HoloJourneys

by vanderblast

A fateful encounter with a fluffy sheep inside a castle dungeon, begins a journey that will change the world. In a world of magic, swords, magical spirits and endless possibilities, Anon, sets forth on a journey with his friend Watame to see everything this world has to offer and to find their origins. The journey won't always be easy, but together, they can always make it through.

50. A Long Overdue Whale Hunt

The dark skies and steady rain have been a blessing in multiple ways. The ever flowing curtain of water acted to mask your movements all the way to the surrounding foliage marking the borders of the shipyard. Botan takes the lead and brings one of the scoped rifles strapped to her into her hands and pokes it through the green shrubbery that sits in front of you all. A short moment and Botan begins to give her report.

"There's only one boat here with any action going on." She says, and anxiety starts to bloom in your chest. "And it's a huge one, just like you said it was." The alpha lioness continues, rescuing you from an internal panic.

"Thank the gods it hasn't shipped off yet." You wipe some of the excess rainwater and sweat off your face. "What else can you see?"

"Not a ton with this weather from here." Botan remarks as she takes another strained look through the scope of her rifle. "I can make out an entrance, I think the backside of that thing is open right now. There's a big ramp that I can see some bodies moving up and down along. Maybe that's our way inside?"

"It'll have to be." You make the call and begin to mentally prepare yourself. Every second counts, you can't risk that war machine leaving the shore and wreaking havoc. You look over at Nula and give her an assuring smile. "Nula, you're on. Make us one with the mist."

The meek lioness jolts to attention, and manages a rapid fire nod, her sopped ponytail whips over her head and lands flat against her face. You refrain from letting out even a giggle, the poor girl already has some confidence issues, and you need her to be at her emotional best so she can believe she can pull off this spell like you know she can. Nula drags her silver hair out of her way and lets out a deep, stress filled sigh in an attempt to expel all the uncertainty she must have.

"I can do this." She whispers to herself. "Conceal what lies beneath." Nula raises her hands towards you, and a faint translucent glow begins to appear along her palms.

Around your face you see emerging trails of vapor attempt to take shape amidst the rain, but they struggle to maintain their existence. Nula concentrates more of her mental focus on giving her spell a shape, but the lioness' face looks wrought with doubt. The dim light from her mana fades, and the spell is snuffed out, leaving only the sight and sensation of rain around you.

As the lion girl begins to lament and appear downcast, you start to wonder what she could be missing. She created an illusion on a level you haven't even seen before while in the heat of battle no less. With the lessons you and Undine gave her on the nature of water, she should be able to do this. Botan, seemingly as concerned as you are, steps in front of Nula and puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Try again." She says plainly.

"B-But" Nula quivers, but her hesitation is not allowed to continue.

"Think of being on the hunt." The alpha commands. "Feel how your gift can be used to conceal our packleader, and yourself. The power to be completely invisible to your prey. Now wouldn't that sound like a skill an elite huntress would have?"

With her tribal aspirations appealed to, Nula finds newfound determination and purpose. She gives Botan a grateful hum of her voice, and readies herself to try the spell again. The smaller lioness closes her eyes and imagines what she desires from her magic; a way to cross through thickets and plains alike with her pack, all while their prey is none the wiser to their presence. As she imagines the thrill and anticipation of the hunt, her mana responds. The air around you all begins to shimmer and you resist the urge to run your fingers along its veil. A few short seconds, Nula's body relaxes, and the air that caresses your nose can be felt to have the slightest sensation of mana.

"Did I do it?" Nula asks with one eye open.

"Only one way to find out." Pomu chirps, and she takes the initiative to fly ten feet away from your group, where she places her hand over her brow. "Yup! Nothing there but a puff of foggy mist! Great job, Nula!"

"And best of all, our own sight isn't impaired. This is so awesome." You can't help but shower the lioness with compliments. "Illusion magic is so cool!"

"You are improving by leaps and bounds with every test life throws your way, little lion." Undine gives a soft applause.

"Not that I don't want to let our newest magician bask in her glory, we're on a pretty tight schedule." Polka chimes in to reign in some of your enthusiasm. "Let's go. We got a party to crash."

With everyone gathered within the small proximity of Nula's illusionary influence, you all tread onto the shore of the shipyard. Your pride swells when you can still make out the rubble of the main workshop. Soon Blackfin's entire operation will be in pieces just like that mad factory. That dark metal behemoth he's been building is even more imposing in the overcast. Even from a good mile away you can see how that monstrosity is armed to the gills with canons that range from all sizes, each carrying their unique level of precision and destructive power. The hull is lined with jagged points along its edges, likely to enable it to chew through other ships.

You arrive at the loading ramp of the ship without so much as a single person on board giving a second glance in your direction. There are two burly men wheeling a cart full of iron ammunition further into the ship. Botan points forward with two extending fingers, and has already unstrapped one of the smaller pistols she carried from its holster. As you all carefully step onto the metal dock, your lioness assault leader conjures a jet black cylinder in her free hand, which she then twists onto the barrel of her weapon. With expert precision, she fires two quick shots. Not only does the sudden action surprise you, but also the fact that the sound given by her weapon was as quiet as the chirp of an early morning bird. The two bodies that ushered the cart down the loading bay were now on the ground, but there was curiously no sign of their injury.

"That should keep them down for a while. I made sure to pack just enough to knock them out for a bit." Botan says, keeping her voice low.

Pomu whistles in fascination at one of the weapons in action. She then slides off your shoulder and reverts to her normal size. "So it's just like what Anon's non-lethal enchantment can do? That's awesome! I can do that with mine too?!"

"With practice, maybe." The lioness chuckles at the fae's enthusiasm, but quickly reverts to her huntress' focus. "We'll want to try and not let the whole ship know we're here, at least until we have everything set up. Now let's get moving. Someone will probably come looking for these two in a few minutes. Something tells me they were supposed to be the last ones to board."

You then are steered by what must be acquired instinct and leave your group's obscuring veil to walk to one of the unconscious bodies and begin to heave the deadweight into the cart that stood next to it. The odors of these two were downright offensive, to a point where it was almost hard to breathe. You've been covered in demon's blood and smelled better than this. Foul smells aside, you persevere and drop the second sleeping pirate into the cart, making sure that neither of their heads can be seen poking out from over the edges. A push of the wooden box on wheels to the side wall, and presto, a conspicuous scene that would take the average investigator just an extra minute or two to find something amiss with. A minute that will no doubt be very precious to you later on.

Scanning the scene for anything else to mask your arrival, you spot the pinwheel crank that stands next to the open entryway and begin to pull it back with all your might. With each rotation of the inner winches, chains are retracted, and more of the outside world disappears from view. A final strong turn of the wheel and the door locks into place, seamlessly meshing to the vessel's back hull. Dusting your hands off, you move to begin the stage of your operation; the sabotage.

Everyone briskly traverses the warship's vast interior in tight formation, and you are soon met with patrolling deckhands who were in the middle of lugging supplies towards the oncoming stairs. Outside no one gave a cloud of traveling mist any mind, but such a sight while in the confines of the indoors made the small group scratch their heads and do a quick double take. Botan lets loose another barrage of shots, nailing her targets before they can even reach for their weapons. The speed and power of the weapon the lioness had created with her own magic astounds you. You'll have to compare how her own conjured weapons perform next to something more permanent like Marine's pistols. Another thing for your list once this is all over.

The next floor up is home to the first battery, the entire hallway is lined with their own mounted cannons whose barrels poke through where windows would normally be. Nula lets her spell fade and you all huddle around Polka who begins to hastily dig through her hat for the tools that would bring these monstrous weapons down to size. The sound of heavy bootsteps tickle your ears from further down the hall, you unsheathe your sword and rush toward them.

A pair of raised daggers, and a sloppy posture; easy pickings. Your first wide swing knocks the stabbing implement out of the hand of the scrawny man in the lead, and your return chop cuts right through the thrusted steel of his compatriot when he tries to make an attempt on you. Disarmed and outclassed, you finish both men off with one final swing across their unguarded chests. Defeated, but spared, both guards fall to the ground, and your body remains tense at the prospect of more hindrances to your mission.

The rest of your team had already started placing the dormant explosives on each of the outfacing canons. Botan was kneeled down around her collection of mobile cat-like bombs, it looks like she is giving them instructions. Can they actually understand her? It kinda paints their use in a grim light, but you suppose at the end of the day, they are just conjurations of hers. Undine had taken the rear guard, but her gaze continued to be drawn upward where even you can hear more hurried marching growing closer and closer. Polka's triangular ears are forced in each new direction of the chaotic noise above, and her face drops.

"Crap, there's still a lot more to place. We haven't even gotten to the other side of the ship yet…" She laments, and then looks over at you, her face battling hard to say what she wants to next. "Anon, you gotta go on ahead."

"Huh? Polka, what do you-" You start.

"You have to go distract them. Take the fight to that orca like you always planned to. I'll make sure everything that bastard would use to throw at Marine is set to be blown to bits." Polka meets you in the middle of the hall and places a hand on your shoulder, her arm is steady, she is absolutely sure that this is how it needs to happen.

"I'll help too!" Nula claims, having just finished placing another charge on the side of a random canon. "When we're done, I can make sure we get out without anyone seeing us."

"Good plan. Here, catch." Botan remarks as she throws a small silver cylinder topped with a shiny red button to the circus fennec, who turns around just in time to catch it within her gloved hand. "Just hit that when you're off the ship, and enjoy the show."

"Polka, are you really sure about this?" You ask, not so sure yourself about the idea.

"Yes! But I wish I wasn't!" Polka snaps, her purple pools seem to pierce your heart with the desperation they shimmer with. "You're going to have to fight some lunatic orca demi-human without me there to watch your back. Like, how is that fair?! But we don't have much of a choice at this point…this thing has to be disarmed…or it won't matter what we do, Marine, even Shallah, they could be blown to pieces. There wouldn't be anything left to save."

"I get it." You sigh. "I really do…but I don't like it."

"Me either…especially after the day we've had…" Polka's ears droop as her eyes fall to the ground. "I…"

Words even escape you at this point, and you can tell that you both will fight for whatever time you can in order to get them out, but you know that is just out of the question right now. So, you decide to take a more direct method in getting your feelings across, a method meant just for the two of you. Taking her free hand, you interlock your fingers with Polka's and you let your souls do the talking.

