Episode 22/Chapter 1: Saga (1)

The sea is a scary place.

There were hundreds of meters below your feet and it was impossible to see what was below you from the surface of the water.

The unknown meant fear.Even if it was Adenmaha that had lived in the sea, she couldn't avoid to feel uneasy when creatures that emanated killing intent approached her from a place she couldn't see.

Adenmaha could feel the slight changes in the ripples of the water. The monsters had gathered after feeling the scent of blood.

Adenmaha wanted to flee immediately. She just wanted to get out of this place.

However Tae Ho didn't allow her. He placed his hands on the scale of her neck as if telling her to calm down.

Adenmaha could feel about five monsters with her senses. She felt like there were more farther away but it seemed like they were trying to see the situation.

There was a need to draw them in more aggressively.

"Adenmaha, let's lead them. It's good if you go underwater."

'Under the water?'

Adenmaha asked as if he was out of his mind. And then Tae Ho nodded quickly and said.

"Ingrid-nim helped me out. It's fine."

Tae Ho's neck was filled with the temporary rune carving Ingrid had set up. It was the rune magic that was characteristic of Njor's legion that let you breathe underwater.

'Fine. I will show you my real skills."

Because she couldn't swim properly because she had to take care of Tae Ho that was riding on her.

Adenmaha took a deep breath with and said with an enjoying voice. Tae Ho also took a breath and stuck closely to Adenmaha, and she twisted her body for a moment and then dove underwater.

"Kuhuk?!"

'Master?!'

As soon as they entered the water Tae Ho let out a sound as if he was short of breath. As the surprised Adenmaha tried to go out the surface again Tae Ho hurriedly transmitted his thoughts.

'I, i'm fine.'

He had just drank a bit of water because he wasn't accustomed to breathing underwater. As Tae Ho transmitted his will through 'the one that controls dragons' Adenmaha put on doubtful  eyes but then nodded.

'I will go then!'

Adenmaha started to swim earnestly. And Tae Ho understood why Adenmaha was a sea serpent.

She was fast and free. She was above Siri, that rode on the plains, or Rolo that flew on the sky.

Adenmaha reached a deep place in an instant and then shook her tail as if seducing the herd of sharks and started to swim away again. The six sharks that had gathered after feeling the smell of blood started to chase Adenmaha closely.

Adenmaha moved really simply. It wasn't that she was stupid or she was fleeing from the sharks. She, that was also a Goddess of Tuatha De Danann was really wise and knew well about sharks.

'Certainly!'

As she simplified her path, the other sharks that were checking on the situation blocked her path and encircled her.

There were twelve monster sharks that had gathered.

It was enough with this number.

'Surge up!'

With your fastest speed and the highest possible!

Tae Ho ordered. He transmitted more of his thoughts with the 'one that controls dragons'.

Adenmaha changed her direction in an instant with a rough movement and then started to swim towards the surface quickly. It was just like a water missile.

The herd of sharks chased Adenmaha. They also surged up and Adenmaha got out of the surface before them.

Papang!

A great amount of water splashed. Adenmaha twisted her body after jumping close to forty meters and the sharks that jumped much lower than her only bit the water.

"Transform!"

'Take, responsibility!'

Adenmaha transformed into the shape of a woman. There was a feather decoration in her head that characterized a Valkyrie in her long white hair.

Tae Ho got down of the Beast's saddle that was placed in Adenmaha's thin waist and then kicked the air. He grabbed Adenmaha's neck with one hand and then threw her high.

"Kyak?!"

Adenmaha yelled. She told him to take responsibility so what was this treatment?

However Tae Ho had his own thoughts. He checked Adenmaha's location in the air and recited a chant.

"Chant!"

He transformed into a big hawk and caught Adenmaha in the air. Precisely speaking he made her ride on him.

Adenmaha just blinked and twisted her body at the thing that happened suddenly but then fixed her posture solidly. And it was when she loosened up the reins she had on herself and tried to put it on Tae Ho.

"Hey?!"

"Even if it's for a moment I have to ride on you properly!"

At her yell that was an obvious revenge Tae Ho started to do a stunt flying. Adenmaha yelled again and grabbed on Tae Ho's neck more tightly.

"You really are bad!"

"Leave it!"

Tae Ho looked at the sky. While he was bickering with Adenmaha, the warriors of Valhalla were doing what they had to.

The flying pirate ship charged towards the surface. They intersected with Tae Ho that was flying up and Siri, that was at the front took a deep breath.

Siri wasn't standing alone. The warrior Harabal, of Njor's legion, was standing behind her as if grabbing her. And once again, warrior Notung of Heimdal's legion was behind him.

[Saga: The arrows of a witch never misses its target]

[Saga: One harpoon pierces ten]

[Saga: Not seeing with your eye but with your heart]

Three sagas got activated at the same time. Siri was holding a huge crossbow that  had ten harpoons that were linked with a steel chain loaded to it, and Harabal placed his hand on Siri's. Notung just grabbed Siri and Harabal at the same time.

"Fire!"

Valkyrie Ingrid ordered. Notung's saga grasped the location of the ten sharks that were closest to the surface, and Harabal's saga sent strength to the ten arrows.

Kwagagagak!

Siri pulled on the trigger. The ten harpoons, that was good to call it as thunder, split up and they hit the monster sharks with the help of Siri's saga.

And this wasn't all. Ingrid made the flying ship surge to the sky once again. As the warriors pulled on the steel chains the monster sharks rose up as if they were fishes caught in a fishing rod.

