Origin ARS 3 (Origin A.R.S.)

by Scottie Futch

  Ero smiled softly then patted him on the cheek. “Don’t say, just feel. If it makes you feel better we can wait till Rhea returns and we can have this conversation again when she is here. We have a lot of things to work on anyway.”

  “OK...” said Scott. He blinked twice then looked out to sea. What the hell had he gotten himself into this time? A certain promise that he had made earlier came to the forefront of his mind and he sighed loudly.

  Chapter 8: Blue Water Fang

  The waves lapped gently at the shore as Scott gazed out to sea. One again he had taken on the guise of the fisherman. His scales and fins gleamed in the midday sun. There was a lot on his mind at the moment and he was uncertain what to do about any of it.

  Rhea would return in a few hours. A conversation that was long overdue, but unwanted would have to take place. The sorcerer did not know what to do, what to say. Their relationship had just started to become coherent. They had just moved beyond the angst and bullshit to start to have something more innocent and enjoyable, something good.

  He took in a deep breath and then sighed slowly. His hands gripped at the sand and crushed it into two small handfuls. Things could go badly, there was little doubt that there would be hurt feelings and a lot of it had to do with him.

  Scott looked down at the sand then closed his eyes. He cared for both girls a great deal. He could even say that he loved them, and do so with a straight face. People had fallen for each other in far less time than they had spent together. Sure, such whirlwind romances rarely lasted for a lifetime, but they did happen.

  Rhea had come into his life out of nowhere. Ero had been much the same, though the build-up was a little longer. Scott was not as stupid as he liked to act at times. He had a good idea why the three of them meshed so well. He sighed once more then nodded. “We are some lonely ass people.”

  He wanted to kill something. His fingers practically itched because they were not actively doing so even at that moment. There was something wrong with him, something disturbing had started to build within the man and he did not think that he should like it so much.

  Scott closed his eyes and thought about the situation that he had gotten into due to his resistance to jumping into a relationship. He was now torn between two women, and neither of them was exactly normal.

  One was a literal goddess who would live forever and did not fully understand human thought processes. Rhea was the form he knew, but she was not the true face of the girl he had started to fall for.

  Ero, she was a fairy so he had thought that they could remain good friends due to their biological differences. However, that was not entirely the case. At some point she would be able to change her size to one that was more human, and keep it that way when she wanted. Even now, she was capable of being full-size while visiting him in his dreams.

  Both of those girls meant a lot to the man, but he was not one of those people who could feel pride in that fact. He was terrible at maintaining relationships. How could someone like him manage two of them at once without hurting someone who he cared about?

  Rhea had already given her blessing, in a begrudging manner, but that did not mean that she was happy about the situation. Ero claimed that she loved both Scott and Rhea, but she was mostly interested in interesting things that involved Scott.

  “Dammit, can’t I just have a normal fantasy world adventure? Why do I have to deal with relationships!” Scott said it loudly, but with little heat. He enjoyed his time with the girls, it was just frustrating at the moment.

  “Like, I know what you mean.” said a familiar voice.

  Scott turned to the new arrival and nodded. “Hi, Neira.”

  “Hi, tall, finned, and handsome. Are you, like, swimming my way?” asked the mermaid. She exaggerated a flutter of her eyelashes then crossed her eyes for added effect.

  He laughed at her softly and then shook his head. “I’ve got enough trouble with pretty girls for the moment, Neira.”

  “Oh, do you?” she asked.

  “Yeah, I need uglier friends.” he said, before a smile formed on his lips.

  She stuck out her tongue at him and then flopped out of the surf. Scott walked over and picked her up then carried her over to his sand dune. The girl leaned her head against his shoulder. She enjoyed the closeness of the moment, could get used to being carried around.

  After Scott put her down she adjusted her position then patted the sand next to her. “Sit and tell big sister all about it.”

  Scott sat down and smiled at her. “Since when are you my sister?”

