Vythin approached Isaac and filled him in on what transpired the night before.

  "If she plans to harm you then she is also harming my interests," Isaac said as he clutched the rail on the side of the ship; his stomach finally used to the rolling waves. "If she tries to do anything to me I’ll put an arrow between those red eyes."

  "You’ll back me up then?" Vythin asked.

  Isaac nodded, "We are allies, despite not always seeing eye to eye. Heck, maybe even friends. And if what Zohkah said about us was true, then we won’t need Umbra anymore. The Void will be defeated...somehow, so we won’t need her to hold it back."

  Vythin leaned against the rail and looked back behind the ship, "I hadn’t thought of that...if we do what Zohkah said we did in his time, then we could end her."

  Slate walked up, "Talking of killing a god? My my, you two are quite ambitious."

  Isaac turned to him, "I don’t relish the idea, but if she goes after Vythin then we may not have a choice."

  Slate shook his head and stared out over the horizon to the west, "If Umbra were slain, defeated, dethroned; then The Void would be able to push in."

  "But that’s the point of New Gods like us, right? And we were told that we would be defeating The Void, so why would it matter?" Vythin asked.

  "I’d assume someone could take up her mantle or sit on her throne - take her place when she is gone," Isaac said.

  "Perhaps. But she is extremely powerful nonetheless. And as to us defeating The Void itself, I think that’s more of a long-term goal, whereas this Umbra situation is much more immediate. The only way to replace Umbra fully would be to defeat her, rip the Aether Shard from her body, and then somehow absorb or implant it," Slate said.

  "Hypothetical situation - suppose Hanslow shows up when we’re back in Bastion and we beat him. If we take his Shard, will he stop being a god?" Isaac asked.

  Slate nodded, "The Aether Shards that lie within each of us are what grants us our divinity. I know how to extract it; simple surgery really. But it will most likely kill him." Slate ran a hand through his beard, "I don’t know how you could add his shard to your own though."

  Isaac pulled the small Aether Shard that he was given by Aqua, feeling it thrumming in his hand and resonating with the one in his chest. "We aren’t doing anything else on this boat. May as well give this a try." Isaac closed his eyes and squeezed the Shard in his palm. Alright...Shard. Go in me? Isaac thought as he felt the warmth swell within his chest. His closed fist warmed for a moment as he felt a surge course through him - blood pumping and adrenaline spiking just as it did when he was on the hunt for some dangerous creature. He opened his eyes and gasped, opening his palm - the Shard gone.

  Vythin took a step away, giggling, "Isaac...I think it worked. Whatever you did."

  "It felt...wow, what a rush," Isaac replied, feeling full of energy and a vibrant sense of clarity. The world seemed clearer, cleaner, and he could hear subdued voices. Looking over the rail, down into the depths...he could hear the fish talking.

  Vythin giggled louder and Slate was holding back a smile but failing.

  Isaac frowned. "Okay, what’s so funny you two?" he asked turning back to them.

  Vythin just pointed at Isaac and rolled back onto the deck of the ship as he burst out in laughter. Slate chuckled and flashed red for a moment as he created a small mirror in front of Isaac.

  On top of his head were two spectral antlers that poked out from the top of his skull. He reached a hand up and tugged on them, feeling a slight pull against his scalp despite their translucent and illusory nature.

  "What happened?" Isaac looked at Slate, "You always have answers."

  Slate handed Isaac the mirror, "You gained a new domain. Animals."

  Vythin slowly sat up holding his sides, "Oh, I laughed too hard. The look on your face! Priceless."

  Isaac held the mirror up and tilted his head at various angles. Stag antlers. Really? Gods, why?

  "It would appear that when you...absorb an Aether Shard you gain a new domain. Is that one from Aqua?" Slate asked as he controlled his mirth.

  Isaac nodded, "Yes."

  Vythin stood up and joined his companions, "So," he stifled a giggle, "We can gain more versatility with new Shards." Slate nodded and was about to respond when a bell clanged up at the helm. The three gods glanced up.

  Captain Sawtooth’s expression was stoic as he pointed out in front of the boat. "We have company! Three ships on the horizon."

  Isaac moved to the bow of the ship and could make out the boats in remarkable detail. "They are flying flags - dark black field with a crimson emblem shaped like a...squiggly line."

  "Prepare for fighting lads! We got Dark Tide coming!" Sawtooth yelled as he left the helm and scrounged around inside a nearby chest.

  "How can you make out that detail?" Vythin asked as he joined Isaac.

  Isaac glanced at him, "I…" How can I see that far?

  "Eagle eyes," Slate said very matter-of-factly.

  "I’m sorry?" Isaac asked.

  "Eagle eyes. You’re a god of Animals now; you can take on their traits. I imagine it's instinctual," Slate replied matter-of-factly.

