The river water was clear and felt warm around his feet compared to the cool wind of the evening air. Dante, stood with a fishing rod in hand as he hoped to catch some more fresh meat to eat for the night. He already set up his camp a little way from the river as he noticed the sinking sun, and not wanting to waste the supplies he had, he took the opportunity that this natural waterway provided.

“Well on the bright side, at least I’m getting to use these old things,” as he said that a slight tug grabbed his attention. His arms tensed as he drew in whatever had taken the bait closer to him.

“Argh! Don’t be so stubborn and get over here!” with a swift rile and pull the aquatic creature launched out of the water, “There we go, not too bad, you were a tough piece of shit.” The creature danced as it hanged from the line.  It scales shined yellowish orange as it resembled a bizarre crossbreed between a goldfish and eel.

“This should be enough, for lunch and breakfast in the morning,” he said as he gazed down at the container filled with three more of the same fish creatures. “Now it’s just to gut and cook these babies, hopefully they don’t stink as much as the last thing I killed.” As he voiced his plans, a sudden thought came to him, “Now that I think of it this place wouldn’t be a bad place to have a quick bath,” he returned a gaze to the river. Dante drove through for hours even nearly getting his jeep stuck a few times before he found this river. Besides, he only took a wet cloth to wipe himself yesterday. It would be a waste for him to be here and not have a bath in the river, after all, he didn’t know when he’d get another chance. Finding the river in itself was luck, but the chance of people being nearby and them having a bath to use was still slim after all. Dante finished pondering, though it wasn’t a hard decision by any means. He’d go back and drop off his catches then grab some bathing items and return for a nice bath in the river.

“Hm…” as he walked back to his makeshift camp for the night, Dante heard a sound and immediately used his eyes to scan the area around him. An unusual white color flash by before disappearing into the brushes.

“Guess there’s no letting my guard down, huh,”

Frantic splashes sounded out as Marilyn tried to stay afloat, and exasperated gasps left her mouth as she struggled for air. The currents and the debris batted against her body. Luckily, she managed to grab hold of a log. Naked, soaked, and bruised, Marilyn gripped with what little strength she had left to the soggy log.

“Lac-Lacey!”, she took in some breaths before shouting again, “Kayla!” her head darted about, but only the wild forest and raging debris-filled waters entered her view. “Can you all hear me!” once again she mustered some strength and shouted, “Where are you!”

To think this is how their journey turned out, Marilyn very well knew going out into the wilderness especially the Werewoods, was no yonder into the farmlands, but even so… to encounter a water siren, nearly watching her party be killed, and even then, not only separated from them but not knowing if they’re alright. The thoughts gathered within and slowly ate away at her mental state.

“Lacey!?Kayla!? Please if you can hear me, give me an answer!” she yelled out again. Yet no reply ever came, “Lacey… Kayla… pleased! Please be alive…” with those final words Marilyn’s head collapsed onto the log, tears poured out from her silver eyes as the dark of night covered the land.

Below the river’s surface, glowing red eyes shined out. Even though all the murkiness and darkness, it could see its prey as clear as day.

“I have you now, human,” as it spoke a grin appeared on its face. It’s rows of razor teeth on full display.

Marilyn rested as best she could on the moist and coarse log. The cold air and dirty rough water didn’t make it easy. When suddenly a strong force pulled at her.

“Ah!” she cried out as she grasped onto the log. Though as she turned back, she couldn’t see through the murky river, but no doubt there was a hand grabbing hold of her. Its sharp nails dug into her flesh, “Argh!” she screamed again. In her current state, Marilyn couldn’t hold on for long and eventually got overpowered and dragged into the depths below.