  “Since you grew fins, but still refused give me babies.” said Neira. She pouted at him cutely then eyed his closest fin casually.

  “Fair enough.” said Scott.

  “No it isn’t. You and Rhea have, like, no idea what you’re doing to Me and Kiley... We have to dive into the ocean just to cool off.” she said with a smile.

  “Who knew a mermaid was so hot-blooded.” said the sorcerer.

  Neira pushed against him with her shoulder and then sighed. “Yeah... We, so, can’t help it. We don’t get to meet new people that often.”

  Scott glanced over at the girl then pushed against her with his shoulder as well. She smiled in response, but said nothing.

  The sorcerer said, “We’ll rescue your people. I am sorry that it is taking so long.”

  Neira nodded. “It’s fine. This happens now and then. Usually the queen will summon help from the deep, but she’s away visiting her lover in Anatola.”

  “The queen could defeat the Shar-Shar?” asked Scott. How strong was their queen?

  “Oh, shyeah, totally. She’s, like, super strong. A few hundred Shar-Shar are no big deal for her.” said Neira.

  “A few hundred? I thought there were, like, one hundred.” said Scott, while mimicking her speech pattern.

  Neira winced then looked away. “Well, there were a hundred... but that was the raiding party.”

  “How many Shar-Shar are we looking at?”

  She coughed and then said, “Only six or seven hundred...”

  Scott stared at her blankly for a moment. He should have felt used, betrayed, disgusted. She had lied to them or at least omitted something important. However, he felt none of that. What he did feel was curiously excited. “Are they stronger than the ones we have been fighting here?”

  Neira snorted. “Not even. Most of them are a little weaker, actually. Their chief is way stronger, but not by much.”

  Scott blinked. How could someone be way stronger, but not much stronger? Whatever, did it really matter?

  “I know it is really rude to ask this, and you can tell me it is none of my business. But what level is your queen and the Shar-Shar chief.”

  “That’s rude to you?” asked Neira in surprise.

  “Well, not to me personally, but humans seem to find it rude to ask.” said Scott. He honestly did not care if someone asked him to reveal his level. He would be able to make that choice.

  “Oh, so that’s why I can’t see yours? Humans hide their levels, right?” asked Neira.

  Scott considered what she said for a moment. “I am not hiding mine on purpose, though I don’t mind it being hidden.”

  “I see. I have only seen a few humans before, so I wasn’t sure.” said the mermaid.

  She tilted her head to the side and looked him in the eyes. “Anyway, can’t you, like, see my level?”

  He started to tell her that he could not, but then he thought about something he had just changed. When he had gained his survival skills he had acquired several new abilities. He had figured out how most of them worked, but the observation skill eluded him.

  “I should be able to see your level?” asked Scott.

  “Shyeah, totally.” She leaned back and posed cutely for him. “Go ahead. Look at me, closely.”

  What could it hurt? Scott stared at the girl for a moment. Nothing happened at first but after he relaxed his gaze slightly brief images began to flicker around her. He lost sight of
them for a moment, but after taking a few deep breaths the images slowly faded into view.

  He had not spent more than a moment looking at anyone or anything recently, unless you counted Rhea and Ero. Now he wanted to see levels and stats, so when his eyes centered on Neira with a relaxed gaze her level rose up above her head!

  “You’re level thirty-four?” asked Scott.

  She clapped her hands happily. “Good job. Now reward your teacher.”

  Neira closed her eyes and puckered her lips. She opened her left eye after a few seconds passed. “Not even a little kiss?”

  “Ah, sorry...” said Scott. He really did not want to make things worse than they already were.

  Neira pouted at him then nodded. “Right, can a girl get a handshake at least.”

  Neira stretched out her hand and Scott took it then gave it a firm and friendly shake. The girl made a goofy face when he released her hand, and she kissed the back of it. “See, I got my kiss anyway.”

  “Right.” said Scott with a smile.

