“You know you can always trust me, right?” Adrian asked, applying pressure to my nose. It didn’t help, as more of my blood poured out of my nostrils and down to my lips. “Now, just hold still, I've got some cloth here that should help with the bleeding.”

  I raised my hands up, shoving Adrian’s arm away from my face. He didn’t budge, using his opposite hand to tear a part of his school uniform away. The cloth ripped with a satisfying tear of the fabric, before being scrunched up and pressed right against my face. “Now, why did ya get into a fight with Missy?” he asked.

  I glared at him, but the boy didn’t back away. Our other classmates gave us a wide berth, walking towards the entrance of school. Melissa, Jasmine, and Elizabeth continued to angrily plot together… though, reflecting now, I think Jasmine and Elizabeth were just trying to staunch Missy’s bleeding.

  Adrian continued to look expectantly at me. He dabbed the torn-apart cloth against my bleeding nose, staring into my eyes. I didn’t – couldn’t – answer. I frantically looked between him and the terrible trio, before finally looking down at the dirt. Adrian clicked his tongue, but didn’t pry further.

  Instead, he leaned in. The boy was too close, and his muddy hair and stupid eyes were impeding on my personal space. He smelled like sweat and hay, but before I could even wonder why he smelled like that – he pushed forward.

  He gave my cheek a wet kiss, before getting up and offering his hand. “Let’s go, Ashy. But uh… I just want to know you can trust me, y’know? Like, if you do something bad or somethin’, I’ll hear ya out…”

  It was a dumb gesture. I knew he knew that Melissa and I fought again. I think I started it, but my thoughts of that time were replaced by the feeling of his lips against my cheeks.

  It was a weird memory and odd sensation to think about in the Den, with a strange man atop of me. His fist was balled up, and his words mixed with the ringing in my ears. The pressure his knee had on my stomach was immobilizing and painful, and although I could move my arms and legs, I didn’t have the leverage to push him off me.

  But I was still holding his stupid medallion. The scorched back end still glowed orange with dragonfire, and smelled of ash. I assume, since at the moment, the only smell I could inhale was my own blood, and the salt of the ocean below.

  I groaned in pain, fingers scraping over the dirt for anything. The Abyssal dagger materialized in my opposite hand, but the man atop of me was far too focused on my face… and the medallion.

  “A dragon killed your wife,” I blurted out. I only held the damn trinket up for a moment, so even my buzzing mind could put that together. “Something called the Tyrant of the Nereds.”

  He considered my words for a moment, but his arm was still poised and his muscles flexed. He had olive skin, tanned by the sun, and long, oily, black hair that went down to his shoulders in waves. His beard was far more impressive than Noel’s, actually coming off his face. His golden eyes were intoxicating, and even with the sailors uniform he had donned, his musculature and scarring over his body was visible. I couldn’t figure out where I wanted to stare, but the eyes seemed to be the safest bet all things considered.

  “Kiran?” He slowly said, weight releasing off my ribs. “Why do you have it?” He didn’t get off of me, but the pain and immobilization I was feeling was lifted.

  I clenched my dagger, the warm and familiar feeling of the hilt coursing through my fingers. It’d be so easy to pay back this insult with a singular slice.

  But…

  That’s how I got into a fight with Melissa. That’s how I lost my best friend. I wasn’t good with people and I knew that, but for once, it might have been better to tear a page off his book and talk the problem out.

  Adrian said he’d trust me.. But I can’t be honest with him. I can’t really be honest with anyone.

  I might as well try.

  “Ananke gave it to me since I’m trying to find a candidate to join my cult. I’m in the market for a [Reaper], and she said this dum– this medallion would help me find the person she selected.”

  The man above me said nothing, but his golden eye continued to drill down. His fist lowered, moving down to the scraggy black beard. “...I don’t know what that is, girl. But what on Amaril’s name makes you think–”

  And it clicked.

  “I can bring back your wife rather easily.”

  He opened his mouth, and then closed it. His knee wobbled atop of me for a moment, before finally releasing the pressure. He stood up, staring outwards into the Den. I coughed, greedily sucking in air, before picking myself up and turning my head to the battle behind.

  More [Drowned] swarmed my Golem, my two zombies, and Vesper. They weren’t strong, but made up for it in sheer numbers. Their steps wobbled and seemed disconnected, and for machines of death… the [Drowned] didn’t really seem to be ‘trying’ to win the fight. Everytime Vesper broke off a head, or the Bone Golem devoured a handful, or whatever my two zombies did, green souls flew out and returned to the Land of the Dead.

  “And all you need for your gift is for me to be your [Reaper], [Necromancer]?” he asked, ignoring the murmuring of the other sailors, and their cries of ‘she’s lying’ or ‘don’t trust the enemy!’.

  “Well, no. I have her soul in this medallion – you can have it back, I really don’t want it – but I’d need a body.”

  “There is none like her, girl. She is the radiance of Amaril and the beauty of The Watch–”

  Lorelai popped free from the bottom of the Lake, holding the starfish in her hands. Her clawed fingers ripped out one of its legs and opened her mouth. It stretched widely, a serpent-like tongue coiling out, and rows of jagged teeth. It almost seemed like an eel or a beast of the ocean, but Siren’s were man-eaters.

