Gwyn woke up in a coughing fit. Lungs burned as he rolled onto his side and pounded on his chest. For a second, it was like he was trying to suck air through a straw, then it cleared. The Nonpareil’s vision cleared, and he wiped tears away from his eyes. From the blurred vision, the face of an elf girl appeared. If he didn’t feel so awful, he might have reeled back, but instead, Gwyn laid on his side and spoke with a shaky voice.

  “What happened?”

  Mina had tears in her eyes. Her words sloshed together.

  “Oh… the water… attacked… you… almost… mouth-to… ahh!” She finally broke down and fell on top of Gwyn. He felt too weak to move, but he managed to slide his good arm out so he could pat her on the back. Whatever he ought to do was beyond the earthling. He had never thought he would have a girl weeping over him, especially not an elf girl.

  Gwyn was about to speak up about getting Mina off him but took notice that his arm was regular skin tone and not metallic blue.

  “Mina, where is Mem?”

  She finally freed him from whatever embrace was attempted and sniffled.

  “Your Needaimus volunteered for recon.”

  “Sea Ruins?” Gwyn finally felt enough strength to sit up, though he felt as if the room did a flip when he did. Once he got proper bearings, he was finally able to take in the sight. Metal floors worn from years based by, with chips of white paint still here or there, but no rust at the very least. A bar running along the top of the entire ceiling emitted a low, white light. Occasionally, sections of it would flicker, but the whole strip never went out. The air smelled musty and like rotten seafood.

  Beyond the duo seemed an endless expanse of a hallway, and behind them, what looked like a wall at first but, upon closer inspection, seemed to be a door that slid shut. The large puddle of water still surrounding them suggested they had gone through the door at one point.

  Gwyn had plenty of questions, but he became aware of something lacking as he scanned all around the narrow space.

  “Where are Fiona and Haliegh?”

  Mina tapped her index fingers together and stared at her feet.

  “They took them.”

  “They who? The treasure hunters?”

  “No, they took the treasure hunters too. Mistress Kako didn’t expect them to be living down here….”

  “Mina! Please, who are “they”?”

  The elf girl seemed like she would be willing to give up the answer but never got a chance. A screaming Needaimus suddenly bounced around what must have been a corner in the hallway. The blue dragon-like creature flapped its wings frantically.

  “Help. Help. They found me!”

  Two Zenototes followed after Mem and stopped to lock eyes with the duo. Both pointed spears at Gwyn as his Needaimus reached his outstretched hand. In an instant, the Nonpareil clenched his blue fist.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  You wouldn’t believe it! I think they wanted to roast me alive and eat me! Mem chattered in Gwyn’s head.

  “Did you tell them you would taste like shit?”

  The two Zenototes took several cautious steps forward, then stopped again. One shouted something, but it was garbled. Gwyn held his hand up in a gesture to say, ‘Let’s calm down,’ and the two with spears tensed up. The one on Gwyn’s right was blue, with a slim body and flaps around his neck. The one on the left was orange with a similar body type, but a fin-like frill jutted from his head like a mohawk.

  Notably, both had flat faces as Harlan did, but Gwyn couldn’t ponder that for too long.

  “Easy, fellas, we just got here by accident.”

  “Rifnof calla zee!” the orange one spat.

  “Excuse me?”

  Mina tugged on Gwyn’s arm.

  “They don’t speak English. We need to take them down.”

  A bow materialized into her hands.

  “I don’t want to go fighting people unnecessarily. Isn’t that what happened with the so-called treasure hunters? Fiona got hurt then, you know?”

  “Rifnof!” the orange one bellowed. He took several aggressive steps closer and aimed his spear at Gwyn’s metal arm. The Zenotote mounted the pointed end of the spear from aiming the earthling’s arm and tapped the ground with it. “Calla Zee!”

  I think he wants us to break our bond.

  “It was quite obvious that time, Mem. But I have to refuse!” Gwyn was picking up that his words wouldn’t get through, but his attitude would. The orange Zenotote didn’t like it. He snarled sharp teeth and aimed and chucked his spear with sudden force. Gwyn, almost on instinct, moved out a flat palm and liquified the weapon as it crashed against his hand. What remained of the spear diluted in the water at their feet, and the orange Zenotote suddenly grew wide-eyed. His shock didn’t last, and soon he grew angry. In whatever language he spoke, he shouted to the blue one.

  The blue Zenotote tossed his spear to the orange and started to run away. Drawing her bow back, an arrow materialized in Mina’s hand. She let it loose, and two ropes bound around the blue runner’s feet. His face made an unpleasant slap on the metal floor, but he was probably still alive at least.

  “You need to calm down; there isn’t any reason for us to fight.” Gwyn tried to reason. The orange Zenotote looked as if he wasn’t going to listen, even if he understood. He rushed forward and tried to pierce Gwyn’s face. This time, Gwyn was better prepared, and he didn’t bother to move as the spear turned to goo right into his opponent’s hands. “Please, I don’t want to get violent.”

  The orange attacker snarled and settled for a fist turned uppercut. Gwyn fell to the ground to avoid, and Mina swept in from behind to clock the orange attacker in the head. A splash highlighted the sound of his defeat.

  “Thanks,” Gwyn said while accepting a hand from Mina. She pulled him up with surprising strength and shoved him into a wall. Beat red face suggested she was very uncomfortable with what she was doing, but the elf still forced a harsh tone at him all the same.

  “You… you need to be serious! These guys are dangerous, and they won’t hesitate to hurt you!”

  “But, I…”

  “But nothing!” Mina looked as if she might cry, “They are the ones who took Haliegh and Fiona, you know! You can’t just be a pushover if you want to save them!”

  Mina let Gwyn go and put a hand over her chest while breathing heavily. Her arms and legs seemed to quiver, but she did her best to keep a serious look directed at Gwyn.

  “But, they are just Zenototes, like Harlan! They aren’t like the big fish; we can reason with them!”

  Mina shook her head. “They aren’t Zenototes. They are what people refer to as Xenototes.”

  Gwyn blinked several times; he was sure he just heard Mina say the same word twice.

  “What are you saying?”

  The orange Xenotote groaned, and Mina curb stomped his head.

  “M- mina!”

  “I didn’t do enough force to kill him, but we should get moving. Questions later. Your Needaimus should be able to guide us to a safe room.”

  Indeed, I can; I am putting a path in your vision now!

  Gwyn saw a line appear in his field of vision that went down the hall and curved around the bend. The old GPS trick again. He sighed and looked at the poor warrior who was so unceremoniously defeated. The elf girl was likely right. They should move for now. Grunting, he took the lead to where Mem decided was safe enough.