  She stuck her tongue out at him and then flapped her tail a few times. “Scott, you seem like a nice guy. You should, so, stop stressing. If she loves you, she loves you.”

  “Neira, I don’t know...”

  She shook her head then bumped him with her shoulder again. “I’ve never had a boyfriend, but I’ve been engaged for a while. I don’t love Kiley any less when she notices someone else or I catch her kissing another girl. Other girls are pretty too, you know.”

  Scott gave her a sour expression, “Humans aren’t so laid back...”

  “Too bad...” she said.

  Neira leaned back against the sand and looked up at him with a cute expression. “If you can’t love someone enough to accept that they can love someone other than you, is it really love?”

  Scott looked away from the beautiful sight of the reclining mermaid. She made a good point. It would never fly in a normal human relationship. He certainly wouldn’t like it if Rhea or Ero decided to play tonsil hockey with other guys on the side. “I guess I am a jealous sort of person. I wouldn’t like it if Ero or Rhea went around loving another guy. So, I expect them to have the same issue when I love another girl.”

  “Right, but you’re wrong.” said Neira.

  “I am?” He was pretty sure that he had it right.

  “I said love. I didn’t say mate. Love is love. Mating is just... Mmmmm” said the girl, her voice trailing off.

  He watched her moan for a moment. It was certainly an interesting sight. Ero would have loved it if she had not needed a nap after he had raised her level to six. Scott would never get the image of her fairygasming out of his head.

  “You’re pretty wise, Neira.” said Scott.

  She smiled at him. “Right, I am totally wise and stuff.”

  Scott laughed a little and she pouted. She had been serious when she had agreed with him.

  “I’m glad to see that you’ve cheered up.” said Neira. She folded her arms across her chest then puffed out her cheeks like a blowfish.

  It was an adorable sort of expression, but he was immune to it after having dealt with Rhea and Ero for a while now. It was hard to believe that he had only been in this world for about two months. He had known Rhea for about half that time and Ero for a little over a week! Yet, they were all confessing their love like they lived in some sort of RPG-based daytime television soap opera.

  Scott muttered, “These are the Games of our Lives...”

  “What?” asked Neira.

  He shook his head then rocked forward and stood up. “Nothing important... Thanks for the talk big sister.”

  “Yay! You said it.” She clapped her hands together once and then smiled. Her eyes were wide with joy and mischief.

  “Sure, just don’t ask me to let you call me daddy.”

  She laughed at him, and then her face turned bright red. “What kind of family is that?”

  He shrugged. “Well, I am from the South...”

  “South what?” she asked curiously.

  Scott looked at her for a moment then shook his head. “Doesn’t matter... I’m going to go do a little hunting to clear my head. I’ll be back in an hour or two.”

  “Hey, wait! Can’t I come with you?” asked Neira. She looked at him with a hopeful expression.

  “You could, but what about Kiley? She’ll be here all alone.” said Scott. Honestly, he wanted to hunt alone at the moment. He would not press the issue, though. He mostly just wanted to kill something.

  Neira pouted at him then sighed. “Well, you’re right. I shouldn’t leave her alone...” admitted the girl reluctantly.

  Scott nodded at her then asked, “Do you want help getting back to the ocean?”

  “Oh yes, help me.” She smiled prettily at him, opened her arms, and flapped her tail.

  He narrowed his eyes them smiled. He had only met two mermaids so far, but they seemed to be innocent and loving girls. They were a bit too free with their love in his opinion, though most guys would probably think of this situation as some sort of jackpot.

  The sorcerer leaned down then hefted the girl into his arms. She immediately snuggled against his chest and made a happy little noise. He smiled at her then started off toward the ocean. Let her have her fun. On the way he could not help but wish her the best. She had originally seemed interested in boys, but more comfortable around girls. Now, she was just as comfortable around him as she was around the girls here.

  When they reached the water she sighed softly. She leaned back and unleashed a cute pout.

