Lucy and Byron slid down a slope below the cliff, reaching the beach that was three miles from the camp.

After Lucy's bare feet touched the cool sand, she looked around with confusion on her face. "So how will we reach the ship from here?"

Byron walked toward the water and turned around, facing Lucy as the moon gleamed above him. "Stay back and please, don't be afraid."

Lucy folded her forehead, feeling a little puzzled. But she took a step back while keeping her eyes on the panther.

Byron held up his arms with his eyes closed, making a cross position beneath the moon. The light glimmering over him made him look beautiful as a shiny black stone. But what was he doing?

Suddenly, his fur turned gray as they seemed to vanish within his skin, turning rubbery. A tail fin grew from his lower back as his feet became webbed, almost like fins. Muscles exploded out across his body, making him grow bigger and bigger. His head grew larger too as it pushed down over his chest, expanding. Both his ears and nose vanished. His mouth spread wider with fangs growing longer inside his jaws. After his head grew narrow with a thick neck, his eyes turned black and a fin popped upon his head.

Lucy dropped to the ground backward. Her heart raced while her mouth hung breathless as if she lost her ability to breathe.

What was standing before she was no longer Byron. He appeared as a great white shark with arms, legs, and an immense head that could eat half a boat. His entire front was white except for his grey wet skin across his back and limbs. Claws were on his webbed hands, and his thick tail touched the ground.

Lucy felt like running and screaming if it weren't for her body refusing to move. And if she did scream, the entire camp would hear her.

"It's okay, Lucy!" Byron exclaimed with a deep voice that sounded like he was gurgling in water. "I won't harm you!"

Lucy swallowed to calm her nerves down. "You….. Are a shark!"

Byron chuckled. "Wereshark, actually. Normal sharks have no arms and feet."

"Wow….. I don't know what to say." Lucy rubbed the back of her head, blushing. "How did you become a -"

"There is no time. I will explain after we rescue my tribe." He turned around and kneeled. "Climb on my back and hold on. We can swim straight to the ship quickly."

Lucy nodded and clambered onto his board back. It was slippy, but she got a good grip with her arms around his fin.

Goodness, she was glad his loincloth didn't fall off too. She wouldn't erase that image if he loses his clothing.

"Hang on!" The Wereshark dashed through the water and dived into the shallow water. Lucy held her breath and closed her eyes as the water splashed against her face. Riding on a Wereshark was like riding on a flying cannonball. She hoped the ride won't take too long.

*****

Tashina and Kiki crouched behind a bush and peeked over the dark leaves. They were close to the cages behind a row of white tents. Each holding panther men, women, and cubs against their wills. They cuddled together, sleeping and moaning in depression.

It would be easy to set them free now, but five guards were watching them; three bears and two cat men, wearing chain mail under their armor suits. Their morion helmets looked the same as the Imperial soldiers’ gear, except the WITC insignias were on them. They held lances while musket rifles were on their backs.

Primitive tribes were no match against armed soldiers who were more advanced. Tashina concluded if the captives do manage to grab weapons and fight back, they still won’t have the chance to kill all the slavers. They won’t have armor to protect their hide or have enough time to grab some. Tashina has to give some kind of disadvantage to the slavers in order to support the captives’ rebellion. Fear bombs could work, but she still couldn’t risk affecting the slaves.

Kiki glanced at Tashina. “What is your plan? Squawk-”

The hyena grabbed the bird’s beak and held her finger to her lips. “Hush birdie, or mi wi cook yuh inna pot fi dinna.”

Kiki nodded and slid her beak from Tashina’s grip. “What is your plan?”

Tashina gazed at the cages. “Mi need fi distract di guards tuh free di slaves. Dem need fi grab di guns tuh fight back, but mi fear di slavas ago bi stronga.”

Kiki rubbed her beak. “Mmmmmmmmh. How about I escort the slaves from the camp, and you can use your hoodoo voodoo on the slavers.”

Tashina glared at the bird. “It voodoo, nuh hoodoo voodoo! But gud tink.” She smiled devilishly at the guards. “Di slavas wi ave di worse killa nightmare eva. Heeheehee.”

Kiki gulped. “I’m glad to be on your side. Sq-” she covered her beak from alerting the guards by mistake.

Tashina pulled out her dagger and pointed it at Kiki. “Yuh wi distract dem deh guards while mi sneak up tuh end dem lives.”

“Why me?”

Tashina smiled and padded Kiki’s head. “Cuz yuh beautiful. Men like beautiful women.”

Kiki rubbed her head while blushing. “Well, I never thought of that, but okay. Squawk!”

“What’s that?” One guard exclaimed.

Tashina growled and shook Kiki’s beak. “Blasted bird!”

As the guards strolled toward the bush, Tashina pushed Kiki out toward them. The bird landed in front of them and got up.

After she brushed herself off, she waved to them with a sly grin. “Hello…..”

One bear guard pointed his finger at her. “Hey! She is the bird slave who escaped!”

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Get her!” the bobcat guard shouted.

Kiki screamed and sprinted down the beach while the guards ran after her.

