-Chapter 3-
-One Week Ago-
A large muscular man stood on the deck of a ship flying a black banner atop it's mast. The ship was relatively small, but was a fast and maneuverable kind favored by pirates of the era. The man mused to him self about the difficulty of pirating these days. The governments of many nations are becoming much more active in fighting pirates then in years past. Which was why first mate Andrew second in command in the Bennett Pirates loved being a hired pirate of the Duke. They could rape, steal and kill to their hearts content. So long as it was the ships of the Dukes enemies and competing nations getting the end of the sword.
Another man walked up behind Andrew.
"First mate. The hag has sighted a large cargo ship from the western nations ten miles dew south."
Andrew smiled turning to the helmsman. "Helms officer! Change course to dew south!"
"Aey sir. Dew south." he repeated to the helmsmen.
The helmsmen turned the helm-wheel redirecting the ship southwards. A hour passed as Andrew and his men prepared their attack. The large merchant ship was first a dot on the horizon becoming larger and larger until its flag and crew were visible.
"Arm cannons with the reds!" Andrew shouted.
Below deck dozens of men worked loading and aiming the cannons with the special ammo.
Andrew drew his blade pointing it skywards drawing it down at the merchant ship. "Fire!"
Repeated booms resounded. Below deck of the Bennett Pirates ship a cloaked figure sat on their bed, a chain attached to their ankle. They raised their head as the sounds of cannon fire shook the ship.
"Sorry I'm sorry."
On deck Andrew grinned ear to ear as the shots hit their mark.
Multiple cannon balls slammed into the hall of the merchant-ship shaking it and it's crew.
"Pirates!" shouted a crew man.
"Call for assistance!" shouted the captain.
"We can't sir their jamming our magic mirrors!"
The merchant captain turned to his first mate. "They what!"
Before the merchant captain could process that another problem appeared.
"Captain some of the shells that hit us were slimes!"
"What!"
The captain rushed over to the edge of the ship looking over the safety rail. There along his ships hall were three red slimes eating into the hall.
"By the goddess! These pirates are crazy using those things!"
Back on the pirate ship Andrew watched while the crew of the merchant ship panicked trying to get the slimes off their ship.
"Alright everyone hunker down and hold on tight. Ramming speed!"
The pirate ship accelerated directly towards the merchant ship crashing into it. Andrew roared a battle cry leading his men into battle. Though it was more a slaughter as the pirates killed the hapless merchant crew easily. What few were able to fight didn't last long. Then a surprise appeared.
Automations magically created robots stormed out from the cargo holds. Andrews crew started being pushed back dying one or two at a time by the over powering strength of the magical creations.
Andrew strode confidently towards the mechanical enemies. "Everyone pull back I'll handle this!"
One of the automations turned towards Andrew. He used his ability changing his skin into a stone like hardened surface. The automation raised it's cutlass bringing it down on Andrews chest. Sparks erupted from the metal sword as it bounced off Andrews now armored stone like body.
"Aw what's wrong." taunted Andrew.
Instantly the other automations turned from what they were doing and all ganged up on Andrew. Attacking from all sides they struck him but again their swords all bounced off unable to cut stone like flesh.
"Well if that's it. I'm done playing."
Andrew swung his blade cleaving through the metal bodies easily. One, two, three swings and all the Automations were cut to pieces.
"Get back to work you lot!" Andrew roared as he turned towards the cargo hold entrance, entering it's dark depths.
The sound of battle and murder resumed as Andrew walked threw the cargo hold. A cloaked figure stood behind a large box as Andrew drew closer.
"Damn! That brute destroyed all my creations. It took me years to make them. And they were destroyed in moments. He must have a high class enchanted sword to cut steel so easily. Still I'll need to-."
The cloaked figure was interrupted as a hand reached from the darkness around them. "You think to much." The cloaked figure gasped in shock and surprise as a large arm wrapped around their neck. "That's why I dislike you mages."
As his arm wrapped around the mages neck tightening to snap it he stopped. "Oh what do we have here. Your a woman?"
Andrew spun the mage around pushing her against a crate. He then reached out ripping the mages cloak off revealing a aged but still youthful female body.
"Gah! What are you doing?" the mage cried trying to cover up the hole in her cloak.
Andrew smiled to him self. "Well isn't this your bad luck. Let me guess you were hired to protect this ship from pirates like us?"
Covering the hole in her cloak the mage sneered. "Isn't that obvious. Though I never would have suspected a lowly pirate would have a high class enchanted sword. Other wise my creations would have ended you. Where did you get such a thing?"
Andrew smirked. "You said it your self. I'm a pirate." In a swift cut he amputated the mages legs from the knees down.
"Aaaah! My legs!" The mage aimed her hands at Andrew creating a fire ball.
Andrew sidestepped the attack drawing his blade up wards severing the mages arms as the fire ball detonated against the wood crate turning it to ash.
"Ahhah!" the mage cried as her bloody stumps bled.
-Lemon-
Andrew wordlessly picked the mage up dragging her by the hood of her cloak to a waist high crate. Placing her on the crate face down he ripped off her clothes and pulled out his dick.
"No! No! Please. I'll do anything! Please!"
Andrew ignored the woman's begging as he forcibly inserted his manhood into her pussy. The woman's cry's of physical and emotional pain and violation echoed through the cargo hold as the pirate raped her. He thrust, pulled out, thrust, pulled out and thrust into her again and again as she cried about some guy and that she was sorry. Andrew used the limbless woman as a personal pleasure hole bringing him self to the edge of climax but slowed and controlled his movements to extend the pleasure high. Eventually he couldn't hold him self back and he exploded his seed into the mages body while continuing to thrust in and out as he came into her.
"Ah! That was nice. Been awhile since I could enjoy my self like that. Huh!" Andrew looked down at the limp pale body of the mage. "Guess she bled to death. Oh well."
Andrew continued using the corpse coming several more times before placing the soiled corpse into his dimensional storage. Andrew looked through his fifteen slots realizing he had a problem.
"Damn its full. This ones old. I'll throw it out to make some room."
Andrew reached into his dimensional storage pulling out the corpse of a red haired woman with a large old stab wound in her chest. He placed the mages body into the same slot in his inventory.
-Lemon End-
Grabbing the leg of the corpse Andrew dragged it out onto deck. One of the other pirates walked up to him giving the body a glance.
"Sir we've secured the ship."
"Good. Transfer all the cargo to our ship and collect the red slimes. It was expensive buying them."
"Yes sir."
As the underling left Andrew dragged the corpse to the edge of the ship and casually threw it into the ocean.
"Circle of life." He laughed to him self.
-The Present-
A week later on the island.
I sneezed wiping my nose. "Hope I'm not getting a cold."
Moving through the underbrush I grab a few berries and bugs munching on them. Returning to the Drider puppet I hopped in and return to the others.
A few minutes later I'm back at the hide-out. The others were talking by the beach. I casually walked up to them startling a few of them.
