“I don’t like this,” the captain mutters.
His stomach sinks as he watches Luke draw his sabers and three blurs launch out of the water. One of them slices through the bowsprit, which forces Luke to make a short leap back to the ship. He tries to slam both sabers into the wood, but his attack is deflected by Nyx’s protection spell. Luke is sent flying back while Nimby is pressed against the railing. The forest tracker sheaths his blades in mid-air before he swings back and grabs onto the remains of the shattered bowsprit. The protection spell continues to push against him as he holds onto the ship with all of his strength.
“Aedyn! Nyx! What was that?” Nimby hollers.
The three blurs land on the deck and an inhuman snarl escapes their fanged maws. The creatures have slick, green skin that is pulled tight around their bones. Four arms with twisted barbs and webbed hands move these monsters across the deck. Sailors run from them as the triplets snap and spit at anything that moves. One of the monsters hums before its dorsal fin glows brightly and the wind roars like a raging dragon. Another stands on its back arms and reveals a pulsating hole in its underside. A splatter of ink hits the deck at Nimby’s feet and he begins slipping on the slick liquid.
“Rikebak demons!” Captain Higgs shouts, trying to move his leg close to Nimby. The halfling reaches for it, but keeps slipping and sliding out of reach. “They are summoned in threes. Each one controls either wind, current, or rain. All sailors pray that they will never live to see these demons. They want to take out Aedyn and Nyx. The opposing magic must be like a swarm of bees in their brains.”
“I can’t keep my footing, Luke! Can you get up to help us?” Nimby asks as he scrambles along the inky deck. The wind carries his voice away and he can only feel the rope thrash from Luke’s movements on the other end. Nimby squints through the pouring rain to see a pair of hands scrambling to hold onto the remains of the bowsprit.
The demons look at Nyx and Aedyn as if the half-elves are freshly cooked meals. They begin to slowly prowl toward the stairs leading to the quarterdeck. When nobody tries to stop them, the demons break into a slavering charge at the sources of opposing magic. They are already up the stairs when a dome of purple energy appears in front of them. A dull thud is heard as they bounce off the powerful shield.
“Fizzle help! Keep safe,” the drite announces, hovering in the middle of the dome.
The demons ravenously scratch at the magical shield until they get frustrated and turn back to the deck. All of them leap into the air and land as if they are one body. One of them sniffs the air and turns to the closed door that leads to the lower decks. A hungry grin crosses its face as it begins a cautious advance. The others are busy looking at where Luke is dangling and gleefully chirp at each other.
“That boy is going to get killed,” Captain Higgs says. He wrenches the wheel, making the ship jerk to the side and knocking the demons off-balance. “We need fire to kill those fiends. Whoever sent these things knew that we would use Nyx for a defense. She should drop the protection spell and start blasting.”
“All fine. Last line ready,” Fizzle mentions with a cute grin.
“Last line? The only one left is Fritz,” Nimby says.
The closest demon is a few yards away from the doorway when it hears a low hum from behind the wooden portal. Nimby is just as shocked as the demon when a stampeding Bessaria bashes through the door. The sheep is covered in metal armor that includes a studded steel plate on her head. It is this plate that sends all of the wooly fury of Bessaria along the spine of the demon when it collides into the forehead of the Rikebak demon. The creature gurgles and flails from the impact as its broken body quickly repairs itself.
“I’m not being left out of this one,” Fritz announces from atop his noble steed. The gnome is also covered in armor plating and has a large shield connected to the gauntlet on his left arm. His main weapon, which is on his back, does not resemble anything that anyone watching has ever seen. It has several triggers that look like they came off multiple crossbows, but the weapon resembles nothing more than a collection of long pipes with a curved handle. A thick cylinder with a plus side at both ends is fitted into a groove above the triggers.
“The hell is that?” Nimby asks.
“My daughter and I never got around to naming some of these things, but I know most of this stuff explodes,” Fritz proudly declares.
Nimby looks to the chaotic sky. “We’re doomed.”
“Bessaria! For the honor of invention!” the gnome cries.
