Apex

"Let's go! We haven't got all day!"

The crew looked over at the captain. The unfamiliar tone he used, gave way to outright confusion as he led a woman up the ramp. It wasn't all that uncommon to have a woman on board. But with the leash around her neck, it was new to have a slave.

"C'apn!?"

"What?"

The crew's second weathered the man's glare. They had been working together since before they turned to less than legal methods of procuring wealth.

"Is she-"

"What of it, Hafth?"

Hafth sighed. Captain Roock was an excellent captain. When hard times fell and taxes went up, it was his idea of how to proceed. With a vast knowledge of the waters through the Moore, and contacts to move products that most merchants wouldn't... Calling them smugglers probably wasn't fair. But it wasn't far off either.

"C'apn," Hafth tried once more. "If she's what I think she-"

"She is," Captain Roock nodded. "I paid a fair price for her."

Hafth glanced at the woman. She was wearing what was probably rags at some stage. Minimal scarring on her back, and she kept her eyes down. She didn't respond at all while they talked about her like she was a thing. Because she understood that's what she was in this world. A commodity. Something bought and sold, traded and waged. And while it wasn't all that common to see a human this far to the East. Most of them here weren't here by choice.

"C'apn, you can't-"

"Oh, don't give me that," Captain Roock waved off his second. "Nobodies heard of that bloody thing in years."

Hafth watched the captain walk away and shook his head. Part of him wanted to remind the captain that the only reason nobody had heard of the Apex, was because nobody tried any more.

"Hafth?"

The old elf turned and looked at the young man before him. Half-orc, half... something uglier. He was a sturdy lad by the name of Syen. Twisted enough to have been left in front of a church as a babe. But his heart was in the right place. Even if he ended up working on a dinky old tub like the Gnoll.

"Yeah, lad?"

"Are we going to be okay?"

Hafth sighed and gave a small shrug. "Do you know the stories?"

"I've heard whispers," the boy shook his head. "Not more than that."

Hafth nodded, "Give me a hand with these last crates then. I'll tell you what I know."

"Sure," the younger man grinned and picked up the crate Hafth was about to try and lift.

Hafth watched him effortlessly start up the ramp. It was supposed to be a team effort to lift these crates. But he figured if the lad was going to do the work, he could at least entertain him for a while.

"Well... Nobody knows where exactly he came from," Hafth started. "But we know who found him. And who unleashed him upon the likes of us?"

"Who?"

Hafth sighed as he stepped up onto the deck. The captain had taken the woman into his private cabin. "An old employer."

***

...Hot...

That was probably the first sensation that came to mind. There wasn't much else until a sharp jab caught me in the ribs. It was followed by words. Words I didn't quite catch. But I hurried along, not wanting to earn myself another jab. Which... well that was strange. I was walking. But, I didn't know where, or why... And why was it so damned hot? The sun was beating down on my back, searing into my skin. Though... Even that didn't sound right. I felt... stretched?

Almost like my face had drooped down, while my tailbone was now dragging on the ground behind me. I must have paused to think about this. Because I felt another jab, so I skipped forward once more. I could feel other sensations now. A weight around my waist. Something was tied there, though I didn't know what. I could feel a tug now and then. Sometimes from behind. Other times from ahead. It was when I felt one from ahead, that I got that sharp jab once more.

I wanted to reach out and brush off whatever kept jabbing me. But when I shifted my arms, I found them bound together. That was rather concerning. But... Then so was everything. None of this really made sense. All I could remember was arriving at the dig site. There was something interesting that had shown up in an unexpected place. But I couldn't really put a finger on what that was. All I could remember was... A voice. A woman's voice. Then a lot of pain and... Whatever this was.

"Come on!" A voice snarled.

This time I understood what was being said, right before something jabbed me in the ribs once more.

I held back the yelp and started moving again. I tried to explore my surroundings. At first with my ears. I could hear the ocean, which... Well last I saw, I was in the middle of the desert, so ocean sounds was... Out of place. And I knew it was the ocean. Because I could smell the salt. It was... Beautiful. The chittering cry of a seagull called as it flew over. And over it all, was the rattle of chains. With each of my steps, they clanked together. But they weren't the only ones I could hear either. There was a whole cacophony.

