Fang followed closely behind his captors, hands still tied as villagers heaved and carried everything they could with them.

"I miscalculated, they arrived faster than I predetermined..." He heard the fiery woman grumble to the werewolf.

"You can't see the future," Gray shrugged, "What matters is that we adapt, no?"

Erika sighed, "Yes, we must push on. This place, is no longer safe for anyone."

"What a drag, and we just arrived." the spotted wereleopard, Drun, groaned before glancing back at Fang who was being dragged behind them by Dust, the dark-furred werelion. "You better be right about your men."

Fang hissed, "I know my men best." He grumbled, as they reached the swamp's end and began treading into a forest of pine-trees. A ceiling of wide leaves and hanging coconuts now laying above them, the party of travellers and the Mer village-folk continued on.

Trudging through the tall grass, "Can't we, at the very least, put away the damn bindings?" Fang pleaded.

Dust sighed, "Like we'd trust you."

When Erika suddenly stopped in her tracks, "No, he's right." She said, turning to glance back at the lizardman. "Cut him loose."

"Ugh, seriously?" Drun grumbled.

"Uh-Uhm, is that wise, princess?" Teijil whispered out with her meek voice.

At the title, Erika's gaze turned awkwardly to her. That was a first from the snow-white wereleopard. "If I, was tied up and brought as a prisoner before you, would you listen to my captors?"

Silence filled the group for a long moment.

"I would, for a time." When Celest, the werehound, responded quietly.

Erika nodded, turning to the lizardman. "Many thoughts might be going through your head right now. But keep at the core of your mind that, the entire state here is sinking. You don't seem to me as the type of captain, to sink with someone else's ship." She said, as she undid his bindings.

Fang glances to the side, as he rubbed his wrists, "Aye, I have no choice but to conform, do I?"

When suddenly a searing heat-formed before him, as Erika stepped closer, her fiery eyes ablaze...with what he expected to be the same ferocity he'd seen before, yet this time as he met them they were different... "We are, in the same boat. Both our people require a new heading in this life."

Her eyes, akin to the innocence of pearls, surrounding mighty jewels of gold. Fang, was taken aback.

A lifetime of being taken for granted.

A lifetime, of being looked down upon.

Bad choice after bad choice, brought Fang to where he was today.

As he met the eyes of a dragon, not filled with the hostility he was so used to.

Not looking down upon him.

But instead, eyes filled with understanding.

As a neutral hand rose towards him.

"I am pirate, scum of the land. The sea is my mother, the storm my father." Fang responded solemnly. "Why, would you ever trust me?" He asked.

"You misunderstand, I am asking for the opposite. I wish for you, to trust in me." Erika corrected.

His skin, still tingling with pain from the burns he'd suffered. He pondered, why think of never forgiving this woman, when he was so obviously at fault?

As his eyes descended down to her hand.

When she, was the one now forgiving him.

"We met, in the wrong place and time. Tell me, Captain Fang, of who you really are. Scum? Or simply a man trying to survive this cruel world?" Erika asked, before gritting her teeth. "Where are my manners...I should introduce myself before asking you to do so." Taking a step back and lowering her hand, the heat coming out from Erika rose to smouldering.

As she put her hand to her chest and dug her blade into the dirt beside herself, the other upon its pommel. "I am Eriveas Erika Selene Draconia, daughter of Erikathyr the Dragon of Storm, daughter of Theaviss the Lioness of Pride. And I, wish to hire you for your services." She said, once more raising her hand forward.

Fang was taken aback, cautious as ever, he stared down at the outreaching hand.

A moment of calm, contemplation, it filled this time.

When suddenly from the distance the sound of explosions and screaming rained down upon the forest.

Followed up by a wave of energy which blew past them like a turbulent wind, bending even the trees themselves.

A heat filled that wave, a kind of burning unlike common flame or even Erika's draconic fire.

"Shit, what now?" Drun grumbled.

"Looks like introductions will have to wait." Gray mused as he grabbed a few things off his belt, before nodding back at Erika. He, Drun and Teijil rushed ahead.

"Celest, Dust, as planned. You two take Wytar and stay with the villagers, inform Zen we're checking the disturbance out." Erika shouted back at the two who nodded in understanding before she turned back to Fang. "It seems, there's never a long enough moment of calm in this world."

Snapping out of his daze, "Shite, my ships." Fang realized the direction of the explosion.

"Let's go." Erika motioned, as both rushed after Gray's team.

As branches and loose vines curtained the way ahead, both pushed through it all. Long dreadful moments later, Fang pulled apart the last bit of bushes to find himself facing the beach.

Erika cut her way out right beside him, and the sight before them was dreadful indeed.

Two ships still lay held upon the sand, whilst three had been heading out in the distance.

