II. Week Six: Predators from the Primal World

Predators from the Primal World

Original Story Recorded in

The Enchanted World

Water Spirits

  Dröfn spoke of this creature as quick and deceptive. She warned him that slaying this for her honor wouldn’t be the last ‘monster’ in his wake and he continued to take her directions as she road on his back. It was odd, having a rider. He hoped he would never have to have one. Mikey kept glancing back hoping that Dröfn hadn’t fallen but seeing as they were traveling over the sea she wouldn’t really have to worry about the fall. She was a wave. It wouldn’t hurt her. Now, as for her father? He’d probably get angry and curse another year or years upon Mikey’s head so Mikey continued to check despite knowing of her safety.

  Slowing him to a stop, Dröfn pointed at a ship, it had three sail one that towered over the other two holding the birds nest. Below, Mikey could see the crewman and could hear them sing.

We love to hear the voices

Of maddens as they call 

But dread has fill our eyes 

As water begins to fall

Above us rises the waves

Of the God of the sea 

and lurcky waiting for our daze 

Is the serpents who are deadly

We seek to master the ocean 

To drive away the spirits of the sea 

But awaiting our demise is the fate alas to be 

Its eyes glow with vengance 

With blood lust, the only goal 

Waiting for our spirits 

To dull as we grow old 

And snatch us out of our youth

Shall the serpent of the sea 

Attempt to take our lives with 

The true love of our lives, the sea. 

  Mikey wondered if he could talk to the nymph, as he came to find, the same way he talked to her father. Attempting it, he spoke in his head.

  Fin? He questioned hoping that she could hear him.

  “Yes?” She asked aloud.

  You can hear me?

 “Only because you’re wearing me around your neck.” She smiled.

  Oh. Mikey nodded. Well that made sense.

  “What is it, my Wyvern?” She asked again.

  Why are they singing about death as if it’s funny? Mikey asked. Apparently, his heritage seemed to accept death better than he had been taught.

  “They speak of what you hunt.” Dröfn replied simply. “Some Seafarers wish to master tge ocean and drive away the spirits in its wake but thankfully, we have creatures like you around.”

  But. Mikey protested.

  “But?” Dröfn wondered.

  “I thought I was supposed to be killing the creature that’s about to kill them not them before the creature.”

  She nodded. “He’s a quick one. So keep your eyes peeled of the sailors might be singing their daring hearts for the last time.”

  Mikey smirked. Since when did she care about mortals all the sudden?

  Eyes widening, Mikey flew in over the area in which he has seen movement. Sure enough, blended in with the surfaced coral was the creature. It was slim like a snake but had a head of a fish. It had no wings and reminded Mikey of a giant eel but this time, giant eel meant one that could easily wrap around that massive ship and sinking it without any trouble.

  Beginning to worry, Mikey tilted his head to the sound of a voice. It was distant but Mikey could hear it. A whisper. It was a whisper. Then, it went out in a fuzz. Mikey turned to Dröfn in curiosity and asked, “Are you doing that?”

  Dröfn shook head head. “Doing what? Mikey, don’t take your eyes off your prey. I told you, he’s quick. He’ll take down that ship and all the crewmates before you even make it a third way towards the ship.”

  Shaking his head, Mikey tried to communicate.

  Who… who is this?

  A hiss loud and clear replied. What do you think you’re doing here? I’m hunting! Get that piece of trash out of my sight.

 Piece of trash? Mikey looked around only to see Dröfn and looked at her silently before looking away.

  Fin?

  Eh! Whatever you want to call her. I have no business with her, now you two go play slavery somewhere else because I’m starving!

Mikey looked down at the serpent, it seemed to be making eye contact with him despite the distance.

  What did Dröfn do to you?

 WHAT did she do to me? Her father got a hold of me that’s what! The serpent hissed.

  I went out to eat without her and she got all upset! The serpent’s hiss thickened.

  She hated it when I would kill the ‘innocent' sailors one day for a weeks lunch! He expressed. I don’t think we were even together for half a millennia!

  Mikey tilted his head. These two…dated? And now he was supposed to kill the serpent. Mikey knew everything had to eat. He didn’t want the crewman to die but he also knew dealing with Dröfn’s father wasn’t exactly pleasant.

  The God almost starved me to death! He exclaimed. Then when I was at my weakest he sent me out of prison to live alongside her, where I’m only allowed to attack one ship every two weeks. I’ve had to eat my own kin because of that God!

  Mikey turned to Dröfn in confusion. Are you sure I have to do this?

  Dröfn looked at Mikey in amusement. “Do you want them to die?”

  Well… No. Mikey sighed. But it seems to me that this is more personal for you than it is for me.

  A flash of anger gleamed in Dröfn’s eyes. “You are to kill that scoundrel. You understand me? He’s not the only one of his kind so at least you are making him go extinct.

  I didn’t think your father kept track of the creatures, mythic or not, in his waters.

  “Are you kidding? Of course he does!” She exclaimed. “But this serpent in particular deserves his death, you’re only ending his misery.

  Is that what she calls it?! The serpent yelled from below. Come here, Wyvern. Let me smack her around a couple of times. She’ll learn to mess with me every again.

  Mikey looked down at the serpent noting that the ship was starting to vanish from view. The sailors had sung the song a good ten times by now.

