Kewrok fumed, fleeing with such haste through the mountaintop lake, taking tunnels no one else knew of. He personally made sure of that, disposing of the scouts who’d discovered them.

  Every leader needs an escape hatch...he just never imagined he’d have to use it to get back to the cursed ruins that had been his prison for so long. If the world had an ounce of justice, the fulcrum would have been here, a position of power he rightfully deserved. It wasn't his fault he wasn't in charge of the fulcrum, not really—orders from on high and whatnot. No part of him condoned the death wish ignoring that request would have invited. He was only playing his part, biding his time until a suitable puppet strolled along, but no.

  That damnable human.

  How dare she chase him off in such disgrace?

  His plan had been flawless, an undeniable triumph for the Sea Tribes…until the woman turned out to be an absolute monster. Surely, the watchers should be praising him, but instead, the legendary beasts were berating him. As if that wasn’t enough, in a rare moment of agreement, all three of them decided to show up for the fun.

  He would remember this when he ascended beyond them. He let their words pass over him, unpleasant as dry air.

  “—not only have you sullied the reputation of your masters, you failed on the most basic level: eliminating any witnesses. You dishonor even the lesser spawn. Ambition has no place among the weak. To think, we were tasked with watching over—”

  “You speak too kindly, brother. Dishonor does not begin to describe the failure of this wretch, whose only task was to observe the movements of the Mountain Tribes.”

  Internally, his blood boiled. The indignity! Externally, he lowered his eyes, averting his gaze to disguise the outrage that burned within them.

  “Great guardians, I will accept whatever punishment awaits, but please, let us leave this place. The human has already completed the trial, claiming the fulcrum. Surely, we must spread the word: is it not time for the next phase to begin?”

  Before the world begins to crumble around us.

  With the barest of ripples, the dark water parted as another joined the watchers. The figure was small, hardly taller than the girl, and covered with scales. Frilled appendages, sea green, shades darker than his skin, sprouted from the crown of his head, but his eyes held the countenance of the sea’s deepest abyss.

  Kewrok had experienced the displeasure of meeting each of the watchers over the ages, but him? A direct spawnling of the Sea Tribe gods? He had never graced the city with his presence. Alone, he could decimate this pocket world, but that was never his task. No, his presence meant to keep the watchers in check, ensure they did not stray from their role, something he accomplished with the mere threat of reprisal.

  Whatever spine Kewrok had maintained in the face of the great beasts before him fled outright, and he slumped to the floor, trembling.

  “Quiet, now, little ones. We have a guest,” the scaled man said, pointing one long, webbed finger into a shadowed corner. “We wouldn’t want to scare her away, now, would we?”

  Power. Overwhelming power.

  That was what Anilith sensed emanating from the green man who had just appeared.

  She’d been waiting for a chance to challenge Kewrok, but didn’t fancy her odds with the three great beasts around. A fool, she might be, but a pragmatic fool, she remained.

  One, a swarming mass of tentacles that obscured the massive creature’s true form, made a ceaseless series of unearthly noises. Another, a great scaled lizard, some behemoth cousin of Razhik’s, although far less limber and snakelike, roared periodically. The third beast, more unnatural still, spoke in shrill keening. The beast was impossibly thin, despite its size. It was spindly and long, as only things not meant for the surface are, a predator from a world Anilith hoped never to see. As it moved, prowling the water’s edge, bits of it seemed to vanish, so thin they became invisible.

  None of those walking catastrophes had the presence of the small, humanoid figure, and none of them had noticed her lurking in the shadow of a decaying building. That creature, however, took note of her instantly. From the moment he appeared, she could tell…

  He should not be here.

  Giving up the ghost, she stepped out of the darkness.

  “Didn’t want to interrupt,” she said, holding her vacant hands in the air. “Not that I have the faintest idea what any of you were saying. Still, seemed a bit rude to barge in on such a talking-to.”

  Kewrok, the spineless bag of discard, peered up at her. Despite being cowed by the stranger, his fear seemed to vanish momentarily, a gleam surfacing in his bulbous eyes.

  “Oho! I knew you were a fool, but to think you’d follow me here. Stupid girl; The guardians will devour you for your arrogance!”

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  “Hmmm?” The green-skinned man hummed. “I think not. This is the champion who claimed the fulcrum, is it not?" His eyes sought out her own. "Our time here is at an end. Be welcome, champion!”

  “I…uh. Well, I don’t have any quarrel with any of you...lovely creatures. I’m only here for that. He’s late for a date with my Blade, and we both know I have somewhere to be.”

  A staccato, chittering element bled into the razor beast's keening, setting her nerves on edge. The sharpened sound alone threatened to emancipate blood from her eardrums.

  “Well, I can hardly fault you there,” the man said, his smile seeping hunger. Sharp, serrated teeth peeked between his lips. "After his ill-advised, failed mutiny, I’m surprised you let him get away at all. He used the spawnlings as a shield, no doubt. Those new to power have such qualms about minor bloodshed.”

