2 weeks ago
“ BeastLord Memphis , you have me word that we will pay the fee by the end of this month. Ya know how hard it is ta scratch a livin out in the Southern sea ,” Seafang tried reasoning with the BeastLord that he was kneeling before.
“You’ve been singing that song for an awful long time dear . And to think that I’d hoped to hear a new tune before serving your head to my dragons ,” Memphis smirked , crossing her legs as she sank into her throne. Her short skirt left out most of her purple thighs , putting Seafang in a position of both fear and excitement. This was a position he hated because his head could not think properly.
“But alas , the song comes to an end. A few of my men will escort you to the guillotines and be done with you. Believe me , this could have gone on a lot worse if you weren’t grovelling in the mud before me,” the woman yawned as a servant brought her some fruits.
Seafang couldn’t help salivating as he watched her selectively run her fingers through the grapes. After having been in her dungeons for a whole week without food , he’d have been willing to eat anything even if it was her leftovers.
“Please BeastLord , we have worked together for so many years , surely you can find it in your heart to grant me just two more weeks ,” he even lowered his head down to the mud this time.
“Uuurgh! Even in death you still find a way to annoy me. You know I don’t even expect such behaviour from a person who knows just how costly it is to run a Forgery. Bonds of Stipulatio consume vast amounts of energy to remain in place , so I need just as much money to pay off my hunters ,” she gestured for the servant to withdraw the food.
“ What if I could pay you double the interest , BeastLord?” Seafang raised his head slowly , careful not to look her directly in the eye.
“ Aaah , so this is why there is no new tune. You’ve decided to come fuck me with a different song. Your hands will have to be chopped off first before your head , to serve as a warning to anyone else who tries to be smart with me ,” Memphis narrowed her eyes in annoyance.
“ Please , BeastLord. Just hear me out ,”
“ Really Seafang ? Alright then , sing . And trust me , you don’t want to know what I’ll do with you if I don’t like the tune ,”
“ I have just gotten a commission from a group of hunters working under BeastLord Hubrel . They have chartered my vessel to cross the Dead Zone in the hunt for a Nameless. If they are willing to take on a foe that powerful , then they should be able to hold their own against the Electromadon ,”
“ Well call me impressed , please don’t let me interrupt you,” Memphis smiled.
“ I will sail the vessel close to the dead zone , just enough to provoke the Electromadon. Combined with my crew , we will be sure to obtain its head for your collection , and with it settle all our debts ,”
“ If you can get me the Electromadon’s head then I’ll let you use the Bonds of Stipulatio for a year without payment. But that’s unrealistic .
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What I do know for sure is that you will get Hubrel’s hunters killed. Since they are willing to take on a Nameless, they must be some of his most powerful hunters. Losing them will deal a heavy blow to his business , allowing me time to dominate the South before he recuperates .
Alright Seafang , I will give you two weeks to fuck me over again. Please do so , my dragons haven’t feasted on a sea captain in years,”
“ Thank you BeastLord , rest assured I will not disappoint ya ,” Seafang stood up , the hairs on his face trickling with the wet mud.
Soiling the hairs on his face was a heavy blow to his pride , but he swallowed the humiliation and decided to bid his time.
“ You may leave , but Leah will be staying behind ,” Memphis also got up from her throne.
“ Leah ?” Seafang gasped.
That was the name of the woman who was his second in command.
“ I did not stutter . She will stay behind as motivation , and everyday starting now she will lose a fingernail till you deliver on your word,”
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Now
“I will tame the Electromadon for myself , and use its power to really fuck you over !” Seafang thrust his sword at the centre of the ship’s deck again , raising the flames to thaw off the ice.
It worked for a few seconds , but the monster easily sent out more waves of lightning that threw the captain off his vessel and onto the rough ice. Without him , the ice continued rising and wrapping around the ship.
By now the Electromadon was standing just next to the ship , digging its claws into the woodwork so it could climb on board.
Jack was standing just above it on the edge of the ship. If Singularity didn’t have the cooldown , this would have been the perfect moment to use it. At close range ,even the Electromadon wouldn’t come out unscathed .
A cannon was brought out from the ship’s wall , prepared to give the creature a hot mouthful of firepower.The crew was just about to light the match on the wire when the Electromadon slammed the cannon back into the ship , accompanying it with tonnes of voltage for good measure. The canon consequently went off while inside the room , blowing apart everything and everyone who had been present.
“Constricted Surface ,” Jack planted the talent on the wall of the ship and watched it blow a round of fire at the Electromadon when it tried to start climbing again.
“This talent is falling behind,” he noted , the attacks having little effect on the monster.
But he should have guessed as much , since this was a monster that had tanked an attack that made short work of the very Nameless itself.The only thing that Constricted furnace accomplished was blowing off his footing and sending him falling onto the ice below. The debris momentarily preoccupied the Electromadon , but it was soon swinging the claws on its left arm at Jack.
He summoned Excalibur on instinct and blocked the attack.
“ Shit ,” Jack watched the lines of lightning build up on the Electromadon and run through his metallic sword straight into his hand.
The passive Patterns talent immediately took over his hand muscles , stiffening his fingers to let go of the sword before the 1000 voltage plus current went into his System.
Flowing Paradise was pushed to its maximum and Rejuvenation was also engaged to heal the damage in real time. Since he did not do this himself , Jack guessed it was Aiko who had decided to save his life.
The resulting shockwave threw him off his feet across the ice and into the sea . Jack watched the jolts of lightning grow and spread , and as his vision dipped into the black waters , amidst a lot of interference from parallax and refraction , he saw the ship explode.