Strena The Youngest Slayer Arc Part Two

 The Syren

Strena looked at all the jobs. She knew that she would have to choose something challenging but not too challenging. She knew that if she did not then Zaryb would. She looked at the jobs again but almost all sounded too hard for her. Yet she picked the one that sounded the easiest to her. She picked it as she winced slightly as she one that it was going to be hard nevertheless. Maybe too hard for her but she knew that it was the easiest that was on the board at that moment. She then returned to Zaryb who was sucking on his third beer.

"Here. It's the only one that I could find at my current level."

He put the wooden mug down as he looked at it. He then looked up at her and then at the board and then nodded. This told her that she was right which gave her a sense of relief as he looked back at the poster.

Kill the syren

For the past four months, Sryne the syren has been

A plague for the island Village,  Aquem located in

The hills of Ercelin.

We have tried to reason with her but every man we

Have sent ended up being waged up on the 

Shoreline almost all eaten. We have even tried to

Kill her ourselves but that ended with the same

Result.

Please, our men and women are being eaten, our

Supplies are running out and we can not leave to

Get more. We do not know how much time we have

Left. So please Gerry here before it is too late.

Signed

Luellet Cyendotr

"And you think that you can kill this creature?" He asked with the corner of his mouth curling up.

"With your help then yes." She admitted as she played with her necklace. His eyes shone slightly as his smile widened.

"Alright!" He said. "Well pack your things and I will pack mine."

She nodded, drinking the last of her apple juice. She ran to her room and packed her things and they were both soon on the road before they knew it. She noticed that there were more people looking at her sword and her with fear. They were soon riding the public carriage. Strena stayed quiet, yet the thought did strike her that they might already be too late. Yet she might not, however either way,  she would be either saving or avenging the village.

She spotted that the grass had become paler with a pistol blue tint. She spotted that the gravel on the road had become chalk. It looked like a strange winter wonderland.

"This looks quite beautiful." She said out loud.

"Yes, yes it is."

She then smiled and she spotted that he carried a strange smile. A sad smile. The kind of smile that one could only smile after going through hell for years and had suddenly remembered how to smile. It was filled with a bittersweet sorrow that Strena never thought that Zaryb could ever have. She frowned as they arrived. She then pushed what she had seen out of her mind as she got off and then waited for Zaryb. 

They walked to an empty doc. She shivered at how eerie it looked. She knew that they would have to get to the village on their own. They soon found an empty boat.

"Master Zaryb, there's a boat over there."

"I know,  but you need to sit."

"Why?"

"Remember what I said about questions?"

She tensed up and nodded. She sat without a word.

"Take out your quill and book."

She did.

"Title?"

"Mermaids and Syrens."

She wrote it down.

"Now syrens, unlike what many people day,  are not and I repeat, are not,  women that are part bird, no they are furies and harpies. Now syrens and mermaids are very close cousins. Yet even still there are differences between the two. One,  syrens do not cover their breasts with shells, two, although they both have enchanting singing voices, the syrens are more powerful and can be prophetic, three, syrens have sharp teeth almost like a parana, meanwhile mermaids have long sharp canines like a vampire. Four syrens have thinner fingers and higher webbing between each finger. Yet even though both both are very beautiful creatures syrens possess a cold beauty meanwhile mermaids look more innocent. None are to be trusted. Yet even though mermaids can take human forms via magic, syrens cannot." He said as he waited for her to finish.

"Are there any mail syrens and mermen?"

"Yes and they are just as deadly in fact they can be more dangerous. Anyhow, there are many cousins of the merfolk and the syrens. Such as the silky who look like ordinary seals, however after they come to land they can shed their skins and reveal their human form which holds great beauty. They have a passive personality which can lead to them being forced into becoming the marital partner of humans. This can be true for both generates. Then there are a group known as the blue people that look like humans but they have blue scales and webbed hands and feet. They are usually mistaken for evil monsters so they usually end up being caught and killed by fishermen that do not know any better."

She finished what he had said.

"Is that it?"

"Yes. Now let's move on."

She boxed as she packed it away. Then they took a boat and she started rowing. As she did she could feel her muscles stretch and get warmed up. She found the silence and the stillness of the water slightly chilling. The only thing that kept her sane was the soft sound of the rowing and even that became eerie as it reminded her of just how quiet this place was. She found herself getting colder and colder.

"Do you think that we should see the village first?"

"Why?"

"To see if anyone's alive. If they're not then all this would be a waste."

He smiled.

"Good point."

He then helped row the boat to the island in the center of the lake. She saw that the doc was all but abandoned. She saw that there was a small man sitting at the docs, he was boney with old clothes barely clinging to his body. His eyes were dead and it was all too clear that he was only there for the pay cheque. He would have been at home if he was not paid. He would have enjoyed his job and greeted then with a smile, had the syren not taken that away from him. She then docked the boat.

