With the light of twilight quickly creeping behind the overcast sky, you sprint through the sandy streets of Shallah's northern living district. There is a distinct scent of a brewing storm wafting off the waves that crash nearby. Your heart thunders with an elation as you make your salty pursuers give chase. The RockyRoad Pirates were still half asleep when you kicked open the door to their headquarters and gave their dwelling a small makeover with a couple blasts from your spell book. That was more than enough to disturb the hornet's nest and get an entire battalion of pirates running after you; cursing and eager for retribution.
A loud tower bell rings and torches are lit across the suburban landscape as more and more lowlifes and ruffians are roused from sleep or their current tasks to answer the call to arms. You continue to run towards the shore, there is one more thing you need to do to help ensure that Blackfin gets the message that THIS is where you are, and where the party is. Daybreak will soon be here, and you want to minimize the chance that the mad orca will think you're still at the port.
A three man blockade of burly men emerge from the nearby alleyways, armed with fishing spears and ready to get very acquainted with your insides. You don't slow down your charge, not even bothering to unsheathe your sword or ready your spell book, there is no need. From the surrounding roofs, the claps of hands and feet running along their surfaces quicken, and then, they are suddenly silenced.
Bransha, Bree, and Frala all pounce from above, digging their front nails into the shoulders of their startled prey. The shorter lionesses both pin their targets to the ground, while the more muscular of the three takes hers by the collar of his shirt and effortlessly flings him into the corner of a nearby building; the sound of him colliding with the wooden edge spine first makes you wince in empathy.
"Great job, girls!" You remark as you hop over the two pirates who now lay defeated on their backs with clawed and pained faces. "Bree, Bransha, come with me! Frala, head down the next street on your left!"
Your pride acknowledges your orders with audible grunts and their legs move swiftly to follow. At the next intersection, Frala takes her leave from the group and rushes down the connecting side street, splitting the force of your chasers in two. Even if the red haired lioness wasn't quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in her own right, you knew you didn't need to worry about her safety. She will have all the backup she needs meeting her in just a few seconds.
Your grin widens at the sounds of frightened and intimidated men and women who have just met your primal blessed comrade and the havoc she can bring from her mighty paws. You fight the growing desire to turn and meet your opponents head on, your heart and Shining Comet both hunger for battle once more, but you force yourself to press onward. You are close, so very close.
An externally silent call, but one that resounds loud within your mind brings your focus to the upcoming corner. You jerk your head towards it, and the lionesses sisters at your sides receive the message. The three of you pick up your pace and make a sharp left, kicking up a small splash of sand from underneath your boots. You sprint down the small market street, lined with shops that used to hold a variety of tools, food, and goods meant to supply Shallah's northern residents without having to make the hike down to the port.
Ahead you see several shapes moving and coming closer into view; Flare, Polka, and at least two dozen disgruntled and pissed off pirates. You and Flare lock eyes, your hands grip the handles of your respective blades, and magic begins to dance around their steel. The two of you pass by one another, the electricity sparked between your two souls crossing paths in the heat of battle is almost tangible in the air. The mana around your sword still halfway in its sheath intensifies until streams of water begin to spiral along its length.
"Like the rise and fall of the tide, we cannot be stopped!" You begin to chant as you pull your sword out to reveal Shining Comet its full radiance, tip pointed low to the ground as its edge becomes completely encased in rushing water.
"You can do nothing except be washed away by water's divine purity!" Flare resounds, the triple spiral of water around Soul Quill's length reaching breakneck speeds.
"Water Sword Arts, Azure Cascade!" You plant your front foot firm and begin to pull upward in a mighty swing.
"Water Sword Arts, Spiral Thrust!" Flare extends her sword arm forward with all of her muscles behind it.
A wall of water follows the arc of your sword creating a shimmering veil between you and the frontrunners of your opposition. With the threads of mana still tethering the white crest of the building wave to your sword, you follow up your motion with a hard swing downward. The wave you created crashes down upon your enemies, knocking any in its wake off their feet and flinging several others to the side.
From Flare's rapier a torrent of water drills past the frontline of the pirates that were once in hot pursuit. The water lances forward, batting away anyone in its path. Flare runs her palm above the edge of her sword, basking it in a light green glow. The half-elf's spellwork takes hold as Soul Quill has the flurry of the wind to make its strikes even more deadly. Stepping forward with precise footing, Flare slashes downward, cutting right through the corsair of a woman pirate. She moves one step forward, quickly thrusting her weapon past the raised guard of another adversary, stabbing his bicep. After smoothly pulling Soul Quill back to her as her previous target staggers backward in pain, Flare's eyes shine with a bright clarity, and she whips her blade in front of her with her other arm poised behind her in elegance. A blast of wind erupts in the wake of her attack, sending sharp crescents of air to cut the skin of her enemies as it passes by.
In sync with your half-elf that spurs you to new heights with every display of martial and magical might, you gather mana in your free fist. With centered focus and desire, you channel a blast of freedom from your palm; its blustering gale pushes and knocks over several elven and human adversaries that sought to advance after the recession of your tidal attack.
With your opponents regrouping for a counterattack, you hop backward and your back soon meets with Flare's. Your first battle together fighting as fellow spellblades. The only thing that could please you more right now is being able to stay and trash this entire crew with her. Unfortunately, you need to get yourself elsewhere, but before that.
"And that makes fifteen on my count." Flare smugly says behind you.
"I think that makes eleven for me." You say, trying to mask your mild frustration at the number as you observe a few of the unconscious bodies face first in the sand ahead of you. Flare had argued that the pirates you had defeated during your unplanned breakout did not count towards your contest. It was hard to pose a convincing defense to retain your numbers in the light of the fact that you had a considerable head start over them. You conceded that it was only fair to begin counting pirates felled once your surprise attack on the various crews in the north began.
"At least TRY to make it interesting for me, Anon." Flare teases. "At this rate I'll only have to worry about outdoing Nene, and she isn't as fun to beat."
"Hey! I would have more if I didn't have to stick to this stupid plan of yours!" You snap. "I could have easily blasted half the RockyRoad pirates off their asses, but I just had to play bait."
