Part 19
Deadly Waters
“There’s something off the port bow,” the sailor in the crows nest called down.
The sailors on deck ran to the port bow and looked to the ocean, seeking what was spotted. “There,” a sailor said and where he pointed, something under the water seemed to move towards the ship. From a distance it almost looked like a giant bubble under the water’s surface. As it drew closer to the ship it sank deeper into the water and disappeared.
“Get him,” Captain Selgaro said, sending a sailor below deck.
The ocean burst up and a column of water ascended into the air raining onto the ship. A figure, however, was carried with the current. Slamming onto the deck he looked around shaking the water out of his hair before speaking. “My Kazan sensed someone with great potential on this ship and wanted to face him. I ask he come forward, or I may take matters into my hands,” the newcomer said. Water swirled around him protectively and at times parts took shape of a slim watery figure. “And would you hurry? My patience runs thin. It is quite boring waiting so long.”
“If you are bored so easily, maybe I can help you pass the time,” a figure said from behind the girl. The girl turned and saw a figure a little shorter then her with a pale blue cloak and a long thin sword at his belt.
“Is that…?” Ranin did not finish.
The water surrounding the newcomer swirled and flashed with a bright light. Emerging from the light was tall and slender figure, which seemed to glide across the deck before them all. Her movements were quick and she was light on her feet as she circled her master. Her clothes and skin were a plethora of various hues of blues. She stopped her dance between the vassal and her master, “You are not the one I sensed but you humor me.”
Is that so?” the blue cloaked figure said drawing his blade.
“Sworder,” the girl said.
“In this form you can call me the Vassal of Water,” the Vassal said before descending the stairs, smiling.
“Is he not acting a little unusual?” Ranin asked.
“Not exactly,” Namic said. “But I think he has picked this fight for himself.”
“Sworder-,” the girl began but Uncle Ben put his hand on her shoulder.
“I think you should let him be,” he said. The girl nervously returned her attention back at the Vassal.
“I give the first move to you,” the slender figure said.
“You have no weapon,” the Vassal said.
“I am a Shadow Warrior,” the slender figure observed. “I am always armed.”
Without further warning the Vassal struck at the Kazan, who evaded him easily and raised her hand gathering water in it and formed a whip. With a flip of the wrist the whip struck at and wrapped around the Vassal’s arm. The slender figure pulled on the whip but the Vassal anchored himself, and the two held their ground.
“You know they call me the Aquian Oracle,” the slender figure said.
“So she controls water,” Ranin pondered.
A large man in a bulky bear fur coat emerged from the lower deck. Hardly looking at the battle he turned his attention to the upper deck, where Captain Selgaro stood. The large man slowly made his way up the stairway passing the girl and Uncle, who both stood at the bottom, looking at the battle before them. As he engaged in converse with the Captain his eyes dropped down to the lower deck where the girl stood idle.
The Oracle wrapped her hand around the wipe and pulled, propelling herself at the Vassal. At the last moment the wipe dispersed and the Oracle formed two swords from the dispersed water. Sworder struck at one sword, slicing it in half but the Oracle slashed his side with the other. Twisting, the Oracle struck again but Sworder slashed through the second sword.
“Not bad,” the Oracle said landing away from the Vassal. “But you really stand no chance. You might want to retreat while you can.”
“I fight for myself,” the Vassal of Water said. “I will not walk away.”
“If you say so,” the Oracle said, forming a large poleaxe of water.
“You,” the large man said walking down to the girl. “Is that your Kazan?”
“Uh, yes,” she said nervously.
“Did you allow him to start this battle?” the large man asked.
“Not really,” the girl said.
“Then how is he supposed to win?”
“What?”
“Without the support of his master he is significantly weaker.”
The girl looked back, worried. The Vassal was evading the poleaxe’s attack. The Oracle lunged and the Vassal dodged the strike and leapt closer in, striking at the Oracle. The Oracle reformed the poleaxe into a large shield, which deflected the vassal’s attack. Thrusting her hand through the shield her hand emerged with a small dagger and jabbed at the Vassal.
“Sworder!” the girl cried.
The Vassal found his footing, turning, and then crying out, “Aqua Slash.” The edge of his blade shimmered with a layer of water, which hurled off the blade at the Oracle. The Oracle dodged the slash by a small fraction and a small amount of her hair was cut by the water, blowing away in the wind.
“So, you can use a focus,” the Oracle said. “Quite powerful.”
“Be careful,” the Master of the Oracle said.
“Don’t worry so much,” the Oracle said. “It was far to slow to hit me and even if it did I doubt it would do enough damage.”
“The Master does not seem to have a strong will,” Ranin said.
“Indeed not,” Namic said.
“Has he been dominated?” Ranin asked.
“I do not believe so,” Namic said. “Though, it would be quite easy to do so.”
“Now then,” The Oracle said, turning to the Vassal as she formed a mace.
