Sleeping with the fishes. (07/01/20 Mines Control) Stedd

“What are we doin' here?” Gegrun says, seemingly to no-one in particular.

Stedd takes a hard look at his friend.

"The half-orc was right, what were they doing?" Stedd thought.
“Heret had been gone for weeks, and we just left him in the other room”. 

As the two share quizzical expressions, Stedd can’t help but smile, and Gegrun responds in turn with a toothy grin.

“SO YOU HAVE COME TO WORSHIP THE SEA-MOTHER” the Tentacle-faced monster booms.

“Sea mother. Sea mother” echos the fish-folk.

Stedd looks at the rest of his party, who stand poised to attack. Stedd takes a deep breath and steps forward to address the monster and their army.

“Ohhh, this is the Sea-mother room? I’m so sorry, we’re lost, we wanted the other room” he states as loudly and clearly as he can.

Stedd’s attempt is met with cackles, which reverberate around the sacrificial room, the noise sending involuntary chills down the fisherman’s spine. He turns to leave, but stops when he sees that his party do not join him. Stedd turns back, he surveys the scene and let’s out an exasperated grunt.

“Giants, Dragons and now Tentacle monsters. I’m not even 18 for a few more weeks yet”. He thinks.

Stedd knows that this creature is evil. Stedd knows that there are a few people in there that need saving. But Stedd is a fisherman... and he is tired.

He turns and looks at Faye

“Gegrun is right. Isn’t he? he asks. “What about Heret in the other room?’

Faye turns to him and puts a hand on his shoulder.

A gentle voice says: “I was never here for Heret, Stedd”.

Faye tussles his hair and turns back to the creature.

Stedd smiles at his friend.
Then all hell breaks loose.

Tentacles from some dark magic burst from below and start lashing out at the group.
Matthew has become a 15ft Ape and is charging forward ferociously.
The mean OMTC employee starts twirling a halberd (with far more enthusiasm than Stedd expects from a bureaucrat).

Suddenly Stedd stops feeling tired. Stedd starts feeling amped. Stedd feels more excited than he has in his entire life.
Even more than when he caught that 10ft tuna and was so happy he threw it at Bones.
Even more so than when he discovered what kissing was (Taz + a frog).
Even more than seeing the talking cat.

Stedd is PUMPED.

He looks at Gegrun and sees that his friend shares his newfound keenness for battle. Stedd dons his mask (for what he would later find out to be the last time) and becomes enlarged.
Gegrun bounds forward towards Tentacle-face, yet is immediately pushed back and set upon by fish-folk.
Stedd rushes forward and quickly kills two mighty fish warriors after seeing Gegrun do the same.
Faye feigns a cough, then sings a high note which shatters swathes of enemies in front of them.

Suddenly a giant lobster bursts forth and restrains Stedd with its claws. Stedd wrestles with its many legs which start writhing around him.

Faye runs past. “You got this?” they ask.

Stedd nods a giant head of approval and presses the fight, attempting to trip his foe.
The two cut and slash at each other until finally the monstrous lobster falls.

Stedd looks at the battlefield, the dead littering the room. He sees two fish warriors left, glides forward and smacks them both both unconscious with ease.

“Mine!” He grins at Faye. “These two are mine”. He sniffs the air. “The smell’s a bit much though, am I right?”. 

Then agony.

Stedd’s entire body is screaming out at him as lightning ripples through him.
He tries to cry out, but only a static gargle escapes his lips. 

“Don’t fall asleep”. He thinks, shaking uncontrollably with electricity.

“Don’t fall asleep”. He thinks, listening as the noise of the sparks rattle across his plate mail.

“Don’t fall... as...”

A giant knee slumps to the ground. Stedd sways side to side. Bleary eyes look at Faye, casting spells in desperate attempt to help her friend.

He falls.
He does not get back up.

Time takes a breath.

-

Stedd wakes up to the sound of seagulls. He looks out at the sea and feels the warm sun on his skin. He digs his toes in the sand and casts out his line.
He holds back a tear. 
He breathes in the salt air and exhales slowly. 
He notices a boat moored on the beachfront and takes a few steps towards it, then hesitates. He turns from the sea and looks out at the land.

“Bubbles?”. He calls out.

He takes a moment. Then sits down.

“That boat can probably fit two...”. The boy thinks.

He gazes out at the horizon and a smile breaks across his face.

“I can wait”.