552 CHPT 552: Slaughter Tide

West…..

Helena said the land of the Primals was westward according to her glimmering starlight compass in the sky. Each star only grew brighter, splitting clouds like magical blasts through steam.

The sun descended, divebombing down into the tumultuous ocean currents ahead of them. Ahead of their journey. Westward. And with its daily demise, new screeching things zipped across the skies. Creatures of the deep awakened as if the sun was finally appearing in their aquatic domain, giving way to the start of their day.

They didn't know the Moon was the start of their day too. The start of many things.

But not yet. It wasn't at its apex. The pull was manageable. Even so….

"I can't swim." One of the Wolves blurted out.

"Then you'll die." Li sneered.

"You won't swim if you follow my lead. Remember your positions. Stay on the path and only take down what jumps in your path." Claude explained as he paced ahead of everyone with the ocean at his back. His limbs felt warm— already soaking up Lunar Magic.

"On Full Moons there is no designated t—"

"With me there is." Claude pulled off his longcoat and tied it around his waist. "You follow me. If you can't see me, follow whoever's in front of you. If you can't see them, follow the path beneath you. And try your best to listen to your mind."

"This is suicide." Tara snarled on behalf of the Lions. Marcel hung beside her, eyes wild as they gazed at the late day ocean. He hadn't spoken in days.

"Alright fuck it. Stay if you want, Tara. I'm sure you and the lions will have a better chance against Sgt Bertrand alone." Claude turned away from them and walked out into the ocean.

For a moment the small waves took him, wetting the fur around his ankles and legs as he padded deeper inside. Seconds later he was rising. Under the setting sun and encroaching darkness he seemed to walk on the waters orange and black twisting surface. Balanced. Poised. Tense as all hell.

He held his right hand out. The air cringed physically in a way that felt more like their own vision faltering. It pressurized and steamed, distorting the images ahead as multicolored shapes and energies vortexed and lengthened into a staff with a rainbow blade.

Claude aimed Overfang forward and the ocean surface dipped for a mile, revealing an intricate and fortified walkway made of vine, corals and seaweed.

The stronger— more dangerous beasts of the deep roared in protest of his dominance. Tentacles flew out of the water like whips shrouded in electricity and acidic ink. Many eyed serpentine things spun beneath the surface like salted worms in a bowl. Frantic and frenzied. Claude returned the animal cry of defiance with a Commanders Howl that rippled the waves and bolstered his Shift Inspiration.

The Silver Cursed behind him partially transformed.

"Remember the formation." Claud waved them forward and as he walked ahead.

"I feel twenty again." Helena bellowed like a Dinosaur before shifting and diving into the waters with her other Crocodillian Shifters.

They guarded the left and right side of the walkway. Jagged and scaled backs visible as they slithered at his sides. The waters splashed and twisted as they snapped at eachother. Halfway between frenzy and disagreement. It was hard to give them his focus….

A work in progress.

The Tigers filtered in next with Li at the helm. Stripped skin and webbed feet and hands, they looked like semi aquatic wild-men with whiskers. They were also the next most adept swimmers.

Claude's knowledge of animals was becoming a gift from the gods.

They rode the outer edges of the walkway, ready to dive in if need be to assist the Crocs.

Next in was the Lions led by Tara. Flanked by the Wolves for one reason.

Lions had the lowest stamina. The Wolves would have to carry them if the journey went on too long. No breaks. Straight shot. Shifting on the move just like them.

"[Any chance your father was a general?]" Arne asked. "[This is….. this is a functioning unit and formation I must say.]"

"Arne were fried…." Claude panicked as the Crocs snapped at eachother…. And the Lions snarled at the Tigers…. And the Ocean roared.

For the first time in a long time. He had stage fright. Only way to describe it.

"[Don't. Don't crumble now, dammit. Turn around.]"

Claude couldn't peel his eyes off the dark chaos of the ocean, growing more luminous in an all new way as the Moon rose.

"Ursula must feel this t—"

"[Turn, Alpha!]" Arne snapped.

Claude hesitantly turned.

The Shifters formation stilled.

"[You got them this far. You got YOURSELF! This far. They need your mind to be still. Live up to your Potential. This is what Romulus wanted— this is what you need. Deep breaths before you dive, mate.]"

Claude shut his mouth and inhaled through his nose. Quick deep breaths. Eyeing— acknowledging what he brought with him.

His hand tightened on his spear.

Gills opened up in his neck. Fur fell off his lengthy lean frame and replaced with smooth dense skin.

