Being the only ohat see in the dark, I lead my group of misfits to the Seden’s Orbit. The ship is undeniably impressive pared to the ships I’ve e across. It has a thick hull, girthy top and side masts, with an elongated bow that makes it look elegant but also dangerous. Disregarding the many closed portholes hiding the ships ons and the single rge ballistae on the deck, the ship would scream danger if not for the clear ck of crew.

  We arrive he ship's entrand note a bloodless dead body hidden behind several crates. The expression on the corpse shows signs of surprise and suffocation.

  After gng around for a moment, I urge the group up the pnk and onto the ship proper. The smell of blood hits me from a couple dires.

  My ear flick as I listen to the enviro, but I hear no he deck is empty.

  Sniffing, I hop off Emma’s shoulder and silently rush to where the st of blood is most present. What I find is another corpse- this oted through the stomach.

  “What did you fi- oh shit,” Daveed curses when he sees the puddle of blood.

  The rest arrive a moment after with simir reas. Except for the statue. He has a rather stony expression.

  I pce a paw on the blood and grimace.

  “This is bad. This is very bad.” I announce.

  “What is?” Daveed asks. “Should we even be here? Are we in danger?”

  I turn and gre at the man. I lift up my paw with a bit of dripping blood. “No, this blood is very fresh. Barely any coagution. Whoever did this is still around. My bet is he’s ihe ship. We shou-.”

  I hear a loud bang e from below me. Kind of like dynamite, unshot.

  “Fuck. They are taking my prey!” I whine. “We’re going inside. e on.” I hop on Carrions shoulder.

  “Let's go inside. I will not have my prey taken from me!”

  “Isn’t that-”

  “Dangerous?” I finish his question. “Not nearly as much as my anger if my prey is dead. Now let's go. I’m hearing fighting below.”

  ______________________________________________________________

  Both fear and curiosity war with Emma’s emotions as Carrioers the ship followed by his younger brother. The thought of turning around and leaving them to their fate does e to mind, but is quickly suppressed by the thought of losing her friend. She takes a breath and follows the boys.

  “Just like your mother.” She hears her father ent before walking in step right behind her.

  Now that she’s inside, she hear the reverberations of breaking wood and the ding of metal toug metal.

  “Faster that way.” Quasi points and Carrian moves and she follows. As she gets closer, the sound of fighting intensifies. Eventually, the group reaches the [Captains] and where the fighting is taking pce. At the entrance, she instantly notices a young human child peaking from the side.

  “Cy? What are you doing here?” Quasi asks the child at the doorway.

  “Fluffy?” The boy excims in surprise.

  “Yes, it’s me.” Quasi hops off Carrian and nds o the child. “Now what's happening?” Quasi then looks through the doorway. “Is that Boriss? What the hell is going on?”

  Emma looks through the doorway to find a human man with a hammer fag off against a naked Buxon wielding a Battleaxe.

  “Boriss was showing me how the KGB fight.” He expins.

  Quasi frowns. “KGB… what? Why?”

  “They sent people to kill us.”

  “Ohhhhh,” Quasi nods. “They attacked and he wants revenge… I uand that. What I 't uand is why you have to be here. You’re not even ten. You should be back at the ship sleeping, not following some crazy Russian.”

  “He was showing me all the ways to kill people.” The child expins.

  Emma, Daveed, and Carrioo choke at the child's words. Eveatue has a rea, albeit through the eyes only.

  “You’re not even ten.” The cat whines. “Goddammit.”

  The cat walks into the room. “BORISS.” he yells.

  The two fighting stop, though it was less of a fight and more like Boriss getting pyed with by the Buxon.

  “rade Fluffy, you are here!” Boriss excims happily.

  “Yea, to kick yoddam Russian ass. What the hell is wrong with you? Why are ying Cy to a flict?”

  “Is good for training.”

  “Cy is goddam seven!”

  “I kill first man when I was seven. Is normal, yes?”

  “You killed your first- no that is not normal. Who the hell kills there fir- goddam you frustrate me.”

  “Ho. A talking cat?” The Buxon interrupts with a grin.

  Quasi looks away from Boriss to stare at the Buxon. The Buxon is rge, spiky, and very red.

  “Oy, I’m busy talking to my subordihe cat waves a paw. “Go suck a horn or something.”

  The Buxon ughs. A throaty, angry ugh that reveals sharp teeth. “This day gets worse and worse. My crew is dead, my [Mage] is murdered, and now a fug cat is talking down to me.”

  “Oh shut up you whiny red bitch. You make it sound as though SOMEONE SPILLED YOUR MILK. Because I see no fug spilled milk, so dont even think about talking to me about a bad day.” Quasi huff angrily. Theurns back to Boriss. “Boriss, when we’re done here, we’re going to o have a versation about your a, and probably a versation about what stitutes normal.”

  “Am I actually being ignored?” The Buxon asks.

  Quasi rolls his eyes. “Yes, you’re being ignored,” He excims. “So just shut up a me finish my talk with my subordinate. I’ll deal with you in a bit.”

