Leviathan(pt.2)

"Are you cra-" I realized mid-sentence how foolish of a question that was.

After all, Robius lost his mind long before I met him. "Never mind." I concluded as I went along with his plan, if you could call it that.

Just as he asked, I directed Leap 'o' Faith as close as I could to the Leviathan's mouth which was quite terrifying considering how much the rain was affecting my vision and how hungry the Leviathan sounded.

"What now!" I shouted only to see Robius had already leapt from our boat towards the Leviathan's mouth. "You moron!"

I watched helplessly as the tan-haired lunatic disappeared in the serpent's black hole of a mouth.

Yet I couldn't just wait and hope for the best, the Leviathan soon turned it's attention to me, and my Rune of Levitation was about out of juice, seeing as my runes only lasted five minutes, and something told me the Leviathan wouldn't simply let me draw a new one.

"Oh fu-" I yelled before I began plummeting to the waters along with Leap 'o' Faith due to my rune deactivating.

Fortunately, I could now activate the Rune of Featherfall I previously placed on the boat, to prevent my ride from crashing into the water, and instead fall with grace, and completely without harm.

I quickly began to speed away from the serpent, not allowing it a chance to encircle and entrap me as I knew, that would surely end in my defeat.

I also swapped to Rune of Propulsion as soon as possible, doubling Leap 'o' Faith's speed, hopefully allowing me to create some distance between myself and the Leviathan and giving Robius time to do whatever he was doing.

However, the serpentine beast was no slacker and was immediately on my tail, closing the distance between us fast even with my rune.

"Damn it! Think Kenki! I can't just depend on Robius. I don't even know if he's still alive!" I argued to myself in a raised voice.

"I need to pierce it's scales! But my rune blade isn't sharp enough alone... Unless." I concluded with a mournful look towards my rune pen.

Unfortunately, the Leviathan wasn't keen on allowing me time to plot and began snapping it's maw dangerously close to the pontoon.

With no time to think I immediately turned the boat driving through it's open mouth and quickly making my way down it's side before I transformed my pen into a sword.

Holding the handle in a reverse grip. I placed my thumb and pinkie around it's guard positioning it like a javelin and threw it at the Leviathan as I drove beside it.

My blade glided through the air gracefully as it slowly changed to a sickly green color before bouncing harmlessly off of the Leviathan's scales.

Or at least that's how it appeared.

Typically, my rune blade was inscribed with The Rune of Light Blades. However, it had another function as well.

Rune of Decay. Essentially it would decay anything it came it's point came in contact with at the cost of also dissolving the blade.

"You served me well, my sweet rune blade." I grieved momentarily. "I hope I can afford a better one."

Yet even something as terrible as that was the least of my worries as the Leviathan had already completely encircled me again before I even knew it.

Yet decay was working wonders as the scales around my sword's point of impact began to rot off revealing it's tender flesh beneath.

But the Leviathan's sheer size was proving itself to be quite annoying, even with my blade's sacrifice, only a small portion of its belly was vulnerable. And I didn't have the means to exploit it.

Soon I was face to face with the gargantuan Leviathan and it's swirling, deep, sea-blue eyes.

As it opened it's huge maw filled with countless spear-like teeth. I saw my life flash before my eyes.

"I guess this is it. Not too bad a way to go I suppose." I said hopelessly.

And suddenly a bright light shined up from the pitch-black abyss.

The Leviathan began writhing in pain as it's eyes lit up in a golden light and lightning arched between each of it's razor-sharp teeth that I almost got really familiar with.

A golden bolt travelled throughout the Leviathan's body until it stopped at the weak point, I created with my rune blade (R.I.P.).

Then with a flash of golden lightning, a certain boy with bloodthirsty, burgundy eyes burst from it's softened scales completely drenched in it's blood and carrying an unconscious, naked, man with long, deep blue hair and yellow topaz eyes.

Robius soared through the air with the grace of an eagle as the Leviathan fell to the waters behind him halting the depression it caused in its wake.

As he leapt, he shouted in a voice of genuine terror.

"I can't swim!"

He immediately crashed into the water where I had to retrieve him before he drowned with the help of Leap 'o' Faith.