A warm sensation that now feels so befitting to your own heart seems to enter through your fingertips and flow through your body like a breathless stream. Through this river of your two souls you can feel almost every emotion the fennec has in this moment; fear, excitement, uncertainty, anxiety, determination, faith and something that shines even brighter while somehow magnifying all that pulses within Polka's being; Love. The connection of your auras allows your fennec to feel all that swirls within you as well, and she lets out an appeased sigh when the love you have for her reaches her very soul.

Invigorated and with a new rise of confidence, you both open your eyes and are greeted with the smiling face of the other.

"Alright, let's do this. Blackfin isn't gonna know what hit him, and with Botan, Undine, and Pomu with me, he doesn't stand a chance." You lay the bravado on a little thick, but it earns a small grin from your ringmistress.

"You're damn right he doesn't, and if I were there, it would just be overkill." Polka chuckles. "But don't think I'm sitting out the rest of this fight. Once Nula and I do our thing, we'll go find Watame and the rest of your pack. We'll back you up when we can."

"Sure thing. I always know you guys will pull my butt out of the fire if it gets too hot for me."

"And…Anon?" The fennec's face grows a little more pensive. "Promise me you'll be okay. Please?"

Seeing that beautiful fennec distressed, cornered over your wellbeing, ignites something very protective within you. You want nothing more than to shelter this girl within your arms and tell her that you'll never be apart, but you know that is unrealistic. You can however, give her the promise she desires, and it will be one you will always see through for her. You may strive to be a hero, which is a life that will have no shortage of dangers, but you also want to be a supportive pillar for your loved ones.

A bold, and possibly selfish impulse then compels you to place a hand on the back of Polka's soft dark blond head, your fingers are overjoyed at the sensation of that messy mat of hair that is laced with the ordeals of today along with the fresh sea salt air. Polka's eyes widen when they take in the purpose that must shine within your own, but before she can utter so much as a gasp, you bring her faces together, making a long awaited connection upon your lips. You feel the fennec's body shudder and jolt against yours, her tail hikes straight up into the air, and her arms become frozen in place at her sides. You let yourself linger for a moment, savoring the touch of this wonderful, funny woman. How you have waited to feel how her lips upon yours, but you were never sure the two of you were quite ready to cross that threshold yet, but after today, what you've been through, how you've "progressed" together as only a human and kitsune can, ready or not, it was time. While your bodies connect, you can sense something curious within yourself. It is as though a door lay in front of the recesses of your mind, and all you need to do is push it open. A gentle prod, and you immediately feel the familiar tug of your very essence being accepted by Polka's. Her body shivers at the unexpected arrival of her favorite snack, but then it starts to relax. Pressing a little deeper, you finish off your promise's seal with a loud "muah!", severing your soul funnel and finally releasing Polka.

"I think that probably answers it." Botan snickers at the two of you, taking special interest in how the fennec sways back and forth almost drunkenly. "Nula, help Polka get going, she might be seeing stars for a few minutes."

Nula nods, coming to stand between you and Polka, but then looks at you somewhat expectantly. You take the hint and give the small lioness a quick peck on the cheek. "I promise you I'll be alright too. Now get going."

With a few spare bombs under one arm, and Polka under the other, Nula hops to her task and leads them both down the hall to where the pathway branches to lead them to the other side of the ship. As they walk, Polka looks at you from over her shoulder, a mix of surprise, admiration, regret, and love are all painted within her eyes. Her lips curl to a wobbly smile, and she looks as though she's about to go over the moon. You had just wanted to show the girl you were serious about your promise while also indulging yourself just a little, but the confidence boost you got from the aftermath is a very welcome bonus indeed.

"Way to go, Anon." Pomu nudges your arm with her elbow and gives you a wink. "You made the first move with an audience. Oh, my boy has come so far."

"Would you stop-" You groan, but one of your other onlookers decides to join in on the fun.

"Do you still think you're not cut out for being a packleader?" Botan smirks at your tinged cheeks. "You seem to be a natural at this. Though I think Nula would have let you go a little furth-"

"Save it." You take a deep breath and recollect yourself. "And before you try to argue more, there is a very important aspect to the entire idea that I'm already not sure how I'm meant to deal with it. Which I honestly probably just made more complicated for myself…but that doesn't matter right now!"

"My summoner is correct." Undine comes to your rescue, trident tightly gripped in her hands. "We have a battle to win. I shall follow your lead, summoner."

"Are you really sure we shouldn't leave one more behind with them?" Botan asks. "If there are more pirates on this floor still, and there may be some we don't run into on the way up, so-"

"Oi Oi Oi Oi!" Polka's voice booms from beyond the ship's walls and hallways. "You wanna mess with Omaru Polka!? Huh?! Okay!? C'mon! C'mon!"

Following the fennec's high speed threats, a chorus of blasts, the bludgeoning of skulls, and the frightened cries of men and women echo through the ship, and you exhale in both smug pride, and lovestruck longing for that crazy clown of yours.

"I think they'll be jusssssst fine. Now follow me." You point your sword at the flight of stairs at the end of the hall. "Let's clear out the next floor and keep going up till we reach the deck. I bet that blowhard orca is up there gloating to himself, and I'm tired of settling for the small fish when there's a fucking whale to hunt."

Now that your four-man squad is roused to action, you all charge up to the next floor of the orca's battleship. You are immediately met with a small platoon of BlackWhale pirates who were rushing to investigate the disturbances down below. Channeling your wind magic through your sword, you blow a gale of uplifting air at your enemies to send them off balance, lining them up for Undine to send a sphere of water that lands a clean strike and knocks them all against one another until they are left groaning on the ground.

Further down the hall came a trio of heavier set pirates, and as you might expect, the crew of the fleet's flagship would not be so easily shaken by feats of magical prowess. They would still fall all the same, as Botan took them down with three successive shots of her pistol, but as the last magical bullet left the chamber, the firearm broke apart in her hands. The lioness lets out a frustrated tick of her tongue, but replaces her disintegrating weapon with a second that was strapped to her hip.

Through the floor of the ship you hear the gathering and men and women, shouting orders and trying to control their own chaos once it becomes apparent they are being invaded. You all dash past a room whose door was halfway through opening, and Botan pulls the pin of one of her palm sized explosives and lobs it through the widening crack. A satisfied smile paints her face when the rumble caused by its bang plays in the background of shocked howls of pain.

The next quartet of enemies are Pomu's, she flies above you, inhaling a reinvigorating breath before blowing a localized gust at her targets. The pirates are uplifted instantly and slammed into the ceiling and side walls, clearing the way for you to continue your charge. You ascend to the next level, and you are met with minimal resistance through what must be the barracks of this vessel. Passing through open bunk rooms, mess halls, and even weapon stores, you find the last ascending staircase where the light of the stormy skies can be seen shining through the windowpane. When your climb to the top is almost over, Undine unleashes a powerful projectile stream that surges ahead, tearing the wooden door right off its hinges and crashing over a pair of would-be guards.

When you storm the deck, the rain seems to have subsided, or you are merely in all senses of the phrase, in the eye of the storm. You are then met with the imposing figures of Blackfin's crew; a dozen men and women of different races that were common within the fleet, all armed and ready to fire their own flintlock weapons at you. Botan's trigger finger was faster, she finally shows off one of the more impressive looking rifles she had slung over her shoulder, and unleashed a quick sweep of bullets that nail anyone aiming at you in either the shoulder or the hand. You follow the alpha's lead and charge into battle yourself.

The higher ranking officers are more formidable as you expected. You engage in some heavy swordplay with a wolf beastkin and older but well built man. They are able to parry and block your first few swings, but a dash mana and a flick of your wrist delivers a rush of azure purity into their bodies, bypassing their defenses and send them stumbling back, giving you an opening to glide your blade along the wolf's furred midsection. You follow up with a swift slash for the man, but only catch his hastily raised guard, which sends the cutlass out of his grip and across the deck. You prepare a finishing thrust but a raised hand in the distance catches your eye and stops you in your tracks.

"Hold it!" Blackfin demands, his order putting a freeze on the battle. The orca demi-human steps down from the stairs of the upper deck, looking just as deplorable and as mind bogglingly huge as you remember. Your grip tightens, and your breath gets caught in your throat. This is it, Anon.

"It seems I underestimated you again, boy." The fleet captain greets with that same patronizing bravado that seems to come oh so naturally to him. "I wasn't expecting a pincer attack like this, you got some real guts."

"And it seems like I overestimated you." You scoff, stepping around the pirate in front of you to bring you in clear line of sight of your true enemy. "After all your threats, I thought you would have had the guts to come after me yourself. What's the matter? Couldn't think you could win if your big metal eyesore wasn't ready? You really are just a coward."

"Sticks and stones." The orca admiral tuts. "I've done nothing but work to make good on my word since we met. I did tell you I wasn't going to pull any punches, and that meant making sure the Iron Zale was ready for her maiden voyage. So tell me, what do you think? She's a fine piece of ship, ain't she? This actually has the right to be called a pirate ship, unlike that rickety dingy you've been sailing on with the Houshou bag."

"This thing is a monstrosity." You spit. "It's not built for roaming the seas, only for war. You WISH it was half the ship the Crimson Quarter is."

"That Houshou relic is heading for a one way trip to the bottom of the sea." Blackfin bellows, and his chin points up towards the crows nest that looks high enough to pierce the clouds. "Speaking of…Alvina! Any word on the Houshou ship?!"

"Aye Captain!" The squawk of the harpy pirate captain rattles your eardrums from above. "That wannabe slut is on her way, looks like Thomas got outdone somehow!"

Blackfin shoots a frustrated glare your way, that you return with a hearty grin. "What's wrong, blowhard? More of your cronies come up short?"

"I'm not sure what he thought would happen." Pomu shrugs. "The Houshou Pirates are not to be messed with! We're the best crew on the seas. Yeah that's right! A fairy is the newest badass of the Houshou!" The fae makes sure to shout loud enough for the harpy above to hear her taunting.

