Blademan leapt off the wood and called out his ultimate move, “Man-Shuriken Candidate”

  Not unlike his bladewheel move, he spun around and around, but this time he surfed on the air, heading right toward the riverboat. The archer shot arrows in quick succession at him but he would tilt and twist in the wind, narrowly avoiding any arrows that might hit him. His bladewheel hit the hull of the ship and traced along it, causing a huge rupture in the refined wood.

  “Stop him!” Said one of the men that took out his saber. Just then, Julio popped out of the lake and shot the man with two more water bursts. The man wobbled and fell over, right onto the path of the bladewheel. The man leaned against the railing, the red from his guts dripped into the water, attracting the crocodiles.

  “I’ve got to get out of the water!” Said Julio, “Things are about to get very dangerous!”

  He leapt out and landed on the enemy ship.

  “No, Julio!” Said Kip, “That’s also very dangerous!”

  “Sorry! Too late!” Julio punched one of the pirates right in the face.

  The pirate grabbed his smashed nose but his muscular neck made him undeterred from the punch. Julio was still just a young Anuri after all. He menaced Julio with a look and punched him back. Julio gripped his face hard and draped himself against the railing for stability. He saw the water mage that had fallen off the boat surface. He also noticed the spindly, bark like ripples that came out of the water, and slithered toward her in the lake.

  He reached his hand down, “Grab my hand!”

  “Absolutely not!” The woman said, “I don't want to grab your slimy hand. Disgusting!”

  “Miss, please!” He said, “You’re going to-”

  “Ahh!” She was pulled under by one of the crocodiles. The crocodile thrashed her by the leg, the other crocodiles found different pieces to grab onto. The water crimsoned rapidly. Soon there was little left for the crocodiles to eat, But there was some frog meat just above the surface.

  Julio cringed, he pulled his hand up just as the crocodile leapt out of the lake and snapped at him. Julio’s webbed fingers were safe.

  Man-Shuriken reamed the sides of the boat, before catching more air. Kip pivoted the handcannon at the man sneaking up behind Julio with a sword.

  “Julio! Behind you!” Kip yelled. The fuse went off, the cannon fired. Once again, it pushed little Kip back farther than he realized, but the cannonball had done its job. The man’s arm was still holding the sword but said arm was no longer attached to the man’s shoulder joint.

  He stared blankly at where his arm used to be. Julio held onto the railings for maximum leverage, lifted himself up and using his powerful Anuri legs, donkey-kicked the man to the ground. Julio summoned water from the lake and it came up, still red from the water mage. Julio pulsated an attack at the pirate. The pirate lifted his hand up to protect himself. The powerful attack chopped off the scallywag’s fingers as well as slit his throat open.

  The pirate grasped at his throat as he fell down. Julio took out the blade the elder Anuri had given him before he left and ceased the pirate’s suffering.

  Man-Shuriken now worked his way up the ship’s mast, tearing up the sails before frisbee-ing in the sky again.

  “Stop this one!” Yelled the captain, a bruiser of a man with a mangy beard and a red bandana. The captain took out a crossbow and shot it at Blademan. The crossbow winged Blademan and wobbled him off course, sending him flying through the air.

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  “All!” Julio yelled, “Avoid the water! The crocodiles are feasting!”

  The captain turned his attention to Julio, “I’ll give them something to feast on.”

  He loaded his crossbow again.

  “Mussstn't losssse our best and brightessst.” Said Jasssper.

  “Also, his mother would challenge me to the throne!!” said Kip. “We have to get onto the other boat, but how?”

  “Sire, please do not use me asss rope again. I am still getting daily masssssages from a masseuse that hates me.”

  “I think I have my own ropes now.” Kip said, looking at his hands, “Stretchy hands!” He shouted. He could feel a certain give with his hands. They drooped a little on his wrists, “Let’s do this.”

  “Wait, we’re invading their boat?” Blingo asked, “Doesn’t that make us the pirates?”