Leaping at the Vassal, the Oracle swung down. The Vassal dodged and the mace liquefied as it smashed into the deck. The Oracle formed a wipe and struck at the Vassal. With a flip of the wrist she sent the Vassal into the air. Changing it into a water glaive the Oracle thrust up at the Vassal. He grabbed his sword and smashed down on the weapon as he fell before it could gore him open. The glaive gave and the Oracle released it forming a short spear and piercing the Vassal’s side as he fell. The Vassal hit the ground and rolled away, there he slowly stood.
“You have proven quite resilient,” the Oracle said. “But, I think it is time to end this.”
The Aquian Oracle began to shine and her form was blotted by light.
“She can stage again!” Ranin exclaimed.
“Even with how weak her master’s will is, she is quite strong to obtain another stage,” Namic said. “But I don’t believe she is showing her strongest.”
“Now face the Oracle of the Glaciers,” the Oracle’s Master said, thrusting his hand forward.
Emerging from the light, the Oracle walked forward. Then quicker then the Vassal could react, the Oracle formed a spike of ice and thrust it through the Vassal. The impact sent the Vassal flying and the spike melted as soon as it left the Oracle’s hand.
Water splashed onto the deck as Sworder smashed into the ground. “Sworder!” the girl cried, but the large man put a hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t give up so easily,” the large man said. “So long as he remains and you possess the will to fight there is still a chance.”
“Can he really fight?” Ranin asked.
“Though that attack was powerful enough to force him to drop his form, I doubt it took him out completely,” Namic said.
The girl looked at the large man and then back at Sworder, who the Oracle was now slowly approaching. Tears starting to cascade down her cheeks as the Oracle raised her icy hand and a large sword of ice formed within her grasp.
“Sworder, get up,” the girl cried through the tears. “I need you. I know you can do it, stand up one more time. Continue fighting for me! Please, Sworder!”
Light burst from Sworder as the great sword of ice finished forming.
“He’s staging!” Ranin exclaimed. “Can he sustain it?”
“He will have little time,” Namic noted. “He will have to use it effectively.”
An axe swung wildly out of the light catching the Oracle off guard. The blow was a glancing one, slashing into the Oracle’s side, but it forced her hand to fall. The great sword immediately turned to water and fell to the ground, as she instinctively cupped her hand to her wound.
“Are you ok?” the Master of the Oracle asked.
“Of course,” the Oracle said.
“We should fall back,” he said.
“What are you talking about?” the Oracle said. “He can barely stand.”
“What if he is holding back more forms?”
“I sense no such potential from him,” the Oracle said.
“I think you should listen to your Master,” the large man said.
“Oh!” the Oracle said. “Now you are the one I was looking for.”
“You have lost your first fight, though,” the large man said. “It is best to follow your master and retreat.”
“An annoying master he is,” the Oracle said with a flip of her hair. “I could still take this blade man.”
“Without the support of your master!” the large man said. “You have lost this fight.”
“Well, too bad,” the Oracle said. “I really wanted to test my strength against you.”
“From what I saw,” the large man said. “I would be hard pressed not to accidentally kill you and your master.”
“I would not be too sure; this is not my highest form.”
“The fact that you believe that having a higher for means you have more power just shows how little chance you have against me,” the large man said. “Now go!” With a wave of his hand a large gale struck out toward the Oracle.
She braced herself against the wind, but the galeing winds seemed to move around her and blasted her Master from his feet.
“Master,” the Oracle said as he was thrown by the winds over the side of the deck and into the crashing waves. Leaping off the deck, she dove in after him, transforming into water as she went.
“Sworder!” the girl said running to the wounded Kazan’s side. “Are you okay?”
“I heard your voice,” the Vassal of Earth said.
The girl’s cheeks flushed.
“I commend you on your victory,” the large man said.
“But I did not win,” the Vassal said.
“Nor was I speaking to you,” the man said. “This victory goes to your master, whose will was strong enough to overcome her opponent’s and break his.”
“My will?”
“Indeed, your will gave strength to your Kazan and allowed him to continue fighting. This is the connection between Kazan and Master.” The man looked at the pair. “Now you should let him rest, holding that form is causing him unnecessary strain.”
“He’s an interesting character,” Ranin said.
“Indeed,” Namic said. “And he holds veiled power.”
The girl helped the Vassal as the man walked below deck without saying another word.
“Who was that?” the girl asked a sailor.
“He doesn’t give his name, but we know him as Tempest.
“Oh.”
“He protects the ship when things like this happen,” the sailor continued. “Can’t say we use him too much but he is definitely dependable.”
The girl and Sworder retreated to the lower deck. She laid Sworder down on the cot and exited the room, silently closing the door.
“In the end he fought for her,” Ranin said.
“Indeed,” Namic said.
“What’s next,” Ranin said, leaning back.
“I believe we shall see.”
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