  His tone held no question, and throwing in the word 'failed' endear him in Anilith’s eyes much.

  This creature was a predator, more surely than his beasts. Her instincts screamed he would devour her if she weren’t so far beneath him.

  “I could have caught him, most likely, but that wouldn’t have served to teach the same lesson.”

  “And what lesson is that?”

  Anilith met his abyssal eyes, no joy lingering in the hard lines of her face. “That betrayal has a cost, and running won’t save you from your own stupidity. Couldn’t have those I spared getting any ideas of their own. Who knows how this creature’s influence poisoned their minds.”

  She let no question ring in her statement, and the man's wild smile only grew more feral.

  “An admirable sentiment, one I endorse wholeheartedly. Weaklings have no claim to the strength of the powerful, nor the time they are afforded. Very well, consider this... embarrassment... a gift. A failure such as he has no fate left but to be cast out. In truth, I was going to feed him to my pets; it’s been too long since they’ve enjoyed a proper snack, and I couldn't be bothered wasting my time on such a disappointment.”

  Some shred of Kewrok’s pride that yet lived found the strength to support his jellified backbone, and he raised himself from fearful prostration. “But, my Lord, I can still—”

  “YOU DARE TO QUESTION ME?!”

  Impossible as it seemed, the pregnant air grew ever more still, disturbed only by the vicious creature’s heavy breaths. A malevolent pall fell over the city, suffocating what atmosphere remained.

  “No, my lord, I only—”

  “You will do as you are told. In this, I offer you one final chance to live or die with a semblance of honor. If it weren’t for this human child, I would take your insolent head myself. Any delusions of grandeur you have fostered in the long years I have watched you are just that. You have never had a hope of wielding power; the dregs of ambition you foster insufficient even to claim the fulcrum for our Tribe. Honestly, dealing with the weak is such a bother.”

  Kewrok’s eyes darted around frantically, searching for any lifeline, any escape, but the life he’d led never bought him any allies, not even among his command. Trapped, he gulped audibly, then sighed.

  “Thank—"

  “SILENCE!”

  Breath froze in Anilith’s lungs, gripped by terror more visceral than any she’d known. The weight of the creature's presence seemed to magnify by the moment, crushing her Will to resist entirely.

  She fell to her knees, dark water seeping into her cracked leather leg guards. The scaled man-beast would crush her without raising a finger. All her perceived power, yet she was helpless before him.

  Even the great beasts shifted uncomfortably, the water lapping at their bodies seeming to ground the scaled figure in the moment.

  Gathering himself, he met Anilith’s eye as her hands found the ground, struggling to hold her.

  “Apologies, champion." He breathed slowly, his presence lessening with every exhale. "That was unbecoming of me. One’s first experience with such things should not be so…unrestrained. Honor decrees, I must offer you a boon. Once, and only once, I will aid you if I am able."

  "Can't say I exactly got a name, friend."

  She received nothing but a brief, toothy grin in answer.

  "We must depart. Unfortunately, I can't witness the fight myself, but I leave you your chance for justice; a chance for this lesser spawn to regain a shred of dignity, a chance I have no doubt will end with his failure.” He smiled, that feral grin returning. “I look forward to seeing how you grow. Feast on the weak and find strength—it has been too long since I’ve found a challenge.”

  He’d hardly finished speaking before the waters swallowed him again, vanishing without trace. The guardian beasts followed suit, not even sparing the pair a glance. Across the city, survivors fled in their wake.

  When it was just Kewrok and Anilith, the coward, predictable to his last, hopped, his great girth kicking up a wave to cover his escape.

  The Shadow of Retribution, that dark shard within Anilith, never lost sight of its prey. The strength Kewrok had shown while executing the gatekeeper beneath the Keep was nothing next to the power Anilith had claimed, insignificant as it was before the monstrous man.

  The wretch was nothing more than pitiful…weakened by his coward’s path, possessing not but a hollow strength.

  Fire streamed from where Anilith stood a moment past, her immediate surroundings instantly vaporized, leaving a trail of steam and sizzling droplets.

  The toad’s head rolled before its body returned to ground once more, its body crashing to a watery embrace. In death, shock lingered in its gaze, and its tongue lolled freely.

  Using the organ as a makeshift grip, unconcerned with the slick, slimy feel of the handle, Anilith dragged the beast’s noggin behind her. Exercising no more urgency than hours prior, she departed, her trophy finding every unearthed stone.

  She wouldn’t even taint her ring with such trash, despite the corpses it already contained.

  That went better than expected. Justice never tasted so bland. Yeah, I ran into the guardians, but mission accomplished, and it could have been much worse.

  The presence of Sea Tribe Lord still lingered in the air, as if he’d warped the city itself.

  That could have been so much worse.