by Jake Daniel
Through my closed eyes I could see the outlines of each of the monster girls, goblins, the centaur, and even Wofferd as they joined my side. I kept my hands out to my side and took a deep breath. Dahlia, if you can hear me, now would be the time to use anything you’ve found.
I opened my eyes slowly and faced the men as they approached. I pulled my knife out of its sheath as Gwen lifted the dead man’s rusted sword up off the ground.
We readied our weapons and the men rushed forward. A mass of flying legs, arms, swords, knives, and even the whip, now wielded by Wofferd, flew through the air.
Wofferd let out a loud battle cry as he snapped the whip like a ringleader at a circus. “Back you ass sniffers, back!”
I lunged forward and sank the blade of my knife in the neck of one of the attacking men. The man stopped in his tracks and lifted his hands to ebb the flow of blood.
Gwen followed up my strike by kicking the man in the nose as he dropped to his knees. His face caved in under the impact and he fell to the ground motionless.
Chloe joined my side and dropped her head as a man reached her. One of the sharp horns atop her head entered the man’s eye socket with ease. She turned her head sharply and ripped the eye from his head and rushed toward her next target.
It was nice to be around women who could not only take a hit, but give one out twice as hard. Our group worked together, systematically taking out several of the men. Reinforcements continued to pour in one after another. It seemed as fast as we’d down one, several more would enter.
Two of Gwen’s sisters had deep lacerations from taking on a hyper machete wielder. They limped forward but did not stop fighting, moving onto the next attacker, continuing to fight for their lives.
Master Teng fought alongside the sisters, keeping most of the attackers at a distance with his hulking size. He used his massive horse-like legs to kick at the men if they came too close.
A group of men, complete with full suits of plate armor, entered the room looking like novelty costume store props. They held their blades at the ready and pushed forward. They successfully deflected several strikes, but after everyone saw the damage one of Gwen’s hoofed feet did to one of their helmets, they knew they were screwed.
All the Satyrs focused their attacks on their helmets, caving them in and sending torrents of blood rushing out from cracked skulls that remained trapped inside the crushed metal.
We were gaining the upper hand when a gunshot broke through the chaos. I spun and faced the door.
Striker stood with what appeared to be a Remington 870 pump-action shotgun. He brought two new shells into the chamber with a quick pump and pointed the gun at me from across the room. “Fuck, it’s hard to find good help these days. Always have to do things myself if I want them done right.”
I braced myself as I expected the inevitable impact of a slug to the chest.
Striker laughed as everyone quit fighting. Everyone in the room watched with anticipation as he kept the gun fixed at my chest.
A sense of calm filled me as I turned to face their leader. “What are you waiting for? Get on with it!”
I remained still and closed my eyes. I tried to remember everything that Master Teng and Gwen had taught me about spirit. I recalled how Teng showed me how to grab onto strands and tried to clear my mind.
All the steps felt as if they were taking forever to complete, but I knew I’d only spent a fraction of a second, if not less. The spirit flowing from everyone around me was overwhelming, but within a second I was pulling several strands inside my nearly empty core. Slow at first until it was as if I’d pulled the drain plug. Thousands of strands of brilliant golden spirit flowed into my body from every direction. Each strand brighter than the next, diving inside my chest and binding with my core.
I took one last deep breath before I heard the familiar sound of the shotgun being discharged. I opened my eyes slowly and heard Gwen scream out as the shot went off.
A brilliant explosion of sparks blinded me as the slug smashed into my chest. The force of the bullet rocked me back on my heels but I maintained my footing.
Striker released a furious growl as he pumped the shotgun once more. “What the fuck?! Why won’t you die?!” He shot again, landing another direct hit to my chest. Again the same result, although this time the impact did not affect me at all. I took a step forward, and I finally saw the first glimpse of fear rise in Striker’s eyes.