"While we were also risking our butts luring the Sunflower pirates out. Which by the way, you're welcome!" Flare fires back, and her lips curl to a particularly smug grin as she loads a second shot from her wit. "And I still managed to lead them here while taking out a few along the way. It sounds like you're just bad at multitasking, Anon."
"Oh whatever! We'll see how long your lead lasts once I get to where I need to be." You let your competitive anger ignite your next spell, and a large azure throwing star is flung from your open palm into the crowd of elves and human pirates ahead of you. The sharpened liquid collides with two elves, knocking them flat onto their backs with pained groans.
Taking your aggressive spell casting as an order to charge, Bransha and Bree are already at claw's reach of the front line of the SunFlower Pirates. The agile lionesses easily dodge defensive slashes that come at them from multiple angles, rewarding each miss with a sharp swipe from their sharp nails. You let loose another round of two water stars to support the sisters, their curved arc nailing another two unlucky elves in their shoulders; the tips of your rotating weapons prick themselves under their skin before losing their shape and collapsing.
You sprint forward, barging in on the growing melee between the relic hunting pirates and the two of your pack. You bring your raised sword down in a mighty swing. The second your steel connects with that of the elf in front of you, the weapon is jolted right out of his grasp. Your follow up movement brings the edge of your blade straight across his upper chest, his eyes widen in shock, and then confusion as he sees that his skin has not in fact been sliced.
While you showed no mercy to the pirates you fought against last night, from what you learned of the other crews from Marine, some did not deserve to be killed outright. From here on out, the defeated will not get off so easily, they will pay for their crimes against Shallah and its people, but in accordance with their laws. Your blows may not be lethal, but they will put them down for a nice long nap, and by the time they wake up, Blackfin will be defeated and Shallah will be free. That is what you resolved to yourself, and that is what you'll see through.
"And that's fifteen!" You shout triumphantly as the elf falls to the ground.
"Eight!" Bransha calls, having just thrusted both of her palms enhanced with mana into the stomach of another elf.
"I've gotten eight too!" Bree joins in.
"Nineteen " Flare chirps from the other side of the battlefield, swishing her rapier back and forth to deflect and counterattack.
"Better pick up the pace, Anon!" Polka winks at you from the half-elf's side, playing as her trusty support in the battle so far. "At this rate you'll be at Flare's mercy for sure! Not a great place to be right now if you ask me."
"Oh don't you worry about me! Once I get to Blackfin, I'm taking his whole crew out." You banter as you block an incoming saber swing. "And speaking of not great places to be, she's the one who has to cover things here while I get to move forward, and look who is about to join her."
From the back flanks of the pirate group Flare and Polka fight, bodies of unlucky men and women are tossed, punched, and plain ragdolled aside. Feral battle cries that can only come from the Champion of Ursol herself thunder in the air as the bear powered girl makes herself fully known. Nene paws the head of a portly male pirate and slams the poor bastard into the sand. From her lowered position she then sweeps her leg behind another foe, sending him falling forward in agony.
"Twenty-one!" She growls, and her emerald eyes dart to find her next prey, but upon seeing the ferocity of this newcomer, the surrounding pirates quickly consider a retreat.
"I smell a bunch of wimps!" Frala roars next, and her fist comes into bone crunching contact with the face of a woman pirate. She falls flat on her back and the red haired lioness looks down in frustration at her. "To think our pride was run out of our home by pussies like this. Packleader! These runts aren't worth our time! Take me to where that bastard whale's crew is!"
"Nene want to punish bullies who hurt her people too!" Nene snarls.
"I couldn't agree more, Frala! Bransha, Bree, let's get moving!" You answer happily as you disarm and kick down the pirate who tried to clash with you. In need of a quick way to clear the path forward, you infuse Shining Comet with the mana of water. You grip your sword's handle tight with both hands and thrust it forward, sending a torrential surge that mimics the attack Flare used earlier to displace and wash her opponents away.
"Nene! Meet up with me at the beach after you help Polka and Flare, alright?!" You make one last light order before you and your three lionesses take the parted path ahead.
"Nene promise to smash every pirate in her way! Make them sorry and win contest for Anon!" The wild girl responds, and her battle spirit seems to grow even brighter. "I will protect Omarun and Flare, then have amazing battle alongside husband!"
"Give 'em hell, Nene!" Frala cheers as she runs past the tentative crowds to catch up with you.
A few of the elven pirates begin to give chase, while some of the other crew made mostly of dwarves and man begin to follow suit. The idea that they would rather risk getting singed, sliced, or pranked in the back instead of face Nene in her primal fury makes you snicker slightly. You can't fully blame them though, the bubbly blond has been on a total rampage the second she was allowed to don her claws. Your heart itches to fight alongside Nene with your full focus again. Soon, you tell yourself. Just a little further and you can cease the diversions and fight alongside your friends in a performance that will shake an entire country.
You turn down the next bend, a steady decline begins and the dawning horizon can be seen in the distance. You sheathe your sword and pick up your pace with the three lionesses in tight formation. The sandy path begins to narrow as dunes sprout along its borders.
"Hi Anon!" Watame beckons, turning your head to your left where she, Undine, and Nula run along a parallel road with a gaggle of pirates close behind. The worried and strained looks on the crew members faces along with how their bodies seem to force their legs to pump with more effort than they would like, tells you that they are at the mercy of your sheep's unique style of magic.
"Hey Watame!" You wave back. "Spare a little boost for us over here?"
"You got it!" The sheep gives you a thumbs up before strumming an invigorating chord along her harp. When her enchanting melody reaches your ears, you immediately feel the muscles of your legs vibrate and fall out of your immediate control.
"Keep doing your best everyone! One! Two! One! Two! One! Two!" Watame sounds off, commanding those under her marching song to move on beat.
While you have grown used to momentarily being under Watame's spell, it feels so much more natural to you now. The loss of control over their lower halves has the pirates behind however, has them in a panic. It's also obvious to tell that even the pack is fighting with their own discomfort, but you feel nothing but relaxed with being shepherded along by your sheep.