Remembering we can't communicate I start drawing in the sand. I make a series of drawings showing us working together. I use my self as bait while the others hide in the jungle. When the patrols attack me I fight them drawing their attention while the others sneak up from behind and kill the humans and take their weapons.
The beast-men share glances talk a bit, then wipe the sand clear making their own series of pictures. Their pictures explain they can't harm the pirates directly because of those collars around their necks and the magical slave contracts.
I take a moment to think of a work around. Grabbing a rock off the beach I hold it up against my mouth spiting acid on it. As it eats away a hole in the stone I show it to the others and point to it then to their collars.
They sigh shaking their heads.
"##$%%^&%$#" the Tiger woman says.
"Damn. They must be enchanted with magic reinforcement so normal acid won't work. Really regretting not having magic."
I throw the rock back over my shoulder and think. After a moment one of the cat beastmen speaks up with a idea. I have no idea what he's saying but shortly after words they start making pictures in the sand.
After looking at the drawings I get the gist of their plan. They want to flip the script to my plan using themselves as bait while I ambush the humans.
"Ok I get it." I say nodding.
We all move out making our way through the jungle. After a hour of hiking we finally reach a wide open field with a single large rock surrounded by a cluster of trees in the middle. The werewolf gestures indicating he wants me to make a large webbing in the trees around the rock. I guess he wants to make this the ambush spot. I shrug climbing into the trees quickly webbing them up like the real hideout but not camouflaging them. We then set up the trap making fake bodies with some exposed fur here and there taken from the bestmen and web it all in the trees. After words we dig out several pit fall traps in the area, I made hardened creep shovels for them. As well as hard creep spikes to place in the holes.
Once a few spiked pit fall traps and hiding pits are done everyone takes their positions in said pits. While their waiting I wandered the forest to attract the enemy. After a Half hour I strike gold. My Drider puppet get's hit with a arrow. Looking down at the stick lodged in the Driders shoulder I rip it out turning around.
"%**(&&))#." I hear a distance away.
A moment later that male tiger beastman leaps out from the foliage at me. The force and speed of his attack pushed the larger Drider puppet back. But with the surprise attack over I counter attack with my spear. Batting him away I make the Drider shriek loudly. He bares his fangs roaring back not backing down. We both lunge at each other again. I thrust my spear. He dodges and leaps onto me clawing and biting at the Driders face.
I wrap the Driders four arms around him and squeeze with a bear hug. Turning towards a tree I dash towards it smashing him against it. With a pained yell the Male tiger beastman falls to the ground. He looks up at me bearing his fangs.
-Agnox POV-
"Damn you! You give my wife back!"
In the bushes Kou and the humans remain hidden as Agnox plays his part in the plan.
Kou the cat beastman clenched his fists. "Damn Agnox why do you have to be so hasty to die."
"Don't worry he'll play his part." a human says. "After all he wants to avenge his dear wife's death doesn't he." the humans said sarcastically with a laugh.
As they watched the battle Agnox was beaten back by the Drider. Cut by the monsters claws and impaled in the leg with that spear. Having slowed Agnox down the Drider took the opportunity and bit him in the neck. His body went limp as the strength left him. The Drider having dealt with the most apparent threat looked around for the one who shot that arrow. Holding onto the body of Agnox she started towards the direction of the hiding humans and beastman.
One of the humans turned to a young female beastman. "Your up bitch. Don't disappoint us."
He handed her a bow and arrow and kicked the girl out of the bushes. Quivering in fear she raised her bow and arrow. The single arrow flew at the Drider striking into the armored chest. The Drider pulled the arrow out and roared moving lighting fast. The spear impaled the poor girl in the leg. She cried in pain collapsing to the ground even while she thought of her younger sister back in town. She quivered as she was lifted and the Drider bit her on the neck. Like Agnox she hung in the killers lower arms.
The Drider looked around for anymore enemies then gave a snort and left. Kou bit his lower lip as the beast left with the bodies of his two friends tucked in its arms.
"Did we get it?" asked one human.
"Yeah. Both tracking arrows are working. The enchanted arrow heads broke off in the Driders body and with these magic tracking mirrors we can follow that thing where ever it goes on this island."
The Drider glanced at the holes the arrows made feeling minor discomfort. Ignoring it she continued through the jungle carrying her prey. The humans and Kou following distantly behind it, as it made its way across the island. After several hours it finally stopped. Kou and the humans kneeled in a bunch of bushes at the edge of a clearing.
"Guess that's its nest." the human in charge said.
The dozens of humans readied their weapons as Kou watched the Drider spin Agnox in her webs and bit him again. Kou spotted a dozen or so other webs in the nest. Smelling the air he detected all the familiar scents.
"Vallin and the others up there! Are any of them alive."
"Good that means the Harpy and the Drider are working together." a human said to Kou catching his attention. "Here. Get that things attention and get it to come closer over here so we can ambush it."
The human handed Kou a rifle. "Ok. I can do this, I can do this." Kou repeated to him self.
Weapon in hand He walked out into the clearing using the fallen logs of long dead trees as cover to get closer without being spotted.
Kou sat behind a log feeling his heart pump. He remembered Agnox last words to him.
"Can I really do this."
Kou then smelled a whiff of the scents from his friends.
"This is Vallins scent? Roroara too? I smell Kaede? Isao and Nari as well. Those are their bodies up there?"
Kou thought a moment on the reason he smelled them so strongly. Corpses have their own scent and these scents didn't have the smell of death mixed in. As Kou wondered what was going on he glanced towards the tree line spotting the humans hiding in the forest, waiting for him to be the living bait to draw out the Drider. Kou sighed knowing that if he didn't do what they said then the others back in town would be punished. Just like last time.
Giving one last deep breath collecting his confidence he leaped out from cover aiming at the spiders nest. Steadying the rifle he pulled the trigger sending a enchanted ball shot flying down range. The moment the metal ball hit the webs it ignited releasing its stored magical spell into a conflagration of heat and fire. The nest went up in flames. The Drider roared and shrieked as it stormed out of the nest knocking the webbed up bodies of Agnox and the beast-man girl to the ground.
As the webs burned the Drider leaped off the trees spotting Kou. He flinched as he and the now vary mad Drider made eye contact. With a murderous shriek it charged at him. With a last bit of courage Kou aimed and fired landing a glancing blow on the Driders shoulder. The explosion of fire enveloped the Drider only for it to sprint out of the fire ball without even slowing down. Dropping the gun Kou ran back towards the tree line right into the middle of a ambush.
Just as Kou reached the tree line the humans stood up. Two rows of riflemen leveled their guns and fired. Caught in a crossfire from both flanks two dozen enchanted projectiles like the one that ignited the Driders nest struck it. A dozen small explosions erupted over the Driders body knocking it back and blacking its exo-skeleton with scorch marks.
"Did we get the damn thing?" said a human.
Kou watched as the Drider slowly got back up but retreated back towards the burning nest.