"Who are you?"

"A slayer that you ordered."

He nodded.

"Come with me." He said as he walked slowly to the village Hall.

"They are here!" He said weakly.

"Good." Said another man that also looked like his clothes were barely clinging to his body. He shook as he clung onto his walking stick.

"Your payment will be given once I see her head. In the meantime do you need anything to help you Sir?"

"No. And I'm not the slayer that took your job." Zaryb corrected.

"Then who is?"

He points to the girl. This caused him to frown.

"Is she not too young for this?"

"Maybe, but it was the only job that I saw that was the easiest."

"I do not understand. Why would you let one so young be a slayer? Who or what are you preparing her to kill?"

Zaryb's face became dark and serious,  however there seemed to be both pain and shame in his eyes.

"Never you mind old man! Now come, if we take any longer I don't think that they will like long enough to pay you!"

"Yes, good point. The only reason I came here is to see if you're all alive anyway."

They then set off to the rocky cliff face. There they saw a cave, where she saw the coins made of silver, gold and other precious stones carpet the bottom. Some had coral already growing all around them and some were embedded in the coral. She saw some bones there too, some were human and some fish. With some living fish swimming in the clear water.

"Why here?"

"Syrens and mermaids love caves." He whispered. "Now keep quiet. You do not want to alert syren. Once a syren knows that we're here she will start singing and none wants that. Do you hear me?"

She noted as she climbed. They soon climbed in. Strena had to bite her lip to stop herself from crying out in pain as the rock cut into her fingers and the salt in the air made her cuts sting. She soon spotted the syren sitting on a rock in the shape of a giant arrow. She was combing through her jet black hair with a comb made of bone. She could hear her humming a tune that was being amplified by the shape of a cave.

"She sees not the demon within,

She sees that it makes him sin,

She thinks that monster is the man,

She can not kill but another can!"

"Cursed by the brother he killed,

Vengeance in his heart instilled,

Vengeance that he wants to fill,

Vengeance he wants her to kill!"

"His suffering will end,

Not other than a defend,

Laying down for family and friend,

Final joinery will finally go and send."

"She will do all to make him free,

The one death will never ever see,

She with names three,

Will be led by destiny!"

She frowned as she looked back at Zaryb and noticed that he had entered into a trance. His face was pale and his face carried a strange child-like look. She noticed that he was making his way over to the syren. She then rushed over to him and slapped him out of whatever it was.

"Little girl who is great,

And long unending fate,

Though years she will wait, 

Her jaws never take the bait."

"Hear me now should you wish

To see that you miss the most,

Take my sweet and deathly dish,

And die on this rocky coast."

"For you and another on another shore

Will be cut off from death forevermore!"

She frowned yet she knew that it was her that she was singing about. This also meant that all that she sang would come to pass. Yet she could not figure out the rest. However she wanted to walk over to her, curious to listen in and learn more. She found that she was getting close and closer to the creature. Then Zaryb whacked her.

"Do your job girl!"

She looked at him and nodded. She then drew a tiny dagger at her throat. With a screech she fell into the water. She was about to dive in knowing that the wound would be far too shallow for it to prove fatal. Yet Zaryb stopped her. She looked at him questioningly.

"She knows these waters."

She nodded.

I have to get her out of the water then.

"Remember that story I told you about the boiling toad?"

She went pale as age understood what he meant. She then turned back to the water. She then closed her eyes and then started to heat it up. She started to do this slowly so as to not draw too much attention to the rise of temperature. She then willed the heat to rise slightly even more. She then raised the heat to become slowly hotter and hotter. Soon it was at a high temperature yet it was not boiling yet. She then raised it higher and higher still. She then heard the scratching along with the sound of bubbles dusting. 

She opened her eyes as she felt her energy draining get the better of her. She then looked up and spotted the syren dive to her. She was covered in blood and blisters and boils. She flicked out her sword and caught the head by the hair. She bit her lip as the water scaled her fingers. She then looked at him.

"Time to collect."

They then climbed back out of the cave and over the rocks. She could feel her body feel heavy as she walked back barely raising her feet as she did. She almost slammed the head on the table. They looked at it and then her in shock.

"I would like my money now!" She panted.

They gave it to her and she put it back in her pocket. They then left and she almost collapsed as they rowed back. She then just managed to stay awake as they walked to the public carriage. Once they sat she leaned on his shoulder and closed her eyes, but then Zaryb punched her in the face. She jumped as she looked at him.

"Did I give you my permission to fall asleep on me?"

"No. I'm just tired, that's all! Also-"

"Refrain from expecting any comfort from me."

She looked aside and nodded. She curled up and hugged her sword. She hid her upset well as they rode to the slayer's tavern in silence. Once she reached her room she collapsed on the bed with the sword gripped in her hand.