A Monster Life Ch. 55-57

Sharktail gripped her spy glass hard. 'What the fuck's this!?' she said while the demon crews prepared rusty cannons and fired their first deadly shots at the pirate ships from both sides. 'Tell Caylais to prepare!'

Valdys looked at Ulric. 'You know what to do?'

He nodded. 'We'll be fine. I'll return with her as soon as we're done.' he said, and headed down to the cabin set apart for the party in a hurry.

Caylais stood at the aft window looking out at the new carnage on the water, and jumped when the door suddenly opened and Ulric rushed inside. His intense look at her told her enough.

He walked up to her. 'We need you to prepare yourself.'

She nodded and clutched her chest. 'I'm as ready as I can be.'

Ulric moved behind her, placed his paws on her lower chest, and held her as close as he had done before at the cave. His warmth permeated Caylais's chest and back, and she blushed but was glad the battle noise helped her focus more on the urgency of what they had to do. The first mana flowed from his paws into her, and she took a deep breath as it spread throughout her body.

Ulric waited until she breathed steady again. 'Can you take more?'

His voice next to her ear tickled her abdomen and she tensed it, and nodded slightly. She breathed harder again at the wave of increased mana filling her chest, and concentrated on guiding it along her blood flow and absorbing it into every part of her body. Her awareness of Ulric increased as well and she hummed a slight moan when she unintentionally pressed herself back against him and pressed her hands on his warm paws.

Ulric reduced his mana flow a little. 'Are you all right? Was this too much?'

She nodded and shook her head. 'I'm, fine.' she breathed. 'I'm just adjusting to the power you're pouring into me.'

'Tell me when you can handle more.'

She took a few deep and rapid breaths before relaxing slightly. 'I'm ready for you.'

'All right, here it comes.' he said softly, and slowly increased his mana flow to the next level.

Caylais breathed harder but kept it under control while gentle fire burned through her chest and spread down to her abdomen and her legs. She opened up her entire being to let the power in as if she let the incredible bloodwolf himself enter her. Her vision blurred with strands of bright coloured mana twirling around when realisation set in that she wanted more like this, and she surrendered herself to it willingly. 'More.' she breathed as she shut her eyes tight.

Ulric released as much mana as he'd done at the cave while holding her tight and keeping a close watch on the panting feline. She wriggled slightly against him but he thought she could handle the flow.

Caylais thought she lit up like the sun inside and uttered a long moan from her throat, while her entire body trembled with Ulric's power inside her. She concentrated again on compressing the mana, and tensed her whole body. 'I, am, lightning.' she panted, then balled her fists and stood straight while Ulric slowly let go of her.

She breathed slower, opened her eyes again, and gazed at the sparkling in her hands when she held them up.

***

Both Renhard and Argos almost suffered a heart attack when the demon ships rose from the sea, while Tarrence smiled knowingly. 'This is why we had to take a detour. We needed to summon them from the bottom of the sea at previous battle sites.'

Gigacks muttered his spells and orders rapidly to keep the demons under control and make sure they wouldn't accidentally fire at the commodore's flotilla. Renhard regained his confidence at the sight of the pirates being hammered by the first cannon fire from the demon ships. 'It's all rather unpleasant, but I approve of the results.' He turned to Argos. Keep our men firing!'

Captain Argos hesitated for a moment before regaining his composure. 'Aye, sir!' he said, and shouted at his officers to have the men resume firing.

***

Sharktail gritted her teeth at the sudden setback but refused to give into panicked decisions. 'Conchim! Give everyone the sign to deploy the smoke cover and breach their line!'

Conchim flew up at once with two flags, and signalled the orders while flying at a little distance from the pirate ships and out of reach of the demon ships. Each ship ignited jars prepared by Kaui, and thick clouds of smoke poured out of them, hiding the ships from sight along with the direct area downwind. After that, the ships set course towards the enemy line, and the captains ordered the crews to board the moment they hit an enemy ship.

The Citadel broke off the original attack plan and headed for the nearest demon ship. One more broadside salvo pounded the ship and undead crew before the Citadel crashed into its side, and the pirate crew jumped on top of the demons, yelling their battle cries.

Ulric joined Sharktail on deck again. 'Caylais is about ready to do her thing. Just say when.'