"Damn its tough. Reload and fire again."
The two ranks of humans quickly reloaded their rifles and fired again bombarding the wounded Drider. Now crippled the Drider limped away dragging its self back towards the nest in a attempt to escape.
"Charge!" the human leader yelled.
Two dozen humans sprinted out from the tree line aiming their their bayoneted rifles at the crippled Drider. Another barrage of sporadic fire struck the Drider blasting small holes in its feminine body while burning the area. The Drider with the last of its strength raised its spear throwing it and impaling two humans. The rest of the humans reached their target thrusting their spears into the body of the Drider over and over. The Drider grabbed the closest humans breaking their necks, slamming them into the ground or throwing them at the other humans farther away killing another eight of them. Kou watched from the tree line as they speared the Drider over and over impaling its torso, neck, head even shooting it again several more times before it finally stopped moving.
"Is it finally dead?"
"Must be. Just look at all the damage."
"To bad too. She's got a fine pair on her chest."
"Brian shut up. No one wants to hear your deviant fantasies."
Brian shrugged as the Driders rear abdomen opened. "Hey I'm just say-."
Brian's words were abruptly cut short along with his neck by the removal of his head.
"Brian!" shouted another human.
The other humans gasped in shock as the blue wings of the Mutant Harpy extended skywards. Brian's severed head tucked in one of the harpies clawed feet.
From the tree line Kou watched as the mutant Harpy sliced into the humans ranks, clawing striking and biting through their throats as she leaped and dashed about between them keeping them off balance. In their panic the humans scattered to get distance but fell into the many pitfall traps scattered around. The few that fell into the hiding pits were tied up by the hiding beastmen as the slave contract prevented them from harming the humans but not capturing them.
-My POV-
I dashed about the field striking out with my wings to disorient and my talons to kill. Sweep, slash, jump, kick, bite. I killed the humans one after the other leaving none alive. Their bodies easily breaking in my embrace. The few with the brains to retreat were quickly caught up to and killed thanks to my speed and agility. The ones who were able to reload shot at me only to miss while I kept on the move. I dived and dashed around faster then they could aim. Shots went wild and one or two hit each other in friendly fire.
Eventually after just a few minutes there was silence. They were all dead. Once it was all over the beast men came out from cover.
The beas tmen kept the few surviving humans tied and gaged in the pit traps while I started feasting on the bodies of the dead. I needed to replenish the lost biomass and repair the Drider puppet. As I ate the humans the beast men talked ushering over their cat beast man in the jungle. The male and female tiger beast men embraced lovingly hugging and kissing.
"H'm they must be married?"
The second female beast men groggily joined the others and all together they started cleaning up the bodies placing them together in a pile and recovering their weapons. After finishing off one whole human body I examined one of the rifles. It didn't have any rifling grooves in the shaft nor did it have a ammo magazine.
"This would have a slow reload time."
Another headache hit me as I learned about 21st century rifles and the lathe machines that cut the grooves into the solid metal barrels to spin the bullet to improve accuracy.
"Whenever I learn how to communicate with these people I wonder if I can use my knowledge to jump their tech level and get rich?"
-Vallin POV-
Vallin picked up another rifle tucking it under his arm. If they ever get their hands on the contracts then these rifles would be a great weapon to strike back at the damn humans with.
"Vallin." called Agnox.
Vallin turned to his friend. "Hey you. Feeling better? That paralyzing venom sure packs a punch doesn't it!"
Agnox rubbed his neck. "Sure does. Damn bitch sure isn't gentle is she."
Agnox glanced over as the Mutant Harpy examined a rifle while snacking on a human arm. "She eats them!"
Kaede shrugged with a disgusted/worried look. "Better them then us."
Agnox thought about that as his wife wrapped a arm around his. "Can't disagree. Just hope she doesn't get a appetite for beastman." Agnox turned to Vallin with a serious look on his face. "We may be out from under the humans watch but that's meaningless if we can't get rid of these slave contracts." Agnox said pulling at the collar around his neck.
"True." Vallin replied. "Have any ideas?"
Agnox sighed. "Not really." He turned to the mutant Harpy still playing with the guns. "But since she was able to get into Bennetts house undetected maybe she can do it again and get those contracts."
Everyone turned to the mutant harpy.
-My POV-
Taking a bit out of the human arm I got a feeling like I was being watched. Looking up I saw the beastmen staring at me. "What?"
"%^^$$# ?." said the werewolf.
"! ###$$#%^%^." said the male tiger beastman.
I continued munching on the human leg as they talked. My keen senses of hearing picked up the beating of wings. Slightly glancing up I look around with my eyes just a bit. After a moment of searching I spot a harpy high above watching us. My own keen sense of sight allowing me to recognize her as one of the harpies that was in the prison cabin I was placed in when I was first caught.
"Must be a spy for that female pirate leader. The jungle is pretty dense so they wouldn't be able to see much from that far up normally. This pirate leader is perceptive and takes caution's preparations. Looks like I will have to as well."
Standing up I walk over to the pile of human bodies munching on them while the others keep talking.
-Bennett POV-
Bennett sat in her personal study looking through the crystal ball showing the mutant harpy and the other supposedly dead beastmen.
"Fuycking hell!" Bennett took a drink of her wine. "There alive? How did they fake their deaths? Was it that mutant harpy? Is she a bloody biomancer! That would explain the heads? A biomancer could fake the scent and structure of another's body parts to fake their deaths. Who the hell is she? Well? Whatever. That Drider ally of hers is dead and none of the beastmen can fight or risk becoming my pawns again. All I need is one word in ear shot and their my puppets. Damn I should have included my men in the slave contract that way they could command them too. But ordering the beastmen to never harm my men or me was enough to keep them under control before for now. Whatever. All I need to do is kill or capture that mutant or biomancer harpy and I win."
-My POV-
Back in the open field in the forest.
I munched and munched on the humans until my bulging belly was full but most of them were left. The others had collected the humans weapons and were ready to head out. I weaved a net placing the remaining humans bodies in it and then with hand gestures asked the beast men haul the bodies away. I then weaved together several silk ropes attaching them to the Drider puppets dead body. Working together all of us were able to pull the meat puppet into the forest.
As we moved I kept my senses tuned to the surroundings as we made our way through the jungle. The harpy couldn't see us through the canopy but I couldn't be sure of that considering magic exists. For all I know she has a item or ability that allows her to see through the canopy.
After a while of trekking I mimed to the beastmen that I'll stay there and that they should get going back to the base. They just nodded and departed leaving the living and dead humans with me and taking the weapons as they went.
"Sorry but since we can't properly communicate I'll work better alone."
After the beast men left I killed the few surviving humans and started creating a creep colony. Once the bulbous meat dome was completed I fed the human bodies to its expanding creep carpet along with the Drider puppet. I kept the creeps size down to a few dozen meters so as not to grow too big and damage the forest. Hours passed. Then a day. One of the beast men returned to see what I was up to. I mimed that I was fine and sent them on their way.
