Laying down into a mediative position, Zen took in deep breaths as the mud around him pulsed, like a heartbeat with him at the center. He waited, patiently as the minutes went by, he knew that strange woman was right. The Pirates would come again, and their numbers will be much vaster.

I will not allow any of my people to be harmed.

He vowed to himself.

As ten minutes went by, he then sensed movement around him.

Sighing, Zen opened his left eye to see Erika sit down in the mud next to him.

"You're stubborn." He said, closing his eye once more.

"So are you." Erika replied, drenched all over and now further covered with mud, she set down her sword beside herself.

"I do not need your help. I do not need anyone's help." Zen grumbled.

"Why not? Everyone needs help." Erika asked.

"I don't know you, I therefore, will not trust you." Zen stoicly replied.

"How can you get to know someone, if you do not at least trust them to a small extent?" Erika chuckled.

Zen groaned, "I don't have time for this." He snapped, suddenly rising as did she. Both of their hands clasping onto the other's as the mud around them quaked with the resulting force.

"I wasn't expecting it before, I was now." Erika mused with a smirk. "I'm not your enemy, I only wish to help."

"And I am waiting for the 'but' in your lies." Zen replied.

"I have yet to lie to you?" Erika argued back.

"Withholding what you want from us after you help, is as good as lying!" Zen exclaimed as his eyes flashed with blue energy, the mud all around Erika then rose to encompass her legs all the way up to her waste. Making her lose her stance.

She then felt herself being lifted. "Now, begone." Zen growled, once again sending Erika soaring into the sky.

Off on a hill nearby, Gray and the rest watched, as Wytar once more rushed after his master. They remained on the hill, watching as Erika returned on her Draem, pushing her welcome as Zen threw her once more, this repeating itself again, and again...

"Why...are we doing this again?" Drun asked.

"The princess wants those ships, and supplies to travel." Gray answered, "She doubts the pirates brought much other than to travel back to wherever they came from. She doesnt know where that is, but probably close. She wants to go further than that."

"So by helping this village, we score ourselves some supplies." Drun mused, "Well, the villagers dont seem to want our help."

"This one doesn't, but maybe the others?" Tejil suggested.

"It seems like this one is their only combattant, maybe it's not a bad idea to meet with the rest." Dust added.

"Yeah," Gray agreed turning to Dust. "You and Tejil make contact with the villagers, we'll keep watch incase these two numbskulls need support."

"Since when do you give orders, sir?" Dust joked, taking up his weapon, he and Tejil dashed down the other side of the hill.

Gray itched his neck in frustration, "Damnit, I don't like the looks of this Erika..." as his wolf-like eyes settled back on the mudlands, she having returned to standing before the Merman.

A low growl left Zen as his gaze rose to meet her's, a stoic glare filled with resolve, as her body briefly tensed sending out a wave of energy and blasting off any mud that covered her onto her surroundings.

"You're strong." Erika said, her eyes narrowing.

"You're annoying." Zen replied, standing back up for the sixth time from meditation.

"But it seems..." Erika sighed, as their gazes turned to beyond the mudlands, as down one of the river came a small army of pirates.

"We're out of time." Zen ended, popping his neck as water rushed out from underneath him and engulfed his body briefly before settling over his skin like a second one.

A great mixture of races made up the pirate ranks, many of which Erika did not recognize, as one of these stepped to the front. Slick grey-blue snake-skin with the upper body of a cobra for a neck and head. The man wore a long silver coat and a chain around his neck with five skulls filling it, the chain breaking through the sides of each skull as they hung off it.

The creature hissed, "Well, thiss iss a firsst. Asss in, the firsst time, I've had to ussse ssso many of my numberss to raid you."

At the sight of the being, Zen's eyes focused into pure untapped rage. "You...actually came."

"Oh, but ofcourssse I came. I've heard of you, sssilly little fissshboy. I never imaged you'd become sssuch a headache." The serpent hissed and chuckled.

"Fang Tou, y-" Zen began to say, but was cut off by Fang.

"Admiral Captain, Fang Tou." Fang corrected with a cold chuckle.

"Titles...All empty and pointless. You may be under the thumb of the Blood Kin, but you are nothing more than a pirate." Zen hissed back.

Fang grinned a wide cruel grin, "At thisss point? I might assswell add pirate, to my repertoire of namesss. You people, ssseem to be adverssse to Admiral Captain, insstead you only call usss piratesss." Feigning an insulted expression, "When we only come here to take the fundsss and ressourcess our kind overlordsss promisssed usss!" Fang exclaimed dramatically.

"Enough. Lies, deceit, theft, murder, arson, abuse. Enough of it all." Zen growled, rising to his full impressive height, he lay his arms open wide and ready beside him as his widened into a cold glare.

Fang simply chuckled, raising his long clawed-hand, his men formed three lines of muskets in front of him.

"Ah, ssso be it." Fang said, "Fire."

With three sets of reverberating smallarms fire, a peppering of bullets rained towards Zen as he prepared his body to take each and every one.

When an explosion of movement came from his left. Flames came alive underneath Erika's feet, sending her sliding over the mud in a curving motion to come standing between the firing squads and Zen. Quickly she swiped with her right leg, a high arcing kick that sent waves of electricity rushing ahead of her, blocking each round ball in mid-air, before continuing her turn to come standing with her back to Zen.

Bullets still floating before herself and sparking with energy, her fiery gaze rose to meet the pirates. Before suddenly she raised both hands forward with palms open wide, sending the barrage of projectiles raining back onto the pirates.

Many dozens injured and almost half dead, all but Fang ducked down, as he had stood seemingly motionless and unharmed. But Erika had seen his movements, faster than the projectiles she sent their way, the being had evaded each and every one.

His grin fading into annoyance, Fang stretched out his long serpentine fingers, each ending in needle-like emerald claws. Running the claws into one another and creating this eerie metallic sound, it was joined by a long drawn out hiss. "That wassn't very welcoming, woman..."

An aura of heat began radiating out of Erika then, as she met the pirate's gaze with her own vicious draconic irises. "Oh, where are my manners?" Erika mused coldly, "Allow me to fix the temperature for you."