Chapter 157 – Whirpool of Death
<span style="font-weight:400">Making sure that none of us has been spotted by the Sahuagins swimming around the gigantic kelps, we return to the ship. It’s possible that they are looking for the Merfolk who escaped into the lush, underwater forest during the raid, scouring the entire area for survivors. We don’t yet know how the situation looks in the city at the bottom of the sea but it’s easy to assume that it’s under the full control of those fish bastards.
<span style="font-weight:400">We reach the ship in just a few moments and jump onto the deck. The women gather around the three of us, awaiting the information we bring from our brief scouting trip.
<span style="font-weight:400">“We found a city under a dome and some protective barrier. It’s been breached and Sahuagins are everywhere. Most of the battalion must be still inside while some squads keep an eye on the perimeter,” I exin to everyone. “This time, the battle will take ce in something simr to the surface conditions since the barrier surrounding the settlement creates a giant air bubble inside. Hopefully, that inconveniences our enemies at least a bit, but it also makes a few of us weaker.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“We will manage.” Neira shows a soft, confident smile. “Do we have any n or goal?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Meru steps forward, stopping in front of everyone. “I would suggest splitting into two or three groups and entering through three different cracks in the dome. They aren’t expecting anyone to intervene so we should be able to take them by surprise. We are all able tomunicate mentally so we can share our situation with each other whenever necessary.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“As for our goal, we need to figure out the situation first,” Cornelia joins in, crossing her arms under her chest. “The general number of enemy soldiers, if the battle is fully finished, what is <span style="font-weight:400">their<span style="font-weight:400"> current objective, what happened to the people living in that city, and where is the mainmander.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I agree with her.” I nod, cing a hand on Cornelia’s shoulder. “People are the priority. We know from the bastard we captured that they are sending women back to their main base of operations while getting rid of all the men. If we are lucky enough, the transport still hasn’t departed. Finding the men alive feels like a miracle but let’s keep our eyes pried for any possible hiding spots too.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“If you cause enough chaos in their ranks, themander should make an appearance on the battlefield to see what’s going on. The key to sess is to not leave any messengers alive so that the information flow is as limited as possible,” Lianne suggests. “I would assume that the leader is going to be in some important building they captured and are either ransacking or using it to celebrate their victory. Finding someone who could point you towards it would be great.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I might be able to recognize an important building or two.” Meru turns her calm, fierce face to me. “I visited a Merfolk settlement in the past and talked with the residents a little. If we don’t seed in finding any locals alive before we have to confront themander and his army, I’ll do my best to point us in a good direction.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Great.” I smile at her warmly and brush through her pretty hair. “Everyone knows what to do, more or less. We’ll work out the details while swimming to the dome. Does anyone wish to not be part of this operation? Besides the obvious people?”
<span style="font-weight:400">As I nce at all the girls attending this quick strategy meeting, they shake their heads and show determined expressions. Everyone is eager to deal a blow to the monsters that assaulted Meru’s home and many other settlements. It looks like Cornelia, Neira, Safi, Emi, and Meru are up for the task.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Can I go too? You said that the city is surrounded by an air bubble, right?” Lianne steps closer to me and directs her pleading eyes up at my face.
<span style="font-weight:400">I chuckle and wrap my arms around her petite waist. “I would rather not throw people’s beloved Queen into the frontlines of a war with some fish jerks. I now know that you are capable of taking care of yourself but a part of me doesn’t want to ept that side of yours.”
<span style="font-weight:400">She giggles adorably and stands on her tiptoes to ce a fluffy peck on my lips. “Oh, I know, I’m just so tiny and cute that your brave, manly heart wants to protect the little me from any danger. My previous husband was the same. And don’t worry, I don’t dislike being the devoted housewife waiting for the love of her life to return from the battlefield so that she can properly <i><span style="font-weight:400">console</i><span style="font-weight:400"> him after everything he has gone through in his bloody battles.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Shaking my head, I join our lips in one more kiss. “I’m not going to force you into being a stay-at-home wife, though. Or is it a stay-at-ship wife? Nevertheless, I’ll let you know when things calm down a little bit so that we can hunt some of those bastards together. Then, we can <i><span style="font-weight:400">console</i><span style="font-weight:400"> each other after the battle.”