As out of the very ocean, steam rose and bubbled, the water giving way then to a mass of magma in an explosion of heat and rock.

Then it surfaced, made of what looked to be twisted crimson brick and coal-like metal, the violet fire-lit ship rose out of the ocean, creating a path of viscous lava all around itself. Joining the six that had already surfaced in assaulting the three escaping pirate ships.

The six floors of broadsides from each ship opened up, revealing out of their six gunports each, six-barrelled rotating cannons, all moving out into firing position as the ship turned, forming more lava before itself as the one behind it turned to a gooey cooling mess and sank down into the depths.

Surrounded and completely outgunned, the pirates upon the mutinous ships were overwhelmed by the demonic amalgamations manning the hellish vessels.

An eerie silence filled the sight briefly, as each ship turned and took aim.

When it began, with chilling rythm, the beating of drums. Six beats, followed by a pause, then six more, and a second pause.

Then six more beats of those loud reverberating instruments.

Cut off by the shocking and breath-holding sound of cannon-fire, spewing out balls of violent glowing energy trailing with crimson magma.

The three pirate ships had burned down to charcoal before even going under.

Fang's jaw unhinged at the sight, falling down to his knees and eyes wider than they'd ever been. To him, the world seemed hellbent on landing him the worst joke of his life.

As the six hellish ships, then began turning to shore.

Towards the two remaining beached ships.

Towards them.

Fang spat at this joke, "Tis like, being held by the throat at blade-point, but the wielder just keeps on laughin." He hissed, "Oh neptune, just fuckin end it would you?" Grimacing as he clenched his hand over his burned chest.

His gaze, rising to meet the sight before himself once more, as if in disbelief.

"Me ships. Me crew...Jone, you dumb fucking bitch. If only you waited...just one more hour, before..." Closing his eyes as his claws gripped his scales so tightly, they began to pierce them, letting out blood. "Mutiny..." His voice letting out at that last word.

"They're all...Just like that." Fang mused, almost with a warped sense of amusement, as he opened his eyes to gaze at the incoming force.

As once more, the rythm began.

Six beats...

As the ships turned.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Six beats...

As the cannons were pushed back into place and took aim.

Six beats of those dreadful drums...

"They, took everything from me as well."

As out of the corner of his eyes, something came to hover just a foot off the sand, something stepping upon it and weighing it down a bit.

"Stand up, Captain."

Fang turned to see Erika will her blade forward, as she rid upon it.

Her blue hair with strands of shining gold, trailed behind her fierce gaze as she flew forth through the air.

Flames of gold burst alive across her fingers, as she raised her arms wide to either side of herself.

Erika called out.

"It is, not I, whom you search for!?"

And the drumbeat stopped on the fourth, a pause as the ships turned and slowed down.

As creatures rushed across the vessels' decks, wicked bows being nocked and aimed up at her.

"Well, here I am!" She shouted, draconic flame lighting her eyes afire.

Her entire face, warping, as she gazed down at the hellspawn.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ych0rJMobC0

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"Here I am."

She whispered, as the memories flooded in, of the demon who offered her a book.

Who offered her demise.

"You whom took everything from me."

She remembered, her home.

Her family, who she hadn't seen for so long.

"If it wasn't...for you insidious beings."

She remembered her bonds.

Her dear friend, who chased after her.

Her dear friend, who spent his entire life in this world she was trapped in for merely a fraction.

Her dear friend, who died teaching her a lesson.

As one by one, like falling stars, bursts of golden flame rose out of the forest and blazed through the air towards her.

Forming all around her, the shards of her blade came to a stop.

As her hair floated up with them, due to the sheer pressure she exhumed.

Her eyes, ferociously cold.

She gazed down at them.

Filled with an emotion so much brighter than anger.

Fiercer than the coldness of hatred.

Rage, filled Erika.

"Here..."

Spinning of their own vicious volition, the ablaze blade shards rained down upon the hellish vessels, a fall of blazing stars.

"I come!"

Blinded by fury, Erika dove down upon the hellspawn forces.

Avoiding volleys of violet-lit arrows left and right, she crashed down upon one ship's main deck, squashing several impish creatures beneath her landing and sending debris everywhere as she broke right through it and to the deck below.

The demons lay confused as to why their prey came to them, as they watched from around and above.

As Erika stepped off her blade, willing it to rise into her open palm which clenched tightly closed around it.

All of her flames had been snuffed out by her rash landing, all but a single blaze flowing out of her right eye.

As that eyelid, shuddered.

As her very eye, shook.

It began, with her pupil.

The black of it, draining away as a pale white took its place.

Erika swiped her blade to the side, sending a wave of dragonfire out of it and into the hellspawn before her, slashing them into ash.

She felt it.

The rage taking over.

She did not fight it.

The darkness boiling over.