Footsteps, chains, the groans of people being jabbed just like I was. It was everywhere. Voices called out, and I blinked my eyes trying to see what was going on. And... Well that was a terrible idea at first. Everything was way too bright. Like my eyes were on the top of my head or something. And... I tilted my head down and poked myself in the gut with my nose.

"What?"

"Shut it!" A voice snapped before something jabbed me in the ribs once more.

I growled and shook my head. The mass hanging from my face when I did so, made me stagger. I felt the world shift, but the mass dragging behind helped me stabilize, even as I heard someone swear. That was followed by another quick jab in my ribs to keep me moving.

This continued for a time. I concentrated on my surroundings and what I could feel. It was all so very strange. I felt like me, but I wasn't even sure what 'me' was anymore. There were memories, but they were vague, disjointed and... Unlike what I felt now. I still had five fingers, but... My thumbs felt strange. I also had an odd feeling like I was missing a toe on each foot as well. Like I was supposed to have five there too.

But the ever-growing din of voices, carts and other signs of life drowned all these new sensations out. I struggled to see properly at first. But as we passed between buildings and we moved into shade, I was finally able to start orienting my eyes properly. Which was an odd sensation on its own. Something obscured my line of sight. It was hard to describe from my perspective. It was like how you learn to ignore the sight of your own nose, but this was... the complete opposite.

I felt something in my head twinge. Almost like I should know what this was. But... that was in the third person. This was more like, I should now recognise what 'I' was. And that in itself was confusing.

"Keep up! Let's go!"

"So he was a slave?" Syen asked as he set the last of the crates on the deck.

"They certainly treated him like one," Hafth grunted. "Cydric thought he hit the mother load. Big, dumb, strong as an ox from hauling a wagon that whole way. And completely placid."

"Placid?"

"It means he didn't fight. He just stood there and took whatever you did to him. Not worth beating, he just didn't respond to it."

Syen nodded. "This sounds less like something you were told, and more like you were there."

Hafth nodded slowly. At four-hundred and eighty-seven, he was in fact there. He shook his head, driving away the worst of the memories.

"Aye lad," Hafth nodded. "I was there."

"LADIES AND GENTLEFOLKS!" The announcer shouted to the crowd. "Today we have a fine selection of wares!"

"Bring out the whores!"

That caused a wave of chuckles to pass through the crowd. I was still trying to work out exactly what was happening. I had been pushed and prodded until I made it to the base of a set of stairs. From that point, they had untied me from what turned out to be a large, covered wagon. Before being moved to a queue of people dressed in rags. I was chained to the last in line, before being marched up onto the stage. I had difficulties with that too, with my short legs, I almost tripped getting up.

Part of me wondered if it would be easier to have slid up on my belly. But there was no way to verbalise my idea while both chained, cuffed and being prodded by that prick with a pointed stick. And now, found myself standing on the edge of a large platform as... As the announcer sold us. One by one.

The first, a woman. She sobbed brokenly as they tore her clothing away. She sold for eighty. They didn't say what that eighty was. But she was taken by the neck and led off, while my anger began to build. The next in line, was a large man. He was muscular, green and oddly misshapen. He walked in a hunch and the bidding was quieter, but stopped at three-hundred. Unlike the woman, he was led off far more gently, as the next in line was brought up.

I stood and watched in horror as it dawned on me what this entire situation was. They ripped friends from friends. I saw begging. I saw an old man whipped publicly for trying to struggle. A young couple, desperately clinging to one another, were pried apart despite their screams. Until finally I was brought to the front.

"Now, before we get onto the main attraction. We have something here for the collectors in the group!" He gave a dramatic pause, before continuing. "He's one of a kind. Barely speaks, for those of you interested in a quiet pet."

I frowned, or... at least I wanted to frown. I wasn't sure if my facial muscles actually moved when I did so. But it angered me hearing people laugh at me, especially after the horror of watching all this happen around me. The bidding got higher, and higher. I wasn't sure how I felt when it hit four-hundred.

I stopped paying attention when it turned into a dick measuring contest. A middle-aged woman in a long dress was trying to outbid a morbidly obese, bald guy with a handlebar moustache. It would have been comical to think about how many of these kinds of things I'd read in some online story repository. Which...