  “Cram it in your notebook, egghead!” Yelled Jasssper. Kip grabbed the railing as he leapt off the boat. He threw his other arm, tossing his palm to the other boat. As he fell toward the water, he saw the writhing backs of the crocodiles clamoring to get a taste. His claw connected with the railing, and he closed his grip. All while still holding onto the railing on the other side. The crocodiles leapt up to try to nip at him. Kip could feel the hot breath on his toes and he would lift them up.

  “Make it quick, Jassssper!”

  “Yess, sire,” Jasssper slithered onto Kip’s arms and made his way to the enemy boat. Another pirate had gotten his knife out ready to slash at Kip’s palm, but Jasssper leapt up and stuck him with his fangs.

  The captain got his saber out and stomped toward Julio. Julio summoned water and shot it at him. The captain swished at the air with his blade, chopping up the water with relative ease.

  He got closer and closer to Julio.

  Jasssper pulled up Kip and Kip retracted his arms before they could fall down into the crocodile infested waters. He took his stretchy hand again and tossed it to the captain, the claw landed on the captain’s face and Kip scratched the top of the captain’s head.

  Blood spurted from the pirate’s scalp. The captain grabbed Kip’s hand, using his crossbow, he nailed it to a mast.

  “Ahh!” Yelled Kip.

  Julio attempted to draw more water. Nothing. He was out of mana, “Aw, bugs.” He was happy his mother was not there to hear him curse.

  “Did you just curse at me?!” demanded the crazed captain, his eyes sunken from too many days at lake. He pulled up his sword, ready to bring it down. Dic and Blingo were on the other boat. Jasssper was busy strangling a pirate, and Kip was too far.

  Just when it looked like it would be the end of Julio’s tenure as an adventurer, Man-Shuriken soared through the sky, tearing through the captain’s midsection. He shifted from flying to spinning, and became Blademan again. As he landed still, he stuck his arms up and posed, “That should be all of them.”

  The captain stayed frozen, his blade holding in the air. Julio stared up in terror. The captain’s mouth dribbled blood and he looked down at his midsection. It was clean off. He dropped his sword and fell down dead.

  “Wow!”’ said Kip! “We did it!”

  “Oh my lord!” Said Julio, “Thank you, Kip! This was truly spectacular!”

  “Did the water mage survive?” Kip asked.

  “Let me check.” He walked over to the railing. He searched the lake water. The water mage’s hand floated up. He saw that it was holding the pendant in her hand. He reached down and pulled the pendant up. The hand came with it, but that was all. As Julio kept pulling, one final crocodile leapt up and snatched it. Tearing away the hand and leaving Julio with the azure pendant.

  “No. She’s very, very dead.”

  “Julio,” Kip said, “Not every fight is going to go this smoothly, with little bites and scratches. I want you to know that this was in part because of our work as a team… and your impressive command of both your martial fighting and your magic.”

  Julio beamed at the compliment. Kip gave Julio a smile. Blingo pumped her fist as she wrote that down in her notebook.

  “You didn’t kill everyone.” A drunk man stumbled out of the deck below. He was still drinking from his bottle, his cheeks rosy from too much of the drink.

  Julio stuck up his hands, ready to fight.

  “Sir,” Kip said, “We’ve got you completely surrounded, maybe there’s something we can work out?”

  The man waved at the monsters as he rowed his boat back up Revenge River. Kip’s crew had given him enough supplies to make it to the nearest human city. They let him live on one condition, “Tell the world that the Dark Lord is not one to be messed with.”

  He thanked them for their kindness.

  Kip waved back at him, He leaned in to Julio and said, “Smartest of the bunch, I’d say.”

  He looked back at the boat and at the pendant on Julio’s neck, “Say!” Kip said, “That reminds me! It’s time for the best part of a total party kill!

  “What?!” Asked Julio excitedly.

  Kip smiled, “We get to split the loot.”

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