Chapter 133

Lykan

Strategy, the Better Part of Success

Lykan slowly made his way to the surface of the ocean. As he arose from the depths he saw dozens of other monstrous creatures of the deep. Some tried to impede his path, all who did were quickly dispatched by swift strikes. Even in the water Lykan’s control over his body and momentum were tremendous. While he knew he couldn’t take the Leviathan, or even the scaled shark head on, he felt there was a way forward. The only problem was he was clearly missing it. Somewhere, or somehow he felt in his bones that he could beat the beast.

The more interesting thing was, while he couldn’t come up with a plan by himself. He was certain that Brenna would be able to come up with a plan. That or provide enough guidance that together the two of them could come up with a plan.

Finally the surface of the ocean appeared. Bright lights simulating a never ending sunshine glared down. This biome like most was odd in that it seemed to focus on ideal climate conditions. Still this made predicting an action within the biome someone easy. The only problem of course came when dealing with the monsters that lay within each biome. But seeing the different monsters and overcoming their strengths was part of the fun of these battles. At least that was part of the joy Lykan still got out of delving into these dungeons.

Each dungeon had a specific set of monsters that could utilize the terrain and environment to their complete control. It was clear that there was one apex predator for each biome and that those creatures were likely the cause for the entire biome to be introduced. While it was apparent that most biomes were designed to be redundancies, some were legitimately rare. Then again Lykan did have a small sample size to work with. He had already dealt with a dungeon that held the earth-wyrms, which was why this second time with Brenna he was more prepared and assure of himself. He knew what to expect and the best way for defeating such a monster.

He wanted that confidence when dealing with ocean biome creatures. He wanted the knowledge that each and every time he and Brenna went into an ocean biome of monsters, they could not only adapt but thrive. That was his goal for this mission. That was the sole reason for why he just didn’t unplug the power supply and walk away. He knew he could do that, just shut down the core and hope the monsters here died out before they found a way to finally escape. However, Lykan didn’t want to live life with the hope that things went well. That was never a way to live life as nothing good ever happened out of random chance, at least not in Lykan’s perspective.

Splash.

With a thrust forward, Lykan flies up and out of the ocean and into the open air. There is a brief sensation of weightlessness as his body surges forth at great speeds, before he slows down his movement to match his speed from within the ocean. This was further proof that while he could move about freely within the ocean, he was moving at a much more reduced speed. In fact, judging by the differences Lykan thought came to a realization. He realized that he moved as fast, if not faster than the leviathan did while outside of the water.

The only problem was, how could he learn to move faster within the water?

Still despite the size of the problem, Lykan felt in his bones that Brenna had a solution to this. Looking around, Lykan noted his current location and almost panicked when he realized during his travels he had gotten spun about. That was until he did a scan, and quickly found an energy signature that was both familiar and reassuring. Letting out a long sigh of relief, Lykan composed himself. Then took off flying to see how Brenna was doing.

To his surprise, she had done quite well for herself. The shore was designed much like a regular ocean, where there were a few meters where one could stand on sand. Then a few paces further there was a steep drop off into the ocean proper.

As he approached he could tell that Brenna had been busy. She had an assortment of killed and gutted fish. Seeing her work, Lykan inwardly sighed as he just left the cores of the monsters he killed lying in the ocean. Shaking his head, he realized just how distracted he truly had been about this whole experience.

As he approached, Brenna seemed to notice him. She went from what appeared to be a deep meditation pose with her back to the ocean. Before she spun about and locked eyes with Lykan’s flying form. Even from this distance, Lykan could see that she was beaming with excitement at his approach. That look alone filled his heart with such emotions of peace and harmony that Lykan hardly knew how to describe the feelings. There were so many moving about so quickly that he hardly had time to understand them. Just being near Brenna seemed to make his brain realize parts of his mind had been asleep for so long. These parts of course were the ones that helped him express emotions. He had always sort of understood emotions, at least from a clinical standpoint, but the full breath of what emotions were and how they felt while coursing through your body were lost to him.

This was a sort of frightening experience, as it meant Lykan for all his years of knowledge was just now experiencing parts of life that others had not only dealt with, but built up tolerances to. With so many emotions he wanted to try and experience more with Brenna, but wondered if she felt the same? Also how does one go about wondering if another acquaintance would also want to feel such emotions. Wars had been fought over such emotions. People who were once great friends felt betrayal by such emotions. He had read many stories, of these, but never fully understood what that meant.

Now that he had Brenna in his life, she felt like a natural extension for him. A part of his soul he never knew was missing, but now that it was found he never wanted to let it go. This connection is why he felt such confidence in talking with her. He knew that by merely talking to her, they would solve this problem that had eluded Lykan thus far. She was after all the other half of his whole.