He turned and threw his spear as a giant Fishman exploded from the waters.

"RUN!"

Claude took off, diving into the water to retrieve his spear and finish off the Fishman. Its tentacle arms slid off his aura as he swam back to the surface and landed on the path.

[+300 EXP]

From all angles more Fishman tailed them. Some had bladed dorsal fins. Others had glowing appendages and bone swords.

"Keep moving! Leave them to the Helena and the Cro—"

Li jumped for the waters as they ran. Luckily Claude kept him close. He swung out with his malevolence Tether and knocked him back into formation.

"Focus!"

Li snarled— but listened as blood and body parts filled the seas.

"[Remember to be still…]"

It felt impossible as the Sea folded in on them.

A Fishman covered in spikes that reeked of poison dove out of the waters straight at him, landing on his spear like it wanted to be there. The pressure of his Dominance caused the creatures ribcage to splinter and explode outward into the ocean.

He threw it to the Crocodiles just in time for another to come.

"Li!" Claude caught the Eel-like creature by the face, absorbing the electric shock as he threw it back to the a Tiger.

Happily, Li caught the creature with his teeth despite their egregious size difference. As he ran, he dug his hands into its back, ripping through its spine and ribs in such a frenzy that when it finally fell it had no recognizable midsection.

"Ohhhhh I love the water!"

"[Thats it. If you can't do it all, compromise. Give and take.]"

And that's what he did for the next few miles they ran. The Wild Magic became richer as they traveled deeper, further away from any possible human development from any age. Wood Weaving was like working an old muscle.

It came to him more clearly with every waterlogged step until the path became more intricate and expansive. More colorful. More full of life. Mo—

BWSHHHHH!!!

A massive black shape exploded from underneath the bridge, breaking it down the middle and sending Claude, Li, Tara and Helena flying.

He recovered midair, using his Malevolence Tether to sling them back on the path before he landed in the water.

Immediately he borrowed the traits of the nearest creatures. Panicking as a crown of scaled spikes jutted from his back.

King Mosasaur.

He swam in a blur. Watching as the shapes followed behind. Dark and cloaked with magic. It wasn't just fishmen. The beasts were on leash and bone harness covered in ugly runes. That was the only way he couldn't have sensed them before. Cloaking magic. Or they just fell out of a deep sea Tangent.

"King Mosasaurs controlled by something. Keep running. Keep fighting." He relayed the message.

"Watch out…. Invisible hands." Helena's voice was fragmented as it rode the chords of their pack link.

He kept it present in his mind all the same. The Mosasaurs followed.

Claude twisted as he swam, reaching for the bridge of nature with his magic. Didn't take longer than a second before he swung his arm across his body. Straining under the weight of elemental magic.

A dozen building sized spikes exploded from the bridge next to him and slammed into the nearly invisible King Mosasaur.

SQLCH!

"MMMMBMBMBM!"

Its black reflective scales split and shattered like glass over red velvet.

Claude twisted the spikes inside the Monster, grinding up its organs with every ounce of effort available. Flakes of flesh and bone fluttered under the waves.

In the blur of blood and viscera, Claude dove deeper. Suckers opened up between the scales on his arms and feet. His elbows and knees sharpened.

He flipped in the water and blasted backwards, finding himself swimming on the underside of the next King Mosasaur mount. Its massive fins on each side sent tremors and downward currents straight into him that felt like full body punches.

With a couple swats of the cold current, he reached its underbelly and stuck himself to it. It was loud. The barnacles and algae smelled of old blood and salt. The creature was decades old. Powerful— held bac—

His mind numbed at the presence of magic. Communicative magic. Something that required two. Twisted and bastardized but familiar.

Just like when Evelyn first used Beast Tamer Magic on him.

"What the—"

An invisible hand grabbed his leg and yanked him. Before he could react the surface welcomed him in a deafening symphony of loud winds and snarling creatures.

He faced a humanoid thing. White skin untouched by sun, patched by scales. Tentacles grew from his head like dreadlocks, slithering around his neck and groping his gaunt and broad shoulders. Rags, bones and deep sea old world artifacts jingled in the winds.

Helena's voice came in clearer, "Kraken Priest."

For a second he couldn't care less as the Full Moon ascended to full power.

A dozen minds— a dozen urges hit him at once like a battering ram.

He grabbed the Kraken Priest and threw him onto the path. Into the heat of a whole pack of fully transformed Silver Cursed beasts.

The others ran. He followed, riding his own King Mosasaur.