  Emma ’t help but snort rather loudly at the sheer insanity of the situation and the expression on the Buxon’s face. The man looks both surprised and pissed in equal measure.

  “Now, where was I? Ahh, right. Boriss, yo-”

  “DEAL WITH ME?” The Buxon roars. “No, it’s me that's going to deal with you.” He gazes at all those present with an intelligent ao the ing anger. “All of you. I know your faces. I will find out where you all live. Ead every one of you will be dead.”

  The Buxo Quasi.

  “Especially you. I’ll turn you into a fug or.”

  Quasi opens his mouth to speak, only for the statue to take several steps forward until he stands at Quasi’s right. With a swish, he points the runed greatsword at the Buxon.

  “I will not accept threats to my daughter,” He says with no appareion.

  “Dad!” Emma yells in surprise.

  The Buxon looks him up and down. “Ahhh, you’re that Gemma [Ruh]. I think your name is Afinov?”

  “And you are [Fleet Captain] Calvaron.”

  “So you’ve heard of me?” Calvaros his battleaxe on his other shoulder. “That's good. You curse my h your dying breath.”

  Boriss walks to Quasi’s left. “We fight now, yes?” He takes a stah hands firmly around the hammer. Bruises dot his body, but nothing too severe.

  “Stamina good?” Quasi asks the Russian.

  “Da,” the Russian nods.

  “Good. Then I don’t o dey.”

  Calvaron raises an eyebrow at the cat's words, and then takes a step back as smoke explodes from the cat's location. Not a moment ter, several gasps e from the doorway.

  Calvaron takes a surprised step back. He even takes a stah his Battleaxe.

  “You’re a wolven?” Theices the horns. “No, a Fenrimorph! Here?”

  The Fenrimrins. It’s legs lower and it rushes forward with a speed few could react to.

  Calvaron is one of those few. His axe moves quickly to meet the rushing Fenrimorph, but the Fenrimorph dodges by hopping up and over. At the same time, Boriss and Afinov reach Calvaron. Boriss whips out his hammer while Afinow sshes forward with his greatsword. The Buxon ters the bde, dodges the hammer, and then spins backwards with a strike that almost hits Quasi.

  __________

  “Did you know he’s a Fenrimorph?” Carrian asks Daveed while their eyes are glued to the ongoing battle.”

  “Y-yes. That’s why we surrendered and why I followed his dires.” Daveed expins.

  “What's a Fenrimorph?” Cy asks.

  Carrian looks at the curious child. The child looks nervous, but not necessarily afraid.

  “They are monsters who i and turn others into monsters,” Carrian expins.

  “How?” Cy asks.

  At the same time the child asks, Quasi sshes with a cw across Calvaron’s arm. Skin tears followed by sparks as cws meet bone. Not without cost, for the Buxons axe slices into Quasis chest. Afinovs uses the opportunity to get a solid hit on Calvarons bad Boriss sms his hammer into the Buxon’s side. Blood and sparks fly from Afinovs strike while Boriss’s hammer bounces off.

  The three back away from their foe. Calvaro the three, seemingly uninjured except for the tears in his skin. Tears that have already stopped bleeding.

  “From a Fenrimorph’s cws ah,” Carrian says.

  Emma frowns at the rexed look on Buxon's expression. “He doesn’t seem worried about turning into a monster.”

  “Buxon’s are immuo poisons, curses, and iions.” Carrian says.

  _______________________________________________________

  Afinov g the Fenrimorph and the human fighting with him. They are skilled, maybe even more skilled than himself. But, skill alone isn’t enough to overpower a leveled Buxon. They don’t have the raw stats… aher does he. They’re going to need luck.

  “He’s put nearly all his points into [Endurance]. His bones are going to be harder than Rune-reinforced steel. Focus his joints, throat, and head. The armor there is thi.” He expins to the two.

  Theices it. The hammer in the human’s hand is runed. He ts ten runes, and from the runes, he already deduce the effect.

  “Why are you not activating the hammers ability?” He asks the human named Boriss.

  Boriss g the hammer for a moment. “I not know how.”

  “Switch.” He throws his sword towards the Russian. The Russias quickly by throwing the hammer. They catch each other's on and then take a stance.

  Calvaran notices the exge. His eyes squint dangerously at the now lit runes on the hammer.

  Quasi growls towards Boriss and Afinov, and then rushes into the fight. Boriss and Afinov join bato the dance.

  You would think three skilled fighters against a single enemy would be enough to overpower him. But no, the Buxon’s biats, skills, css, and experience give him an edge that numbers alone ot overwhelm.

  ________________________________________________________

  “They’re losing. We should leave while we .” Carrian warns.

  “I’m not leaving my father.” Emma excims..

  “You’re father 't win. The Buxon’s going to eventually win.”

  “No. That's my dad. Maybe if I-” She takes a step forward, but Carrian quickly grabs her wrist.

