Angelos Odyssey

3-1

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Tavon

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The Sun hovers brightly above an outside deck rimmed with white steel. Upon exiting the main lobby of the zekomata, metal flooring stretches ahead to stop at two adjacent stairs that lead down into a broad wooden platform. From the opposite side of the squared patch of wooden floorboards, the metal flooring begins again and ends in a rounded point directed toward the clouds surrounding us. Below that point, a faint outline of the Eriden Desert is visible, glaring radiantly against the light of day. By tomorrow, we’ll have exited the desert to fly above the middle of the Mountains, which we’re expected to reach after sunset. Although the Maeja have taken control of the ship, it seems like they have no interest in changing the course of our journey just yet. Dark vessels float nearby, forming a fleet centered around the zekomata and bringing into focus the stage awaiting me and Artemis.

A crowd of onlookers gathers around the edges of the higher floor and speaks in hushed tones; light synthwave music plays from one of several loudspeakers placed throughout the deck; Maeja gang members stand close to food stands scattered across both ends, threatening cooks, bartenders, and bakers alike with guns as they set up round tables designated only for themselves; wealthy merchants and investors begin placing bets under coercion from men in wifebeaters and bloody leather jackets. Some more jovial Maeja members get too tipsy and begin handing out free drinks to random spectators; if they refuse, they’re met with either hard stares or knives directed at their throats. “We’re here to have a good time,” I hear one of the gang members shout while pressing a mug of dark liquid into the hands of a chubby man in a black suit, “so don’t take our kindness for granted. If you don’t treat it like a party, we might just toss you off the ship. Now tell me who you think’s gonna win, eh? Tell me and then put your money where your mouth is.”

As Raiko and I begin to walk toward the middle of the platform overlooking the stage below, we’re accosted by a group of drunk slavers decorated by a disjointed fashion sense: red leather jackets too short for their upper bodies, torn pink tank tops, a green kilt stained with red, and grey suits without undershirts or dress pants, exposing leopard-patterned underwear instead.

The one with no pants steps out from his group and asks with a dirty grin, “Are you Tavon, the Knight Killer?”

“Yeah,” I nod. “What’s up?”

He glances back at the others with a smile, then he turns to me and says while staring in awe, “Me and the boys have been talking about you. Noboros is scary and all, but they’re just thieves. When we look at you, we see one hell of a monster—”

“You’re awesome,” the guy with the green kilt says while raising his head and taking a swig of beer.

“Heh. Yeah,” his partner up front agrees. “We had to come take a look at the one guy who killed a hundred trained men. That’s f*****g incredible—why aren’t you on our side?”

“I don’t know,” I tell them. “Ask your boss. I’ve already got an assignment lined up for the moment anyway.”

“I’m not training to be a damn slaver,” Raiko speaks up while glaring back at them.

I put my hand on his shoulder and reassure him, “It’s okay. We won’t be joining them any time soon.”

“Woah there,” the man in front of them puts his hands on his knees and starts to lean down, “aren’t you a little young to be hanging out with him? What is he to you?”

“Hey,”—I take two fingers and gesture his eyes away from the kid so that they’re directed back to mine as he stands up straight again—“don’t worry about him. He’s a future fighter in the making.”

“What’s your problem with ‘slavers,’” another of them asks with a frown. “How’s that any worse than running around killing people?”

“We serve different causes,” I tell him. “One of us fights for a living and the other treats people like property.”

“They couldn’t fight,” he replies curtly, “that’s why they became property. They’re not like you.”

“I’m not looking to own anyone.”

“That’s not all we do, you know,” says the man without pants.

“I can see that. You’re holding an entire ship hostage for a party. That’s not really my thing, either.”

“Hmph. Well,” he grunts while extending his hand toward me, “it’s good to finally meet you, ‘Knight Killer.’”

I don’t accept his handshake, and he frowns.

“I’m sorry,” I say to him, “I don’t want to catch anything before the fight.”

His frown deepens into a scowl. “We’re trying to be nice to you. Do you know who you’re fighting?”

“Yeah. The bone guy.”

“That ‘bone guy’s’ been alive a long time. He’s probably got a higher kill count than you do.”

“I think it’s about time for him to retire.”

He looks back toward his friends and snickers. Then, he pulls out a jagged knife and continues scowling.

“All it takes is one little slip-up and you’re done. We don’t care how tough you are. This isn’t gonna be a fair fight, and there’s people here who can make sure of that if you rub us the wrong way. Now, are you sure you don’t wanna straighten up and shake my hand like a man or are you gonna bleed out like an animal on the stage?”

