Chapter Thirteen
Mistvale Keep was gliding further away behind us, and I stood at the rails beside Caelia and Evangeline with a frown creasing my brow. I’d never fought against pirates before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but we had an entire day between my save point and the attack, so there was plenty of time to prepare.
The shopkeeper emptied her stomach over the rail, and then I took Caelia to the captain’s cabin, but I managed to get her comfortable before she began to hurl again. The girls oohed and aahed over the lush accommodations, and then Evangeline and I sought out the captain while Caelia rested.
“Hey, Black-eye,” I greeted in a friendly tone, and the dark-haired man whirled around to face me with narrowed eyes. “I’m Bash, the God of Time.”
“Your Grace!” Captain North’s eyes widened, and he swept down into his low bow. “Where did you ever learn my nickname from? Has the crew been talking to you already? We barely set sail.”
“All part of being a god,” I chuckled, but then my expression turned serious. “What are the chances of a pirate attack?”
“Pirates have grown more common of late,” the captain allowed in a hesitant tone. “They draw closer and closer to Sorreyal with each ambush, but my men and I can handle whatever the waters throw our way. Never fear, Your Grace. You are safe aboard The Quest.”
“Except there’s going to be an attack tonight shortly after sunset,” I informed him.
“How do you know that?” Doubt crept into the captain’s voice.
“My husband knows all things,” Eva explained as her gray eyes danced in amusement, but then she cast me a worried glance. “Are there really pirates coming?”
“Yeah.” I nodded solemnly.
“And to think,” the duke’s daughter laughed. “We expected nothing but smooth sailing.”
“I expect more than one challenge.” I smirked.
“Please, get below deck until the issue is handled, I must alert my first mate,” Captain North suddenly interrupted, and he gave me a stiff-backed bow before he excused himself.
I had no intention of doing anything of the sort, but I raised my eyebrows questioningly at my wife.
“You want to hide below deck from the pirates?” I asked, but I already knew the spunky adventurer's answer.
“Fuck, no!” Eva smirked. “We stand by the crew’s side and fight.”
“That’s my girl.” I tweaked her nose affectionately. “But we have plenty of time before they arrive, so how shall we entertain ourselves?”
“Show me around the ship?” my wife requested as she hooked her arm through mine, and it was obvious how much she trusted me to keep everyone safe by the serene smile upon her luscious lips.
“Right this way, my dear.” I flourished my hand toward the stairs leading below deck.
Evangeline and I explored the rooms beneath the wooden planks of the ship’s upper surface, and then we returned to find the vessel bustling with activity. Men scurried up the rigging like spiders in webs, and they shouted at each other from across the sail.
“I want to climb up there,” I informed my wife as I gazed at the crow’s nest far above our heads.
“Just don’t die,” Eva teased, and she pushed me playfully toward the rigging. “Or get in the sailors’ ways!”
“I promise,” I called out over my shoulder as I reached up for the first length of taut rope.
I placed my hands and feet carefully as I made my way steadily higher, but as I pushed away from the deck, the wind began to whip around me and pull on my clothes. I struggled to maintain my grip, and the next thing I knew, I was falling toward the gray-blue waves far below.
I struck the surface of the water with a hard slap, but I was beneath the waves an instant later, and I flapped my arms and legs in an effort to halt my descent into the depths. The sun sparkled far above me, and I watched as my breath bubbled out of my lips. The pressure on my lungs intensified as I sank even lower into the shadows below, and I shook my head.
Fuck this.
Chime.
Caelia vomited, and I took her to the captain’s cabin before I introduced Evangeline to the captain. Then I warned Black-eye about the pirates, and the dark-haired man leapt into action. This time, I went straight up to the rigging and began my ascent. I was prepared for the pull of the wind, and I kept my grip on the ropes, but it took me longer than I would have liked to reach the uppermost crow’s nest.
I still took a moment to cherish my small victory, and I grinned up at the sailor standing watch as I climbed over the edge of the bucket.
“Hi, I’m Bash.” I gestured down at the rigging below us. “That’s the first time I’ve ever done that. It’s pretty intense.”
“You get used to it after a while,” the man said with a wry smile. “I’m Krin.”
