The Rift Walker Ch. 01: Seaworthy

Once the Artifact traversed its way into our world, it changed the fabric of reality, of culture, of city-states, of empires, of villages...of everything, including the lives of many young women who would grow up under rigorous training in subterfuge, magic, eroticism, and monster hunting. They'd become known as Rift Walkers.

***

The songs of sailors were always so uplifting. She supposed they had to be, for a life at sea was both dismal and sublime. Ariana leaned against the bannister on the starboard bow and let the spray of the ocean fan her face. The wind blew up from the sea surface and swept her maroon hair with the breeze. The sailors played a variety of instruments on deck, a boon of calm seas. Ariana could make out a zither, drums, and perhaps an accordian. Somehow it all worked into a swashbuckling tune that inspired good cheer and adventure amongst the waves.

She'd taken a contract with the seamen as they sailed for Pirate's Rest, a rogue city state ruled by pirates. Mostly old pirates though, she thought, whose sea legs had grown too feeble for the deck of a ship and instead preferred the comfort of a cushy chair and the adrenaline of power. They'd commission raids, heists, and a variety of other duties for their younger brethren for a cut of the profit while benefiting from various investments in the town. Ariana chuckled at the idea of a pirate economy.

The ship cut the glass waters of the sea as Ariana watched the horizon for land. They'd be there within two days, plenty of time for her to fulfill her contract. Her branch of the Rift Walkers guild had been contracted by the Pirate's Rest enterprise to investigate a certain patch of sea, the Lullabies. An archipelago where a handful of their ships with some valuable cargo had gone missing recently, disappeared without a trace, and with no survivors. Her superiors in the guild had warned her of mermaids, a draconid kraken, sirens, and even of Scylla who might be responsible.

She'd considered all options, but as of yet, nothing had happened aboard the ship except for the menial tasks of sailing. Ariana turned to observe the crew, now playing dice aboard the deck. Others tended to their tasks aboard the ship. Her eyes fell upon the captain, a woman, known as Alexandria Stormchaser.

The tales said that she'd endured a run through a hurricane with her ship, the Wailing Maiden, with a haul of gold she'd plundered from a wealthy merchant town on the coast and had laughed the whole way through. A drunken, sensuous laugh, as if the lighting, pelting rain, and enormous waves had given her nothing but orgasmic delight. If her all male crew had respected her before, they worshipped and loved her now as the heroine of the seas. Ariana guessed that they'd all die for her, or a chance to bed her, because they both respected and admired her salt grit and astonishing beauty.

Ariana admired her from afar. An hourglass figure, fit to be mounted on the bow of the ship: full tits that burst from her doublet and tight leather pants that fit her thick thighs and curvy ass. Ariana had seen men watch her climb the steps to the helm more than once.

Her command was complemented by knee high black boots and a tricorn hat, decorated with the honors of the admirals she'd sunk and plundered. Her hazelnut hair swept down from her hat and flowed over her shoulder. She had ruby eyes and lips the color of coral. Ariana found her quite attractive, admirable, and, in combination with her laurels, downright sexy.

***

The sun fell decisively, after dinner below deck. The sailors had received their ration of rum for the night and were singing below decks. Ariana gripped her own cup as the night crept upon the red sky.

Footsteps sounded behind her. She turned to find the Captain approaching with her own cup. The captain's eyes were glossy with the delight and warmth of intoxication.

"It's beautiful isn't it?"

"Red night, sailor's delight, isn't it?"

"Not for me," she said and laughed at her own joke. Ariana smirked.

"So I hear."

"What do you think is sinking our ships and taking the crews?"

"Could be any number of things."

"Monsters?"

"Perhaps, I won't know until we get closer."

"And what will you do? One little girl against a kraken? If it is that."

"There's a few things you could do with a kraken. None of it easy, but there are solutions.

How many cannons aboard?"

"Fourteen. Seven on each side."

"Those will help."

"I could have told you that," Alexandria said, finishing her cup and extracting a flask

from her bosom. She tossed the cup onto the deck and drank straight from the flask. Ariana said nothing, but eyed the flask.

"Black rum, want some?" Ariana nodded and took a swig of the full flask. It tasted like rum but with a hint of sweet blackberry. The aftertaste contained a bitterness from double the normal alcohol content.