“I think I’ll be all right.”

He hesitates as his eyes flicker from me to Raiko.

“Suit yourself,” he nods his head, averts his gaze, and turns his back to us. “Come on, boys, he won’t last much longer.”

As they walk away from us, Raiko addresses me, “Ay, T,” he says, “you weren’t seriously considering what they said, were you?”

“Hmm. Nah. I don’t think I could support them in good conscience.”

“Good.” Raiko gives me a serious look.

After acknowledging that we’re on the same page, we can only take a few more steps before we’re greeted with a familiar face.

“Tavon! Hey!”

Kagiso runs up to us while two strangers follow him from behind. When he’s close enough to stand in front of me, the onlookers stop in place and wait for him to finish speaking before moving any closer.

With a bottle of ginjo-shu sake in hand, Kagiso speaks to us as his face flushes red, “Everybody onboard’s talking about you! You’ve got some crazy fans, man.”

ginjo-shu sake“We know,” Raiko says quietly, “we just met some.”

“I’m kinda jealous!”

“Don’t be, Kagiso,” I tell him. “They’re fanboying over a murderer. They don’t see me as the ‘good guy,’ in case you haven’t figured it out.”

“Famous is famous,” he says.

“Yeah. Up until you got people asking you if you want to be a slaver,” Raiko responds quickly.

“Haha—wait, what?” Kagiso’s already beginning to get drunk and passes over Raiko’s comment completely as he continues, “You inspire me, dude! One day, I want everyone to know the name of Jupiter Kang! I thought that a member of Noboros being onboard would get the most attention, but everyone’s really harping on what you did at the Citadel. Tavon, d-did you really pull it off? Fighting through all those men, like they say you did?”

“I had help. Without it, I wouldn’t have made it out alive.”

“Damn, dude! Well, I’m glad we’re on the same side then. You’re so famous that the Maeja’s letting me wander around and do what I want. They said that they’ll let me go if you win!”

“Really? That’s all it takes?”

“Yep,” he nods with a big grin. “Just kick that guy’s ass and I’m free!” Kagiso jumps, and, as he does, sake spills out onto the deck. “There are even some beautiful women here who want to see you. I tried talking to them at first—heh—but then I got too nervous and brought up your name. Once I did, the tall babe with brown hair became real serious about wanting to meet you. You’ve got to get her number, but, once you do…” he whispers with his hand cupped around his mouth as he leans in and says, “give it to me.”

“Can’t you just get it yourself?”

Kagiso’s face turns redder. “Uh, no. She’s really hot; I can’t even look at her directly. You give it a try. I’m going to go pretend I don’t know you so the Maeja will leave me alone.”

“All right. Go ahead. I’ll meet them.”

“Thanks, buddy,” he pats me on the shoulder before running away.

As the two strangers approach us, I hear Raiko mutter under his breath, “Wow.”

“What’s wrong?” I ask him.

He shrugs off my question and avoids looking at me. “Nothing.”

When the one on the left gets a little closer, I start to feel what he’s feeling.

A woman who must be around six feet tall strides confidently in our direction. She’s rocking a dark blue kimono that opens on both sides of her waist to expose two large, muscular thighs that shine against the bright light beaming down overhead. Her broad thighs are complemented by even broader shoulders set above large arms that surround a slender upper body. Her auburn hair is tied back into a long ponytail, and her chest bounces with each step; at her side, she carries a long staff with a cross-shaped spear at its end, and bright brown eyes stare into mine as her footsteps quicken. She stops a few feet away from us and waits briefly for her partner to catch up.

A woman with dirty blond hair woven into fine braids, beaded with silver rings, moves to stand by her side while also staring at me with dark green eyes. Although a lot shorter, she’s also well-built; an olive-colored, sleeveless jacket shows off two muscular arms that are almost as big as her broad thighs, both partially hidden beneath ripped jeans. Strapped to her back are three bats: one large, one small and spiked with nails, and one slender and longer than the others. She beams at me with an intense smile before she asks, “Do you know who I am?”

“No. Should I?”

“I’ll give you a hint: we used to work for the same monster. Then, we went our separate ways, grew up, and you became a monster.”

youThe other woman shakes and reddens all over before she can’t take it anymore. She twirls her spear behind her with one hand and brings it down to smack into the other as she points it at my head.

“Tavon Meiziki!” she shouts, “My name is Death Officer: Rank Two, Kiyoko Orashi. You killed my cousin, Champion Wanva of the Pyrite Brigade, and I will make you pay for what you’ve done! If you don’t die in your fight with Artemis Spilsbury, you will be my next target. Hmph!”