Beware the Ills: Part 21

“Blue,” I yell suddenly over the din.

He smiles at me. He’s been sitting on the rail casually with his massive feet, watching the living fireworks. The blood has frosted in wild shapes against his matted fur. Gears roar absently as they try to find guidance.

“Engage her, engage her,” I scream.

Blue throws down a man’s back he was feeding on. The dark, jutted armor looks odd against his wild coat. He looks at her curiously and tilts his smiling maw. His wild eyes judging her, even an animal can sense a woman. He throws the body at her in a grizzly metal flourish.

Good move, that’s what I would do.

She cleaves it in two without looking up. There was no resistance to her stroke. The parts rattle against the deck in front of me. They were cut cleanly, without any error. She’s something special when paired with the hidden power in the vial. She leaps at Blue suddenly, clearing the bloody gap in one glowing bound. The ship shivers and she screams.

It’s unnatural, like someone being casually split in two.

She swings eagerly in wide strokes. He leaps back, with his bulky arms covering his face from blood. The heavy axe moves back and forth, looking for Blue’s throat. The sweep gets wider and more accurate with every pull. The axe handle is too long, Blue won’t be able to judge it forever. He’s on his heels ducking and bending. He leaps forward roaring, and bearing his claws wildly, and almost childlike.

I’m embarrassed.

He chases her across the deck, she is clearly baiting him. How infantile. This reflects poorly on me.

As they run, I notice a strip of light against her delicate spine. I’m pleased by the spot. It must be where the artificial lightning runs. Filthy tools are incomplete. You can’t hide the mechanical in the biological.

I will not let her cut down Blue.

His heels are growing raw. He teeters slightly in his swings. My wrist feels light. I’m nervous and excited. I knew they’d have a trick, but its details were far more elaborate than I thought. I dash full speed at her. I’m half corralled by my fur cloak, like the wind doesn’t want me running. She whirls around to look. Blood has frozen on her chin in a messy trickle.

Even those small frozen drops are delicate against her form.

I’m to the midway point of the deck. She’s there; she’s bent down in front of me. Blue has stepped aside to the rail. He’s happy for the intervention. She swings wide at me with that massive axe. I feel the sharp edge brush against my cloak. I can feel the harshness of the blade through the fur. It whistles through empty air. I can barely sort the sound out through the howl. I push her against the rail with my foot after her swing. I’m too close to cut at her. She jumps back, slicing down at me. The axe-head falls directly in front of me. The metal’s flawless silver, with small trails of stars and twirling designs. I pull the sword up crossways, catching the axe right where it curves to the handle. I’m using my left arm. I need to test her strength. It was a foolish strategy. The axe pounds my left arm down in a thick smash. I brace my legs and my shoulders. The artificial strength is tremendous. I’m crushed downwards to the floor. Blood from her mouth drips down and she bites at herself.

She senses the kill. She can practically taste it.

I’m pinned. My left arm shakes. The men are cheering her. She’s screaming now, that shriek stings my neck. She’s an animal, thanks to that blue vial of hers. It’s been a long time since I’ve been pinned. A random and unique tool gave her glowing strength. I nod to Blue slightly. She notices and looks at him excitedly. More blood drips. More glowing eyes shimmer. Blue charges at her, rattling the deck back and forth. She swings at him wildly. He immediately tilts backwards letting the cutting-edge glide past his throat. She recoils immediately, her speeds uncanny. He’s too close for her to gouge him with the giant axe head. She twirls smashing the handle into Blue. His forearms cross quickly, absorbing the brunt of the force. The blow sends him rolling across the deck and into the rails. They break like wooden ribs beneath a mace. Blue thrashes into space puzzled and confused.

He’ll be alright with his iron fur, it’s like organic steel.

I walk towards her. I’ll go at half-speed. I can’t show my true strength. Too early in the game for my full potential. I run at her dragging the sword point along the deck. She swings back at me too fast. She gets the timing wrong. I kick her in the stomach and send her backwards. She charges back swinging to my right. I counter the slash with my left hand, bracing my legs against the deck for leverage. It connects with that obscene axe. My sword gets knocked clean out of my hand with a metallic slap. The blade spins surprised and jabs into the floor.

How ridiculous, and how embarrassing.

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