~ 3 ~
Beachhead


“Nova!”

Nova’s gaze immediately shot away from the girl on top of him to his right. His sister – his very… he wouldn’t say worried or frightened, neither of those words fit Eden well… Concerned sister was hurrying towards them, a blade in one hand, the other sheathed.

“Eden?”

Alex looked over, and immediately got up, stumbling off of her rescuer. She couldn’t do a whole lot (not that she would try) as Eden reached down and yanked Nova to his feet roughly. Alex opened her mouth to speak up, but found it slamming shut from the unholy glare the soldier shot at her.

“Um…”

“What the hell were you thinking?” She pushed him away from the stage, forcing him to begin towards the town; Alex fell in line behind them.

“I was going to help her!” Nova gestured to Alex, who was very awkwardly looking between the two. “She screamed –“

“You ran off.” Eden replied coolly, but Alex could hear the tension in her voice. Whoever this woman was, she had been worried about Nova.

“I didn’t run off!” Nova seemed to wince; he suddenly realized how flawed that defense was.

“You went barreling off during a fiend invasion to save some broad.” She shot a look at Alex. “… No offense.”

“Oh um…” Alex flushed red. “None taken, I um… I’ll find someone else to follow if you want?”

“No!” Nova exclaimed, and both the women were suddenly staring at him. Eden looked as far from happy as a stoic soldier could get, her irritation was burning under the surface. Alex just looked downright embarrassed, not knowing what to say. “Damn it, I didn’t save her for you just to send her away!”

“I’m not sending her away.” Eden snapped back at her brother. “How cruel do you think I am?”

Alex didn’t want to listen to the argument – it felt rather rude. She was only left to assume that by the way the soldier was concerned for her friend’s safety, that they must know each other. The two seemed to have some sort of connection, and Alex’s curiosity got the better of her.


“Um…”

But her question was impossible to ask, as suddenly that Behemoth speaking in some language the girl could’ve never have deciphered – attacked.

It bellowed, and it was only the efforts of the soldier that had saved them all.

Eden threw herself into both of them, all three of them hit the sand but it was the huntress that turned her fall into a rough roll and came out fine. She twisted around, unsheathing her off-hand blade and combining it with the other. The two metals twisted and locked into each other, forming an elegant sword.

“You’re going to fight it?!” Nova coughed, hacking up sand as he watched his sister step towards the massive beast.

She shot a look at him from the corner of her eye. “It’s my job.” Eden twirled the Ashen Fall, readying herself. “Protect your friend.”


Alex watched Eden charge forward, nimbly dodging the behemoth’s far more cumbersome attacks. The songstress yelped and grabbed onto Nova’s arm when he tried to go chasing after the soldier.

“What are you doing?” Alex helplessly questioned.

“I need to help her!”

“She told you-“

Nova’s face softened. “She’s my sister.”

“Watch out!” Another man’s voice called to them, and instantly they both saw the incoming tail.

Nova leapt over it, the fine fur on the monster’s fifth limb just touching the bottom of his boots. Alex could’ve never made that jump – she knew she wasn’t that athletic. So she was somewhat relieved when someone’s arms wrapped around her and pulled her out of the way. The rush of wind and sand cascaded around her, forcing Alex to shut her eyes. Half expecting death to greet her, she suddenly realized she was being tightly held by someone much larger then herself and far more muscular.

Her eyes fluttered open and she hopped away from her rescuer.

It was the man from before.

“Markus!” She exclaimed, remembering his name. “Lindzei bless you! Thank you!”

“Keep safe.” He nodded to her, and hurried up to Nova. The songstress watched, feeling rather useless.

“Lea dni emn hyd ayoh myoc!” The behemoth was coming for them again, having sent two goblins to distract Eden. Alex stepped backed, watching as the massive creature went for Nova.

Nova ducked and dodged as best he could, but he wasn’t nearly as nimble as Eden. The leader of the invasion roared and knocked Markus away, bringing its sword up in preparation to cut Nova clean in half.

Eden would have none of that.

She split her sword in two and stabbed either goblin in the brain, before rushing away from them and hopping up onto the Behemoth’s back. It didn’t even notice her – not until she bounded off its shoulder and grabbed one of the banners dangling from its head. She tightened her grip as the ground came up fast and did her best to throw all her weight downwards.

The behemoth’s swing was thrown off as its head was pulled to the left, throwing the creature and the huntress to the ground in an explosion of sand.

As the sand began to settle, Nova caught sight of his sister lying on the ground motionless.

“Eden!” He shouted, rushing over to her.


“Odile I must protest to this proactive protection plan! I’m sure she’s perfectly fine–“

“Shut it Stroud!”

Alex blinked, turning around to see her two caretakers approaching. Despite having had guardians before, she was somehow far more relieved to see those two oddlings then any of the others.

“Odile!” Alex shouted, waving to them. Both caught sight of her and hurried over. “You’re okay!”

“Of course we’re okay! No thanks to Adair, he wants to run back to the ship.”

Adair scoffed, crossing his arms and turning his head away. “Only because I seem to be the only fantastical—though not frantic—fan of fulsome firepower. The darling Sealark abounds with bombs, if I may remind you.” He seemed far from pleased as he looked over Alex’s shoulder. “Ah, beasties. Swell. I’ll be off to save our-“

He swung around to walk away in the most impeccable of fashions, only to be greeted soundly by the behemoth’s swinging tail to his face – sending him cartwheeling through the air (and then the sand) in the most spectacular of ways. The creature was rising to its feet, shaking its head as sand was in its eyes and obscuring its vision.

“Adair!” Alex and Odile both shouted; Alex took off after him.

“We’ll get the ship! Help Nova!” The songstress ran off after the crashing man, ignored by the incoming fiends.


Eden groaned, slowly getting back up. She pushed Nova away; pointing to the woman Alex had ordered to help. “Stay with her.”

“Eden-“

She pushed him again, more soundly on his chest – making her point. “Go, there’s fiends coming.”

“Spanner cock!”

Nova grimaced, Eden and Markus looked over.

Bellaevis was standing there, looking ready to go. She had a mad grin on her face as she patted Eden on the shoulder. “Need some help?”

“I need a drink.” Eden retorted, getting a small chuckle from her friend.


“Nova!”

“Kite!” Eden’s brother answered, moving away from his sister and towards the stranger. “Come on, we need to help her!”

Kite blinked; confused. “Who is she-“

“I don’t know.” Nova cut him off, seeing her engaging the goblin and gorgon reinforcements. “But we need to help.”


Eden plucked her sword from the ground and flicked it into a rifle; Bellaevis flanked her as Markus took point.

The Behemoth smirked, picking up its own fallen weapon. It pointed at the trio.

“Ayo ehi rydnurk ekeurmd dni luknd yw Asura! Lea Humbaba syrmoli ayoh myoc!”

- + ~ + -


Right, here is the post to kick off the next part. I believe I managed to tag everyone. Just in case there’s any confusion:

Bellaevis, Eden, and Markus are taking on the Behemoth

Odile, Kite, and Nova are fighting the fiends (gorgons and goblins)

Adair and Alex are going to get the ship (if Adair survived the hit…)