Krin had russet-colored hair that almost looked like it was dyed since his eyebrows were a pale blond, and his hazel eyes were bright as he scanned me up and down. I imagined anyone assigned to the heights of the crow’s nest would have good vision, and I briefly wondered how I appeared through his gaze.
“I’ll have to do that before the day is old,” I said.
“I don’t think anyone could do it in a day.” Krin’s smile never faltered.
“I’m not just anyone,” I informed him. “I’m the God of Time.”
“G-G-God of Time?” Krin’s eyes bulged, and he staggered back away from me. The poor man nearly fell over the lip of the bucket, but I reached out a hand and grabbed his shirt to steady him.
“Easy there,” I chuckled. “You’re not a god. That could totally kill you.”
“I-I’ve been up in the bucket all day,” the watchman explained. “I hadn’t had a chance to check out our fancy guests yet, but I had no idea we had a god onboard.”
“That’s why I decided to come up here and say hello myself.” I grinned.
“Wait.” Krin shook his head like he was shaking off a bad dream, and he narrowed his eyes at me again. “I heard you knew everyone’s names before you met them. How come you didn’t know me?”
“Can I see your spyglass?” I asked as I completely ignored his sharp observation.
Krin handed over the cylinder clutched in his fist instantly, and I pressed it against my eye as I turned the scope toward the northern horizon. I swept back and forth across the top of the waves, but I didn’t see pirates anywhere. We were still an entire day away from the attack, but I’d wondered if they’d laid in wait for a while.
“What are you looking for?” Krin’s voice was curious.
“Pirates.” I didn’t pause my search.
“Bah, they won’t be this close to land,” Krin scoffed, but then he cleared his throat. “Sorry, I mean, er… We aren’t likely to encounter any pirates, Great One. You are safe aboard The Quest, I promise you.”
“Except I saw them coming,” I said, and I pulled the spyglass away from my eye to flash him a wide smile. “Good thing you’ve got a god with you, because there were at least three ships.”
“Our crew has held our own against as many for entire nights.” Krin lifted his chin as his chest puffed with pride. “It was dawn before the rest of the navy came to our rescue.”
“Well, tonight, we’re going to kill them all by ourselves.” I watched the blood drain from the man’s face, but he straightened his shoulders bravely, and I chuckled. “You sailors are a hardy bunch.”
“The open water is unforgiving, Great One,” Krin explained with a knowing smile. “It erodes the softness from a man with the brine in the air.”
“The real test will come tonight,” I said in a grim tone. “I’m going to be watching to see who is more bark than bite.”
“I’m not much for bragging,” Krin said as his smile fell. “Watchmen are picked for their eyes, and fleetness up the ropes, not their fighting skills. Captain Black-eye will see us through the night, though, of that I am certain.”
“Your honesty could save your life,” I replied, and I clapped the man on the shoulder before I handed him back his spyglass. “Watch the northern horizon closely. Signal at the first sign of sails.”
I climbed out of the bucket and back down the rigging to the deck below where Eva waited with an amused smile.
“Did you have fun?” Eva asked, but then her gaze flicked to the ocean waves. “Or see any pirate ships?”
“It was a blast,” I replied. “But the ships won’t be here until after the moon rises. We have time.”
“Good.” Eva nodded. “What should we do in the meantime?”
“Help the crew,” I said as I looked across the deck in search of the first mate. Jags marched across the wooden planks shouting commands, and I jerked my chin in his direction. “Jags is the man to see about job assignments.”
The wood beneath our feet was a little unsteady as the ship began to pick up momentum, and the sails snapped as they filled with air. Trevin hauled on the helm with both arms, and my wife and I staggered across the deck toward the first mate.
“What are you still doing above deck?” Jags hollered as he rounded on me. “You need to be out of the line of fire. Now!”
“I’m not cowering in the captain’s cabin while good men give their lives for me,” I said in a hard voice. “You’d be better off giving us a task to work on in preparation for the attack.”
Jags spat to the side and narrowed his eyes at me, but he was quiet for a long moment as he considered my words. Finally, he growled and turned away. “Fine! Coil the ropes. If you get killed on my watch…”
“Then I’ll do even better the next time,” I promised, but Jags didn’t respond.