Tashina giggled and crawled out from behind the bush. The annoying bird should lead the guards as far as possible. If they get Kiki, that would be her own fault. Tashina’s only concern was freeing the slaves and causing mayhem in the camp. The slaves will be safe when she works on her magic.

Tashina spotted a key on a wooden crate. She picked it up and opened the first cage. “Cum out! Yuh free now!”

A panther couple with three cubs rose and rubbed their eyes. They must be a family, taken from their home.

“Who are you?” the father asked.

“Mi Tashina. Yuh chief send mi an mi friends here tuh save yuh.”

The mother panther picked up one of her children and stood next to her mate. “Are we going to fight the slavers?”

Tashina smiled her yellowish grin. “Mi wi deal wid dem. Free yuh families an head back tuh yuh tribe wi. Wi mek sure di slavas wi nuh badda yuh anymore.”

The mother bowed to her. “May the moon bless you.”

Tashina nodded and watched the family ran off from their imprisonment. Next, she opened the other cages, telling the slaves where to go and what will happen. She freed about fifty slaves without getting caught by the guards.

After all the slaves escaped, Tashina spotted a stack of explosive barrels behind a tall tent. A dark smile spread across her lips.

If she placed both her fear bombs on the barrels, her fear gas could consume the entire campsite. Nobody will escape from her rain of terror.

*****

From the water, Lucy clambered up the steel hull and landed on the top deck, dripping wet. She sat on all-fours and shook the water off her fur and dress.

Byron landed next to her, letting the water dripped down his denticle skin. Riding on him was incredible and terrifying at the same time. At least Lucy didn't need to swim.

She got up and pulled out her cutlass, glancing around the deck. The bridge-building was at the center with the ship funnel on top. Crates were at the back, but most of the flat deck was clear.

Goliath Type: Steamship Level: 30 HP: 3,000 AP: 100 Strength: 20 Speed: 3 Cannons: 60 Crew: 100

It was a good thing the Iron Maiden wasn't fighting the Goliath in the open. The ship wouldn't stand a chance against an armored steamship with sixty cannons. After damaging the armor power, the Goliath's Health points would take time to go down.

"Can you be quiet please," Lucy whispered.

Byron's black eyes looked around too. "I see nobody here."

"That can't be true. The company would never leave their ships alone. Even if they-"

Bang!

Lucy spotted a flaming explosion grow within the camp. First, it was yellow, and then it turned green, spreading over the whole beach like a fog.

Byron dropped his shark jaw. "What is that?"

Lucy gulped, feeling her stomach swirled. "I think Tashina unleashed her power."

"She sure does like to make chaos."

"I think so too."

A loud siren roared across the ship, going off like a foghorn. That could only mean the crew was about to check what was happening.

"We need to hide!" Lucy exclaimed.

Byron pointed his claw to the back. "We can hide behind those crates."

"Good." Lucy sprinted to the back with Byron behind her.

They took cover behind one crate, covered by a sheet. Big enough to seal the large Wereshark from sight.

Behind the bridge, a large double hatch on the floor spunge open. Then a dozen crew rushed out to stare at the explosion toward the left edge on the ship. There were many, but there were basically three types of WITC members.

Guard Level: 20 Race: Bobcat HP: 200 Non-player character

WITC Soldier Level: 25 Race: Bear HP: 250 Non-player character

Officer Level: 30 Race: Raccoon HP: 300 Non-player character

Only five officers stood with the crew, watching the strange green gas engulf their settlement. Perhaps the captain was watching from his bridge or too busy drinking rum.

Guns fired and screams echoed from the gas like a battle was raging with soldiers suffering in painful defeats.

Obviously, it was Tashina’s hallucinogenic mist poisoning the slavers at the camp. Hopefully, she didn't use it before the slaves could escape.

"We can move to the cargo hold while the explosion distracts them," Byron whispered.

"Good, let's go." Lucy rushed to the open hatch while the Wereshark followed her. If more guards and soldiers were inside the ship, Lucy and Byron will just have to fight them through.

*****

Lucy and Byron ran through different corridors and walked down a few stairways. None of them encountered any guards through the hallways. The entire crew must be on top of the ship, watching the chaos on the beach. Maybe they weren't so bright on protecting their cargo after all.

Down another staircase, they reached the large cargo hold chamber, which actually looked like a prison instead. All the panther tribesmen sat inside caged rooms with bunk beds and no windows. But they weren't the only slaves. Dogs, birds, and a few other slave species were locked with them. There seemed to be a hundred of them on each five-floor level in the cargo chamber.

Geez, the ship is bigger than I thought! Lucy heard one Goliath ship can carry two thousand people and a lot of shipments that could feed an entire city. The Goliaths truly lived up to their names.

"There are so many," said Lucy, breathlessly. "How will we get them all out?"

Byron glanced around. "There are no locks on the cage doors. Maybe there is a mechanism built to unlock the doors."

Lucy narrowed her eyes as she spotted a panel, far at the back of the chamber. It has switched over the numbers which were the same numbers over the cells. She pointed her finger at it. "I think that is the device."

Byron gazed at it and nodded to Lucy. "Let's free everyone."

Lucy and Byron raced through the chamber, reaching toward the panel. Once they free the slaves, they can conquer the Goliath.