-Vallin POV-
Vallin bit into the fresh fish. He and the others were all gathered in the mutant harpies hidden hideout by the beach. They were free for the moment but if Bennett found them she could just order them back and the slave contracts would force them to obey. They needed to find away of destroying them.
Vallin turned to Nari. "Nari? Do you know where Bennett keeps the contracts?"
Chewing her fish Nari thought. "I never had a good look in her desk. She always kept it locked. They maybe in there? But I don't know which drawer."
Vallin shrugged. "That's a sham. But its our best bet to get these collars off. Well just have to draw her out of the town somehow. Then get into her office. At worst the damn desk could be enchanted with a reinforcement spell. At best the contracts are in there but its just locked."
Agnox gulped swallowing his cooked fish. "I can smash that desk even if it is enchanted."
Roroara smiled. "Yes we all know your strong my dear but we can't be foolish. Anyone of us can be made into that womans puppets again at a single word. The only one of us that has a chance against her is that odd harpy girl."
Kaede snapped his head up. "Who the heck is she? Obviously a wanderer of sorts."
Isao sighed. "She's a odd one. Kind of hot too the way she's just dressed in that skimpy dress."
"Get your head out of the gutter Isao." said the other female cat beast men quietly eating her meal.
Vallin looked out the opening to the ocean. "I wonder what she's doing out there alone?"
Kou shivered. "Guh! When I went back to see what she was doing there was this big bulbous ball of meat that was growing over the forest floor. I think she fed the humans to it along with that Drider?"
Everyone felt a little less hungry.
"What kind of creature is she?" said Nari.
"I've never heard of a ability or magic like that?" said Roroara.
Vallin shrugged. "What kind of magic or ability she has is besides the point. She's responsible for releasing us from that woman's grasp. If only a little. We should trust her a little more and not judge because of how odd she is."
Everyone shared looks of agreement.
"Agreed. Now lets get some rest." said Agnox.
-My POV-
I recycled the biomass of the humans and the Drider puppet into a collective pool of biomass. Once that was done I grew another puppet in a cocoon pod but unlike the last one I gave the new one a human form standing ten foot high. I then created a suit of bio-armor in another pod along with several high density bio-blades and a halberd sized for the puppet bio-knight. I then created another pod for my self and reconstructed my body. I rebuilt my body back into its original human form. The harpy body was fast and agile but weak and easy to push around.
Hatching I stood up stretching my goo covered legs and arms. I wiped the slimy amniotic fluid off and picked up the newly grown bone weapons and gave them a few experimental swings. I spent a full day training and getting used to my body and the new weapons. I then did the whole thing over again with that bio-suit of armor on to get used to it as well.
It's organic frame and criss crossing ribbon like plating formed over my body perfectly. The prefect fitting armor was comfortable and protected me quite well all without restricting my movement. After taking a whole day to train with the weapon and armor I decided to experiment.
Picking up the other weapons I had grown I loaded the explosive shells into the oversized gun made of bone and loaded a shell.
It was difficult recreating the chemical components of the black powder I had examined from the primitive firearms but chemicals are chemicals. I had spent long enough experimenting back on the first island with my abilities to be able to recreate gunpowder. The fabricated bone-gun made was in all honesty a hit or miss experiment. Loading the shell into the barrel I pulled the hammer back and pulled the trigger.
Nothing.
"Well that was a failed experiment. The igniter needs to be a certain material. I need proper materials."
Looking at the now confirmed paper weight I got an idea. I removed the gunpowder placing it in a cylinder like pipe-bomb with a short cloth fuse. I used the sparking rock from one of the rifles firing mechanism I had took and started creating sparks until the cloth ignited and started burning. I then ran.
Boom!
"One successful experiment. I really wanted some explosives for my plan. This will have too do."
Scraping my plan to make use of the gun I just put all of the remaining black powder into several bone pip bombs and left for the hideout. I walked for a few hours until reaching it.
"I'm starting to miss my wings. But they won't help me at this point. I feel like there will be heavy fighting in the future and that light weak harpy frame would only be a hindrance." I thought.
Cresting a hill I catch sight of the hideout. If I didn't make it my self I would have just thought it a rock surrounded by trees and passed by. I walked around the fake rock. Standing by the entrance I spot several of the beast men fishing in the ocean and several others on the beach cleaning and preparing the rifles.
"! &&^%." The male tiger beast men said poking me in the back with a gun barrel.
I turn around and lift my helmet pointing to my face.
"Your pretty sneaky for a big guy. It's me the harpy that's been helping you." I mime to him.
He raises his eyebrow leaning in to get a better look at me.
I didn't change my facial structure since before I took on that harpy form so with the exception of the lack of scales my face is the same as its always been.
The male tiger beast men relaxes giving me a curious look. I hand him the bag of pip-bombs and mime I want him to help me do something. For simplicity we go to the beach and write pictures in the sand to talk the only way we can, with picture charades. I say I need him to use the explosives to create a distraction so I can get back into the female pirate captains house to get the slave contracts.
He mimes out his own plane saying he wants to free the other beast men at the same time. I then wright in the sand that I want him to look for the harpies and to hand them a small pot of deadly poison. The male tiger beast men takes the poison reluctantly and nods.
After both sides explained their plans and both fully understood the other's intentions we all left for the town together. Along the way I picked up the new giant knight puppet and we continued on wards.
-Meanwhile-
At sea the Bennett pirates ship cruised over the ocean waves on their way back to their home port.
In the captains cabin Andrew sat counting his cut of the coins collected from the last jobs haul. "Two. Three. Four. That's four hundred silver coins and twenty nine gold coins for me."
The door opened.
"First mate sir were approaching the island. Well be home by tomorrow." said the crewman
Andrew threw the bag of coins into the desk drawer. "I can't wait to get back and relax. Hope the captains doing well keeping from going insane from the boredom."
The crewman snickered. "Hah. Yeah. Ever since she had to fake her death a while back she's been unable to lead any raids. She's always been the type to get itchy if she doesn't have a good fight."
Andrew laughed. "That's what happens when you get too big a bounty and reputation. If she hadn't faked her death more then one major nation would have kept chasing after us. And besides we would have never meet the Duke and gotten this sweet deal."
The crewman stroked his beard in thought. "You know Andrew me and some of the boys have been thinking and well we have come to agree that perhaps you should be the new captain."
Andrew raised a eye brow leaning back into his chair. "Really? I do basically fill the roll. But I'm still far weaker a leader then Bennett."
"Aie we know. But she's just been slacking off on the island for the past year and a half while you've been leading all our raids."
Andrew placed his hands together. "It was the captain that forged the pact with the Duke. If we take her down then we would have to do it in a way that benefits the Duke."
"True." replied the crewman.