Fritz kicks Bessaria in the sides and the sheep charges toward the confused demons. One of them attempts to hit Fritz with some ink while another leaps to knock him off Bessaria. The ink splashes against the shield before Fritz feels the other demon land on him. The gnome hits a boot-shaped button on his belt as his sheep collides with the demon it already hit. Fritz lets his leg armor stay with Bessaria’s saddle as he slips off his mount. He makes sure to keep the shield between him and the slavering demon.
“The leg armor saddle releaser sticks for a second, but it’s still usable. Commencing test of shield,” Fritz says while he pushes against the demon.
“Tests? Is that Fritz? What’s going on?” Luke nervously asks. He feels his fingers slip on the slick wood and he falls into the cold water. Luke is barely able to keep his head above the water as the defense spell continues to deflect him off the side of the ship.
“Luke!” Nimby screams, feeling the rough pull on the rope.
“I can’t get out of the water!” Luke hollers at the top of his lungs.
Nimby braces his feet and pulls on the rope with all of his strength. “Hurry up, Fritz!”
The gnome slaps a button on his shoulder and the shield makes a wild screech before launching into the air. The demon is still holding the shield while it passes the crow’s nest and explodes with a thunderous blast. Fritz ignores the slimy, twitching monster parts that replace the rain falling from the sky. He whistles for Bessaria to get out of the way before he swings his strange weapon off his back. The weapon releases an onslaught of silver streaks into the nearest demon until it is covered in gnomish throwing disks. The smell of oil carries on the wind as Fritz flips the weapon onto its side and puts his finger on another trigger.
“Too bad this gear is one time use,” the gnome mutters.
A pull of the second trigger releases a tongue of white fire that ignites the demon. Its brother watches in fear as the panicked demon twitches and burns where it stands. The remaining demon turns to leap off the ship into the calm waters when Bessaria stomps her foot and a dart from her knee armor hits the demon in the back. The dart doesn’t stop the monster from diving off the ship and trying to escape.
“You’re going to let it go?” Captain Higgins asks in irritated confusion.
“Good job, Bessaria!” Fritz says, unaware of the captain’s question. “Commencing final test and initiating the Ram Cannon. I think we’re at a safe distance.”
The push of a button on Bessaria’s rump armor causes the pieces of her flank armor to swing out and up. They click together to form a cannon that the poor beast struggles to keep steady. Fritz reaches for the cannon and aims it up and toward the front of the ship before ripping a flint cord out of the cannon’s steel backside. A deafening boom shakes the ship as a ball of fire leaves the cannon and arches back toward the river. The force sends Bessaria backwards where she crashes into Nimby before bleating in discomfort.
“Before you ask, this invention utilizes what we gnomes call a magnetic tracking system,” Fritz explains while taking his armor off. “The dart, which Bessaria fired earlier, attracts that flaming cannonball because of the metals that we used for them. It should be hitting right about . . . hmmm . . . This could be messy.”
“Messy?” Nimby asks with a mouth full of wool. Bessaria gets up and wanders toward her master.
An explosion occurs forty yards down the river and the crew watches as a wall of water rushes toward the River Scout. Fritz, Bessari
a, and Nimby are the only ones in the open when the water hits. It feels like an eternity before the halfling can breathe again. His first fear is for Luke when he feels the rope hanging loose. The fear lasts for only a moment because he looks up to see the forest tracker tangled in some of the high ropes. Fritz and Bessaria clamber out of the lower deck like a pair of drowned rats.
“You’re the most useful maniac that we could ask for, Fritz,” Luke weakly says while he tries to untangle himself.
“Mr. Warrenberg!” the captain shouts.
Fritz looks up to see the captain and his crew saluting him. Aedyn and Nyx are barely standing, but still manage to give the gnome some weak applause. He finds himself blushing as all eyes are on him and his loyal steed.
“You know what this means,” Nimby says between watery coughs. He wraps an arm around Fritz’s shoulders and the two friends grin with the same thought.