<span style="font-weight:400">A brilliant smile curls the corners of Lianne’s pretty lips up. “I would love that. I’ll wait patiently for your call then, dear husband.”
<span style="font-weight:400">She giggles once more and escapes my hold while leaving onest peck on my cheek.
<span style="font-weight:400">Alyssa catches her and brings Lianne to her side, sending me a firm nod. “I’ll keep an eye on her while you are gone. There’s not much more we can do to help you down there so we will focus on maintaining the ship in perfect condition to get out of here if things go south. We should have some anti-fish equipment in the armoury so we will set it up and load the cannons with adequate ammunition.”
<span style="font-weight:400">The crew members gathered around us cheer in unison and get to work. Alyssa and Lianne wave at us before heading off too. Just our small strike team remains in the middle of the ship and we look between ourselves.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’ll go with Neira,” Cornelia offers. “Her magic greatly supplements mine and we should be able to ovee theck of water inside the bubble that way. I’m honestly a little addicted to having it around for my own spells now after trying them out in the sea a bunch of times.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“We will form another group with Emi,” Safi suggests.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes! Emi and Safi will show Master how strong they can be!” The emerald beauty cheers.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Alright. Then that leaves me and Meru for thest one.” I nce at my quiet sharkgirl mate and receive a light nod of approval. “Let’s get to it and converse mentally often. Remember, try to look for survivors or ces where they could be hiding away from these barbarians.”
<span style="font-weight:400">We make somest-minute preparations and jump over the side of the ship. Until we are halfway through the kelp forest, we swim together. After we pass that point, each group picks a different path and aims for one of the visible breaches in the shield’s structure. Assuming that gravity is a thing in there too, we try to locate any near the ground so that we can avoid falling from the ceiling like some crazy idiots.
<span style="font-weight:400">I have to wait for a little with Meru before we enter the hole we’ve chosen because there are plenty of those bastards patrolling around. We consider getting rid of them for a moment but that could potentially catch the attention of the rest so we just stay hidden behind the aquatic foliage and wait for the perfect opportunity to slip into the settlement.
<span style="font-weight:400">We don’t have to stay idle for too long and we rush out of hiding at the very first chance we get. Finding a good opportunity, we bolt straight into the opening before the nearby Sahuagins turn around and plunge inside with a loud ssh.
<span style="font-weight:400">After getting past the peculiar barrier, wend on what looks like a street of some sort. The path is wide enough for two carriages to pass each other while driving in opposite directions. Though, I’m not sure if they do have those here.
<span style="font-weight:400">Anyway, the road is made of neatly polished pieces of stones cut in different shapes. They all share the same palette of colours, revolving around various shades of emerald. <span style="font-weight:400">Excluding the barrier behind our backs, there are buildings everywhere in sight, ranging from small, one-story houses to huge and tall skyscrapers. Or surfacescrapers in this case since they are aiming to reach the surface. Some of those structures almost touch the top of the dome.
<span style="font-weight:400">As for the general style, simr emerald and jade tones dominate everything that our eyes can find. The buildings have a square or rectangr style, without sloped roofs or such. There’s no need for those when it most likely never rains down here. You can still feel the humidity in the air, though, so I’m pretty sure that even if Merfolk live here in the open, they still either prefer or need proper moisture.
<span style="font-weight:400">If I were topare the architecture to something, I guess it would be the Aztec temples and cities, or other civilizations with a simr fashion. The homes are often doorless and windowless and we can peer inside without an issue. I’m not sure if having those elements is some sort of a status symbol or just a personal choice since I do spot some ss and what seems to be some kind of underwater wood here and there.
<span style="font-weight:400">To keep this city from being consumed byplete darkness this deep in the sea, the people who constructed it have set up neatmpposts ced alongside the streets. They are fitted with green crystals that constantly emit a pleasant, ambient glow. We can spot a bunch of sconces and other wall-mounted torches working on the same principle closer to the buildings.
<span style="font-weight:400">If not for the visible damage and trails of blood, this city would be truly breathtaking. I kept my expectations low since I’ve seen my fair share of movie and game versions of Antis and it was often portrayed as a highly advanced settlement when it came to technology, which was a verymon reason for its existence. But, I like this <i><span style="font-weight:400">ancient </i><span style="font-weight:400">version much better.