"You little forest rat!" Alvina sneers, one taloned foot already on the edge of her perch, ready to swoop down and silence the source of her aggression.

"Stay still, Alvina." Blackfin orders, immobilizing the winged captain. He then looks back at you with a nauseating degree of confidence. "So you fancy yourself pirates? Let me show you how things really work out at sea, boy. The bigger, better ship always wins. Maybe after I turn the Houshou's hand-me-down into a pile of scrap, you'll be quick to change your tune about my kind offer."

You scoff at the bravado the orca has, your sword hand is starting to get twitchy. All this talking is starting to make you restless. You half-hoped he would just surrender when he saw you were still free and ready to fight, but you also relish the idea of beating this mad orca down. Still, you can't be sure Polka and Nula finished setting all the charges yet, so you'll try to buy a little more time.

"What? You really want to parlay again? Normally I prefer not to be the bearer of bad news, but in your case I'll make an exception. Your fleet is in shambles. You have even less to offer me, and even less to threaten me with. My friends and I tore through every crew you sent our way, and you're gonna be next. It's over. Your hold over Shallah, your pirating days, it all ends today."

"Over?" Blackfin raises an eyebrow. "Nothing is over yet! So you got rid of some of me mates, took down a few ships. Big deal. You underestimate your own worth to the right buyer. I bet with what HoloX would pay for you, I could fund an entire pirating empire! I don't have to settle for just selling you either." He says with a mad smile, pointing to each of your nearby companions. "Let's just say the mountain lions of this region are a little…endangered, and one like your friend would fetch a pretty price for a man who has taste. And I can tell just by looking at the one with the trident that she is from the waters like I am. Can't say I've ever seen one with blue skin before, but that just means she's even more valuable! With a payday like you I could buy twenty! No! Fifty ships! All of them would have the teeth to be called whales of the sea!"

The orca continues to bellow with a maddening smile, and he waves down one of his subordinates that sticks close to a speaking horn that connects to the lower levels of the ship.

"Let's give him a demonstration, lads! Time to shove off and finally remove that thorn from my side. First I'll blow Houshou's ship to smithereens, then Shallah. Now if I pull the trigger, is up to An-" The orca is interrupted by a ringing vibration emanating from the floorboards, and the muffled ruckus of heavy objects being bombarded against the inner workings of the ship's hull. Explosion after explosion rumbles below deck, shaking the ground just enough to require your focus to stay balanced. Blackfin hurls an accusatory scowl at you, and you flash your self admitted guilt through your teeth.

"As your men are probably about to tell you, the arsenal you are so proud of is probably in a bunch of pieces. You're not the only one who can pack some major firepower." You can't help but get snarky, pointing a thumb to the lioness next to you, who nods proudly at your declaration while keeping her weapon locked on anyone who so much as moves an aggressive finger towards you.

Blackfin turns toward his subordinate; his face is pale white from the news he is being expected to deliver, but he swallows hard and does the needful. "C-Captain, they're saying all the lower artillery have been destroyed! The hull wasn't breached, but our weapons are useless!"

"Then use the long range artillery we installed on the deck you idjits! Get movin'! If that wench gets in firing range, you're going to be playing interception with their canonfire!" The fleet captain roars, making his frightened crew scramble, and causing a sharp spike of anxiety within your own chest.

"Shit…didn't think about top level guns…" You remark, you look to your right and see Botan's eyes ensnare yours. She isn't the least bit fazed, in fact, she looks eager. The way she points a thumb to the bazooka that is strapped to her back and the way her eyes just silently say Leave it to me, you feel an immense wave of assurance. You give the lioness a firm nod and try to contain your excitement for what might possibly be to come. Botan steps to the side and rests her strange new weapon on her shoulder with its open mouth facing behind her.

A plan made without words, you ready your sword and command your legs to propel you forward. Behind you hear the movements of your friends fanning out to initiate battle, you trust them to do whatever they must to bring this crew to its knees, but that orca is yours. He's going to pay for everything he's done.

Blackfin's arm muscles twitch, blackened veins popping along his biceps as his eyes gauge your speed, and finds himself unable to launch a counterattack before you are already upon him. You bring Shining Comet down in a marvelous strike, only to be met with the raised guard of his protruding fins. The strength of an orca demi-human is staggering, just like you know it to be, but you won't falter. Your sword jitters against his fins that could easily cut through stone, and the mad orca starts to pressure you backward.

You make a hasty move, removing one hand from your sword grip and placing it on the cover of your spell book that hangs from your hip. "Stellaruke!" You shout, and the light of your spell outlines your body, giving you a multitude of strength that takes Blackfin by surprise and breaks his crossed guard. You take advantage of the opening and give Shining Comet a swing with such speed that Blackfin can only reel back when its steel glides across his midsection, and you immediately backhand your blade to complete a furious cross slash. Where you expected to see an open wound, you only find the skin barely breaking over Blackfin's round belly.

What the hell is this guy made of!? Diamond? I wasn't even holding back. You begin to sense the gravity of the opponent you chose for yourself, and he is all too eager to show you first hand as his clenched fist comes flying for your eye sockets. The flat of your sword prevents his knuckles from colliding with your skull, but the force of his blow staggers you backward and your entire body feels like it was you were just snatched by a tornado and shaken until your bones all swapped places.

"What's wrong, boy? You didn't even manage to make me bleed there." Blackfin sneers, for some reason giving you a chance to catch your breath. "You sure talked a big game, but even with your weird powers, you're still just a human. You're no match for an orca."

You pay his taunting no heed, instead holding your sword in front of you and take a firm stance. The orca fleet captain steps at you, swinging his finned arms wide that are met with the edge of your steel, each deflection challenges your balance, but you refuse to let up. At the end of his latest barrage, Blackfin brings both his arms forward to attempt to trap you between his protruding arm blades. You raise your own blade to catch both of his before they can lacerate you, your weapons deadlock with one another, but you command the winds of change to take flight from the depths of your being, and with a loud roar, you unleash a pulse of gale wind from your body that dislodges the orca from your clash and throws him onto his back.

You raise your guard as the BlackWhale Captain recovers and pushes himself up by his knee. The veil of starlight fades from your body, and you feel your breath catch from no longer having to sustain the effort of the spell.

"Still think a human is no match for an orca?" You take your turn to taunt.

"We'll see how smug you are when the Houshou is sinking to the bottom of the-" Blackfin starts to bark, but the sounds of his own crew being on the losing end of their own battles cuts his boasting short.

An entire company of pirates charges Pomu from the starboard side of the deck, to which the fae responds with a gleeful smirk along with her palms slapping against the wooden floorboard. A bright pull from her own magic creates several glyphed circles; black arms resembling the fae's own shoot out from their portals like vines and snag the ankles of sprinting men and women. Faces slam into the floor's foundation, giving it a deep red paint job that could be considered a form of interpretive art. Pomu then wriggles the digits of her other hand, puppeting her magical creations to trail along the fallen bodies and begin pillaging.

"I'll just take this, and that, and this" she chirps as the magical appendages pick up the bladed weapons of her victims to toss them overboard while others rifle through pockets. "oooo~ a gold doubloon!" Pomu gasps as she commands the lucky hand to flip the golden coin piece to her. "Definitely taking that off your hands." She proudly places her reward into her pouch. "Now without further adieu!" The fae plants her second palm against the floor and funnels even more of her mana into the magic circle beneath her. The blackened arms are drawn together by the magnetic force of Pomu's command, converging their shapes into one massive hand. The fae pulls her arms up slowly, the massive pitch black hand mimicking their rise. She lets her hands linger, her digits fondling the empty space underneath them, she licks her lips in anticipation, then with a lightning quick drop, the massive magical hand slaps down on her helpless foes, knocking the air clean out of them while punishing their bodies to their breaking point.

Undine had also been quick to begin subduing the orca's crew of sea bandits, using her trident with expert precision to disarm and sweep aside any that tried to combat her. The ruler of the waters' fury increases with every strike, the azure magic around her body radiates brighter and brighter. Her determination to subdue her enemies, to punish the wicked, to help you achieve your wishes, they all push her to fight with the building fury of the restless ocean that thrashes against the shores. A group of men and women approach her, hoping to overwhelm her with sheer numbers, but Undine only meets their aggressive gaze with the cold intensity of her stare, splintering their composure. She raises a hand, and from it outflows a jetstream so fierce that it upheaves her enemies from their feet and carries them along its embrace until pounding them into one of the towering masts. When the deluge trickles down, the pirates are allowed to the mercy of gravity and reveal the wearing down of the wood's skin along the mast that must be a quarter of the way deep.

She continues to step further along the ship, her eyes honing in on her next targets that gather to stand in Botan's way. A swipe of her hand across her front sends a barrage of water discs through the air. The liquid projectiles catch the pirates from their blindsides, slapping their faces hard enough to send them all into a tailspin. Botan capitalizes on the assist and shoulders her way past them, she only has one shot with her largest weapon, and there is no other choice than to make it count.

Towards the front bow of the ship sits a massive piece of artillery made of pure steel. Its longer barrel is angled up towards the clouded skies, and the lioness deduces that it would probably pick off a rowboat from miles away in the right hands. She refuses to give them the chance.

As soon as Botan has a clear line of sight to the long range cannon, she drops to one knee and securely holds her bazooka over her shoulder. Her ears twitch from the footsteps who desperately try to reach both her and the mounted gun.

"This is for trashing my house." Botan smirks as she pulls the heavy trigger of her weapon, and an ear popping blast of air fires the cylindrical payload from its chamber. The missile hits its mark dead on before anyone can even blink, and the impact is so explosive that the dark grays of the sky are mixed with a shade of bright orange. Botan's hair and tail fall back down after their momentary flail caused by the scorching hot gust the destruction of the ship's battery, and she is overjoyed to find the results scattered across the deck. "And this" she continues, gripping the unloaded bottom end of her bazooka with two hands. "Is for hurting my pack!" She roars as she swings her missile launcher around to throw it into a pair of oncoming pirates who sought retribution for their destroyed property. The two are blown onto their back with anguish, and the heavy weight on top of them makes sure they stay there. Botan brings up the rifle that was hanging next to her waist and readies herself for the thugs that approach her.