The threshold onto the plush sand of the shore is crossed, and the sounds of the tide cut through the angry mobs both behind and beside you. With the sea just yards away, it is time to see your plan come to full fruition.
Both yours and Watame's groups break off to the side, allowing the sea dogs who pursue you unhindered passage into the ocean. Some try to halt themselves, but the magical momentum and the steady rhythm of the sheep bard who marches in place prevents them from slowing down. They can only barrel and flounder into the azure waves that grow with increased ferocity.
From the tide spawns a massive wave that rises to what must be twenty feet at its full height. The pirates can only look up in disbelief as the tidal wave falls on top of them, its crash thundering for miles, and spraying speckles of water all the way to your position past the darkened sand. As the various pirates are slowly washed ashore in front of you, you sheath your sword and unstrap your spell book from its holdings.
The sky is overcast, the dawning sun just barely shining a dim blanket of light over the land and sea. Along the rumbling waters you spy a group of shapes slowly making their way in your direction. You give a small nod to Undine who smiles smugly at her own handiwork as the pirates still struggle to recover and pick their rattled bodies up from the sand that their forms are indented into. With time becoming precious, you point your open palm up at the sky and let loose a Stellar spell that streaks all the way to the thick clouds.
"That should clue those blowhards in." You snarkily say as you funnel power for the next spell into your book.
"Indeed, I can feel their ships wading through the water with greater urgency to reach us." Undine confirms as she walks to stand next to you. "Shall we clean the waters while we wait, summoner?"
"Sounds good to me!" You say, your book glowing brighter to match your rising spirit.
Then with a flurry of spells made of starlight, water, earth, and music, you and your comrades defeat foe after foe that rises from the sand in an attempt to face you. The swordplay of the lower ranked pirates is laughable, and makes them easy prey for your lioness pack, who each chant off a higher number with every body that they slam into the grainy earth. The elves of the Sunflower pirates are capable of very basic attack magic, but nothing that was a match for yours or Undine's skill with the water. Enemy spells of fire, lightning, and pure mana are overpowered and broken through by that of your trusty spell book or the divine magic from the ruler of the waters. More than once does Undine lock a foe in place in order to grant you the final blow to knock them out. Wins that come from your resonance may not count, but there is nothing against the rules about you simply helping the water spirit secure the neutralization of her opponents. Watame seems to share a similar mind, as she more than once sets you up for a powerful finish.
In a manner of minutes that might be considered a hearty warm up, bodies of pirates of elven, dwarven, and human shapes litter the sands, the claw of the tide barely reaching them. You make a mental note of your current count.
"Nice. Twenty-seven!" You proudly chirp.
"Sixteen." Bree announces.
"Ha! I got Eighteen!" Bransha teases, no doubt proud to be head of her lean sister.
"Twenty-five!" Frala roars as she tosses a man overhead who hits the ground with a loud groan.
"Eleven…" Nula adds, clearly a little dejected over her unimpressive number.
"Hey, the day just started." You turn and give the smaller, silver haired lioness a reassuring hand on her bare shoulder. "You also haven't had a chance to really use your magic to its fullest. You're gonna show me just how badass a lion with illusion magic can be, right?"
Nula's downcast expression is turned upside down in an instant. She gives you an enthusiastic nod and her tail straightens upward in excitement from your touch. You can hear Bree and Bransha both scoff behind you, clearly jealous of the fact you simply wanted to give one of your comrades a pep talk. While they will think of it as something more, you can't risk anyone not believing in themselves during the fights to come.
"Summoner, it is time." Undine says to break up the minor feral squabble. You look out towards the horizon and see five grand galleons, but the utter monstrosity that is Blackfin's flag warship seems to be absent. There was a slight hope that it might not be seaworthy yet, but you know that could be wishful thinking. Let him bring his biggest ship, it won't amount to anything if he can't get in range to use it.
"Watame. Let's do this." You say, handing your spell book to the sheep.
"Yeah!" Watame chirps, eager to be the catalyst to the next part of your grand plan. She then looks at the four lionesses and looks up towards the path whence you came. "Girls, go find Botan and Korla. The whole pack should be together when we finally get to fight all the jerks who took our home away!"
Bransha gives Watame a steely glare at the order, and her eyes dart back to you, then to Watame again. You could already tell she had some sharp protest in mind, but she puts it away for now. The lionesses merely nod in agreement and head back towards the residential district.
"I gotta say, handling them is a lot easier with a partner. I'm glad they're also giving you the respect you deserve." You snicker.
"We may be different animals, but I got one really important thing in common with Botan and the rest of our pack!" Watame chirps as she begins to skip along to the tide's edge.
"A love for food?" You venture a guess.
"You." The sheep says as she looks at you from over her shoulder, her sheepy cape flowing slightly in the wind to give her a stoic presence that takes some of your breath away in conjunction with her words. "The pack cares a lot about you, Anon. I can tell you care about them too already. That's why we're gonna get Botan's home back! No one should have their home stolen from them! Are you ready!?"
Here stands a sheep so strong and kind, always ready to stand at your side no matter what comes your way. It's easy to see how a pack of lions recognized how devoted their once prey is to who is now seen as their provider. Watame has such a way of winning over others with her bright smile, cheery attitude, and courage that goes so far above the calling of a sheep. It's no wonder you're head over heels for her.
"You bet I am! Cast that spell, Watame!" You cheer.
"Stellberna Ma Aquarius!" Watame shouts, instantly putting the spell that radiates from your body into motion. Stars shoot from your being and race towards the sky, finding their set places before connecting together in a dazzling display.
The constellation of the water bearer fills you with aquatic energies and with only a mere thought, you are able to conjure a thick ball of liquid above your hand with barely any mana. Undine's entire body glows with a dim blue aura as the nature of her element dances around her body. You look at the naval fleet approaching from the horizon, and Undine steps forward, she continues at a slow pace until she is knee deep in water. She points the prongs of her trident in front of her and closes her eyes.
