Years after arriving at the Erberus Islands, Spike begins his path of growing stronger alongside new friends while facing new dangers. All while being secretly manipulated to his destiny that will decide the face of the world
Well, that adventure is finally officially over and it was quite the wild ride. I hope Spike’s training to learn the Rocket Flare move goes well. I bet its an awesome move. I also noticed exactly how much Aquilina means to Spike. I admit, Spike x Ember is my personal favorite ship for Spike but you do such a good job showing Spike and Aquilina together too.
Though now I am curious what will happen with the Horn of Centarus? At the very least it is good that Lana is finally free and is given a good opportunity by the Red Lightnings.
“Loveshot activated her slave tattoo. I’m taking her back to the ship. We’re heading out as soon as we get the daughter,” Spike muttered.
It was... not pretty.
“Where is that bitch of a whore?” Windward growled, stomping on the ground. “I’ll shove that horn up her plothole and turn her into a popsicle.”
Hmmm...kind of reminds me of something similar Azura said to you.
“She’s dead,” Spike answered, moving forward. Windward only nodded before following him. A moment later, he spotted Azura and Yasahiro talking to Agent Rexius while in between them was Captain Razor and his daughter, crying as they embraced each other. His friends soon noticed him holding Aquilina and were quick to appear.
“Is she okay?” Azura asked, readying her horn to assist.
“She needs to rest,” Spike answered, but nodded to Azura. “However, I’ll need your help to make sure. To the ship.”
She's been through a lot, all thanks to a certain slave-dealer.
Turning to the captain, Spike said, “We’re leaving as soon as you're ready. I want to get back to HQ.”
“Of course, I just need to get my daughter checked up by a doctor before we go,” Captain Razor answered, nodding. “I can’t thank you all enough...”
“Neither can I,” Agent Rexius said, walking forward with a smile. “I’d shake your claw, but I can see both are occupied. Just know that you’ve made a friend with the Legion today. I hope that we don’t meet on opposite ends of a job one day.”
I really, really hope they don't.
“Same here,” Spike aIS, looking at the destruction the small army had done. “What are you going to do about this place?”
“For the slaves we’ll find someplace for them to be taken care of. The guards we’ll just execute and dump their bodies into the sea,” Agent Rexius said which made some of the nearby guards turn white and start pleading for mercy, but their calls fell on deaf ears. “As for the island? Might be a good base someday.”
Spike would have rather seen it destroyed, but he didn’t care to mention it. He only nodded while hoping he never did see Agent Rexius again. Spies were not exactly the most trustworthy of sort, and this alliance only happened because of circumstance. He looked upon the vast numbers, machines, and weapons they used and grimy thought, I’d hate to see them use all this against us.
Me too.
Spike, meanwhile, had placed Aquilina in her bed and continued to watch her without moving. His thoughts went back to how she was screaming and twitching in pain as Loveshot forced her to feel agony without end. He had never seen Aquilina cry or weep as she did in his arms when it was all over. Spike was not an idiot by any stretch of the imagination. It didn’t take a pair of glasses to see how Aquilina always held a mask of arrogance, energy, and smarkness. Yet, beyond it, she was, like many other souls on these cursed islands, a broken bird.
After all, normal griffins didn’t start drinking at the age of twelve to block out nightmares.
.
The door opened and Spike glanced behind him to see Lana, now dressed in a simple white long sleeve shirt, enter quietly. Nodding to Spike, she walked forward and bowed her head. “I... I wanted to thank you... for saving me. I know it wasn’t easy and... some of you got hurt.” She turned her eyes to Aquilina.
“We were more than happy to help,” Spike said, giving a small smile. “No creature should be enslaved.”
“Five years...” Lana whispered, tearing up. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “Five years of a nightmare, and I still can’t believe it’s over... all because of some stupid horn I was hired to find...”
Horn???
“It’s nothing...” Lana said, shaking her head. She turned her eyes to Aquilina and slowly walked forward. Looking at her sleeping face, Lana sighed and closed her eyes. “Your friend... she was a slave once too, correct?”
“Yeah,” Spike whispered.
“Does it still hurt her?”
Every day.
“I see.” Lana turned away and held a paw to her chest. “How does one... go on after experiencing such a thing? Because I am afraid to wake up and feel that... nothing will be right ever again.”
