by Eden Redd
Jon’s body moved like a typhoon, knocking away elves in plain clothes like they weighed nothing. Bodies crashed down as more elves tried to rush him. Ice bolts hit legs as Jon knocked away elves with single strikes. The movements flowed, Jon’s muscles tensing before a strike. He didn’t dwell on the bad luck coming his way. His only thought was to protect his friends at all costs.
Lily fired her pistol, an ice bolt striking an enemy elf and sending him flying back into a lamppost. Ice crawled along his chest and onto the pole as he struggled against it.
Jon pressed his attack, his palms and knees crashing into elves and knocking them away like falling, thin trees. A bolt shot from a shadow, Jon jumping and spinning away. The bolt missed him by inches before he landed on the boardwalk floor and glared at the remaining few elves. They heaved from exhaustion and eyed the man with an edge of doubt and fear.
Lilly fired her pistol, the ice bolt streaking through the air and striking someone in a shadow above a booth. A grunt touched the air and the figure retreated.
The other elves backed up, the will to fight fading. Lilly stood up, a new spell shell in her pistol as she aimed. Jon heaved, ready to put the remainder down.
The elves had seen enough. They turned and ran. Some grabbed their fallen companions, picking them up or dragging them away.
On the wood floor, Cora moved her head. Syndra stirred as she started to regain control of her body. Zelda groaned as she lifted her head.
Lilly drank it in, Jon standing with his back to her as the enemy elves made a hasty retreat, her heart lifting.
Jon turned and looked to the pirate elf, a smile of victory appearing.
The elf frozen to the lamppost growled and shattered the ice. A crack formed along the thin metal before the entire lamp post shuddered. The elf made a run for it as the pole began to tilt. The crack grew longer and the pole snapped.
Lilly’s eyes widened as the pole came down on Jon.
Jon saw the shadow of the pole before looking up.
“Fuck,” the young man said before the pole struck him on the head, his world turning black.
Eight
Pain swirled as Jon lay in darkness. It throbbed and ached as the young man tried to collect his thoughts. Pieces of his mind seemed to jump to and away from him. Golden dragon wings emerged from the darkness, rising up into his vision and folding over his body as if to soothe some of the torment away.
Jon settled in the golden embrace, his thoughts shifting to Lilly. The membrane of the golden wing before his eyes morphed until Lilly’s beautiful features took shape and she smiled. Jon tried to reach up and touch her smooth cheek but his arm didn’t respond. Lilly’s expression turned to a look of sorrow and Jon mentally cried out, needing to touch her to know if she was truly real.
The gold wings and Lilly’s face turned into dust and flew away on the wind, the abyss surrounding him once again.
“No,” Jon said with a weak groan as his eyes slowly opened.
The hum and vibration of the car filled Jon’s ears as warmth touched his body. The dark world fell into focus as lights flashed with a steady rhythm. Jon looked up to see Lilly staring down at him with warm eyes. Shifting slightly, he could feel he was laying on his back. Head and shoulders were on Lilly’s lap. Opening his senses more, the rest of him lay on Zelda, her head sticking out of the moonroof and her arms clutching him to her lap.
Jon turned his head and saw Syndra driving his car and he barely made out the shoulder of Cora in the front passenger seat. Pain throbbed as the young man smiled, knowing everyone was safe.
Heart skipping a beat, panic bit Jon like a venomous snake.
Jon sat up halfway while shouting, “How are you driving? Do you know how to drive!”
Syndra’s red eyes glanced to the rearview mirror, gazing on Jon’s terrified look. “I called on the spirits and they have decided to help us.”
The sea witch looked back to the steering wheel, ghostly hands touching her dark hands and guiding her movements.
Jon sank back down onto Lilly’s comfortable thighs, his head aching. Hand reaching up, he touched his head to feel two pulsating knots in his hair.
A lamp post falling would have killed anyone else. Instead, my bad luck decided to teach me a lesson and not kill me. I should be thankful for that at least.