"Strong." Alexandria laughed at her.

"Most vomit at the whiff of it." She paused, "I suspect that you are ambiguous about your work and full of brevity because most of what you do you want to keep secret as a Rift Walker."

"Need to stay employed." Ariana shrugged.

"So you do know more than you let on." Ariana only smirked.

"I suppose I do the same. Play ignorant when I need to, let on as little as possible to keep the crew calm, but never to avoid vainglorious rumors about myself." She chuckled. Ariana let out a smiling breath.

"It seems that's all you pirates do. Spread rumors about your conquests that are wildly over exaggerated."

"I assume you're talking about my orgasmic weathering of the hurricane and name to boot?"

Ariana nodded in good cheer.

"Most don't care when I bellowed an orgasmic laugh, but in truth, it was when we

found our way out." She grinned and drank deep from the flask, "I bet you'd like to hear it? The laugh?"

Ariana raised an eyebrow.

"You could get me to orgasm like that. If that's your fancy."

Ariana laughed and crossed her arms, "maybe once I'm off the job and have figured out what is sinking your ships. It sure isn't orgasmic hurricanes."

"No, it isn't. Well, Miss Rift Walker, I am turning in, and I suggest you do too. Tomorrow will be a long night sailing through the Lullabies."

"Good night, Captain," Ariana nodded and watched Alexandria check her out before

turning. The Captain must have known Ariana would watch the her buttox shift in her form fitting breeches by the way she sauntered away.

***

Ariana blew out a match after lighting a lantern in her cabin. The lantern cried as it swung overhead to the sway of the ship. The sea was calm and Ariana tucked herself into bed with an assortment of parchment and books laid out in front of her. One massive tome stood out, much larger than the rest scattered about. A weathered and intimidating tablet of a book with thick pages, patient calligraphy, and impressive illustrations. Ariana's personal Bestiary.

While being trained as a Rift Walker, each girl would have to learn, in addition to the normal skills, calligraphy, illustration, and monster lore. She'd authored the book herself. It was the culmination of all of the knowledge both passed down to her, and earned through her travels hunting monsters, breaking curses, and providing the service of the Rift Walkers. It was the most important object to her in the entire world.

She heaved the massive tome open to the section on sea creatures, specifically different types of kraken, and began her research. She compared the evidence she'd received about her current job: reports, descriptions, shipping manifests, and legers against her wealth of knowledge on the incredible king of the seas.

The hour grew late, and soon Ariana found it to be well past midnight. She refilled the oil in her lantern and heard footsteps outside of her cabin. She presumed it might be the changing of the watch, but then she heard a knock. It wasn't on her door, but that of the Captain's at the end of the hall, adjacent to her cabin.

Captain Stormchaser had been gracious enough to offer her the second best room aboard the ship, reserved usually, for secondary captains or honorary guests or hostages. Ariana listened to the door open and close. She raised her eyebrows as a grin spread across her face. It was either a late night report for the Captain or a secret rendezvous with one of her male crewmates.

Ariana continued her studies only to be interrupted again with the howls of the Captain as she was, without any doubt, fucked against the headboard. Her cries and groans of pleasure just crept past the thick oak walls of the ship, but Ariana, being next door, could hear them quite plainly along with the repetitive thud of the bed frame against the hull.

The fucking roused Ariana, but she put those thoughts aside and tried to focus on her research. She'd moved onto the Scylla, an aquatic, humanoid peoples who's kingdoms dominated the bottom of the sea and were not to be confused with mermaids.

Soon the Captain's midnight rendezvous ended and her suitor opened and closed the door behind him. Ariana smiled, and all was quiet, until Alexandria began to hum a sweet song within her chambers. The Rift Walker enjoyed listening to it, for she had a beautiful voice and melody, but soon after, more footsteps approached the Captain's quarters.

Ariana chuckled again. Does she ever sleep? How many of the crew does she fuck? The tales of her sexual prowess seemed not to be exaggerated indeed. The humming ceased and her animal like screeching began. Ariana heard her saying something along the lines of, "fuck me like a back alley whore!"