The pirate ruler turned to Ulric. 'Can Valdys do something to counter those undead demons on their ships?'

He glanced at the sorceress, who concentrated on her spells while Iphigenia and Elzbieta stood at her side for protection. 'She's already on it, but it will take some time.' he said when screams from below grabbed his attention.

A large two-legged demon with half his flesh missing and horns in various sizes on equally various parts of his body, joined the fracas on the demon ship, and mowed pirates down left and right.

Ulric looked at Sharktail. 'I think I'd better do something about that.' he said, and jumped from the taffrail on top of the demon's head, crowned with a ring of small horns.

The demon fell forward but steadied himself while Ulric jumped on the deck in front of him, and turned around just in time to avoid the grumbling demon's large fists and the single thick horns extending from the knuckles. Ulric delivered a blow of fast punches with his armoured fists but the horns provided the demon with some protection, even when one of them snapped off with one hit.

The attack infuriated the demon though, and it cried out a wet roar as it chased Ulric, smashing aside anything and anyone blocking its way. Ulric used its rage and rushed through groups of fighting demons, who either had to flee or be thrown out of the way. The pirates fighting them took the opportunity and beheaded the distracted demons to put them permanently down.

Ulric snatched a rope hanging from the fore mast as he led the demon to the bow of the ship. The demon made no effort to slow down on its wild approach, and as it reached out to him, Ulric jumped up high, swung towards and around the mast, and while the demon glared in confusion at him, Ulric kicked the demon hard from the ship and back into the depths of the sea.

The pirates were well on their way to take over the ship now and Ulric climbed quickly back on board of the Citadel, and went over to Sharktail. She glanced at him from her survey of the battle. 'Impressive.'

'Thanks. But how goes the battle on the other ships?'

She gazed at the ships again through the fields of smoke. 'Not good. Those demons are too strong and we're forced into taking a loss.'

***

Argos sported a pleased expression when he joined Renhard and Tarrence on the quarter deck again. 'We're gaining the upper hand, sir! Those demons are decimating the pirates despite their direct attack on our ships.'

Renhard had ordered his ship to steer away from the line and oversaw the battle from a distance. 'At least something those demons are good for then.' He puffed up his chest. 'My name and prowess shall grace the history books, and the title of admiral shall be mine.'

Tarrence didn't need to see the looks on Elyta and Muni's faces, who stood guard over Gigacks, to know they shared the same disdain for the pompous human. "You'd better hope you're useful to us for as long as possible." he thought.

Gigacks jerked back and would have gasped loud if he had lungs and a throat. 'Tarrence!'

Tarrence looked back at him at once, then turned his attention to the sea. Bubbles rose and popped in an ever increasing manner all around the ships.

Renhard looked left and right. 'What's this? Did you summon more demon ships?'

Undead shellfish crawled fast up the sides of every ship, followed by decaying octopi and small squids. Men began to shout when the creatures crawled on deck and went for them.

Renhard went to the railing in front of the wheel at once. 'What are you afraid of!? Just kick them back!' A group of those creatures crawled up the steps to the quarterdeck and went for his feet, and he stepped back at once. 'Argos! Do something about this!'

Argos drew his sword and slashed and kicked at the wave of undead seafood, but the relentless charge and snapping of claws drove him back against the taffrail as he tried to keep them at bay. 'Damn you!' He looked back at a loud splash behind him, and froze at the sight of a half eaten shark coming straight at him, teeth half gone, but enough to make a lethal impression.

Renhard cried as loud as Argos when the shark chomped down on the captain's upper body, and dragged him down as it dropped back into the sea. The commodore retreated fast behind Tarrence while Gigacks held the sea creatures back with his powers. 'Can't you stop them!? We're losing our advantage this way!'

Tarrence sighed and turned to Gigacks. 'Order the demons to storm the pirate ships, Elyta and Muni will come with me to take care of our business.'

Gigacks gave him a nod, and the three headed out, wiping aside the sea creatures on the way to the bow, and jumped from there to the next ship.

***

Sharktail put down her spy glass. 'I thought I was impressed already, but I've been proven wrong.'

Ulric chuckled. 'She is one impressive sorceress indeed.' he said and smiled at Valdys, who had a slightly mischievous sparkle in her eye. 'And one amazing woman.'

She giggled. 'I still have one more surprise coming.' she said over the familiar link.