Jon gazed up to Lilly and she looked down on him, her hand on his chest.
“It seems we made it out okay?” Jon asked.
The pirate elf gave a small nod. “The rest of the crew came to while you were unconscious. Zelda carried you back to the car. Syndra called on the spirits to help and they answered. We managed to leave before law enforcement arrived. We should be home soon.”
Cora turned her head, looking to Jon with blank, purple eyes.
Lilly’s hand moved to Jon’s cheek, her fingers gliding along his skin. “What you did, was amazing.”
Jon tried to smile but it came out as a painful grunt. “I wasn’t going to let them hurt any of you, but I think we have more to talk about.”
Lilly nodded as her hand slipped into his hair, careful to avoid the bumps. Jon let out a relieved sigh, her touch like magic.
Zelda looked down with sad eyes as she held his lower body to her stomach. The wind whipped at her head, her hair blowing in the harsh air, but her eyes stared down with painful regret.
The drive home flowed like a natural river. When they reached the house, Syndra turned the wheel like an expert, the car pulling into the opening garage with ease. Once inside, the garage door closed as car doors opened. Bodies spilled out, Lilly carefully helping Jon out as he clutched the side of his head.
The group of five made their way into the house. Zelda and Syndra went in first, turning on lights and inspecting the rooms. Lilly and Cora guided Jon to the dining area table and helped the young man into a seat. Jon tried to stay calm as the pain throbbed. He looked up to see Lilly moving to a cabinet. Cora sat by him in another chair as Zelda and Syndra moved about, the sea elf going upstairs while the witch searched the bottom floor.
Lilly came back with a bottle of rum and several glasses. She placed them in the middle of the table and began to pour a healthy amount into each one. When they were nearly full, the Captain slid a cup over to a spot before Jon.
“It will help,” Lilly stated.
Jon took hold of the glass, lifted it up and drank deeply. Lilly and Cora did the same, guzzling the contents and putting the empty glasses back on the table. Jon nearly choked halfway through his drink before setting it down, Lilly already refilling her and Cora’s glasses.
“We will speak when Zelda and Syndra ensure the house is safe,” Lilly said before downing her second glass of rum.
Jon nodded as he sipped his drink, the alcohol already soothing his fried nerves.
A minute later, Syndra and Zelda came to the table and sat down in empty seats. The pair gave their Captain a small nod. Lilly nodded back and sat down next to Jon. The air around the table was charged with electricity as Jon wasn’t sure what to expect next. Memories of the fight blazed along his thoughts as he tried to make sense of it.
Lilly looked away as if to gather her thoughts. She stared at nothing for a long moment before turning her attention to Jon’s handsome features, a firmness in her gaze.
“I must tell you about our world so you may understand what is currently happening. Please, understand that there is more to this than it may appear and I will try my best to explain all of it.”
Jon nodded, his full attention on the beautiful pirate elf as he sipped his rum.
Lilly continued, “The Illuminous Empire is vast. Their fleets are unmatched. Over the last few hundred years, they have conquered almost all the lands on Aquris and many of the seas. The Emperor decided those many hundreds of years ago that the petty fighting among the clans and races had to come to an end. Diplomacy had not worked so, he decided he would unite all under an iron fist.
“One of the best-known ways to subjugate the popul
aces was to make their lives as difficult as possible so they would be too busy surviving to rally against the empire. After he began his conquest, it was slowly realized that such a plan would work. People were divided. Large kingdoms either bowed to his will or burned to ash. Speaking out against the Emperor was forbidden and many paid the price for speaking the truth with their lives. Bodies were hung in the middle of towns and cities, an example to any who would speak out. High taxes and intermittent food shortages became a way of life for all.”
