My‑re fell through the air. She tried to grab onto something, anything, but the smooth side of the grounded Unsinkable III flying ship’s hull didn’t provide anything to latch onto. Instinct from her gladiator training and many falls on the sands took over. She relaxed her body as best she could and bent her knees. The ground came up fast. Covering her head, a solid jolt of stars blasted her vision, hitting the ground. She immediately fell to her side. The ground, softer than expected, prevented her from bouncing. Knowing this was where the crew dumped their waste over the past two weeks, she didn’t dwell on the likely reason. Her whole body ached like a Shewish Giant had tenderized her figure with a maul.
The snarls and barks of numerous crag wolves surrounding the ship focused her attention. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. My‑re lay face up and looked at the sky. Her body didn’t want to move, like she had just woken up too early in the morning. She saw one of the wolves charge her prone form. Her axe was strapped to her back, with no time to remove it. Defenseless, she closed her eyes and accepted her fate.
The wolf crashed into her. My‑re felt its coarse and bristly fur against her skin. Her hands grabbed the beast’s massive pelt and pulled defensively. She would never win in a contest of strength. However, it wasn’t moving. She noticed arrow shafts embedded in the wolf’s head and shoulders. Up above, archers lined the ship’s railing.
“Get up, you idiot!” yelled the voice of Vomarian. “You’re a Lord Protector! Fight!”
Ha, I’m alive! My‑re rolled into a crouch and stood. Her world spun for a moment, but she righted herself. She brought her battle axe to guard.
Three of the wolves’ countless numbers charged. Arrow fire brought the leader down immediately. The other two clambered remorselessly over its body.
My‑re brought her battle axe slicing across with tree-felling power! Struck on the side of its head, the wolf immediately went limp, like a light turned off in its brain. The other charged. She threw a piston-like side kick at her opponent. Her foot connected with its face. Nose cartilage sickly snapped and popped. It yelped, cowered, and retreated.
“Alright, who’s next?” My‑re shouted and then quipped. “I can do this for another eight or nine more minutes!”
A deep growl emanated from within the horde. The front line parted, and several crag wolves pushed their way through. My‑re recognized the lead wolf. Its brown and black fur bristled, and the long, curved, bone-like spikes traveling down its back stood at attention. Marred across its face by the mere dragon Koma’s claw, one eye had turned the color of a hard-boiled egg, blind and useless. The other had a razor-like focus at seeing My‑re. The creature’s lips parted, unsheathing yellow-stained fangs. The wolf’s gums receded from its teeth, turning them into daggers.
My‑re shouted, “Any thoughts on getting me out of here would be most welcome!” She backed up until she reached the ship’s hull. She cursed in Rathiri, and with no retreat, she stood on death’s ground.
The crag wolves fanned into a semicircle with the scarred one at the pentacle. They were preparing to attack, snarling, growling, and scratching at the dirt.
The two wolves on My‑re’s flanks leaped. She whirled her battle axe from overhead with demonic fury!
Whoosh!
Two enormous boulders landed solidly on the charging wolves. The wolves’ broken bodies turned into pulp under their massive weight.
The crag wolves paused.
The sand-colored rocks began transforming, and boulders fused into Havelock’s golems, Rock and Chip.
The horde of creatures, including the alpha male, backed away.
“Now you’re in trouble! Ya mangy flea-infested bastards! Hey!” My‑re yelped. The slightly smaller but equally impressive golem, Chip, grabbed her around her chest and lifted her off the ground to its shoulders.
A wolf charged the other golem, Rock, and bit into its boulder-like leg. The attack bounced off. Rock unleashed a bone-crushing kick of incredible power. The wolf sailed into the air and landed somewhere within the masses.
In the wolf's hesitation, Rock turned and proceeded to the ship’s hull. It bent slightly at one knee, body at an angle, and stretched its arms upwards. With My‑re on its shoulders, Chip began to climb up its brother’s body toward the railing. Shagornan Elves were already reaching downwards to take My‑re’s hand.
Seeing their prey escape, the crag wolves descended on Rock. They bit, scratched, and clawed at the stone golem, which was turning into a makeshift ladder for Chip.
Chip stood on Rock’s shoulder, but considerable distance remained to the railing. My‑re climbed on Chip’s head, and she and the elves strained hands. She inverted her axe handle, stretching, but a gap remained.
In an unorthodox fashion, the wolves now used Rock’s body for footing and attempted to follow My‑re.
“Start tying rope together!” Vomarian ordered. “Hurry!”
The predators were ascending the golems. They reached Chip's body.
My‑re kicked at them.
One fell. More took its place.
She tried to swing her axe. It put her off balance. She almost tumbled below.
A claw raked her leather boot.
Chip shook two crag wolves off its arm. The creatures fell into the masses. The golem reached up and grabbed My‑re’s nether region.
“Hey, pebbles! Watch the fingers!”
The stone golem cocked its arm and threw My‑re upwards into the air. She banged into the railing, bounced, and fell. She frantically scrambled to catch onto the edge of the ship. Multiple hands slipped and grabbed at her.
“We got you!” Vomarian shouted. “Pull her up!”
Like a child, My‑re felt herself being lifted by the Shagornan Elves. She glanced back. Chip and Rock let go from the side of the ship. It cut off the wolves’ only means to reach them. The stone golems were immediately engulfed.
Breathing out heavily. Standing on the deck of the Unsinkable III never felt better.
“We thought we lost you,” Vomarian said, stepping forward close but paused as the crew watched. He touched her upper arm lightly in relief, nodded in respect, and continued. “Besides, no one here speaks Rathiri.”
“Thanks, I wasn’t sure I’d make it myself,” My‑re said and quipped. “Lucky for you then that you got me back onboard.” She spotted the three mere dragons. They scampered to the lower deck.
At the same time, archmage Havelock emerged from below and dodged out of the dragon’s way.
“Silly creatures.” Havelock clasped his hands together and approached them. “Thank you for that diversion with the mere dragons. A little dangerous, entirely too risky, and completely unnecessary, but it worked. This hull is finally repaired. We can leave anytime now, captain.” He then sniffed the air. He stepped toward My‑re and turned up his nose. “However, you could use a proper bath.”
“I’ll get right on that,” My‑re said sourly. Clearing her throat, she continued, “I’m so sorry about your golems. They saved my life. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you.”
Havelock walked away from her and looked over the railing to the frenzy of snarling and barking crag wolves below. Putting his hands on his hips and shaking his head, he bellowed, “Rock, Chip! Playtime is over! I’ll lower the two anchors. Latch on! We are departing!”
Following Havelock, My‑re said, “Wait, are you saying they’re all right?”
“Of course. A few teeth marks or scratches won’t cause them any bother. They’re stone, after all, my dear.”
The goat Joey, rescued from the Rirorni plains, approached her and rubbed against her boot. My‑re picked him up and hugged him close. ‘Bleat.’
“I agree with you, you little prairie snack. Let’s get the nine hells out of here.”
“Prepare the ship for take-off!” Vomarian bellowed, returning to the massive wheel at the aft section of the Unsinkable III. “Be cautious. We’re heading into the deep south. Set course for Rithakhar, the capital and heart of the Rirorni Empire.”