-Meanwhile-
I trekked through the jungle with the others taking slow deliberate foot steps to keep as silent as possible. It was near sundown when we finally reached the town. We kept out of sight just out of town and finalized our plans. The beast-men couldn't fight directly but they could still do their part. We split up into three groups. The werewolf and two of the cat beast-men went to the west side of the town while the male tiger beast-men and the others went to the other side. Both groups had some of the pipe bombs I had made. While they were planting the explosives I went out to sea. Swimming out to sea in the knight puppet I waded through the water just a few feet below the surface. I circled around positioning my self so I was close to the pirate leaders house.
I waited there standing in the deep water until two explosions rocked the town. Moving the knight puppet so it's head was above the waters surface I listened as chaos and panic rocked the town. In the distance I heard numerous people yelling, shouting and panicking as they ran to and fro. A third explosion destroyed a storage building. People ran about trying to put the fires out. As I watched I slowly moved up closer and closer to the town until I was right at the docks. Everyone's attention was directed to the sides of the town while I was moving towards the middle.
Stepping onto land I moved swiftly to the target house. Remembering the layout the pirate captains rooms or office should be in the back of the second floor facing the ocean. Smashing through a second story wall and ripping a hole out I exited the knight puppet's back-pack like hump leaving it standing there. Pulling one of my bone swords I leap into the hole landing in a roll.
The hallway was clear.
Raising to my feet I dash down the hall noting the stairs from the first floor was behind me. Reaching the first door I take a thrusting stance piercing the doors lock. Yanking the blade out I open the broken door and look in side.
A fireball fly's at me.
"Shit!"
Barely side stepping the fireball it grazes by chest armor as it passes, detonating against the wall. Darting behind the wall I peek in seeing that pirate captain lady siting at her desk with a flintlock pistol leveled at me.
"Did that gun shoot the fireball?"
My question was answered as the lady pulled the trigger. A light erupted from the barrel forming into a fireball.
"!#$^&&%%$." she said as the fireball impacted the wall.
"Sorry I can't understand a word your speaking lady!"
-Bennett POV-
Bennett narrowed her eyes sighing at the gibberish the armored knight spoke.
"What the hells going?" on Bennett thought to her self.
First that mutant Harpy lands on her island then that giant Drider shows up massacring her men and now some knight in odd armor show's up out of nowhere just as a attack hits her town. Bennett may not be a scholar but she's no fool. The stacking coincidences are mounting. If she was a beating woman and she is. Then the three individuals the harpy, the Drider and this knight are the same person.
"How the hell? That bitch really must be a biomancer if she's able to shapeshift. I've got a big problem then. Best to eliminate the issue before I incur anymore losses."
Bennatte glanced at the desk. "That biomancer must be after the slave contracts."
Bennette fires the fire-breath pistol at the wall blowing it out and knocking the armored knight back a moment.
-My POV-
"Ow!"
Picking my self up I look back spotting the pirate leader pulling a bunch of rolled up scrolls out of her desk and stuffing them into a portal. In the next moment she pulled a second pistol from another portal and fired.
I dash left then right avoiding the trajectory of her aim. Our dance lasts a few seconds as I jump about avoiding her shots. I dash forwards rolling against her desk. Grabbing its feet I flip it over.
-Bennett POV-
"Fuck!" Bennett cursed diving out of the way as the desk crashed into the wall.
Bennett raised to one knee aiming her armor piercing pistol at the knight shooting twice. The knight leapt backwards out the doorway. The shots miss by scant millimeters striking the wall.
"Oh no you don't!"
Bennett holstered her fire-breath pistol pulling her black blade. Jumping to her feet she chased after the knight catching sight of them as they dashed out the hole in the second floor wall. Bennett fired again striking the knights shoulder as they jumped out the hole.
"Winged them!"
Feeling some what relived at wounding her target Bennett gave chase down the hall. Reaching the hole she saw a surprising sight. A ten foot knight armored in the same black plates as the knight, stood before her at eye level.
"The hells!"
The knight ducked smashing into the first floor wall below Bennett.
"What's it doing?"
Bennett turned around aiming her pistol over the banister handrail at the giant knight now in the dinning room. The bullets pierced the knight's armor despite its thickness. The knight crouched in the dining room turned smashing into the kitchen.
"Where do you think you going." Bennett shouted as she continued shooting. "What that's directly under!"
-My POV-
That woman didn't notice until I had smashed into the kitchen under her office room. Simply raising up I smashed into the office room and with the knight puppets might smashed the desk into tiny pieces. During the demolition of the house some of some the candles and gas lights were damaged causing a fire to spread. As the house caught fire I looked up at the second floor door way to the now destroyed office staring into the furious eyes of the pirate leader.
-Bennett POV-
"Bastard! I wasn't able to get all the contracts out in time."
Bennett gritted her teeth in anger as the desk containing the rest of the beast-men's slave contracts went up in smoke as the fire spread across the house.
The giant knight reached up to grab her but Bennett leaped back dashing down the hallway. Bennett aimed and shot the hand before it pulled back into the room.
"I'm going to kill and skin that bitch or whatever it is?!"
Bennett listened as the knight tromped around below her. Knowing what it was doing Bennett ran down the hall and out the hole in the wall the giant had it's self made. Landing on the ground by the docks Bennett gritted her teeth as her house burned in front of her.
In only a minute the house collapsed in a heap of burning debris. Bennett remained on guard expecting the giant knight to come around the building or dash over the debris. But it never came. Instead she heard screams and yelling from the main street.
"Damn he's after my men!"
Bennett ran around the burning house blade and gun in hand. Arriving she beheld dozens of her men scattered in the street. All crushed, split apart or impaled on the giant knights clawed fingers. The knight kneeled glancing back. Spotting Bennett it raised to its full height and pulled a giant halberd from its back.
"Fine you wan to fight! I'll show you why I was known as the terror of the eastern seas!"
Bennett raised her black swords. A strong wind blew in circling around the blade joined by lightning. The blade came down sending a blinding wave of light at the knight.
After the attacks light subsided the knight stood several feet to the side missing a arm.
"Hah! Not so tough are you!"
Bennetts jubilation was cut short as the giant knight bent down picked up its severed arm and just casually placed it back on. After a moment the fingers of the once severed arm flexed and the knight rotated the arm in test.
Bennett laughed. "Hah! It wouldn't be fun if it was too easy to kill you. You may have size but your slow and easy to hit."
Raising her blade again this time at a diagonal angle Bennett swung releasing another magical attack. But in the next instant the giant knight dashed to the side avoiding the cutting ray of light. In one more step it was on Bennett, bringing one of its giant first's down at her.
"Damn you are quick!"
Wing circled around Bennett's legs as she leaped backwards flying a dozen meters and easily avoiding the crushing fist. While in flight she sheathed her sword and drew her fire-breath pistol before her feet touched the ground. She fired a barrage of fireballs and armor piercing shells. The knight brought one arm up to defend while swinging its halberd down.
