The incoming Jawran growls with a wave and mist scattering around it. It keeps pushing forward with the sight, right into hovering Luke, who in return looks calmly at the approaching enemy.

 

“Well. Screw my luck.” He says while pushing the handle of his Wave hammer that remains unmoving within the air forward.

 

Jawran pushes its maw forwards. Flipping its strangely shaped wings on the water as it flew up almost 100 feet toward the hovering Luke.

 

Luke welcomes it with a slight smirk and a weapon, that could deal with it. Such a straightforward attack is easy to handle, and Luke knows it very well.

 

The wave materializes around his right hand, which is grabbing the hammer. Almost like a tail, or hand, Luke smashes the manifesting Arcalist right to the top of the Jawran's head. Swing of motion felt as natural to him as ever, with the mist of matter, that protects his single hand, that is wrapping around his hammer.

 

Cracking its scales, it flows rapidly down to the ocean, where it smashes the waters of the ocean.

 

“Tough. I will kill you next time.” Luke mutters, looking down below. Grabbing the handle from the motionless Wave hammer within the air once again, he waits for a better opportunity.

 

It is better this way, since Jawran is not so clever Dark being. With a rather humongous body, it has an intellect of a copper coin. Its wings, like things around its long body, are used for flying, and not for swimming. With such a body, it struggles with long-distance flying. It failed in its persuasion by the air, but the swim in the ocean is fine too.

 

Luke assumes it was following them right from New York City. Flying over the ocean is a dumb mistake of the even dumber creature.

 

The stupidity of that decision will cost its life, but not as it would even consider it. Its hunt just starts, with the prey, right there.

 

Jawran flips its body from the water and roars with anger and pounces on Luke again.

 

Flapping its wings, its speed is not that great to be any quicker to be unnoticed by Luke.

 

Turning its Wave hammer around to the other side, there is a spike-like side of the two-sided part. One is the blunt while the other has one singular spike like a pickaxe.

 

Both parts remain the same wave pattern throughout their design, as this is the basis of every Arcalist. It acts according to Luke's wish, as it is his own creation.

 

Jawran, being a few moments with his jaw around Luke, continues forwards with blind killing intent in its multiple deadly eyes above its massive jaw.

 

Swoosh!

 

In a blink of an eye, a penetrating force blew up the jaw of Jawran. A spiked Wave hammer completely destroys the jaw and part of the head of this monster.

 

Being so large, left much to be desired by Luke who struggles to retrieve his weapon from the monster.

 

Jawran is still Alive, after all.

 

Flipping its wings and spikes around, it strikes its foe, but nothing much happens, since the protective Arcalist around Luke left not a speck of wound on his body. He defends with the hilt and bent shoulder of his right hand that has the flowing matter protecting this side.

 

“Drop dead already, will you?” Luke states with a bothered expression, while a much tougher and wider wave tail wraps around his whole arm, shoulder, and back. With Warhammer within the Jawran, he lifts it up above and with a swift motion, curls his Wave hammer to freedom. Jawran struggles and roars with intangible anger, while the blood floats around its messed-up head. It remains alive, but not for long. It flips its wings, spikes striking forth, but to no avail...

 

Luke looks at the Jawran a few dozen feet away. It tries to attack him with its remaining strength.

 

Extending his hand, he suddenly swings with a different kind of weapon. Cleaving the air for hundreds of feet of a wave pattern of a matter. The Jawran with its two halves drops to the ocean. Dead, without any speck of life.

 

Luke spits into the ocean while resting his weapon on his shoulder. An ax-like weapon on the tip of a long handle remains shining within the light, and matter that is his Emblem.

 

“So lucky. So easy. I guess I will take this as a bonus reward for the mission.” He mumbles as he puts his hand in the air. With a few motions, Wave Ax changes back to the fine form of Cube that he mounts, before flying back to the distant helicopter.

---

Before the fight started.

 

Up above, Szczepan told the second pilot to hover above the possible distance of Jawran's attack, while waiting for the work of his boss to be over.

 

It takes not that long, as he notices the Jawran appearance right away, as he flips the helicopter around.

 

“Igor, take the charge, remain in the position,” Szczepan says to the co-pilot on his right, who takes the charge of the helicopter right away.

 

“Roger, Zeppy.” Igor replies with a similar accent as him.

 

Szczepan moves to the seating area once more where he notices the struggling William who is trying to open his belt.

 

“Want to take a look at a combat, young Walker?” he asks William, who in return, glances at the sudden arrival with an uncertain look.

 

“I wanted, but this belt is a torture device!” he argues.

 

“Alright.” Szczepan chuckles and with a single finger, unlocks the belt.

 

Stupefied and angry, William could not figure out the reasoning. Before he has a chance to retort, Szczepan pulls him up and shoves him to a window that has the best view of the sight below.

 

With the hovering helicopter, William has no trouble with his movements. He grabs the handles on the ceiling and glances outside, through the window.

 

Down there, admits the storm of waves, he sees a monster that he has never seen before.

 

“What sort of monster is that? It is so large, unlike Hellgars.” He mutters.

 

“That right there is Jawran.” Szczepan explains while looking at the window by William's side.

 

“Will Luke manage?”

 

“Obviously. Jawran in the sea is like a fly in the spider web. Weakened and stupid, he will deal with it soon. Though, I must say. The situation would be different outside of this environment. Jawrans are land Dark Beings, after all.”

