My Life As A Salamander

The trip remained fairly peaceful after I returned to my cabin. The sea was calm as the breeze playfully filled our sails. Though I didn't see the captain for a few days. I suppose she was busy playing with magic that she had been starved of for so long.

Kyle meanwhile grumbled about the damned elf cheating at chess. ' The Damned Elf ' I ȧssumed was Val. After all she beat him 24 - 0. This fact alone amazed me as I would have normally quit after the first 5.

The cabin was warm and often a candle was lit to offer little light to the room when night fell. The room was dark and the shadows creeped in their small corners. The ship creaked lightly every once in a while against a passing wave. The smell of the timbers reminding one of a forest.

I laid back in my cot swaying with the ship.

Two Days Later...

"Land Hoe!!!!" A voice echoed from the crowd nest above. The breeze whisked hairs on Val's head back playfully as land came to view. Vast jungles could be seen as birds rushed from the branches and into the skies. The continent of many waters. Melra.

I couldn't help but feel my heartbeat quicken and a smile spread across my face in excitement. Some may understand. Some might not. But I had only experienced 2 of the 4 continents in this world. I was now about to experience the third.

The ship turned northward to sail along Melra's coast. The view was filled with colorful birds of many kinds. Large, small, scaled, feathered, and in all manner of colors. It was like an artist had decided to create this place just for the vast amount of colors that filled the sky.

As the ship sailed northward to the nearest port I was left amazed and in awe like a child. Everything was new. Nothing like Belmac with its vast mountains and tough terrain. This was a lush and flourishing forest. With not a speck of mountain to be seen.

"Believe it or not she can be a danger if she wants to be that Melra. Some adventurers go in and are never found." Amanda's voice came from behind me.

Everyone turned and I heard Val and Kyle's jaws hit the floor. Amanda had few clothes she could wear with all her changes. And she had decided to go with a gown used for balls and the like. It was black, sleek, and with a hugging design. An open back with a slit down the side for less restriction on her movements.

Her red scales held a blue tinge in the sunlight. Her wings still seemed a little weak and small but were folded neatly behind her back. The greatest change I admit would be her height. She had been around 5'9 when she had been human. Now she had grown to a superb 7 feet. Her body seemed to have thickened some and her muscles were more pronounced.

Her tail thudded lightly against the deck with its fish-like fins.

"It would seem a wardrobe change is in order captain. Though I dare say this suits you." I said as she smiled sheepishly. "Indeed. But I have to wait till we go ashore for shopping. hardly any of my clothes fit anymore due to the changes." She replied.

Kyle and Val kept looking between us trying to make the connection. I realize now I had completely forgot to tell them about what happened. But I suppose I'll get an earful later either way.

Amanda's talons lightly scraped against the wood as she walked away. Her new look caused a stir. I could actually see a few sailors drooling. And that caused me to smile.

(And here I thought magic was the only benefit she would get to enjoy. Now she has wings, claws, and looks that men would kill for. Regardless of race.) I thought as I turned back to view the island.

Kyle leaned in close to my side.

"You couldn't have told an old friend you were making a lass look better? HM? PERHAPS EVEN A DIFFERENT DAMN RACE!!!" Kyle boomed making everyone look at us.

I let out a sigh and shrugged. "What? You expect me to tell you everything that happens? And we already have our hands full with other things right?" I spoke in a low voice leaning in close. My thumb was pointing at Val over my shoulder where she sat staring after Amanda. .

Kyle seemed to understand but pointed his finger at me. "Since you asked me to treat you normally we will be talking later. Especially about what happened to the captain." He said as he approached Val.

(Well. That went over better than I thought.) I shrugged as I turned back to the forest view.

It wasn't long till we arrived at the port. Originally I had thought it was just a bunch of massive trees. But I was very wrong. Roots had formed a long pier. The houses were seemingly grown from the large trees and woven through the intricate branches. No smoke came from the city that surrounded it.

As we approached I saw two individuals standing at the end of the pier. Their hands held high as I felt magic seeping from them into the air and sea. A pushing power propelling us away from the dock as though they wanted nothing to do with us.

Amanda stepped out of her quarters and took out a spy glass. "Why are they not taking us in? We contacted this port not even a week ago to get permission and everything was fine."

After hearing that my nose twitched. Something was fishy here and my gut told me I was right.