“I never thought I’d meet a man who didn’t worship the ground beneath your feet,” Eva observed with a wry smirk. “What are you going to do about him?”
“Oh, Jags will be singing my praises before we see dawn,” I laughed and wrapped my arm around her shoulder. “But it’s hard to worship the ground beneath my feet when we’re sailing over the ocean.”
“True,” Eva allowed as her eyes twinkled with amusement. “I’m curious to see how you win him over.”
“Don’t watch too closely,” I teased. “Or you’ll discover all my secrets.”
“You don’t keep secrets from your wives,” Eva countered with a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders.
The two of us stood and watched the men working the ropes for a while, and then I hopped in to help. Eva joined in on the task, and she flashed me sideways smiles as I showed her what to do. Jags walked by a short while later, and he eyed our progress with a sharp eye, but then he grunted in approval and strode away.
I wanted to learn more than swabbing decks and knotting rope, though, so when the task was completed, I eyed the sails hungrily. Next, I’d learn how to maneuver the massive fabric before the pirates arrived, and then I’d move on to steering the vessel. With that decided, I kissed Eva on the forehead.
“I’m going to go check on Caelia,” my wife said. “I don’t want her to get bored or lonely.”
“Perfect.” I grinned as I grabbed the rope wrapped around the mast and began to climb. “I’m going up!”
I joined the sailors moving about the rigging, and I flagged down the closest one to offer my assistance. The young red-haired man eyed me with obvious skepticism, but I flashed him my most charming smile, and he nodded.
“We need to hoist the skysail,” the man informed me. “Race ya to the top!”
“You’re on,” I growled as I scurried up the ropes as fast as I could, but the talented seaman easily beat me to the uppermost sail on the main mast.
We passed by the crow’s nest while the long pole I clung to weaved and swayed in the air, but I’d gotten more accustomed to the motions of the ship, so I kept my grip. I helped him untie the binds keeping the fabric wrapped tightly around the pole, and then he handed me one of the long strands.
“This is the fun part, but we have to do it at the same time,” he explained. “Jump on three.”
“Alright.” I quickly caught on to his meaning, and I clenched my jaw with determination as I nodded.
The sailor counted down, and I launched myself from the rigging at the same time he did, but the two of us plummeted toward the deck as the fabric rose up to the top of the mast. Then the rope began to slide through my fists, and I winced as the burn shot pain up from my hands. I managed to stop myself just short of landing on the next fabric-wrapped pole. The seaman on the other side of the extended skysail swung through the air on the rope like Tarzan, and he cackled as he passed by me.
“We’ll make a sailor out of you yet!” the sailor hollered, but then he swung back in the direction he’d come from before he began to scurry up the rope.
My eyes flicked to the pole above me where the rope was lashed, and I carefully began to pull myself up to the top by placing one fist above the other. It reminded me of P.E. classes when I was a kid, and the bullies would wait below to taunt whoever couldn’t reach the summit.
I felt my abdominal muscles contracting as my core strength took over, but my shoulders and arms were screaming in protest long before I reached the top. Finally, I heaved myself up onto the pole, and I gripped it tightly between my legs.
“What are you doing up there, Your Grace?” the captain called up from the deck. “You’re going to get yourself killed!”
I was ready to see a little awe on Black-eye’s face, so I flicked a quick salute to the sailor who’d shown me how to hoist the sail before I began to climb down.
“Have you forgotten, Black-eye?” I coolly arched one eyebrow once I reached the deck. “I’m a god. Immortal. I’ve already tried dying more times than I could count.”
“You’ve… You have tried to die before?” A worried look flashed across Black-eye’s face, and I chuckled.
“I’m not suicidal or anything,” I assured him. “I just needed to test the limits of my powers. I’d like to help, and I can be an asset if you will just let me.”
“Alright,” the captain sighed, and his voice was full of reluctance. “Just… the king would have my head if anything happened to his Archduke under my command.”
“You let me worry about the king,” I said, and I placed a comforting hand on the older man’s shoulder. “For now, let’s focus on the pirates. What else needs to be done before we encounter them?”