It became impossible to focus as Ariana listened. Constantly distracted and finding herself trying to keep her hands busy. Then, another knock at the door. It opened and closed again. Ariana wasn't surprised, and in fact, couldn't help but let out a hot breath.

Ariana adjusted herself to listen, getting comfortable in her bunk. Soon, the threesome started. Ariana imagined the Captain being fucked from both ends. A cock harpooning her throat and another grizzly sailor gripping her perfect ass and fucking her from behind.

Ariana unlaced her breeches and her fingers found their way to her already soaking pussy. She parted her lips with her index finger and rotated the tip of her finger around her clit. She fingered herself with the rocking of the ship as the Captain screamed in pleasure next door. Ariana made herself orgasm after one of the men grunted and expelled a great, heaving exhale. No doubt after cumming.

She imagined the cum bursting inside of Alexandria. It made Ariana cum all over her fingers. She exhaled, and realized the threesome next door had ended. She heard the sailors trot down the hall. Her fingers continued, this time, imagining herself and the Captain pleasing the crew, each other, and swapping the hot, white cum of the seamen between their lips as it gushed onto their tits. She managed to make herself orgasm two more times before she passed out on her bed in a mess of sheets, clothes, papers, and books.

***

Ariana slept well into the morning. She awoke refreshed, but still in the spell of sleepiness. She took her time getting dressed. Her dreams had been wild with sex and fantasy and she wanted to return to them, but there was work to be done. They'd reach the Lullabies at midday which appeared was at hand, so Ariana gathered all her things, in preparation to investigate the islands, and left her chambers.

When she reached the deck, her instincts tingled. The daily sounds that were common aboard a sailing vessel were absent, only the soft crash of the waves, the seagulls, and the billowing sails came to her ears. No songs, no clanks, no call outs, and not one clamber of boots against the deck. The deck became visible to her as she came up from below and saw no one at the bow. The hair on the back of her neck stood in consternation.

The Rift Walker spun around to see the entire crew watching her. Their eyes glazed over as each man stood, shoulder to shoulder, in a mob at the stern of the ship, upon the stairs to the bridge deck, and on it. At the helm and above her statuesque crew, Captain Alexandria Stormchaser stood with a boot steering the bottom of the wheel. Her arms were crossed over the top of it, between the spokes. Bejeweled cutlass in hand, a wicked grin spread across Alexandria's lips. Her unwavering ruby eyes pierced Ariana.

After she let the initial shock pass, Alexandria began to hum. It was the same beautiful melody as before, except now it became unnaturally loud.

Ariana couldn't believe she'd fallen for this. Alexandria parted her lips as if to transform her hummed melody into a vocal song, but Ariana clasped her hands over her ears just in time, spun, and bounded off the desk. She soared over the ocean water and crashed beneath the waves.

***

It was night. Through the foliage, the Rift Walker could see the crew unloading supplies, loot, and materials into a cavern near the beach. Ariana noted the stupefied movements of the male crew. Clearly under the spell of their captain. Off to the side on the beach, Alexandria stood with the first siren Ariana had ever seen. She appeared as a young woman, hardly old enough to graduate from the Rift Walkers guild, with long, wet, brunette hair that came down to cover each of her breasts.

So there was a chorus of sirens working out of this grotto, Ariana thought. This was one of the primary lanes the pirates of the Jade Sea used. It seemed the sirens were taking advantage. Clever. Ariana wondered who was leading them. Was is Alexandria herself or somebody she reported to?

Since sirens were intelligent, albeit mischievous creatures, the Rift Walker code frowned upon murdering them wholesale. Ariana would have to find another way to get rid of them for the pirates that contracted her. Although, there was a certain irony to be had from someone stealing from pirates, not to mention, a species of primarily women stealing from men who took advantage.

Ariana weighed her options and sought to scout out another entrance into the grotto.

***

She found it behind a small waterfall that poured into a stream. Edging behind the water, she continued down into a small and narrow passage she hoped would trickle down into the grotto. After a few minutes of unsteady rock ledges and tight squeezes, she could hear the echo of voices along with the dripping of water. She came to an opening that glowed with the turquoise light of an underwater pond. She sidled up against a rock and peered down into the grotto from above. Several sirens lounged about on luxury, red cushioned chairs scattered about the smooth cave floor near the cobalt water through which the sun shone, plundered no doubt.

