Kade stepped cautiously into the main hold one behind the Marines, her cutlass held at the ready, each breath sending a sharp sting through her bruised ribs. Here, the unnatural light from the previous hold, even stronger than before, cast a haunting, liquid glow over the room, making her feel as if they were submerged deep beneath the sea. Scattered puddles on the floor shimmered with the light, reflecting distorted shadows of the crates stacked high around them, each one creating strange, shifting pools that rippled across the deck.

  She took in the scene quickly, snapping to a combat stance as her eyes fell on two Drowned standing near the center of the hold. Unlike the creatures they’d faced before, these two held cutlasses, their blades dark and crusted with brine. The Drowned strapped makeshift shields made of ship wheels to their arms, giving them an air of eerie, twisted purpose, as if they were grotesque sentinels guarding some hidden treasure.

  But it was the figure seated atop a throne of haphazardly stacked crates that drew Kade’s full attention. The Drowned was larger than the others, water flowing down his decayed form like an endless cascade, pooling around his feet yet never growing or shrinking, as though he carried an endless ocean within himself. In his grasp was a trident, its points rusted and jagged, glinting with a strange, predatory energy that seemed to reflect the unnatural light. His face was contorted into an expression of cold authority with milky white eyes that gave the appearance of a blind man. Yet it was clear that the creature could see the group as it entered the room.

  A hush settled over the group as they surveyed the scene before them. The Marines stood ready in a defensive stance, ready to react to any orders or attack. Kade’s side ached with each shallow breath, and she could see the bruises and scratches that marked each Marine around her. They were all worn from the earlier battles, battered but still standing. A lesser crew would’ve retreated. But these weren’t ordinary men and women. They were professional fighters, every one of them ready to stand their ground, even against odds like this.

  A low, gurgling sound echoed through the hold, and Kade’s focus snapped back to the Drowned leader. The creature’s voice was a guttural rasp, like seawater crashing against rocks, and yet his words were disturbingly clear.

  "Your last breath… will echo in these walls," he intoned. "This place will be your tomb."

  One of the Marines muttered a curse in Spanish, his voice barely above a whisper. The others stiffened, eyes darting between the grotesque figures arrayed before them, expressions set in quiet determination. Kade glanced at Lawson, meeting his gaze. A brief, silent exchange that said everything. They were in trouble, but this wasn't their first brush with death since the apocalypse started. If this was how it ended, they’d go down fighting.

  "All right, men. Let's show these water-logged monsters what the Marines of the Maritime Sovereign Corps can do," Lawson called.

  The Drowned leader let out a harsh, rumbling laugh, lifting his trident in a slow, menacing arc as he shifted forward on his throne. The four guards at his sides snapped to attention, readying their cutlasses and shields before they advanced with heavy steps.

  [Analyze] Drowned High Guard | Level: 2 Elite | Status: Hostile | Class: Fighter

  [Analyze] Drowned High Guard | Level: 2 Elite | Status: Hostile | Class: Fighter

  [Analyze] Drowned High Guard | Level: 2 Elite | Status: Hostile | Class: Fighter

  [Analyze] Drowned High Guard | Level: 3 Elite | Status: Hostile | Class: Fighter

  Kade stayed back, a flicker of pain in her side reminding her to let the Marines handle the bulk of the assault. She stared at the four drowned high guards stepping forward, each with a cutlass and a repurposed ship's wheel used as a shield. These creatures weren’t like the others they’d encountered; there was a steadiness to their advance, an unnatural purpose behind each step as if they’d kept some grim memory of their former lives. The Elite tag in their status was also a bit concerning to Kade. She wasn't overly familiar with video games, but she knew enough to recognize enemies that were problematic for their level.

  "Make 'em wish they'd stayed sunk!" Kade cried.

  The words cut through the tense silence, settling over the group with a weight that resonated deeply. These weren’t warriors chasing glory. These were soldiers steeped in survival, each one aware of what was at stake, what it meant to stand against something that only understood death.

  Lawson gave a curt nod to his squad, signaling them forward. They fell into position around the high guards, striking with coordinated force, each Marine reading the others with practiced ease. A pike struck low, while a quick, brutal strike followed from the side, attempting to break the guard’s stance. But despite their numbers, they found themselves evenly matched. The high guards moved with alarming speed, the rough, wooden shields absorbing blows and retaliating with powerful, sweeping cuts that kept the Marines in constant motion.

  "Don’t let them breathe! Keep the pressure!" Briggs called out.