Using her wind magic Bennett leaped away avoiding the attack. She jumped from rooftop to rooftop hammering the knight at a distance while It struck at her with its long halberd. Using her superior agility she easily evaded the giants relatively slow attacks. Its armor could easily tank the fire-breath blasts but the armor-piercing pistols round could pierce it. But such damage counted for little given its size as the damage inflicted was little more then a bee sting or needle poke.
Bennett landed on a roof top wondering how she could take that bastard down. "That knight must be in that thick part on its back. If I hit there?"
Bennett took aim firing three shots. The rounds struck the hump on the giants back and instantly the giant stuttered. Bennett grinned firing over and over. After the tenth shot the giant fell to its knees and dropped to the ground silent.
"Hah! The bigger they are the easier it is to hit their vitals."
"Captain!" yelled a grunt.
Bennett turned to the recruit. "Yeah what?"
"The beast-men! They've escaped!"
Bennett kept her eyes on the fallen giant. "Don't chase after them. Well deal with them in dew time now that the trouble maker is dead."
The man sweated. "Ma'am I uh don't mean the rebels who bombed the town. I mean all the other beast-men."
Bennetts eyes shot open as she turned to the man. "What!. How many?"
The man stuttered. "A. Ah All of them."
"How?!"
"During the chaos of the explosions and the fires some of the rebel beast-men got into the pens where we keep their kids and made off with them. The rest ran into the jungle shortly after while we were trying to put the fires out. Some of our men gave chase but with the losses during the hunts for that mutant harpy and the Drider our man powers been cut in half."
Bennett sighed dropping her head. "It's my fault for not accounting for my men's numbers. Damnit." Bennett turned to the silent giant shooting it several more times in frustration. "This is all your fault."
Crunch! The giants hand moved grasping Bennetts legs.
"Damn your still alive! Just die already."
Bennett shot the giant over and over stabbing it over and over. Her sword cutting into its thick armor. During her anger and frustration a pair of eyes that had been watching from above swooped down. A pair of claws slashed across Bennetts chest leaving her shirt in tatters and three bloody slash marks over her chest. The Harpy glided a distance away before landing in the street. She turned around with a scared, angered expression on her face as she stared at Bennett.
The pirate captain Bennett looked down at the cuts in her bloody chest. "Now my favorite coats ruined." she said deadpan.
Bennett glared fiercely at the Harpy raising her pistol. The harpy shrank back getting ready to flee. However Bennetts hand shook and the grip on her pistol weakened and she dropped it.
"Huh?" Bennett questioned as a sense of extreme fatigue washed over her. "Why?" Bennett looked down at the claw marks across her chest spotting a stain mixed with her blood. "Poison. Heh! Didn't see that coming."
Bennett collapsed dying from the poison. The pirate recruit ran away.
The knight exited the giant knights back pack and stood over Bennett.
Her strength quickly fading the former pirate queen actually felt at ease for some reason. A sense of contentment washing over her. She laughed coughing up blood.
"Heh! Guess you can make poison too huh. Should have thought of that since your a biomancer. Guess I'm getting slow in my age."
Bennett closed her eyes remembering decades into her past. She and her friends lived in a port town. They played games in a old ship wreck by the coast. Opening her eyes she gave another bloody laugh.
"You win far and square."
The knight folded back their helmet revealing it to be a young girl with azure blue hair and red eyes.
"Your pretty. Heh. There are worse ways to die I guess. Fine. Here take the slave contracts. The worst kind of treasure is the kind lost forever."
With the last of her strength Bennett emptied her dimensional storage. The area became cluttered with weapons, jugs of beer, brass, silver and gold coins, various gemstones, jewelry, papers and books. Including the two books and medallion.
-My POV-
The pirate leader smiled one last time before passing away. I looked through the various stuff finding my belongings, the sword, the books and the medallion. I also took my opponents weapons as a prize of battle.
After their leaders defeat the remaining pirates surrendered and were locked in the prison shack. The two tiger beast-men took charge and got everyone organized to put out the fires and repair what damaged buildings could be salvaged. I watched from the large tree as they picked up their tattered lives trying their best to get back to a semblance of normal.
The next day I yawned stretching in the tree house. Looking down at the town everyone looked much happier then before. I climbed down. I still miss my wings. And walked around town. Everyone gave me looks. Some looked away as soon as they saw me others stared at me.
"What's with them. Something on my face?"
Arriving at the demolished house of the pirate leader I reviewed the battle and how I could have don better. Crossing my arms I sighed.
"If my stuff was in that desk I would have destroyed them. Guess I owe that pirate lady a word of thanks for snatching them then."
"?&&^%!." I heard from behind.
Turning around it was the silver werewolf holding a 2x4 board over his shoulder and staring with a embarrassed expression on his wolf face.
"Huh, what? You want something." I shrugged wondering what was his problem.
He sighed using his free hand to point down at my body. Looking down I notice I'm butt naked.
"Oh! Yeah I kind of forgot people wear clothes outside of battle. Sorry. So that's why everyone was giving me looks."
Laughing to my self I started running back to the treehouse to some clothes on but was interrupted when a beast-men yelled loudly about something from the docks. Me and the silver werewolf ran over to see what was up. As we arrived at the docks we saw a large ship approaching the island from two miles out.
"%%$#!()." The werewolf said sounding afraid and worried.
"Guessing that's a enemy. More of the pirates." I said more to my self then to him.
"!$ #((*&%%$# !." Some girl said from below.
Looking down, in the water below the docks I spotted the mermaids. The same ones I had briefly seen behind the holding cell building.
"%%$## ?." said the werewolf to them.
"! &&^%$." said the mermaids.
The werewolf squeezed the hand railing and ran off. I followed glancing back at the ship. We ran through town to the building the husband and wife tiger beast-men used as a office. The werewolf burst in with me right behind.
"!$&&^%." werewolf said to the male tiger guy.
Standing up from behind his makeshift desk the male tiger beast-men made a stern face glancing over at me. He gave me a shock expression before turning back to the werewolf putting on a seriousness look.
"!)()(*&&^." he said to the werewolf.
Their conversation went back and forth for a minute and they occasionally glanced at me as they talked. I acted just as confused as I actually was regarding their conversation.
"&^^%$#!." I heard from the door.
Glancing back the female tiger walked in staring at me.
"!# &&^." the female tiger beast-men said to me.
"Sorry still can't understand you." I said shrugging with a confused look while pointing to my ears.
The female tiger beast-men sighed pinching the bridge of her nose. She took me by the hand and lead me out. We walked to the house or rather hut she and her husband was living in I assumed. I just kind of assumed they were a couple because of how they acted towards each other. The female tiger beast-men went through a trunk of clothes eventually pulling out a simple child's red dress with white frills around the collar and wrists.
The lady beast-men gave the dress a momentary look of nostalgia. I'm guessing that it used to be hers or belonged to her kid at one point.
"&&*^%$%$." she said handing it to me.
"Thanks." I said taking it.