Striker motioned his men forward, using them as a shield. They only made it a few steps before a massive explosion erupted from the hall behind them. The blast blew everybody off their feet including me. I landed on my back and Gwen fell directly on top of me. Her dust covered face was still stunning as she stared into my eyes. She smiled and slid down my body slowly as she let me up.
I rolled onto my side and pushed myself up to standing. After helping the others get back to their feet, I realized that the blast had completely wiped out all of Striker’s men, although Striker himself was missing, presumably under the massive pile of rubble that now occupied the original entrance of the room.
A new entrance appeared, one that was blown straight through the goddamn deck above our heads. Several chunks of wood were ablaze and the fire spread rapidly around us.
I glanced up and met Dahlia’s sweet eyes shining down toward me, a devious smile on her face and a stick of dynamite held firmly in each hand. She moved closer to the edge and called down. “Is everyone okay?”
I looked down at my chest and didn’t have even as much as a scratch from where the two slugs had smashed into me. I turned to check on the others before lifting my head back up toward Dahlia. “Looks like everyone is okay.”
We cleared away the flaming debris and helped the others out of the makeshift prison. I had everyone accounted for and back up on the deck. Everyone except for Wofferd. It took nearly all of us to get his unathletic ass up out of the room. Although the way he flopped on the deck when he reached the top you would’ve thought he just finished climbing Everest.
I took a last glance around to ensure I wasn’t missing anything and stepped up to the crates. I reached down as Gwen handed my rifle up to me. I’d never felt so thankful to feel the familiar barrel of my 30-30. Although now that I was apparently bulletproof, I wasn’t sure how much longer I’d need to hold on to it.
Gwen and Dahlia met me on the deck. They both rushed up to me and wrapped their arms around me tightly. Their scents mixed and filled my nose, driving me absolutely insane. I pulled back and gave them both a grin. I met Dahlia’s eyes and furrowed my brow playfully. “Dahlia, did you get into some explosives?”
She shifted her eyes to the ground and blushed. The tint of her skin was a beautiful silky green in the torchlight. “Maybe... I’ve never held so much power in my hand at once. It was amazing.”
Gwen snorted. “Oh, I think you may be forgetting something when it comes to power in your hand.” She trailed off and shifted her gaze to my groin, prompting a dark shade of red to rise across Dahlia’s face.
Dahlia smiled and shook her head. “True, that is real power.” She let her hair fall over her face slightly, trying to hide her embarrassment. She turned and pointed at a stack of crates across the ship from us where we originally started. “Actually, they’ve packed most of those crates over there with explosives. I am not sure why anyone would ever need that much. But I wouldn’t mind finding some of that to practice with when we get back.”
I wrapped an arm around Dahlia’s waist and smiled. “Looks like we may have found your new weapon of choice.”
A laugh cut through the darkness, and a torch appeared from below deck. I hurried to the opening that Dahlia had blown open and looked in.
Striker stood bloodied and disheveled, his torch raised in the air. “You thought you could kill me that easily? It will take more than a damn explosion to take me out. You’ve fucked with the wrong person.” He walked toward the stack of crates near the back of the boat and tossed his torch into the middle of
them. “You are just like your mother. I gave her the best fucking of her life before I killed her, I promise you that. You should’ve just stayed quiet, probably would’ve saved her life, but seeing as you just can’t help but get in the fucking way, her’s is not the last life that you’ll end up costing. I’ll see you and all your little fucking monsters in hell, Logan West!”
He laughed as he walked to the edge of the ship and dove over the edge. As he jumped the first of the crates went up in flames and exploded shortly after. The blast rocked us backwards followed immediately by another explosion as several other crates went up in flames.
I turned to the others and pointed toward the bow of the ship. “Everyone off, now!”
The others sprinted toward the bow and dove overboard. Everyone except for the Master Teng and Wofferd. I looked at the centaur and could see the resignation in his face as it clearly dawned on him what I was about to ask him. “I promise, I’ll not ask another thing from you.”
Teng huffed and turned his head to Wofferd. Wofferd shrugged and pointed toward the bow. “Are you expecting me to jump off this ship? Really? I’ll take my chances here, I’m getting too old for this shit.”