They drank red wine, giggled, and celebrated their latest haul. The sirens were completely nude and almost all over them had long hair that reached down to their buttocks. Ariana counted six of them. Then, the brunette came in with Alexandria and greeted the chorus. They waved her in and one poured her a glass of red wine.

"Our lovely new sister, welcome to our home above the waves." Alexandria drank deep, tossed aside her hat, and let her hair down. She stripped and hung her clothes over the back of one of the lounge chairs. Ariana watched and even though she was working, couldn't help but be aroused by Alexandria's hourglass body, her full and voluptuous tits. She was even sexier than Ariana had fantasized about. She fell into the celebration of the chorus and Ariana turned back into the cave. She sat and tried to figure out what to do.

She'd never heard of a siren fully impersonating a human before. Sure, they could lure in their human form, but naturally they preferred their aquatic skin, or at least that was what Ariana was taught.

Most sirens had abnormally big eyes and accentuated features so pronounced it was easy to discern them from humans. In addition, their eyes blinked like that of a fish, upwards. Their faces were wide and their bodies streamlined for movement through underwater currents. Finally, their ears were slightly larger than normal, so they could hear their sisters underwater via echolocation. Alexandria's body didn't fit that description at all, and sirens almost always preferred to be in the water. Something didn't add up.

Ariana tried to get a better look by sneaking along the narrow ledge the hidden passage had provided her. A jutting of rock covered her from below as she crawled her way along the upper dome of the grotto. She found an outcropping and peered down at the chorus. To her surprise, only a few of them appeared as a normal siren would, three others were some of the most shapely women Ariana had ever seen.

One crossed a leg over another and Ariana got a view of her foot, wide and webbed. These were no doubt sirens, but human as well. Perhaps they were hybrids. Would hybrids make it easier or worse? Ariana thought. It didn't matter. She needed a solution.

Even if the code of the Rift Walkers prevented her from exterminating them, she didn't think she could take all six. They could be armed and plus, regular sirens took on another form when threatened. Their skin, which appears human out of the water, became a tough hide, like that of a shark. Their fingernails grew and sharpened into claws and a second and third row of razor teeth released from hidden slots in their gums. Their mouths became a crowded cemetery of teeth like that of a great white. They were fast too, just as fast as Ariana, and if they got her into that pond, she'd become chum in an instant. So, fighting was out of the question, at least fighting right now.

She considered her other options. She could bargain, but what else could these sirens want? They had a monopoly on this shipping lane and weren't a big enough threat for any large force to come drive them out. It was remote enough to accept the loss of one ship every so often.

Besides, Ariana counted eight now. She suspected this was all of them. Eight sirens, especially with the help of Alexandria, could easily take down two or three ships of men with their songs and cunning, but if they were smart they wouldn't draw too much attention. Just enough to keep their desires satiated. It was quite the outfit they had here, especially if the more human looking sirens also had their own ships complete with an all male zombie crew they could control with the swish of a tongue.

Lost in thought, Ariana refocused her attention. She counted them again and found two missing. Shit, where had they gone? Her breath quickened. I can't believe this, what a fucking rookie mistake. She heard a pebble shift behind her. She turned to two gray blurs and a deafening shriek. A stinging, supersonic slap tore across her face and her vision went blurry.

Groggy, she tried to draw her sword, but her hands were bound in an instant. Her assailants disarmed her and dragged her away. Everything in the caves shifted in a haze as the side of her face burned. A headache blossomed in her mind as the shriek bounced inside her skull. She could feel a drop of blood trickle down from the crevice in her ear as her vision closed to black.

***

Ariana awoke with her eyes open. She squeezed her them shut and opened them again to see that she was kneeling before the chorus of sirens. Dull throbs of pain drummed inside her ear and her headache returned. Their body language suggested they were deciding on what to do with her. Her belongings were stacked off to the side in a neat pile. Bound at the wrists and ankles, and in her under clothes, she was at the mercy of the sirens.

"A pretty one, no doubt."

"These Rift Walkers are always gorgeous. It's because of all the shit they pump into their bodies. Makes them fucking perfect," one of the sirens hissed.