Still he knew that they needed to be equals in this. He needed her, not just as he felt she provided a much needed anchor point for his soul, but that she truly had insights that he was lacking. It didn’t hurt that her beauty both before and especially since her transformation into a perfect body was beyond compare. Even Nayali and Olivia would be left in the wake of her her shadow, let alone her true appearance.

Seeing her his heartbeat faster, he knew that if they were to function as true partners, he needed to at least be honest with her about his feelings. He needed to let her know how he felt. If she accepts them great. If not, then at least I have made my position clear. Also it will likely help to avoid some unnecessary situations later on. Though he was loathe to do so, he was prepared to wall off his heart and seal away these newly seen aspects of himself. If it meant just being able to stay in her presence he would do so. Still for now he needed to tell her about his discoveries and his findings.

By the time he landed, Brenna, ever attentive to their needs, had made dinner. She made fried fish and octopus. While Lykan didn’t particularly care for seafood, a fact that he learned Brenna wholeheartedly agreed to, he found the meal wasn’t that bad.

“This is wonderful. I don’t know how you managed to make something like fish and a few spices taste so amazing.” Lykan said. This was a delicacy for Lykan. Since Lykan normally only cooked for himself, he often kept his meals bland, only going so far as to get all the nourishment that his body needed. By comparison to his normal meals, this was amazing.

Brenna smiled brightly at the compliment, a hint of color filling her cheeks. “Thank you. That means a lot to me, especially from you.” She said.

Seeing the somewhat weakened look on her, Lykan couldn’t help but smile brightly. She was radiant, at least in his eyes she was. He opened his mouth to tell her just that, that he would finally admit his true feelings. Or what he thought were his true feelings. Honestly what he was feeling now was so confusing that even just talking about them with Brenna would be a relief to him. He knew that she would hear him out without judgment, at least not until after he said his piece. Even then she would remain clinical in her approach to helping him sort out his thoughts. This was her nature, and yet another thing he truly valued about his companion.

“I need to tell you something.” Lykan said, steeling his resolve to finally state what was on his mind.

Hearing this Brenna’s bright face went from innocent delight to her more clinical face. The switch in character was so fast that Lykan lost his nerve in that instant. But since he had started the trail he knew she would not relent until he told her what he wanted. So rather than going down the personal path and likely derailing the true reason he came back so early. He decided to play it safe and tell her about the Leviathan and how he didn’t think he was capable of handling the Leviathan.

“I think I met an enemy that I should be able to beat, but I can’t. At least I don’t see how I can defeat the monster currently. Which is why I wanted your council. I knew that you would likely have the insight that I was clearly missing.”

Hearing the compliment Brenna beamed brightly, and sat up a little straighter at his praise. Seeing this reaction Lykan let out some of the tension in his shoulders and began explaining in detail everything he witnessed and observed. He noted the sonar bubbles, having to go so far as to draw pictures describing both the expanding sphere and the way it returned when hitting a solid object. He then proceeded to explain the process he had for opening a hole and entering into the sphere without the leviathan noticing. He then went on to describe the impromptu battle with the scaled shark and how the scaled shark attacked first the fins, then the tail. He explained the extreme speed, and graceful coiling attacks of the leviathan.

As he was done, he then explained “I didn’t really know what to do. I knew I could beat it, I was positive of this. But for the life of me I couldn’t come up with a solution. Though I knew that by telling you, you would notice the key part that I had missed.” Lykan said.

With that a faint glow filled Brenna, one that made Lykan smile a little.

“You said, it moved as fast underwater as you do while flying in the air?” She asked.

Lykan nodded. “Yes, while under water my ability move about are drastically reduced. However when I am in the air, I feel I move just that much faster.

Brenna nodded, while tapping her finger on her chin for a second. Then she gave her conclusion. “Well then the answer is simple, just fight the monster in the air.”

“What?” Lykan asked. He knew this wasn’t the answer. “The monster is too deep. Even if it chased me, there is no way I could race it to the surface and then out of the water quickly enough to get to the air.” Lykan answered.

Brenna shook her head.

“Look you already said that you could feel that sonar bubble of it from a good distance away, even before it got to you, right?”

Lykan nodded.

“You also mentioned being able to manipulate the energy of the bubble itself?”

Lykan again nodded.

“Well then you need to do that, pretend to be a much bigger creature from much further away. Wend a disruption to the bubble that is sent back in a slightly different direction than straight up. That is where you will be, by the way, straight up. As soon as you feel the bubble create a false alert to the top right. Then swim upwards immediately. When the Leviathan gets to the position where it sensed you saying a scaled shark was, you will be long gone. It will then likely send out another sonar ping. This time you do the same, but from a different angle. Make it look like the scaled shark outmaneuvered it. You keep doing this over and over, until it has no choice but to continue chasing you to the surface. Then when you are certain you can escape the surface of the water in time, you release a beacon right over head and get out of the water.”

