Tethys had thrown me a good few blocks. He loomed above the trees and neighborhood, waiting. He was barrel-chested and had arms half as big as his torso. I was lean and sleek. There was no way I was equal to his brute strength. How was I going to beat him?
He gave me a taunting wave, then started stomping on the stalls lining the wharf, one at a time. My sensitive hearing picked up screams, and several cries cut short. I launched into a sprint and charged into him like a football player sacking a quarterback. Our armored bodies connected with a crack and the dock shattered beneath our combined weight. I began punching and raking him with my claws. He head-butted me so hard it sounded like the crack from a lightning strike, and I saw stars. Dazed, I splashed into the water next to my ship.
The sudden need to switch from lungs to gills snapped me to. I lurched to my feet in water that went up to my knees. Tethys reached over and tore the Harpy off my ship’s bow, making the vessel rock and bounce off the buoys cushioning it from the dock, and pissing me off. That was my ship he just vandalized. He pelted the machine at me and I took it in the head before I could lift my arms. I staggered backwards, tripping over the next pier and crushing it as I fell.
“And since you were so kind to put holes in my ship, let’s make yours smile.”
I sat up as the giant bastard tore a gaping hole in the Pertinacious’s hull. He bore his weight down on the bow, sending water gushing into the cargo hold. I got up and blasted him with a wave of water. He went flying and splashed a few piers down. I willed the water out of the hold and pushed the hull back up with water so the ship floated again. I glanced at the shore. People were running to and fro as they gathered loved ones and started heading inland. My crew was somewhere among them. Hopefully all the landies would have the sense to flee deep inland.
Tethys surged to his feet and sloshed over, bursting through two piers without slowing. I blasted him with another waver of water but he answered it with a thought and swing of his arm. A second wave met mine with a slap and the two reached into the air before falling back into the harbor.
“Looks like I finally get my duel for the port.” Tethys reached towards the ocean and threw a wave ashore, washing away the stalls he’d pulverized a minute ago.
Using water to propel myself, I rocketed into Tethys and tackled him into the water, then shifted into aquatic form and wrapped my tail around him as I clawed at his face. He thrashed and flailed, then I felt him shift forms as well, slipping out of my grip. I joined him above the surface and shifted back into having legs.
“So the bastard can fight after all. Too bad you fight alone.” He gestured to the harbor.
All over the surface sea monsters and nymphs rose out of the water like a pod of dolphins breaking the surface to grab some air. They were visible for as far as I could see. My crew couldn’t fight every last one of them, much less a quarter of them. I flung my arms out, washing away as many as I could. There had to be thousands teeming the harbor. My nightmare was becoming a reality.
“Oh, no you don’t. Your fight’s with me.” He sent a wave of water at me.
If that was the case, then I needed to draw him away from the densely-populated parts of town. I rode the wave and tackled him into the water. We somersaulted several times, churning up the water and crushing a pier. I ended under him, then tossed him off and leapt after him. He whipped me with his tail with a crack, making my side sting, but I raked his throat and landed next to him.
We continued our fight as I slowly drew him south, matching him blow for blow and occasionally swiping the milieu of invaders with water. But they were reaching land faster than I could handle. They began tearing down houses and buildings, and killing anyone who couldn’t run fast enough. I was going to have no crew and no home by the end of the day. There was no way Amphitrite would spare my crew because she felt like it.
I began fighting harder. We exchanged blows like boxers, bit and clawed like beasts, tackled each other at any opening, and threw waves of water in attempts to knock each other off balance. The only thread linking me to my sanity was that we were working our way south. The houses thinned out, giving way to sparse trees, low brush, and castle-like homes older than me. More monsters took those ancient houses down and I watched history begin its eternal dirt nap. The watching opened me up for several blows to the head. I staggered onto the dirt road. Tethys pounced and pinned me to the ground by my shoulders.
“Fine. Stop fighting back. I’ll take the easy victory.” He leaned in to bite my head off.
I buried my claws in his barrel chest like I was digging for his lungs and heart, and squeezed. He let out a roar. I flexed my fingers and dug into him as far as could pierce his armored hide. He head-butted me again and I ripped my claws free, getting another roar out of him. He slashed at my neck and a fiery pain erupted below my jaw. I heaved him off with my feet and gave him a good push with water, then lurched to my feet, holding my neck.
He and I were covered in cuts and bites. I was beginning to look as bad as they day I’d fled Poseidon’s palace, but at least so was Tethys. He was down to one eye and looking quite pissed, both hands over his chest. I looked at my fingers, which were covered in blood from my neck wound. I didn’t feel any blood trickling down my throat, but I was sure more fighting would make that happen.
Tethys charged me. I ran to meet him, leapt into the air and came at him, claws first. He suddenly stopped, grabbing one of my feet as he ducked under my claws, then spun and threw me into the ocean. I skipped once, then started cartwheeling the moment one of my limbs caught on the surface. A wave of water pushed me down and I shifted forms as the salt water stung my wounds. Tethys swam after me, looking like a bull shark charging with his jaw wide.
I put on a burst of speed, then circled back and hand-to-hand combat began anew, but with more attempts to bite and strangle each other as we rolled and twisted, churning up the water and scuffing up the rocky bottom. How was I going to end this fight and protect my home? My crew needed me. Newport needed me, yet I was locked in a battle with something evenly matched against me. I was smarter and faster, but he was stronger and able to absorb my blows. I was tactful; he was ruthless. The water began to redden with our blood.
Seeing Tethys walk down the pier had made Jessie’s blood run cold. Watching him explode into a demon form of his own… she almost passed out. It was like a horrible nightmare. She’d watched him pull the trigger, watched the quasis apply their deadly touch, watched him die. And now here he was, battling Dyne as a water demon. When he’d thrown Dyne out of sight, she’d thought that was it for him until next lockdown. But when he returned, transformed and fists flying, her hopes rose, only to be dashed by the sight of thousands of nereids, naiads, water serpents, and nymphs in the harbor. And when all those things made their way onto the wharf, everyone scattered, including the crew.
When Tethys had thrown Dyne out of sight, she’d thought that was it for him until next lockdown. But when he returned, transformed and fists flying, her hopes rose, only to be dashed by the sight of thousands of nereids, naiads, water serpents, and nymphs in the harbor. And when all those things made their way onto the wharf, everyone scattered, including the crew.
Jessie and Mido ran side by said. They tried to follow Ed and Ted, but too many people filled the streets as monsters gave chase. She and Mido took cover behind a fish stall, until a water serpent rammed its head repeatedly into the building behind them. They fled inland, weaving among the locals, who called out for friends and family. The monsters spilled inland with them, demolishing everything that stood. They acted like they were more interested in razing Newport, but didn’t hesitate to attack if anyone got too close to them.