Chapter 99: Aella’s Journey
It was all going according to plan. The demons, completely distracted by whatever nonsense the dolphins were doing, had not immediately noticed that the Tooth had started to move. By the time they got into position, however, it became clear that something had changed. The smaller of the ships had turned, as if it planned to flee back the way it had come. The dolphins, likewise, had scattered. The Grand Admiral ordered them to open fire on the bigger of the two ships, trusting that the sirens could sink the smaller one.
Cannons rained down on the enemy, who were slow to return fire. Epelda's whistle cut through the din. Aella looked up to the crow's nest, though she could not properly see her daughter in the darkness. Epelda's second pattern of whistles called for a horizon check, and so Aella pulled out her spyglass and did a sweep. Dragon's sweat-covered ballsacs! On the western horizon, coming in fast, was a strange cloud of darkness. More demons, cloaking their ship so they could not see what was coming. She whistled a quick pattern up to her daughter, calling her down.
Epelda fluttered down in the darkness.
“They are trying to surround us,” Aella said, skipping to the problem at hand. “Get back to the floating log. Your fiance should be there. Help him launch it at the third ship. We will lose this encounter if we are pincered.”
“Yes Admiral.”
“And Epelda?” she couldn't help herself. The young woman stopped abruptly.
“Ma'am?”
“Be careful.” The Sylph's expression softened.
“Yes mom.”
Aella allowed herself a moment of worry, watching Epelda take off into the sky. She knew her daughter could fly for an hour or so without rest, but there had always been the option of a safe landing. Now she flew over the open ocean. And the waves were growing. The Grand Admiral stood up straighter, as her last thought crashed into her. The waves were growing! She looked out, and saw that the waters were rougher than they had been mere minutes ago. She called for the crew to baton the hatches. Something was wrong. A cannon ball from the enemy slammed into her cabin door, shattering it. She growled angrily.
“Gradmiral!” came a tiny voice. She felt her heart leap into her throat. Little Egaz had somehow escaped Basiano's care and made his way onto the thrice damned deck as dragon's bloody cannon balls rained down! She was instantly at the little boy's side, swallowing her worry.
“Egaz! You cannot be here!” She had to yell to be heard over the cannon fire.
“You have to run!” he yelled back. His face was streaked with tears. “He said if you didn't then the ship would tip over!” He motioned at the waves. “Please, step mama, listen!”
She looked down at the little boy who spoke to the Dragon of Shadows. The demons were her enemy. But this was her step son. She closed her own eyes, and turned her face toward the moon.
“Help me,” she begged silently. She felt warm, and she turned to look at the little boy. His face was practically shining in the moon light, the tear tracks almost glowing. She picked him up, held him close.
“Go beneath,” she ordered him. His lower lip trembled. “We will run. Your mom can catch up.” He winced as if struck, but nodded. She put him down, then blew her whistle again, ordering a hard to port.
Without Epelda's magic, it was considerably slower to do a quick change of direction, but the wild waves helped move the ship away. The cannon fire ceased as the demon ships struggled to stay afloat. It was soon clear that both ships were taking on water, and row boats were being lowered on the smaller ship. But in the massive waves, the boats were tipping over, dumping demons into the drink and damning them to drown. As Aella observed the destruction, she turned up toward the moon again.
“Will Nereida be alright?” she asked out loud.
As if to answer her question, a terrible cracking sound filled the air. Aella threw herself to the deck, expecting some kind of explosion. When she looked up, her heart dropped into her toes. A massive, writhing dragon rose out of the other ship's cabin, and wood had splintered everywhere. The Ocean Dragon roared, agony and rage in her tone. She had never been so big! Aella stood slowly as her crew began to panic and cry out.
“It's just Nereida!” she called to them, though the fact that her wife had burst from the cabin in thrice damned dragon form was absolutely terrifying. “Helm! Get us some distance!”
The chaos on the deck subsided as people fell into familiar patterns. The chaos in Aella's heart only got worse. She looked up at the moon. She felt silly, addressing her for a third time, but what else was she to do?
“How can I help her? What should I do?” She closed her eyes, let the magic of the moon wash over her in a way that she usually fought. She could feel the moonlight on her skin, cool and calm. She let the magic in, welcomed it, because she needed to save her wife, help her. Her own face swam back at her, though it was strange to see herself with a welcoming smile and eyes that seemed too kind. Is that how Nereida saw her? Still, she understood, she had to be there when Nereida returned, had to open her arms and let her in. At least, that seemed to be the message. Certainty faded as she opened her eyes. She pulled out her spy glass as they moved farther away, looking for the other two sirens. Had they been caught as well?
But with some luck, she saw as Kana surfaced, pulling her husband behind her. He was unconscious, wounded. She could not risk sending a boat to them in the wild waves, but she did have them throw the rescue ropes down.
“When they get to us, bring them both below. Have little Alejo fill up the bathing tub in my quarters and put the husband in the water!” She called out order after order until her voice grew hoarse. The sirens safety put into the hands of her other crew, she climbed halfway up the rigging, and searched the horizon for her daughter and Jules. She saw her daughter perched on the floating log, as they waited for the enemy to close. The third ship had veered from its initial approach, and was still on a course to engage them. Jules seemed to be reorienting the log for maximum damage. The Admiral put the spy glass down, content that her daughter and Jules could do it.