Spike got up and placed a claw on her shoulder. “You take every day one day at a time. Only you don’t do it alone. You have your father and...if you want you can come to visit us.” Lana looked at him, surprised. “I know what it's like to wake up and feel like the world is just wrong; how one change in your life makes you wonder if it's ever going to be normal again? Truth is that it never will be normal again, or at least the normal you once knew. But you can make it a new normal. One that you can be satisfied with waking up to every dawn.”
Lana was quiet for a while, but slowly a soft smile appeared on her face while hope beamed into her eyes. “Thank you. I’d like to take up your offer of seeing you all again. I don’t think I’ll be heading into the high seas for some time after all this.”
I can only imagine.
“Sure, we’re always looking for creatures to help out,” Spike said, grinning. “The boss of the guild is my teacher. I’m sure he’ll work something out.”
Lana nodded before excusing herself. She closed the door behind her and Spike sighed before a familiar voice said, “If it was any other guy I’d swear they’d be only saying that shit to just sleep with her.”
“Glad to see you up,” Spike said, turning around as Aquilina sat up. “How are you feeling?” Her glare at him was enough to answer. “Right, stupid question. Need anything?”
“Something to drink... something hard...” Aquilina moaned, holding her head with one arm.
Not this time.
“No alcohol. Just water,” Spike stated as he walked over to a pitcher on the nearby table and poured some in a cup. “Azura did a quick check-up with her magic, but she’s not a medical expert. You’re taking it easy until we get back to shore and have the guild’s healers take a look at you.”
Aquilina opened her mouth to protest, but Spike narrowed his eyes and forced her to stand down. Handing her the glass, she drank the whole thing in one gulp before lying back down. “So...what happened?”
“Loveshot is dead. Good riddance. The Legion took over the island. We got Lana on the ship and we’re heading for home,” Spike said, sitting back down. “About what happened...”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Aquilina--”
“I don’t want to rucking talk about it!” Aquilina shouted, glaring at Spike. “Just leave me alone!”
Spike sighed and got up. Making his way to the door he paused before turning towards his friend. “I’ll be ready when you're ready.”
He then left, but as soon as he closed the door his ears picked up the soft sounds of sobbing.
Who else wants to hug her?
“Thank you for saving me...” Aquilina whispered, ending the hug. “I... I’m sorry I screwed up...”
“You didn’t screw up,” Spike said, before getting a raised eyebrow. “Alright, you screwed up a bit, but the point is we’re all home and the mission was accomplished.”
“I know, but I should have known!” Aquilina groaned as she rubbed the tattoo that had caused her so much misery and pain. “I should have known she would know how to turn this stupid thing on again! I... I haven’t felt it in so long I thought I’d... I’d...”
So lost indeed.
“You don’t have to--”
“No! I have to! Just...” Aquilina sighed and looked down. “Spike... she... she... didn’t just hurt me. Sh-she also... right here...” Her claw moved towards the area right between her legs and Spike blushed before growing.
I wasn’t harsh enough.
Well... I think her burnt body says otherwise.
”The tattoo... it doesn't just cause pain... it makes you feel...” Aquilina was now shedding a few tears. “My Mas-father he...”
“Aquilina, stop!” Putting his claws on her shoulders, Spike forced her to look up at him. “Aquilina, whatever she did and whatever your father did, I promise you it won’t happen again! I’ll never let them take you or hurt you like that! Ever! I’ll kill whoever tries!”
“Spike...” Aquilina sighed before nuzzling him. “Even if you did I’ll still have this damn thing on me forever.”
No, Spike thought, as he silently made a vow to the gods themselves. I’ll find a way to free you, even if I have to interrogate every member of Ars Arcanum to get an answer.
It will be removed!!!
“Here’s your payment. And a bonus for all your help,” Captain Razorwing said as he handed a big bag of silver to Spike. He accepted it with a nod before gazing over at Lana who gave a small smile. “We’re going to settle some things before finding a place to stay. Lana says you have a job for her?”
“We’re always looking for help at the guild,” Spike said, handing the bag to Azura who shrunk it with a spell and put it in her robes. “She won’t have to fight or anything. We look for cooks, cleaners, organizers, bartenders, etc.”
“After five years of being forced to clean my own shit off my raggedy clothes, I think cleaning tables of beer will be a godsend,” Lana said. “Thank you all again. I hope the gods watch over you.”
Me too.
“After all this? They better,” Windward said as the five turned around and made their way down the pier.
“So what do we do now?” the pegasus asked, turning to his group. “I mean I just want to get back to the guild, get drunk, and sleep for the next three days.”
“That’s one of the best ideas you’ve ever had,” Azura said, nodding in agreement.
