Chapter 14

  The man takes a few seconds to recover from Minot's attack. "Ye got an awful habit of aimin' for the face", he spits.

  "That's usually where the brain is, smartass", Minot replies smirking. He spins the club in his hands, ready for the fight. "Unless it is somewhere else in your creepy body."

  The insult doesn't faze the man. He removes his hand from his face and stands facing Minot, as if nothing had happened. After a short moment of deliberation his posture relaxes and he speaks calmly: "What's yer name?"

  "Huh?" The unusual question surprises Minot. It feels like the times for introduction are long gone, although he welcomes this moment before the fight. He needs to stall the man for a while, until Iv returns with good news. Answering the question is too quick. Minot sneaks in a short glance back, then spends a few seconds thinking before he replies. "They say names have power over others, so why don't ya introduce yaself first?"

  The man sighs, shoulders slumped and head turned towards the clouded sky. It is as if he expects some sort of courtesy as a fighter that Minot is not displaying. With a voice loaded with confidence, determination and a sliver of annoyance he responds to Minot's request: "Vasso. Swordsman of Corinna."

  Minot joked about 'names having power', but hearing the creature announcing his name with authority puts an unknown pressure on Minot. Like he is not just facing 'a' random monster, but 'the' beast of legend. Whatever kind of morbid legend that would be.

  "Minot. Fisherman", he replies in kind.

  The now named enemy Vasso repeats Minot's name quietly, as if pondering, categorizing, analyzing. "'s a rare name."

  "Thanks, I guess."

  Minot can't deny that he is mildly disgruntled by the situation. He would like to actually deal with the overbearing threat in front of him; doing it by himself is too risky though. Even he knows that. Also the cloud bubble keeps shrinking, so the sooner this man is gone, the sooner they can figure out how to escape.

  Minot looks back. He sees Hagen exhausted, sitting on the ground. He doesn't seem able to move much, but he is covering as much skin from the rain as he can. Iv is still inside the temple. What's taking her so long, Minot thinks.

  His gaze goes over to the Cloudbreaker. The sight of this massive ship getting lodged into the ground seemingly effortlessly is burned into his mind. No one could've told him that something like this was possible. Yet he saw it with his own eyes. With any luck they can still dislodge it and get the engines up and running. Or maybe they can dispatch a distress call and have another vessel pick them up.

  There is no sound coming from inside the ship other than the occasional rattle of broken metal giving in to gravity's pull. There should be around 20 crew members and the captain on board, and so far only one death is confirmed. The way the female sailor looked when Vasso dragged her out makes Minot worry if the others are still alive.

  He can't imagine Schalk being dead. He actively pushes this thought away, denying its possibility. Not only to keep his mind from racing, but also because if he gets too distracted, he will definitely die at the hands of that creature. After seeing what Vasso can do Minot will need every bit of strength, focus and support he can get to stand a change. And he is still waiting for one of them.

  Vasso locks eyes with Minot, ready to clash. There is no more stalling the fight. The swordsman stands menacingly, letting the rain strike him as if to gain power from it. It feels like the wind is picking up and responding to his fighting will. Howls of war envelop the battlefield. But one voice cuts through the noise. One Minot was waiting for; he smiles.

  -

  "Velo!", Iv yells. Her voice is already unusually loud and present, but inside the cold stone walls of the temple the echo escalates the volume. Velophine is flipping nervously through her notebook, looking for something it seems. Or maybe as a coping mechanism. "Come! Minot needs your help!"

  Velophine's gaze darts across the pages, as if desperate for an answer. She doesn't respond to Iv's plea. The booklet shakes in her hand, as her hand shakes. Cold sweat runs down her forehead. Iv approaches Velophine's face and rips her out of her thoughts. She startles and lifts her head, looking at the Fairy hectically fluttering in front of her.

  "I know this is scary", Iv confronts the woman sitting with her legs close to her body and back resting against the wall. "But right now Minot needs a supporter!" Velophine tries to keep eye contact, but the rapid eye movements show that she is thinking about a lot of things. What is this woman even thinkin' about, Iv wonders. "Aren't ya gonna do anythin' to help? Ya have all these notes and info and magic skills! Any of it would be appreciated right now!"

  Iv looks over to the other sailors hiding inside the halls. They only dare to peek outside a little bit to see what is happening. Mons is shivering and unresponsive in a corner. The sight of those sailors who are supposed to be from the prestigious Cloudbreaker under legendary Captain Loi Temperal sickens her. If it were her, she would make them all scrub the deck until they grew a backbone. But, given the situation they're in, she does understand it a little bit.

  "... That monster...", Velophine mumbles, more to herself than to Iv. "... horrors from the... abyss..."

  "Ya are part of the team! And Minot is counting on ya right now to deal with that bonefish thing!" Iv continues her 'pep talk'. "Ya promised to him that he can trust ya, didntcha?"

  Velophine looks confused. "How do you..."

  Iv stops dead in her tracks. She realizes she slipped her tongue during her fiery speech. Wide eyed and sweating she stares at Velophine. "A-anyway", she stutters, "get yar ass off the ground and go out there!"