Well, wherever I was. It was clear that they didn't have electricity. Let alone the internet. But even the knowledge of that was fleeting for me. I knew it existed, and I knew I lived with it a lot. But what it was and how it functioned eluded me entirely. Something kept nagging at the back of my mind though. A fruit maybe. Something-berry or an apple? I couldn't make heads nor tails of it. My memories were blurry at best, and a sharp jab drew my attention to the present.

Without thinking, I started moving. I didn't know what was going on anymore. Someone had likely bid and won me. Which... Well I was property now. Maybe I could see where I ended up? Then I could see about getting out?

Those thoughts drifted through my head, as the wagon loomed before me. The man leading me, brought me to a stop, and he set a pair of manacles over my wrists. It happened so quickly, I didn't have time to think, before two rather large... beings stood either side of me. They resembled that large green man who sold for three-hundred. Only they were dressed properly and were, if anything, even larger.

But that's not what had my attention. Ahead, being dragged from the wagon, was a pair of women. They were young. Barely into adulthood by my guess. But it was their features that attracted the most attention. Their bodies looked sculpted from gold marble. They had long hair, tied into simple plaits that ran down their backs. Both of them had wraps around their waists and breasts. Those wraps, unlike the torn shreds most of the others wore, were in good condition. Their faces, while humanoid, had a pointed look to them. Like someone had stretched their noses out slightly, that gave them an inhuman beauty.

Adding to that, was a pair of grey and brown ears that peeked out from the tops of their heads. Those ears went from standing straight up in curiosity, to flat on the backs of their heads, as the men dragged them apart from one another.

"NO!" The first cried. Her hair was darker, speckled with grey flecks that reminded me of a jackals coat.

"Mota!" The other cried, reaching for what I could only assume was her twin sister. Her hair was paler in comparison, leaning more into a sandy brown, with dark streaks.

"Get the first one up there already!" Someone shouted.

I turned my head and saw the auctioneer tapping his foot as he scowled down at the scene. And I watched in horror as they pulled the two women from each other and hauled them onto the stage. They fought and struggled all the way onto the platform, before they were taken and held at opposite ends of the stage.

"Now!" The auctioneer called. "We have something fresh from the breeding pens. A first generation pair of sisters. I have been informed, they are in fact twins, from the same litter. Despite that, I will auction them separately. So if you wish for both, you better have the money for it!"

That set of a wave of laughter and more than a few hoots. The twins sobbed brokenly, and I felt a sharp jab in my side.

"Get a move on," one of the big men growled.

I ignored him and stepped for the stage. This was wrong. All of it. I felt another smack and ignored that too. If I could just get onto the stage. If I could put a stop to this. We could call back the others that had been sold. Likely they were still here. I didn't know what I was going to do. Something wrapped around my neck. I didn't respond, it wasn't pulling hard enough to cause me any serious problems.

I could just see the terrified expressions on the twins' faces. As I set my foot on the first step, I felt the thing around my neck tighten. I frowned and slumped forward. Catching myself on my hands, I walked up, dragging whatever it was behind me. I could hear shouting now. The auctioneer had taken notice and was staring at me with an amused smile.

"It looks like we have a bit of a problem here folks," he laughed. "Though I can't say I blame him. Look at these tits!" He reached for the closest of the twins and groped her as the crowd laughed. "Now, can someone get their pet lizard off my stage?!"

"Shit, I have him."

Something about the tone that voice used, caught my attention. I turned my head and spotted him coming. He held a long blade. Not quite a sword, but not just an eating implement. He came up to my side and...

CRACK!

***

"Hafth, stop putting the stories in the lad's head," Captain Roock sighed as he strode past.

"Sorry C'apn. Just telling him how it is."

Captain Roock sighed and shook his head. "The Apex is dead," he directed at Syen. "Whatever he was, whatever really happened, I doubt there's many who are alive to remember. He caused a big ruckus, a bunch of people died and then he left. For a few years, slave ships were sunk and people speculated it was hanging around still. Proof is circumstantial at best and nobody has seen hide nor hair of him since."

The pair watched as Captain Roock stormed off across the deck. Hafth sighed and shook his head as Syen frowned fiercely.

"What, lad?"

"What's sir-cum-stand-chill mean?"