********

Fortunately, I was able to get both Robius and the naked man back to the beach where Robius used a large seashell to conceal the man's unmentionables from the child's innocent eyes.

"I can't believe you can't swim." I remarked unbelieving.

"Shut up." He whined in response. "But thanks for saving my life anyway. I totally owe you one." He continued with a voice of sincerity.

"Really? You do know that the Leviathan was about to-" I said before stopping myself from ruining a good thing. "Never mind that, it was nothing. Who's the streaker?"

"Oh, that's Nosora Ghile. he's a member of Draconum Familia, he's normally too fast for anything to catch him though. I bet he'd be fine if he didn't save Luci's dad. But that's not the kinda people we have at Draconum Familia." Robius said proudly as he puffed his chest.

A man very close to Luci in appearance approached from The Wakes Break using a crutch to make up for his amputated leg. "Is that my hero over there? And my hero's heroes?" He said awkwardly.

"I think so." I replied, soaked in both rain and sweat. "You wouldn't happen to be willing to let us use your baths, would you?" 

********

The family was incredibly grateful of our successful defeat of the Leviathan and allowed us a free meal and let us use their baths which were actually quite impressive considering how small the restaurant appeared from the outside.

"I suppose that makes four more members I need introduced to." I said as I relaxed in the warm baths, the warm water was up to my collarbone and was bubbly enough to completely obscure any view a peeping tom might attempt to snatch. "I wonder how Azure Ursine's doing. I'm sure their fine, It's not like I was that important to them anyways..."

A blissful quiet enveloped the room allowing all of my thoughts to drift throughout my mind, without anything to halt them.

That was until I heard the rushing footsteps of a maniacal boy.

"Cannonball!!!" Robius shouted before leaping into the bathes butt naked. "Whew, this water is hot!! And shallow..." he whined rubbing his back in pain.

It took about three seconds to understand the predicament. "Um Robius. You mind explaining why you burst in here in the middle of me taking a bath?" I asked in a rather calm voice considering the circumstance, when in reality I was seriously holding back the urge to hurt him.

"Well, Raine told me she didn't want to serve me food until I bathed soo." Robius defended referring to Luci's mom, as the water around him began changing colors. "I figured I could just join you."

Fortunately, he made quite some distance with his leap, and I was still clear of whatever was pouring off of him.

"Sorry Kenki. I did try to stop him." Kukiri apologized as she swam to me in the baths.

"You guys are hopeless. I'll chalk it up to pure innocence or even stupidity just this once." I said mercifully. "But don't do this again."

"Thank you Kenki!" Robius shouted.

Before anything got even more awkward, I made a swift retreat whilst being sure Robius didn't steal any glances.

Though he seemed too entertained with the abundance of bubbles to try anything...

********

As soon as everyone was done bathing, we enjoyed a lively seafood meal at The Wakes Break before setting out for Draconum Familia again via train.

By the time we were done at The Wakes Break the sun had retired and the moon with it's countless stars took the skies in a breathtaking view.

"So uh, how we gonna work out the pay, since I clearly helped?" Nosora asked. The Wakes Break dressed him in ragged robes, but they were several sizes too small and looked quite drafty. "I only ask because I need new clothes and all, not to mention Master is definitely gonna charge me to have my crest sewn back on."

"Well, seeing as you took so long the guild to put the quest up again. It's clearly gonna be split between Robius and Kenki." Kukiri stated matter of factly. "And of course, me too."

"And I suppose you'll be paying for my clothes out of the kindness of your heart." Nosora pleaded.

"I dunno. I'm kinda looking forward to Master Frost's expression when he sees you in hobo attire." Kukiri teased with a devilish grin.

"You sadistic little devil. Fortunately for me I don't have to rely on you. Not when those two actually have the Guld."

Sitting across from each other me and Robius both commenced our merging with the window.

"Whoa! There is sho many stars!" Robius mumbled in a muffled voice.

"Don't forget the moon too! It's beautiful!" I mumbled in response.

"On second thought I'm better off with you." Nosora admitted hopelessly, as he face-palmed.

The train continued it's path to Kumi station in the dead of night, racing through it's rails when the only light was that of the silver moon, and the shining stars.