“Well, I’m still hoping we won’t,” Black-eye said. “I’ve put us at full sail, and we’re slicing through the waves at a quick enough pace. We may still be able to outrun them.”
“Damn.” I frowned.
The captain’s eyes widened as he stared at me, but then he shook his head. “You really do have a death wish, don’t you?”
“Nope.” I grinned. “Can’t die, so I just like kicking ass.”
“How many ships are coming?” The captain narrowed his eyes as his gaze turned to the horizon. “And from what direction?”
“I saw at least three,” I said. “And they were coming from the north.”
“Well, you may get your wish before the night is over.” Captain North jerked his chin toward the helm. “I’m going to check on our progress. Care to come with me and tell the navigator and helmsman what you’ve told me?”
“Sure.” I nodded.
The two of us crossed the deck and trotted up the steps to the higher-level deck, and Kipper tapped Trevin on the shoulder to alert him to our approach. How the helmsman couldn’t see us on his own was beyond me, but his eyes still remained locked on the ocean.
I spent the rest of the day working with Kipper and Trevin, and I learned how to read maps, chart our course, and turn the helm. The two men made a couple of comments under their breaths about the less-than-all-knowing God of Time, but they didn’t know I’d heard them, so I pretended not to.
I’d show everyone what a god could do.
The sun went down, and the tension in the air was thick enough to slice with a knife. Everyone had a weapon in their hands as they kept a close eye on the northern horizon, and the glint of determination in their eyes made me proud to be among them.
These men were used to fighting for their lives against all sorts of conditions, pirates being only one of many. They weren’t the chubby-cheeked farmers or the inexperienced city guards I was used to fighting with at times, but I would have enjoyed having Mahini, Elissa, Riondale, and Jaxtom with us as well.
Then the white sails dotted the dark northern line of the ocean, and I squinted into the piercing wind to see the pirates’ standard flying from the masts.
I considered making a new save point while the ships remained on the distant horizon, but I decided against it. The more time we had to prepare, the better a sailor I became, and soon the entire ship would be worshiping the planks beneath my feet. I was eager to add the crew to my list of devout followers, but the hard-edged men weren’t as easy to schmooze as the nobles in the capital.
I enjoyed the extra challenge immensely, but I was ready to get to the action, and a pirate fight would certainly break up the monotony of sailing across the ocean. I eyed the horizon as the ships slowly grew larger in my vision, and I loosened my feather sword in its scabbard. I’d never fought on the ocean before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the pirates probably weren’t expecting to face off against a god, either.
Eva joined me at the rail, and my wife had put on her armor. Her short jagged blonde locks waved in the growing wind, and her gray eyes matched the color of the water below us. She was beautiful, capable, and ready to kick ass.
“Hey, sexy,” I greeted as I bent down to kiss her. “Ready to kill some pirates?”
“More than I should be.” Eva grinned.
“Your Grace, Archduchess.” The captain had a frown on his face as he crossed the ship to us, and he held out his hands in a placating gesture. “Are you sure I cannot convince you to seek shelter below deck?”
“You couldn’t keep us from this fight even if you tied us up and threw us into the storage hold with the horses,” I informed him with fire in my eyes. “I’ve been waiting for this for days.”
The captain gave me a confused look, but then his gaze slid to the pirate ships, and he let out a low exhale. They were much closer, and they were steadily gaining on us. At this rate, they’d be on us within the hour.
“I hope you are good on your word,” was all Black-eye said before he turned and strode away.
Eva and I exchanged a look, and then we turned our gazes back to the approaching ships. I could make out more details as they drew near, and countless men teemed against the rails. The wind brought snatches of their shouts to my ears, and none of them were acceptable to fling in a lady’s direction, but my wife did not react.
“The captain would be wise to trust your judgement and follow your lead,” Eva said as she crossed her arms across her chest. Her breasts pushed against the neckline of her skin-tight armor, and my blood quickened in my veins. “You’ve never lost a fight. Can he say as much?”
“Well, he’s managed to survive this long out on the open water,” I pointed out. “I don’t think the man is a fool, just protective of his crew and hesitant with his trust.”