  “Are you crazy? What the hell you do? What we do? We’d just be in their way.”

  “Perfect”

  “QUASI!” Cy squeals.

  ________________________________________________________

  Goddamn this guy is annoying. How he move so fast and so well? It’s like he has full vision of his surroundings or something.

  Each time we surround him, he dodges and attacks far too well. He even keeps away from walls so as to allow himself greater mobility.

  I g the sword in Boriss’s arm and the thought of wielding it passes through my head. But the thought leaves just as fast as it is formed. My trol is far too low and the handle is too small. On top of that, Boriss wouldn’t be able to fight.

  Instead, I g the Statues glowing hammer. He’s yet to nd a hit with it, but the Buxon’s wary.

  Fuck me. I’m going to have to bait it, aren't I?

  Steeling my resolves, I rush around the Buxon while keeping a close eye on my allies. When the moment arises. I rush in for the kill. The Buxon notices me and sshe his battleaxe towards me. Instead of dodging, I raise my arms and lean into the strike. Surprise rises from his expression as the axe rips into my arms. I feel muscles, skin, and sinew make way for the crag of my bones. Pain finds its way into my skull followed by my body accelerating away and Cy screaming out my name.

  But ignore all of that as a grin rises to my face. Boriss capitualtes on the opening and stab forward; towards the Buxons neck. The Buxon, uo riposte with his axe in time, lowers his head and blocks the stab with his armored skull. An impressive rea, but not adequate enough for the third oppo.

  Afinov swings the glowing runic hammer with the full weight of his body. The Buxon attempts to block it with his free arm, but it matters little. The arm is pushed bato the Buxons side followed by the sound of a gunshot. The Buxon goes flying and crashes violently into the wooden wall.

  “They got him!” I hear Emma excim from the door. She pushes Carrians arm away and starts walking towards her father.

  “Stay back!” Her father yells. “It’s not over.”

  She stops and then looks towards the Buxon. Who is already standing. The buxo side is shattered and cracked. The Bones are stig in and outside the left side of its body with the left arm thhly mangled. Even with all that damage, the Buxon is standing with a grin.

  He looks at the Fenrimorph sitting with both arms limp at its side. “Smart move. I didn’t expect you to sacrifice your arms for an opening.” Calvaron pliments. “Too bad it was wasted.”

  With a grunt, he raises his mangled arm.

  “[Instant Armor Repair].”

  All watch as the Buxons bones shift and ch bato pce. Calvaran grimaces from the pain, but ig as his bees back to normal. Within two seds, the left side including his arm is back to normal. Except for the skin, which is still missing.

  “It has been a long while since I’ve been forced to use my skill.” He tests his left limb and wi the paiernally, his natural armor is healed, but internally, his muscles are damaged.

  “That hammer’s more dangerous than I thought.” He grunts. “It won’t hit again.”

  _____________________________________________________

  With o g the Fenrimorph, Calvaron starts walking towards the st two. Each step sends a wrack of pain from the left side of his body. He feel the internal damage; The weakened muscles and ligaments. Normally, his innate muscuture would allow him to move freely with damage. But the damage now is far too severe.

  Fav his right side, he takes a staowards the Gemma, the only and major threat against him. The human, though skilled, cks any way to bypass his defehe only danger is that hammer, and that will be his focus.

  Rushing forward, he does a test swing on the Gemma. As expected, the Gemma parries his strike with impressive physical strength. But is then easily forced back by following strikes. Though Gemma are strong and sturdy, they’re greatest weakends to always be their speed. Lugging around stone for skin has a tendency to slow movement by quite a bit.

  Sensing it behind him. Calvaroo the right and swings his axe. With little resistahe sword is parried away. Then Calvaron goes for the kill, but the human is fast enough to fall backwards and roll away from his range.

  Instead of following, Calvaron turns and re-ehe Gemma. The Gemma is quickly forced back with each swing of his axe. Every step forces him closer and closer to the wall. While pushing, Calvaron keeps his senses open for when the Human attempts to attack. But no attaes. Wary of what is happening, but refusing to give the Gemma an opening. He tinues his onsught until the Buxon’s back is stopped by a wall.

  Bsting away the Buxons hammer with his axe, he swings diagonally and carves straight through his chest in a spray of blood.

  “FATHER!”

  Though hearing the scream, Calvaron ighe yell and instead quickly turns towards the human once again aiming to stab through his neck.

  He sshes with his battleax with the io parry, but the human expects this. When his axe strikes the sword, he feels ance as the momentum tihe human had let go of the ht before his axe made tact. Then he sees the human’s arm whip towards his face.

  Reag quickly, he raises his axe and feels the ding of a dagger bounce off the metal.

  Then he lowers the axe, only to have a d right below his .

  The cat grins.

  “Nobody spills my milk!”

  The disappears and is repced with the Fenrimorph. The monster's teeth around his throat while its legs bend on his chest.

  Then the legs extend. The monster hops away with Calvaron’s throat in its jaw.