  "..." Velophine is deliberating again. There is something hindering her from going out to face the creature. Be it fear or something else, but Iv won't take her silence as an answer. She rushes behind Velophine and pulls her up by her collar. "H-hey!" Her notebook almost fell out of her hand.

  Iv points towards the gate. "People need help, and ya can help them! So go out there and -" She is interrupted by a loud 'thud' that echoes through the halls. It sounds nasty, as if rusty iron hit something fleshy. Both Iv and Velophine are taken by surprise by that sound. "See?", Iv speaks excitedly after a moment. "Minot is fightin' that thing and landin' hits like hammerin' a nail!"

  Velophine's expression changes. The anxiety and worry slightly shifts. Iv doesn't know what it is, but she finally got through to her. The two of them rush past the miserable looking sailors and pass the gate, out of the dark and damp stone halls into the gloomy and rainy outside.

  -

  "Minooooot!", Iv yells. "Backup is heeeeere!"

  Minot looks back excitedly. "'Bout time!" Seeing Iv and Velophine exiting the temple blows a second wind that boosts his confidence.

  Vasso's expression doesn't meaningfully change. He seems to just let it happen. Maybe he thinks that it won't change the outcome of the upcoming fight. For how aggressively he fights he appears to be rather patient. Or simply allowing his prey to struggle before he delivers the killing blow.

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  "Velo!", Minot shouts. "I could use some support to fight this thing! Anything helps!"

  Velophine looks at the enemy, cold horror running down her back, but she tries not to panic again. She focuses her sight on Minot. Still, her arms are shaky. "Minot", she says while approaching him, albeit with difficulty because of the rain and wind. "That monster... is an Atlantean."

  Minot looks at her with a confused look. He hasn't heard that word before.

  "They are dangerous creatures, horrors, born from the Night Ocean." Her eyes wander to fiend, and quickly move back to Minot. "They rise from the depths to hunt humans and darken the sky. The Storm is their doing."

  Minot doesn't fully understand it, but the threat this man poses is clear. Small sparks of anger sizzle inside his mind. The wind toys with the stone of his home that is attached to his necklace, mocking him. Because of them Minot's family had to flee and he ended up in Porto Branco. Because of them the Storm grows, swallowing islands and several people every year have to flee from home. His grip on the club gets tighter. He can feel his heartbeat in his throat. This Storm and the Night Ocean are linked, somehow.

  "How do I beat it?", Minot asks, determined.

  There isn't an answer for a while. It feels like Vasso is intently listening to them and also waiting for a response. Velophine is again deliberating her thoughts. Finally she responds: "Right now, you can't..."

  "Come again?"

  "Atlanteans aren't like your normal enemies..." Velophine is still showing physical signs of fear, but her words come out crystal clear. "They possess inhuman strength, durability, determination and even magic." She gulps. "You haven't even seen what magic he can use."

  "Sure did. That sharkhead can fly. Also he can cut stone like butter."

  Vasso doesn't reply. He stands there waiting.

  "Atlanteans are capable of dangerous magic. If he had used his magic, we might have already..."

  Minot cuts her short. "Look, I don't care if he can fly, spit fire or make bubbles come outta his hands. I'm gonna bash his skull in, and I need your help."

  Velophine stares at Minot with genuine surprise. Minot's demeanor towards an enemy so far out his league is either a sign of unwavering bravery, reckless naivety, or gross overconfidence in his skills. But whatever it is, it has a reassuring aura. "Can you cast more supportive magic other than heals?", he asks.

  "I-... I can. But...", she mutters. "Because of the Cinzite clothes I can't-"

  Before Velophine can finish her sentence Minot has taken off his jacket and hat and thrown it to the side. Bewilderment spreads across all the onlookers.

  "How 'bout now? Your magic won't be diminished if I don't wear this, right?" He stretches his arms, finally rid of the heavy clothes.

  Velophine is speechless. Iv is almost screaming in worry and anger. Even Vasso can't help but raise an eyebrow. At least, that's what it appears to happen on his face.

  "... Unbelievable", Velophine sighs. But it is a happy sigh, one of relief and the faintest trace of hope. "Maybe there is a chance..." She pulls out her Cinzite Nexus, wraps the yellow string around her right arm and aims it at Minot. "Empower!" Magic flows into Minot. He can feel his club feeling lighter and blood pumping through his veins. "Lux Skin!" A yellow translucent barrier forms on his body like a second skin and offers protection. It gives Minot a yellowy glow. Even some rain drops are being blocked by the it. A little bit of the magic gets absorbed by Velophine's Cinzite jacket, but not enough to render the spells ineffective.

  "Alright! Let's deal with this idiot!"

  Vasso gets into fighting position. "Show me what ye'r got"

  The two men run towards each other, weapons drawn. Vasso goes in for the first strike and swings his blade, aiming for Minot's neck. He blocks it in time. The increased strength from Velophine's spell helps a lot. The impact of the attack, despite still being very strong, doesn't feel impossible to bear. Additionally, Minot knows that sword is very sharp and could easily cut through his club. So he blocks the attack at the hilt, not the blade.