The crew of The Quest was all above deck at that point, and the crowded wooden planks creaked as they moved about. I noticed several familiar faces, and I bobbed my head when I made eye contact with Krin the watchman as he clambered down from the crow’s nest.
“I think everyone sees them now,” the man mused as his eyes locked onto the three ships chasing us down. “I came to join the fight.”
“It looks like everyone had the same thought,” I said as I jerked my chin toward the men releasing weapons from sheaths.
“They’ll start swinging over as soon as they can land,” Krin informed me as his eyes turned hard. “Some even before.”
“Captain hauled up all the loose rope hanging over the rails,” I said.
“That should keep them from being able to swim across and gain access,” Eva noted. “Tell us more about their fighting style, if you don’t mind, sir.”
“Oh, I’m no sir, ma’am.” Krin dipped his head, and his neck flushed a rosy hue. “And I’ve only been in a couple battles against the bastards. Captain protects the weakest of us fiercely.”
“As he should,” I pointed out. “Are you sure you want to fight?”
“I’m no coward,” Krin said with a shake of his head. “We’ll need every pair of hands pitching in.”
Just then, the boat lurched as one of the pirate ships rammed us from behind, and I stumbled into Krin, which knocked the skinny man over. Seconds later, men with swords in hand swung through the air on ropes from the pirate ships, and they plopped onto the decking with a fierce roar of challenge.
The new arrivals were outnumbered and surrounded by the crew of The Quest, and they died before I even got a good look at them, but they were replaced an instant later with several more.
“Let’s get over there,” Eva suggested as she rushed toward the steps leading down to the main deck.
I didn’t need any more prompting, so I followed behind her and whipped out my feather sword at the same time. I could have reached the other side of the ship in two breaths with a stomp of my griffon feather boots, but I’d have to ram half the crew out of the way in the process. Besides, with Evangeline joining the fight, I wanted to stay close to my beautiful bride and keep her safe.
We surged into the crowd guarding the back half of the ship, but I had to shove and wiggle my way through the press of the sailors’ bodies to reach the rail. I pulled Eva behind me in my wake, and then we joined the captain on the front lines just as another pirate swung into our midst.
“They’re trying to sandwich us!” Black-eye called to his men. “Man the sails!”
“Pull her port side!” Jags screamed at Trevin, and the helmsman obeyed immediately with a tough tug on the rungs of the spiked wheel.
The deck tilted beneath me, and I slammed into the captain’s side, but he pushed me back to my feet with a steady hand.
“Watch yourself,” he warned. “Don’t want to fall over the rails.”
The Quest sliced through the waves, but she veered too close to one of the ships trying to wedge our vessel between two of theirs, and the sound of splintering wood filled the air. Every crew member wore the same pained expressions like they’d just taken a blow themselves, and I realized how deeply every single sailor present loved the ship they lived on.
A pirate swinging over on a rope slammed into me and the captain, but I managed to roll to my feet and toss the heavy weight of the man off me. I spun with my blade extended, but the captain was doing the same, and we both pin cushioned the asshole at the same time. I let out my breath as I peered down at the pirate, but he looked no different from the sailors standing all around me.
I’d half-expected them all to look like Johnny Depp from Pirates of the Caribbean, but I realized it could easily become difficult to tell the difference between the two sides. I didn’t know the crew of The Quest well enough to guarantee I wouldn’t accidentally mistake one of them for the enemy, but I turned to memorize the faces around me while I waited for the next swinger.
The deck tilted again as The Quest straightened out, but then the massive pirate ship turned as well to keep pace with us. When they were close enough to swing across the distance between the two vessels, one of the pirates let out a battle cry as he tried to jump across, but Evangeline met the man’s approach with a throwing star to his face.
Every man standing around my wife turned to gape at her as the pirate’s body plopped down into the waves, and my chest swelled with pride.
“Arrrrgh!” came a loud cry, and I looked up just in time to see another pirate swinging over to our deck.
I leapt forward, and I flicked my wrist in an intricate motion, but the movement of my blade severed the rope the man clung to moments before he got close enough to land safely. He fell with a splash, and several crew members leaned over the rails to taunt him. A moment later, sailors with bows and arrows peppered the now-drowning pirate with projectiles until he finally sank beneath the waves. Three more took his place, and it soon became clear we were getting into the heat of the battle.