  Kade’s eyes darted between the fighters, taking in every movement. She watched for a weakness. Not in the guards or their leader, but in their spacing. Get one isolated and the formation would crack. The urge to join the fray tugged at her, a familiar call to action, but she forced herself to stay back, her ribs still aching from the last hit. Instead, she focused on the ebb and flow of the battle, tracking the Marines as they shifted and adapted, each man aware of his place within the chaotic rhythm of the fight.

  Movement further down the hold caught her attention. The drowned leader had risen from his throne. He moved with a slow, calculated confidence, the trident in his grip casting an eerie glint through the murky light. Water dripped from his decayed form in a steady flow. She swallowed, a knot tightening in her gut. This wasn’t just another monster. This was a creature tied to the ocean's dark depths, a power they had no business challenging with bruised ribs and makeshift weapons.

  [Analyze] Lord of the Forsaken Tides | Level: 3 Boss | Status: Hostile | Class: Special

  Her attention snapped back to the immediate fight. "Clear the high guard! We need this area secure!" she shouted, her voice echoing across the hold as the Marines engaged the four armored drowned standing between them and the boss. The Marines moved in tight formation, well-practiced strikes hammering against the guards’ crude shields and cutlasses. Briggs and Lawson each pushed their teams, driving the high guards back one careful step at a time.

  The Lord of the Forsaken Tides raised his trident, the water in the pools around them rippling in response. Kade felt a chill as tentacles slithered from the puddles, twisting and coiling like the limbs of some nightmarish sea creature. They moved with an unnatural, deliberate intent, gliding toward the Marines as if summoned by the boss’s silent command.

  "Watch the tentacles!" she shouted.

  As one tentacle coiled near Briggs, she swung her cutlass, slicing through it. Water splattered, but the tentacle quickly retreated into the pool. Another reached for Lawson, and she pivoted, bringing her cutlass down with a hard chop, severing it in a single strike before it could grip his leg.

  The Marines adjusted, hurrying to avoid the tentacles as they shifted positions, cutting low to avoid the high guards and the watery limbs snapping up from the puddles. Despite the Marines’ best efforts, the high guards proved resilient, matching each assault with powerful sweeps of their cutlasses and heavy shield blocks. Every second felt stretched, the urgency to clear the high guard only intensifying with each flick of the Drowned leader’s trident, which seemed to command the tentacles with a sinister fluidity.

  Kade felt a brief pang of doubt as she struck at another tentacle, sending it retreating momentarily. The Marines were holding their ground, but the boss had yet to engage truly. If this was just the start, how much more could he throw at them? And how much could they take?

  As the final high guard staggered back under a coordinated blow from Briggs’s team, she saw the Lord of Forsaken Tides shift his stance, raising the trident in a deliberate arc, his movements unhurried, as though he had all the time in the world. The surrounding pools surged, the tentacles coiling with newfound energy, readying for the actual fight to begin.

  Kade stayed on the perimeter, her eyes locked on the towering figure of the Lord of the Forsaken Tides as he took command of the hold. The pools around him pulsed with dark, unnatural energy, tentacles emerging from the water with sinuous intent, reaching out like the limbs of some primordial beast from the depths. The hold felt more like the belly of a shipwreck than a battle-ready deck, punctuated by the slithering sounds of the tentacles, sent a chill down her spine.

  "Brace for tentacles!" Kade shouted, her voice slicing through the chaos. "Lawson, Briggs. Stay close and keep the formation tight!"

  The Marines moved quickly, closing ranks as the tentacles slithered and lashed out from the pools. Pike in hand, Briggs took a hard step forward, driving the blunt end into a tentacle coiling toward his squad. The water limb recoiled, splattering back into the pool, but reformed almost instantly, twisting with renewed aggression. The Lord controlled them with an eerie ease, his trident raised like the baton of a maestro commanding a deadly orchestra.

  Behind her, Kade heard a Marine shout, and she spun around just in time to see one crossbowman caught in a thick tentacle emerging from a pool directly behind them. A watery limb coiled around his leg, yanking him backward as his arms flailed while the limb dragged him toward the dark pool.

  "Hold on!" Kade called.

  She lunged to intercept, her cutlass raised. She brought her blade down hard, but failed to cut the grotesque appendage in two. In response to her attack, the tentacle tightened around the Marine as he fought to break free, causing him to struggle to fill his lungs with air. The Marine's ribcage broke under the pressure, producing a sickening crunch audible over the battle sounds. With a final, desperate gasp, he disappeared beneath the surface, the water swallowing him whole in a swift, chilling silence. The pool stilled instantly, as if erasing any trace of him.