  She dropped the squirming tentacle and chewed loudly, blood pooling over her face. Her eyes shifted away from the carnage, and then up to the precipice we were all standing atop. That motion was enough for the [Drowned] to stop trying to kill themselves on the Bone Golem or Vesper, and turn towards us.

  To me.

  Her hand pointed up again, sharp-fingers orchestrating the assault. More of the [Drowned] peeled themselves off the cave walls, and the stalactites atop began to rumble and crack. Dirt poured down, ruining the surprise of their killing fall.

  “I CAN MAKE YOU A NEW BODY IF YOU GET ME THE PARTS! BUT DEAL WITH HER FIRST!” I shouted, hands slamming against my ears.

  The man stared at me. The other sailors too moved their hands to cover their ears, but not him. His eyes winced for only the briefest of moments, before returning to the calm, analytical staredown.

  His voice was deep and heavy, tinged with the Neredian accent. “So, you can bring my wife back if I find you the parts needed, [Necromancer]? And all I’d have to do is be your [Reaper]?”

  I nodded, blood pouring out of my mouth and nose and ears. He looked at me, and then to my other hand to see the dagger.

  “Make a [Contract],” he demanded.

  “CAN THIS WAIT TILL AFTER THE GIRL DOWN THERE IS DEAD?” I shouted, barely hearing my voice over her screaming and my impromptu deafness.

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  He finally looked at Lorelai. “Fine. Give me your knife, girl.”

  I released one hand from my ear which proved to be a massive mistake. The sonic screeching ratted my brain, and that was when it was muffled. Uncovered, it felt like an aphid chewing on the roots, scrapping my brain-matter into gray honeydew.

  Nonetheless, I offered him my Abyssal Dagger. He reached out and gingerly picked up the hilt. He took it off my grasp…

  …and raised it to the sky. The black dagger shone brilliantly, and we could see our reflection in the blackness. “Impressive craftsmanship, girl. Now, I’ll show you what a [Myrmiddon] can do.”

  Selenia couldn’t even hold the knife, but he could? I wanted to question it, but my head was hurting from the Siren’s screeching.

  “If you can – Myrm.. My Rim… Mamron–”

  “Just call me Amir, girl,” he interjected.

  “Ash— Uh…” I looked at the sailors behind him. “...Doctor Anise.” I said, cleverly hiding my identity. “Anyways, Amir – if you can, don’t kill her, I would like to recruit her to the cult.”

  He scowled. “And that will help bring my wife back, how?”

  “I don’t know! I can think of many thin–” The screeching became louder, more prevalent, and I could even smell the blood in the air.

  Amir noticed and grunted. “From one General to another,” he muttered, and ran towards the precipice. With a swan-like dive, he jumped off the edge and began plunging into the lake below.

  Lorelai wasn’t expecting that, as her screech stopped, and the [Drowned] she was forcing to move towards us stopped lumbering and peeling off to the walls to join their brethren. They stood in an unmanipulated daze, an army awaiting their leader.

  I peered over the edge, watching the falling man.

  Amir’s form was pitch-perfect, beginning with the arms spread out to stop the drag of air, and then pulling his appendages inwards into a singular line. The black dagger glistened in whatever fel-light it had, and as Amir reached about a meter or two away from Lorelai…

  …he rotated in the air.

  No longer was he head first, but his boots – the stained, ruined leather clogs – angled towards Lorelai’s jagged, consuming maw. Lorelai’s eyes went as wide as my own, as his heel smashed into her , crumpling it inwards.

  A falling object’s force was applied to both ends, and my eyes narrowed down to Amir’s muscular legs. If I had performed it, It’d be a crippled Ashley, but him?

  He took the upcoming recoil and bounced back, rotating in the air, and using his opposite leg to deliver a feral kick against her skull. The resounding thud echoed into the chamber, loud enough that Vesper even ran to the edge to stare down. We both looked at each other, and I could see her mouth something, and then blow into the air.

  “I call primae noctae! I want to ride him first,” she used [Whisper] to talk. I wafted the air away from my face and ignored her words.

  Amir’s landed into the water, but the [Myrmidon] wasn’t even bothered. I couldn’t see if he was kicking his legs or how he was even floating – At some point, I think I’d have to ask him to teach me to swim. But right now?

  Lorelai snarled, blood and broken teeth dropping out of her mouth. The siren lunged at Amir, her lithe, thin, scaled arms and clawed hand going right for his throat. Her hair animated, like worms or sea snakes moving in for the kill. The water rippled, and we all heard her motion. Even the murmuring doomed sailors that were here had come to the edge to stare.

  Lorelai’s hands were a breath away from Amir’s golden eyes, but even as they tried to dig it out – it found nothing but air. The [Myrmidon] had her wrist locked with his free hand, and his mouth moved. I think he was talking, but I couldn’t hear a word he said.