I put the dress on actually feeling a little uncomfortable. Guess all that time I spent alone made me more comfortable being naked then wearing clothes. That one dress I made from my own silk don't count since I made it from my own body so it was more apart of me like me hair. Like if someone with long hair that quickly regrew cut their hair and made clothes out of it. Same difference. Its still apart of them. Or come from them.
I may not feel as comfortable in it as I would like but it would be rude to not accept it. Twirling around a bit and giving my self a look in the tall mirror along the wall I smile turning to the tiger lady.
"Thanks I like it." I said nodding and smiling.
"()()**&^&" She said smiling back.
Outside we hear a commotion. Exiting the hut we see a large number of the beast-folk moving through town. One group gathering at the docks while the other were fleeing from the docks. Running over we watch as the pirate ship docks at the far left of the cove area. I spot the tiger-guy and werewolf with ten other beast-men marching over to the ship. I start to follow but the female tiger lady stops me grabbing my wrist.
"!?)(*&^&^%." she says staring at me with a worried look.
"Lady I know your worried but I can take care of my self. Calm down." I said gently placing my hand over hers.
I turn around dashing towards the docked ship. It easily dwarfs any of the other boats in the cove. All of which are small fishing boats no larger then fifteen feet long and ten feet wide at most. The ship was several hundred feet long. But considering the size of the semi curved cove that the docks were built in it still had plenty of room.
-Andrews POV-
First mate Andrew rix of the Bennett pirates was not pleased. Why were there beast-men greeting him instead of the captain and the new men she said she would take the month to train while Andrew and the others were out at sea. Something was wrong. Andrew stood at the top of the ramp while the beast-men gathered around his ship.
"Hey you fur-hounds! Where's the captain? She always greets me when we return!"
Agnox smirked as he stared up at the first mate of the Bennett pirates. "She's dead. Now if you don't want to join her I suggest you all leave us be and find another port to shit! in human."
Andrew raised a eye brow in confusion. Giving the beast-men a closer look he notices they are all not wearing their slave collars. As he's looking them over the beast-men all draw swords and pistols. Some blades were odd looking like they there made from bone or something but are too large to be carved from any human or smaller beast. Andrew glanced over at the buildings spotting several beast-men aiming muskets at them from the docks and buildings balconies.
"I see you've broken you chains somehow? Well that's to bad for you. Even with the captain dead we still have a sweet deal with a benefactor. And its not like we got anywhere else we could go. So I guess were just going to have to fight to the death then aren't we!"
Agnox, Vallin and the others all tensed up preparing for a fight.
"Fire!" yelled Agnox.
The rifle-men on the balconies and docks opened fire showering Andrew and his crew in explosive balls. As the smoke cleared he stood there completely undamaged except for some burnt clothes. In the next moment the pirates on the boat leaped off attacking Agnox, Vallin and the others. As the melee battle started several pirates remained on the boat returning fire on the beast-men riflemen.
As the pitched battle erupted those beast-men who were unable to fight kept away but others joined in on the melee. The harpy sisters swooped down picking pirates up dropping them from high up splattering them on the ground. The mermaids fired high-pressure water jets at the pirates from the water knocking them down or distracting them while the beast-men took full advantage of the chaos of the fight cutting them down. Agnox and Vallin both fought against Andrew two on one to keep him distracted.
Both the tiger and werewolf kept their eyes on him as they struck and leaped dodged and rolled and weaved around his deadly strikes with his enchanted blade. Skillfully they parried his blade by knocking it away by striking its side not even attempting to block its razor sharp blade. Knowing full well that it would just cut through theirs. As the battle dragged on blood flowed and bodies began to pile up on both sides.
-My POV-
Me and the female tiger lady watched from the docks as the beast-mens lines fell back causing the fight to spill out into the streets. But from my perspective it looked more like a strategic retreat meant to draw the enemy in to a ambush. And that's what it was. The moment the majority of the pirates entered the main street the beast-men formed a new defense line in the center of town. The pirates did the same drawing or reloading their flintlock pistols during the short pause in the fighting. The moment they did a hail of fire rang out. A second force of beast-men that had been hiding just outside the town fired on them from behind.
Me and the tiger lady watched in a ally-way from between the buildings as half the human pirates fell or were wounded. In the next moment ten more beast-men, this group included the three cat beast-men I recognized charge at the remaining pirates from the nearby buildings. All the other beast-men charged too piling in on the pirates overwhelming them with sheer numbers from all sides.
I was surprised at the level of skill and planning that had went into this ambush.
"Your husbands not all that bad when it comes to military strategy." I said to the tiger lady.
" # *(&^%**." she replied.
After a mere hand full of minutes all the humans were dead with the exception of that one big guy with the fancy sword and the ones still on the boat. The tiger guy and werewolf were still just barely holding him off with their teamwork. But things changed when He saw that most of his men were now dead.
-Andrew POV-
Damn! damn! damn! How in the hell did these flee bag hut dwellers get the drop on us like this. I only got a dozen guys left on the ship. Barely enough to man the ship let alone conduct a raid. Andrew thought as he gritted his teeth angry and frustrated.
"I'm gonna kill you bastards!"
Agnox and Vallin readied for him to charge but the opposite happened. Andrew ran away back to ship.
"Another time." he yelled back as he hopped back on his ship.
"Cast off boys. Were getting out while the getting is good."
"Huh?" exclaimed Vallin.
"He's just running then!"
-My POV-
Everyone watched as the ship unceremoniously unmoored and departed as quickly as it arrived. Everyone erupted into celebration at their now true liberation from the pirates oppression. As everyone was cheering I ran around collecting the dead pirates. Being polite and not grabbing any of the beast-men corpses. After a hour I had a rather large pile of corpses at the base of the tree outside town. Generating a creep pod I covered the pile in creep and had them all digested and recycled.
After I was done I returned to town. Everyone was celebrating with alcohol, music and dancing. The levity of the situation was much more final then after the captain lady was dealt with.
"&*^%%$# !." the tiger lady said grabbing me with one hand and a bottle of beer in the other.
"I really need to learn how to speak the local dialect!"
Sitting down by the fire in the middle of the street I ate the finger food on my plate. Over a dozen of the demi-humans danced with their arms locked together as they danced and cheered in the middle of town around a large fire pit. Kids joined their parents eating, singing cheering as the celebration continued.
I thoroughly enjoyed the local foods and spices and flavorings they put on the food. Even with the essence destroyed I still enjoyed the food to the last bite. Listening to the people enjoying themselves, sing and dance also had its own kind of enjoyment. The celebrations lasted for hours and by the end everyone was tired, sleeping in the street or had gone back home. With a yawn I looked skywards at the full moon high in the sky.
"Pretty. Bed time for me too."