You force yourself to shift your stare from Botan's spectacle of combat and pyrotechnics, back to Blackfin. The demi human's mouth hangs agape in disbelief, his cheeks become frozen with astonishment, and his eyes twitch with the pale fury of a man who is desperate for an outlet. When met with your confidence, his molars grind together. Something inside him seems to snap, and his muscles bulge with heartened resolve.

"This isn't over by a longshot, Anon!" He barks. "I've sunk plenty of ships with even less at my disposal. The Houshou hag dies today! Alvina!"

The harpy captain, mid descent to swoop upon Pomu, flaps her feathered arms to halt her assault and pay attention to her superior's orders.

"Time to make up for your blunderings. Take your girls and shred the Houshou's ship apart! I don't care what it takes! Just make sure that ship can't move. The coming storm should do the rest of the work for us. Now get going!" Blackfin mandates, shocking the bird-like demi-human into action. With a harsh shriek, she rallies the BlueGale Pirates aboard the ship and they fly in loose formation towards the coast where the shadow of the Crimson Quarter can barely be seen.

You curse and switch your weapons so that you can take a chance to hopefully knock at least one of those birds out of the sky. Visibility was already starting to wane along the seas, and even Marine and Flare's sharp eyes might not be able to catch their coming assailants before it's too late.

"I got 'em Anon!" Pomu shouts, bending her legs low before rocketing up into the air in hot pursuit. A pit quickly forms in your stomach. Kiara is not going to like this in the slightest, but you know you couldn't call the fae back now, even if you wanted to. Instead, you funnel your strength from within into your spell book.

Raising your open palm towards the harpies that ascend higher into the darkened clouds, you push to make this your brightest spell yet. To make it one that could light up the entire sky.

"Marine, Flare, I hope one of you sees this…Stellar!" Your hand and spell book shine with piercing starlight that makes your opponent shield his eyes. A ray of silver-white radiance fires into the sky, taking one of the flanking harpies in the formation by surprise and grazing her left leg, causing her to sporadically try to maintain her stability. The ray of starlight continues to soar until it parts through the clouds; creating a fleeting sheet of radiance overhead.

Botan takes advantage of the enhanced visibility to unleash a flurry of magical bullets at the escaping harpies, nailing the one you had brushed with your spell across her back. The avian pirate shrieks as the bright projectiles pummel her back, and she loses the strength to continue flapping her arms. As one falls, Botan adjusts her aim to another, but the rifle she holds begins to shake and exude a faint heat. The lioness curses when her creation falls apart in her hands, and by the time she arms herself with her last remaining side piece, the harpies are well out of its firing range.

Keeping those harpies away from Marine's ship is now squarely upon that brave fae's shoulders.

Pomu whizzes through the air, eyes squinting through the raindrops that plaster her face as she gives chase to the BlueGale Pirates that were sent after her friends. She wasn't sure exactly what she was thinking flying off against a group of harpies all on her own, but her wings moved before her head. All that mattered was that she was in the thick of it now, and she will do all she can to be a fairy Anon and her friends can always count on to get them out of a tight spot. Besides, the captain of these mean birds needs a firm kick in the tush to fix her bad attitude, and Pomu will not pass up an opportunity to let her foot deliver the message.

The fairy commands her wings to carry her higher, faster, breaking through the blustering winds to finally catch up and bring her above the flock of avians that focus solely on their mission. Pomu singles out one of the harpies at the edge of the formation; one with lime green hair to match her plumes, and the fae straightens her wings behind her to let gravity send her feet first into her target's spine, making the woman let out an ear shattering shriek in response.

Necks snap in the direction of their wailing comrade whose arms cease beating the wind beneath her wings to keep her in flight, and she starts to descend towards the earth. Pomu swallows when six sets of predatory eyes make her muscles tense and lock, it is really do or die now.

Two shorter haired harpies swoop at the fae, talons poised to tear her limb from limb. Pomu lets out a timid "eep" as her body and magic work in the first way her frightened mind could think of; shrinking. Sharpened claws slash across where the fae's head and legs would be, only to have their prey fall right out of their grasp, Pomu now flies at her miniaturized size, half surprised to still be in one piece. With her breath still caught in her chest, the forest fairy capitalizes on the fleeting state of shock her opponents are in, buzzing to hover just below the chin of one of them, and as the harpy's eyes zero in on Pomu's smug grin, her magic begins to sparkle once again. She kicks one of her legs upward, and before her toe can cross the threshold of her waist, she commands her size to return to normal, and the point of her foot lands square underneath the pirate's jaw, sending her falling backward onto the open sky.

Pomu's second aerial combatant overcomes her brief surprise over the fae's tactics and flaps one arm to bring her back within striking range, but another toothy smile peeks from behind the fairy's lips. After shrinking again, Pomu avoids another swipe meant for her head and revolves around her opponents body, and in a seamless sequence she enlarges herself again as in time with a harsh roundhouse kick to the harpy's side, making her double over through the air and fall into her recovering comrade.

The fairy flutters her wings and shuffles her feet back and forth in front of her enemies that she has now earned the full attention of. Captain Alvina flaps to the front of her band, her teeth grinding together at the pompous taunt from the fae. The BlueGale Captain jerks her head to one of her wingmates, who takes the order to be the next to attack Pomu, lunging through the air with her feathered arms set to slit her throat. The fae inhales and shrinks again to avoid another laceration, but before she can position herself to launch a counterattack, the winds suddenly carry her helplessly upward like she were a fallen leaf within a storm.

"You may be able to make yourself smaller like the rat you are, but that just means you'll get swept away like a rat!" Alvina spits, rowing her arms one last time to send another pulse of air to further disorient Pomu. "Blast her out of the sky, girls! We got another whore to fry."

Three harpies then form a wide triangle formation, and their mana draws the shape itself using each of their bodies as its points. Energy begins to manifest and crackle at the center of the trigon, and with a sharp shriek, a ray of lightning fires towards Pomu. Through her tumbling the fae spots the electricity coming straight for her, forcing her to act for a chance to ensure her own survival. She brings herself back to her regular size and crosses her arms to guard her as she pleads for her mana to rise and protect her with a thick coat of wind. Pomu's entire body is then enveloped by conjured lightning, her body burns and tingles all over, and despite her harsh screams, she focuses on finding the grit to endure it.

The electrical surge ends, and within the smoke flies Pomu, signed, shaking, and bleeding in several places across her body, but alive and determined to see this fight through. She wipes some of the blood that trickled down from her nose with her forearm and reaches for the pistol she had strapped to her left thigh. The harpies watch curiously for the smoke to clear, and their faces contort to shock when they are met with the black metal firearm pointed in their direction.

"I'm….packing heat too…" Pomu's shoulders heave with every breath she takes, but she takes careful aim. "And now…it's my turn. Have a taste of my big PP energy, you mean birds!" Pomu gives the metal trigger a sharp squeeze, trying to control the output of her own mana that the weapon seems to siphon from her fingertips. A loud bang then deafens her ears, and the next that comes immediately after is muffled to a dull whisper. A mix of panic and rage takes control of Pomu's trigger finger, and she continues to fire. Three shots, four, five, six.

Thick lines of bright green erupt from the barrel, streaking through the air and piercing the right shoulder, right leg, and upper right breast of one of the harpies. The other shots fail to hit anything, but the fear of the destructive power the fae seemed to possess makes the others disperse to a safe distance away.

"Heh….hehehe. That was awesome." Pomu chuckles with weary breath, and the pistol she holds begins to break apart in her shaking hands. "Guess I gave it too much juice…Darn."

Having seen her main method of defense become dust in the wind, the crew of avian pirates dart towards her, clawed hands and feet ready to snatch her no matter what direction she would try to escape in. Pomu balls her fist and prepares to defend herself, she might not have the mana to mount a proper offensive, but she will fight with everything she has till the end, that is what Anon taught her. As long as she's breathing, even if she's scared, she can find a way to be a hero.

A shorter harpy swipes, breaking the skin of Pomu's right cheek as she weaves to avoid a fatal strike, and the fae beats her wings to step her forward, and with a loud battle cry, she plants her mana coated fist into the navel of the demi-human before she could leave her range. The woman flaps one of her winged arms to disengage while the other holds her throbbing midsection, but before Pomu can launch a proper follow up, her blindspot is exploited by another harpy that beats both her wings down in a cross slash over the fae's back. The blow sends her spiraling downward, and right into the raised knee of another harpy, knocking no small amount of breath and blood from her throat.

A taloned foot then claws around the fairy's blond head and begins to squeeze, and she starts to scream.

"That's right you little uppity forest rat, sing more for me." Alvina snickers from above her, giving her talons another flex to double Pomu's anguish. "What's wrong? Isn't this fun? I thought you were some badass pirate. But I guess it's not all fun and games like you thought. Is it!?"

"What you jerks do isn't real pirating." Pomu growls, and in a futile act of defiance she lifts up her arms and tries to pry the harpy captain's claw from her cranium, but Alvina only puts more strength into her hold.

"Pshh. What does that Houshou bag know anyway? She's always lived in some fairy tale. Not like it's gonna matter in the next hour, you'll both be dead. I'm gonna enjoy sinking that dumb skank's ship to the bottom of the sea. But now that I think of it, it might be fun to strangle one of the few mates she has left right in front of her eyes. What do you say girls? Do we make the Houshou watch me snap the neck of her little forest rat?"

The surrounding harpies cheer in response, eager for more bloodshed and to return to their original raid.

"That's what I like to hear, now let's get-" Alvina starts, but the sound of crackling fire thunders in the sky above her that now shines with the brightness of its own localized sun. The BlueGale Captain looks up to see a warrior clad in orange, a sword and shield in her hand, and wings of pure fire blazing from her shoulder blades.

Kiara's eyes darken with vengeful purpose, and she brings her sword; its aquamarine blade coated with dancing flames, down upon the harpy who cannot avoid having her left arm sliced by its cauterizing edge. Having just barely avoided losing her entire arm, Alvina is forced to release Pomu and attempt to pat out the wildfire spreading across her feathers. The sun warrior then decides to deliver her own type of mercy to the bird demi-human, in the form of her shield smacking her across the face to deliver her straight down into the ocean. The remaining BlueGale Pirates look at the new arrival with stunned fear, but Kiara only looks right through each one of them, her only concern flies just below her; a forest fairy struggling to recover from the onslaught she just endured.