  "Keep focused!" Kade barked. "If a tentacle grabs someone around you, jump in and cut it fast!"

  The Lord raised his trident high, his voice echoing through the hold like a thunderclap. "The ocean claims its own!"

  The pools rippled, tentacles rising in even greater numbers, their movements quick and unrelenting. Kade shouted a warning to the others, but there was no time for hesitation. One of the Marines narrowly dodged a tentacle aimed at his chest, stumbling forward as another Marine swung his weapon to intercept the attack. Yet even as they cut down each tentacle, the watery limbs seemed endless, reforming each time they fell, the Lord’s power controlling the very room itself.

  "Stay out of the puddles!" Kade called.

  She could see the malicious control in the Lord’s eyes as he directed the pools like extensions of his own limbs, each movement calculated, each attack a trap. It was all they could do to keep themselves from being ensnared.

  Just then, a crack pierced the air, and Kade’s gaze darted to Lawson, whose face twisted in pain. He’d fended off a tentacle with a quick strike, but it had wrenched his arm at an unnatural angle before he broke free. His arm hung at an awkward angle, clearly broken, but he clenched his jaw and nodded, signaling that he could still fight.

  "Medic, over here!" Kade barked, signaling the corpsman forward.

  "I’m fine," he ground out, his voice tight with pain.

  The Lord bellowed again, his voice echoing through the hold. "The depths await you!"

  He drove his trident into the floor with force, and the pools surged, water roiling as tentacles burst forth with renewed energy, moving faster and striking harder.

  Kade kept to the edge of the formation, taking in the chaotic scene. The Marines adapted as quickly as possible, each man and woman positioning themselves to cover every angle, striking at the tentacles with every ounce of their barely contained rage. Briggs led his team in a series of coordinated strikes, slashing and thrusting with pikes, cutting through the watery limbs as they reformed repeatedly.

  The tentacles coiled and snapped, some wrapping around the Marines' arms and legs, others slamming down with enough force to knock them off balance. A tentacle caught a Marine's ankle just ahead of Kade, sending him sprawling backward. She moved in quickly, hacking at the tentacle before it could drag him farther, the blade slicing through and forcing it to retreat momentarily.

  "Keep moving!" Kade shouted

  "Don’t give him a chance to pin you down!"

  Kade strode among the battlefield as if she were directing a symphony. Inside, she was a bundle of nerves and turmoil, but outwardly, the Marines saw the visage of a relentless warlord, a figure of steely calm and unwavering control. Her movements were sharp and almost graceful, with each gesture and command pulling them deeper into the fight, making every strike seem effortless and lethal. Around her, the Marines fought as though touched by her invincibility, each soldier untouchable in their commander’s shadow, a unified force that met every monstrous threat head-on without faltering.

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  But even as they fought, exhaustion showed in their faces, each movement slower, each breath heavier. The tentacles kept coming, relentless, forcing them into a grueling fight that felt like an endless cycle. A tentacle struck another Marine across the shoulder, making him stumble before he regained his footing, and Kade felt the battle's weight settle upon them.

  The Lord lifted his trident once more, the pools around him beginning to swirl, the tentacles momentarily retreating as though waiting for his next command. His decayed face twisted into a dark smile, a flicker of satisfaction in his empty gaze.

  "Focus! Regroup and watch each other’s backs. He’s setting us up for something!" Kade said.

  Briggs nodded, pulling his team together with quick, decisive gestures, while Lawson shifted to guard the center, his weapon gripped tight in his good hand despite his injury. The Marines settled into formation, steeling themselves for the next wave as Kade’s gaze flicked between each darkened pool, watching for any sign of movement.

  Then, with a sudden, jarring motion, the Lord of the Forsaken Tides drove his trident into the floor of the hold. The pools erupted, water surging upward in massive waves as the tentacles withdrew, the entire hold drenched in the crashing tide. For a moment, the room fell silent, the water settling into an unnatural calm.

  The hold seemed to darken further as the Lord of the Forsaken Tides moved into his second phase. Kade saw the ominous pulsing from his trident immediately. The pools surrounding him began to bubble and churn, giving off the chilling impression of some invisible force just below the surface, ready to erupt.

  "Here we go, Marines," Kade said. "It looks like he’s tired of playing nice."