Some miles from the shoreline, the sea churns unnaturally, fighting against the flowing tide. The whirlpool quickens, its center being opening further with every turn. The approaching ships rock back and forth unsteadily above the forced change in the waters, but it is still late for them to escape what Undine has put into motion. A strengthened flex of her will commands the sea to uproar violently at the torrent's center, creating a cascade wall that obscures your enemies from view. The sound of the thrashing sea subsides, and the water spirit's steady, but deep breathing overpowers the calming tide.
When the watery haze clears, you look on with amazement at the revealed stretch of land within the middle of the ocean. It was just as Kukai told you; a sandbar stretching for a good few miles now breached the waters as if it were its own island. The best part of the forced emergence of the ground hidden beneath the waves was that it now beached the entire naval battalion.
You walk and give Undine a soft pat on her shoulder. She smiles proudly at you and takes your silent invitation to have a small breather. While the power of the constellation above you enhances water based magic for anyone under its light, the shaping of the tide to reveal an entire patch of land ahead of schedule is quite an effort, even for the woman who created the waters.
There is no doubt that every head on board those ships is confused, shocked, and probably even pissed at how nature suddenly turned against them. Unable to advance or change their positioning so they might fire upon you, they were basically all sitting ducks at this point. You decide to make use of the spell that your celestial instructor had helped you discover and begin weaving your own spell. With Aquarius empowering you, you form a large four pointed star of shimmering water that spins just beyond your hand. You grip the open hole at its center and add one more finishing touch to your creation; a sleek edge of celestial mana to sharpen it even further.
Blackfin thinks I'm some sort of rare treasure because of my gift. He doesn't know a damn thing about what celestial magic can really do. I'll show him and the entire world what I'm capable of! I'll make Sana proud and free an entire country using what she's taught me! I'm gonna start with that blowhard croc's ship too! Let's see what you think of me after this one you scaly son of a bitch!
You wind your throwing arm back, securing your grip to your weapon. You take a firm step forward, twisting your body in a half circle. Another step in time with another twist, then another. With your momentum built, you spin and let your fingers slide off your gigantic throwing star, sending it into flight. The spinning projectile shines over the water's surface with a radiant mix of azure and silver-white as it travels to its target. Within seconds your spell can be seen skipping along the hull of the stranded ship, sawing through the wood and iron that holds it together. The water loses its edge soon after, dissipating into mere droplets after it leaves an ugly scar that runs half the length of the once proud vessel.
"I think we've got their attention now." You smirk, and turn your back to leave the shallow waters. "You can end the spell now, Watame. I might need you to use my book again soon, so save your energy."
"Sure thing, Anon!" Watame happily complies and closes your shining tome with a loud thud of its pages. The shutting of the book cancels the spell currently in place, and the stars above glimmer away. "That was your biggest water star yet! You and Undine are amazing!"
"Only because we have you backing us up." You cross your arms proudly as you observe the fleet become stagnant in the ocean without a clear path to reach you. "Now all we need to do is wait for the others to get here, and we can…board their….ships?"
You stare in disbelief as the flagship of the SeaKroc Pirates looks to be hovering above the patch of land it was supposed to be trapped on. As if the galleon leaving the ground was not enough cause to question your own eyes, it looks like it is somehow getting closer! The aerial vessel glides onward, disturbing the calm and flat sea underneath it. Your eyes continue to search for what is responsible for lifting the massive boat off the ground until they locate several spinning propellers jutting out from several points of the ship.
The impressive feat in engineering and crafting has you stunned. A ship that can traverse both land and sea is an amazing sight to behold. The scaled captain standing on the tip of the mast off the port bow, not so amazing. His large musket rests over his shoulder as he rubs the underside of his mandible while he inspects you from above.
"For a little human who is apparently full of surprises, ya sure don't seem to like when they're sprung on you! Do ya, lad!?" Captain Krol taunts, cueing the bulk of his crew to laugh along with him. The SeaKroc captain then waves a clawed hand down to quiet his subordinates. "Quite the runaround you gave us. You almost had us scratching our asses over what to do next, but as you can see…you're not getting away from me, boy. Blackfin wants ye alive, so you can board peacefully, or I can come take ye by force! The choice is yours…for now."
"What the hell is this!?" You hiss to yourself in a slight panic, not letting your gaze tear from the aggressive crocodile. "They weren't supposed to be able to get past the sandbar. Gods! Fuck! Dammit!"
"Yo! Anon!" Botan calls, with the rest of the lioness pack behind her. She looks up at the approaching galleon and a sour frown forms on her face. "Is that supposed to be there? CAN that be there?"
"No! And it shouldn't!" You groan. "God dammit. Roxy said none of their ships should have been capable of escaping the sandbar so easily! Flare specifically asked about that…and now that jagged toothed blowhard ruined everything!"
"What'll it be, boy!? I have places to be, people to see." Krol calls down again, likely as a last warning.
"What'll it be?" You repeat in a lower voice, your clenched fists shaking. "I'll tell you what it'll be! I'm gonna make you and every heartless bastard that chooses to follow Blackfin sorry they ever set foot in Shallah! Now are you gonna come down here so I can kick your ass!? Or are all the big name captains under that orca just as much of a coward as he is!?"
While the seafarer crocodile scoffs at your declaration, your words are answered with thunderous cheers from your pack. Krol responds to your own threats by signaling for his underlings to prepare the roll ladders for their own departure. Crocs with scales of brown, green, and gray hues begin to climb down until they can safely drop onto the sand. Ahead of you are small rowboats slowly making their way along the water that separates the shore from the sandbar.
You quickly finish drawing the constellation of Leo in front of you, and with its shape complete, you welcome its power into your body. You inhale deeply as the pride of a lion overpowers your emotions. Ferocity and battle instinct burn brightly in your heart to match the silver-white light around your clawed hands. One of the enemy flagships being capable of flight has messed up your plans royally, but you're going to pay them back in spades for it.
"That disgrace of an orca!" You stomp your foot, leaving a small crater in the sand under it. "He's not even man enough to come try and take me himself. I bet he's just hiding on that island because his newest toy warship isn't ready. If he wants me to sink his fleet ship by ship first, then fine! I don't care how many of you I have to knock down to get to him!"
