The reptile threw the knives at him, trying to counter ranged with ranged, and then pulled out a scimitar, all while airborne.
Guns crossed in front of him, Noix shot the incoming knives out of trajectory and blocked the incoming scimitar with the pistols.
The force of impact got him down on one knee.
He couldn't aim at the beast; instead, he decided to use this position to his advantage, letting the attacker step forward by releasing the block a bit and using the reptile's own weight to trip him and push him over with his legs while rolling back.
The reptile fell on his back, while Noix jumped up from the roll and into a crouch.
He looked over his shoulder quickly and had seen the reptile trying to take a swing at his legs from the floor.
The blue-shaded man jumped into a back flip to avoid the hit, alas his long cape got cut a bit.
While above the reptile, pointing the guns down, he fired a volley, just to be sure this dangerous thing won't stand up again.
“Touché,” he looked at his cut cape and flicked his wrists while pressing a small button on the pistols. Two empty magazines slid down and he inserted new ones that were waiting on his belt.
In another moment or two, the rest of the orgriash succumbed to the weapon's sheer dread.
The wind lifted his cape slightly as he walked between the downed bandits, vigilant for any more enemies.
The hostages came out of hiding, as there were no threats in sight.
“My apologies,” he offered a hand to the poor lady from before, but his hand almost got chopped off before she could reach out.
He quickly pulled the hand back and jumped slightly to back off from the ambushing attacker.
From above?! , Noix thought as he went for his guns.
“Not so fast,” the raven was back putting his sword next to the girl, “Drop your weapons this instant. Make one wrong move and she dies,” his voice was a bit muffled by the mask.
The raven's sword was of Toukoku origin and it was a custom type of katana that was a bit modified for him to be able to hold it with claws. It had a typically curved blade, an extended black handle tied with a red leathered stripe, and a black feather chain decoration. Although he was an avian, the raven was humanoid in shape like all orgriash folk.
He wore black baggy pants similar to Anciel's and no shoes but red shin guards instead, enabling him to attack with claws if necessary. He also had fully armored arms with metal clawed gauntlets, as well as red Toukoku shoulder pads.
His huge wings were folded on his back and the katana's sheath was attached to his red rope belt.
“Tsk..” Noix didn't dare pull anything off to endanger the hostages, so he slowly put down his guns and then tossed them toward the raven with his boot.
“Good. No need to play the hero. Now bind your legs with this rope,” the raven cut one of the ropes holding curtains with a flick of his wrist while walking towards the guns slowly to pick them up.
The black orgriash then sheathed his sword and proceeded to bind the man's arms behind his back. He felt the boat starting to move again.
He made it, thought Noix.
“No matter, our ship should be able to catch up. Your efforts are in vain, alas they bear dire consequences; if anyone resisted, we would have two of the crew's heads,” he repeated his earlier threat.
“These people could not choose their savior. If anyone is to pay, take it out on me,” Noix was trying to negotiate.
The raven finished tying him up and stood tall; “Were you alone at your little rebellion?”
“Indeed.”
“You are lying,” the raven drew the sword lightning fast, making a line in the wall above one of the passengers, who in turn started shaking.
“Stop... please. Can you not just take what you came for and spare their lives? I am sure killing everyone you rob won't help your kind's reputation...”
“She wants everyone brought back to her. Her word is absolute.”
“She?” asked the blue-haired man.
“The Queen,” the raven looked up the river as if to expect the ship to arrive any minute.
“I thought Zandor was the ruling chief of orgriash?”
“Things change.”
“For better, or worse?” Noix was curious.
“Silence,” the blade was now close to the man’s face.
“You know, you could organize a rebellion…”, said the man nonchalantly.
“I’ll cut your tongue out!” the raven lost his calm demeanor, yet when he looked towards Noix, he noticed something in his eyes, or more precisely a reflection in his blue shades.
Jumping up in the air and taking flight, he was out of the axe's way as Label smashed into the wooden floor when he came down lunging from the roof.
“Stand down or the hostages die!” the orgriash threatened from the air.
Unfazed by the now empty threat Label jumped up to reach the bird, swinging the axe.
The raven blocked, as quickly dodging in the air was not an option, and truth be told, he was taken aback by the boy's incredible speed and unexpected might.
The katana took most of the blow and the orgriash got smacked into the roof, which in turn got dented by the weight.
The raven stood up, shaken by the hit.
My wing...
He fell on one knee and grabbed his shoulder in pain.
I will not be defeated by a human child.
“Come,” he then stood up ignoring the pain and took an iaijutsu stance that enabled for a quick draw as he waited for Label to strike.
Label charged with the axe behind him, measuring the distance to the raven. It was important to time his strike precisely if he was to take an advantage of the axe's length. Strike too early and he would miss, on the contrary, strike too late and the raven will cut him first.
Almost..... not yet...
He measured as he was running towards the black bird yet his opponent took the initiative and moved first.
What is he thinking? It won't reach me from that distance.