Lilly looked away as if in pain, “All of us here have had some hardships because of the Emperor, but his evil goes deeper than what is said. He began to believe he is a god and his blood is pure. Because of that, he would impregnate many of his harem. Boys would be trained to be warriors and generals. The girls would grow up and become his wives, their mothers killed in secret once the girls reached their adolescence. Over the years, he has slain anyone close to him who wasn’t of his royal blood.”
Lilly’s gaze turned to look past Jon to Cora sitting on the other side of him. The thin elf gave a slight nod.
Jon caught the exchange and realization smacked him like a tidal wave.
“Cora Lufina is one of the Emperor’s daughters. She has reached the age to marry. The Emperor was in the midst of planning the ceremony when we snuck out the princess. After a harrowing escape and outrunning the fleet, we managed to plunder a ship of ambrosia fruit and forged their documents. We made it to the portal and slipped through during the night.”
Jon turned his attention to Cora. The thin elf simply sat, her face a blank expression but her large, purple irises barely trembled, like a vast ocean of pain wanted to surge through her soul.
Lilly sat back in her chair, glass of rum in her hand and eyes closed. “As you can see, our Cabin Mate is in very high demand. The Emperor would not risk all-out war just to get back one of his daughters. The trade between our worlds is too valuable. Instead, it seems he has hired others to bring her back. You know we cannot allow this.”
Jon nodded as he guzzled the rest of his drink. The moment the glass was on the table, Zelda reached over with the bottle of rum and poured into Jon’s glass until it was full again.
Lilly opened her eyes and looked to Jon, “I was honest when I said we were reformed pirates. There is only so much you can achieve by living on the fringes of the empire. Once the princess hired us, we were going to do everything we could to make sure she doesn’t return to her evil father.”
Jon nodded and took a long sip. “I understand. We won’t let such a thing happen.”
Cora’s thin mouth made a small, innocent smile. Syndra nodded. Zelda gave a slight nod, her dark eyes filled with sadness.
Lilly took a deep drink before placing her glass on the table. “Those elves on the boardwalk belonged to another Captain. I know him and he will try again.”
Jon tried to stand up, an urgency to leave filling every cell in his body. Enemies closing in, they had to find a safe place until they could figure out their next move. When a wave of dizziness washed over him, his legs shook and he sat back down. All eyes were on Jon as he tried to regain his balance.
Lilly’s hand moved across the table and touched Jon’s hand. “I know the first instinct is to run and protect, but we still have an advantage being here. Besides, you are in no condition for a long journey.”
“If they found us at the boardwalk park, they will find us here,” Jon responded with concern.
Lilly gave a knowing smirk. “Agent Starling was paid very well to keep our location secret. She informed us that the house would be watched and law enforcement will be called should unsavory types appear around your home. The hunters will not have a very good opportunity to attack this house.
“As for the boardwalk, they must have thought they had a chance to pull her away. Those elves were cocky and didn’t expect a fight like the one we gave them. They will need to regroup and come up with a new plan. That gives us a little time to prepare a new strategy.”
Jon took in Lilly’s words but nagging thoughts haunted him. One of them came to the top of his mind as he felt he needed to say it.
“Commander Locke knows you’re all here. He has some clout and if he’s greedy enough, he will sell us out. We should pack up and leave Southvale as soon as possible.”
The sun elf eyed Jon with a curious gaze, “On the beach, you mentioned Spiral City.”
Jon’s blood ran cold at the thought. It was the one place he never truly wanted to go back to. Visiting family for a few days a year was fine, but to go back with a group of pirate elves running from hunters from their home dimension didn’t seem like the right story to tell his parents. Knowing them, they would take the fight to the hunters, making the situation much worse.
“I’m not sure we can do that. My family might make the situation worse.”
Syndra and Zelda looked at each other. Cora simply bowed her head slightly.
Lilly took a sip of her drink. “We have a night or two to decide, but we will have to decide. If the hunters grow desperate, they will try a desperate move. They’ll lick their wounds for now, but we should be long gone before they try again.”
Jon tried to think, but the headache stormed on.
“The best thing we can do now is rest,” Lilly said with a comforting tone.