"Let's do this, Anon! Kick their asses!" Watame cheers, strumming a power chord along her harp that trebles in your eardrums and fills your body with vigor.
The mixture of Watame's melodic magic enhancing your body and the wild nature of the lion star-sign makes it impossible to restrain yourself any longer. The sand fleets under your feet as you close the gap between you and a broad shouldered croc pirate. His beady eyes narrow in slight disbelief at both the recklessness of your charge and its speed. A harsh blow from your celestial empowered hand upside his head sends them staggering backwards, his head spinning as his eyes now try to follow the stars that swirl within his vision. A fierce followup punch to his flesh colored gut knocks the air from his lungs and launches him flat onto his back.
"Follow our packleader, sisters!" Botan raises her fist to the sky. "Don't let him hog all the prey for himself!"
Primal battle cries fill the air when the entire pack converges onto the battlefield. The fangs, claws, and ferocity of lions meet the steel blades and nails of crocodile swashbucklers. Botan is the first to draw fresh blood when she ducks under a scrawny beastkin's saber and slashes upward along his leg and torso. A powerful kick from the alpha lioness' boot delivers the deciding blow before she is forced to weave out of the way of another sword meant to maim her.
While your adversaries may think they spot an open opportunity or a gap in someone's defenses, they fail to consider how your herd of lionesses fight as one. United in purpose and fighting spirit, you are all at each other's backs to support one another. The large green scaled pirate who failed to hit Botan learns this first hand when the flat of Korla's paw presses against the back of his head and her nails attempt to meet along his scalp. The lioness forces the croc spine to bend backwards, his arms flailing to maintain balance. With a loud yell, Korla slams him down, the sand cushioning his fall enough to still be conscious, a problem the lioness quickly rectifies with a tooth shattering kick to his jaw.
Frala charges alongside you with a frenzied battlelust in her eyes. You can almost share her desire for blood as the two of you lock yourselves into a melee with three opponents. A slice that grazes your cheek brings your temper even higher. A feral grunt leaves your chest and instinct demands that you catch the downward swing of the blade as it falls, keeping the blade trapped within your starlit grip; its magic keeps the edge from breaking skin. You stare into the eyes of your prey, and the beast breathes in uncertainty. A hard jerk of your arm wrestles the sword from his grasp, the magic around your hands glowing even brighter. You thrust your clawed palm into the crocodile's jugular, making him cough up blood.
To your side Frala has already broken the face of her first opponent, and looks to be ready for seconds, but there is no reason you both can't share this hunt. You shuffle your feet and coil your arms around the muscular forearm of your next prey. The crocodile tries desperately to shake you off, having seen what befell those who were caught by you so far. With you distracting and ensnaring the reptilian pirate, Frala brings her bicep hard along his neck and closelines him right out of his boots.
Frala gives you a fanged smile before turning her attention back to chaotic melee to find her next victim. You do the same as your battle lust seems to be getting stronger with each blow you land. Everyone else seems to be doing the same. Closer to the water, Watame and Undine fight in tandem. The water spirit's trident makes easy work of dislodging swords from their owners, while the sheep's powerful legs and horns find their way into unguarded backs and midsections.
Bree and Bransha on the other hand are having a harder time besting their opponents. While the two are fierce and strong in their own rights, most of the SeaKroc Pirates are twice their size. You also quickly see that Riki and Nula are having similar difficulties, but Botan and Korla are quick to support their younger kin, making your next decision a simple one.
Wiping some of the blood off your cheek with a thumb, you charge to aid the twin lionesses. The beastkin they battle is large even by their own standards; easily a foot and a half taller than you, and more than twice the width. His blubbery and scaly torso absorbs the shock of any blows Bransha and Bree deliver, while his hide does not part from the points of their claws. The lionesses rebound off the pirate's belly when they both make a joint lunge, sending them both tumbling along the sand. The crocodile laughs as he steps forward to finish off his victims, but he fails to keep his eyes on the rest of the battlefield.
A sudden restriction of his movement thanks to your foot cementing the middle of his tail to the ground gives the beastkin a slow pause. Only after attempting to step forward a few times to no avail does he look over his shoulder to find you; angry, fists pulsing with starlight magic, and looking at his pinned appendage with culinary curiosity. You give the croc a hungry smile and invite him to try and take the most prized head on the battlefield. You lift your foot slightly when your bait is taken and the beastkin tries to jerk his tail free, making him stumble to the side as he fights to maintain his balance. Just as the round reptile is about to fall, two of his comrades catch him by the forearms to lift him back to his feet.
"Why's a snobby human teamin' up with some mangy felines anyway!?" The bronze scaled croc remarks.
"His own kind probably couldn't be bothered with him. Better yet, I bet he's an outcast! What kinda human can do freaky magic like that?! He'd probably be all on his own if a bunch of demis didn't feel sorry for him." Another snorts.
You do your best to shrug off the insult, but the pirate's words cut deeper than you expect. A lucky guess that exposed a wound you sustained for your entire life before setting out on your journey. The trio then notices they've struck a nerve and commence and begin to snicker.
"Oi…that's our packleader you're laughing at…" Bransha slowly creeps upward as if she were rising from the dead.
"Anyone who thinks they can laugh at him…is gonna have to answer to us." Bree wipes some of the dirt from her chin, and her fangs glisten.
Bransha's hands flash a bold blue, and from them surges a stream of water that pelts the crocodiles that mock you to stop their laughter. The lioness adjusts her aim, tracing her jet of water downward, soaking the sand around the boots of her adversaries. By the time their targets recover and wipe the water from their eyelids, Bree is already behind them, poised for the kill. When faced with the sight of a vengeful predator over their shoulders, the pirates try to turn and defend themselves, but find that their feet are entrapped by the clumped sand around their ankles.
Bree cocks back her fist, now radiating with mana brighter than ever as it hardens around her knuckles, and shoots her punch like a pistol across one of the side crocodile's jaws. Bransha is next to charge forward, and with a loud roar, she jumps and her feet dive into the neck of the second pirate. Anguished groans harmonize around the middle croc who only watch as his comrades fall like trees beside him.
