"Fuck man, it's just one chick! Someone fucking Stab he-" the pirate's voice was cut short as a knife stabbed into his neck. Skarlet had blood dripping down her face, this fight was rougher than expected. The pirates were keeping their distance while giving each other eye contact.

  Skarlet was panting, she yanked her foot forward and around, spinning her body and sword arm to slice an arrow out of the sky. That seemed to be the signal as they all leaped at her, she swung her knife again, cutting through the first person to reach her. He screamed and fell but the next person grabbed her knife.

  With a growl from deep in her throat she pushed with all she had, causing him to grit his teeth as he glared at her, blood pouring from his fingers as she plunged it into his chest.

  She'd killed him, but it was too late, she coughed blood as she frowned at the blade sticking out from her chest. Damnit that hurts you bastard.

  She ripped her dagger from his chest and stabbed the person behind her in the neck before slinging the knife at the person in front swinging his blade at her neck. The knife hit its target and she tilted her head to avoid the blade. Pulling herself off the sword and wincing at the blood wetting her shirt.

  She stumbled out of the way of a blade, pain dyed her cheek red and then her vision bled white as a fist smashed into the side of her head sending her tumbling.

  Skarlet coughed up a bit of flesh and puked blood onto the deck of the ship as her knuckles tightened into fists. She rolled over and kicked the leg of one of the men, with a satisfying crack he tumbled and yelped, leaving only two men left.

  Skarlet moved to grab her knife only to find it was being stepped on by one of the men, instinctually she let go and rolled as a blade pierced the deck where her neck had been. She stumbled to her feet once more, her claws slid out and all she could see was red as the blood from her head wound was dripping into her eyes.

  Skarlet leaped, ignoring the pain and started clawing. She received several more cuts and at one point another stab wound but she simply kept clawing till they stopped moving.

  "Skarlet, what are you doing?" Beatrice asked as she landed, immediately casting a healing spell. The girl was lying on her back looking up, panting while blood poured out of her and soaked the boards.

  "I'll be honest. . . I overestimated myself on that one. Group fights are far more difficult, especially without my sword." Skarlet replied, a bit lightheartedly.

  "There's more pirates, but they don't seem keen on boarding. Maybe you put on a good show." Beatrice noted with a hand on her chin as Skarlet sat up.

  "They're probably scared of you Beatrice." Skarlet spoke absently as she crawled over to her knife and wiped it off on one of the corpses clothes before sheathing it at her waist.

  "Maybe so." Beatrice said softly, Skarlet looked over Beatrice's shoulder to Amber, the girl was still sleeping Beatrice was carrying her on her back.

  "Yeah, actually, aren't dragons supposed to be extinct. . . Maybe it's not good to just casually show the world a dragon again." Skarlet pondered as she got to her feet, stretching her body.

  The ship's door opened with a creak and an old grizzled captain looked out. "Um excuse me, are the pirates gone?" He pushed the door open wider and stepped out glancing at the corpses "oh, wow, that's amazing I must thank you adventurer." He approached Skarlet aggressively and reached for her hand.

  "Um, it's not necessary." Skarlet frowned and distanced herself. Her eyes scanned him, a weathered man with the scent of salt and sweat lingering on his body. She was suddenly reminded of what she saw when she first landed. "What exactly do you sell sir?" Skarlet asked with an unconscious growl.

  "Umm well you see. . . Haaaaah, I can explain ok. Please give me a moment." He took a step back, taking a deep breath. "You see, something is happening in Gulress, a lot of sentences are being handed out right now. Gulress doesn't practice slavery however Kozak is nearby and does. . . Prisoners are being given the option bruh death and slavery. . . So I'm selling criminal slaves to Kozak." His words were accompanied by a lot of shifty behavior and darting eyes.

  "Why don't you treat us to a cup of tea, we did save your life right?" Skarlet smiled with only her teeth.

  "Of course, sure, yes right this way." The man leaped into action and led the way into the cabin. He pushed the door open while nervously wiping his forehead off sweat.