The centaur reached down a hand and palmed Wofferd’s head, forcing his eyes up. “Wofferd, I need you to climb on, now!” Another explosion rocked through the ship and the groaning sounds of a doomed ship rose through the air. “Now!”
Wofferd shook his head and stepped toward the massive centaur. Teng lowered so the large man could climb onto his back. It was apparent after approximately one second that the obese man probably had trouble climbing into his bed, much less, onto the back of a centaur.
I moved behind him and gave him a shove. He climbed on haphazardly, laying perpendicular to the centaur’s back. A bright yellow light swirled around them and within seconds the centaur lifted several feet in the air.
He pointed off in the distance. “There’s a small village along the shoreline not too far from here. Last I heard it was under the Capitol’s control, but I’ll try to make it there. Unfortunately, I won’t have enough spirit remaining to come back for you or the others. I hope we meet again.”
I gave him a small nod and didn’t hesitate a moment longer and ran to the bow, launching myself over the edge as the remaining explosives ignited across the ship. The heat from the blast surrounded me as I fell down toward the inky dark water below. A second later everything turned black, and I lost consciousness.
Chapter Thirty
I blinked my eyes several times before I realized I regained consciousness and was still under water. I kicked my legs to bring myself to the surface, my adrenaline propelled me forward. My lungs burned as I tried desperately to hold my breath long enough to reach the surface.
If that son of bitch was actually responsible for my mother’s death, I’d make sure his death was infinitely more painful than what he inflicted on her. My father always told me she’d been in an accident, but I’ve been in Aurilon long enough now to know that Striker could’ve been telling the truth.
I let out the air in my lungs, wanting nothing more to take in a long deep breath which I received a second later as I exploded out from the depths. I pushed aside several burning scraps of wood and other debris that now littered the water. I treaded the water and turned in a slow circle.
I was completely alone. My mind automatically shifted to Gwen and Dahlia and my heart rate increased as I didn’t see either of them. A small row of houses dotted the shoreline, but they had to be at least one to two miles away.
I called out hoping someone was near enough to hear me. “Hello? Anyone?” I waited for a response but there was nothing. I waited for several more minutes while treading water. The sea was icy cold and I could feel the effects of the prolonged exposure to the cold.
The first signs of dawn reached the horizon casting a slight pink reflection across the water. My arms grew more and more tired and I knew I’d have to do something different if I wanted to survive.
I was never the strongest swimmer. I could do the dog paddle to stay afloat, that was about it. I preferred to stick to the pristine mountain streams and lakes where you could see through the crystal clear water straight down to the bottom.
I glanced back over toward the village off in the distance and spotted four small boats headed my way. I was sure that if Striker had survived, he’d have made it to the shore by now. I still refused to leave as I sifted through the debris, hoping to spot any sign of the others.
A long wooden door floated a short distance behind me. Thankfully, it was buoyant enough to hold my entire weight. I shook my head and used my remaining energy to pull myself up. I’m really going to have to Titanic this bitch?
I spread out on the door and collapsed with exhaustion. The fighting, paired with the amounts of cultivation I’d been doing without giving myself enough time to rest had finally caught up to me.
I was sure that if I were to slip back into the water, I wouldn’t be able to pull myself back out again. I pulled my rifle from its harness on my back and flipped over with my face to the sky. I craned my neck slowly and watched as the boats came closer.
There were at least five men per boat, but I had no idea if they were friendly or not. I took a deep breath and turned in the opposite direction. There was still no sign of the others.
A loud crack broke through the morning air and a bullet whizzed so close to my head I swore it actually peeled off a layer of my scalp. Several more shots rang out and bullets landed in the water all around me, some even lodging into the wood of the door I currently laid on. Guess it answers that question.
I pulled my rifle up to my chest. It had at least one round in the chamber, I just hoped I hadn’t ruined it or my chance to shoot it when I dove into the water. I rolled slowly to my stomach, and I braced the rifle on my shoulder as I searched for a target.