*****
The moons shine upon the rowdy crew as they celebrate their victory over the Rikebak demons. The sailors’ drunken singing and various dances fill the freshly cleaned deck. Even their guests are pleasantly mixed in with the happy crew. Several sailors are gathered around Fritz who sits upon Bessaria, reveling in his night of fame. Aedyn is already drunkenly leaning on his staff as he continues discussing religion with the ship’s dwarven healer. Kellia is stumbling around the mid-deck with only Fizzle and the rocking of the ship to guide her. Everyone is shocked by Nyx who is drinking people under the table and acting more like a gloating bar thug than an easily angered caster. A few members of the crew politely refuse to join the party and remain sober to help Captain Higgs man the ship. They are still able to enjoy the food and listen to the stories while they keep the ship off the tree-studded shoreline. The crew of the River Scout is so busy that nobody notices that Luke and Nimby are missing.
“What did you want to ask me?” Luke whispers. They are staying near the rear of the ship where the partiers are not allowed to wander. Luke leans against the railing as Nimby sits on the edge of an open barrel.
“I have a personal question. I don’t really think I can go to anyone else,” Nimby uncomfortably admits.
“So, it’s about swords,” Luke mentions with a friendly grin.
Nimby blushes and tries to smile back. “It’s about women.”
“In that case, I’ll get Nyx or Aedyn,” Luke says quicker than he planned.
“Come on, Luke. You’re all I have,” begs the halfling. He drops from the barrel and falls to his knees while looking up at Luke with the expression of a wounded puppy. “Fritz is a womanizer and would probably send me to Aedyn. Our priest isn’t exactly a lady’s man and I’m pretty sure he would tell me to pray for help. Don’t even make me think about the laughing I would get from Nyx and Kellia. That’s if they don’t just tell me to leave women alone altogether. I’d ask Fizzle, but I don’t think he understands the concept of dating and romance. Please, let me talk to you about this.”
“Stop that. Stiletto gave me that look all the time when he broke something in the house. Now, that look seems to work on me no matter what,” Luke says, trying to avert his eyes. “I still don’t understand why you have to ask me about women. I’m not an expert.”
“You’re the only one of us with a girlfriend. You and Kira are so happy when you’re together,” Nimby emphatically insists. He can see Luke’s eye twitch and his lip quiver at his words.
Luke sighs and points out, “Key phrase there is that we are happy when we are together.”
“Bend down here for a second, Luke,” Nimby requests. Luke leans down to hear what Nimby has to say. Instead, the halfling kicks him in the shin.
“Why do people keep hitting me when I’m depressed? You guys are a bunch of heartless jerks,” Luke snaps, hopping on his good leg.
“Talking to you doesn’t do anything. You don’t even realize what you have,” Nimby explains in a low, secretive voice. “You have permission to enjoy other women until you and Kira get hitched and have kids. It’s obvious that she wants you to find someone to keep you happy until you’re back with her. That’s a level of understanding and freedom that you won’t find in most women. Kira is one of a kind and she trusts you. I can’t believe you want to dwell on the fact that she isn’t here.”
“Everyone seems to like my situation except for me,” Luke argues, rubbing his bruised shin. “Does anyone realize how risky this open relationship is? Kira and I can get our hearts shattered by this.”
“You two were meant to be,” Nimby emphatically insists. “I swear to Gabriel and Zaria that I will personally make sure that you and Kira end up together at the end of everything. Now, stop sulking and concentrate on a love-life that is not set in stone.”
“That would be yours,” Luke says.
“Exactly. Now, how do you impress a woman?” Nimby asks.
Luke rolls his eyes and chuckles. “I honestly have no idea. Many people believe that there is no answer to that question.”
“But you have a girlfriend,” the halfling whines.
“That doesn’t mean I know anything about wooing, Nimby,” Luke contends. Both of them pause when they hear a roar of laughter from the party and a whooping noise that almost sounds like Nyx’s voice. “Look, Nimby, it depends on the girl that you want to impress. It isn’t like they are all the same. I mean, just look at Nyx, Kellia, and Kira. Those three have very little in common, but they’re all women. Just so we’re on the same page, I assume you’re interested in Myilia.”
Nimby coughs gently and blushes. “What makes you say that?”