Kiara's wings slow their beat, lowering her to be at eye level with the fae, with her shield hand she takes one of her bloodied hands in and gently grips it. Pomu looks up at her longtime friend, a bittersweet smile on her face, which is returned with one of acceptance, and relief.

"So much for staying out of trouble, huh?" Pomu jokes, making the sun warrior's own smile turn into a wry smirk.

"Oh yeah. You're in trouble with me, big time. I can save the scolding for later though. We're in the middle of a fight, so let's kick these birds out of the skies and seas once and for all. Now since you've been so gung ho about getting into the thick of things recently, are you up for a gal pal team up?"

"Hot dog! Am I?!" The fae's exhaustion seems to evaporate with her widening eyes and she turns to the snarling faces of the surrounding harpies as their captain rises back up to their level sporting a signed set of feathers. "You jerks are in for it now. Pomu Rainpuff and Kiara Takanashi are here to put an end to your evil deeds!"

"We might need to work on your hero banter, it is way too late for a line like that." Kiara chuckles. "But we can worry about that later. For now, just follow my lead, we're gonna show everyone who really rules the skies around here."

The warrior of the sun then soars forward into the gang of avians, swinging her sword in a wide sweep in front of her to send a heatwave across the sky that disperses all her potential opponents. Her violet eyes roll up and single out a harpy who sought to escape the heat from flying higher up, a prime target if her stupidity is any indicator. Kiara kicks up, her blazing wings carrying her to her charge who flinches at the challenge. The harpy makes a clumsy, desperate swipe for Kiara's face, barely grazing a lock of hair off the side of her head, and the attempt is punished with impunity; a hard bash with her shield that shatters her jaw, followed a harsh jab from with the butt of her sword's hilt against the back of her neck.

"Look sharp, girl." Kiara says to snap the forest fairy behind her to attention. "We got the rest of the flock coming at us at once now."

Four harpies rise through the skies and encircle the pair, and in dangerous synchronization, they swoop down upon them with their back talons outstretched. Nails belonging to the captain screech against the metal of Kiara's defense held above her head, and while her guard is diverted, another tries to mangle her throat with her claws, but the seasoned warrior executes a masterful parry of the frontal nails and delivers her own slash over the owner's chest. Pomu hops and jerks her body out of the way of rakes and feathers, and when the pair makes a mad lunge for her, the fairy performs an elegant pirouette between them both, leaving them at the mercy of her battle partner that they just willingly jumped in range of. Kiara notices the bodies enter her peripheral and bucks hard to dislodge Alvina from her shield, and in one fluid motion, Kiara twists her body and swings her sword with such strength and anger that the flames of her heart manifest out of its blade and devour both demi-humans whole.

Captain Alvina looks down dumbfounded, her best crewmates, all defeated and bested while in the air, by a fairy and some girl with wings of fire.

"You look confused, so let me shed a little light on your situation." Kiara speaks up, pointing the tip of her blade at Alvina. "All you and your gang of thugs have been doing to this poor country, to its people, it was bound to bring someone like the summoner here sooner or later. Bright souls like his, the kind that want to help people, are always drawn to those who are suffering under the shadows. That goes double for the fairy that bravely fights at my side. Creeps like you never know how to quit when they're ahead, and now you're gonna pay. You tried to keep the sun from shining on Shallah, but there's one thing you didn't count on!"

The wings along Kiara's back flap and further ignite the sparks of their flames, and the incendiary element begins to dance along the length of her sword until the entire blade is enveloped.

"I am one who eclipses the darkness with flames, and brightens the hearts of the mistreated! I am the Sunfighter, Kiara Takanashi! Now burn in the light of a new dawn!"

Kiara holds her sword upright in front of her, rotates its face to be flat in front of her, and then her eyes ignite with the beginning of her attack. She flies forward, reaching the harpy captain before she can finish her next breath. Two quick slashes of fiery justice travel down her body, then a single horizontal slice across her gut, setting the stage for the grand finale. Kiara's wings beat to jump her backward as she waves her sword above her head and brings it down to point straight at the inflamed demi-human, and from the motion erupts the shape of a razing phoenix that radiates through the gray skies and swoops upon its prey.

The mythical bird made by Kiara's own willpower and talent ensnares the harpy captain within its flaming body, and travels further through the air before burning out ember by ember. Alvina, her feathers and clothes still alight with flame, falls down into the sea, where Kiara is content to let her stay. The sun warrior lets out a deep sigh and sheathes her blade within her shield, she starts to try and recompose herself, but a sudden jostling from her friend breaks any attempt she might have had of doing so.

"That was so awesome, Kiwawa!" Pomu cheers. "You handled those guys like they were nothing! Like did you even see how their captain could even lay a finger on you!? And then you just shot an entire phoenix at her!? Talk about overkill, but that's the best kind. Do you think she's dead? I mean you cooked her. She's probably dead."

"You don't slow down for anything do you?" Kiara giggles, appreciative of the fae's enthusiasm. "Eh. She could be dead. Sun magic is good for burning stuff, but that's not the main point of it. She fell into the sea quick enough to not be burned alive though. So whatever happens next, it's not my problem."

"Thanks again, Kiara…" Pomu then lets her friend have some space. "I know I promised you earlier I wouldn't get into anything dangerous, but…"

"Save it. I know you were just doing what you felt like you had to do. I've been there. I'm just glad I was able to spot the summoner's signal. If I didn't I might not have noticed you taking on a team of pirates all by yourself, which by the way, you did pretty well."

"Y-You mean it?! Really?" The forest fairy's eyes sparkle as she gets almost nose to nose with Kiara.

"I do." Kiara places a hand on her friend's shoulder. "If you really want to try out the whole hero thing with the summoner, I think you got what it takes. You already got the heart for it, and when push comes to shove, that can be the difference between a happy ending, or catastrophe."

"I'll do my best!" Pomu hugs Kiara tightly, her hands getting a bit too close to her burning wings which make her retreat and blow on her fingers, but both parts of the gesture make the sun warrior smile brightly.

"I know you will, and speaking of doing our best. Let's get back to Marine's ship, these wings of mine aren't gonna last forever ya know, I'm already running on fumes here."

"Don't worry. Even if things start to fall apart, I'll always be there to be the wings to carry you to safety. That's a Pomu Promise!" Pomu chirps, clasping Kiara's free hand in her own.

"Now that's a line fitting for a hero. Make sure you remember that one, it might be a hit with the kids."

While you would have liked to have taken down another within the flock that Pomu pursues, you need to focus on the enemy in front of you. Blackfin raises his arms in a battle stance, his eyes trying to judge the strange power leaking from your tome. The more you look at him, the more his deplorable soul ignites your anger.

"I just don't get it." You begin to vent. "Why? Why are you like this?! You, your own people, suffered so much. But here you are, willing to do the same and even worse to others. Don't you have any shame? Any compassion? Do you not give a flying fuck about the freedom you have after you had it kept from you!?"

"The strong control the weak, that's how the world works." Blackfin declares. "Although how humans managed to enslave a race clearly more powerful than them, remains a mystery. That doesn't matter. Nothing of my people's past matters to me. All that matters to me is taking my rightful turn. You can do the same. Think about it. With your strength and powers, we could make Rosso kneel to-"

"Stellaruga!" You snap, and the spiraling blast of starlight from your palm drills into Blackfin's finned guard, he slides along the deck on the heels of his boots until he collides with the far partition of the upper level of the deck. When the dust clears you see Blackfin's hulking form shake off the impact, and your resolve hardens. "The strong controlling the weak…what a load of shit. You didn't have to do any of that. No one was coming after you, you all sailed free. You tried to bring down an entire country because you wanted to. You orphaned children, let the elderly starve, and broke up families." You let another spell fly from your palm, challenging the orca's powerful guard once more. You step forward, chanting the spell for a third time, then a fourth, but each time yields the same result; Blackfin only pressured slightly, but still standing strong. A bead of celestial mana glows atop your index finger, and you begin to draw in the open air. "You chased out, hunted, killed and even sold people who belonged to MY pack. You even wear their fur on your back! Now you're gonna pay."

Finishing the sign of Leo, you accept its power into your body, the sudden surge of primal pride makes you gasp, but you welcome its presence. Placing your spell book within its pouch, you give your knuckles a needed flexing, letting your joints crack and loosen. Your soul cries out for violence, to coat your fists with this mad orca's blood.

With eyes only focused on your prey, you dash forward, fists raised to pummel Blackfin into the very foundation. You hook a right for the man's cheek, only to be stopped by the flat of one of her finned forearms. Celestial mana sparks against pitch black skin, the fin with the sturdiness of steel absorbs your blow with ease. Your battle instincts compel you to discard the potential impregnability of the demi-human's hide and strike him again. A quick fire of your left plants its knuckles into his gut, it tries to swallow your hand whole, but you pour more magic into your blow, unleashing a pulse of starlight mana like your arm was an overloaded cannon, sending a wave of force that ripples through the orca's natural defenses and strikes at his very core. Blackfin hunches over, gasping from the wind being knocked out of him, and the black irises of his eyes quickly roll back into place and hone in on your with predatory purpose.

A fist hooks from your left, and there is nothing you can do but grit your teeth. Knuckles collide with your cheek with the force of an avalanche, your feet are almost torn right off the ground as you stumble back, and your skin is then sliced by the tip of the orca's finned appendage. By the time your world stops jittering, Blackfin is already charging at you again. A swift jab is thrown, not meant to punch your teeth in, but to split your face open with hardened fins, you cross your arms over your face, giving yourself the thickest mana coat you can muster. Blackfin's arm blades cut into your magical armor, breaching your celestial defense and slashing a shallow cut along your arms, but you plant your feet firm and poise yourself to take revenge.

You wrap both your arms around your enemy's muscular bicep, press your heel against the toe of his own boot, and with all your strength and a loud, almost beastial roar, you throw the demi-human over your head and slam him onto the ground. You take a firm grip over the pelt he wears on his back, and with a heavy heave you pull him into the air to slam him back onto the deck once more.

