A Hero With/Out Time

Chapter 18: Our Voyage (Part 2)

I decided to change the topic, "How about you? Any family?"

"Well in my world yes," Lara smiled but half-heartedly. "One father, one mother and relatives on both side. I was pretty much normal. If I hadn't been summoned here I would have never known just how strong I could be." She reached out and with little more than a thought a bright fire lit up in her hand. "If my friends could see me now they'd flip."

"You mean the friend that I reminded you of?" I referred to a conversation that seemed so long ago, but on a night not unlike this one.

She stared at me blankly and slowly nodded, "Yes... sorry I just... I'm finding it really hard to remember him." A touch of fear trailed into her voice.

"You okay?" I asked concerned. Magic was complex and summoning even more so. Her memories could be slowly deteriorating.

"I'm fine... I think," she smiled but forcefully. "I can remember everything else pretty well."

"You're sure?"

"Yes I'm sure."

"Hmmm," I had my doubts. There had to be something I could do for her. I wracked my brain for any draughts or potions that might help. Suddenly she laughed, leaving me baffled. "What?"

"No it's just, that face," she pointed directly at me rudely. "I remember my friend... he was always looking out for me and that face you made, it just didn't suit you."

"Thank you for laughing at my concern," I frowned, a little hurt. "Next time the feeling comes over I'll be sure to curb it."

"No no," she was still giggling. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just you usually look so business like and calm. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, I was simply surprised." She managed to stifle the rest of her laughter.

I sighed, "So are you okay or not?"

"Like I said, I'm fine," she did a small curtsy showing off.

There was a soft thud as Marley folded to the wooden deck fully asleep. Her light breaths were calm showing no sign of her sleep walking.

"You should probably take her back to bed," I said.

"Yeah, it's pretty chilly," Lara moved towards her. Then suddenly without warning after a single step she turned to the side of the ship with wide eyes. "Something's coming!" her voice yelled across the deck.

"What?" the sailor steering the ship peered into the water confused. On cue it rose from the murky river. Kraken. An octopus like monster of enormous proportions. Its tentacles spread across the boat as it latched on rocking it like a child's toy. I had heard about them before but never in a river. Usually they stayed in deeper waters and even then, while they surfaced they were usually surprisingly timid. This one however was obviously not as it released a blubbered shriek.

The sailors immediately tried to steer away but it was far too late. A bright light shot forwards and Lara punched its fat head causing it to reel backwards revealing a sharp beak like mouth. The sound of a bell echoed repeatedly as another sailor beat the alarm in panic.

"Damn it!" I cursed and wobbled barely able to stand straight from the shaking deck. Pina and the other birds that had been sleeping in the corner rose in panic. The Kraken's tentacles tightened around the ship breaking through the wooden railings trying to reach the more important sections. Lara held it off but without her sword she was unable to pierce the monsters thick skin. The sound of a cannon fired, surprising me as the trade vessel didn't have anything of the sort. I realised where it came from soon after as the wooden planks making the hull cracked apart from a thick iron ball ploughing through it. With the distraction of the Kraken no one had noticed the other vessel pull into the river from a side channel. Pirates.

The Captain stormed out of his cabin, "What on bloody water is going on here?" There wasn't much to say as someone yelled 'We're under attack!'

"Lara!" I called out to her in warning as another canon fired. The metal ball overshot the hull but instead carried towards the deck. Lara looked up just in time for it to crash into her driving her off the ship and into the water. I couldn't believe what I had just seen.

"By Bluebeard," the Captain cursed. "Ready the barrier we'll blow them off and ignite the emergency engine."

"Yes Captain!" the sailors who had now all come on deck immediately set to work. The Kraken would have none of it and reached to attack them. Seconds Later Ronalt burst through the door with his shield blocking the tentacles and cutting chunks off with his sword.

"Rain get under cover!" he yelled towards me. I knew what he was saying. Right now I was near useless. My bow was in the carriage but even if I did have it, the Kraken's skin was thick and the pirates too far.

"Lara went overboard!" I screamed back. "A cannon hit her."

Ronalt continued to fend off the Kraken undeterred, "She'll be fine. Just get to safety and if you see Ardent tell him to get up here!"

I meant to do as he said but as I ran to get below deck I realised what we had all forgotten. Marley. My eyes scanned the tilted deck only to find she was nowhere in sight. I jumped to the railing and looked into the water. There a few dozen metres back was the floating body of the somehow still sleeping girl. A protective glow surrounded her keeping her above the water but I knew it wouldn't last forever. I turned back to see Ardent step outside and made the decision. They'd be fine, it was Marley who needed help. I had never asked if she could swim. With that I jumped into the water.

It was cold and the current pushed me back from reaching her. Still, I had spent many years swimming near Axel and through trained movements managed to reach her.

"Marley!" I slapped her and she gurgled awake as the protective charm dissipated. Her eyes met mine realising what situation she was in and as any normal person would do, she began to panic. "Hold on, it's fine."

"Where am I?" she screamed and struggled between pushing me away and holding on for dear life.

"You fell," I held her tight. "Hang on, we're going to shore." There was no telling what else was in these water and the thought made a chill crawl up my spine.

At that moment a ripple of green light spread from the ship. The Kraken screeched and blubbered as it was forcefully shocked from the boat. The pirates had come closer but the back of the ship suddenly lurched and a large red flame kicked out.

"Oh no...," I sighed while treading water as the ship launched forwards far faster than I had seen it move before. If it wasn't bad enough that we were being left behind, the water around us began to churn as the waves generated by its boost assaulted us. It was hard enough to keep afloat as the waves forced us down. Marley held on to me tightly as the undercurrent dragged us. If we could just hold out I could swim us to safety. Then as we tumbled a sharp pain stabbed into my head and darkness took me.