As the gold of her right iris, faded to a sickly blue.

Erike breathed out, a mixture of golden flame and blueish energy flowing out with her breath, seemingly at odds with each other as one energy pushed the other away.

"You took it all."

"You took me away."

"You ruined it all."

She mumbled out almost subconsciously, unknowing she was thinking aloud.

As her divided gaze rose to the demons gathering above.

Quickly she raised her free hand up, and motion a downward movement.

The shards of her blade, shuddered as they lay impaled in many a demon, or the ground of each vessel.

As if, attempting to move with her motion...

But nothing happened.

As if, her weapon refused to obey her current self.

As the blade glowed a fierce golden energy.

This, seemed to only enrage Erika further.

"I will, have vengeance."

Violently she threw her weapon aside, making a gaping hole in the ship, the weapon soaring off into the next vessel over and sinking into the dark metal hull with a loud thud.

"He will, be avenged."

She spoke, yet the voice that came out, was unlike her own.

Resonating with each word, like a shaken tone yet so quick it warped her voice entirely.

Visibly, the golden strands in her hair began to fade away, turning pitch black.

As did some of her scales, and a large patch of her tail.

Erika's eyes spanned the creatures around her, warped beings of crimson, violet and coal-black.

Her entire body, trembled briefly, as she suddenly let out a bellowing roar.

The very air around her shuddering, causing each and every demon to claw at their ears in agony.

A Dragon's roar filled the sky and shore, the ocean itself agitated by the sound, as clouds in the sky parted briefly.

Before suddenly grey took over the sky above, blocking out the sun, unnaturally quick the clouds above expanded and merged.

The wind began picking up from a breeze to a violent torrent.

The ocean pushed and pulled, twisted and rose, sent into a frenzied rage.

The clouds, darkened.

The clouds, wept.

Then lightning struck down into the ocean, and the clouds suddenly roared back with fervor.

And within the now dimly lit middle deck of the ship, two eyes stared out of the darkness.

One eerie blue, and one a dimming gold.

Each heard it, as they released their ears from their clawed hands.

A low, reverberating growl.

Both widened as light filled the room, lightning flashing out once more, blinding the demons briefly.

Light which was splattered with violet, as Erika rushed into the frey, her very nails having grown out into pitch-black claws.

Rending through the hellspawn, one by two by three, Erika went into a savage display.

Seen only through the brief flashes of light shone down by the storm outside, as rain continuously showered down through the hole in the cieling.

The sound of splattering water drops.

The sound of wind whistling and raging through.

The sound of waves crashing against the ship's hull.

All were drowned out, by the sound of flesh being slashed and torn aside.

The cracking and smashing of bone and body.

The viscous sound of footsteps slamming against blood and rain-drenched floorboards.

When a door smashed open, figures rushing inside followed by a bright green light, revealing through the darkness of sound.

Five heavily armoured and large demonic beings stood to the side of the open doorway, as the light edged closer.

"Now, is this, how a princess conducts herself?" A hoarse voice mused, as the green lantern was raised forth by a sickly white and freakishly long arm, revealing Erika's form holding a fiend by the throat, down on its knees but pressed to the wall.

Without even turning to look at the door, Erika growled, then crushed the fiend's neck with her bare hand.

As the sickly figure entered the room, a similarly sickly sigh filled it.

So tall that the figure had to bend forward due to the ceiling's nine-foot height not quite allowing him space, the creature's body was smooth as glass and glistening pale white. So thin, yet the dark red suit he wore seemed made to perfectly fit him.

The being's hollow eyes lowered to gaze down at Erika, two black sockets where eyes should have been, without a nose, without even a single hair, all that further lay upon its facade was a cruel, zigzagg fanged maw of violet oozing black.

A maw currently warped into a wicked sneer.

As it handed its lantern to one of the short in comparison, heavily armoured and muscled fiends.

The being snickered, "Yoz, ambassador of the third hell's layer and coalition of forgotten horrors. At your service." The demon introduced himself, bowing down awkwardly, yet its face never looked away from her. "My master, requests your presence. Let us, be diplomatic about this, shall we?" Yoz asked.

But Erika simply growled in return, sending the limp fiend in her clutches flying like a ragdoll at the being.

A flash of movement followed, as long glistening blades rushed through the soaring body, slicing it up into four neat parts.

Yoz's three long scrawny fingers were not fingers at all, but instead curved and jointed claws.

Slicing the body aside, Yoz sighed once more. "I see, so you refuse, to acquiesce." Suddenly both of his claws surged to be wide open before himself. "Very well, I shall entertain my guest."

Almost anomalistically, Erika roared out at the being before rushing at him, blueish energy bursting out around her own claws.

With each of her steps, the floorboards she charged upon shuddered.