  Isaac nodded and began to count the crew on the ships approaching the horizon. Ten per ship on the top deck with two ballista apiece, and crossbows.

  "It’ll be boarding then? Melee combat?" Vythin asked.

  Isaac shook his head, "Not unless you can close the gap . They have some nasty weapons."

  Slate smiled and gestured with his hands as a small spark flew towards the approaching vessels, "Just wait a few moments." Several seconds passed and Slate frowned, "The ships are...fire retardant…"

  "Aye!" The captain yelled, back at the helm holding a large crossbow with a small mount on the rail next to him. "Most ship wood is treated against fire. The sails, too."

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  Slate huffed, "I bet the crew aren’t fireproof." Slate snapped his fingers and several bright lights appeared on the approaching ships as screams could be heard across the waves.

  Vythin winced, "Seems awfully harsh, don’t you think?"

  Slate smiled, "They can throw themselves overboard if they want to extinguish themselves. Less combatants to deal with." And true to what he said, several of the blazing creatures went over the sides of the vessels, but continued burning in the water despite Slate's comment.

  Isaac grabbed both Vythin and Slate and pulled them down, shouting "Get down!" as he did. Several crossbow bolts impacted the exterior of the boat, and a few thudded into the deck behind them. A larger crack could be heard as a ballista bolt thudded into the front of the vessel. Isaac glanced back and saw a small trail of blue smoke wisp off of the crossbow bolts. What type of ammunition are they using?

  Sawtooth cursed, "Give them something back! Use what she’s got!"

  Vythin and Isaac dashed to the ballista. He instructed Vythin on how to reload the weapon as he scanned the ships, looking for the leader. They’re not on deck. Must be inside.

  "Loaded!" Vythin said as he stepped back.

  Isaac turned the ballista to the captain of the leading vessel as it closed fast. He let loose the bolt and it streaked across the waves. The bolt splintered before it impacted the boat, a small blue glow appearing in a bubble around the vessel.

  "A mage…that's a problem," Isaac muttered and turned to Slate. "Can you do anything about the barrier?"

  Slate shook his head. Isaac pulled the two gods down as another round of bolts thudded into the ship, much closer to where their heads were moments ago. "Thirty-two bolts, multiply by two…" Slate muttered to himself running through calculations before smiling, "The barrier is persistent and must take a lot of their focus. And they don't have full complements of ammunition. Maybe five more volleys."

  Vythin’s form shifted to his hybrid form, "I’ll deal with the lead ship if you two can deal with the others." Wings sprouted from his back as he launched upwards and skimmed along the waves, dodging the scant few bolts that flew at him.

  Slate looked at Isaac, "I’ll take the left?"

  Isaac nodded, "Don’t die."

  "Wouldn’t imagine it," Slate said as he ducked behind a rail near the ballista and made a throwing motion. Isaac began reloading the ballista when he heard a loud crack, followed by a boom; the left-most ship no longer had a main mast. "Fireproof, but not explosion proof!" Slate cackled with glee as he continued to pantomime throwing more explosions at the vessel - the crew scrambling to bail out the water and repair the holes as the cracks continued to split the air.

  Isaac aimed at the right-most ship which was a short distance away now. He aimed the ballista at the helmsman and channeled his heat, pulling the release. The bolt vanished and reappeared in front of the man for a split second before he was rocketed backwards and over the side of the ship.

  The deck moved under Isaac’s feet as Sawtooth yelled, "Keep that up! I can outpace these rogues. The Titan is faster!"

  Isaac continued his barrage; reload, channel heat, shoot, kill. The Titan turned away and held a tack with the wind; the slimmer trade vessel outpacing the larger war-ship of the pirates, forcing Isaac to abandon the ballista at the bow as he went onto the deck near Sawtooth. Twelve left, he thought as he glanced over the waves at the two other vessels. What used to be the center ship was covered in gore; bodies thrown about, blood coating the sails above, and a golden figure fighting with the crew, streaks of steel bouncing off of his scales as more blood spurted. The other ship was covered in holes as it began to sink into the waves; the crew diving overboard and paddling towards the ship Vythin was on.

  But something caught his eye. Isaac saw a huge, serpent-like shape beneath the sinking ship - circling… The crew in the water looked panicked. Isaac pointed "Captain, what’s that?" He asked.

  Sawtooth gasped, "A Leviathan!" As he spoke several curved arches rose from the waves as a large head appeared. Covered in wavy spines and a protruding maw not unlike Vythin’s own. The blue-skinned creature roared and brought its mouth down on one of the fleeing crew in the water. It was massive, the head easily half the size of the ship.

  "Will it threaten us?" Isaac asked.