<span style="font-weight:400">Confirming that everyone else got in without any issues too, I share a nce with Meru and we begin our little infiltration. Everything went ording to the n so far and the other two duos snuck inside the shield from different directions. My lovely Slime Queens bumped into a small patrol but they dispatched the poor fes with their acidic nature before anyone was able to raise an rm.
<span style="font-weight:400">“This settlement is much bigger than the one I had the pleasure to visit,” Meruments as we warily walk through the jade streets, looking around for any signs of survivors or Sahuagins.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I have to admit, it feels massive and impressive. It might be much bigger than Evaneheim. The crystal dome is quite blurry from the outside so it was impossible to judge the size of this city properly from out there. It’s so sad seeing it under siege. Thankfully, most of the buildings haven’t suffered that much structural damage,” I reply while admiring one of the more artistic houses.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Homes can be rebuilt, life can’t be brought back,” Meru says coldly. “With no survivors, this city will be a ghost town in a sh. Sahuagins won’t care about it since they prefer fully submerged environments. Merfolk are one of the races that can survive onnd for a long period of time, or even live there with proper care.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“We should have hope, but also keep reality in mind. We arrived after the battle. Let’s do whatever we can to find any survivors and make those bastards pay for their crimes.” I step closer to the charming Nershark girl and rub Meru’s back affectionately.
<span style="font-weight:400">Just as I finish my sentence, we hear some noise from the alley ahead of us. The buildings at the corner of the intersection block our view but there’s only one possibility in our current predicament and we immediately get ready for action. A group of Sahuagins walks into the open. I count seven individuals wielding different weapons. They are busy talking to each other, releasing those barely-recognizable noises and gurgles.
<span style="font-weight:400">Meru rushes in without giving them a chance to spot us and I prepare myself to support her. Soft, gentle plops of her bare feet hitting the emerald stone tiles bounce from the walls of the nearby buildings and the patrolling squad turns towards us. But, even though she is the apex predator in the water, Meru doesn’tck speed, strength, and skill in a slightly tter environment.
<span style="font-weight:400">My fierce mate draws her right arm to the back while mid-sprint and tenses her muscles to their limits. Letting out a fierce grunt, sheunches her weapon forward at an incredible speed. The trident hits its target so hard that it pierces through the first enemy and lodges itself in his friend behind him, taking out two of those monsters with a single attack.
<span style="font-weight:400">Seeing the other fish guys ready themselves to intercept their ambusher, I send out my Void chains and tie up the duo that’s the closest to the poor fes that have been struck by my lover’s polearm. Since we are at the bottom of the sea right now, I decide to give the restraints the shape of the kelps that we’ve seen so many times around the underwater city. Therefore, ominous, purplish seaweeds tie the bastards up, locking them in ce.
<span style="font-weight:400">They look at their bindings in confusion and panic. My small trick gives Meru enough time to reach their position and grab the trident. She yanks it back and spins around, decapitating the duo that I keep immobilised. As their bodies fall to the ground with no signs of life, I release the skill and take a peek at the remaining trio. They seem to have learned their lesson and spread out a bit to avoid a coteral. But, that won’t help them too much.
<span style="font-weight:400">Not wanting to leave everything to Meru, I bring out my draconic hilt while breaking into a run. I consider shaping my favourite whip with it, or perhaps go for a whip sword since their scales are durable enough to endure violent smacking, but I get a much better idea when I pass the half-point, one that fits the theme of our adventure well and retains some of the characteristics of the amazing whip.
<span style="font-weight:400">The violet mist flows out of the dragon’s open mouth and starts forming quite an unusual-looking de. At first, it resembles a crescent moon attached to the hilt horizontally in the middle, but the side ends receive a small change and be simr to arrowheads. Soon, it finishes turning material and bes a sizable, impressive, sharp-edged anchor.
<span style="font-weight:400">I grab the hilt with both hands and pull it to the sides. Ites much easier to me than in the past when I struggled to split even a simple sword. In a sh, I have two of those weapons in my hands now, a scarlet and sapphire version. They feel a tad heavy but I feel like I should be able to use them properly.
<span style="font-weight:400">Especially considering the way that I’m going to use them.
