The Man in Crimson (42)

We disembarked the followers of Circe that had come from Greece by midday and set sails toward the Roman lands. It would take until morning to cover that distance under the power of just the sails but Lockey would not hazard using the engine until she verified all the components first. This meant I faced the man in crimson on my own.

I pondered the tales stated to me as I idly watched Sert sparring with the sailors. He was often talking while others showed different techniques. I hoped he did not get it in his head to become a rift beast hunter. The rift events where being caused by mystical conversions happening in this world. As the magical field dwindled, the rifts would finally cease. I did not fear them happening in Atlantis since the field there was organized and did not allow random pulses happening normally. Time slowed as I stood thinking and watching around me.

“Will you explain your request to have my deck cleared?” Balthis asked. I had been so deep in thoughts that I had not noticed him joining me. “Or what actually happened to my engine?” he added softer.

“Notations were changed suggesting sabotage.” I whispered back quickly. “And I have been told that I am the prey of that man in crimson.” I reported softly. “I wish to face him alone without endangering your crew.”

“I think my crew want another shot at that being.” Balthis returned. “The first rift beast that ever escaped us.” he explained.

“He is a man and not a beast like the others that have invaded this world.” I retorted. Balthis shrugged off my words.

“An invader is an invader no matter what it looks like.” he replied. “And it arrived just as everything went wrong suggesting to me, he is the cause.” he added harder.

“Let me deal with him!” I growled. “This is something beyond your crews' ability to face old friend.” I stated much softer. “Best to err with caution here and follow my advice.” I added with forced calmness.

“Do you think your two friends will let you face it alone?” he remarked. “Or Lockey, me, and most of this crew?” he continued. “While on my ship old friend, we face things together or not at all.” he muttered. I glanced at him to meet his dark glare. “Request denied!” he added firmly. The free will of humans had me trapped it seemed.

“Just promise me you will hold back on attacking him on sight.” I returned. He nodded as I sighed. I could see in his mind, if given a chance, Balthis would order everyone to attack the man without mercy.

We ran slowly on the waters heading toward Roman shores while Sert trained and talked with the sailors and I simply watched. I did not simply watch Sert, but the entire crew as they seemed to be waiting for the mysterious man in crimson's return. Even Lockey as dusk touched the sky was now on the deck with most of Balthis' crew armed and waiting. I looked around fearing this would end badly. My sword remained in my chamber below as I stood with only the unstrung bow-staff in hand.

“Going to show that little trick again?” Sert asked softly. He had joined me as I stared off toward the open water.

“Make sure the longboats are ready to sail if this goes wrong.” I whispered back softly. “I cannot see this event with my gift and we have lost our seeress back to the Greeks.” I added quietly.

“Seeress?” Sert remarked.

“One of Circe's followers was a seeress that gave me a warning.” I returned slowly.

“About what?” he returned quickly. “Is that why nearly every sailor is on the deck?” he added even faster.

“The man in crimson will be returning by night fall.” I told him. “I am what he hunts.” I added with feigned calmness.

“I will fetch my weapons and be ready for that spectre of a human.” he remarked. I grappled his arm before he could rush away from me. “I should be armed to help defend you, sir!” he reprimanded quickly.

“I have heard a differing tale about that man and the warning I received was to aim at the right target.” I informed him. “Help me by keeping the others out of this battle Sertian!” I ordered bluntly. I saw in his eyes, in his heart, and in his mind the anger at my words. “He had human eyes when he stood on the deck at first.” I explained quietly. “I believe something else took him and is what is truly hunting for me.” I continued quickly. “And it is extremely powerful.” I added.

“I am your honour guard and will not let harm befall you sir.” he replied quickly. He yanked his arm from my hand freeing him to collect his weapons. A sigh echoed from me and from the darker parts of my mind. I could not be sure what would happen if others interfered in this meeting but they all seemed bent at protecting me when I did not need them for this.

As the darkness slowly gathered around us, the call came from the crows nest followed by the high pitch shriek of little thunder darting off in the darkness. I followed it as it flew away from the ship toward the glowing reddish orb that speed at us. I slowly drew my hand back forming the arrow of light from the unstrung bow. I ignored the screamed commands from Balthis to target the man and raised the protective shields of the ship.

Through the eyes of my little thunder, I aimed my projectile of light at the crimson man's heart as he moved without fear at us. I saw in Balthis' mind that he was preparing to order the velocity cannon and the turret to fire at the man in crimson while I keep my aim steady. My hand jerked up and to the left before I released the arrow at my true target: the red-eyed hawk.