Jon nodded and slowly stood up. “I think you’re right. I should check on my head and make sure there is no permanent damage.”
“I will inspect your head,” Syndra stated simply.
Jon wanted to laugh at how the shadow elf said those words, but a rush of pain caused him to simply grunt. The young man was on his feet and walking toward his bedroom, Syndra close behind.
The pair stepped through the bedroom and into the luxurious bathroom. Jon squinted through the pain as he reached the medicine cabinet, opened it and pulled out a med-kit. Opening it, he rummaged through for healing gel and first aid bandages. Once he pulled them out, he tried to look in the large mirror to see the damage. Fingers moved to the two lumps amid his hair, touching them and sucking in air with a hiss.
A hand touched his shoulder and pushed him down. Jon fell on his rump, looking up at Syndra’s stern gaze.
“I’ll help you,” she said with a commanding tone.
Jon continued to look up, but made no attempt to stand as he was too tired to fight. Syndra picked up the healing gel and applied it to a wound, massaging it in.
“The spirits have been very helpful. They don’t want to see you like this and have whispered to me what to do. Now, be very still.”
Jon complied as the witch applied liberal amounts of gel to each bump in turn.
“Syndra, do you know who attacked us on the boardwalk?”
The witch stopped for a moment before she resumed tending to the wound. “It’s best if the Captain tells you. It’s not my place.”
“Are you okay?”
Syndra continued with applying the gel before she put a tiny bandage on the lump. It was so small, it was easily hidden along his hair. She put another one on the other lump, finishing up.
“You were so brave against so many. I feared for you as I was powerless to help. I think I can safely say for myself and the crew, if something happened to you, we would all be lost.”
Jon looked up to see a warm sadness in the shadow elf’s red eyes. “I feel exactly the same.”
Syndra stared down in beautiful fullness. “My love, fate has brought our hearts together and I am forever thankful.”
Jon slowly stood up, facing the witch. “We will get through this, together. I promise.”
“I know,” Syndra smiled.
Jon was about to turn away when Syndra launched at him, her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his. The moment was warm and sweet, lips locked in heat before the witch pulled back and parted from the embrace.
“I will not ask for forgiveness for such displays,” Syndra said matter of fact.
“I didn’t expect you to,” Jon grinned.
The two smiled at each other before they left the bathroom together and emerged into the living room. Cora sat on the couch, the TV on and the news playing. She glanced over to Jon as Syndra crossed the room and sat next to the thin elf.
“Thank you, Jon,” Cora said simply.
Jon smiled. “You’re very welcome, Cora.”
Purple eyes blinked before she turned her attention to the TV. “The Captain and Zelda are upstairs.”
Jon nodded and moved to the stairs. A quick walk up and he was on the second floor. The hallway was dark except for light spilling from Lilly’s bedroom. The door was ajar and faint voices floated out. Jon made his way to the door, ready to knock, but stopped short as he peeked in.
Lilly sat on the edge of her bed, Zelda sitting on the floor before her and her arms wrapped around the Captain’s waist. Her head lay on a thigh as she looked up to her Captain with wide, sad eyes.
“I wasn’t strong enough to protect us,” Zelda said with a sad edge.
“You did everything you could,” Lilly said, her hand running through Zelda’s hair.
“I’m sorry, my Captain. I’m so sorry I couldn’t do more. I was distracted. I was…” she trailed off.
Lilly smiled. “You were falling in love. How could I be cross at such a beautiful time?”
Zelda shook her head, “Love distracted me. If I hadn’t been so focused on Jon, I would have spotted Wyther’s crew and dispatched them quickly. I failed at my duties and can never forgive myself.”
The sun elf let her hand linger before her fingers glided through the dark hair and touched Zelda’s pointed ear. The sea elf let out a low moan as her body relaxed between Lilly’s thighs. The movements were small and subtle, but each rub caused the tall elf to writhe in comfort.