  Sawtooth shook his head, "As long as we have people in the water it won’t come for us. They cannot attack ships! Some decree of Aqua long ago."

  Isaac looked back at the one vessel left pursuing them as he plucked a bolt out of the air that was aimed at his head. It’s an animal though… Isaac concentrated on the Leviathan as it continued to eat the fleeing crew. He channeled the heat within him into a single thought, projecting it towards the creature. Help me. The Leviathan sank below the waves, vanishing with a large splash. Damn. That was a waste. He looked back at the pursuing ship. How am I going to deal with this? I’m not good in a melee, and I can’t keep warping shots inside of that barrier. I’ll run out of heat. Slate joined him at the helm, waving his hand as a red sheet of flames appeared behind them. The few scant bolts still being fired disintegrating on impact.

  "I thought you’d have taken yours down by now," Slate said as he smiled.

  "I don’t want to waste everything on this. Who knows what might happen later?" Isaac stared at the vessel, racking his brain as to how he could deal with this given his resources at hand. If I could just break the hull somehow, that would slow them down and we could just get away. He heard a flapping noise as Vythin landed next to them, wings vanishing - the golden scales covered with red.

  A brief flash of gold and he was fully clean and in pristine clothing once more. "The mage wasn’t on the ship I took. So they have to be on that ship," Vythin said. "Haven’t dealt with yours yet, Isaac?"

  "I’m working on it," Isaac replied. "I just want the damned thing to sink," he said as several bolts fizzled against Slate’s flame wall.

  A loud crunch could be heard. Several spines poked out of the water surrounding the pursuing ship as the head of the Leviathan rose up behind them. It stared at Isaac for a moment before bowing its head. The long coils of its body rose up and went over the vessel, pulling down as the creaking and snapping of timber was heard. Screams rose up and the pirate ship started to sink into the waves, the Leviathan snapping panicking crew off of the ship.

  Isaac waved, "Thanks!" He looked at his companions who were stunned. Even Sawtooth stood mouth agape.

  "You could do that?" Vythin asked.

  Isaac leaned against a nearby rail, "I just asked her for a favor."

  "It’s a she?" Sawtooth asked.

  Isaac chuckled, "Yup. The females are bigger than the males...Don’t know how I know that. Anyways, keep sailing, Captain!" Sawtooth nodded and turned back to the wheel of the ship, muttering something about ‘weird folk’ being aboard. The three gods descended to the main deck and looked at each other before sharing a laugh.

  "How'd you get it to break Aqua's decree?" the captain shouted.

  Isaac shrugged, "I have a way with animals."

  "That was...something," Slate said.

  Vythin nodded, "I had an easy time over there. They couldn’t even pierce my scales."

  "I saw the blood. Do you think you went a bit...overboard?" Isaac asked with a slight grin.

  "Ha ha, punny. You try fighting with claws; it’s messy."

  Slate shook his head and yelled, "Captain! How long until we reach our destination?"

  "One more day, by the look of things. Do you mind cleaning those bolts off my ship?" Sawtooth yelled back.

  The gods went about cleaning the vessel as day faded into night, the ship was moored once more, and they went to rest.

  Midday arrived and Sawtooth came down from the helm. "It’s been interesting sailing with ya," he said as he crossed his arms, "But I don’t want to take ya back. I feel like ya lot draw trouble."

  Vythin nodded, "That’s understandable."

  Sawtooth laughed and clapped Vythin on the back, "You lot’ll be fine. Strange folk draw strange folk. If ye stop being strange and ye love the sea, ye can join my crew. We could be mighty pirates," he winked and chuckled.

  "Thanks for the offer," Isaac said, "But I don’t think pirating is the life for me."

  A large island rose in the distance. Some low mountains stretched along the center of the landmass. A tropical expanse came into view. White, sandy beaches. Crystal clear water with schools of tropical colored fish swimming below in a rainbow. They tacked southward and the city came into view. A large stone quay extended out a quarter mile into the water; many ships of all sizes and moored along the artificial terrain which formed a barrier protecting the shore. Several other large boats were moored in the harbor beyond, and sounds of merriment could be heard echoing across the waves, peppered in with the occasional shout or cry of pain.

  Further in were several smaller wooden shipping docks and a ramshackle city made of deconstructed ships that scattered across the waterfront before rising to be built into, up, and along a small cliffside. A large blue obelisk stood at the start of the dock made of painted wood. Sawtooth swept his hat back and bowed, "Welcome to Pirate’s Paradise. Enjoy the booze, brawling, and the women!" He pulled the ship to one of the wooden docks, and the gods climbed down.

  Vythin turned around and gave it a shove, pushing it out to sea, waving to the Captain. The gods turned their efforts towards shore, and the town of outlaws, brigands, and thieves.