Redemption

I lead my trainee through the rocky terrain looking for any hostile sirens. Most of them were scared of us and flew off as we approached. A few were curious and watched us.

"This is heartbreaking." My trainee comments. "They're starving to death and we are hunting down the ones that just wanted to survive no matter what."

"I know. That's why I gave that last one that message. I'm sure she is finding the others as we speak." I say looking at the counter on my forearm. The number is still at four. "From the looks of things their population grew when there were ships sailing past but once word got out that this part of the water is dangerous captains have steered clear. Leaving them here to starve or move on. For some reason they aren't moving on either."

"Do you think we can move them somewhere else?" Samantha asks.

"We should move most of them if possible. I don't think you looked but there were no fish in the reef on our way in."

"So they even ate all the fish." Samantha says looking sadly at a skinny white siren watching us walk up a path.

"That they have. Now let's get to the top of this ridge. Usually the strongest are on top and the strongest are usually the fed ones." I comment.

We struggle a little but right before the top, rocks began rolling down toward us. Cackling of some sirens carried over the cliff. A few took flight over us. They circled back and headed straight for us. I draw my bow and Samantha follows my lead. They swoop in for an attack but our arrows are loosed on them.

Samantha's arrow barely misses the one but mine lands and freezes the three on impact causing the sirens to fall onto the cliff side. Samantha's arrow lands farther down the mountain, it's explosion shakes the ground mildly. Sirens from all around fly up and take for the sky. They are riding air currents or flapping hard to gain height. I slide down to the frozen sirens slapping seals Matilda gave me onto their foreheads. Hopefully the urge to hunt humans is supressed with the seal. 

We then make it back to the top and stand back to back looking up at the sky with hundreds of circling sirens. The number on my translator is down to one.

"Take down any that want to harm you. We are using self defense now." I inform Samantha.

I look to the sky and raise my voice. "Sirens! We are here because some of you have harmed others. You can turn from those ways or we will put you down! Those of you that have not harmed others do not need to starve! We can get you help if you j-"

A dark grey siren cuts me off. "Like we should believe your words after shooting down our sisters!" She screeches before diving for an attack.

I loose a few ice mana charged arrows at her. She dodges and I move out of the way of her talons.

"Why didn't you move on from this island? You're starving here!" I shout at her.

"No outsider would understand that this is our home! I will let no one leave!" She shouts back while flapping her wings to hold her in place above us. Most of the sirens have landed and are cowering at her words.

"So you're the one making them stay?" I ask.

"It's not my fault they are too weak to eat a human to survive." She sneers.

I loose a multi-shot mana charged arrow. As she tried dodging, the arrow split into three and clipped her wing. She screams in agony on her way to the ground in front of me. She growls while laying on the ground.

"Imma rip your throat out!" She shouts while lunging. I kick her back and she tumbles down the side of the cliff into the water below. My blood runs cold as dread off taking a life tries to take hold.

The sirens all stop flying around and are roosting on trees and rocks. No one is higher than Samantha and I. The count on my translator is zero. The ones left have decided we are the new leaders. I will hand it to Aba, his magic is incredible on letting us know when the fight is over. I tap away on my translator to send a message to people I stationed on the main land to send the ships of food this way. We will also be using the ships to spread the sirens out in hopes they don't have to fight over resources.

"Now what?" Samantha whispers.

"We are their leader." I inform her. "Sirens hear me know! I have sent a message to the main lands telling ships to carry food here. It's only a temporary fix, what needs to happen is you need to go to different islands til the fish return to this one." 

Whispers break out but I continue. "It will be difficult but I know you're strong. Is there one here you would like to lead you when we leave?"

It's quiet but most are whispering and looking at the siren that first approached us. "Fine! I will take leadership." She grumbles.

"What's your name?" I ask.

"It's Skylar." She replies. "Blue, our last leader would kill anyone that brought up leaving this island even though most of us wanted to. I will do what needs to happen to keep my sisters and I alive, even if it means leaving for awhile."

"Will you be able to direct sirens to ships? I plotted out a few islands already." I hand her a map. "We will get off this ledge so you can command your kin."

"I can do that. Thank you for helping." She says taking the map.

After we make it to the beach Samantha speaks up.

"The way you're able to hand jobs off is impressive." She comments.

"Years of doing this." I reply.

Samantha looks to the sky at a few sirens riding air currents. "Their song was so sad, now it sounds happier. Wait what about sailors hearing their songs?"

I look up with her. "If their songs are sad the people affected go into a blind trance but if a sirens song is happy the sailors can still think straight. Well as straight as they can with lack of blood to the brain."

"Alright." She then questions herself on why the sailors would have a lack of blood to the brain. Oh to naive again.

Another golden scroll appears in front of me.

Since you have time and aren't busy with these sirens anymore, I have a more pressing matter involving mermaids. The flesh eating mermaids have ventured outside of their designated region and are preying on humans again. I know you have your spears on you, you know what to do to get them restrained for their trip back home. It will be a simple job for you. Oh bring Samantha, she needs to learn about them to.

Thanks! Aba

I crumble the golden scroll into a ball while it's on fire. Then it was gone before I could throw it.

"Everything ok?" Samantha asks very quietly. 

"Oh just peachy. What's your knowledge on mermaids?" I ask.

"Next week at magic school we are learning about them."

"How about from Earth? Any stories?"

"Uh no." She replies.

"You never watched the princess mermaid falling in love with the human prince?" I asked.

"Oh yea I did watch that one!" Her face lights up.

"Cool. These things are the opposite. They swim so fast they can damage and sink ships then feed on the drowned men."

"W-what?" She stutters while looking dumbfounded at me.

"It'll be fine. I have a simple technic, it'll be like you're fishing out of a barrel. Unless we find some smart ones... anyways, let's get this over with. James has another day off coming up and I want to spend it with him. If I don't lock him in the house we end up working." I have a hop in my step as we go through a portal to get to home base then I can waypoint us to the northern regions.

Once there we are crunching on the snow covered growning ice.

"We are standing on ocean aren't we." Samantha doesn't sound pleased.

"Yup the northern ocean."

"I don't like it."

"Why?"

"What's below me?"

"More water. Come on, don't be scared." I walk confidently on the frozen water. I see an wooden ship in the distance. The sound of wood being broken carries well over the ice. Figures are shooting up from the water and crashing into the ship.

"We have to fight those?" Samantha definitely isn't pleased now.

"Yup but watch this." I reach behind me and grab hold of one of my spears.