“Well, here is another one. You and I could sleep together those three days?” Windward said, grinning. “After a few shots of hard Apple Cider?”
“On second thought, I’ll drink water.”
!!!
“I’m going to meet up with Marc and let him know we’re back. Azura, I’d like you to take Aquilina to the healers first,” Spike said before turning to said griffin. “And no complaints.”
“Fine. Whatever.”
“Great so what about you, Yasa--” Windward turned around and found their ronin friend was already gone. “I swear, one of these days...”
You know, I'm starting to wonder if Yasahiro is a ninja as well as a samurai.
“...And that’s what happened,” Spike said, looking at his teacher who had stopped leaning as soon as Spike mentioned the island was a slave pen. His expression turned serious and then darkened when he got to the part about Aquilina.
“Wish I'd bin theear ta kill deur Loveshot bitch,” Marc growled as some fire burst from his nostrils. “Bloody, Razor. If 'e told me da truf ov da damn job I'd 'ave put someone else innit.”
Pretty devious huh Marc?
He looked up and glared at Spike. “Ya not takin' anuvver job until I say so. I'll talk wiv Aquilina. Hopefully, she'll be right as rain after a week awer two ov relaxing.”
Spike nodded in agreement before getting up. He was about to leave when he paused and turned to Marc. “I want to learn the Rocket Flare.”
Rocket Flare?
“Spike. That move is an' all advanced one. Yer not ready, lad.”
“I just saw my best friend get abused in ways nobody should ever be,” Spike said, putting his claws on the table and glaring at Marc. “I’m not losing another friend like I lost Twilight, Marc. Now teach me or get bucked.”
“...Fine. Tomorra. Usual place. Do ant eat. Tha'il just wang it up.”
Hmmm...is this move somehow in tune for what's going to come next? Like Spike saving Ashwing's sister?
“Where the ruck are they?” Lana growled, tapping her foot impatiently.
Where are who?
“We’re always behind you.”
Lana gasped and looked around but there was no creature around. “H-hello?”
“Down here.”
Raising an eyebrow, Lana looked down to the water to see, of all things, an orange male Siren looking at her with his head covered by some kind of dark black helmet that covered his face. He also wore similar black armor, but she could see his soul stone around his neck. “Are you Lana? I was told you have the information our Lord has been searching for."
A Siren!!!
“Yes, but I’m confused. What’s a siren doing working for a warlord on land?” Lana asked.
“I have my reasons. Now give me the information. Where is the Horn of Centarus?”
Wait, the horn of who?!
Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a small piece of paper that held the coordinates. Glaring at it, wishing she could forget about the pace, she tossed it down to the water where the siren levitated it with his magic; keeping it dry in a small bubble. “There, but just so you know? He’s crazy into thinking he can get it. I lost half of my crew just landing on the damn island and the traps and beasts there are so great even dragons would have a hard time dealing with them.”
That must have been one tough island.
“That’s our problem. Now, you tell nobody about this, or you’ll wish you stayed locked up on that island,” the siren said before diving into the water without another word.
Lana sighed and felt a weight lifted off her shoulder. Making her way back, she hoped that she would never have to deal with that island or its cursed horn ever again.
Well, that adventure is finally officially over and it was quite the wild ride. I hope Spike’s training to learn the Rocket Flare move goes well. I bet its an awesome move. I also noticed exactly how much Aquilina means to Spike. I admit, Spike x Ember is my personal favorite ship for Spike but you do such a good job showing Spike and Aquilina together too.
Though now I am curious what will happen with the Horn of Centarus? At the very least it is good that Lana is finally free and is given a good opportunity by the Red Lightnings.
Well crap. I think that this is going to end up in the wrong hands very shortly. I hope this fool lives to see the misrery she has helped unleash.
It was... not pretty.
Hmmm...kind of reminds me of something similar Azura said to you.
She's been through a lot, all thanks to a certain slave-dealer.
I really, really hope they don't.
Me too.
.
Horn???
Every day.
I can only imagine.
Not this time.
Who else wants to hug her?
So lost indeed.
Well... I think her burnt body says otherwise.
It will be removed!!!
Me too.
!!!
You know, I'm starting to wonder if Yasahiro is a ninja as well as a samurai.
Pretty devious huh Marc?
Rocket Flare?
Hmmm...is this move somehow in tune for what's going to come next? Like Spike saving Ashwing's sister?
Where are who?
A Siren!!!
Wait, the horn of who?!
That must have been one tough island.
You just might Lana...you just might.