  Skarlet's eyes scanned the slaves, majority of them were older men, a few women, all looked grizzled and smelled of blood. They were all criminals, but nearing the end her eyes fell on a particular girl, her eyes were a beautiful red. She had pale skin and a black and red frilly dress, she was sitting like a noble even in these circumstances and though she looked no older than Amber she gazed at Skarlet with eyes of experience and age that matched her own. Another girl was beside her, cowering under Skarlet's gaze, she wore a tattered maid dress and had blonde hair. She was young and if Skarlet had to guess, probably seventeen or eighteen.

  A frown formed on her face but she quickly fixed it and turned away. In the back was a Captain's cabin with a table, the old merchant was hastily preparing tea. His hands wouldn't stop shaking and he accidentally dropped one of the cups, though his smile stayed as he quickly kicked the broken shards under a chair and set the two remaining cups down.

  "Aren't you going to have tea as well?" Skarlet asked, a real smile this time. Beatrice was simply observing all this while carrying Amber.

  "No, I find myself not very thirsty." he smiled wryly as he began pouring the tea.

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  "I checked your cargo and for the most part it checks out. I have no interest in these people's lives." Skarlet said in between sips, the merchant let out a sigh and visibly relaxed. Finding his tongue a bit parched after the stress, his eyes turned towards the fourth year cup still sitting on the desk where he grabbed the tea from.

  "Though one did intrigue me. The one with red eyes. What's her crime?" Skarlet crushed his hopes with her next sentence, a bit of cruel curiosity in her gaze.

  "Ahh, her, she's. . . Please I can't tell you anything about that one." The merchant began sweating bullets.

  "She reminds me of a noble." Skarlet tapped her chin with her finger while thinking.

  "Please, ma'm." The merchant pleaded.

  Skarlet stood up and poured the rest of her tea on the carpet. "Come on, do you fear the one who sealed your lips more or," Skarlet's claws slid out as she slowly approached. "My claws that are right in front of you."

  "Hiye! Ok ok alright fine!" The merchant exclaimed in defeat, "Her name is Ruby, she's a Princess of Gulress. . . There's some crazy stuff going on. . . I initially refused to take her, but they threatened the life of my wife. I was just gonna take her to the Kozak mainland and let her go before taking the slaves to the docks." He explained with teary eyes.

  "Hmm, troublesome." Beatrice spoke up.

  "This seems like it'll impact our time in Gulress. . ." Skarlet sighed as she looked towards Beatrice. "but, you know what? I bet she knows the location of Gulress's GodBeast!" Skarlet smiled happily as she looked back at the man, her eyes glinted like a predator. "Alright we'll take her as payment for saving your life. Thank you."

  "Hey wait! If they find out I lost her he'll kill me!" The merchant stumbled to his feet, bumping his knee on the table as he did. "Fuck." He hissed while hobbling after her. "Miss please!"

  Skarlet pushed the door open and headed down the hall, stopping in front of the cage containing the two girls. "Open it."

  "Ah. . . Fine." He sighed before dragging his feet over to the cell door and putting a key in the lock.

  "It's not up to me to come up with an excuse." Skarlet waved her hand at him as she stepped into the cell and reached out for the girl's hand. The Red eyed girl stood up and brushed her skirt off before taking the hand of the maid behind her and stepping forward. "Hold up, I'm not taking both of you." Skarlet exclaimed in annoyance, the girl glared at Skarlet.

  "I will not leave her." She stated firmly in a Shakey childish voice. Skarlet pressed her head into her hand for a moment as she thought.

  "Fine, I don't wanna stay here a minute longer than I have to." Skarlet finally spoke before turning around and gesturing for them to follow. "Beatrice, we need to find Cody, I'm getting a bit antsy without my sword."

  Skarlet pushed open the cabin door and stepped out onto the deck, Beatrice and the two girls followed. Beatrice gave Amber to Skarlet before she stepped forward and jumped from the deck, her wings sprouted from her back and she took to the air.

  "Still asleep huh?" Skarlet muttered as she brushed the hair from the girl's closed eyes. Soft breath leaked from her lips.

  "How are we gonna leave?" The Red eyed girl spoke up, moving to stand in front of Skarlet.

