A Merfolk's Tale

Chapter Eleven

"Please... I don't know if you understand me, but I beg you to save my child... even if it's just him I won't mind, I still want him to be born into this world... please..." A woman's voice begged and a whistling sound was heard.

And then he felt something warm touch his chest and light engulfed him. When he looked down at his chest he saw a hand awfully familiar. He held it tight as he looked up at the owner and saw Izuku's green eyes as he smiled up at him.

Shoto woke up with a bolt when he felt a tremor on the ship, followed by the pounding of the door in his quarters. Leaping out of bed he quickly got dressed just in time for Eiji to barge inside-- a commotion echoing just behind him.

"What's happening?" Shoto asked and Eiji smirked as he scratched his nape.

"We ran into trouble,"

Shoto raised a brow and marched past Eiji to see another ship dangerously close to them with men raising their swords and shouting out curses and insults at them. "You really don't know how to evade a fight, don't you?" Shoto said as he seems to be unfazed by the view in front of him.

"Hey, they hit us first," Eiji countered. "If I don't recoil then how am I supposed to call myself a man?"

Shoto rolled his eyes. "We both know you aren't one, but whatever," he mumbled with a teasing smirk.

"Hey, I heard that!" Eiji huffed as they both drew their swords and prepared for battle.

"Your highness please stand back!" Tenya said as he, too, drew his sword along with the other castle guards.

"You don't get to order me around, Captain," Shoto said as the opponents arrived at their ship. "Besides... I'm not missing out a real fight,"

"Time to see if all your training was worth it," Eiji said and charged at the first opponent that landed on their ship, their swords meeting halfway-- the friction causing sparks to fly.

"Hey, don't steal my spotlight," Shoto said with a smirk, catching the sword that was supposed to be directed to Eiji's back.

"Attacking from behind? So unmanly!" Eiji said, throwing a right punch to his opponent-- causing the latter to stumble down before Eiji was welcomed with another opponent.

Around them, fights also broke out as the soldiers defended their ship and protected their prince as well as the other civilians that had come with them.

"Where did they come from anyway?" Shoto asked after slashing through his enemies' stomach and moving on to another.

"Don't know!" Eiji shouted, defending himself-- blocking the parries that were directed to him. "They just came out of nowhere, I don't think they know who we are...!"

Eiji stepped back after receiving a blow and slipped on blood-- causing him to kneel down and have an opening for his opponent to raise his sword at him.

"EIJI!" Shoto called and tried to run for him but was blocked by another opponent.

Eiji's eyes widened as the sword slashed down, but something blocked his way-- something muscular and blonde. The stranger pushed Eiji aside after having a steal on some fallen opponents' weapon and plunged it unto his opponents' stomach

Eiji stared wide-eyed at the stranger whose upper body was bare-- revealing lashings and scars on his back that looked like it was from a whip. He was breathing heavily, his crimson red eyes glaring at the dead opponent as if he had avenged someone, and then it clicked unto Eiji's mind.

"These guys are slavers!" Eiji yelled towards Shoto who was fending the enemies away from their civilians.

Shoto clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Disgusting humans," he muttered, slashing once more with his sword.