Bransha takes the arms of the last pirate and restricts them behind his back, making sure to pull to test the upper limits of their sockets. The lioness gives his tail a hard stomp next, making its owner yelp in pain. Bree walks around and gives the frustrated crocodile a steely glare.
"That guy over there is our leader because he's tough and won't back down from doing what he believes is right." Bree points a thumb toward you. "He's a real leader. Not some little bitch who hides behind weapons and armies. As soon as he gets his hands on your captains, they're done."
Saying nothing more, Bree steps to the side and gives you a proud smile. The stage the twin lionesses had set for you was like an invitation. While they defended your honor and punished those who tried to ridicule you, they wanted you to join in on the retribution. You jog forward, gathering more starlight within your palms, focusing your eyes on the tan belly of the crocodile who can only watch helplessly as his end comes for him.
Bringing your wrists together you form the visage of a lion's jaw with your curled fingers, demanding even more energy from within to cover your skin. You thrust your joint lion's fist into the belly of the pirate, a blast of starlight roars from the contact. The pirate gasps at the forced cave in of his midsection, and is propelled backward.
You catch your breath after the magical and physical exertion you just underwent and give both lionesses an appreciative smile. There is a lot you'd like to say to the pair right now, but that will have to wait till later. There's still a battle raging on, and you might just have one more burst left from the Leo spell before it's spent.
"Summoner, members of the marooned crews are crossing the gap along lifeboats. I'm afraid I cannot repel them within the water for that might shift the tide back to its natural state, and remove our advantage." Undine's voice speaks within your mind.
"Thanks for the heads up. We'll just have to hang tough and try not to get overwhelmed. We'll have backup soon. I'll make my way over to you and help take care of the first wave."
"No pulling punches anymore!" Your voice drowns the commotion of battle to reach the rounded ears of your pack. "We got another helping of pirates coming our way, so knock every croc you see flat on their ass!"
The resounding battle cries of the lionesses fills you with wild determination and vigor. Your eyes pick out your next prey; lanky and still wearing an air of confidence as he holds his saber closely. Letting your instincts drive you, you close the gap between the two of you. He holds his saber tightly to guard his own chest, and along its steel you spot your reflection which shows a you that is both foreign but familiar. In that brief instant you can see how your eyes are wide with the thrill of battle, and your smile carries a hungry sheen to it. Each time you have accepted the celestial magic of the Leo star sign into your body you have felt yourself change slightly. You hunger for victory, destruction, and to show your superior might. Best not to keep yourself waiting.
Reaching past the blade that scrapes along your forearm, you grab the snout of the intimidated beastkin. Clenching his jaw shut, you yank him to the ground and bury his face in the sand. A guttural yell alerts you to another reptile that charges you with a dagger poised to slice you wide open. A step backward causes him to miss his mark, and you promptly snag him by the collar. With your next victim caught, you force him downward into your lifted knee, giving the beastkin a heavy enough impact to knock the wind clear from his lungs.
Tossing the limping body aside, you continue your advance towards the shoreline. Three more pirates gather to stand in your way, but you do not falter. You enter a reckless clash against the trio, landing an early and decisive thrust from your palm into the first one's midsection, while withstanding a combination of slashes that graze your skin and whips from their thick tails. With fresh blood freed from your body, the pain further feeds your battle lust. Grabbing the head of the first that cut you, you bring your head forward onto his own, the meeting of your skulls rings like a bell in your ears, but your momentum cannot be stopped. While your opponent is left dazed and staggering, you deliver a mighty kick to his chest, sending him down in defeat. You spin your body to deal with the third pirate, but you are beaten to the punch by Riki, who holds the beastkin in a headlock as her icy magic washes frigid air over her prey. You happily take the invitation to share this win and uppercut the shivering bastard, causing his consciousness to fade and his struggles to cease.
Nodding in thanks, you see the floofy haired lioness off as she rushes to aid her kin. The morale of your pack couldn't be higher right now, and the SeaKroc Pirates have nothing to show for their assault except some minor cuts and bruises so far. You look out to the sea where enemy reinforcements float towards you along the drift, and see Watame and Undine fending off two more foes through unspoken teamwork. The fluffy sheep's visage spurs a lot of things in you right now, in such force that part of your mind shouts at you to regain control of yourself. As you briskly jog towards her, you take a deep breath, which helps to restore the balance between your warrior's mind and the beast within.
Gripping the handle of your sword, you begin to channel your spell's energy through it, causing its blade to shine through the sheath. Each of the lifeboats that row themselves to shore look to carry six to eight passengers, which is a worrying number to say the least. Every action you can take to impede them will count. You take mental aim at the closest boat and begin to draw your blade.
"With pride that shines to the very heavens, I'll strike down anyone who gets in my way! Lion's Fang!" You shout as you perform a drawing slash with your sword, which sends a slice of starlight mana that parts the sea below it and ruptures the wooden lifeboat it collides with.
Your mind suddenly becomes a lot clearer, as if you were coming down from an extreme high. The Leo constellation worked even better than you could have hoped for, and it lasted for far longer than you originally thought it would. While it is certainly a powerful spell, you can't ignore how it can make you reckless. You were lucky that it didn't cost you much this time, but with stronger and smarter opponents on the horizon, it may not be a good idea to cast that spell again for a while.
"That was pretty cool, Anon." Botan compliments as she runs up to you, holding a strange gridded object in her one hand that was slightly bigger than an apple. "But check this out."
The alpha lioness makes a long throw towards the sea, fully extending her dominant arm and opposite leg. You could have sworn you heard a lightly spoken "Poi" leave her lips in time with the strange object flying out of her hand. The gray sphere plops into the water in front one of the rowboats before it lets loose a mighty explosion that splashes the area around it like a geyser. Your eyes sparkle as you watch the passengers of the simple wooden boat be blown out of their seats and fall helplessly into the water.
