When Izzy got closer I saw the size disparity and started to worry. The stone and earth giant towered over her. It rushed at her covering the distance between them in an instant. It swung a long arm at her and she turned slightly taking the blow on her shell. The edge of her rear shell still sported the sharpened edges of the skill Razor’s Edge. Some of the material making up the giant’s arm was sheared off by the Izzy’s shell. I cheered as the chunks hit the ground.