Silence suddenly screamed around me as all stared at this bolt like lightning speeding from the ship. I watched through my pet's eyes as the hawk spread it's wing and the man dropped to the sea but it was too late. The bolt hit home into the birds flared chest piercing the black shadowy heart that sat there. The hawk burst into white flames as it was purged from existence. Little thunder's eyes glanced down to see the man splashing in the surf where he had dropped.

“Get a longboat in the sea and to him before he drowns!” I screamed in the silence.

“He rises!” the watcher above screamed back. I looked up in shock before glancing back toward the man in crimson. An orb of red rose from the sea and return to the unerring path toward the Leviathan.

“Hold your fire!” I howled at Balthis. I felt his sudden panic as he saw this man performing an unearthly act. I glanced through the eyes of my kestrel to see the man's smiling face with crystal blue human eyes shining in his face. I reached out mentally to him dashing my chained mind against the shielding orb he rode in. The velocity cannon fired hundred foot long slivers of iron toward the man. The metal shattered like glass against the surface of the crimson tinted orb. “You're wasting your time and ammunition!” I screamed at Balthis.

My head snapped back to glared across the deck at captain Balthis as he signalled the turret to fire. The pointed cylinder was airborne in seconds with a tail of flames burning behind it. I had mere seconds to react to this attack on a being I could only believe was innocent. I tossed a ball of black lightning at the missile as it rocketed on target. It exploded a scant foot before impacting with the crimson glow that sped faster as it dodged the rest of the airborne projectiles to reach us. With but a thought, I forced the air to turn solid around the sailors and my companions ready to charge the man as one if he landed on their deck once more.

The orb slipped away from the man letting him land upon the deck lightly. He looked around at the crew with ecstatic enthusiasm laughing madly to himself. His crystal blue eyes finally touched upon me his face shifted to stunned surprise. He raised his right hand slowly toward me as a circlet of pulsing red formed above his outstretched hand. He glanced at me through the circle of red as shock was replaced by mirthful recognition that I did not share.

“How can you be here Great Lord?” he stated haltingly. He rushed forward as the circle disappeared from his hand. He fell to his knees prostrated before me. “It is good to see you once more Great Lord Genin.” he gushed face against the wooden deck. My mind reeled as I dashed his words from all the mind upon the ship.

“Silence!” I growled at him. The pale haired head rose slowly until those crystal eyes meet mine.

“Speak not that name here.” I whispered to him. He smiled as he nodded at me.

“Anything for the one that helped me escape with life in me from my people long ago.” he replied jubilantly. “But I fear something found me in that hiding place you opened for me.” he continued. “It has been stalking me for months Sir!” he added quickly.

“It has been dealt with but ...” I began slowly and quietly, “... who and what are you?” He stared up blankly at me before raising the circle of reddish light before his face once more to peer at me through it. I could see the confusion darkening his face but could not touch his mind. As fear touched his eyes, the globe of red light surrounded us completely.

“Who has addled your mind Genin?” he asked quickly. Nervous tremors ran along the edges of his eyes as he examined me. “It has been no less than two month since my people found me again to kill me for being an aberration!” he stated with true fear.

“I saved many in my long life.” I returned softly. I waved to the sailors and Sert to not attack the sphere that held us. “They cannot hear?” I whispered.

“Not a word.” he returned softly.

“Since you do know the true me, understand this:” I told him. “None here know of that being and it must remain this way.” I explained quickly. “Too much is at stake here for errors to occur.” I warned him.

“I understand Sir!” he replied quickly. “But not recognizing me still causes me worry.” he added quickly.

“To prevent an enemy from gleaning this from my mind or other minds around me, I have 'forgotten' much of that information.” I answered softly. He nodded in silence to me as he still peered at me through that circle of reddish light. “But how do you come here with a shadow creature upon your shoulder?” I charged ahead.

“As I said, two month ago my own people found me again and tried once more to erase me from existence.” he stated slowly. “As I ran from them, the air ripped open before me and I tumbled into a hellish place were unimaginable beast roamed.” he continue. “My hawk had followed me into this abysmal place.” he stated.

“Then your bird's attitude slowly changed before time seemed to slip away from you?” I asked softly.

“Yes.” he lied. “As I said, only two months has past since last time we meet.”

“More like many millenniums my friend.” I remarked slowly. His eyes widened at my words. I could read his disbelief fighting with his solid trust in my words. “It is hard to swallow but it's is the truth.” I stated calmly. “It has been at least a millennium that I have been on this world.” I concluded. I saw the veil slowly pulling back from his memories. Horrors beyond reason was in his mind and done by his unwilling hands while under the shadow's dominance.