บท 14: Merfolk.
Vincent stepped out of the room and saw the dying man being pulled down the stairs. The trail of blood was seeded with entrails as the body was hauled through the steps. He followed down the path and came across a scaly figure crouched on the floorboards before the corpse.
It turned its head and looked at him with its dull bulging eyes while pieces of red flesh slipped out of its mouth.
"Damn ugly," Vincent commented.
Gills opened and closed on the sides of its bloated neck. A dorsal fin stalked through its nape, all the way to the rest of its fleshy tail. Scales flaked off its skin; it stood up and roared at Vincent with its fish-shaped head.
Finally, it raised a sawtooth blade made of bones and rushed at him.
Crash! A giant club smashed its head from the side; its body plummeted down the floor.
Crash!! Another strike landed on its scaled back, pulverising its body beyond recognition.
Celeste retrieved the bloodied club and looked at Vincent with a playful smile.
"Not bad," Vincent praised.
Celeste ran beside him and leaned her head close to his hand.
"You did very well, haha," He patted her head and ruffled her hair.
"Can I eat that?" she pointed at the pulverised corpse of the enemy.
"No," he replied in a stern voice.
Celeste puffed up her cheeks but did not say anything further.
Hertha rushed out of her room before letting out a scream in fright, "Kayaaaa!"
"Can you just stop screaming for once?" Vincent asked.
"That's disgusting! What is that thing!" Hertha said.
Celeste walked beside the corpse and tore off the loose gills from the sides of its neck. She then gave a mischievous smile and threw it towards Hertha.
"Stop that! This instance!" Hertha threw a small wind blade from her palms and pushed it out of her way.
Bam! The door to his room flung open.
Selena, now clad in her full plated platinum armour, walked out and passed him the transparent blade named 'the Rusted Ice'.
"Can you fight, or are you still tired from our last round?" Vincent asked with a rogue smile.
Selena's cheeks turned red, "Humph, I can still go on."
"Still go on? Haha, maybe I need to up my game then," Vincent said.
Selena lowered her head and muttered in a shy voice, "Any more of that then I will--"
"What are you two talking about?" Hertha chimed in.
"Nothing!" Selena shook her head and pointed at the corpse. "What is that?"
"The dregs of the beastkins," Vincent replied. "Or should I say, Merfolks."
Up above on the deck, the merfolks crawled up the sides of the ship before dragging the unsuspecting men straight into the deep waters.
Crunch! Splash! Crunch! Splash! Splatter!
Their bodies were torn asunder as the merfolks feasted on their flesh, causing the blood to congregate and blossom into scarlet lotuses that painted the surrounding sea into a shade of red.
"Charge up the formations!" Jabal howled from the helm of the ship.
Clink! Clink! Clink! A blue outline formed around the surface of the vessel and radiated outwards, generating a barrier that enclosed the entirety of the ship within.
The merfolks trapped inside roared and banged on the barrier, causing ripples to form on its surface.
Then, the ripples superseded and fused together.
Boom! Shockwaves erupted that flung the merfolks back inside the ship.
"HAHAHA," Jabal gave a roar of laughter.
The symbols on his chest lit up, masking him in a phantom light. He then jumped off the helm and plunged towards a merfolk dragging one of his men.
Splatter! The skull of the merfolk was crushed right underneath his foot.
Two more merfolks ran towards him and slashed with their sawtooth blades.
Jabal crossed his arms with a grin and stood still; sparks flew off when the blades sliced at his chest. He grabbed the blades and crushed them into tiny granules. Then, losing their weapons, the merfolks roared, causing spit to fly off into his face.
He flared up in rage and pierced his arms into their chest; the upper bodies of the two merfolk crumbled down as he pulled out their spines.
Jabal kicked off the ground and launched himself up above the stern of the ship.
"Now then," He popped his knuckles and shouted. "They have the blood of our brothers in their hands! Men attack!"
Now roused with their newfound courage, the surviving men shouted in unity and charged forth at their enemies.
The battle slowly shifted in their favour when Nathaniel blended in among them; he lopped off heads with ease until the entire deck reeked of blood and flesh.
By the time Vincent and the others ascended the stairs, the battle had reached its conclusion.
They looked outside the barrier and saw countless merfolks still circling around the vessel.
Gontas jumped atop the rails of the ship and shouted, "Rauk! You were never known to be this patient!"
A large shadow loomed across the roaring waves.
The merfolks gathered around and bowed their heads in servitude. The water foamed and formed bubbles until a colossal creature rose up from the depths. It donned the upper body of a merfolk; a serpentine tail was attached below its waist, which stretched across the horizon.
The Merfolk King finally entered the scene.
Swoosh!
A draconic figure jumped atop its crown.
Spikes protruded out of its elongated jaw and forehead, which paralleled the head of a dragon. It was humanoid and stood on its hind legs while a slender tail swayed behind its back. Red scales could be seen between the gaps of its rune armour.
It was a Dragonfolk.
The Royalty among the members of the Beastkin race.
The red figure moved forth, shook the lustrous crystal rod held within its hand and pointed at the ship.
The Merfolk King gave out a roar of pain; the air split apart as it threw out a punch.
Crack! The blue barrier fractured into bits, causing the entire vessel to be hurled into the air and capsize upon itself.
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