As the blue in her right eye, seemed to get brighter.

And the gold in her left, only got dimmer.

She leapt at Yoz with ferocity.

But just like a fly, the creature's long scrawny hand, slapper her aside.

Sending Erika flying and crashing into a metal sheet in the ships hull, denting it deeply.

Erika lay embedded into the hull, groaning in pain, the blue in her right eye dimmed slightly.

"Oh, how uncouth." Yoz mused.

As she replied with a rising growl, pulling herself out of the creaking metal wall.

Only to be bashed right back into it, as two long arms crashed into her, palm first and flattening her against the wall.

Holding her all the while crushing her, Yoz loomed over her in the darkness, his freakish mouth grinning widely. "Is the little missy done with her spat?" he taunted as he squeezed her body against the metal, which loudly alongside the brick hull around it as it was dented further.

Erika couldn't even struggle, as she felt life itself being crushed out of her.

The blue in her right eye faded away then.

As her senses returned, though all she could do was scream in agony.

As Yoz cackled, "Right, now. Cargo has been acquired, so shall we be going my sweet?" he mused, and his minions saluted in acknowledgement.

When the sound of cannon fire stopped them in their tracks.

Yoz chuckled further, "Those miscreants must have attempted to leave the shore."

"S-Sir..." One of the fiends spoke up, "Those...aren't our cannons?"

Pausing briefly Yoz's form rose and turned to stare at the fiend who had spoken, as cannon fire once more rang out.

As the hull beside that fiend burst open with a blast, a cannonball soaring out and splattering the demon all over the floor and Yoz.

"Oh."

As then the sound of creaking wood resounded from all around them, each demon glanced about.

Yoz, arched forward and glanced through the hole the cannonball had made.

Grimacing as he saw a wooden ship sailing right beside them, before being blocked out by the sight of a figure swinging in with a rope, falling to a tumble as they entered and coming to a stop on one knee.

Yoz watched, as trailing behind the ship that now sailed past them, was a thick amount of smoke.

"A smoke screen?" Yoz mused, turning to the new arrival.

As the figure rose, straightening themself.

"And whom, do I have the pleasure of not having invited aboard?" Yoz then asks.

Watching as the figure dropped a small barrel off their back and onto the wet floor, then kicking it forward, making it slowly roll towards them.

Yoz's gaze followed the barrel curiously as it came to an unceremonious stop between him and his minions.

"The very frussstrated owner..."

Said the figure, as a flash of sparks burst from them, a matchstick lit up in between his fingers as he lowered it down to his weapon.

Lighting his hand cannon, Fang took aim at the barrel.

"OF THREE.SSSUNK.FUCKING.SSSHIPSSS!" He bellowed out.

Followed by a flash of bright light, and an ear crushing explosion which sent each fiend barreling into the walls and Yoz smashing into Erika.

Loosening his grip on her in the meantime, allowing all of them to fall to the floor.

Neither the fiends, nor Erika, stood back up.

But Yoz, smashed his clawed arms onto the bloodied floor, pulling himself up as he cackled. "How rude."

The demon glanced up just in time, to hear the click of a flintlock.

Coming to face a very pissed off lizardman.

"Fuck you." Fang said, pulling the trigger just as Yoz's claws slashed it aside, the projectile just barely grazing past the demon's left shoulder and digging into the wall.

Fang quickly leapt back and out of reach, as the demon rose to come after him.

Dropping his gun, two more were taken out from under his coat, firing both as Yoz evaded first left then under.

One by one, Fang dropped, unsheathed, fired and dropped his weapons, flintlock after flintlock he barraged the demon who's insane speed kept up with even the projectiles'.

Flash of lighting gunpowder after flash, as gun after gun, Fang dropped them to the floor with a splash while the sound of footsteps echoed down from above them followed by the start of battle.

The closest they got, mere grazes over the being's slender skin.

As Yoz chuckled wickedly.

"How cruelly pointless a struggle." The demon mused with a smile, a wicked smirk that quickly faded away.

Slowly, Yoz glanced down at his feet, as they suddenly gave away.

His arms too, collapsing by his side.

Breathing heavily, Fang unsheathed his last flintlock. "Yeah, you ssshouldn't have ssstruggled, bassstard. Only made the toxin flood through your sssystem fasster." He said, approaching the demon, as it's gaze rose to meet his.

An empty gaze, no more smiling, a simple blank expression covered Yoz.

As Fang raised his flintlock to the demon's forehead.

A final flash, as pitch-black blood splattered out of the back of Yoz's head.

Execution style, the demon fell dead to the floor with a splash.

As Fang turned to Erika, barely conscious where she lay.

"Fang Sssshwei, Captain of the Ssslithering Hag." He said, taking his hat off and waving it aside as he bowed. "At your god damned sservice."