The smallest one was five meters long and the biggest one seemed to be ten meters. But even so, the moment they got out of the water it was the end for them. The warriors riding on Scuabtuinne threw spears and finished them off.

"My god."

Adenmaha said with a tired expression. The warriors had instantly dropped the number of the monster sharks to half in an instant.

But it was then.

Adenmaha looked at the surface and yelled towards Tae Ho.

"It's coming!"

Tae Ho also felt it. He fluttered his wings reflexively and then turned his body and yelled towards the flying ship.

"Dodge!"

But it was impossible to do so. They were currently hanging on ten monster sharks. In addition they had already changed directions hurriedly once, so they could merely twist it a bit.

Bang!

The surface exploded. A splash bigger than when Adenmaha had surged up occurred.

A monster that had big horns in it surged up like a rocket. There was only one place its horns aimed at.

Kwagagang!

The monster that flew on the sky slammed the ship and the ship got destroyed at his overwhelming charge.

"Grab on tightly!"

The ship that was flying up shook greatly. The monster didn't get satisfied with that and grabbed on the ship tightly with two of his feet. It then split the deck with its horn.

King Sven screamed. Ingrid grabbed that Sven with one of her arms and worked hard to control the flying ship. The warriors that were riding on Scuabtuinne threw spears but it wasn't enough. Most of them bounced back without being able to pierce it.

They got closer to the surface. The monster writhed and then started to gather strength in its horn. It started to spark and then transformed into a strong thunder.

It spread thunder on the deck and at that moment Bracky threw his body and activated his saga.

[Saga: A thunderbolt enters his hammer]

The thunder the monster fired gathered in Bracky's hammer. It was just like a conductor gathering the thunder.

"Uoo!"

Bracky stuck his fist in the deck to get some balance and then flung his hammer to spread the lightning.

Babang!

Thunder was heard. The warriors on top of the deck held her posture and started to attack the horned monster.

And then, it emanated a roar with ultrasonic sounds and twisted its body. It was to get out of the deck and return to the sea.

The flying ship shook greatly. It threw its body to the air and Harabal grabbed on Siri's waist tightly. Notung threw a new crossbow to Siri.

[Saga: The arrows of the witch never misses its target]

[Saga: The arrows of the witch is like a curse]

Siri hurriedly pulled on the trigger. The harpoon that was connected with steel chains flew at an overwhelming speed. It was the effect of having developed a new saga through the classes with Ragnar.

In addition Siri once more proved that she was a veteran hunter. Even though it was a short time she exactly grasped the place she had to aim for.

"Kaak!"

The monster that was hit in its gills cried.

Bang!

When it entered the sea the water splashed once more. Ingrid lined the deck of the flying ship horizontally and Harabal and Notung grabbed on the chains that was connected to the harpoon. As they pulled on it they could slow down its movements a little bit.

"Tae Ho!"

Siri yelled and Tae Ho could know what she was requesting him to do.

"Let's go!"

Tae Ho said to Adenmaha. Even though he hadn't activated 'the one that controls dragons' she understood what Tae Ho wanted to do. She let go of her amrs grabbing onto his neck and threw herself.

"Get on!"

Adenmaha transformed into a sea serpent. Tae Ho rode on her neck and activated sagas in consecution.

[Saga: the one that controls dragons]

[Saga: The warrior that rode on a Valkyrie]

[Saga: The charge of a warrior is just like a storm]

[Saga: The eyes of the dragon sees through everything]

[Sea monster]

[Karagul, that can fire torpedoes]

He could see red letters. And it was really slow as if it had soon entered deep in the sea.

The storm generated by the charge of the warrior split the surface. Compared to Karagul, Adenmaha dove in swiftly and increased her speed.

It wasn't the sky, nor the ground. At this moment Tae Ho only thought of one thing.

[Saga: The warrior's equipment]

Light started to get emanated in the Unknown sword piece. Burst lance appeared in the hands of Tae Ho, that was one stage higher than the Heavy lance.

Adenmaha also knew Tae Ho's thoughts clearly. She followed the will of her master even though she was cursing. She charged towards Karagul with all her strength.

[Saga: Dragon's charge]

Draconic Ballista!

Thunder also fell underwater. You could only express it that way. The Burst lance pierced the head of the surprised Karagul. It let out a soundless cry.

But Tae Ho hadn't finished. He still had one more thing.

'Full burst!'

A strong magic exploded from the blade of the Burst lance. Just like the snow that got created from the Sword of the winter wolf it was an innate strength the Burst lance had.

Tae Ho dispersed the Burst lance. And then, an overwhelming amount of blood started to flood out from the wound. As its insides had become a mess because of the explosion pieces of his intestines and bones also came out.

[Defeated]

[Karagul]

The red words transformed to white. Tae Ho laughed and Adenmaha let out a crying sound.

'My neck hurts!'

Because he had executed the lance charging in her neck. It was fortunate that her neck didn't break.

'I will get you a pain-killing patch later.'

'What's that!'

Adenmaha let out a crying sound once again at Tae Ho's words. He thought of her as being cute even though she was a sea serpent, perhaps because he knew how she looked when she had a human form.

But it was then. A red word appeared from below the white words. It wasn't a monster that was near them.

[Garmr's soul fragment]

A huge image surged up from the fragment that was deep in the body of Karagul. It thrust its rough teeth towards Tae Ho and Adenmaha.

'Adenmaha!'

He yelled but it was late. It was too close to them.

Adenmaha yelled. The teeth of Garm roughly bit Adenmaha's neck.

< Episode 22 - Saga (1) > End