"Circumstantial," Hafth nodded. "It's like walking into the kitchen and seeing one of the man wiping crumbs off his face. You THINK he's eaten something. But you didn't actually see him do it."

"So... If the Apex is circumstantial, nobody knows for sure if he's real?"

"He's real all right," Hafth shuddered. "It just depends on whether or not he's still out there."

The man's body careened through the air, landing with a bone crunching thud in the dirt. For the first time, I could see my own body properly. The part of me that struck him, was my tail. A huge, muscled thing, covered in thick-skinned plates. My immediate reaction was regret. I could see the twisted mess of bleeding flesh that was the man. I hadn't intended to kill someone. It was just an automatic reaction.

With a grunt, I pushed myself up onto two legs and opened my mouth to apologise.

"KILL IT!"

I blinked as I felt the thing around my neck tighten once more. So I thrashed. I felt things break, and I spun in place. The thing around my neck was a rope that rapidly pulled one of the big creatures towards me. He looked terrified as the rope had twisted around his arm. Before I could restrain myself, he was pulled to my side, mid-roll and I winced as I spotted the splatter of red spray out from under me.

It was then the scent hit me. I could feel it burning inside. Like I wanted it... Like I needed it. Opening my eyes, I saw the auctioneer trying to shove the two jackal women off the front of the stage, while others approached with weapons drawn. This time, I couldn't argue about their intentions. One had a sword, another had an axe. One drew and fired a bow, and the arrow bounced off the crown of my head. The impact reminded me these people weren't on the righteous side. They were slavers. Likely murderers, rapists and unseemly bastards.

And those two jackal women? Well, they were staring right at me. But not with horror, like the others. This looked more like hope.

I could work with hope.

Bursting forward, the man with the sword let out a scream as I bowled him over. The auctioneer shoved both the women off the front of the stage. He was determined to escape with them for whatever reason. But that just made him my target. I thrashed violently as I rushed forward on two limbs. My tail flicked from side to side as I surged bodily to keep up. I felt things crack and break with the impact of the muscular appendage. But I wasn't slowed in the least.

People were screaming and running, others were drawing weapons. I could see men with armour running towards me. But my eyes were on the auctioneer and the few he had rounded together to hold the women he was trying to escape with. And the more they struggled, the angrier I got.

I dropped onto all fours at the edge of the stage and slid down into the dirt on my stomach. It must have been too much for the stage and my lower half crashed to the ground, taking the wood with it. I felt things stab into my side as the wood splintered. Without thinking, I twisted violently. My enormous tail acted like an anchor as I rolled my body. More screaming came from every direction as everything in my path splintered and broke. Debris scattered in all directions and I yanked my tail free.

It was only then, I realised one of the buildings, a large warehouse attached to the side of the stage was coming down. I ignored that for now as something slammed into my nose. Lunging forward, I felt something brush my jaw, so I bit down hard. The screams that escaped what I had bitten meant nothing. I could taste metal, blood and meat. It was like biting a tin can filled with raw pork. Clamping my jaws hard, I crushed it and the juices flowed into my mouth.

I felt a level of thirst being quenched. I had had no water since I had awoken, but this sweet juice was delicious to me. Tilting my head up, I snapped once more, and I felt the thing slide down further into my jaws. Once more, and I felt parts of it fall away, leaving a chunk small enough I could swallow.

When I lowered my head, I could see the horror in the eyes of everyone in attendance, as easily as I could smell the smoke.

"FIRE!"

I ignored the screams. People stared running. The men with weapons didn't know if they should fight or flee. I felt heat on my tail and turned to see the collapsing warehouse was smouldering. My tail was only lightly trapped, and that made my decision. Rather than roll, I yanked it to one side, sending logs hurling through the air. I watched several people crushed and battered by the debris. But I paid them no mind. This was a slave town. They were the monsters here as far as I was concerned.

With a low growl that caused the rocks in the dirt to bounce in place, I stated my demands as I spotted the women once more. I watched as they vanished around a corner, and I charged to follow. People scattered as I tore through the streets. My tail flicking from side to side caused far more damage. It swept people off their feet, crashed through the fronts of stores and homes. I used my nose to knock aside a wagon, and it tumbled into a storefront, crushing a man as I charged through.