  "You'll see in a moment. Just be patient." Skarlet replied with a hint of annoyance, though at that moment her tail fur spiked up and her ears flattened. A sense of danger, she turned her body and a dull pain poured into her shoulder. "Fuck!"

  Skarlet stumbled forward and set Amber down, reaching up she grabbed the arrow and pulled it out with gritted teeth. She stood up, drawing her knife and looking around.

  A man was standing on the upper deck, he had dark skin and white hair, a crossbow was on his outstretch arm. He frowned as he seemed to have missed, he spun and slung his other arm out. Skarlet swung her blade, blocking the arrow before moving to leap towards him. Though her danger sense went off again and she kicked her own feet from under her sending her sliding forward as a blade sliced the air above her head and splintered the wooden door.

  Skarlet scrambled to her feet and spun just in time to block the second strike. She didn't have the maneuverability to dodge an arrow though as another buried itself in her back. She was looking at a boy with black hair and an eye patch.

  Out of the corner of her eye Skarlet could see Ruby grabbing Amber and moving towards the bow of the ship.

  Skarlet flipped her knife around and hooked the blade that came at her once more, pressing the full edge against her wrist. He was wielding an interesting curved sword with only one edge. With his sword under control she lifted her leg onto a kick, spinning her body for the momentum, he ducked and let go of his sword.

  With the new space Skarlet dodged an incoming arrow, sliding to one knee as she reached for the sword her opponent had dropped.

  "Aaaarggg!" She let out an unintentional scream that faded into gritted teeth as an arrow stabbed into her hand. She pulled herself back a second too late as a foot slammed into her face and sent her rolling along the deck.

  At that moment the sound of flapping wings graced her ears and she pushed herself up and started running. Ahead of her Beatrice was lowering towards the bow, she'd transformed into her dragon form and Ruby was pushing the young maid onto the dragon's back.

  Skarlet ducked as an arrow blasted past, footsteps were chasing her. She glanced behind her to see the man with the black leather cloak chasing her, sword back in hand.

  Ruby picked up Amber and lifted her onto the back of the dragon, Amber shifted slightly as she did, her eyes fluttering softly.

  Skarlet could hear him getting closer, she spun and slung her knife, with a clang he blocked and she leaped at him. Her claws came out, he twisted his blade, she grabbed it with her claws letting the blood trickle down her hand. His eye went wide as she kicked him and disarmed him again. Tossing the blade aside once more she turned and bolted.

  She looked up to see Amber looking at her, the girl was sitting up. But contrary to what Skarlet expected her pursuer kept chasing even without his weapon.

  Amber watched as Skarlet leaped, the man chasing her leaped as well and pulled his arm back for a punch, he smashed it into her back and Skarlet's face twisted on pain as blood exploded from her mouth. His arm moved and the cloth ripped to reveal metal as a blade pierced her chest. He ripped his blade out and let her fall, landing on the deck as she hit the water with a splash.

  Amber shivered, there was something swirling inside her head, she grabbed it and shook. Emotion, she was feeling real emotion for the first time since she could remember. An energy was swirling around her and she could hear voices, two people were telling at her and arguing with each other. One was nostalgic, the other was a recent memory. The energy was roaring and keeping her from hearing them, she didn't know when it happened but she was standing, she was walking.

  It suddenly got really quiet, as if the air itself had hushed for the awakening of a young dragon.

  Then with a loud roar, she screamed, the energy exploded and wind cut the ship's deck to splinters as the water began to rage angrily. Rising up like tentacles, they attacked the archer and the swordsman forcing them back.

  The swordsman bounced from spot to spot as the tentacles poked holes in the deck.

  "Kieth! It's time to go!" The old Archer called out before turning and raising his hand. An arrow was fired up and exploded into a bright red haze. The swordsman, Keith, leaped up to the roof just as a shadow descended down. A misty black creature with wings landed, they both quickly leaped onto its back and it began to run. As it reached the back edge it leaped into the air and disappeared beyond the clouds.

  Seeing that they get away Amber screamed again and the waves began to tear the boat to pieces. Ruby stumbled over to the side and peered into the water where Skarlet had sunk beneath the surface.