Salt Storm: The Salted Series: Episodes #31-35 Galvin, Aaron (classic fiction txt) 📖

away, Allambee swept his butcher’s knife upward in a killing stroke that caught his opponent beneath the chin and nearly cleaved off the Orc-man’s head.

The swift brutality of his blow stopped the other pair. For a moment, the closest Orc looked back at the other, almost as if waiting to see which would dare to attack the young Kenyan next.

Allambee used the momentary mishap to his advantage too. Bringing his harpoon to bear, he flung it across the Salt with the accuracy of a well-trained and experienced hunter. The harpoon’s end plunged through the chest of the closer Orc, spinning the hesitant killer dead in an instant, leaving only one remaining enemy where three had swum not moments ago.

Despite his slain fellows, Chidi had only to look at the remaining opponent to know he would not be driven off. Not bad for a savage, said the Orc, raising his sword in a spiteful dare for Allambee to come and claim him too. Where did you learn to fight like that, boy?

Come closer and I will tell you, Allambee growled in reply. Swim away now, and I will let you live.

The Orc raised his arms to the surrounding, empty water. ‘fraid there’s nowhere for me to go, is there? Sneering, he pointed the end of his blade at Allambee’s chest. ‘An Orc without his pod is nuthin’ as it were . . . but the day I swim away from a savage boy and his Silkie pet is the same as I meet my end, savage.

You might be nothing anyway, Chidi thought but did not say as the Orc flicked his tail and began to circle them.

Allambee matched the movement, keeping his back to Chidi, skillfully using his tail to keep himself between her and the remaining enemy.

The Orc grinned at their deadly dance. Aye, he taunted Allambee. ‘An Orc without his pod is nuthin’.’ That’s what the Blackfin said when first he took me in . . . and I’d been nuthin’ out here for far too long to doubt his claim. So, let’s have us a go then, eh, savage? The winner takes your pretty Silkie friend there. The Orc waved tip of his blade for Allambee to come on. Come and take ol’ Arsen, if you can. Only one of us swimming away from here today, and that I promise you.

Both hunters swam at each other then, clashing in a melee of steel and spite. Where Chidi had seen Allambee’s surprise and skill work against the fallen two, in this last enemy she recognized a more experienced opponent. In close quarters, the Orc named Arsen used a collection of advantages – height, weight, and reach the most important of all.

Without the use of his harpoon to deflect the longer blade of Arsen’s sword, Allambee’s movements signaled to Chidi that he too had quickly recognized the disparity between himself and the Orc. For every wide swipe that Arsen made with his sword, Allambee used the wider flat of his butcher’s knife to fend off the blow.

Allambee! Swim away! She cried out, maneuvering away from him with the hopeful thought to draw Arsen’s attention from him and grant Allambee an escape to more open waters.

The Orc cared nothing for Chidi, his gaze trained instead on the Nomad boy who had murdered his companions. Come on then, savage! Arsen crowed. That all you got, eh?

Allambee met the Orc’s taunts with quiet, watchful patience. Prepared when Arsen struck out with another one-handed swipe of his sword, Allambee again moved in mirrored tandem to deflect the blow.

The Orc was the faster learner though. With his free hand, Arsen grabbed hold of Allambee’s hair and yanked him forward, head-butting him at the last.

Allambee! Chidi shouted when the blow sent her friend reeling, the young Kenyan blinking at the surprising, ferocious attack.

Arsen’s eyes glinted in victory. With his opponent stunned, the Orc caught Allambee by the wrist, twisting it in a show of force that made the boy cry out and then release his hold over the butcher’s knife. Not so tough now, are you, savage? Arsen asked as Allambee’s weapon sank and disappeared into the Salted depths. And you called yourself a hunter . . .

Seeing an opening, Chidi shot through the water as Arsen raised his blade once more. Before he could swing the sword to kill Allambee, Chidi careened toward the Orc’s face.

The Orc sensed her oncoming attack; Arsen turned away at the last, backhanding her with a blow strong enough to send Chidi reeling. Her vision blurred as the force of it knocked her away. Allambee . . . she cried weakly. Swim . . . swim away . . .

The strength of Arsen’s hit had Chidi’s vision swirling red and black. As the black began to fall away, the red remained to offset the surrounding water. The color expanded too, a watery cloud to engulf the two nearby combatants, one locked in the stabbing embrace of the other.

Allambee! Chidi cried out when witnessing the Kenyan boy’s head rolling back, his body slumped in Arsen’s grip. Chidi’s face warmed, her body drawing upon reserves she did not know she had to cross the distance between them, biting and clawing anew, not caring what happened to her if only it meant that Allambee would be free of the Orc.

Arsen swiped blindly at her, his fists connecting with her seal ribs several times. Oi! Leave off me, you bloody beast!

Chidi fought against him anyway, her constant attack forcing Arsen to surrender his defeated foe and swim away.

The Orc did not swim far.

As Chidi swam beneath Allambee to prop up his wounded body, she too discovered what Arsen had already learned; they were no longer the only ones residing in the surrounding water.

Like a horde of phantom mer, Chidi estimated at least two dozen other Salt Children had surrounded them on all sides and beneath them too. Multi-colored tattoos adorned their faces, their bodies bearing similar markings. Long-stretched scars revealed that most should have