<span style="font-weight:400">Making two strong, simultaneous swings, I send both arms forward, using the momentum I gained while running. The anchor des detach from the hilts and fly forward. But, they aren’t justunched like some random projectiles. A thick violet chain unrolls right after them with the apaniment of pleasant, metallic clicking noise. It extends from the dragon’s jaws as I hold both hilts forward.
<span style="font-weight:400">The poor guy that I’m aiming for doesn’t know what to do with himself when faced with two speeding anchors heading his way and tries to put his spear in the front to block them. Unfortunately, my weapons are way superior to whatever material was used to craft his polearm and the curved des slice through his figure with ease, cutting him into three pieces that fall to the ground with his guts and blood spilling everywhere.
<span style="font-weight:400">I pull on the chains and start moving again as they retract back into the hilts. Meru ducks under my des and goes after thest two enemies. She takes both of them alone and enters a mesmerising dance of life and death while repelling their strikes and fitting her own attacks into her evasive moves. I’m sure she would have no problems taking down just two small fries but since I’m here anyway, I can make it much faster by lending her a hand.
<span style="font-weight:400">She perceives my intentions through our bond and focuses on assaulting one of the Sahuagins. The other guy, seeing that she is nowpletely ignoring him, wastes no chances and takes the opportunity to get a jump on her. He raises his battleaxe high above his head and steps into Meru’s blind spot from behind.
<span style="font-weight:400">Unfortunately for him, before he manages to follow through with his nned attack, one of my anchor des flies past his side and hits the limit of its chain, tensing the metal line up. Retaining its force, it continues moving in an arc to the left. Both Meru and her opponent jump over and under it in time but the sneaky Sahuagin fails to do so and the chain wraps itself around his body as the de orbits him closer and closer with eachp.
<span style="font-weight:400">Shortly before the anchor’s edge impales him, I give the chain a strong wave and send my captured target high into the air. He releases what I assume is a gurgling scream of fear as he ascends to the heavens, most likely begging me to bring him down. So, I benevolently grant his request and pull on the chain with all I have.
<span style="font-weight:400">Naturally, paired with my decently high stats, that action results in him kissing the ground with quite the ferocity and the scream cuts into silence as his entire body bes one huge stter on the pavement.
<span style="font-weight:400">I might have put a little bit too much strength into that move.
<span style="font-weight:400">Thest Sahuagin gets distracted by the gruesome show of his friend turning into a bloody puddle and Meru stabs her trident into his pelvis before hoisting him up into the air too. I immediately send my other anchor after him and wrap the chain around his figure. Instead of repeating the same move again, I smack the bastard left and right, bouncing him off the nearby buildings.
<span style="font-weight:400">After one of the hits is followed by a noticeable crunch andplete silence, I halt my actions and pull the guy back to me. His battered, bloody corpseys on the road without moving. I might have broken his spine or something. I thought that they are a tad more durable.
<span style="font-weight:400">Meru joins me by my side and we nce around to see if thest two haven’t attracted any backup or something but the intersection stays still and quiet for a whole minute. She helps me move the slightly moreplete bodies aside and we throw them into one of the houses. It will be hard not to notice the huge stter on the road and the smaller stains on the nearby buildings but maybe these fishbrains will assume that those belong to the residents.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I haven’t seen you use those des yet. Are they special?” Meru asks after we deal with thest body.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You could say that.” I chuckle lightly. “It’s just something I thought of just now. It will give me a little bit of range while you take the front. I can single out the enemies that might want to give you a surprise from the back.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“They look heavy and hard to use.” She examines one of the anchor-shaped des from up close. “Throwing them that far is impressive.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“They are but I’ve wielded even heavier weapons shaped by this artefact. Though, whatever it creates ording to my will, it’s usually a tad lighter than the real thing,” I reply. “Also, throwing and swinging aren’t the only things these babies can do. When retracted just like right now, they can be used as close-quarters shing weapons. I like their versatility.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“They are interesting, even though it wouldn’t be that easy to swing them around in the water. Your ideas never cease to amaze me,” Meru admits with a faint smile.
