Mythical Guardians

♧31. Harpies and Bargains: Piece of Cake(Not)♧

  "Who wasn't?" Gordon yelped, sweat trickling down the back of his neck, as the bow he held in his hand trembled violently," Those little buggers gives me the creeps."

  "Oh great," Cedric rolled his eyes.

  The harpies left the old man, converging towards the group. The lead one squawked defiantly, her arms spread, showing her razor sharp claws at the tip of her fingers. Tattered feathers protruded from her arms, and she had claws for feets. Gordon had seen several before when he was young, and it was a truly traumatizing experience that he never wished to encounter one again. Especially not up close.

  The old man blinked at the group, then narrowed his eyes in disbelief as the harpies advanced towards Johnathan, hissing menacingly for hurting one of them. The harpy he had tossed to the side earlier on squawked, and joined the frey, waving her arms like an oversized turkey.

  "Back off, boy," one of the harpies hissed in a raspy voice," It's none of your business here!"

  "We need to speak to him," Jason said, pointing his chin at the old man," Surely, you can excuse us?"

  Gordon cast the vampire a worried look, who was standing at the front of them all. By the looks of it, those harpies wouldn't give up Ghard without a good fight.

  One of the demonic chicken humans screeched and charged forwards, and Johnathan's instantly snapped into action, lightly side stepping, and firmly gripping the harpie's arm in his hand.

  Just when the creature tried to pummel him with her other arm, he tossed the harpie sideways almost effortlessly, evident that he didn't want to kill her. The other harpies growled at him, but he didn't flinch.

  "Look, I have no idea who you guys are, but I don't wanna hurt you," Johnathan said firmly, poised to attack or defend himself with his arms slightly spread," So please step away from him and let us talk."

  "Never!" A harpie roared.

  Johnathan looked at the group for confirmation. They needed Ghard's help. Badly.

  "Just try not to hurt them too badly," Aquarius said quietly in a half mumble.

  "Not to hurt us too badly?" One of the harpies snarled," Rush them, ladies! Show them what we've got!"

  The harpies all charged as one, while the old man cringed and quickly got out of their way. Johnathan hit one in the torso with his fist, and kicked another into the water. The chicken lady wailed and flailed as she disappeared under the waves in a loud splash. Last Gordon knew, harpies couldn't swim.

  Aquarius dodged several harpies that were coming her way with a fluid gracefulness. She leapt into the air, her body horizontal to the ground, as her legs connected solidly with two harpies, sending them tumbling backwards. But she underestimated the force she needed to land on her feet, and landed on awkwardly on the wooden planks. Seeing her disoriented state, the two harpies charged her.

  Gordon honestly though she was a goner, and he was too far to help, but then Jason's silver wing snapped into action, as the two harpies slammed beak first into the titanium feathers with a dull clang. Jason then sent the wing pushing outwards, barely managing to send the harpies towards the edge of the pier.

  Aquarius then made a gripping motion with her hands, and suddenly, a tendril of water arced up behind the harpies. Before they could figure out what was going on, the tendril had already wrapped around their waists and yanked them down towards the waves. The harpies squawked in surprise as they were dragged claw first beneath the sea surface.

  "Good one, Aquarius,"Jason grinned.

  She smiled a bit shlyly, then her head whipped to the other side,"Look out!"