  Minot retaliates with a swing as close as possible to Vasso. He misses; the Atlantean jumps back. Almost like a feather Vasso floats away, only to immediately dash in the moment he touches the ground. Another swing, another block that is barely not too late. And again, a retaliatory attack is evaded by Vasso gaining distance and flying back in. Vasso plays with all the space he has and he can move freely within it, in contrast to Minot.

  After several strikes like these Minot is learning Vasso's patterns and tactics and adjusts his strategy. The enemy dashes away, lands on the side of a nearby pillar and accelerates incredibly fast. But by this time Minot has seen his moves enough times to predict their path. Vasso flies in for a piercing strike, weapon aimed for his heart. Minot counts down in his head. Once he hits 0, he puts all his weight on his right leg and spins to his right side. Vasso's attack misses. With the angular momentum of the dodge Minot continues twisting his body, extends his arms and swings his club towards Vasso who is still decelerating from his strike. Again, aimed at his face.

  A direct hit. And this time during an actual fight. Vasso groans in pain and backflips away. Empowered with Velophine's spell Minot doesn't feel the impact of that strike as much as the previous ones. Satisfied with himself he looks back to Velophine who has her arm extended towards him to keep the spells intact. He gives her a thumbs up, she replies with a baffled smile.

  This short moment of celebration ends as Vasso dashes again for another slice. This time, there is bloodlust in the air. Minot analyzes his attack quickly and predicts a horizontal swing. He gets ready to slide down and strike as he gets up. As he begins going down, expecting the sword to pass above him, Vasso twists his body. Instead of swinging immediately he feigned a horizontal strike and instead winds up a vertical one towards where Minot is moving. He quickly realizes his miscalculation and rolls away from the impending slash.

  The sword strikes the ground with enough force to cause a small crater. Minot loses sight of Vasso during the roll. He immediately turns to react to the enemy's next move. But Vasso is gone.

  "Above you!", Iv screams. Minot looks up, and indeed, the Atlantean is several meters above the ground and preparing the follow-up attack. He can hardly get back on his feet, as Vasso is diving towards him again. Similar to when he pierced the Cloudbreaker Vasso rams his sword into the ground. Minot barely gets out of the way by doing a clumsy back roll. Another follow-up attack. Vasso lunges forwards and slashes rapidly. Minot is blocking them to the best of his ability, but he is off balance and the strong impacts destabilize his posture. His movements get sloppy.

  Sharp pain fires in Minot's side. Despite his attempted evasion and Velophine's shield spell Vasso manages to slice the side of his torso. Blood gushes out of the wound. Minot grits his teeth and stomps the ground to regain balance. He got hit, but that means Vasso is in striking distance. He quickly winds up and hits Vasso's sword arm, slaps it away and sets up his follow-up attack.

  Unimpressed Vasso jumps back, but gets surprised by Minot thrusting his club into his chest. The impact was strong enough to make him stagger backwards. Unfortunately, with the club extended and Minot's reaction time negatively affected he can't retract it fast enough. 'Zing', and the club's top has been sliced off. Around 20% of the club's length has been removed like it was paper.

  Minot's expression shows clear signs of worry and he gets into a defensive stance. He is breathing heavily. The pain of his wound is hard to bear. "Light Heal!", he hears coming from behind him. Velophine uses a healing spell and the pain is almost fully gone. Minot sighs, thanking her in his head.

  Anxiously, Iv is looking around. She can't bear it having Minot do all the fighting and she can't help him. The fight is looking very bad. The fairy nervously zips around in the air, trying to find something that she can do to help her friend. And then she spots something.

  Minot can land hits on Vasso, but they aren't enough. They might hurt him, but they don't incapacitate him. If this continues, Minot will get too tired to fight effectively or slip up again and get wounded fatally. His focus is getting weaker. He glances over to the ship every so often. Distracting thoughts are filling his head.

  "Watch out, Minot!", Velophine yells. Her face turns pale. This is what she was worried about.

  Minot snaps out of it and looks at Vasso. His body is emitting a menacing glow. Dark-blue ethereal lights dance around his body like the sun's light reflecting on the water's surface. A liquid as black as the rain envelops his sword and drips of it. Small patterns of pale gold shimmer on the surface. Whatever that is, it's not good.

  An overbearing feeling of dread floods the island, as if the Night Ocean has gained several kilometers of height. Minot feels like he is drowning only by witnessing this dark magic accumulating before him. Vasso dashes again. This time, his next attack feels impossible to predict or react to. Minot doesn't know what is coming. Still, he won't allow himself to just stand there. He will react to whatever is coming. If it's a slice, he will dodge it. If it's a thrust, he will counter it. If it's a flood, he will divide it. With his bare hands if he must.

  Minot's face turns serious. He exhales deeply, grits his teeth, steadies his posture and blocks out the entire world around him. No screams for him to run, no sound of rain, no howl of the wind. Right now, there is only the incoming danger, and Minot's will to overcome it.

  In that moment, a mysterious golden light emanates from the pouch on his belt.