  Lorelai began to thrash away, her fish-like tail bucking like an untamed horse, swatting its fins against Amir’s thighs. The resounding slaps created waves that crashed against the cavernous walls, yet he didn’t move. His opposite hand, holding the Abyssal Dagger balled into a fist, before going down and up – a brutal, painful uppercut.

  It smashed straight into her gut.

  Lorelai’s slashing claws went limp, and her other hand hesitantly, shakenly, gripped her own stomach. Her body heaved, and she puked out bones, human flesh, and remnants of the poor, deceased starfish she ate. I’d have named that little guy Starry.

  I shook my head, not wanting to get into another habit or idea to get an Aquariam, but realistically, Mirchie wouldn’t mind. And… maybe if I wanted to grow something in a paddy one day, I could have a fish pon—

  Lorelai’s pained screams burst me from my thoughts, my eyes returning to the battle below. Amir’s entire upper body had a small curve to it, as his free fist had smashed into the Siren’s face with what Adrian would have normally referred to as a ‘brutal haymaker’.

  I had asked him before how it made hay, but he said I wouldn’t get it.

  “I YIELD!” Lorelai wailed out, which was rather surprising to me. Her [Drowned] were giving Vesper and I so much trouble, and by inherent nature, she was clearly on par, or better than, Ophelia.

  Amir looked up to the precipice, to all of us. He waited.

  A moment passed, before Vesper’s voice came to my ears again. “He’s waiting for your decision, Sister Necessity.”

  I shot my eyes up to Vesper who blew me a kiss – now eating a handful of red strawberries with the show.

  “Bring her to shore,” I messaged Amir, who shivered as the words reached his ears. He nodded, wrapping Lorelai in a headlock and using his free hand to swim to the shore. She pushed back as she came to the edge, but it didn’t stop Amir from dragging her out. He dropped her body onto the dirt, and her fishtail flopped lifelessly. Immediately, she clawed herself to the edge, dunking a bit of her body into the water to breathe.

  Vesper, the sailors, and I had followed the path down, coming to the edge.

  “Amaril above, what was that?” Vesper immediately said, running towards Amir. “Hot as hell, and taking out a [Boss] with your fists?”

  Amir looked down at Vesper, then at me. “She with you Doctor Anise?”

  Standing properly, Amir was tall. He might have rivaled Elias, and the wet shirt - white linens - did little to hide his soaking body underneath. I wanted to force my eyes to meet his, but it seemed like my body made a decision. His pectorals were well defined, and his musculature… I could rub them and peel off husks from corn.

  And I hated corn.

  “Yes, I’m with… you’re a doctor, Necessity?” Vesper asked, turning towards me.

  I shook my head, realizing I had three problems on my hand. “Yeah, she is. Vesper, anyway to uh–”

  “Mindwipe the sailors, sacrifice them to the Dreamers, and take the Lair Loot? Torment yes, there is. Now, you fishy bitch–”

  “I would prefer you keep the Crew of the Envoy Alive, Ms. Vesper,” Amir interjected. “It would be against my honor to all–”

  “Hold on jus’ a momen’, pal,” one of the sailors angrily said, moving forward. “You could have dealt with that Siren Bitch this whole time and you didn’t?!”

  Amir’s eyes locked on with his, before bowing his head. He said nothing, but the expression on his face was one I was familiar with. Resignation turned to embarrassment.

  I had started a fight with Missy when I was younger since she said she’d be a better friend than I was. She was probably right, but she was also going to ask him out. It was only when Adrian showed up again did that resignation turn to rage.

  And I offered Amir his wife back.

  “No, he couldn’t,” I stepped in. “I had to undo… Lorelai’s… spell…” I muttered, which drew a sharp look of confusion from Lorelai, Amir, and the sailor.

  “Ah, yeah, the siren’s call,” Vesper immediately joined in. “It’s the reason why you’re all so weak, and needed two girls to save your butts! Only works on the men.”

  “I have no such po–” Lorelai began, but Amir immediately shut her mouth. Lorelai nodded in confusion, before deciding to let it go.

  “Anyways,” Vesper began, and then turned to the crowd. Her eyes rolled back into her head, and her sclera was replaced by the same inky blackness of her tattoos. White specks that looked like stars popped in and out of existence, and the crowd behind her stared straight into them. Soon, their eyes rolled into her heads, and their sclera became just as black.

  Vesper said guttural sounding words – ‘kshttra jva’ kilk-ii-ya!’ – which made no sense. The sailors repeated her words, before moving like a congregation out. “There! Dealt with. [NPC]s are so easy to mess with. BUT AGAIN - YOU!” She turned to Amir. “HOW is a [COMMONER] that strong?”

  Amir crossed his arms at Vesper. “I don’t answer to you, Ms. Vesper.”

  “I am curious about it myself. You don’t have to tell me, but… what?” I added.

  Amir sighed. “I am not a [Commoner]. I am a [Hero]. A [Myrmidon].”

  I raised my hand to silence the conversation. “First, let me deal with Lorelai. Then we can deal with the [Reaper].”

  “Great, I am getting my class [Corrupted]. You swear you can bring my wife back?” Amir asked.

  I nodded, and turned towards Lorelai.