“Hello again, human!” the siren spoke as it brought Marilyn to face her. “You and your pesky friends hurt me pretty badly back there,” an elongated tongue slipped out of its mouth and licked Marilyn’s face, “Now, you’ll pay for that, by filling up my stomach!” the siren widely smiled before her. Marilyn’s eyes widened as she tried to tug away and lashed out against the river predator, but it was futile. She was too weak to escape, she wasn’t even in a state to use magic. She threw one final desperate punch to escape, but once again it didn’t even make the siren flinch. “That’s it I love when you humans play hard to get,” its red eyes glowed intensely as it continued, “oh! How I’d want to see you struggle more, but all that fighting really worked up my appetite!” and with that, she pulled in Marilyn and her teeth pierced right into her shoulder. The water soon dyed red, as Marilyn’s mouth stretched open, but only the sound of air bubbles came out.

How did it end up this way… please won’t someone save me?!

The strange roaring noise made its way to Dante as he returned from camp. His curiosity soon became disappointment as the once clear river, was now filled with dirtied and rough waters. It’s banks even burst as the flooded out into the forest a bit.

“Damn…” the single word left his mouth as he saw the rapid torrents of water rushing through where he had intended to bathe. “I wasn’t even gone for long. How’d it end up like this?” as he continued to observe the river, he looked up ahead, only to be surprised by a figure clinging to a log, “Is that… a woman?”

However, as soon as she came into his view her body soon disappeared into the waters. Without even a moment of hesitation, Dante dropped his bathing items. Luckily, he was already shirtless which left only his shoes to kick off as he dived into the water.

The debris-filled water rammed against him but he didn’t even feel a thing. Though it did make looking for the woman hard. Soon the sound of a woman’s voiced entered his ears. While a little surprised at himself being able too, Dante soon focused on the voice and as he did. the murkiness of the water cleared away. Before him was a girl being bitten by another woman with an eel tail and sharp teeth. Dante’s brow’s frowned as he swam straight at them.

“Hm?” the siren said as it noticed an approaching figure. Upon closer look, however, her eyes shut completely open and her jaws released Marilyn’s shoulder. “Impossible… a ma-” her words were cut short as a powerful fist collided with her monstrous face. She flowed back in the water as red trails came out of her face and nose, polluting the water along with fragments of her teeth.

Dante grabbed the barely conscious girl as he swam for the surface.

“No! I won’t be denied my food by such pesky beings!” as she forced out the words, she swam after them. She used magic to create currents to slow him down, and as she approached, she widened her jaws and sank them into the back of Dante’s neck. At least she tried to, the remaining teeth in her mouth all broke and their pieces flowed off. Dante left the girl unto a driftwood as he turned and grabbed the fish woman, who was still dazed by what had just transpired.

His muscular arms warped around her gill-lined neck, and by the time she came back to her senses, it was already too late.

I don’t know what the hell you are, but I’ve had enough of your freaky fish self! as he thought that, Dante pulled his arms in opposite directions, and with little effort, a crack entered his ears despite them being underwater. The siren’s head twisted in an unsightly position; its eyes resembled a dead fish’s as its body went limp in his arms. Dante had soon let go of her and as it was dragged off by the strong river waters, he returned to the woman he left above.

“Shit! Hey, stay with me!” Dante yelled at the woman in his arms, her body was battered, pale, and becoming cold. Not to mention the endless stream of blood that ran out of the deep bite wounds on her shoulder.

He rushed back to the camp at an incredible pace, but he was so occupied on the wounded young woman before him to really notice. Dante rested her in the back of his passage seat. He then went to the trunk and swiftly searched through all his stuff. Numerous supplies were frantically tossed one after the other, as his golden-brown eyes scanned through them all.

“Shit, where is- ah!” he pulled out a red box, “It’s a good thing the medics won’t the only one’s taught first aid,” Dante spoke as he grabbed disinfectants, cloths, and gauze from inside the box. “Hey, can you hear me? You’re gonna be okay.”

Marilyn could barely focus on what was going on before her. But she could tell by the roughness and warmth of his body, and even the large built figure. It had to be them, the mysterious person she saw in her dream.

It was another vision after all…but who are you…? After those final thoughts, Marilyn’s consciousness soon faded to darkness.

Jude-Deus

Alright guys a lot has happened in these last couple chapters, but finally, Dante has found another human. How will things turn out from here? Well only one way to find out, and that is to stay tuned!

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