Tales of the Pearly Kingdom (Pearly Tales Vol. 2)

73. Alley Cat and the God of Luck

Vera looked at the arrogant pirate and wouldn't let it show that she had bit off more than she could chew. But for some reason she felt really good about fighting Jaka today. She hefted her shield and prepared her fist. Then a stick appeared in front of her and she followed it to the arm of the pirate and a wicked smile.

"Got to even the playing field, right?" The eye-patched man smiled.

Vera took the stick and realized it was a cudgel. A druidic enchanted and magical weapon with a higher attack than a normal branch. It had a round knot at one end and has a healthy weight to it. Despite being wood it was a valuable item comparable to her shield. She looked wide-eyed at the man standing next to her who hadn't even reached for his two cutlasses strapped to his left hip or the foreboding cleaver sheathed at his waist over his sash just under his lower back.

Jaka ground his teeth and stepped forward. He lost his footing for a second and caught himself. He looked confused at his feet and shrugged it off before walking forward normally.

The Eye-patched man leaned in and whispered, "keep your shield up, taunt him so he focuses on you and when he loses his footing again, strike." His confident wolfish grin gave her a chill but not for her sake. "I'll handle the rest." He patted her on the back and she felt a surge of confidence. She couldn't name this feeling, energy coursed through her body at the mans command. She felt compelled to complete his request as if completing it would supply her entire existence with euphoric meaning.

Being three fourths elemental made her different than her peers but each of them inherited the same racial traits as their foremothers and forefathers. An instinct to protect this city and it's inhabitants, but not only that, there was an instinct for battle. However, most of the time that she fought with Jaka she flailed around just to make it through the fight in one piece. The pirates voice did something to her, instantly she had calmed down and her world cleared as if shroud had been removed from her vision. She smiled at the feeling and called out to Jaka.

"Jaka you black toothed, scar-faced, grub-gorger. Your ugly mug couldn't hit me if Brother Calloway himself guided your hand." She bashed her shield to taunt him and held it up, so she could easily block any attack.

She kept her attention on Jaka and the boys behind Jaka. One of them slipped on ice, another got his foot stuck in a hole that appeared out of nowhere. Another two began sneezing on some pollen a breeze blew in and one found the hem of his pants were on fire. She smiled as she her plan of distracting the group of goons with her companion's elemental powers.

Jaka swung the iron bar and hit her shield repeatedly.

*

Cal took a step back.

Hifumi was a magical creature and the micro griffons made up for their small size with their speed and their natural talent for Illusion magic. With his own magic Cal could tap into that and create copies of himself, and with his flash step he could jump between copies seamlessly.

One copy would trip a boy and when another would try to strike that copy his fist would only strike air as another copy gently pushed him into another one.

All the boys were under level 9 and Cal knew that since he was so strong that he would kill them if he didn't hold back. He remembered turning the dire wolf into chum when he frantically swiped at him with his arm. A single miscalculation, and they'd be just as splattered. They were just jerks they weren't soulless monsters. He didn't want to kill them.

He was infinitely more interested in Alley and her potential. He wanted her as part of his guild already.

He gave one of the boys a wedgie while the other two tried to pick themselves off the ground. Hifumi took the chance to poop on the heads of the two struggling boys while Cal watched the boys behind Jaka tripping over themselves due to elemental attacks. It wouldn't' take them long to notice the four children hidden in the shadows far behind them. They were quite talented and adequately organized for such low level... half-breeds! There were four half-breeds right here in front of him. Plus, Jaka had called Vera a half-breed but the race column on under her stats just said 'mixed'. That could mean a whole lot of things, so he committed himself to their protection.

Cal placed all the boys in shit list and took away 5% of their total luck to and gave it to the children. He left Jaka and Alley Cat to their battle. He wanted to see its conclusion.

In the meantime, it was now his duty to protect the children. With small steps that would only take him a foot he'd flash step twice that distance leaving behind a copy in his wake. Almost like he was lagging in reality. He made his way to stand between the boys and the children using flash step and his illusion magic to fight on two fronts.

*

Vera knew Jaka's attack patterns, they had fought over food and territory before. When she was desperate she would break out her father's shield in order to face Jaka. It was a dance, a waltz of pain where she usually played the loud distraction while the kids pulled something sneaky she had planned in advanced.

Step, block. Step... huh? Was Jaka off his game? She found herself placing her shield right where it needed to go to block every attack.

She jumped backward and then channeled a burst of wind magic into her shield which created a concussive blast when she shield-bashed. Usually, Jaka saw it coming but if she played her hand right, if she just got in a lucky shot...

Jaka took a step forward but stepped on a crooked tile and lost his balance. Vera saw his folly and thrust her shield forward. Her shield hit his face and a magic force exploded sending him backward until he landed on his back. She saw her chance. She swung the cudgel as hard as she could against his knee.

Jaka screamed and dropped his iron bar to grab his knee. She struck him again on the hand that he used to grip his weapon then kicked the iron bar away. Jaka screamed curses at her and when he tried to get up she hit him in the jaw and knocked Jaka out cold.

... she won...

... she won?

She Won!

"Wahoo!" Vera jumped up in the air and giggled until she realized there were probably still enemies. She looked up to see the eye-patched man dusting off his hands. He was standing over a whole gang of groaning boys. He placed his hand on his hips and smiled broadly.

"You're my Hero, Alley Cat." The eye-patched man. "Let me repay you."

"But-" Vera looked at the boys on the ground.

"I won't take no for an answer!" Eye-patch held up a hand.

Jaka groaned and a handful of guards showed up. "Hey! What is going on here?"

Eye-patch flinched, "Not good." He disappeared flashing into spots in the shadows and scooped up the children. Two under each arm and ran passed Vera away from the light clan guard patrol. "Run, Alley Cat!"

Vera didn't miss a beat, the last thing she needed was to have her father's shield confiscated, she followed the pirate and ran from the guards.