But as Label was calculating, the raven suddenly stepped forward while swinging his wings at the same time.
“Begone!” the wings propelled him forward much farther than the boy had anticipated, the quick draw cutting him before he could take a swing of the heavy axe.
The boy only managed to get it up in front of himself in an attempt to block but the wooden handle got cut in half and he fell on his back.
The raven stepped on Label's arm and grabbed it with his hind claw.
The boy let the axe go, and the raven tossed it overboard with his other foot.
In the meantime Noix managed to untie himself, free the hostages, and was now heading up to the roof himself. Hopefully, he'll get there in time. Without his guns, there was little he could do, but he couldn’t just stand and watch.
“It's over,” the raven pointed with his sword towards the boy's face.
Contrary to all expectations Label grabbed the blade with his other hand, and while simultaneously pulling it down; he lifted the arm that the raven was standing on, thus making him lose his balance.
What!, the avian barely managed to avoid falling down thanks to his wings. He flapped them once and landed a few feet away.
The boy took this opportunity to get up and grab the remaining part of the wooden handle.
As it was cut at an angle it still sufficed as a pointed object.
Label didn't waste any time and threw the makeshift spear at his foe, which had to react quickly or be hit by it.
He lifted his sword in defense and caught the spear on the blade, changing its trajectory, only to get hit hard in the stomach at the next second.
“Argh!” he let out a grunt as he looked down.
The boy's head hit him like a rock, his arms holding him tightly around his waist.
He felt getting lifted and lunged back.
This boy is a nomad. I was too careless!
The sword was too long to be used efficiently from this position, but that didn't stop the bird from using his claws. He pierced into Label's back with the gauntlet's sharp fingers.
“AAAAARGH!!!” the lad screamed, nevertheless he wouldn’t let go. At a moment's notice, the bird was on its back, the already hurt wing now being crushed under its weight.
Label moved up to sit on the orgriash's chest. His knees holding the black armored arms in place, he punched him savagely.
The orgriash got so dizzy from the first direct hit to the head, that he couldn't even defend himself anymore. How did this happen to him?
A mere boy overpowered him.
A few hits later, his mask cracked and blood started to pour from its edges.
“Stop! That's enough,” Noix grabbed Label's fist as it went down.
Label was breathing heavily as he stopped the punches and his tired body limped to the ground.
“He is no longer a threat. There's no need to kill him,” the man was more worried to see the young fellow turn into a killer than about the beast itself.
But Label was already unconscious or maybe sleeping. Noix noticed his wounds, “Help! Is there a doctor on board?” he took the sword just in case, along with his own pistols.
“I can help,” one of the crew was yelling from below.
Noix lifted the boy in his arms and slowly carried him.
“Let's take him inside. On the bed,” the doctor instructed.
“Is he going to be alright?” the blue man was worried because Label's wounds were severe.
“Hmm... I'll make no promises, but will do as much as I can. He saved us after all.”
“He wasn't alone. There is another one helping us escape the incoming orgriash ship as we speak,” Noix put the katana next to Label, “I have to go check his situation.”
He then went down to the engine room, yet as soon as he got closer he felt something is amiss.
Is this... smoke?
The man hurried down the stairs, covering his mouth with a sleeve.
*cough*This isn't good!
He could barely see through all the smoke coming from the engine room. It seemed the fire was out of control.
Damn! The entrance’s blocked.
He tried to push the closet out of the way, hitting it once, twice, and finally, after a good shoulder tackle, it went down.
Coughing and barely seeing anything, Noix found a body on the floor; one of the crew.
He checked the pulse... no good, I was too late.
After stumbling upon something, he reached with his hand and felt a warm body. Anciel!
Noix lifted him and went straight out of the engine room, almost completely out of breath.
Climbing the stairs, he felt like he was losing consciousness.
No surrender!, he jumped steps and reached the exit, falling down on the floor right after. Need.....air.....
The man wondered how Anciel managed to survive until his arrival, but it didn't matter, as long as he wasn't too late.
After checking his pulse and breathing, he figured the boy is alright, just very exhausted probably. Still, getting him to the doctor won't do any harm.
* * *
“Everyone, please leave us,” the doctor asked whoever was in the room at the time.
“How's the situation?” Noix thought it doesn’t bode well since the doc asked to speak with him privately.
“They are going to be alright.”
“Whew..” he swiped a brow.
“...but”, the doctor gave him a serious look, “these two fellows are nomads. It is because they are nomads that they survived this ordeal. Were they normal, they’d be long gone.”
“Who's to say what is normal and what is not? Nomads are humans just like you and I,” Noix took out one of the Éclairs and spun it around his finger, “Best to keep it a secret, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Y-yes of course..” the doctor recognized the device that made a short time out of the orgriash on the deck, “ My lips are sealed.”
“Good.”
* * *
On the roof of the steam peddler, an orgriash with a cracked mask somehow stood up, his feathers rustled by the wind.
“They are coming.”
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