The Flying Broom nosedives towards an archipelago. Everyone onboard panics.

Loc: Gidget! Disable the portside engine and activate Goose Mode!

Gidget: But I don’t think we have enough steam—

Loc: Just do it god damn it!

Loc quickly enters the bridge and pulls several levers at the control panel.

The ship begins to level off as its main left engine ceases to remain ablaze. Steam spews from the hull of the ship and its outer wings dematerialize. A large boat hull materializes under the ship as it crashes into the ocean. Everyone is jostled around and the women scream from the impact. The ship glides on the waters to a halt as it narrowly avoids most of the rocks and small islands of the archipelago.

There is a pause as everyone collects themselves. Aldrog, Gidget, and Loc enter the deck and observe their surroundings.

Loc: Status?

Gidget: Well, we should have enough steam to sail to the nearest port but there’s no telling when she’ll be able to fly again.

Aldrog yawns.

Aldrog: Man, what a way to wake up from a nap.

Phoebe notices the back of a scaly serpentine creature briefly surface above water in the distance. She looks concerned.

Phoebe: Is this Daagon's Islands—

Seth: I think everyone is alright, for now—

Rivna: (Look out, Loc!)

Loc immediately turns to Rivna, then looks up. The White Golem crashes onto the deck and grabs Loc in a bear hug.

Tamar: Loc!

Gideon: Kid!

Tamar shoots a sniper rifle at the White Golem’s head but he doesn’t flinch. Loc grunts as he’s squeezed tighter. Aldrog punches him in the back but there’s no effect. The White Golem’s vents open and a gust of wind pushes everyone back.

Phoebe: There’s no way we’re gonna get the White Golem to budge. He’s one of the strongest bounty hunters there is.

Rivna dropkicks Loc’s captor in the head and he’s sent crashing into the cabins of the ship. Seth and Phoebe look surprised. Tamar runs to Loc.

Tamar: Loc! How are you?!

Loc stumbles to his feet rubbing his back.

Loc: Any longer and I would’ve been paralyzed.

Seth materializes and reverse grips two long daggers while getting in a combat stance. Phoebe produces a giant chakram.

Seth: Loc, go hide somewhere. It’s obvious what he’s after.

Loc stretches his back in a loud grunt as he materializes his Steam Spear.

Loc: And miss all the fun?

Footsteps are heard.

Phoebe: Loc we mean it! Get out of here! This guy’s nearly as strong as a queen.

Loc gets into a combat stance with a fierce countenance.

Loc: Unless he’s stronger than the Queen of Queens I’m not going anywhere.

The White Golem slowly approaches them shooting a stream of gray electricity from his open vented arm. Aldrog runs in front of Loc and takes the shock. Aldrog’s armor is broken and he falls.

Gidget: Aldrog!

Loc: Aldrog!

Aldrog: Forgive me sire…

Aldrog looses consciousness. Loc grunts in frustration as he chucks his spear. The spear bounces off the White Golem, he’s completely unfazed. The White Golem counters by firing his gatling gun. Rivna protects everyone with a shield of ice.

Seth produces steam from his boots and lobs a grenade. The grenade explodes above the White Golem but he continues to fire. Seth rises behind the White Golem from his shadow with glowing black eyes. Seth swings but his daggers clank off of his target and a gust of wind pushes him back.

Rivna’s ice cracks, greatly losing its integrity. Phoebe leaps over the ice and throws her steam spewing chakram.

The chakram bounces off of the White Golem but vines form from the steam and it lassos itself around him, forcing him to cease firing.

Phoebe materializes a large heavy iron chakram and tosses it high above her head as steam spews from it. Vines form from the steam and latch onto the iron chakram and to her hands. She jumps and swings it down on top of the White Golem’s head.

The impact digs the White Golem’s heels into the deck but to her surprise he’s completely unfazed. He breaks out of his bindings and rushes to Loc swinging a fist. Rivna intercepts and is sent flying overboard.

Loc: Rivna!

Rivna lands on top of the water. She rises to her feet and stands on top of the water with an angry grunt. She pauses as she looks down at her feet in shock.

Rivna: (Wait, my vyrkra… I can still use it without steam?)

A small pillar of water rises above her.

Rivna: (Of course! How could I have forgotten?! I can commune with the planet’s vyrkra as long as I’m physically touching the element I can control. Which means—)

Rivna’s eyes glow. She materializes her Steam Sword as a massive wave of water raises her several stories above the surface. Everyone pauses to look at the wave in awe.

The water from the wave extends to launch Rivna to the White Golem at an incredible velocity. She knocks her opponent miles away from the Flying Broom with her sword and continues her pursuit on the water.

The White Golem takes flight and retreats while firing his gatling gun. The waters quickly rush Rivna towards her prey while dodging the fire.

Rivna: (This foe… He’s not using steam. He’s capable of communing with the planet’s vyrkra as well!)

She performs a flurry of strikes at blinding speeds that launches the White Golem away.

Rivna: (I can hardly believe this newfound strength of mine. I’ve never been able to commune with the planet on this magnitude before.)

The White Golem counters with a bazooka round. Rivna’s body turns to water as it’s hit and dissolves into a wave. Her sword is flung past the White Golem while a giant wave of water forms behind him. Rivna forms back to normal as she catches her sword and strikes him down towards the ocean. The White Golem let’s out a loud painful grunt while he falls.

The waters move out of the White Golem’s path, causing him to crash onto the dry ocean floors. His armor cracks from the impact.

A loud ferocious roar is heard.

The White Golem slowly rises. Rivna leaps at him from above swinging her sword. She strikes him in the head, shattering part of his helmet. Rivna freezes upon noticing a burly white Grushian inside the armor.

The White Golem quickly shoots her into the ocean walls with a bazooka round. The waters cover the ocean floor, engulfing the White Golem. Steam emits from his armor and he’s quickly propelled to the surface.

Rivna rockets out of the sea in chase. The White Golem gathers electricity in his hands above his head and tosses it. Rivna is blasted and falls back into the ocean with a shriek of pain. The White Golem creates a sonic boom as he flies back to the Flying Broom.

The White Golem tackles Loc and carries him off the ship as he flies away.

Tamar: Loc!

Seth: Loc!

Loc tries to wrestle free but the White Golem’s grip is too tight. Daagon, a giant serpentine yellow and blue sea monster, rises from the water ahead of the White Golem while gathering yellow mist in its mouth.

Alerted, the White Golem flies high and out of the way as a massive stream if mist is fired at him. The attack travels towards the ship. Everyone on it looks panicked.

Rivna appears from a wave that forms in front of the ship. She directs her hands and the wave turns into a shield of ice that blocks the blast.

Everyone on the ship looks amazed at Rivna's abilities. She forms a giant spear of ice from the water and launches it at the White Golem.

The White Golem turns to the incoming spear but a second head of Daagon rises from the ocean and fires a stream of yellow mist. Both the White Golem and Loc are grazed.

Loc falls. His clothes are tattered and bloody and he’s completely unconscious. Rivna and everyone else watch in dismay.

Rivna: (Loc! Loc!)

Loc slowly opens his eyes mid fall.

Rivna: (Loc!)

Loc is fully conscious and has glowing eyes. He lands on his feet on top of the water. Everyone looks at him with intrigue and relief. Gideon looks especially pleased.

Gidget: Hey, when did he learn to do that?

Loc looks down at his feet.

Loc: Wait, how am I doing this?

Loc looks up in horror as seven more heads of Daagon rise from the water with a terrifying roar.

Chapter End