The centipede’s attack never reached Maya. A dark form plummeted from the sky, slamming into it with a violent crash. Fragments of exoskeleton flew everywhere, scarring into the sand as the creature screamed in pain. The stunned pirate captain jerked her head up, her sickle lowering slightly in surprise.

“Get your slimy insect carcass away from my captain,” Cyll growled, rising from the dent he’d made in the monster’s back. He jumped to the ground, the wounds from the huge jump healing midair.

“Cyll!” Maya hissed. “What are you doing? You can’t help, Akrun will kill all of us!”

“Better than watching my captain get killed by an overgrown bug and dying after her,” Cyll replied, cracking his neck. “You don’t have your awakened ability yet. There’s no possible way you can take this thing out on your own.”

The centipede wasn’t pleased to hear that. It rose back up, shaking off the shock from Cyll’s sudden attack. The monster screeched at them and lunged forward. An axe sprouted in its head.

For the second time, the beast screamed in pain and lurched backwards. Patty landed in the sand with a thud that would have signified broken bones for anyone else. She gave Maya a confident smile as she walked to stand beside her crew.

“We’ll do this together,” Patty said. “Cyll’s been teaching me about pirates. A crew sticks together, no matter what they’re facing.”

Maya couldn’t hide the smile that crossed her face. She finally let out a laugh and shook her head.

“Then we’ll die together. Except for you, Cyll. Sorry.”

“I appreciate the sentiment,” Cyll said, giving her a shrug.

The centipede whipped its head to the side, throwing the axe free. It snapped back to look at them, its mandibles clicking furiously. Dark grey blood was now trickling from its head.

“Let’s kill this beastie,” Cyll said, baring his sharp teeth.

The centipede charged forward again. Cyll and Patty met it before it could pick up much speed. The puppet braced herself in the sand and her arms extended outwards, slamming into the monster and slowing its charge considerably.

Cyll ducked under her and grabbed the axe from where it laid on the sand, spinning and taking off one of the creature’s legs. It lashed out, pummeling Cyll with the side of its body and sending the pirate tumbling across the sand.

Maya’s sickle shot forward before it could press the advantage. Her weapon struck true, slicing through one of its numerous eyes and eliciting a cry of pain from the beast. By the time it recovered, Cyll was already back on his feet, the wounds fading away.

Cyll tossed the axe to Patty, who grabbed it out of the air and slammed it into the Centipede’s head. The massive insect bucked, throwing Patty into the air. Cyll cursed and dashed forward, catching the puppet before she hit the ground.

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Maya attacked with her sickle again to keep the monster’s attention. It spun to face her, spittle and gore flying through the air. Despite its gruesome appearance, the centipede didn’t seem to be badly hurt.

The pirate captain hurled her sickle into the stands above them. It just barely managed to wrap once around a supporting post at the bottom tier, but that was enough. Maya swung herself out of the way as the centipede barreled into the wall, knocking more stone free.

She swung back down, ripping the sickle free and slashing it across the creature’s face. It lashed out in pain, clipping Maya in the side and throwing her to the ground beside Cyll and Patty. She groaned in pain. Cyll helped his captain to her feet and glared at the creature’s back.

“We can annoy the bug, but it doesn’t look like anything we’re doing is seriously hurting it,” Cyll muttered.

Maya rubbed her side, already feeling a large bruise forming. It didn’t feel like anything was broken, which was a miracle given how much the centipede had been tossing her around recently.

The creature spun to face them once more, its massive maw snapping open and shut. Sweat trickled down Maya’s forehead and she swallowed.

“I have an idea,” Maya said, practically forcing the words out of her mouth. “You need to hold the centipede still for a few seconds. Do you think you can do that?”

Cyll glanced at Patty. The puppet considered Maya’s question for an instant before giving a nod.

“Not long, but I can keep it still for a second or two if Cyll helps me,” Patty said.

The centipede barreled towards them.

“Do it,” Maya ordered, bracing herself for what was to come.

Patty’s arms shot out. They slammed into the front of the insect, slowing it to a slow crawl. Cyll sprinted up and slammed himself into the beast’s head and stunning it for a moment. He didn’t have time to ask Maya what her plan was.

Maya darted past her two crewmates. She didn’t have time to steel her nerves. She didn’t even have time to consider how stupid the plan was. All she could do was act. With a scream of defiance, Maya sprinted past Cyll’s surprised form and launched herself into the beast’s mouth.

She ignored Cyll’s horrified yell as her world was plunged into darkness. The inside of the monster smelled mostly how she’d expected it to – rotting carrion with disgusting earthy undertones. She pushed deeper into it, forcing herself to ignore the rancid slime soaking into her hair and clothes.

As she walked, she shoved her sickle as deep as she could into the creature’s innards. The centipede contracted violently, and it screamed so loud that she could hear it from within the creature.

Maya increased her efforts, putting more force into the blade as she tore through the insect’s stomach and throat. Gore and blood started to pour in behind Maya, but she ignored it. Blood was now flowing freely. The centipede shuddered as it slammed itself into the wall, but Maya, shielded by the creatures own defenses, barely felt it.

She continued working her sickle into the beast. The insect’s flesh pulsated once again, but it was weaker this time. The blood flow had gone from a trickle to a downpour. Maya turned and started making her way back towards its mouth.

The pirate squeezed her mouth and eyes shut as she moved. A few moments later, she caught a whiff of fresh air in the distance. She wiped her eyes with a blood soaked sleeve, barely managing to the warm sand through the red haze obscuring her vision.

Maya reinvigorated her efforts, pulling herself out of the centipede’s mouth and throwing herself onto the sand with a groan. Cyll and Patty darted over to her.

“You’re insane,” Cyll said, helping Maya wipe some of the grime covering her off with sand. “Why didn’t you have me do that?”

“No time,” Maya replied. She grimaced. “Trust me, I wish I did. But, regardless, I’m pretty sure the stupid centipede is dead,”

“And now it might by our turn,” Patty said, raising her axe as the god of the Frontier Sea leaned down over them, his features taut with anger.