297. Heracles (3).
'The light above the sea belonged to those strangely shaped humans, but the light below the sea belonged to us orcas.'
'Piii-piiii-pirik-', a name that human concepts could not precisely grasp, had reigned for long ages as the ruler of that vast Atlantic Ocean.
Who could possibly stop Piii-piiii-pirik and its pod? The stupid sharks were playthings for the orcas, and the great whales—huge though they were, living on nothing but deep-sea squid—were all hunted down in packs by Piii-piiii-pirik's pod.
Admiring that lofty fame, orca brothers came even from distant seas, and under this unprecedented might, the orca ruler finally sought to set foot into the Mediterranean, a place said to be a forbidden realm.
That sight was just like Alexandros racing across the plains of Gaugamela.
Indeed. This was the great war of conquest of the orcas!
"Piii- piiii- (The time of weak humans is over. Now is the time for us orcas.)"
In truth, according to the orcas' long oral tradition, the orcas had once before invaded the sea beyond Gibraltar. But the result was a great defeat, a total rout, a tragedy so dire that even those words appeared. Merely bringing up that tale would fill the seas the orcas roamed with ultrasound waves thick with grief.
So devastating was that tragedy that orcas from distant seas with different dialects even sang along to the song of sorrow.
But such pitiful and wretched defeatism ended today. I, Piii-piiii-pirik, would reestablish the orca domain. Make Orcas Great Again! What belongs to the orca to the orca!
"Piiik- piiiii- (Go! Brothers! Let us complete Or-Orcaism!)"
The Mediterranean Sea, known only by word, was sweet, and all the weak marine creatures that had enjoyed peace beneath it filled the orcas' hearts with satisfaction.
Look at such weak forms. Indeed, was the sea not ours? Strange beasts, you humans, be content above the surface! All saltwater was ours!
Hahahaha! Plunder! Slaughter!
Starting from Gibraltar, the tyranny of these tyrants followed the coast east of Andalus, where strangely shaped humans were frantically fighting. The innocent Mediterranean marine creatures screamed and fled, their fins flapping in panic.
However, the Mediterranean was originally a sea enclosed on all sides by land.
By the time they reached the vicinity of Crete, they were blocked by Egypt to the south, Greece to the north, and Syria to the east, leaving nowhere to flee.
As they sounded the victory ultrasound and prepared the final charge that would be recorded long in orca history, the pod of Pii- piriri- piik- suddenly sensed something strange in the sea ahead.
[Goooooo-]
A sensation they had never felt before. The orcas' senses, far superior to humans', screamed that something dangerous was moving now in the darkness concealing the edge of the Mediterranean ahead.
"Pii- piiii?"
"Piik- piiik-"
Like Attila's riders when they burned the Western Roman Empire, the orca pod, which had spread out everywhere to hunt prey, suddenly maneuvered in a wide circle, instantly formed a battle formation, gently let the current flow by, and focused every nerve forward.
A pure white light pierced the sea's surface and confronted the darkness of the deep sea. Under the orcas' divine light, the humans on the waves approached from both sides and made noise. But what mattered to the orcas now was not the humans who became fools underwater.
"Piiii-pi- (Something is there.)"
[Goooo- swaaaaaa-]
And finally, a presence revealed itself beyond the deep darkness.
The shadow was slowly erased, and the outline grew clear in the orcas' vision as the divine light touched it.
"Piik- (Human)?"
There was no creature in the sea shaped so strangely. What kind of creature had no fins, no tail, and only strange fur flying about? Those weird things that could not control their bodies any better than a newborn orca when they fell into the water.
[Fweeeeee-]
But that one was a bit strange.
The closer it came, the more its speed became incomprehensible. A speed as if drawing in all the surrounding sea as it approached. A size that, though quite generous, was still small compared to the innately superior orcas. But the aura and momentum around it, and above all, the green eyes that lost not a trace of light even in the twilight of the sea.
The moment they saw those eyes, the orcas remembered. The song passed down in sorrow. The history of crushing defeat suffered at the hands of those strange things. The ancient lesson that they should not, as a rule, touch humans.
[Goooo- woong- woong-]
As the green-eyed human, moving strangely shaped fins, curled its five tentacles (fingers) into a circle (fist), a massive power now distinctly felt pulsed violently through the whole sea.
[Woong- woong-]
"Piiii! Piik!"
"Piiiii-!"
The orcas, who lived with vibration as their language, felt that overwhelming power literally on every inch of their skin. Whatever was approaching now, it was hard to expect a good end if they opposed it.