  The floor shifted under them, a strange rumbling sensation passing through the ship as the Lord raised his trident. The Marines steadied themselves, weapons poised, eyes wary. Around them, crates vibrated, the contents clattering with the tremors as though in fear of what was to come. Kade took a quick, assessing glance around; the cargo hold had turned into a battlefield with nowhere safe to stand.

  The Lord roared, thrusting his trident forward. A shockwave pulsed from the weapon, rippling outward in a wave that threw several Marines off their feet, tumbling them back toward the slick, treacherous pools. Tentacles shot from the disturbed water, targeting those who stumbled too close, the deadly limbs reaching with insidious purpose. One tentacle wrapped around a Marine’s ankle, pulling him toward the pool’s edge.

  "Not going to happen again!" Kade barked.

  Dashing toward the Marine, several others were already moving to assist. She quickly sliced through the watery limb with her cutlass as it tightened its grip. Between the combined onslaught, the tentacle gave way, releasing the trapped Marine. The Marine scrambled back, giving her a quick nod of thanks before rejoining the line.

  The boss’s eyes flicked toward her, a hint of anger in his expression. Kade met his gaze, a spark of defiance in her own as she gave him a one-fingered salute with her free hand.

  "We take this creature down together, not one man at a time."

  Just as she finished, the Lord raised his trident once more, and this time, the shockwave hit the nearby crates, sending them tumbling from their stacks. Wood splintered and crashed against the metal floor, contents spilling in a chaotic mess. Some crates slid dangerously close to the Marines, forcing them to dodge as items scattered across the hold. Kade sidestepped one crate as it clattered to her feet, her gaze darting to its empty interior.

  "This could work," she thought, eyeing the crate with a flash of inspiration.

  But another shockwave followed, and Kade braced herself, watching as more crates toppled, the hold transforming into a maze of obstacles. The environment itself had become another threat, the Lord’s power turning every object into a weapon.

  "Watch the ground!" Lawson shouted, his voice strained but steady. He maneuvered his squad, deftly dodging the crates while keeping their focus on the boss. "Stay together. Don’t let this thing divide us!"

  Kade grinned as Lawson’s leadership continually impressed her. She had a fleeting moment of respect for him. He was proving he could handle himself in a situation that would break most men.

  The floor trembled beneath her feet, and her eyes narrowed, zeroing in on the Lord’s stance. He was moving in, positioning himself closer, attempting to close the distance and land a more devastating blow.

  "Come on, you overgrown kelp monster," she taunted. "Let’s see what you’ve got."

  Around her, the Marines fought with precision, striking at every tentacle that emerged, holding their ground as the boss advanced. Briggs hacked at the nearest limb, his pike striking with brutal efficiency, while Lawson led his squad with swift, decisive movements. Every command shouted with the authority of a seasoned fighter.

  The Lord drove his trident into the floor again, causing another tremor, and Kade watched as a tentacle snaked toward one crossbowman, catching him off guard. Without hesitation, she lunged forward, slicing through the limb and freeing the Marine before it could drag him down.

  "Stay sharp!" she barked. "If you let him get the upper hand, it’s over!"

  The Marines tightened their formation, each one moving as if part of a single organism, dodging, striking, falling back, and reengaging with a rhythm that felt almost choreographed. The crates scattered across the floor made every movement a hazard, but Kade knew how to use them to her advantage. Her mind raced, calculating her next move.

  As the Lord advanced, Kade saw a Marine stumble, his footing lost as a crate slid across the floor, colliding with his leg. He grimaced, trying to push back, but the boss was upon him, trident, poised to strike.

  Kade's mind raced for a split second to decide. Her eyes returned to the nearby crate that had fallen. She guessed she would find out soon enough if the creation was actually empty, but she didn't really care at the moment. Her boots, though durable, weren’t meant for this kind of impact. But there was no time to reconsider, she thought grimly, knowing the risk.

  She kicked hard, the crate sailing through the air with surprising force. Striking the Lord of the Forsaken Tides square in the side of the head, the wood splintering with a loud crack. The creature recoiled, the impact breaking his focus and halting the downward swing of his trident, sparing the Marine who had stumbled only a heartbeat away from certain death. Dark, decayed eyes turned to her, narrowing in a twisted, furious glare. Kade met his gaze with a flash of defiance, steadying herself, the rush of adrenaline blotting out the ache in her side.

  She knew she’d gained his attention, but it was a fleeting advantage. Her mind raced, calculating the few moves they had left. Around her, the Marines braced for his next attack, their eyes darting between the Lord and the seething pools, the fight far from over.

