AllFreeNovel
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The last thing I saw was a troop of Sea Watchers.
"Bloody ashes," I mumbled under my breath.
I knew a few had been summoned to overlook the festivities and be a safe escort to the Atlanthyst Trench for members from both kingdoms. But this. This was not something I expected. I came without Engèli thinking the coast would be clear.
"Rot." I ground my teeth, quickly counting them and noting there was no means of escape. I would have to fight my way through this one.
"If it isn't Captain Ashthorn, the pirate prince."
The Sea Watcher looked into my eyes, then spat at the water below her, disgusted. The warrior, covered in head to toe oceanic armor with seashells and pearls in gold trim, and a long trident in hand, stared at me, fury contorting her face.
"We've heard stories about you. I believed them to be searot."
She lazily seized me up and down, seeming unimpressed. Her accent was thick, just like Corellis. Rot. Not Corellis. Princess Raeshelle. My chest squeezed. I pushed the feeling aside and focused on the Sea Watchers.
"I suppose some were right," the Sea Watcher said. "You do look like a wandering vagabond."
I didn't take the bait. I grinned at her as I eased my cutlass out of its sheath and summoned my ethèr.
"You know, I'm an easier ayèn to deal with than most stories allude to," I said, still smiling. "Lay yourself down for me like the pretty little seastress you are, and I'd be happy to confirm a story or two."
The Sea Watcher snarled and charged.
I jumped out of the way, whipped out my ethèr like a long, flashing cord, and flipped over the Sea watcher. The lightning rope swept over her head, pulled her in, and bound her ethèr. Electric rope shocker her. The Sea Watcher screamed.
Then the rest charged.
There was fifty in all. I turned the battle into a dance. I swam with confidence like my sea counterparts, spinning myself in the water, swimming beneath the Sea Watchers and slicing their guts open.
There were a few of them guarding the gate while the rest rushed at me.
I didn't slow down, losing myself in the dance of death, swinging my cutlass.
I didn't have time for this. Skies only knew how much longer King Au'Pearl's guests would be entertained before going to the Atlanthyst Trench.
A swipe of blue steel cut across one of my wings, sending aching shocks throughout my body. I screamed, spasming with agony.
"Blessed rot!"
I couldn't get anything else out. Fighting through gritted teeth, I shoved the pain aside and forced my attention on the Sea Watchers swarming me.
With supernatural strength, I dove beneath them, swam outside of their circle, and before they realized it, I swiped and struck flesh, using my wings like they were cutlasses attached to my spine.
Blood filled the water as a Sea Watcher shot across and swiped their trident. I leapt out of the way. Another blow came and landed, striking my left shoulder. Gritting my teeth, I pushed through the pain. I roared and charged the onslaught. I swiped with my cutlass. Then I cut through fabric, skin, and bone with the sharpened edges of my wings. One by one, the Sea Watchers fell, including the troop who stopped barring the gate to the treasury to come and provide a defense. I used my cutlass like an extension of my arm until I was the last angel breathing.
I didn't have the time to siphon out their fôrs and kill them spiritually. For now, their physical deaths would buy me time.
When no one else stirred but me, spitting out a wad of blood, I swam to the crystal knobs.
"Blessed Alpha, I just want to say thank you. None of the bloody idiots had been smart enough to just break my etherisc. Had they done so, I wouldn't breathe any longer and the sea would have claimed me. I know I'm not in Temple often like I should be, but thank you for saving my hide, again."
Grabbing a floating trident, I shoved the tip into a triangular mechanism that seemed to have the same shape. It worked like a charm. The gate clicked, something on the other side popped, and the doors swung open.
When I looked inside, I whistled.
There were infinite mounds of jewels, precious stones, and gems.
"Let the hunt begin," I laughed. Then I flew into King Au'Pearl's treasury, fake Atlanthyst Stone in hand, and began my search for the real one.