No matter how much the orcas were the rulers of this sea, they were ultimately beasts that followed instinct and sense.
Discipline could not overcome fear, and faced for the first time with one who stood above them on the food chain—a predator—the orcas scattered in utter panic and fled mindlessly.
Just like the marine creatures of the Mediterranean that had fled from them.
The great orca lord, Piii-piiii-pirik-, similarly enveloped in this unbelievable terror, fled but at last turned his head to check the pursuer's position.
Fortunately, the incomprehensibly fearsome human ignored the orcas fleeing for their lives and shot straight up toward the divine light.
[Swaaaaack-!! Ooowoong-!! Hwoong- hwoong-]
The sight of a power that shook the whole sea boiling up toward the pure white surface—
That day, Pii- piiii- pirik- and the orca pod created a new song. A song about the monster lurking among the strangely shaped humans.
*****
'Is that an orca?'
Seawater was basically dark. No matter how strong the light, underwater you could not expect the same clear view as on land.
So underwater, I truly had to mobilize all my power and sixth sense, but even my power, which had already left the realm of reality, could not completely overcome the heavy weight of the sea.
After receiving word that the southern part of Crete was being attacked by Muslim pirates, the Eastern Roman navy and our North Sea force (North Sea warriors were basically amphibious. The distinction between army and navy was not strict) hurriedly moved. But the enemy appeared with ghostly timing and attacked the front and flanks of our advancing formation.
In that brief moment, the Eastern Roman navy, having made a precise judgment, immediately turned their prows and moved to deal with the much larger force on the left flank—that is, the Muslims rising from the southern sea—while our North Sea force continued forward as planned and faced the enemy ships that rushed in fiercely.
But if a standard melee ensued as it was, no matter how strong my warriors were, many would die and be wounded. So I acted as my heart and instinct commanded.
"Sto-rolf!! Take command!"
At sea combat, especially in a situation where the distance had closed this much, there was not much command to give anyway. Just shoot the ballistae a little, then ram and throw yourself overboard when close.
"Aye! Fylkir! Huh!? Fylkir!?"
Stórolf answered vigorously. Then Stórolf let out a scream full of shock.
[Suk- kung! Euaaak! Eeiku! Heundeul- swaaak- pungdeong!]
Adjusting my strength appropriately so as not to destroy the ship, I gained propulsion and smoothly entered the water. Indeed, the full spring weather of the Mediterranean. The sea temperature was even this warm.
[Gurgle- gurgle- flash-]
When I opened my eyes in the seawater, the world around me was quiet and filled with cozy darkness in every direction. People feared darkness and death, but to me, both were merely tranquil.
My goddess was the mistress of those two forces, so how could I, her great warrior, fear darkness and death?
The bubbles rising from my nostrils clearly told me I was a mammal incapable of breathing underwater, but my mighty lungs within my chest remained utterly calm.
If I had my way, I could easily stay in this heavy seawater for ten hours. But now was not the time for such a test.
Feeling the remaining momentum push my body forward in the near-weightlessness of the seawater, I stretched out both arms and pulled them back as if scooping through the currents.
[Hwaaak-!! Gurgle- gurgle-]
Immediately, the world took a stride closer to me, and my floating hair, eyebrows, and beard swept backward, leaving countless droplets behind.
[Hwaaak! Hwaaak-!]
With two more strokes, the North Sea army above me was already far behind, and looking up from below the surface, I saw the delicious underbellies of the enemies, all so alike.
[Piii-! Piii-]
'Huh? Is that an orca?'
After gaining moderate speed, I used only my lower body from the waist down to propel forward like a merman, and as soon as I gathered strength and clenched my fist, I saw huge beasts lined up in the darkness.
"Gurgle- gurgle-(Muslims tamed orcas too?)"
The situation was so exquisite that such an absurd thought crossed my mind. But I didn't have much time to ponder; I made the most rational decision I could in that circumstance.
'It doesn't matter. If they block me, I'll smash them all.'
[Tang! Hwaaak-!!]
I kicked powerfully and advanced a step toward the orca pod instead.
[Uung-]
As I felt my fist, drawn back at the waist, pull all the surrounding currents, I braced for a big collision.
[Piiik- Piik! Piiii-!]
The fearsome orcas, seemingly startled by an unfamiliar sight, turned as one and vanished into the sea's darkness.
'That's a relief.'
[Tang! Hwaak!]
I corrected my trajectory with a kick that left a massive shockwave.
'Hup-!'