“There are only three women on this ship. Kellia would kill you before she ever buys you a drink. Nyx still hasn’t gotten used to you and you’ve admitted to being scared of her. Myilia is the only halfling on the ship and gives you some attention. You also spend a lot of time in the crow’s nest,” Luke states. He watches Nimby shuffle and fidget nervously as he talks. “Finally, you asked her out on a date while acting as my anchor during a demonic storm. Even without bard’s memory, I wouldn’t forget that.”
“I guess I can see what you’re saying about every woman being different, which goes against everything they teach you in taverns,” Nimby says with a hopeful look in his eye. “So, tell me how you won over Kira and that might give me some ideas.”
“That might not be a good idea. The first time Kira and I interacted outside of class, she was hiding in a shed to get some time alone. She ended up teasing me until I launched myself out of the shed and landed in front of Kevin. Thankfully, Kevin didn’t kill me. After that, Kira visited me while I was recovering from the Hellfire Elf attack. She kissed me and things kind of took a life of their own after that,” Luke explains. He cannot hide the smile from growing as he vividly remembers their encounters. “So, it was Kira who made the first move. Actually, I think she made just about all of the moves at the beginning since I was preoccupied with Kellia and the Hellfire Elf. I guess my only suggestion is to act like you. Just don’t steal too much on the first date.”
“Sounds more like you’re telling me to be the submissive. Might be easier to let her take the lead,” Nimby says with a happy grin on his face. “Thanks, Luke.” The halfling jumps up to pat Luke on the shoulder before running back to the party. Luke has no time to yell any final advice before a slender, uncoordinated body slumps against his back.
“So this is where you went,” Nyx slurs, awkwardly sliding to the floor.
“Eporwil must be so proud of you,” Luke says, his face a mixture of worry and mild amusement.
“The goddess of ale and I have an arrangement. I drink and . . .” she starts before her mind blanks out.
“How much did you drink?” he asks. He brushes strands of her ebony hair from her sweat-covered face.
“About four sailors’ worth before I gave up my chair,” Nyx proudly announces. She curls her fingers in her hair and nuzzles the warm tresses. “Unlike you and Aedyn, I don’t need a spell to help me drink. I love my warm, sweet hair, but my t
eachers always told me to stop playing with it. It isn’t lady-like and . . . my tummy hurts.”
Luke helps Nyx to her feet and tries to keep her steady. Nyx smiles and belches in his face before her throat starts gurgling. Forest tracker reflexes and self-preservation help Luke shove her head over the railing. He holds her hair back as she continues to lean over the side. Luke hands her a scrap of cloth, which Nyx smiles at and gladly accepts. She neatly tucks it into her shirt collar before wiping her mouth on her sleeve. Luke is about to say something when Nyx takes the cloth out and attempts to wipe her sleeve clean.
“This is entertaining,” Luke laughs.
Nyx’s speech suddenly becomes a frantic slur. “Don’t let Fritz look down my shirt.”
“I will protect your honor and chastity until you can take care of yourself,” Luke solemnly swears. He makes a small salute and bow, which Nyx giggles at. “Now, I think it’s time for you to grab a waterskin and try to get some sleep. Just lean on me and I’ll help you with that difficult activity we sober people call walking”
“I have a waterskin,” Nyx states. She holds up the dripping pouch and tries to pry it open with her teeth.
“Is it really water?” Luke asks suspiciously.
“Yup. Good old wine. Hey! Gimme back!” Nyx cries as Luke snatches the waterskin from her. He drops the waterskin over the railing and where it gets caught on the rudder. Nyx weakly reaches toward the railing as Luke drags her away.
“You can have it back tomorrow. Time for Nyx to get some sleep,” he says, noticing that Nyx is pouting and trying to deadweight herself. Luke sighs as she goes limp and he easily picks her up in his arms like a child.
“Put me down,” Nyx groans. She weakly bops Luke on the nose with her fist, but he refuses to put her down.
“In a bit. I never realized how light you are,” Luke states, wiggling his sore nose. “You can’t be any more than one hundred and ten pounds. I never had a reason to pick you up before, but I expected you to be heavier. Please, stop flailing and squirming.”
Legends of Windemere: 02 - Prodigy of Rainbow Tower Page 19
