V-shaped ripples closed in on the slombie. Fins poked through the surface of the water at the apex of those Vs. A tail slapped the surface of the water, and then a fat green-and-brown shark with snaggled teeth and long catfish-like whiskers leaped out of the water, jaws agape.
“A catshark. Those are nasty,” Isa commented.
“What is that, half catfish, half shark?” Levi gestured, sending his mana out to the skeleton. The skeleton’s eyes glittered as he took direct control. It lifted its arms in sync with Levi and grappled the catshark by the jaws. Hefting himself back, he headbutted the air. In the water, the slombie headbutted the catshark. The foul feeder smashed into the catshark’s head and greedily ate into it.
“More or less,” Isa said, nodding.
The catshark thrashed, screaming soundlessly. It broke free of the slombie’s grasp and dropped back into the water, leaking blood. The other three catsharks whirled. They closed in on their fellow catshark and tore it to shreds.
“I see. Very sharklike of them,” Levi commented, watching as they fought amongst themselves. “Do we get the EXP for the kill if they kill each other?”
“No,” Isa said.
His face contorted. “How dare you pathetic fish steal my kills! Get back here! Slombie, get ‘em!”
The slombie reached into the bloody water and grabbed one of the churning catsharks. Levi yanked back, and the slombie pulled the catshark into its grasp. The giant fish thrashed. Levi headbutted the air, and the slombie smashed its slime-covered head into the shark’s side. The catshark fought harder, but Levi tightened his grasp. The other three catsharks closed in on it, charging for the blood spreading in the water.
Levi abandoned his direct control of the slombie, leaving it locked clutching the first catshark. He charged into the shallow water and slashed. Blood spewed from another catshark. The remaining two whipped around. They charged Levi, biting at his legs.
He gritted his teeth and stepped toward one of them. He stabbed through the shark’s gills and pinned it into the muddy floor below. The catshark bucked against his sword, struggling to be free of it.
The other catshark closed its jaws around his leg. Pain surged, and his own blood joined the catsharks’. Levi grimaced, pushing back the pain, and pointed at the shark.
The Armalgam hopped off his back. It leaped into the air, spinning, and extended both swords. Still spinning, it struck the catshark and sliced it open. The Armalgam completed one final rotation, its blades trailing crimson blood and murky water, then drew them back and pierced through the shark. It stood there on its swords, two hands gripping each sword, a sense of pride to its stance.
Levi clapped. “Encore, encore!”
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The Armalgam lifted a hand off its sword and bowed.
Isa looked at him. “Are you not controlling that undead?”
“Sometimes I am,” Levi said.
She frowned. “Its behavior is far too complex for an ordinary undead. It almost reminds me of an Ensouled undead, like myself or Colin, but…it isn’t quite that aware, either.”
“It’s learning. Like a puppy,” Levi said. He whistled. The Armalgam bent. Pushing with all its might, it hopped into the air and used its swords as stilts to return to Levi’s side.
“Is that a good thing?” Colin asked. He gave it an uncertain look. “I mean, undead gaining consciousness, isn’t that the start of a bunch of horror movies?”
“Oh, come on. Look at how cute it is!” Levi said, gesturing at it.
Colin and Isa both stared at the hideous amalgamation of human arms, sewn together in unnatural formation and holding dangerous weapons. Colin raised his brows. Isa gave him an uncertain look.
Levi grinned. “It’s cute!”
“Is this that thing where every pet owner thinks their pet is the cutest?” Colin muttered to Isa.
She nodded, slowly. “It’s a beast only a mother could love.”
“Aww, you’re just jealous you’re not getting 24/7 hugs.” Levi reached out to the Armalgam. It clambered up his arm and onto his back once more. The spine-straps bound across his chest, holding it firmly to his back. He gave the straps a friendly pat, and the straps patted him back.
“It’s an abomination,” Isa replied firmly.
“It’s my abomination.” Levi turned to go, then paused. He looked back at the swamp. The slombie slowly slogged its way out of the muddy water, and the sharks floated on the surface. He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. It was a water level, after all. And he had open undead slots.
“Uh oh,” Colin muttered.
Levi snapped his fingers. The most complete of the three sharks jolted back to life. It swam over to its compatriots and dragged them back to shore, then kicked its tail hard and put its upper half onto land.
Kneeling, Levi drew his sword and a needle and thread. He reached for the shark, then glanced over his shoulder. “What you’re about to see, ladies and gents, is a bit of live surgery! If you’re squeamish or faint of heart, you might want to look away!”
Colin whirled. He couldn’t turn his back to Levi fast enough. Isa popped her hip and raised a single immaculate brow, waiting.
“Aaand… here we go!” Levi wielded the thread with the determination and strength of a madman. Blood flew, and bits of gore fell into the water. At last, he stood up and wiped his brow, gazing down at his creation with pride. “Welcome to the family, Triple Shark!”
A three-headed shark kicked its tail happily. It turned, swimming into the water. Three fins cut through the dark surface.
“Gods,” Isa muttered.
Levi dipped his hands in the water, washing the blood off his skin and the needle alike. He put the thread away. “Shall we continue?”
“Might as well,” Colin said.
They walked on, slombie staggering in the rearguard. The Triple Shark swam apace, cutting back and forth in the deep water when they walked too slowly for its liking. At times, it had to swim wide, while at other times, it swam close to the party, showing the boundaries of the deep water. Every now and again, a catshark charged toward the Triple Shark. The Triple Shark would whirl and chase after the other shark, blood would cloud the water, and Levi would grin smugly as he accumulated a little more EXP.
Isa led the way, moving confidently from tree to tree. She never stepped into deep water or soaked herself with a misstep. Levi, on the other hand, tripped into hidden plunges every dozen or so steps. Colin watched the two of them closely and followed in Isa’s footsteps while avoiding Levi’s missteps, thus avoiding the majority of the mud. The slombie tromped numbly after him, completely unaware of whether it sunk into mud or walked on firm ground.
They proceeded deeper into the swamp. The mist grew thicker around their ankles, climbing higher, to their knees, then their thighs. And before they knew it, it had swallowed them whole.