"Was that like one of those little bomb things you first used on me!? This one didn't have any feet though, and it was a lot smaller. It packs that much of a punch!? What even is it!? Can I try throwing one? I also want to shoot one of those pistols Marine has, but I didn't even get time to ask if I could borrow one." You begin to ramble, quickly losing your place and letting your inner fascination take hold of you.
"If we can get back to my island and find my stuff, I can show you how to use all of it." Botan giggles at your radical shift in demeanor.
"You have things like that just sitting around!?" You gasp, half concerned, but half excited.
"I won't ruin the surprise." Botan holds a finger to her lips. "But some of it might come in handy if things start to get difficult for us, so keep that in mind. Now excuse me, packleader."
Botan then runs past you and into the shallow water where a pair of crocs had run from the beach in hopes of catching Watame and Undine off guard. You rush to catch up, but the lioness in full sprint has her upon her prey in an instant. Before one can even turn around, Botan has her nails dug deep into his tail. With a mighty heave, she pulls the world out from under him, whipping the beastkin high overhead and slamming him back first onto the shoal of the sea. The lioness' method and treatment of her enemies makes you chuckle, and also eager to showcase your own unique talents to her.
Using the life and energies of the sea that caress your ankles, you bring your mana to life once more around your sword, enveloping it in a refined deep blue. The second croc doesn't get a foot closer to your sheep and soul bound family before he is pelted from behind by a swift crescent of water launched from your sword swing. With both the pressure and sharpness behind your spell, the pirate falls; his bulky body making a moderate splash.
"Thanks guys!" Watame chirps, hooking her harp to her belt so she can begin to flip through the pages of your spell book. "Sink that boat, Anon! Stellar!"
A blast of starlight fires from your free hand and nails the front tip of one of the approaching wooden rafts. The impact reduces its nose to a mangled mess, causing its weight to go off balance and make an unwanted dive into the sea. While a small group of pirates were now forced to swim, they and the rest of the invading force were less than a mile from the shore.
"Do you really think we can take that many of them, Anon?" Botan grunts as she holds another croc pirate in a full nelson to allow him to receive a warm welcome to his gut courtesy of Watame's horns.
"No doubt." You reply while meeting the blade of another pirate with your own. A quick parry knocks the blade free from his claw which you follow up with a downward slash to subdue your foe. "But if we'll have any energy left by the time we do, is another question."
"Summoner, you must make your way to the ship above and defeat its captain. The longer we take, the more time Blackfin has to ready whatever weapons he has in his arsenal. His actions last night alone mark him as a desperate man. We must strike a decisive blow before he can feel the walls caving around him."
"Trust me, I'd love to get up on that dock and beat the shit out of that croc, but how exactly am I supposed to do that? I can't fly without Sylph, and we need your strength out here while we got the ocean to work with."
"Perhaps your ringmistress can help you with that." Undine smirks and her eyes trail to her side towards the beach.
There are Nene and Polka, the champion of Ursol already engaged with and slapping down combatants with her mighty claws, and the circus magician prepping one of her colorful canons. After Nene delivers a powerful punch to another pirates midsection, she turns and dives feet first into Polka's artillery. The fennec then takes careful aim with a single open eye, putting her target underneath her extended thumb and forefinger. A snap of her fingers produces a cone of foxfire that she uses to light the fuse.
Before you can even venture a guess as to what the circus pair might be planning, the colorful cannon booms with the sending of its ammunition; Nene. The champion of ursol arcs through the air high overhead and as she passes she gives you a fierce smile. Even from down here, you can sense something powerful within her, something more fierce than her normal fighting spirit. You can only watch as she lands in one of the approaching lifeboats, her arrival almost rocking the wooden raft completely over. She then knocks each of the poor bastards overboard one by one, even going so far as to take one by the shoulders and toss her straight into one of the other boats. Nene takes a seat upon the middle bench and begins to vigorously turn the oars to slide along the flattened water towards the sandbar.
"What the hell is she doing!?" You shout.
"I think Nene is gonna go fight one of the crews herself." Botan states the obvious.
"I can see that but…" You grumble as you slap your palm into your face. After a small stretch of your skin to help remove some of the stress, you look back at Polka who gives you a small wave. "Wait…where's Flare?"
Rushing to get closer to the fennec, you weave through oncoming pirates, swatting your sword to deflect their own swings before landing a clumsy counterattack. The pack is certainly maintaining an upper hand in this fight, but you have something more pressing to address right now.
"Polka!" You get her attention as you approach her, she turns toward you and gives another happy wave with her baton. "What the hell is going on!? Why did you just shoot Nene out towards the enemy!? That is not part of our plan! And where is Flare!?"
"The big ship hovering in the sky wasn't part of the plan either, but here we are." Polka shrugs as she decides which question to answer first. "Flare told Nenechi and me to go on ahead. She had a feeling you were going to need backup sooner rather than later, so here we are. She's busy fighting the captain of the Sunflower Pirates that showed up."
"A captain!?" Your stomach drops at the news, and your blindspot is almost exploited by a rushing crocodile, if it weren't for Undine keeping a close watch on you. Her trident stops the beastkin before he can even get within arms reach of you. The water spirit resumes her focus on the ongoing battle after she gives you a slightly reprimanding look.
"What do you mean she's fighting a captain all by herself!? And now Nene is off to fight a whole crew on her own?" You regain your focus and meet blades with another pirate while Polka steps to your side and delivers a few painful wacks to their shoulder and neck. "Of all the stupid, reckless-"
"Kinda like when a certain someone got themselves thrown in pirate jail?" The fennec inquires after you bring your current foe to the ground together.
"Maybe…" You concede with guilty clarity. "But if they're just trying to get me back for-"
"I promise it's not actually about payback, and I'd be happy to spill the gossip, after we survive today. Now since Nenechi is about to go on a rampage, how can Omaru Polka help Shallah's up and rising hero?" Polka gives you a happy wink, which does well to quell some of your negative emotions.
"Since you already know the plan is botched a little bit, we need to improvise from here. I need to start with our unwanted guest up there." You point your sword up to Krol's galleon, where the captain himself still oversees the war.