<span style="font-weight:400">I smile back at her, a little wryly. It might be a tadplicated to exin that I <i><span style="font-weight:400">borrowed</i><span style="font-weight:400"> this idea from a certain buff, bald dude with anger management issues on a path of vengeance and just reced the ends of the des with a slightly different shape. But, who knows? Maybe one day we will talk about video games from my world. They can tell an incredible story now and then.
<span style="font-weight:400">Suddenly, the ground shakes faintly and we look around. Meru spots something first and I follow her gaze. One of the medium-high buildings gets encased in ice as sharp spikes surge about halfway up the towering structure. It’s pretty obvious that some of the houses down on the ground around that building suffered a simr fate. The culprit behind it isn’t that much of a mystery either.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">~Everything alright?~</i><span style="font-weight:400"> I reach out to Cornelia.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">~Yeah. We had a little scare. Sorry about that.~</i><span style="font-weight:400"> She chuckles awkwardly through the Whispers.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">~What happened?~</i><span style="font-weight:400"> I furrow my brows.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">~They have dogs. Or rather, they have sharks with four legs and the size of a dog. A small pack of them suddenly charged at us from a side alley and I panicked. I shouldn’t have lost my cool. Many must have noticed themotion.~</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">Shark dogs? What the fuck?
<i><span style="font-weight:400">~It’s alright. The most important thing is that you girls are safe. The restes second,~ </i><span style="font-weight:400">I try tofort her. <i><span style="font-weight:400">~Have you managed to find anyone in your area?~</i>
<i><span style="font-weight:400">~Besides those damn fish monsters that are taking their strolls through the city left and right, no, we haven’t. They weren’t too cooperative either. Plus, they clearly are just grunts,</i><span style="font-weight:400">~ she answers.
<span style="font-weight:400">“We might have arrived way toote, then,” Meru says while gazing into the abandoned houses in the distance.
<span style="font-weight:400">I ce a hand on her hair and ruffle through it gently. “We’ll get them. They are going to pay for all the pain and suffering they brought onto your friends and all the other aquatic races. I promise.”
<span style="font-weight:400">She looks up at me and we stare at each other in silence for a moment. Then, Meru steps closer and softly hugs me from the front.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Thank you. I wouldn’t be able to do anything alone.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“That’s what friends are for. And mates.” I reciprocate the hug and we split after about a minute.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">~Master, we might have found something,~</i><span style="font-weight:400"> Safi reports in through the Whispers.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">~What is it?~</i><span style="font-weight:400"> I ask, a little hopeful for some good news.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">~There’s a big gathering in the southwestern region. Plenty of Sahuagins are surrounding the area for some reason. They keep being loud too,~</i><span style="font-weight:400"> she exins.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">~You might have found a celebratory party or something like that. Great. We will know where not to cause a ruckus. It would be great if we could find themander first. Do you maybe see if any of them looks somewhat different from the rest?~</i>
<i><span style="font-weight:400">~Emi is sneaking closer while I watch her back. Are you there yet?~</i><span style="font-weight:400"> Safi directs her question to both of us.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">~Yes! Emi can see a lot!~</i><span style="font-weight:400"> I can practically feel the enthusiastic Slime girl’s wide grin. <i><span style="font-weight:400">~Master, Emi sees someone else other than the Sahuagins down there! They look simr to Master but with light blue skin! And they are kneeling!~</i>
<i><span style="font-weight:400">~Kneeling?~</i><span style="font-weight:400"> I furrow my brows.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">~Yes! In a few rows!~</i><span style="font-weight:400"> she confirms. <i><span style="font-weight:400">~Oh! A bad guy just dragged one of the new people forward! Oh no! They cut that person’s arm off! Emi thinks they are going to kill him in front of everyone!~</i>
<i><span style="font-weight:400">~Him? So he’s a Merfolk man?~</i>
<i><span style="font-weight:400">~Emi thinks so. There are many like him in the middle of the crowd. There are also many who aren’t breathing anymore.~</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">“It looks like we found the men.” I turn to Meru and she nods firmly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I heard. What are we going to do?” she asks.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, if we don’t act now, they are most likely going to be executed on the spot. I don’t think we have that much of a choice, right?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“If we try to look for the females, the males might all die before we find them. Since the females have more value to the Sahuagins, I think we should try to rescue the captured males and hope that they don’t do anything to the females if they notice what we are doing,” Meru suggests.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I agree. Let’s break them out. We can save at least a few people.”