Turning her attention back to the demon ships they had already engaged was worrying. Nereida, as a dragon, was covering the smaller boat with ice. The second ship, which had recovered itself as the waves began to calm, were opening fire again. Not on the Tooth, but on the dragon! Aella swore loudly. Her distress brought Evander, who hurried to her side.
“Do... do you want me to let him out?” Evander asked with a shaky voice. She turned toward him, took in how his worry made his scar crease.
“No,” she replied after a long, painful moment. “I don't think his presence will help her.” She watched in horror as a cannon ball made contact with her wife's dragon body. She was thrown off the first ship into the ocean, and a huge spray of water erupted, blocking sight of dragon and ships. Aella took a deep breath, watching wordlessly as the Ocean Dragon burst out of the water, this time beside the bigger ship, and she used her momentum and the waves to capsize the second ship as if it were nothing more than a dingy. Next to her, Evander let out a low whistle.
“She's pissed,” he observed. Aella chucked nervously.
“An understatement, I think.” She handed him the spy glass. “Check on Jules and Epelda. I can't watch them both.”
The dragon continued to rain destruction and pain on the demons. She howled loudly, her voice echoing over the water. All manner of water-beasts rose at her command, and so fish, dolphins and octopus were soon dragging demons into the water. No one escaped.
“Dragon's tits!” Evander whooped. “They took out the demon's mast! One hit! The Countess is on her way back, as is her beau.” Relief flooded into Aella, and she let herself relax for a moment.
After the chaos calmed, Kana had managed to get her injured husband on board. The crew had cleared a way to their cabin, so that she could get through, and Alejo and Dymion were waiting for them. Epelda reached the ship, safe but exhausted. Jules swam up minutes later, climbing up the rope ladder that had been lowered for him. He wore a proud, almost cocky grin that shattered when he saw the dragon in the distance. He dropped to his knees, placing his head down on the deck in worship. Aella tried to quell the frustration that grew in her heart, but she settled for walking away from the young man. The Great Dragon of the Ocean was perched on the capsized ship, watching as demons were drowned by sea life. There was nothing human in her actions or her stance, and Aella felt a growing sense of dread. When the Ocean Dragon noticed the third ship, she dove into the water, her massive form disappearing under the choppy waves.
“Where is she going?” Epelda asked, her movements slow and her face a mixture of sadness and horror.
“To end the threat,” Aella replied. Her tone was hard, and left no room for argument. “Everyone stand down. We need to let her do what she will.”
“And if she comes for us?” one of the older crewmen asked, his voice shaking with fear. “Beggin' your pardon, Admiral, but that's the Ocean! She cannot be tamed or reasoned with. What if we are next?”
“Leave her to me. She won't harm anyone on this ship. But stand down, and give her space so that we aren't swept up in the destruction.”
The crew stood down. They furled the sail, content to wait out whatever happened. Some went below deck to rest, since it was still only midnight. Epelda sent Jules to find a pair of crates, and she sat on one, motioning for Aella to do the same. After a long moment, Aella sat, feeling useless as she watched the Dragon of the Ocean claim another ship. She ravaged the ship, tossing demons off the ship like a child tossing dolls. The dragon was massively larger than she had been the last time they had transformed. They had both sat on the deck of the Tooth together, but now she seemed to take the whole deck up with her size. What did it mean if the dragon was bigger?
The dragon did not finish her conquest of the ship until nearly morning. She did not let everyone drown, but played with them as a cat played with a mouse. Aella watched with the spyglass for a few minutes before she put the spy glass away. It was not Nereida who commanded the body. Her wife would not be so cruel. But as dawn's light peaked over the horizon, the dragon seemed to tire of her games. She curled on the top of the ship as if she planned to take a nap. Aella called for a row boat. Jules volunteered to row with her, no one else was willing to brave the waves. She did not force the issue.
They rowed in silence, though there was an expression of awe on Jules' face as they came closer to the dragon. She was beautiful, in her own way, her sapphire scales catching the dawn's rays like gems. Still, she wanted her wife back.
“Nereida!” she called to the dragon. The dragon opened one eye slowly, lazily, but it was not Nereida's stormy eyes that looked at her. It was a blue eye, cat-like in shape, that stared down at her. “Great Dragon!” Aella tried again. She reached for the dragon, touching her scaled claw carefully. She was hit with a vision, stronger than she had felt in a long time. She was drowning in darkness, and something jabbed her, hurt her, she was screaming for mercy but none came. And then the image ended, and all she felt was overwhelming grief from the dragon.
“Let her go,” she pleaded. “We can't help them if you keep her. Please, Ocean, give me back my wife.” The Great Dragon gave a great sigh, but her scales began to glow, and she began to shrink. Before long, Nereida was the one curled up on the ship. Her dress was in tatters, barely giving her any modesty. Her right leg was still covered in scales from her thigh down, though they were smaller scales. She was pale, circles beneath her eyes, and her hands shook uncontrollably.
“Jules, get us home.” Aella commanded as she helped the shivering, shaking siren into the boat. He gave a terse nod, his face full of worry, and they set off.