 

Shortly enough, the words of Szczepan go through and William watches in silence as the cleaved Jawran falls lifelessly into the ocean.

 

William could barely see the attacks or whatever Luke even did. In the end, he dealt with the Jawran with ease.

 

“So strong,” William mumbles while noticing something strange, where Luke points with his hand forwards. Motioning some movements in the air in a strange manner.

 

“That is rank 4 walker, boy. Luke would probably want you to see this, but he is a forgetful fella, so I took care of you. Do you feel gracious, glad?” Szczepan smugly states.

 

“Thank you very much. This was a sight I will never forget.” William graciously says.

 

“Yea. Yea. That is what I would expect from a young walker. Word of the Dark is nothing like this, though. Make sure your heart is firm. More than the sea and currents of the oceans. Understood?”

 

William glances back to the ocean while clenching his fists. He nods with commitment and resolves.

 

Szczepan smirks and opened the door to the outside, after noting William to grab firmly to something.

 

A gust of wind, not that strong, fills the room as Luke suddenly appears inside. With a cube in hand, he checks his wet and messy hair.

 

“Good work, boss,” Szczepan salutes while closing the door.

 

“Easy work. Though, bad timing. Is everyone safe and sound?” Luke asserts with a look around the room. In the corner, are a group of 5 people with the baby.

 

“Yea, they are fine. The boat was destroyed by Jawran, but we managed most stuff to get to the cargo space.” Szczepan clarifies the worry of Luke who, without glancing at William, walks to the group as the cube disappears into the waves and strands of energy back into his body.

 

“Everyone alright?” he asks.

 

“We are,” a man named Marcus replies while hugging his wife.

 

“Good. Szczepan, get Alexandra here to check them and the baby.” Luke orders.

 

“I already did. She is looking for everything above. We don't always have a situation like this.” Szczepan replies.

 

Speaking of the wolf, and wolf appears around the corner. On the far side of the cargo room, a woman appears with a thick bag in her hands. She reaches the group and starts their checks for health.

 

It took a little time since the adults are mostly alright. Tired, but healthy.

 

“No! Don't take my baby!” the woman screams at Alexandra who tries to check the not-so-healthy-looking baby.

 

“I won't, s-soryy.” Alexandra argues while soon being slapped by the unreasonable woman.

 

“Hey, leave the stuff for professionals. She is a goddamned nurse.” Luke argues while stopping the hand of the woman.

 

“He is our baby!” Marcus steps before Luke and Alexandra while pushing him to the middle of the room.

 

“You again with the tough look? We are trying to check the health of your baby.”

 

“Yeah, right? Just a baby. What would you even do if it wasn't a potential young Walker? Would you leave us in the middle of the ocean?” Marcus asks.

 

Luke stares at Marcus with an unbothered and calm face. Not replying, only looking with an unbothered expression.

 

“Too scared to answer the truth? I know your kind. Soldiers what are so-called righteous but are just pretending for their questionable morals.”

 

“Says the man who almost killed 5 people.”

 

“Do you have some problem?” Marcus grabs Luke's collar of his jacket in agitation.

 

“How many helicopters are even approaching the waters of New York City, or traveling the ocean where notice of the small boat is barely possible?” Luke argues with factual logic.

 

Marcus, obviously uncertain how to answer to that, further strengthens the grip on Luke.

 

Suddenly, Marcus is shoved to a near wall. William jumps at the man, upon hearing the reasonings that could not anger him any less.

 

“Damn kid, get the fuck off me!” Marcus curses and tries to get William away.

 

Slippery and tough, William swiftly jabs a fistful of anger at Marcu's face, who had not expected it at all.

 

Struggling on the floor, he looks at the boy who hit him.

 

“He saved you of your precious and stupid lives. Get over it as everyone who is being saved at this age. At least for your kid.” William shouts in anger for reasoning and understanding.

 

These people are obviously like him. Refugees and people who already lost enough. Taking a gamble for the Federation, before struggling for winter. That is a normal occurrence every year. Especially in the borders around Canada and northern parts of the East American continent.

 

Marcus looks at William in confusion before understanding his mistake. He is fed up with hopelessness and despair. This opportunity he has... is not bad to use it.

 

“Yea, as the kid is saying. I have no place to shove you into the ocean. That is the work of higher-ups.” Luke says while being somewhat surprised by William's actions.

 

“That is also not the right thing to say, mister Luke,” William replies to his comment.

 

“I am not arguing about my choice of words. Let's get this over with so we can save some fuel to return to our path. How about that?” Luke, bothered by nothing, takes a seat by a window and crosses his arms around his chest. Making his stand apparent and firm.

 

Alexandra, upon seeing no more troubles, takes the baby from the woman's softer grip and starts the check for his health. To be sure, in the presence of both parents.

 

William watches in silence as he takes the seat beside Luke and awaits the end of this journey.

 

Szczepan returns to the cockpit and restarts the journey upon the end of Alexandra's checks. The baby is malnourished, with hunger and not enough sleep. She feeds him some milk and emergency supplies readily available in the military rescue box, which is always in the helicopters in case of need.

 

The baby still needs some care, but that would wait for the end of the journey, where Alexandra did everything that she could. With the baby back in their hands, Marcus and his wife calm down, with no further troubles on the remaining journey.

 

William and Luke have no more discussions as both have no mood for it.

 

1 hour and something later, a new land appears beyond the horizon.

 

“We are before the Federation.” Szczepan's voice announces from the speaker.