Standing up I departed back to the treehouse. Reaching the base of the tree I took a moment to check on the creep pods condition then climbed and wrapped my self in the thick silk blanket. My dreams fluttered about my mind. Butter-fly's drifted in and out of the sky. The moon fell burning a field of skulls scattering snow. With a jolt my eyes opened I stood before a giant red demon its head wide like a hammer head shark. Six glowing eyes staring down at me. The sounds of battle drew my attention to a castle below. A young noble woman sat on her throne laughing. It started as happy laughter but quickly shifted to a maddening cacophony of crying.
-Three Months Later-
My eyes shot open as the midday glare beamed down on me. Yawn.
"Guess I over slept?" I spoke in the local language.
It had taken me several months of tutoring by Roroara to learn the common language. It was hard. Had to start with basic letters and words like a freaking toddler. But in the end it was worth it. Now I could at least communicate with people. Speaking of which.
Cyleo swooped down landing right over me. "Morning late raiser. You really like sleeping in don'tcha yeah." said the energetic harpy.
I yawned stretching out then sitting up. "Morning Cyleo. And no I'm not sleeping in. I just didn't get to bed until late last night."
Cyleo gave a understanding nod. "Vallin making you train hard to hone those hunting skills in the middle of the night again huh."
I rub my tired eyes. "Unfortunately. Damn him I need my beauty sleep. But then again I was the one who asked him to teach me how to hunt at night."
Cyleo leaned in closer. "It must be easier considering you can gain the abilities of whatever creature you eat."
With a tilt to my head I glanced up at Cyleo. I had explained to everyone about my abilities when I could. They had all seemed cautious and distant with me ever since I stole the pirates bodies from the battlefield and I wanted to relieve their fears explaining they were food because they were enemies. Everyone mostly took this fine but a few actively avoided me while others like Cyleo were the opposite actively befriending me. And annoying me in the morning.
"Since your stronger then one of those giant ocean ospreys I wonder what abilities you'll give me once I eat you?" I joked teasing her.
Cyleo backed off. "Uh I think I hear my sister calling. Bye."
Cyleo leaped into the air gliding over town. I yawned again thinking of what to do next. I had learned to speak the language universally known as common on this world. Though not all nations teach it most do as it allowed the language barrier to be passed much easier. The little history lesson Roroara gave me explained that the creation of the common tongue was spurred on by international trade and commerce guilds. I also learned the name of this world. Urd-Exsilica. And the local topography of the area.
Apparently I'm in a island chain that's in the middle of a trade network. But dew to protected species acts the cargo ships from various nations can't go through the chain of islands. Instead they have to detour south or north around them. Who would of guessed I landed in a protected national park. And to make matters more awkward one of the protected species was the giant osprey I ate. I didn't say anything about eating one of them.
If I had gone south or east or west I would have eventually encountered the shipping lanes. But no, I just had to go north and get tranquilized by some random pirate and get caught up in all this drama. Whatever I'm over it. Guess I may as well continue north. Roroara explained that the nation where she and most of the her people are from. Supposedly its a nation of beast-men that sells their own criminals as slaves to other countries. And it was ordered by the king him self.
Not the friendliest nation. But from the description there are a few dungeons there. That gave me a few bad headaches and explanations about isekai manga/anime and various games. I wondered if I was a isekai character to which I actually got a straight answer from Announcer-chan.
[No!]
Turns out I'm not a isekai. Who knew. Reincarnation was my next question.
[Kind of?]
Not helpful.
I had also leveled or rather ranked up up several of my abilities including regeneration in the past few months.
I hoped off the tree landing with a sickening snap crack as my bones broke. Remember kids its not the fall that kills you. It's the sudden impact at the bottom. I had been training up my regeneration by intentionally injuring my self like this.
I pushed my self up off from the ground. Flexing my broken limbs as they quickly reset and healed in seconds. The whole process still hurts like hell but that's only ranked up my pain resistance too.
Standing up I check making sure every things in its proper place. A leisurely walk later I arrive in town and head straight to the now rebuilt brick building the pirate lady who was named Bennett lived. Agnox and Roroara live there now. I knock on the door. It soon opens revealing Nari. She was Bennetts house maid and is now Agnox and Roroaras.
"Morning Nari."
The cat beast-men stuttered a moment. "Uh, go, good morning? Uh you? Still haven't settled on a name yet?"
I shake my head. "Nope. Nothings really coming to mind that strikes my fancy. Anyway about my wages."
Nari nodded. "Yes. But come in. Miss Roroara wanted to speak with you about something."
I follow Nari in and up the stairs to the office.
"Miss our heroic guest is here." said Nari with a smile.
She's developed the teasing habit of calling me stuff like that.
Roroara looked up from the lightly paper covered desk. "Please come in."
I entered. Nari left closing the door behind her.
I stepped up to the table/desk that replaced the last one that I had demolished. "What was it you wanted to talk about?"
Roroara looked me in the eyes. "Are you really leaving today?"
I blinked. "Oh yeah I'm leaving today. I had totally forgot because of the late night training. I had stayed up until past midnight with Vallin."
Roroara sighed. "Well before you leave there are a few things I want to explain. One please don't tell anyone were here. As i've explained were all escaped prisoners that were stranded on this island several years ago. We all just want to get on with our lives understand."
"I understand. I never heard of any of you before. In fact I'm just a adventurer that got lost during a storm and was left island hoping in the national park until I reached the capital. "
Roroara nodded. "A passing lie. Please remember it."
"Yes ma'am. Was that all?"
"No. Remember that silk I asked you to give me a month ago."
"Yeah. Did you make something with it?"
Roroara gave a fagged grin. "Yes. It's a present from all of us to you."
She stood up walked over to the cabinet opening it. She pulled out a set of silk and leather armor with armor plates at the chest, joints and knuckles. It also had a pair of feathers I recognized as from Cyleo and Therora. Therora being the one who dealt Bennett the fatal blow with my poison that I had gave Agnox before.
Therora and her sister Cyleo were both assassins raised from childhood to be killers for a organization. They were captured and sentenced to death before being sold into slavery. They just happen to be on the same boat as Agnox, Roroara, Vallin and the others. They could easily leave but chose to remain as penance for the many lives they took. This was also the reason Therora hates me. I'm mostly responsible for the fact she took another life. Even if it was Bennetts. Can't say I blame her. The one time I did talk to her she said she only did it because she didn't want her sister to to it. To take another life.
I put the armor set on. It felt comfortable and flexible not restricting my movement.
"The high quality silk that you can make is vary strong and when enchanted with reinforcing magic it will be one of the highest grade light armor or string available."
I smirked. "In other words its worth a lot of money huh!."
She only smiled back.
"I'll be leaving once I get the cargo ready." I said turning to leave.
"Good-by mysterious stranger." she said.
"Good-by miss Roroara. And Tell the others thanks for the armor for me."
Leaving town in my fancy new armor I returned to the tree and gathered up my gear and spoils of battle. The new bow I had made, the steel arrowheads and steel sword I got from the cave on my starting island. The holsters and two pistols that once belonged to Bennett. And her black enchanted sword. With everything ready I headed out to the port.
-Chapter End-