"You. Don't. Deserve. To Wear that!" You yell as you drag Blackfin's face across the floorboards before tearing the cape off his body. You're not about to leave it at only that, after flipping the orca over with your foot, you kneel down and punch at his clenched face with all your might, but your fist is caught within his passive palms. He whips his arm away, tossing you aside, but you land on your feet and bounce back once from the momentum, and you wipe the dripping blood from your cheek to then lick the excess off your thumb.

Blackfin rises and seems to take offense to how your dukes are already raised to challenge him. His eyes dart to assess the rest of the battle happening on his ship; Botan manages to out shoot anyone trying to set their sights on her, and any pirates that manage to get into her deadzone are greeted by her brutal strength. The lioness has suffered a few minor injuries, but she isn't rolling over any time soon. Then there was the water spirit, who subdues pirate after pirate with powerful water magic, and then the orca's face contorts to a crooked smile.

Before you can venture a guess to what the madman is up to this time, he begins to inhale with all the strength his lungs could provide. Your eyes widen when your brain deciphers what he is up to, but it was already too late, the remnant puddles and pools created by Undine's magic were already being siphoned into the demi-human's throat. Your instincts yell at you to fight, that your fists and teeth are all you need to confront this monster, but your head fights for control, you take your spell book and flip its pages to the one that would be your salvation.

Blackfin then blows, sending a torrential surge at you, and your spell book shines with the power you desperately need.

"Stellashield!" You shout, erecting your celestial barrier to cut between you and the raging waters. The deck around you becomes flooded, and the pressure being put on your shield threatens to break it and leave you to be washed away, so you double your efforts, pouring even more power into your spell. The more you stand your ground, the more Blackfin blows, but you refuse to yield, you'll keep your shield steady for as long as it takes, and unlike the warlord pirate, you have friends who will always be there to lighten the burden.

Undine raced to your aid as soon as she senses the waters being forcibly collected, and cuts off the orca's watery assault with a harsh thrust of her trident. Blackfin avoids being impaled by dropping his coated arm to defend him, but with the raging river running dry, you are free to catch your breath. You inhale, a deep invigorating breath brings forth your second wind, now is the time to harness it. Charging your shield's energy into your hand, you recite the second spell and your body glows with immense purpose. With your tome firmly secured in its pouch and your fists alight with the burning heat of constellations and starlight, you charge to Undine's side.

Blackfin sees you race toward him from behind Undine's fierce visage, and he lets out a guttural battle cry to meet you both in battle. Your feral fists work in tandem with the trident of the deep blue, pummeling the orca's iron arms that won't give a single inch to your assault. When your knuckles collide with one of his fins again, your instincts scream at you to remove the meddlesome protrusions, so you claw into each one with as much strength as your body can muster. The orca's arms struggle to retake control of his own limbs, but you refuse to let him have his way. You flex and pull your arms apart, making Blackfin copy your movement, and the frightened realization that he is now restrained and exposed glosses over his shaking eyes.

Undine weaves from your flank, delivering a pronged thrust that is propelled by the roar of water into Blackfin's upper chest, forcing a harsh gasp from his throat as he is thrown back. Your freed hands clench in preparation to follow up Undine's elegant strike. Your eyes zero on on the orca's reeling head, and you bring your fist down overhead in time with your step. Blackfin can do nothing but see your knuckles bear down on him in the blink of an eye, your bodies both quake at the harsh meeting between an immovable object and an unstoppable force, but you secure your footing and let your prideful battle spirit take control.

A clawed left across his face, a swift kick into his side, a drilling punch into his bicep, all in rapid and brutal succession, but with each flourish, the more both your body enhancing spells begin to wane. Blackfin is not content to simply allow you to pummel him, he begins to swing back with even more strength, forcing you to raise your own guard that quakes with each connection, but you roll with the pain, for staying steadfast within the orca's focus allows Undine to unleash her own retribution upon your foe; sharpened prongs poke the meat of the man's arms, testing the upper limits of his endurance.

A flash of clarity is shared between you and the water spirit, the time to strike as one has come. She steps behind you, and your hands lock to your sides as you channel the starlight energies that empower you into the focal points of your fists. Blackfin makes another wide swing to strike you, and you step forward to meet it, toeing the line between potential victory and disaster, the blackened knuckles scrape against your cheek, breaking the skin, but not your concentration. You bring both arms forward for a powerful dual palmed strike at the orca's gut, blasting all the power of the Leo constellation in a roar that would challenge any contender for the title of the king of beasts. The man's skin ripples outward from the focal point of your strike, and his lips are tinged red by the forced exit of his own blood. Then, in a final closing to your assault, Undine raises her trident high, commanding a geyser of water to erupt from under the captain's feet. The orca falls back to the deck of his own ship with a loud thud, while you yourself fall to clutch one knee.

"An excellent strike, summoner." Undine praises as she takes a sentry position at your side. "Take this chance to rest, I fear the battle is still far from over."

The water spirit's assessment proved true; Blackfin was already rising to his feet, slowly, but without strain. You force yourself to do the same, unsheathing your sword and deciding what your next move should be.

I expected Blackfin to be tough, but this is insane. I gave him a full beating with Leo's power, and he's already back for more. Orca demi-humans really are in a class of their own. Think Anon! What can you do to put this whale down for the count? Resonance? Nah. Chloe was able to suck the mana right out of us when we fought. We would maybe get one or two good hits off, but it wouldn't be worth it. He still has that damn weapon from HoloX that I STILL have no fucking clue what it is yet. Come to think of it, why hasn't he used it yet? All bets should be off by now, but here he is just trying to take me alive aboard a ship with its weapons blown apart…could it all have been a bluff?

"I gotta hand it to you, ya can really throw a punch." Blackfin runs a hand along his face, admiring the smear of blood along his palm with a concerning amount of glee. "There were only a few humans I'd expect to hold their own against me, and they were legends, but you…you" he lets out a shallow chuckle. "You also made sure I didn't even have time to breathe…You're actually making this exciting. A fitting opponent to begin my new era of conquest. You and your strange partner. What is she anyway?"

"This. Is the Ruler of the Waters, Undine." You say with swelling pride. "The great elemental spirit of water, the very reason pirates can even exist."

"Undine? That old story?" Blackfin asks in disbelief, and even though you have seen the blatant disrespect for the great spirit several times today, it still irks you to no end.

"She is no myth or tall tale." You stomp, your boot thundering against the deck. "I am her summoner, and together we fight to make this world a better place. A place where nutjobs like you don't get to have their way."

"Well said, Anon." Undine smiles, and then her expression grows fierce when it turns to the orca. "Your misdeeds against that which my summoner holds dear will go unpunished no longer. You may come from the seas, but so does he. We shall see who the ocean favors."

"From the sea? What kinda crap is that?" The orca points a questioning finger at you. "So you can command a forgotten spirit and do some spells that wouldn't even match my piss. Big deal. Compared to me you're still a weak little human." His one leg twists ever so slightly, but mid-motion his eyes are seized by the distant skies as an orange illuminance smolders under the clouds.

Giving the briefest of looks over your shoulder, you crack a smile at the sign that the sun warrior had somehow joined the fae in the sky. The radiance of her display quickly fades away in the churning storm, but the message has been received. Blackfin's second attempt to strike at Marine's ship had failed, and the desperation is starting to creep into his seething features.

Blackfin places a hand under the strange necklace he wears; a simple metal chain cradles a thick sundial shell that was an alluring pearl pink with white edges around its spiral pattern. His frown droops along his face when he holds the strange shell closer to his jaw, but it soon becomes a crooked grin when his digits caress the shell's underside, and its center begins to glow an unsettling deep red. You feel yours and Undine's hearts drum once, and an overbearing sense of dread enshrouds your entire body. You can't be sure what is causing the disquiet, but you have the faintest sense of where. When your neck turns to the side of the ship, you are suddenly given your answer; down below.

"What did you do?" You exclaim.

"Just making good on a promise." Blackfin sneers. "I said I'd use that weapon HoloX gave us, and it is just starting to wake up. Now it's time for an order." The demi-human holds the shell closer to his elated maw. "The red ship near the island off the coast, smash it to bits."

Another thump that makes it feel like your stomach could break into several clean pieces, a second pit forms in your gut, making you place a hand over the area in an attempt to keep yourself together.

"Explain yourself! Now!" Undine demands, pointing her trident forward.

"Oh? I thought the 'ruler of the waters' would have a pretty good idea of what I mean." The orca's self satisfaction now reaching unbearable levels. "I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise, but if you keep your eyes on the seas, even in this weather you'll get a front row seat to the Houshou shipwreck."

You and Undine share an agitated glance, her eyes darken and their perturbed glow pulls you into the unrest that swirls around her soul like a whirlpool. Her soul cries out to you, not with words but with clear purpose that would be impossible to ignore even if you both weren't tied together by your very spirits. A resolute nod is all you can give her, and she returns it in kind and turns to scurry to the edge of the ship. You turn your gaze back to Blackfin who observes the development with keen interest, and his molars shine when he watches the water spirit dive off into the restless sea.

"Was that really wise? To let what little help you still had just hurl herself overboard?" Blackfin takes a testing step toward you as he cracks his knuckles.

"Undine is gonna do what she thinks she has to." You say plainly, and you raise your sword to prepare to keep the orca at bay. "She's gonna get to the bottom of whatever demented weapon HoloX gave you, and she'll even make sure Marine's ship stays afloat."

"Even if she could do any of that, where does that leave you? What happens to a summoned spirit when its owner is beaten within an inch of his life? You got no chance against me alone, Anon."

"I think you're forgetting about someone." You grin.

From behind the orca, another demi-human pounces, Botan's arms interlock around the giant's neck, and she begins to throw her body back with all her might. Blackfin's hands shoot up to try and wrestle the lioness off his back. His legs stomp clumsily against the wooden floorboards, and his body stiffens in sharp pain when Botan sinks her fangs into his earlobe. The orca hisses through his teeth and doubles himself over to throw the lioness off his back, but where one annoyance is removed, another will take its place.

