Chapter 22 Battle on the Bow

As Kreed watched the simple metal blade slid gracefully into the bloodied monstrosities, liquid like body. He turned towards the deck and began his sprint.

Leaving Alden behind Kreed hurried towards the stone platform that had led too the grape.

Never even looking back he began his efforts to climb unto the platform.

However without warning, suddenly, feeling the vessel tilt, Kreed lost his balance.

Slamming into the outside wall of the cabin.

'Damnation'

As his already brittle bones ached from the impact, Kreed scowled.

Making an attempt to move once more, Kreed glaced in the direction where he had sprinted from.

And there he saw something incredible. Alden who moments ago was completely paralyzed, his tall and subtly strong body, being reduced to a mere statue.

Was now moving once again. The pristine stone pillar that had been the cause of Kreed's battered body. Was Peircing through the thick

Hull of the vessel with ease. It slid through the metal like if cutting through butter. Its peak moving at a terrifying speed, towards the bloodied beast that had left him paralyzed.

As Kreed watched in awe. He saw the big pool of thick blood that Alden stood in surged and raged. Forming into a frenzy of thick repulsive tentacles that grasped his legs.

"Alden. Look ou--"

Kreed who was meters away from the tall silver haired man, began to shout these warnings, as he saw the situation grow dire.

Of course he didn't even feel a pang of guilt or shame. He had left Alden to dye after all, but now that he had seen him moving freely, he was back to leaching of of Alden once again.

The words of waring died on his lips however. When Kreed saw Aldens face. The Large golden glasses that obscured his eyes, were glinting unnaturally. The golden Lenses that it housed was rippling,with a mesmerizing flow, like the surface of a tiny golden lake. His silver hair, stood upright on his head. There ends glowing softly.

But the most noticable detail, was Alden's smile. Kreed had witness many of Alden's uncalled for smiles. But this one stood out.

He didn't look, insanely crazy. Or as if boastful. Instead it looked strangely, normal. For once Alden looked genuinely happy, not that he wasn't before. But this time, it looked as if he was relieved. Relived of a heavy burden that he had been carrying.

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And so Alden summoned a stone sword. It looked to be made of the same pristine stone that Alden had used for the pillars.

As the tentacles of vile blood, tightened around his legs, Alden moved.

'what..'

In one swift motion, he sliced through the thick tentaculum, easily escaping their grasp. And appeared a meter away from the vile monstrosity. Kreed couldn't even see Alden's movement. He was using the same terrible speed, that he used when they first met. It looked as if he was simply teleporting but, Kreed knew different.

In truth. The entire fight so far had taken a few seconds. From the time Kreed threw his metal rake. To the point at which they currently were to no less than six, seconds had passed, at most. And their current position didn't look as dire, now that Alden's true nature was revealed.

Kreed watched, as he swung his sharp stone sword at the abominations neck. Or at what appeared to be it's neck. The stone blade, slid through it with ease, the vile sound of thick tissue being cut. Resounded throughout the vessel's surface.

And just as the blade escaped it's embrace severing the creatures head cleanly off, the bloody body surged, sending a dozen tendrils of spiraling liquid towards Alden.

Using his uncommon speed, the tall man, deflected a couple tendrils, dodged another and made an attack once more.

As he anchored his left foot a mere meter from the, creature, he stained his body. Bending and tensing his muscles at an unhealthy angle. Releasing a strong burst of vigorous power he aimed for the creatures abdomen. As Kreed looked on in amazement, he saw the creature tremble. And fluttered into symphony of un-choreographed movement.

A multitude of bloodied tendrils, shot fort from it's body. They spread in every direction, most aiming to injure Alden.

Creek

A loud uncanny sound echoed throughout the vessel, it seemed that Alden had actually managed to harm the monstrosity with is first move, and now that the creature knew that, it was frantically attacking.

Hoping to kill or at least injury the four eyed maniac.

As Kreed looked on, stunned at the violent outburst. He watched as Alden, using his immense speed. Dodged a barrage of the creatures tentacles. Parrying another a second later.

Then a rush of attacks came through. Alden was cutting through the monstrosity's bloody tendrils, staining the hull and bow of the vessel even more. Simultaneously the creature continued to gather blood from the many pools scattered across the vessel's surface. Continuously replenishing it's stores of blood and soot.

After the beings exchanged a couple blow's, Alden dodging all the attacks that managed to get past his sharp pristine stone sword. And the bloody creature managing to somehow protect it's vitals. The tide of the battle suddenly changed.

Feeling the vessel shake. Kreed observed the pillar of pristine stone, that Alden had formerly conjured, suddenly shake and shoot forward.

Alden who was facing the vile creature head on, retreated, jumping several meters back.

Then the pristine stone pillar shot fort, completely decimating the tall towering creatures torso. Cutting through it's defense and bloody body with ease.

As blood scattered all across the vessel's surface, Kreed saw Alden move once more.

Suddenly dashing forward, Alden grasped the pristine stone sword with both his hands. In one swift motion Alden severed one of the creatures many tendrils that had hept it attached to a pool of viscous blood. And without giving the creature a second to react. He unleashed a new attack.

The Large stone pillar that had completely destroyed the creature's upper half. And was still lodged right above the creature, suddenly sprouted a bombardment of smaller spear headed pillars, that dug and tore, through the creatures remaining parts.

Stepping back with a slick bounce, Alden, lowered his stone blade.

The smile on his face had diminished a bit but, a sudden look of confusion replaced it.

"What? But that doesn't make any sense..."

Hearing Alden speak, Kreed, finally began his efforts of getting up once again.

He watched as the half of the creature's body that had been decimated by the ruthless thrusts of Aldens stone spears, slowly began to crumble, forming back into a gigantic pool of blood and tissue.

Then a sudden thought entered Kreed's mind, why had he thrown his metal blade at the creature? Was it to escape? Indeed in the moment that he had flung his rake, his body had moved on its own. His intuition was screaming for him to run. But why? Didn't Alden keep his promise? Hadn't he killed the beast? So what had come over him? Was he really scared?

Noo. That couldn't possibly be the case, Kreed knew what true, unclouded, primal fear felt like. He had met with the father of all, and the range of emotions he had felt then couldn't even be compared to what he was feeling in the current moment. So what had really happened? Kreed had a small guess. But needed to confirm.

Dismissing the metal rake that was lodged within a section of the bloody creature's body. Kreed watched as it dissolved into a wisp of light that then re-entered his body.

Summoning the metal blade once again. Kreed frowned.

His worst fears had come true. Although he wasn't a hundred percent sure. He could guess the reason for his sudden, blank out as well as the explanation for his body moving on its own.

Well he could confirm that suspicions later. For now he needed to consult with Alden.