  "Alright, you want me," she taunted." Come and get me."

  The Lord of the Forsaken Tides roared, the deep guttural sound rolling through the hold like a storm on open water. His dark form pulsed with energy, water pooling at his feet and rippling outward in unnatural waves. Kade barely had time to signal the Marines before he lunged, his trident slicing through the air with lethal speed.

  "Now we fight," Kade muttered, sidestepping as the trident struck the spot she’d just occupied. The ground splintered, sending shards of wood skittering across the floor. But Kade didn’t pause. She retaliated with a swift slash, aiming for his exposed side. The blade connected, leaving a jagged line across his skin, but the Lord barely flinched, the wound sealing almost instantly with a surge of dark water.

  He let out another roar, and tentacles erupted from the surrounding pools, reaching out to ensnare the nearest Marines. Briggs and Lawson moved in quickly, striking the writhing limbs before they could fully form. For a moment, it was complete chaos. Tentacles flailing, Marines dodging and countering as Kade circled the boss, looking for an opening.

  The Lord of the Forsaken Tides surged forward, his trident glinting with an eerie light as he drove it into the floor, sending another tremor pulsing through the cargo hold. The Marines steadied themselves as they felt the ship itself quake beneath the dark water.

  "Brace!" Lawson called.

  Briggs nodded, his expression stone. He turned to his squad, barking orders in a voice like gravel as he waved them into a wedge formation, positioning themselves between the boss and the less-experienced fighters. Moments later, a wave of water summoned by the boss crashed into them.

  Kade was caught outside of the formation and was thrown backward, landing heavily against a stack of crates. The pain in her side flared again, threatening to keep her down for the count. Her training screamed at her to get up. The words of her hand-to-hand combat instructor at the academy came rushing back to her. Kade, when you're in a knife fight at some dirt floor bar in a third-world port of call. If you hit the ground, you better claw your way back up. Cause the second you stay down, you're done. Now get your ass up, sailor!

  Spitting out a mouthful of blood, she levered herself back to a standing position. Aye, aye, sir! She thought to herself, getting my ass up, sir!

  The Lord lurched forward, his tentacles recoiling only to lash out again with vicious force, slamming into crates and scattering supplies in all directions. Several Marines ducked as splintered wood flew past, missing by inches. Kade clenched her jaw, focusing on the boss’s stance. The creature moved with an eerie yet elegant brutality.

  She knew they needed to disrupt his rhythm and break through whatever dark energy he wielded. But the Marines were already tiring, their movements bordering on desperation as they kept pace. Lawson swung a pike with fierce precision, catching one tentacle just as it swung toward Briggs’ flank.

  "Let’s see if you bleed," Kade said. as she tried to get the boss' attention

  The Lord turned, catching sight of her. She raised her cutlass with a smirk, taunting him. "That’s right, big guy. Come and get it."

  His expression twisted into something close to anger, the depthless darkness in his eyes flaring as he lunged, bringing his trident down with enough force to shatter the crates his weapon slammed into. Kade sidestepped just in time, feeling the rush of air as the weapon cracked the wood beside her.

  Lawson moved in quickly, his pike angled low as he aimed for the creature’s exposed side, striking with relentless efficiency. The Lord retaliated with a swing of his trident, knocking Lawson back and sending him reeling into a nearby pile of ropes.

  "Get up!" Kade shouted.

  Lawson grimaced but didn’t hesitate, pushing himself back into position. The Marines rallied around him, moving as one unit, their faces set with grim determination.

  Another shockwave tore through the hold as the Lord slammed his trident against the floor, dislodging racks of crates and sending more tentacles snaking out from the pools. A tentacle grabbed Briggs’ arm, pulling him closer, and for a moment, it appeared he would be pulled into the dark water.

  With a fierce snarl, Briggs twisted, driving his pike into the tentacle, wrenching himself free with sheer force. He met Kade’s gaze, nodding once as if to confirm they were still in the fight, no matter how dire things were looking.

  "He’s not invincible. Just stubborn." Briggs called.

  The Lord straightened, dark water dripping from his frame, his gaze narrowing as if he were calculating, considering their strategy. He raised his trident, and this time, a surge of water burst from the pools, splashing across the floor and coating it in a thin, treacherous layer. The Marines struggled to keep their footing, adjusting their stances as they braced for his next move.

  "Watch your feet!" Lawson called out, his voice strained.