  I won’t do that for your sake, friend. Mikey said hoping he could get out the situation clean. All he had to do was distract the serpent long enough and then convince Dröfn that since the serpent didn’t eat he wouldn’t be feeding on his meal this coming week.

  Friend. The serpent spat. My kind don’t speak of such and neither should yours Wyvern. You are from the West not the East, I do not see a shrine praising you, asking you for rain.

  He wasn’t sure what amused him more, fact that this serpent could actually be considering him as a friend, or that fact that he was having to kill again. Even if the creature wasn’t mortal. That only made it worse. She said there were more of his kind which was supposed to make him feel better but Mikey knew Ægir wasn’t the happiest customer on the planet and no one should be held under his wrath.

  East? There’s a difference between the dragons from the west and dragons from the east?

The serpents cackle was a raspy and huffy sort of laugh. You must be new to your powers to be helping her and to not know about the different types of dragons. Even I’m not a dragon but I know.

  Mikey shook his head, Making Dröfn grasp his shoulders. He apologies to her and ignored her comment.

  I have two dragon friends. One can swim and fly while the other can cause beams of light to shoot out his mouth! They’re both hydras. One’s immortal and thr other one, I’m not sure really, I would think so but if someone takes his heart too then I guess he wouldn’t be.

  Ah, the Lernaean  Hydra’s reincarnation finally decided to show his face huh? Interesting.

  Mikey didn’t know why he even bothered.

  Look, I don’t want to kill you.

 And before Mikey could finish the serprent let out another laugh. You kill me? Classc. His laughing continued until finally Mikey had enough.

 Listen! You already lost your lunch, now go, pretend like you’re going to wait till the next shipment comes it. This time it was Mikey’s turn to hiss.

  The serpent thrashed and dove into the water, if Mikey had been born of the ocean he would have died that moment. A few seconds later, the serpent reappeared, far from the island in which it had laid in.

  Looks like we’ve got company.

 Company? Mikey asked and almost spoke, lucky his Wyvern self squawked and Dröfn looked at him with curious eyes not bothering to ask.

  Yea, you’re with Dröfn and word has spread she has a new sex slave aka you buddy.

  What?! Mikey exclaimed to the serpent. Sex save? This is nonsense! I’m only thirteen!

  The serpent chuckled. In mortal years?

  There are other kind of years?!  Mikey asked in panic.

  Again, the serpent laughed. Looks like you have time to prove yourself. Tell you what. Go ahead and pick a fight with me. Leave her on the island and come fight to the death with me as a token of friendship.

  Friendship?! Mikey didn’t know what kind of friends this serpent had but apparently ones that didn’t live very long because he was still kicking, or swimming in this case.

  Quickly, Mikey headed towards the island and Dröfn let out a scream. “What do you think you’re doing?! Don’t put me down there!”

  Mikey shook his head. It’ll be safer for you there, at least you have your father to protect you. I’ll be back. I promise.

  Gasping, Mikey reverted to his reflectioned form. Lookng at his hand, he then looked up at Dröfn.

  “Did you do this?” He questioned.

  “Only for a moment.” She said, meeting his lips and embracing him. For a water nymph she was warm. She felt solid, she felt mortal.

  Letting go of the kiss, she met his dazed eyes. “Come back to me.”

  Mikey’s heart did a flip and abruptly landed as the serpent spoke in his head.

  She’s the worst you could fall upon. Out of all her sisters, she wanted the ‘real’ monsters and that’s what got me at first but I was wrong. Even if you have the slightest chance of winning against me, make sure you don’t actually fall in love with that woman. She is a wave. A wave of catastrophe.

  The moment Mikey would hit the water would mean Game Over for him so he had to think of something he could without having to touch the water. Serpent darting at him from behind, Mikey dodge and found the serpents tail speeding right at him, letting out a roar, Mikey watched in amazement tail of the serpent began popped like a bubbled and oozed out, exclaiming in pain, the serpent complimented Mikey but Mikey didn’t bother to respond. Not out of rudeness of course, he like the serpent. The only problem was they were fighting to the death and this wasn’t the serpent’s first match. Darting over Mikey, Mikey rose, the serpent was trying to get him closer to the water and that, Mikey knew he couldn’t do.

  As he flew up higher and fast, Mikey let out a wind of air, falling toward the sea. His back numbed, the serpent must have hit him between the wings somehow. Feeling the serpent coil around him, Mikey waited for the imaginary light that people spoke of before they died. It was only a movie concept in his mind but something had to be true after all he had been through.

  Suddenly, he felt the grip of the serpent loosen. Quickly, Mikey returned to his reflectioned form and surfaced the water. There, he found the serpent exclaiming in pain, the places where the serpent had squeezed him were burning. Burning? Mikey looked closer in amazement. That was it! He was acidic! He knew that. But he forgot that his skin was the same way.

  Emerging out of the water as his trueself, Mikey darted for the serpents head. Hissing, it opened its mouth wide to snap at Mikey, swerving, Mikey attached himseld to the head of the serpent, Giving more of a scratchy screech, the serpent tried to hit Mikey off but couldn’t since Mikey had touched his eyes to blind him. Now, the serpent’s tail trashed about and when the tail did finally slam into Mikey, the rest of the tail started to bubble.

  Mikey breathed hard. Why must you have fun this way? Mikey muttered and fought himself to stay conscious, the serpent hit him hard regardless of the recoil.

  With no reply, Mikey’s vision blurred. The screaming of the serpent became distant and fuzzy until everything went black.