With wind spurring your heels, you bring yourself within striking range of the BlackWhale Captain, then with a small puff of the very breeze that brought you here, the toe of your boot catches the bastard's chin, straightening him out perfectly for you to bring your sword across his belly. Your attack is then met with harsh retaliation from Blackfin's balled fist across your face; its strength so almighty that you are upthrust from the ground and swiftly met with your gaze to the stormy skies a second later.

"A mangy lion demi and a guy in way over his head, you both got no chance." Blackfin snarls, running his hand along his ear to then inspect the smear of blood along his fingertips. His fist tightens again with the sight of his own body sporting a faded line of broken skin, almost on the cusp of opening. "But you both sure are pissing me off. The cat just earned herself a slow death at the bottom of the sea, and you'll have to watch as the last of her breath bubbles to the surface, boy."

"You'll have to beat us first, and I think we're hungrier for the win than you are." Botan scoffs, helping you to rise to your feet alongside her. "Let's go, Anon!"

Botan's presence and words reinvigorate your battle spirit, your brow furrows as you will your mana to coat your blade with twinkling starlight, and you bring Shining Comet's edge up to slice right through the orca's answer to the lioness' boasts that surges from his pursed lips. You race forward and slice through the blowing jetstream, the spray coats your face but you press on, Botan runs behind your offensive cover, her own claws inflamed with her own mana. When you reach the source of the unnatural stream, Blackfin is already posed to meet you point for point with his own fins. You block a sudden swipe from his natural oar, and have to immediately hop back to avoid being gored by his second, but the attempt manages to tear a nice visible trace through your clothing. That son of a bitch. He's gonna get it now.

Shining Comet falls upon the orca, eager to trailblaze its light along his body, but is stopped short by the closed guard of his fins. Your respective weapons deadlock, but all too late does Blackfin realize the tactical error he made in using both his limbs to block your attack when he spies Botan emerge from your flank with her claws raised. She swipes one hand after the other, trailing the tips of her nails along her prey's sides, making him hiss again from the sharp pain. Your comrade positions herself at the orca's back, and with a brutal extension of her leg behind her, kicks her foot at the base of his spine, making the man inhale deeply from the sudden blow, but then the rage he had been keeping in check behind his eyes seems to finally snap.

Blackfin bucks you away, it takes all your focus to keep your hand attached to your sword, and your feet to the ground. He twists his body and strikes Botan hard in the gut with his one fist, air and blood are both dislodged from her throat as her eyes glaze over for an instant. He then takes her by the scruff of her jacket and throws him over his shoulder, sending the lioness hurling toward you. All you can do is sheathe your sword just in time for Botan to crash into you, hindquarters first, and you both tumble along the deck.

Groaning, you crane your head forward and try to blink away the minor shock to your system. Botan lays on top of you, her breathing shallow and slow. With only precious seconds to spare, you comb through her bangs and place your palm flat against her forehead. A rapid calling of your magic brings healing waters to grace the lioness' skin, to pull her from the brink of unconsciousness. You breathe a sigh of relief when the color comes back to Botan's eyes and she stirs with renewed life. Your reprieve will be short lived, as the sound of rushing currents flows along your ears, and you act on instinct, taking a firm grip of the lionesses shoulders to flip you so Botan is flat on the ground under you.

As soon as you sit up, a harsh pressure pounds your back. Your body trembles from the excessive force, but you are not about to take this lying down. You begin to focus your mana into your one arm, while the other hand squeezes it to keep it still. Botan's eyes widen when she looks up and sees you as her shield, she begins to move, but you give her a commanding glare that freezes her. Although reluctant, Botan obeys, but she poses herself to be ready to act at a second's notice.

Soon the barrage of water against your back fades, but not before under its guise you dip your hand into your pocket and take a handful of what sits at the bottom. Armed and ready, you turn back towards your opponent, and like you hoped, the watery remnants left behind by Undine's spells have all dried up. If Blackfin wanted to exercise his natural advantage, he would have to take it from another source. The magic around your closed fist cycles and twists into the formless purity of water, a sight that makes the pirate before you bellow, but you wear your best poker face and finish forming the spell within your palm. When your waters are begging to be released, you oblige and shoot your hand forward, and from it fires a surging jetstream that promises to carry all who would fall into its path for a harsh ride.

Blackfin does not budge an inch, he welcomes your watery assault with open arms. That deformed grin of his would severely piss you off if you weren't certain that it was going to be upturned in another second.

Yeah, keep smiling, you dumb whale. Keep smiling and try to suck in all the water from my spell that you can. Don't miss a single drop. I know how to knock your kind down a peg.

Then, according to your plans, the orca demi-human begins to inhale and your surging jetstream is funneled into his maw. You can't keep a grin from forming on your face when the extra ingredients to your spell are detected by the orca, his throat spasms, trying to force something down the wrong tube, he chokes once, but his intake of your spell does not cease. Once the entirety of your jetstream is sucked away by his lungs, Blackfin takes one more, strenuous swallow, and fights to catch his breath. Your own confidence in your plan has been completely shattered, and your mind races to try and figure out where you could have gone wrong.

"What's…wrong? You look…surprised." Blackfin forces some bravado alongside his heaving. "I'll admit that was pretty crafty, and might have worked on a lesser orca…" His face then contorts to a smarmy smile. "Like that brat, Sakomata. She really is an embarrassment if she let you get the upper hand on her like that. And you thought that guppy could beat me? Maybe I need to teach that girl a lesson. I'm sure HoloX would gladly make the trade for you, then I can put that girl back in her cage where she belongs, and her new owner can teach her how not to choke."

Your legs begin to move, then without even realizing it, you are inches apart from the disgusting pirate captain, your sword already mid-swing with the clear purpose to separate his head from his neck. Shining Comet meets with hardened fins before it can strike its mark, and the orca eyes you down with overconfident glee.

"Struck a nerve did I? You got a similar look in your eye when I brought up HoloX's poor excuse for muscle the first time we met. What about the girl who is supposably your enemy has you so riled up to come to her defense? Huh?"

Hit him again! Cut this bastard down for even thinking he can put Chloe back in chains.

Not letting up, you sway and send your blade on another journey, this time for the orca's heart. Again your weapon bounces off the man's ironclad skin without even making a crack. Frustration clouds your judgment, and you motion to spear your steel right through his neck, but Shining Comet is stopped right in its tracks by Blackfin's massive hand around its edge. You push, you pull, you twist, nothing budges. The blood haze begins to leave your eyes just in time to notice a clenched fist flying straight toward you.

Your head rattles, and you can feel your cheekbones crack just as you become separated from the ground. Another punishing invasion of your body is done by the curved edge of fins, pressing and threatening to cut your stomach wide open as it glides across you. Your body then thuds against the floor, you and your sword skipping twice along its surface before coming to a natural stop. You clutch your stomach, it hurts to even breathe, but you need to try and get up. You can hear the weighted steps of your enemy coming to finish the job.

Another set of feet thumps against the floorboards, but your spinning head can only concentrate on trying to keep yourself together long enough to rise to your feet again. Your ears ring, but you can still make out the muffled struggles; Botan is fighting with everything she has, trying to meet that mad whale point for point with her own two fists. Her sharp growls, her labored breaths, the sudden gasps, they all tell you that she is faring no better than you are. You have to help her, you shout at yourself as you force your shaking body to its knees. Your arms quiver to hold your weight up, and the sound of Botan falling, her own voice becoming more hoarse and strained, adds on to the agony you feel.

"Just stay down, kitty." Blackfin shakes off his hand after punching the lioness down onto the ground. "You and the boy ain't gonna change a damn thing, so just play dead and maybe you'll get lucky and scurry away again like you did last time. I may not even care enough to chase ya. No one's gonna pay top dollar for a broken demi-human anyway."

"Not gonna happen. I'm never going to stop fighting. As long as I'm still breathing, I'll keep coming at you." Botan says, hauling her battered body up, and wiping some of the blood off her cheek.

"Oh? Is that really worth it? Cause I can just keep beating you down, and eventually, you're not going to get back up."

"I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand." The lioness takes a deep breath and brings her hands a few inches apart; a dim glow of gray mana flickers between them. "You could never truly get what it is that keeps me going right now."

"Humor me then." Blackfin retorts. "What drives a lion to fight against a superior species? Is some patch of dirt really that important to you? Is it worth losing your life over? Or are you just another sentimental fool like the boy? Who's trying to be some big hero? All to save a bunch of pathetic people who didn't even try to help you or your kind?"

"That man you look down on, the one you think you have beaten, he's part of what drives me." Botan declares "He not only saved me and my sisters from the brink of starvation, but he's shown me something I've been missing for my entire life. He's shown me a wealth that out measures any amount of gold or land. His values, his determination, his trust in his friends. I've watched him do impossible things thanks to all that fuels his own hunger. He fights with the strength of a king, and he's shown me what that truly means. A true king's strength; our strength, will free this country once and for all."

"A king?!" Blackfin bellows. "Last I checked, kings don't look like they're about to step through death's door."

"I knew you wouldn't understand." Botan sighs, and her magic finally heeds her call to craft a heavy barreled rifle from the air itself. "Someone who only fights for himself and alone, dies alone." She raises her weapon and aims, pulling the trigger before Blackfin can calculate how to best evade the coming shot. Three bright pulses of mana spark from the length of the rifle, breaking apart its components as they leave the barrel to fly forward into their target. Each magical bullet crashes against Blackfin's massive forearms, forcing him a step backward with each burst, but the man remains standing.

The orca's arms lower to reveal his now seething visage, he inhales, and spits a thick spurt of water that flies with blinding speed, nailing Botan in the knee. The lioness winces and falls forward, holding her hand over the reddened ball of her leg. You can hear her screams as another liquid bullet collides with her, you've had enough and slam your fist down into the floor. Her head shoots up to see the barrage coming to secure the kill, but the sharpened sprays are taken out of her view by your broad back.

Shimmering water encases your sword as you swing twice to eradicate the harmful projectiles, but despite your rise to action you are unable to stop a third from nailing you in the shoulder. Your leg threatens to give, but you grit your teeth and stomp down to regain your balance. A powerful shift of the elements you command changes your blade's coat to that of slicing wind, and you let its fury fly with the flick of your wrist, sending a flurry of vengeful crescents at the orca. Your sharp counterattack is met with little success, Blackfin's body seems almost impenetrable, but then your eyes spot something trickling down his left calf; blood. A burst of clarity lifts your heart, it was all so simple. It wasn't just the fact that an orca demi-human's body is naturally strong, you know that first hand thanks to Chloe, but the larger orca was using his own mana to reinforce his body. You feel like such an idiot for not noticing sooner, but his technique was so subtle, and operated almost like a reflex that you couldn't see it actually manifesting over his body parts. Now that you discovered a path to turn the tables, can you pull it off?