<span style="font-weight:400">I turn towards the direction where I can sense Safi and Emi.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">~Let the others know about the situation. We are going to gather at your spot as soon as possible. Tell them to avoid confrontation close to the meeting point if they are able to. We will see you girls soon,~</i><span style="font-weight:400"> I instruct them.
<span style="font-weight:400">After receiving confirmation from my precious Slimedies, we head out to their location. As expected, the number of patrols and other squads of enemies show up on our path almost after every single corner or turn we take. It’s like they know exactly where and when to be to inconvenience us the most.
<span style="font-weight:400">But, after about fifteen minutes of running, we reach the meeting point and notice the noise that Safi mentioned. Considering what these sick fucks are doing, they are definitely cheering on the Sahuagin who is ying the role of the executioner to be even more brutal and merciless. There’s no doubt that they consider such activity as extremely entertaining and fun to spectate.
<span style="font-weight:400">We find the side alley where everyone is hiding and regroup with Safi, Emi, Cornelia, and Neira. Thest two have angry, displeased expressions on their faces. They clearly don’t enjoy the show as much as the fish guys.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What’s the n?” Neira asks.
<span style="font-weight:400">“We need to get the captives to safety before going too hard on the fishbrains. Someone might get hurt if we start sting them with big techniques,” I answer.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Can you create enough water to cover the pavement with it?” Cornelia turns to her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“That depends on the distance and area that I have to cover,” Neira replies. “What do you have in mind?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“If you spread it to the other edge of this small square where they are hosting their public executions, I should be able to freeze their feet to the ground. It won’t hold out for too long but it should give us enough time to clear a path to the captives,” Cornelia exins.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Emi and I can quickly transport them inside our bodies. We are decently fast in our Slime forms,” Safi suggests.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Then, stair and I can deal with anyone trying to stop you.” Meru nods to herself.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’ll keep the pursers at bay. You go and help them with the Merfolk. The sooner everyone is out of the square, the sooner we can go all out,” I propose a slight change to that n.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Are you sure?” Cornelia nces at me with a slightly worried frown.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah. I have a new toy that is just perfect for an operation like this one. I’ll keep them busy until you can show them what an eternal winter is.” I grin at my dazzling magician wife.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m starting, then.” Neira sneaks up closer to the gathering and crouches down, cing her hands on the emerald tiles.
<span style="font-weight:400">We watch her focus on the spell, and soon, water starts bubbling between her palms, flowing out of a non-existent little stream. She opens the triangle she’s made with her fingers and lets the crystal-clear liquid spill towards the open square. Bit by bit, it flows faster and faster, reaching the first Sahuagins in no time.
<span style="font-weight:400">They nce at their feet in confusion but choose to ignore the sudden leak just a momentter. We are lucky that this is an underwater city. These guys can just conveniently convince themselves that there must be a problem with the seal keeping this entire ce rid of water and move on with their lives. No one should find a bit of water spilling at the bottom of the sea surprising.
<span style="font-weight:400">After a minute, Neira exhales softly and opens her eyes. “It’s ready. Most if not all of them should be touching the water.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Cornelia nods and kneels down by her side. “It’s time to teach them why they should have figured out how to make shoes.”
<span style="font-weight:400">She draws a few cyan sigils in the air before pping her palms together. Whispering a few quiet words as a chant, she ms them into the puddle between her and Neira. Her fingers sh with the same light and the water crackles softly as powerful frost begins consuming it at a rapid pace.
<span style="font-weight:400">The ice swallows the entire shallow nket of clear liquid in a blink and the startled Sahuagins grunt in confusion as a painfully cold frost climbs up their legs, locking them in ce. The crowd quietens almost immediately and we jump right in.
<span style="font-weight:400">I crouch down and let the running Meru jump off my back into the air. She switches her trident into the four-spoke mode andunches it right at the executor guy. The weapon smacks into him with enough power to pin the not-so-poor guy to the stone road, creating a web of cracks around the point of impact.
<span style="font-weight:400">Until we reach the middle of the square, I slice through the frozen monsters with my des, clearing up the way for Meru and the others. Neira and Cornelia cast some simple spells along the way, killing off one or two Sahuagins in the meanwhile. When thest few bastards fall to my deadly anchors, we burst into the centre of the interrupted show and Meru yanks her trident back from the obliterated executioner.