  The ground had become a hazard, the slick surface making each step a risk. Kade darted forward, swinging her cutlass in a wide arc to intercept the Lord’s advance. He blocked her strike with his trident. The impact jarring through her arm as the clash of steel echoed through the hold. She grit her teeth, refusing to give an inch.

  The Lord pushed back, his trident forcing her cutlass away, but Briggs was there, striking from the side, his pike aimed at the creature’s torso. The Lord barely dodged the pike grazing his side, leaving a dark, oozing line. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

  "Keep going," Biggs said.

  The creature retaliated with a vicious backhand, his tentacle-laden arm swinging with enough force to send the two Marines sprawling. Briggs dodged, saving him from the blow, but the others were slower, struggling to regain their footing on the slick floor.

  Kade’s mind went into full tactical mode. They needed to end this, and soon. Brute force alone would not win this fight. Exhaustion battered the Marines, slowing their movements.

  The Lord let out a low, rumbling laugh, his voice like the echo of crashing waves. "You are nothing but dust to the tides," he sneered, his tone dark with contempt.

  "Then let’s see if the tides can handle a little grit," Kade shot back.

  She saw it then. A tentacle thrashing wildly, its movement erratic as it reacted to the surrounding chaos. An idea sparked in her mind, one that was as reckless as it was brilliant. It was a gamble and, like all good gambles, it started with a bad idea and too much adrenaline. Success or failure would determine if her gamble was heroic or dumb.

  She moved quickly, positioning herself near the flailing limb. As the Lord advanced, his trident raised, and Kade made her move. She stepped into the tentacle’s path, baiting it just enough that it swung toward her. At the last second, she dodged, using her cutlass to redirect the tentacle straight into the Lord’s legs.

  The creature stumbled, surprised, as the tentacle coiled around his legs, tripping him up just enough to break his focus. Lawson saw the opening, his gaze sharpening as he lunged forward, pike raised.

  "Kill the damned thing!" Kade shouted.

  Lawson drove the pike forward with a grim expression, the sharp end plunging into the Lord’s chest. The creature roared, the sound reverberating through the hold, but Lawson held firm, his weapon steady as he twisted it for maximum impact.

  The Lord staggered, his form flickering as if destabilized, the dark energy around him wavering. The hold was silent momentarily, the Marines watching with a mixture of post-battle excitement and exhaustion. Kade took a steadying step forward, her eyes never leaving the Lord as he slumped, the fight seemingly drained from him. Everything wasn't suddenly rainbows and sunshine, but they had taken down a monster that could have ended their entire boarding party. Whether luck or skill remained to be seen, Kade would chalk it up to a combination of both.

  The only lingering question in Kade's mind was if there was more Drowned on the ship or if that was the final encounter. As if hearing her internal dialog, she received her answer a moment later.

  The Forsaken Drift

  Quest Completion! Congratulations, you have defeated the Drowned threat to avenge the ship's crew. You have found several stockpiles of supplies.

  Rewards: Experience Points, 250 Gold, Tempest's Edge Cutlass, Farsight Eyepatch, Supplies

  Kade looked at the eyepatch and the sword in her hands. It was certainly a little disconcerting that the rewards seemed to materialize out of thin air, but there they were.

  "An eyepatch, lieutenant?" a nearby Marine asked.

  "It would appear so. Not sure what I'm supposed to do with it. Keep it until I lose an eye?" Kade replied.

  "If the world is truly following the rules of a game, then I would suspect that wearing it would give you some kind of magical sight, ma'am, but not restrict normal vision," the young Marine explained.

  "Ma'am, the men are wondering if these rewards are theirs to keep?" Briggs called from the side as he walked up. He was limping badly, but looked like he would live to fight another day.

  "The Captain will have to answer that, but I believe quest rewards belong to individuals, and salvaged items should go to the ship," Kade said.

  "That being said, these conversations are best left for when we're back on the ship. The question completion notification would lead me to believe that we're done here, but the last thing I would like to do is let our guard down and pay the price for it."

  "Quite right, ma'am," Briggs said, "You heard the XO. Grab you shit and what we came for. Plenty of time for comparing loot dick sizes when we're back on the ship."

  Kade couldn't help but chuckle internally at the foul-mouthed Marine. Something change never changed, even at the end of the world. Marines are going to be Marines. She moved to help a nearby marine that was struggling to walk, slinging his arm over her shoulder. It didn't help the pain in her ribs any, but she still had two good legs while the marine was limping. Plus, the sooner they got back to the ship, the sooner she could look at all the flashing icons in the corner of her vision.

  Author’s Note from the Deck of the Horizon Talon

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