[Hooong-!]
I threw the fist I had drawn back at the rapidly approaching large wooden hull.
The ship blocking the light descending from the surface and my body, the wooden planks, the wooden coffin. Yes, this will be your coffin.
"Gurgle- gurgle-!(Hel-!!)"
[Gurgle- gurgle-]
[Hooong- Kwaaang!]
Overcoming all the pull of the sea's gravity, my fist delivered a massive impact, instantly blasting away the hideous barnacles clinging to the enemy's underbelly, sending spider-web-like shockwaves in all directions and carving hairline cracks.
[Puseok! Jjeojeok- jjeojeojeok-!]
The keel, the spine of the ship, shattered in two instantly, and the fine cracks around it soon gave way under the pressure transmitted up and down, flying apart as splinters.
[Kwajik! Kwang! Aaaak! O Ali! Aaaaah- Splash! Splash!]
Then, Muslim warriors plunged into the seawater along with the ship, shattered to pieces by an unforeseen lightning strike (from below).
"Gurgle gurgle!(Save me!)"
"Gurgle- gurgle gurgle-(Áli! Hu Akbar!)"
"Gurgle? Gurgle gurgle!?(Huh? What's that!?)"
Sinking continuously under the weight of their heavy armor, they were a motley bunch: some already unconscious, some frantically trying to remove their tightly fastened armor to survive, some searching for their god, and one with eyes wide open pointing at me.
They sank in various guises, but it was clear they would all meet the same fate.
"Gurgle gurgle-(Valhalla awaits you)"
Since we all stood on the same battlefield, foolish pity would only be an insult to the enemy.
[Paang! Hooong-!]
Charging powerfully once more, I propelled myself toward the biggest prize amid the confusion felt even underwater—the tempting underbelly that was clearly the enemy flagship.
[Hwiiiii- Uung-!]
Was underwater combat a bit taxing even for me, or was I still not fully adapted?
'Had my training been insufficient? I'd grown complacent, Helgi Ragnarsson. Once this war is over, it's special training.'
Or perhaps it was because I had drawn a far greater amount of power than usual in the seawater, but my mighty lungs began to crave an injection of fresh oxygen.
[Hooong-]
So this time, I put in more strength.
"Gurgle(Hel)-!"
[Kwaaang!]
"Aaaak!"
"Uwaaak!"
[Splash! Splash!]
I pierced through the heart of the wooden beast and soared toward the blazing sun like an eagle.
"Hel-!!!"
[Hwiiii- Tak! Tadak! Splash! Cheolssak!]
On the swaying deck, the splinters that had shot up in the direction of my fist rained back down, and the surging waves washed over the gunwales, but the dumbfounded men didn't even feel the seawater entering their nostrils and ears.
"What- what is-"
"What is this-?"
"H-huh-"
Of course. How could people of the 9th century know the concept of a torpedo?
Having left my massive meteor sword on my longship, I used the fresh air as fuel to stoke immense power, clenched both fists, and roared.
"I am Helgi Ragnarsson! Surrender if you want to live! Uryaah-!"
[Hooong! Kwaaang!]
Then I brought both fists down like hammers, smashing the keel of the already doomed ship.
"Aaaak!"
"Ooooh-"
"Uwaaaah-"
[Splash! Splash! Chulleong- Huddudduk! Hudduk!]
People and debris that had been hurled into the air like eagles hadn't even fallen back into the sea before I kicked off powerfully and leaped.
[Kung! Chulleong- Uwaaak-! Hooong-]
"Surrender!"
I shouted as I lunged at the unlucky pirates right next to me.
[Kwaaaang-!]
And slammed my fist down.
☆☆☆☆☆References☆☆☆☆☆
Search term for previous chapter references:
Battle of Kardia wiki.
Abu Hafs Umar al-Iqritishi wiki
Robert Pittman, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Search term: Orca wiki
Currently, the orca, larger than an elephant, is arguably the strongest living creature on Earth (excluding humans)...!
There were once various theories about why orcas don't attack humans very often, including the interesting story that the Roman Empire conducted large-scale orca hunting! That rumor went around at one point...!
But as with most interesting stories, that's not true...! The Roman Empire never waged war on orcas; there is only a story about an unfortunate orca that got trapped at a harbor construction site and had to be killed...!
So ultimately, the exact reason is still unknown—that's the correct answer, but... it was too interesting a story to just pass over... hahaha
Helgi Ragnarsson, who has recognized and accepted his own strength, is starting to wield it more and more...! His growth is terrifying...!