<span style="font-weight:400">“We are going to take you to a safe ce. Please, don’t panic and trust our Slime friends,” she quickly instructs the surprised Merfolk men who look at us in pure shock.
<span style="font-weight:400">A not-so-manly squeal reaches my ears as Safi starts swallowing them into their round, bouncy body. Her Slime form is now as tall as I am and proportionally wide. She should be able tofortably fit at least five people in her belly, which should make this so much quicker.
<span style="font-weight:400">I leave everything to the girls and focus on the opponents everywhere around us. The front rows in the audience are still locked in ce but I can spot a bunch of angry Sahuagins running our way from the back. Before they get to the middle, I toss my anchor des into the crowd and hit two of them straight in the chest.
<span style="font-weight:400">Then, the carnage begins.
<span style="font-weight:400">After drawing the chains back, I startunching the anchors at any moving fishmen, taking those bastards down before they manage to free theirpanions or arrive close enough to threaten the safety of the rescue operation. Soon, some of the frozen individuals start breaking out and I dive into the audience to get close and personal with the unhappy spectators.
<span style="font-weight:400">I spin around and wave my arms while keeping the chains short. The sharp des follow my movements obediently and slice through numerous enemies, turning them into sashimi. Sometimes, one of the chains wraps around a poor guy when I identally miss or don’t notice a person in their way, so I use the unlucky Sahuagin as a wrecking ball and knock a bunch of them over, preferably with their feet still glued to the ground, forcing their knees to bend the other way.
<span style="font-weight:400">Dancing around the battlefield and avoiding the asional stabs and shes directed at me from the fiercer Sahuagins, I try to keep an eye on the ongoing evacuation. It’s not that easy considering the dozens of ugly fish dudes blocking the sight but I at least know that it’s going alright. None of the girls reports anything out of the ordinary so I focus on mowing down the opposition as more and more individuals free themselves from their temporary restraints.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">~Get out of there! We are going to finish them all off at once!~</i><span style="font-weight:400"> Cornelia’s voice rings in my head and I notice that the captives are now gone.
<span style="font-weight:400">Without further ado, I bid farewell to my dance partners by kicking the fishbrain blocking my path right in the dick and sprinting towards the presence of my belovedpanions. Even before I reach the edge of the square, a loud noise of sea waves reaches my ears and I watch a giant, ferocious wall of dark water form in front of me. It rises all around the square in a circle and keeps spinning clockwise. It’s not that high, reaching only to the roof of the single-story buildings.
<span style="font-weight:400">But, the worst partes after that.
<span style="font-weight:400">Frost streaks appear on the surface of the swirling water and I watch multiple ice pirs form on it, extending into the middle of the encirclement. They partially shatter and I realise that they are meant to resemble curved, horizontal des. Tens if not hundreds of them appear on the blue background, creating an unbelievably scary sight.
<span style="font-weight:400">Before the density of the des grows way too high, I jump through the swirling wall of water and burst out of the ice-cold shower on the other side. Waiting for that, Cornelia and Neira smack their hands together and the circle starts shrinking. Bit by bit, its diameter gets reduced, and soon, the air is filled with screams and gurgling as the sharp pirs turn the Sahuagins still inside the insane trap into minced meat.
<span style="font-weight:400">As the water moves closer to the middle, it leaves lots of blood and slices of flesh on the ground. There are so much more of those inside the violent current, for sure. In less than thirty seconds, all the monsters who were unlucky enough to get caught in their joint spell are nothing more but pieces of their former selves.
<span style="font-weight:400">I chuckle wryly as Cornelia and Neira drop their spell. “Now I know who to go to when I need to have myundry done properly.”
<span style="font-weight:400">A snort escapes Cornelia’s lips and I turn around to face them. All the rescued Merfolk men are looking at us in a mix of awe and fear, and I don’t me them.
<span style="font-weight:400">Well, I only hope that they know anything about their women, and that we aren’t toote to save at least some of them from a fate worse than death.
<span style="font-weight:400">One thing is for sure.
<span style="font-weight:400">There will be no mercy.