'I'm looking forward to it then.'

'The demons are boarding our ships!' said Sharktail when the crew from two of the demon ships suddenly turned their attention from fighting on their own ships to climbing up the side of the Citadel. 'Caylais! Your turn!'

The feline appeared from the shadows of the quarter corridor, sparks and tiny lightning flashes crawling across her visible fur. She walked up to the side, leaned over the rail, spread her arms, and lightning struck from her hands across the sides of the Citadel.

Demons cried out wet screeches as bright heat scorched their rotting flesh and tore them apart, and the lightning crawled across the demon's ships, swirling around the pirates and standing their hair up straight, but bursting through the foul enemy and igniting barrels of gunpowder below deck, sending chunks of flesh and bones through every porthole.

Caylais let out a sigh when her mana ran out and the lightning ceased, and fell back as her legs gave way. Ulric rushed at her and caught her in his arms before she hit the deck. She gave him a tired smile. 'Did it work?'

He chuckled and leaned her gently back against the rail. 'Yes, you did a great job. Now rest.'

Another demon ship rammed into the Citadel from the other side, and the frantic demons jumped and climbed up the ship. Sharktail ran over to that side and drew her sword. 'To arms!'

Iphigenia, Elzbieta, and Ulric followed her down to the lower deck and clashed with the first demons crawling over the railing. 'Just call us as soon as someone comes for you or Cay.' Ulric said to Valdys.

She smiled as two large shark skeletons smacked down on the deck on either side of her and crabs appeared behind her and around Caylais. 'No worries. I have a few bodyguards here to protect us.'

Oglevie, who had kept the order on the main deck in the mean time, fought his way to Ulric and moved close to him. 'Now's the time.'

Ulric gave him a nod, and moved closer to Sharktail while he punched demons down and pierced their necks with the long spikes on his fists.

Sharktail evaded a slash from one demon, sidestepped, and slashed upwards with her sword, separating the overconfident demon's head from his shoulders. Another demon stormed at her, but before it could stab her, she spun around and he impaled himself on her sword. With her dagger in her other hand, she slit his throat open and knocked his head off with a strong punch.

She turned again at the sound of steps behind her. 'Ulric!' She gasped when he thrust his fist at her stomach.

***

Tarrence's party fought their way along a couple of ships, and jumped aboard the Citadel at the height of the quarters at the stern. Muni punched in a window and looked inside at the cabin furnitured with a desk, table and chairs, a couple of cabinets, and plenty of navigational tools and maps alongside seafaring art and souvenirs from distant places, most likely stolen. 'Clear! And this looks like the captain's cabin!'

Tarrence and Elyta followed him inside and searched the cabin while Muni guarded the door. After turning over every drawer and emptying out every cabinet, and searching walls and objects for hidden compartments, Tarrence grumbled at the scattered gemstones and coins on the desk and scratched the surface with his claws. 'It's not here. They somehow must have already taken possession of it by now.' He gazed at his team members. 'Kill them while they're busy fighting and search them for the stone.' The other two nodded, and together they went up to the deck.

Tarrence spotted the party members quickly in the crowded fight and drew his daggers. 'Muni, take on the elf, Elyta, the human! I'll take on that bloodwolf!' he said, and used the steps up to the next deck to launch himself at Ulric's back.

An unsettling sensation washed over Ulric, and he spun around just in time to block the canine's two daggers with his armoured paws. Tarrence recovered quickly by kicking at his face, but Ulric moved aside and sent his attacker upwards with a hard push.

Tarrence landed on the rail, and jumped backwards when Ulric pounced at him. He flexed his fingers around the hilts of his daggers, and stepped forward as he jabbed at Ulric, who deflected with his spiked paws.

Elzbieta saw the black feline coming for her with a fast jump and pointed her sword at him, but Muni elegantly spun around in mid air to avoid it. His own attempt to stab her with his sword failed when she deflected it with her gauntlet. She didn't hesitate for a moment and attacked him at once, forcing him back. He spotted a messy stack of barrels beside him, grabbed one quickly, and hurled it at her.

Elzbieta smashed it with her sword, but the force and the cloud of gunpowder forced her back. Muni realised the effect and threw more barrels at her.

