Imperialist: The Voyage

Chapter Fifteen; Volcano Island

Moutassim strode up to the rudder, his dreadlocks heavy with the ocean spray and swinging into his face. As he grasped the tiller, something brushed his shoulder. He swung around, ready to swing his bracer blade at the threat. But it was only Sahelia.

"I'll cover you," she said simply, unfazed even as he glared at her.

"Not that I need you to cover me, but suit yourself," Moutassim snapped, turning his back firmly on her and focusing on the tiller.

Pushing his hair out of his face, Moutassim tried to remember how Soth had operated the rudder.

He needed a direction.

The first thing he would have to do is figure out where to go. But looking around, all Moutassim could see was dense fog. All he could hear was splashing and the occasional shout.

He turned back to Sahelia.

"Actually, I'm glad you followed me. If you could clear the fog in front the ship, even for a moment, I could regain my bearings."

Someone else would have given him attitude. Made a snide remark. Pouted and told him to do it himself. But Sahelia instantly nodded, closing her eyes and channelling her unseen magic at clearing the fog. Moutassim felt a pang as he watched her. She had always shown unwavering loyalty to him. Where was his loyalty to her when she needed it?

Slowly but surely the fog in front of the ship shifted and he could see that the sky was still dark but with a hint of approaching dawn. But most importantly, he could see the volcano peaks rising like shadowy giants rearing to smash their ships to pieces.

"Land! Land!" Moutassim shouted. "Starboard side!"

He heard the explosion of water directly behind him and spun around. But he barely had time to glimpse a pair of black eyes boring into his before the sea demon swung at him. The blow hit him square in the chest, hurling him into the ship's side and knocking the breath out of him.

Moutassim looked up through the haze of pain radiating from his back and Tigrita's renewed screams, as the monster uttered an ear-splitting scream that no human could match and rattled its gills at the side of its neck. It jumped down on the deck with a hollow thud and took a step towards him, it's fangs bared.

Behind the monster's back, Moutassim saw Sahelia draw her dagger and throw it. She was dead on target, except the monster effortlessly twisted its body and the dagger missed, sailing harmlessly over Moutassim's head and into the sea.

The monster leapt at Sahelia, grabbing her by the neck and slamming her into the side of the ship. The petite girl gasped, looking tiny as she struggled helplessly against the strength of the monster and kicked out. Her eyes found Moutassim's, silently pleading for help, even as her fingers slipped off the creature's slimy wrist.

The creature slammed Sahelia into the ship again, this time knocking her out cold and raised it's other hand, claws extended, to rip open Sahelia's face. Moutassim roused himself from his paralysis.

He extended his arm blade and threw himself at the monster, just as the ship came to an abrupt, shuddering halt. The air was filled with the sound of wood cracking and being torn apart and suddenly, Moutassim was hurtling into a barrel of wine. The barrel broke open on impact, sending wine cascading over his head. Before he could make sense of what the hell just happened, a slimy, stinking mass fell on top of him.

Moutassim groped in the darkness to push it off and felt an excruciating pain in his wrist, as razor-sharp fishlike teeth bit through his flesh and bone. Screaming in agony, Moutassim blindly stabbed again and again through shere primal instinct and pain.