“Where are the yeti?”the nagen demanded.
It was impossible to breathe. Cyrus shook his head no. Greves raised his cudgel.
“For the last time!”
“Captain!” the second nagen screamed.
Cyrus looked to the ship’sprow. Fibian! The froskmanclung to the soldier’s back, dressed in onlyhis whale skin wetsuit. He stabbed the nagen’s blade repeatedly into the creature’s neck.The armored demon crashed dead to the floor. Fibian fellon top of the body, tumbled across the deck, then sprang into the air like a hellcat. He landed on Greves’ head and tackled the captain to the ground. The nagen bridged and rolled on top of the froskman.Greves abandoned his cudgel and grasped Fibian’s blade hand by the wrist. Fibianclutched Greves’ opposing hand in his vise-like mechanical grip. Cyrus watched asthe yeti-made hand bent steel and tore silk. Grevesdrew back. With wiry legs Fibian kicked the nagen in the chest. The captain flew backward.His back struck the cabin wall. Again, Fibian was airborne. Grevesspun, then thrust out his right foot. He struck Fibianmid-air. The froskmancrashed sprawling to the slick deck. Grevesbrought his armored foot down hard on Fibian’s chest.The froskman rolled. The blow struck his spine. Fibian rolled again. Greveskicked him in the ribs. Fibian sprang to his feet, awkward and hunched. Greves shook off his bent, armored glove and inspected his wrist. His handwas covered in coarse brown fur. Short yellowed claws grew from his long fingertips.Greves rolled his wrist, then pressed the attack.
Cyrus gathered hisbreath. He clutched the mainmast and rose up off of the ground. Then he picked uphis sword and slowly staggered towards thecaptain. His body felt heavy and cumbersome.He dreaded what he must do next.
The nagen slipped Fibian’sslashing blow and countered with a clubbing strike that caught the froskman’s blade arm. Fibianfumbled his weapon. Then the captain spunand drove his armored elbow into the froskman’sslender nose. Fibian grasped his face and crashed backwardinto the port side rail.
“Greves!” Cyrus shouted.
His voice was low and weak.Blood smeared his lips. The nagen paused,then looked back. Fibian had his opportunity. He leapedinto the air, his mechanical hand ready to strike. Without looking, Greves spun and thrust out his left leg. He struckthe froskman in the ribs. Fibianwas sent hurling over the port side rail. Before his body hit the water, Greves spun again. Cyrus’ face erupted in splintering agony. He collapsedto the floor, grasping his scarred nose. He kicked and clawed backward towards safety.He peered back through his bloody fingers. With his gloveless hand, Greves picked up Fibian’sblade. No! Cyrus tried desperately torise, but the pain and dizziness were too much. He prayed Fibianwould return, that Sarah would save him, that Greveswould make his death quick.
The captain crossed the deck and kicked Cyrus in the stomach. Cyrus’ vision grew dark. He fought in vain to draw breath. Greves graspedhis long, dark hair and lifted him half off of the ground. He pressed his bladeto Cyrus’ neck.
“I’m not going to askyou again,” the captain said.
Cyrus looked towards theport side railing. Where was Fibian? He looked towardsthe cabin. Sarah? He looked into Greves red,ratty eyes.
“Then kill me,” he spat.
“As you wish.”
Cyrus felt the blade cutinto his neck. Then he heard a loud hissing noise, but not the hissing of a nagen, the sound of something else entirely. Greves paused, then drew back his knife. On theback of his bare hand clung a snow-white spider.
“Edward…”
Several milky-white eyes bulged from beneath the blodbad’sfur. Then Edward’s brow grew thick and broad. The spider’s jaw snapped open, exposinga row of square, white teeth. Where once two fangs had protruded, there was nowa pair of black, swollen contusions. The bulges quivered and swelled. They pulsatedand trembled. They expanded and became taut. Then two needle-like sabers burst forthfrom the wounds, dripping black venom. Edward bit deep into Greves’ hand and dug his spiny legs into hisflesh.
“NOOO!”
The blodbad’s torso began to quiver and convulse. Thecaptain dropped his weapon and gripped hisarm.
“AAAAAAAHHHH!”
His flesh blistered andbubbled. He thrashed about, shaking his arm as if he meant to tear it off.
“NNOOOO!”
Sand began to pour fromthe seams in his armor. Then he collapsed to the deck, his body disintegratingto a mound of dust, silk, and steel. Cyrus fell with the nagen’s dissolvinggrip. He crashed on top of the pile.
“Edward,” he gasped.
He clawed through Greves’ remains. Finally, he found his best friendtrembling under the sneering face mask.
“Are you okay?” Cyruswheezed.
The spider’s brow was receding,and the ridge of fur up his back began tofall. Cyrus scooped Edward up in his hands.
“I’m okay,” Edward said,breathing hard. “I woke up in your clothes, nauseousand groggy. You and Fibian were fighting that thing.I wanted to help but without teeth… Then the blodbad inme took hold.”
Edward pursed his lips.He seemed to search his mouth within.
“New teeth,” he said, bewildered.“I didn’t know I could do that.”
“Fibian!”Cyrus said.
He placed Edward on hisshoulder and stumbled towards the ship’s port side. Fibianclung to the hull of the vessel, struggling to grasp the rail. Cyrus reached downand clutched the froskman’s mechanical arm.Groaning, he hauled his injured friend backaboard the boat. Both fell into a heap onto the deck. Cyrus’ back spasmedand his ribs throbbed.
“I’mso sorry,” he said, catching his breath, “I went too far. I see that now. I never should have ignored you.”
“Sometimes, to find truebalance,” Fibian said,a slight grin on his bruised face, “you mustfirst seek imbalance.”
“Were you just floatingout there the whole time, waiting for me to mess up?” Cyrus asked.
“When the Warrior Witchintercepted our exiled craft,” Fibian said, “I guessedthat she had something other than a frontal assault in mind for the Battle Hune. I fled into the sea and decided to monitor hertactics from a distance. I was about to infiltrate the hunewhen I spotted Sarah swimming towards Rorroh’s ship. Youcan imagine my surprise when I found you aboard, locked