Elyta climbed up a mast and fired an arrow at Iphigenia. An unlucky demon caught it in the back of the head when it attacked Iphigenia at the same time, and she danced around the next arrow sent her way. Elyta cursed when Iphigenia went nimbly up the rigging and fired more arrows at her.

Iphigenia evaded them gracefully, jumped up the yard, and deflected another arrow with her sword before the succubus quickly climbed farther up the mast.

***

Renhard, who had watched the fight on the Citadel through the thinning smoke clouds, almost beamed at the thought of his prospects rising when the black canine stabbed his worst enemy. 'That bitch is down! By one of her own, even!' He turned to Gigacks. 'Send all demons to that ship! We'll have them surrender in no time!'

Gigacks glared at him as much as a skeleton could and ignored him. It took all his effort to control the demons and ward off the low wall of shellfish and octopi around him, which continuously tried to attack him. And there was the matter of a nagging feeling in the back of his empty head. Something wasn't right underneath the waves, and the clamour from the commodore improved neither his senses nor his mood. He'd happily would have tossed the man overboard if not for Tarrence thinking he might yet be of use.

Renhard cheered again when Tarrence and his party joined the fight on board of the pirate's sailing fortress and eagerly watched it. So much that he hadn't noticed the waves grew stronger and became more erratic.

Gigacks, on the other hand, recognised the certain sense of dread now.

***

Valdys smiled. 'Here's my surprise.' she said over the link.

57 - Aid From The Deep

Fierce waves rose up high when giant skeletons of ancient sea predators broke from the water and loomed over the ships. Some with long necks, others with multiple limbs, and others with large, broken pieces of shells covering them. All with deadly sharp teeth or claws with ragged edges, ready to crush anything between them.

Masts cracked like twigs as they were torn from the demon ships, the shreds of soaked sails falling down on demons who were struck with instinctive dread. Already broken hulls cracked open further with a single snap of monstrous claws or the lash of thick tail bones, just like the bodies of the few mindless demons who dared to raise their swords at the new enemy.

Conchim flew up at once to contact all captains and order them to call all pirates back to their ships and retreat from the battle.

Tarrence clenched his teeth when he noticed the fight turned bad for the demons while Ulric pushed him back with his attacks. 'How much do you want for it!? I can pay you a fortune!'

Ulric scuffed and swiped his spiked fists at the demon canine. 'I'm not interested in money!'

Tarrence avoided the slash barely and jabbed his dagger at the empty space where Ulric stood just a moment before. 'You want power then!?'

Ulric grinned and kicked Tarrence in the stomach, flying him back onto the deck. 'You have nothing I want.'

Tarrence winced slightly at the pain from his breath and quickly glanced around for a new assessment of the fight.

Elyta grumbled in frustration as she jumped at the other mast with spread wings, landed on the yard, and immediately shot an arrow back at Iphigenia, who swung at her from one of the bon-lines she had cut. She deflected the arrow with a twist of her body and landed with ease on the yard. 'Who are you?'

'None of your concern!' said Elyta and shot another arrow at her.

Iphigenia slashed it out of the way and shot forward. 'Attack us and it is our concern!'

Muni rushed at Elzbieta as she cleared the cloud of gun powder in front of her with one fast swipe of her gauntlet. The black feline's face appeared in a flash in front of her, fangs bared and his sword pointing straight at her. She slammed Muni's sword out of his hand with her own. He barely evaded her grab at his throat by jumping back fast, then snatched the rusty and crusted sword of a demon at his side. It shattered at the next hard slash from Elzbieta. 'You're a really persistent elf.' he growled.

'I've been told I can be very stubborn.' she said and hacked down on him, but he rolled away and rushed up the stairs to the next deck, pushing a demon hard towards her. She skewered the demon in his gut and threw him aside. 'Especially when someone tries to kill me.'

***

Gigacks sensed the last power in his mana stones draining rapidly while his opponent apparently had seemingly effortless control over the undead force attacking his demon fleet. The outcome was inevitable to him. 'Screw this.' he cursed, and walked up to the back of the ship.

Crabs and octopi crawled closer to commodore Wallace the moment Gigacks dropped his barrier. Renhard stared at the battle, then cried out when the first claw clamped on his Achilles heel. His screams turned to utter terror when the crab snapped the tendon in two. 'Save me!' he shouted to Gigacks as he fell down and the creatures swarmed over him.