Her plan sounds overly simplistic, which is both unsettling to Lykan and relieving at the same time. He sits and ponders this for a moment. He has a high degree of both Qi Control and Qi Alter, both of which would be vital to doing what she is saying. After hearing the plan, while realizing there might be a lot of potential problems with the plan. The only main problem that he can think of is, “what happens if the leviathan doesn’t continue to chase me?”

“Simple, then you come back here, and we come up with another plan. Don’t do anything stupid, just stick to this plan. If this one doesn’t work come back and we will come up with a better plan.”

Hearing that he smiles warmly.

“Oh, I almost forgot, the leviathan’s core is in the shape of a diamond. I think my understanding of cores is all wrong, as cores seem to be as much an understanding of oneself as are the path our powers take. Thus I feel I might have set you up for failure in getting you to follow in my direct footsteps.”

Hearing this, Brenna just smiles. “Don’t worry I realized that a bit ago. That your core designs were not right for me. I just didn’t want to hurt your feelings on the matter. This is part of why I can’t use my cores for flight, as that is not part of my nature to fly.” She said.

Hearing this Lykan felt deep shame at this, though he realized her nature was of the earth, solid and immutable. Seeing the look on Lykan’s face, Brenna reached out a reassuring hand and gently stroked Lykan’s cheek. The gesture was so odd and unexpected that Lykan just stared at her in bewilderment. He felt himself leaning into the caressing hand, as he felt comfort in that gentle gesture.

“Calm down. You are a great man doing the best he can. Know I will always appreciate that. So long as you are willing to keep putting up with me, I too will make do with the fact that you aren’t infallible. It is not a bad aspect; in fact, it is one of your more endearing qualities about you.”

Lykan was about to ask what she meant, when she continued. “The fact that you are wrong sometimes, but you are not only willing to admit you were wrong, but accept the consequences that come from your mistakes.”

Hearing that, Lykan felt relief come over him. He realized at this moment that what he had with Brenna was something truly special. He closed his eyes as he began to mentally prepare himself for what would likely be the most harrowing experience of his life. Luring an apex predator from its natural environment. Then forcing that same monster to fight in an environment that neither he nor it had any real dominion over.

He began to stand, eyes still closed as he “thank you for your council. As always I would be lost without you.”

“Don’t you forget it.” Brenna said, but then something happened as he began to pull himself up to a standing position. As he began to stand, he felt Brenna’s hand on his cheek pull him forward. Before he had a chance to recover he was off balance and being pulled down towards Brenna.

Before he had a chance to act Brenna with reflexes and attributes that were on par with Lykan’s own, she moved. In a second Lykan felt a warm tingling sensation on his lips, as qi began to be transferred from her to him. In an instance Lykan noticed it as qi residue from the meal they shared. Then he let the warm embrace of a kiss, their first kiss together take root and he lost all will to continue rising. Instead allowing himself to be pulled and contorted down to kiss her on her smaller frame. The kiss was like fire and cinnamon, a deep kiss with both texture and power. It was amazing, then over before Lykan wanted to.

With a quick shove, Lykan felt himself being pushed up and away from Brenna. Lykan looked down to see a flush to Brenna’s beautiful features. Lykan was about to ask, to say something, but Brenna beat him to it.

“That was for luck.” She said, as she gently stroked her fingers across her lips. Lykan’s own still tingled with never before experienced sensations. “Now go and kill a leviathan. If you do, I’ll give you…” she trailed off almost too embarrassed to finish her thought.

“You’ll what?” Lykan asked, wondering what happened to Brenna to cause her sudden change.

“I’ll give you another kiss.” She said, then turned away in a way that told Lykan she too felt just as awkward about this whole situation. Still he felt calmed knowing that she likely had feelings for him as well.

“I…” Lykan began, but was quickly cut off by a quick flat palm raised up by Brenna.

“Stop. We will talk about this once you have returned successfully.” She said. She had her back turned to him, but Lykan could see the intense reddening of her cheeks.

Seeing her so vulnerable at such a tender subject made Lykan smile inwardly.

“I will be back.” Lykan said as he began to circulate his mana throughout his body so he could begin flying. “I will definitely kill a leviathan, if it means another kiss like that.” Lykan said to himself.

Brenna’s sharp hearing picked up the words, and a relieved smile filled her lips as she was so glad she didn’t just ruin the relationship she depended upon so dearly.

Finally after a few seconds she turned around, easily spotting Lykan’s small form out on the horizon. Then she watched as he went invisible, then watched as an invisible object made little ripples by entering the water. With that, it was done. Now all Brenna could do was sit back, wait, and hope that Lykan would be safe.