Instinctively I sniffed the air and smelled something foul. Like rot mixed with mold. I didn't like it at all. And I was not going to allow something to mess with my new adventure. I lifted my hands toward the forest and forcefully turned them toward each other. My power radiated through the air as I let all cares fade.

My magic mixed with both sky and water combating and conquering the magics used against our ship. The waved and winds stopped pushing our ship away and started pulling us toward the pier. The magicians didn't move or change as we approached.

With my vision I could see them clearly a few yards away. White eyes without vision and dark, pitted, rotting flesh on their faces. Their green and grey robes were tainted with blood and dirt.

"Undead." I said as two more arms formed from my back. The other passenger attention began to look my way as the ship's swaying became slightly erratic. Some grabbing the rails while others held onto their partners or friends for stability.

Amanda meanwhile dug her claws into the wooden deck which splintered under her claws might. Her form unshaken even in the midst of the rough sea.

"Stinking Bastards always a rough time sailing with you isn't it?!" She grumbled as she waved her hands in the air summoning two watery tendrils that wrapped around her arms.

(A water based strengthening magic. Impressive.) I thought.

As she had only had the use of magic for only a couple days I had thought her powers would still be fledgling at best. But this strengthening magic was intermediate level and hard to understand. So it was understandable for me to be impressed.

This magic was a type that created a muscle like layer of water that wrapped around ones limbs. This would in turn increase ones physical strength output by about 15% of what was usual. Which might not seem like much. But if you say a person could usually lift at most 150lbs at best. this would amp that up to 172.5lbs. So the more strength you had the greater the boost.

I meanwhile didn't need it as I was strong enough without it.

Turning my attention back to the undead. I found that we we're approaching the pier and quickly adjusted my power.

/We are coming in too fast. We can help with adjustments if you'd like?/ Sin sounded in my head.

I couldn't help but smile a bit.

"Any help you could offer is a blessing." I responded.

I suddenly felt a foreign power go through me as my powers increased in output but also in control. It felt like I had three minds instead of one. Each with control of something. I was power output. And sin was responsible for control and maneuvering.

The waves grew smaller and the wind lessened as small whirlpools surrounded the ship slowing it down and shifting its course. I felt the magic formulas going through my head and understood them. And surprisingly it was something I had already learned. Just never used.

This was a master class water and air magic called Circe's Teeth. It could create multiple whirlpools and maelstrom's that varied in size. So it could be used to tear a boat to pieces. Or in this case steer one.

I grinned from ear to ear as I learned a new level of control. My mind finally becoming my own again as we came next to the dock. The undead mages dropped their arms and collapsed to the ground lifelessly. Like puppets with their strings cut.

I looked at Kyle who stumbled over to me with a slightly green expression. "What in blue blazes is going on?" He grumbled. His complexion obviously tired of sea travel.

"Trouble is what. I need to go ashore and scout or we may walk into a trap." I responded as I turned to the railing and lept over it. I approached the bodies with sensory magic and after knowing they weren't animated anymore I examined them despite the smell and condition of the bodies.

The bodies belonged to two male elves with long ears despite their ragged bitten off pieces. They looked to have been dead several days and their wounds showed signs of stabbing, clawing, and biting. Which didn't bode well.

The elf's side was cut open wide to reveal his ribs. The ones on the left side and as close to the heart as possible. One was carved with runes that eminated dark magic. Necromantic energy of the wrong nature.

I sighed as I grabbed the bone unafraid of its influences. I snapped it off with a crack and pulled into the sunlight to see it better. It seemed to wriggle and buck in my hand in an attempt to get away.

And as soon as it entered the sun it tried to combust. To destroy itself. Which normally it wouldn't. Unless it was made to.

I forced my own magic through it to force it to stay. The carvings lit up and frustratingly enough began to disintegrate anyway. I frowned deeply as I cast a small shadow over the other body and extracted it's rib bone as well.

This time the bone didn't twitch. But instead seemed to suck in the darkness hungrily.

I couldn't help but shake my head as I read the runes. (To the buried here in darkness. I am the one who eats the dark. Guarding the way to the pit.) I read.

It was a guarding spell placed to ward the town from anyone trying to come too close. A type of ego placed into the material of puppets. Like the myths of golems and automatons. To give them purpose.

I couldn't help but shake my head more as I rubbed my eyebrows and send out my magic to sense the area further. The entire town on the topside was clean.. But every basement teemed with dark energy and held corpses.