Fisherman's Luck

The Foreigners (IV)

No. It couldn't be true. Captain Haiden hadn't arrived in town much long ago, but Luc did remember that he had always seemed all mighty and unbeatable. For him to be defeated so easily...

"If I was not mistaken," said Matthias, "we have a few spectators."

The men in black turned towards Luc, River, and Killer. River grabbed Luc's arm and began tugging on it, but for some reason, his legs would not obey his common sense.

"Luc!" River said, tears welling up in her eyes. "We have to go!"

My legs are so soft, Luc thought. If I try to step with them, I'll fall.

"What the hell are you doing, Law?" Ishimodo roared, bursting out of the darkness. "Do not make his sacrifice in vain!"

Luc finally mustered the ability to give a coherent command to his limbs. He turned away from the docks and began forcing his legs to move. His legs accelerated into a jog which then sped up into a full out sprint.

"After them!" Matthias shouted.

Luc now ran freely and frantically. He wasn't running to protect some sort of value or to save something precious. All he cared about what getting out of this miserable nightmare and being able to sleep soundly in his bed once more.

"Duck!" Ishimodo hollered.

Luc failed to obey the command and proceeded to nearly die as an arrow whizzed passed his ear. The group exited off the dirt path and back into the field of tall reeds. Making just as much noise as they had on the way there, they crashed through the mass of plants and burst out onto the beach.

"Get to the boat!' Ishimodo shouted. "I will hold them here!"

Luc was already halfway to the boat and completely ready to set sail by himself if it meant that he would escape alive. When he reached the boat, he glanced up briefly. In the darkness, he could make out the brief outlines of River and Killer as they pelted across the beach towards the boat as well. Ishimodo was standing at the exit of the reeds, sword unsheathed and ready for action.

A moment later Luc was joined by River and Killer. Together, they began pushing the boat towards the water's edge. All they needed was for Ishimodo to buy them a few more precious seconds!

"Holy Dragon!" Ishimodo roared, sprinting up to them. "Get this damned boat into the water already!"

"You couldn't even hold them for three seconds?" Luc asked, eyes bulging at Ishimodo's sheathed swords.

"Of course not!' Ishimodo snapped back. "After all the work I've put into my retirement fund, I can't let it go to waste because of a couple little brats and a dog!"

"They're escaping!" one of the men in black shouted.

There was a splash as the boat slipped of the sand and into the water. Luc leaped up and over the side and immediately flattened himself against the floor of the boat, covering his head with his hands. All he wanted was for this madness to be over. He had had enough. He wanted to go home now.

With a grunt, Ishimodo took control of the paddle and began guiding them out into the waters. River was bent over the edge of the boat, probably vomiting or something. Even Killer seemed kind of subdued, whimpering and curling up into a lump near Luc's head.

"Shall we pursue?" one of the men in black asked.

"No," said Matthias. "The rumored monster of the depths will eat them up."

Luc was suddenly covered with a cold sweat. What did they think they were doing rowing out into the open sea like this? It was a recipe for disaster.

"Turn the boat around!" Luc hissed. "We're going to get eaten alive!"

"We have no choice," said Ishimodo, wavering slightly due to the arrow protruding from back. "It is either this or certain death at the hands of those lunatics."

Luc glanced over at River, who was still slumped over the edge of the boat. Maybe she had been...no! He hopped over to River's side, rocking the boat. He peered over the side of the boat, hands on River's sides.

That was when Luc realized that the water they were sailing on wasn't just dark. It was pitch black, much darker than the water outside the gigantic oval region they were currently atop of.

"River!" Luc shouted pulling at the girl frantically. As he feared, her head was completely submerged under the water.

"Quiet!" River said, voice tinged with a grating tone. "Unhand me!"

Luc glanced down at her and met her glowing golden eyes. Slowly, he released her and allowed her to slip her upper body underneath the surface of the water once more. He made sure to keep a secure grip around her legs though.

"The monster is toying with us," Ishimodo said, all hope drained from his tired voice. "I'm sorry Law. It's over."

"He's letting us pass," said River, lifting her head out of the water. The strange tone in her voice was now gone and she looked very, very sleepy.

"What nonsense are you speaking, girl?" Ishimodo asked.

River snuggled against Luc's side and closed her eyes. "Uncle Varicar isn't all bad," she mumbled. "Not completely...gone."

"Let me row," said Luc, at last feeling some sense of security. He knew he could trust River. That was final.

"What?' Ishimodo asked.

"You're injured," said Luc. "And you don't usually travel these waters. Let me take over."

"...very well," said Ishimodo, relinquishing control of the oar.

Luc took the oar and guided the boat across the quiet expanse of water. He noticed that the black oval surrounding them was now gone. River had been right. Her uncle indeed had mercy.

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