Page 149 of Light Leech

I looked at Naoma. It was hard to see her from where we were, but I couldn’t see her focusing anywhere. I prayed that meant she was working with Ralia.

I couldn’t just sit. I stood and pushed the nearest spearman into my seat and took his spears.

“Row!” I shouted.

The captain gazed back at me but made no comment as he returned to his rowing. I figured he was just as willing to try anything like me.

I tossed my first spear, missing the orca-mech by a few feet. The second shot was closer, but the third was easy with how close it was. The spear stuck into the top of its dorsal fin, but it showed no sign of caring. I was never the most verbal animal advocate, but I couldn’t help feeling bad for it. Not only had it had some hunger for humans programmed into it, but this thing had also been pulled from either the toxic, blackening sea or one of the few marine reserves just to swim in wine.

I tossed the spear, hoping any death would pull it from its unnatural existence into a merciful sleep.

The spear bounced off its tentacle with a small spark. The orca-moved closer to bite a chunk off the back of the boat, then backed away to extend our tortuous demise.

Our other spearmen followed me. None of the spears did anything other than distract the orca-mech.

Naoma: Check the screen.

I spared a glance. Multiple squares covered the screen, showing certain elites in bed with others. Some showed the celebrities dealing with company reps, while others highlighted some of them ranting on a neurospace call. I didn’t connect to any of their audio outputs, feeling satisfied that they were all the incriminating shots we needed to sow discord among the audience members over betrayal, infidelity, and various forms of breaching contracts. Even over the clamor of our race I could hear shouting and cursing among the elites.

Naoma: You see it?”

I nodded more than enough for her to notice as I dodged an opponent’s light spear that stuck the rower behind me. I crouched to send a single message before another spear came my way.

Petya: We need the barrier down. Do what you can.

Zeg. My shoulder burned as a spear landed in it. I let out one of those mixed laugh-cries.

The light on my briefs glowed vibrantly.

All of this effort. Everything I had done surmounted to this moment of misfortune that would end it all. No joyful end for me. No forever with Naoma. No redemption for the good side of Medislavia.

“Enough with the sorrow, bakuh. You embarrass me.”

Zhu? Am I–

“Dying? Do you feel like you are?”

The spear stung. I wanted to cry out as I ripped it from my shoulder. It was no longer light-infused, but merely what looked like a long needle.

Not really, but–

“You do not play by their rules. This is not because you are some destined warrior exempt from defeat, but do not forget that I can also manipulate the light within you.”

The light in my briefs faded with a subtle black aura.

“Do not become prideful. I cannot save you from a hit to a vital organ, but simple healing is within your capabilities, is it not?”

Yes. I felt my Bite reserve drain as the hole in my shoulder repaired itself. Did you absorb that light?

I jumped to the side to shove one of our oblivious rowers out of the way. The spear aimed at him struck his seat at the end of its arc.

The crowd was growing more intense. I spared the screen a second’s glance to see that the videos had changed. I checked back a few moments later to see that more incriminating footage had cycled.

I took a bundle of spears as our enemy boat passed us.

Zhu?

“What do you think? Do you feel the spear’s light within you?”