Blackfin then charges you, forcing you to react to his sudden attack. Sharpened steel meets fins once more, you try to parry and execute a swift swipe along another part of his body, but you are just not fast enough to make contact before his natural defenses kick in. Each missed opportunity is paid for with a harsh strike against your body. Another punch nails your upper chest, staggering you back and leaving you wide open for a watery surge from the orca's breath. When your trip ends you cough up the unwanted liquid and try to stand yourself up by the tip of your sword.

Dammit! Is this really all I have? I have to get up! If I don't, everyone else is done for! But what the hell can I do? Every time I fight back he slams me back down…Maybe I just don't have what it takes…

Within your darkened mind, a voice, multiple voices begin to speak out to you. The voices of people who have sought to bring you down and keep you in your darkest place, their words echo within your very soul.

That child will bring nothing but calamity. He will never be worth the curse that he bears.

This world is destined to be repainted by my darkness, and you're going to help make all that happen, my dear Anon. Whether you want to…or not.

It's like I told you, hero. You can't always save everything. You can't even save yourself at this point, let alone some lioness freak. Watching your face in the dirt will be fun, but I really hope he guts the fae for me. I think I'll save him a nice seat in hell and we'll share a toast.

Shut…up." You whisper to yourself, holding your face as you struggle to rise.

"But I'm right, aren't I?!" Blackfin responds, seemingly in the middle of some grand explanation no doubt. "Is any of this really worth it to you? You're risking your life for a bunch of nobodies. You wear the Houshou's emblem on your chest, but what does any of that mean?! Do you fancy yourself some sort of pirate? Was all this grandstanding and playing the hero just so you could be noticed? Why else do you types bother helping others anyway? For fame, wealth, your own selfish desire to be the one who made it happen. I've offered you more than the country of Shallah could ever give you. Why!? Why do you care about saving them? They'll have nothing! You'll still be nothing!"

Why? Well that's easy. Because that's just who you are. A brave man that just wants everyone to live free and happy! A new voice rings through your mind like a soothing melody; Watame's voice.

She's right! Who told me they were going to be a spark of hope for the whole world? You made that promise to me on the tallest peak, and you also promised that you wouldn't lose to anyone but me!

The faith your loved ones have in you begins to swell up within you, Polka, Nene, Pomu, you've all been through so much together already, always giving your all in whatever you did. If they were in your shoes, you would be telling them the same thing; that they can defeat anyone that tries to stand in their way. More voices, more faces of people close to you, people that you're fighting for, become lit like a torch within your heart.

It's up to people like us to defend this beautiful world of ours from the ugliness that can lie underneath. Didn't you tell me that, Anon? Is the human who managed to undo years of scheming by the magister guilds going to be bested by a lowlife pirate?

You told me you were going to save all those people. I know you won't let me down. I wouldn't have asked this of you if I didn't truly believe you could do it. Everyone is going to know your name, Anon. Don't deny me the chance to share another night of drinks with the handsome man who will be Shallah's liberator. Now do me a favor? Get up.

Come on, kid. You're not going to actually lose to this whale, are you? You're a fellow water mage! And the summoner of the top of the water spirit food chain herself. You can't let yourself be out done by this psychopath. So he can turn some of your water against you, that hasn't stopped you before! The last whale who went around trying to break up families got a rude awakening from you about what water can really do. Now dig deep, and show him what you're made of.

Confidence, purpose, determination, the remembrance of the people who have already made a deep imprint on your soul feels like it has given your leg muscles a new lease on life, you're now standing tall, much to the annoyance of a certain orca. He watches you grip and turn your sword, as water begins to flow over its length.

That's it, cabin boy! Don't give up. Give this disgrace of a pirate a beat down for locking this maiden's beauty away from the world. Do it for the pride of the Houshou Pirates!

Give 'em hell, packleader! Wipe the floor with this son of a bitch!

We're all behind you! Run this bastard out of our home.

You didn't give up against me, right? Now show him the power of someone who beat down a lion to win back his mate. Show him how a real leader fights.

Water begins to hasten around your sword, swirling and glistening its steel with azure brilliance, you close your eyes and take a deep breath. The words of your friends and loved ones rouse you to fight one more time. One more time. You'll finish this battle once and for all. Blackfin seems to share the sentiment, sprinting at you, his hulking body shakes the ground under your feet, but you stay still and finish piecing together what will be your final gambit.

You can do it, summoner! You helped save the whole world from Grendel! You got this! I'm right here with ya.

Agreed. I am always with you, summoner. Use the magnificence of water to defeat this villain, and bring peace to this land. He has no idea the strength that lies deep within you. He has no true understanding of water's true power.

You concentrate all your mana along the heels of your feet, and a shallow puddle forms around them, slowly expanding and covering the deck you stand on in a thin sheet of water. The man who would see this country shattered to bits is almost upon you, there is one more thing you need to do if this plan is going to work. Survive.

Blackfin lunges at you like a torpedo, his domed head aimed straight for your heart. You grit your teeth, relax your legs, let your mind overflow with the comfort that the stars give you, and your mana answers the call to action. The collision of your two bodies knocks you clean off your feet, like so many of the orca's blows have done before, you fall on the brink of unconsciousness, your chest feels like it could crack, but you hang on that tether keeping you in the waking world for dear life. With the final impact made, Blackfin stepped right into your trap. Your mana ignites, and the water that you spread across the floor is unrestrained, rising up towards the sky like it were waterfalls trying to return to the heavens.

You are flung past the liquid veil, and land on the shallow pool that surrounds the cascading prison you have created. The mana focused under your feet float you atop the rippling water that is ready to carry you at second's notice. You see Blackfin's silhouette behind the rushing cascades in front of you, and your grip around your sword hardens.

Time to see if you're just all talk, hero-boy. If you really think you can make a free world, then knock this shithead down. Make him pay for putting people in chains! Kick. His. Ass!

The waters under you suddenly shift and surge to ferry you through the azure walls, bringing you face to face with a surprised orca. You swing Shining Comet once, catching his raised fins, his muscles twitch to begin his own retaliation, but you are already gone. Back and through the veil again you appear at his right flank, taking another swipe at the monstrous captain, just barely nicking his forearm with the tip of your blade. This time the man tries to catch you with his flung backhand, but the waters around your feet pull you back behind the safety of the rising torrents. Blackfin's composure falters, he looks around in a mild panic, trying to see where you might come from next, but even if he could guess correctly, he will be too slow to defend himself.

You dart through the azure arena, skimming your blade across his leg, giving Shining Comet a taste of orca blood. Blackfin flails to snatch you, but once again, you are beyond his reach. You emerge behind him, and give him two cross slashes, and your self-made tide pulls you back again, to reposition you to be launched at your foe from another entrance like a blazing star streaking across the sky.

"O' azure blade of coldest steel."

A slash down his arm.

"Shine through the endless abyss."

Another across his belly.

A matching cut on his other leg.

"And cut my enemies to nothing."

Shining Comet shines with azure radiance with every attack, and Blackfin howls in defiant anger at every failed attempt to stop you. You continue to streak your attacks along his body and paint his body with dripping wounds. Blackfin soon slumps, his body heavy with injury, but he refuses to surrender, you surge toward him head on for one final attack. The orca smiles, thinking his luck has finally turned, and he raises his fins to meet your assault. When you are only a mere foot apart, you unleash a final pulse of your magic to make the small water arena erupt, concealing you within the resulting sprays. You slide around the orca and bring yourself back to back with him.

"Azure Sword Arts: Tide Hunter's Dance."

A sharp gasp cuts through the roaring waters, and Blackfin looks down to see Shining Comet's point sticking out of his chest. He tries to clutch at the intrusion, but his arms cannot carry out the command, shaking and only reaching a poultry distance before he has to give up the strenuous effort. As the man writhes, the waters around you both recede, evaporating into untraceable specks of magic.

"What….What is this…bullshit?" Blackfin asks through labored breath.

"If you're asking why your heart is still beating, I'm sparing you, Blackfin." You force yourself to say through clenched teeth. "Your fate isn't mine alone to decide."

"You pompous, self-righteous…" The orca begins to hurl insults, but another twist of your blade cuts him off.

"Do you think you just get to kick the bucket after everything you've done?" Your anger begins to resurface. "Nah. Not a chance. I'm not letting you off that easy. You're gonna live and pay for your crimes against Shallah."

"So…you'd have me back in chains?"

"Chains you earned yourself. If the people of Shallah think you belong in a cage, then that's where you'll be. It was their land you terrorized, so you'll be punished under their laws."

"And you think I'll just go along with that?" Blackfin wheezes, but you can feel his body tighten around your blade. He continues to struggle, heaving his hand up to the sword's edge that holds him in place, he uses it as a hold to lift his hand to the shell strung around his neck. "I'd rather die and be sure that monster devours this whole country than answer to their 'justice'."

You then hear a sharp crack from in front of the orca, and your body freezes. The sound of shattered remnants of the device that controls the beast from the depths pitters against the ground. You rip your sword out of the man, triggering an anguished grunt as he holds a hand over where his flesh was magically unsevered. When you walk around to face him, you lift Shining Comet's point to his chin and point his gaze up to you.

"What the fuck did you just do?" You utter.

"Condemned all of Shallah to a watery grave." He grins. "The device I just broke…it controls a beast as old as time that sleeps at the lowest depths of the sea. I ordered it to turn the Houshou's ship inside out…but now he won't stop there. HoloX somehow managed to make such a creature completely obedient, and with a tiny little necklace, we could order it to decimate entire fleets. The hawk-eyed woman made it very clear that if something happened to the trinket while the monster was in action, it would go mad. If I'm going down, I'm taking all of you with me. Maybe the Iron Zale could have helped you, but seeing how you disarmed her...you're all finished."