  Scott smiled at her in a friendly way. “Well, this is where you get off.”

  She reached up and patted him on the cheek. “If the world was, like, a little more fair...”

  Scott blinked at her and she giggled softly before starting to wriggle in his arms. He was forced to release her into the water. He turned around in a circle as the beautiful girl swam around him twice and allowed her tail to brush his legs.

  Neira lifted her head out of the water. “Listen to big sister’s love advice... It’s good for you.” She gave him an exaggerated and saucy wink before diving forward into the water again.

  After she was gone Scott sighed. “It’s the fins... It’s gotta be the fins.”

  He flexed his fins open then grinned. Hell yeah. Bitches love fins. He felt bad for a moment after thinking that, but since it actually elevated his mood a little he chose not to dwell on it.

  Scott stepped further into the water and then walked down into the sea. A single breath was all it took to readjust to the watery lifestyle known to ocean dwellers.

  He slipped through the water like a knife through butter. A creature of the sea, he was as at home there was he was on land. Scott equipped his underwater gear and pulled out his coral spear. It was time to work off some of his frustrations.

  It took a few minutes, but he located a small school of finnies. The smiling bastards sped toward him. Their teeth gleamed in the light. The calypso beat of steel drums and soothing island music shifted to one of vigor and battle.

  Scott wasted no time. He quickly whirled his spear around above his head then cried out, “Howling Gale!”

  The spear slammed downward. A ripping, shredding, current raced outward like underwater tornado. The dozen or so finnies in the school were sucked into the effect despite several of them being outside the immediate area. That was the greatest thing about this attack. It sucked in nearby monsters, a factor that made it difficult to defend against.

  A series of damage numbers rapidly rose above the heads of the smiling beasties, and the entire school of finnies burst into light. He was several levels higher than they were, and his overall damage potential with this ability in the water was well beyond their natural resistance.

  The battle had ended too quickly for another group to appear, yet. A loud and joyous victory tune played in the background for a moment and a battle report appeared.

  <<< Battle Report >>>

  You defeated fourtee
n Razor Toothed Finnies in a solo battle!

  + 840 EXP

  + 670 Fayth

  + 14 Ability Points

  Item(s) Acquired

  Silvery Fish Scales X 14

  Finnie Fangs X 6

  Fresh Finnie Fillet X 7

  Fish Eye X 3

  <<< * >>>

  Scott dismissed the battle report then continued the hunt. Since he had acquired survival skills he had managed to gain a little more whenever he killed an opponent. Finnies now dropped fillets, and had a flavor similar to tilapia.

  “Come to daddy you smiling bastards...” said Scott with a smile of his own. It did not take long to find the next group and then the next.

  His new capacity to synchronize his spells with his weapons was clearly overpowered when fighting monsters on or below his level. Over an hour passed and he had slain over two hundred of the rapidly spawning fish monsters before something changed.

  Scott had moved farther and farther out to sea. He had expended over half his mana to annihilate several schools of the smiling fish, and had reached a point where he was roughly half way to reaching level nineteen.

  He was excited at that prospect, but he would not willingly go to the next level. He planned to spend his experience points and ability points to upgrade Ero a little. If he could manage to help her reach level ten it would make battles easier. As it stood, he was a little over a thousand points shy of raising her level two more times. He had emptied his entire experience pool into her earlier, much to her enjoyment. It would take around thirty-thousand total experience points for the perky fairy to go from level six to level ten.

  Something strange had started to occur during the last few battles, however. Chunks of finnie were left behind in the water. Just like the chunks of burning Shar-Shar that rained down when he used his burn spell, the finnies started to leave their blood and entrails behind in small amounts.

  Scott had become unnerved by that, to be honest. Yet, he decided that it was just an idiosyncrasy of the world. He was probably killing them so fast that the chunks did not register as monster parts. It made as much sense as burning merman chunks raining down instead of turning into motes of light.