"I can do that for ya, Anon, but on one condition." Polka skips over to her still intact canon and pats the metal barrel. You raise your eyebrow and wait for her to continue. "This has to be a trip for two. You're not going up there without me, deal?"
"Man, how will I ever manage to live with such a condition." You sarcastically retort with a grin. "You really got me by the tail with this one, Polka. I got no choice but to accept your outlandish request."
"Glad to see all this packleader business hasn't gone to your head." Polka plays along, and she waves down Watame who is participating in a brutal gang up with Bransha and Nula; all three of them kicking a down croc who yelps in pain. "Watame! Book me!?"
"You got it, Polka!" Watame beams and she firmly flings your spell book in your direction to be caught by the fennec.
"We might need the extra firepower up there. Speaking of firepower, get in, Anon." Polka says to you, prompting you to sheathe your sword and then slide yourself into the cramped inside of her circus cannon.
Within the darkened confines, you try to adjust your legs and arms to help make you the most comfortable. What light crept in through the opening is cut off by Polka's body joining you next. Her legs find their way over your shoulders and she shimmies herself down to where she is practically sitting on top of your head…not exactly a terrible spot to be.
Just as you start to enjoy the silky legs draped over your body, the cannon sets you both hurling from its mouth. The fresh morning sea air flaps against your face as you ascend into the air. You squint your eyes enough to see the SeaKroc flagship mere yards away. Polka reaches the side of the wooden vessel first and grabs one of its braided ropes firmly. You secure a foothold using the rope just a few feet below the clown and look to your side; a circular window leading to the lower deck of the ship lies completely exposed and just begging to be smashed and act as your entry.
"Polka, if you would be so kind." You say as you aim your open palm at the glass aperture.
"One starlight powered lock, coming right up!" Polka chirps as she grips your closed book tightly, and to your minor surprise, it begins to glow. "Stellar!"
The spell is unleashed and the windowpane shatters into hundreds of tiny pieces that both fall into and off the ship. Knowing your sudden vandalism is bound to draw attention, if the human and fox being shot out of a cannon didn't already do that, you slide yourself along the hull of the ship until you get a footing on the lip of the broken window frame. With your ankles securing you to the inside, you let yourself drop in, landing softly upon dark wooden flooring. You do a quick scan up and down the hallway. After you conclude that your break-in did not alert any guards, you poke your hand out through the window to motion for Polka that the coast is clear.
The fennec swoops through the broken window and into your arms, her inertia causing you to do a couple spins as you consciously try to be aware of your footing as if you were dancing. You suppose you actually retained your introductory dance instructions you received from Pomu last night. Good to know. The way Polka's eyes glisten with a mix of excitement over the potential danger you're about to throw yourselves into, and your handling of her tell you she is pleasantly surprised by your footwork as well. You quickly put away intrusive thoughts of sweeping the funny fennec off her feet and set her down gently.
"Ready to storm the deck?" You grin.
"You bet! I've barely been able to strut my stuff since we left Pomu's home. Now that this fox has a country of people to help smile again, friends in need, and a full belly, she's ready to summon up some magic that'll leave the crowds speechless!" Polka says as she reaches into her hat and pulls out her trusty baton.
"Let's not keep the audience waiting." You draw your sword and begin to lead your two man boarding party through the lower decks of the SeaKroc galleon.
The walls of the inner hallway are lined with doors that you assume lead to cabin sized quarters. All hands must really be on deck, since there is not a soul in sight or of sound directly above. This is good at least. While I'd have no problem cleaning the clocks of any of those crocs down here, Polka is much better suited for wide open spaces where she can fully exercise her acrobatic agility and her unique conjurations. That cocky Krol guy is probably still just lounging around up top. "Wouldn't last three seconds." I'll show you, you loathsome lizard.
"Hey, Anon. You alright in there? You're a little more intense than usual, and that's saying something while we're in the middle of a battle." Polka asks suddenly as your thoughts of vengeance are interrupted.
"I'm fine…it's just…that captain is a real jerk. I got a real bone to pick with him." You answer simply, not exactly wanting to go into how you were forced to withstand his boisturing so that you may infiltrate the island.
"Marine said you did go pretty hard into the croc guys specifically. She also said you got extra riled up whenever someone was bad mouthing her. I see she grew on you fast! I guess you like the idea of being a pirate with her." The fennec concludes, making you do a slight double take.
"Wha? I mean, yeah I did, but…look! Don't get the wrong idea. Marine is nice and I respect her, but I do not have any intention of being an actual pirate. I'm just a temporary member-"
"Cabin boy." Polka corrects you.
"Cabin bo-No! I am not a cabin boy!" You snap, causing your comrade to giggle. "Okay. I am not getting into this right now. I think I see the stairs up ahead. Focus."
"Alright alright." The fennec acknowledges you, but not before a small grin forms on her lips. "But if you do want to be a pirate and sail the high seas for a while, I'd be fine with that."
"Duly noted." You sigh, knowing that arguing will only give this woman more fuel for her fire.
Still, the idea of sailing around with all my friends, finding treasure, new lands, just living on the sea…that sounds pretty fun. Dammit. Now looks who needs to focus. How does Polka do this to me? Time to straighten up. I have a croc to wrestle down.
While things may not have played out exactly as you hoped so far, your path forward is clear; dismantle every crew that stands between you and Blackfin. You have had a strong start by luring most of the fleet to fight on your terms, but now comes the true test. Right now, three crucial battles in the war against the Blackfin fleet are underway:
SeaKroc - A group of crocodile beastkin led by the cruel and boisterous Captain Krol. They seem perfectly content to go along with Blackfin's orders as long as it lines their pockets. You and Polka will clean their clocks and teach them a lesson.
SunFlower - A crew made of mostly elves but also a few humans. Led by Captain Lorilia. Known for their pilfering of ancient relics from the elven kingdom where Flare was born. You noticed how particularly disgusted the half-elf was when Marine explained what the Sunflower pirates specialized in.
MoonClaw - A collection of wolven beastkin who roam the seas in search of easy prey. Led by Wulf Ripsnarl. From what you've heard and seen already, they are basically some of the lower ranked muscle within Blackfin's fleet.