The first boat had nearly reached me. Its occupants laughed and shouted over to the other boats. I knew it was only a matter of time before they finished the job, but I’d be damned if I wouldn’t take out at least another two or three of the bastards before they did.
I held my aim steady as they came within about one hundred yards. They were definitely in range of my 30-30 but I waited for them to come a little closer. I only had five rounds, so I knew I needed to use them wisely. Something hit the door with a dull thud. An arrow had landed about a foot from me with its shaft sticking out from the door at an angle. A second later a barrage of arrows landed in the surrounding water, each missing wildly. Who the fuck thought it was a good idea to give these guys weapons?
The boat was nearly in range and I had my sights on my target, an archer on the first boat. The arrows annoyed me more than anything, so I figured he’d be a great place to start.
I lined him up in my iron sights and took my customary breath. As I squeezed the trigger something pulled me violently down into the water. I barely maintained my grip on the rifle as I plunged backwards down into the inky black depths of the sea.
I fought against the force dragging me down but the fatigue in my limbs made it impossible to resist. I looked up toward the top of the water, the pale glow of the morning light faded quickly as descended. My lungs felt as if they were about to burst.
I tried to get a view of what currently gripped my leg but was unsuccessful. I let out what air remained in my lungs and accepted my fate. I closed my eyes and as I was about to bring in a mouthful of water, something soft pushed up against my lips.
My eyes shot open and I was face to face with a stunningly beautiful woman. Her long glowing teal hair waved slowly in the water behind her giving her the appearance of an angel floating in the air. She playfully forced my mouth open with her tongue and cocked her head.
She moved forward and covered my mouth with hers and filled my lungs. I immediately felt refreshed and the pressure that’d become unbearable only moments earlier, completely disappeared.
She pulled back and I finally got a decent view of he
r. She was straight out of a fairy tale. I followed her eyes down her slender neck and down to her beautiful perky breasts. I paused for a moment as I reached her waist. Shimmering scales reflected what little light made it to our current depth.
The scales curved down and where her legs should’ve been, if she were a human, there was a tail. I was staring at the first mermaid I’d ever seen, and it took me several seconds to realize that I was actually breathing underwater. For someone who’s never cared for swimming, this was a game changer.
The mermaid smiled at me and swam effortlessly to my opposite side. She grabbed my arm and propelled us through the water. I felt like a human torpedo, streaking through the water with more speed than anything I’d ever experienced in my life.
My vision blurred around me and I forced my eyes closed before I became sick. By using what remained of the spirit in my core, I used my Sight skill. I could see the outlines of the rocks and coral below us. Even with my eyes closed the color blurred as my mind couldn’t keep up with the mermaid’s speed.
I gripped my rifle tightly, hoping that it would somehow ground me and quell my rising nausea. At the point where I felt I wouldn’t be able to prevent myself from vomiting, she stopped and released my arm. I floated for a few seconds, unsure whether I should open my eyes. I waited for her to re-grip my arm but it never happened.
I cracked my eyes open slowly and took in my surroundings. A beautiful golden city extended down into the depths. Rows of ornately decorated buildings stretched out as far as I could see with several brilliant green, red, orange, and pink leafy plants which gave the city a unique, almost cartoon-ish feel.
The mermaid floated up and grabbed my free hand. She stared at me curiously for several seconds before giving me a seductive smile and swimming forward.
She moved much slower now, allowing me to get a full view of the city as she pulled me along. Several other mermaids swam between the buildings and paid no attention to me as I passed. The water became shallow and soon I could stand. I exited the water and moved up onto the shore. The mermaid came halfway out of the water and motioned up the beach before speaking. “You’ll find the rest of your friends up the shore. Make sure you thank them, rarely do we save humans.” She paused and looked me up and down. “I can see why the satyr was so adamant though.” She bit her lip and pushed her long hair back, revealing her amazing breasts. “My name’s Rain. I really hope we meet again someday.”