Black Hearted

Part 50

Sean sat up slowly to stare at Granny in shock. Granny struck her trident against the deck proudly, leaning on it with a grin. Climbing to his feet, he told her uneasily. "I can't hit you, Granny... I don't want to hurt you." Granny leaned on her trident a bit more like it was her walking stick, telling him with a wise informing look. "You think I can't defend myself? You think I'm old and feeble? My dear boy... Your enemies will take many forms. You must learn to spot the differences. It could mean the mere second between life and death." Sean lowered his trident, telling her respectfully. "I understand that... but I can't risk hurting you..." Granny straightened up, pointing her trident at him as she began circling him and telling him seriously. "You see me the way I want you to see me. The fact you don't want to fight me is apart of my illusion. You underestimate my skill and my strength. This gives me an advantage against you. Don't mistake my years for weakness. My years have given me more experience. And with it, more skill."

Devan spun his fixed coral trident in his hand, slipping in with a smile. "I'd listen to her. Even at my age, I've never even scratched her. Hanging around Mersharks had its perks on her." Granny chuckled, stopped behind Sean to add humbly. "Mersharks are great warriors. Just because I was born a Northern mermaid doesn't mean I couldn't learn their ways. It made me stronger and wiser. Knowledge is power and with knowledge you can overcome any foe." Sean glanced over his shoulder to see Granny take a fighting stance as she told him seriously. "Your paramour, Nate, is a lost vault of Atlantean knowledge. Even if he doesn't know it. It's in his DNA. So, if he teaches you something. You should heed his advice. His grandfather was a very smart man." Sean blinked, asking coolly. "You knew his grandfather?" Devan cleared his throat and when Sean looked back... Devan swung at him. Sean leapt back to avoid Devan's trident. His leap putting him back against Granny.

Granny shoved him forward with her trident, answering casually. "I did. He was one of Triton's younger brothers. Second oldest." Granny swung her trident high, forcing Sean to duck. Just as he was straightening up, Devan swung for his legs, forcing him to jump to miss it. Devan nodded to him after, informing him simply. "Good. But can you fight?" Devan gestured Granny to switch with Sean, telling him firmly. "Swing high and watch her." Sean switched places as Granny faced him to say lightly. "Nate's grandfather was a good man. Wise. After Triton fell, He led us to the mainland for aid. If the humans hadn't killed him for fear of Zeus's wraith, then Nate's dad wouldn't have been so obsessed with destroying the humans." Devan swung low and Granny jumped, swinging the back of her trident out toward Devan's face. Devan leaned back and Sean immediately tried to swing high for her face. Granny brought up the prongs of her trident to catch his, then quickly forced his trident down into the deck to pin it there in a fluid motion.

As Devan stepped in to swing again, Granny shifted all her weight to her trident and kicked back with both feet to send Devan tumbling back across the deck. Devan quickly rolled to his feet, while Granny moved into Sean and raised her elbow inches from his face. Holding her position, she told him seriously. "See what I did? You'd have a broken nose right now. Don't forget that your trident is only one weapon. YOU are the other. Make every move count, or it could be your last." Sean nodded and she backed off. Devan gestured for Sean to switch with Granny again. While switching, he asked her lightly. "Granny, did you ever know of a Mershark named Hector?" Granny gave him a suspicious look, asking curiously. "I know of only one. He was Tiger's older brother. He was a general of sorts for Atlantis. Him and his Paramour were legendary fighters. Part of the reason that I begged Tiger to teach me to fight. Why do you ask?" Sean started to answer, when Devan swung for his legs.

Jumping, he swung his trident to try striking him high, but Devan raised the back of his trident to block it. Sean struck Devan's trident, then yelped as he came down and felt Devan sweep his ankle with the other end. Hitting the deck flat on his back, he coughed and grumbled out. "You didn't do that to Granny..." Devan smirked, bracing his trident down like a staff as he answered coolly. "Granny would have kicked me in the face as she was falling. Doing so would have stunned me as much as her hitting the deck would have. Buying her time to get back up. I was testing you. You failed." Sean huffed, rolling to his feet as he shot back. "Try that again and I'll be sure to kick you in the face!" Devan twirled his trident in his hand, telling him firmly. "You think so?" Sean nodded confidently. Devan swung low and Sean easily jumped it, swinging high at Devan's face. Devan blocked it, waiting for Sean to land to sweep him. Sean landed, but at an angle.