“To starboard!” Black-eye hollered above the din of the fighting on the port side.
My eyes flicked to the opposite rail to find one of the three pirate ships had slid up beside our vessel while we’d been preoccupied with the early arrivals. Then armed men began to fly over the distance between the two boats, and the crew of The Quest rushed to meet the new threat.
Eva and I were right there with them, but the captain and half the crew remained on the port side to protect both our sides. By the time we reached the opposite rail, several sailors and pirates laid dead on the deck, and their blood poured over the wooden planks. I was glad I hadn’t just swabbed the deck in this run through, because that would have pissed me off if I’d just cleaned it myself.
The pirates flung themselves from both directions in massive numbers, and soon everyone had an opponent. The fighting scattered throughout the ship as some of the enemies broke through the crowd and rushed toward the stairs leading below deck.
I chased those assholes down with murderous intent as I pictured Caelia asleep in the captain’s cabin, and I took sick pleasure from their death cries, but I couldn’t be everywhere at once, no matter how hard I tried. The deck was too crowded for me to use my griffon feather boots efficiently, and it was hard for me to tell a pirate from a crew member until the man was attacking me.
Eva held her own in our first attempt against the pirates, but she stayed glued to my side as much as possible. I wasn’t going to complain since it made it much easier to ensure her safety with her right at my back, and the two of us quickly settled into a fluid dance.
“They just keep coming!” Eva panted as she flung a throwing star at a man running straight at her, and I glanced over my shoulder to see the pirate skid across the wooden planks of the deck.
“Get below deck!” I called over my shoulder as I checked to make sure the way was clear.
“Not without you!” Then my wife elbowed me on the right side, but that was our warning signal, and I turned to face the threat coming from that direction.
I scanned the front lines to make sure the crew of The Quest were holding out, but my attention was caught when a silver blade twinkled in the light of the nearly full moon. Some of the men swarming over the rails carried long curved blades with hilts over a foot long. They looked wicked sharp, but I’d never seen anything like them before, and I itched to play with one.
Looting pirates was going to be fucking awesome.
“How do we get the upper hand?” Eva gasped from behind me after flinging another handful of her small blades.
“Not sure,” I called over my shoulder.
My mind began to go over everything I’d learned since coming aboard The Quest, and what I’d already figured out through video games from my old world. The pirates had the advantage by having multiple ships to surround us with, and each one of the vessels probably had a crew the same size as Black-eye’s. If only we had another ship, even with a skeleton crew, we could use it to ram into the enemy vessels and flip the script on them.
I suddenly had a great idea, so I reset back to my save point with a wave of my will.
Chime.
“Caelia’s going to throw up,” I told Eva, and we both turned to watch the dark-skinned goddess clamp her hands across her mouth as her face paled. “And pirates are going to try to attack us tonight.”
“What?” Eva hissed as Caelia leaned over the railing, and the duke’s daughter searched my face for signs I was joking. “What should we do?”
“We’re going to pirate the pirates.” My face split into a devilish grin. “Take their ship, their loot, and their lives.”
“You’ll be the Hero of the Eastern Ocean before we reach land.” Eva winked.
“Let’s get Caelia settled, and then we’ll explain my plan to the captain.” I wrapped a comforting arm around the dark-skinned beauty, and she leaned her head against my shoulder with a sigh.
“My legs feel wobbly,” the shopkeeper murmured as I led the way to the lower deck. “There’s a bed for me?”
“Yep,” I chuckled, but I couldn’t resist the urge to sweep her into my arms and carry her the rest of the way. Then I jerked my chin toward the captain’s cabin, and Evangeline pushed open the door.
“Oh, it’s so nice!” the duke’s daughter breathed as her gray eyes scanned over the lush apartments.
I placed Caelia on the bed, tucked her in, and fetched the bucket. Then I planted a kiss on her forehead, but her eyes were already sliding closed. Throwing up took a lot out of the young woman, it seemed, and I made a mental note to keep that in mind during her future pregnancies.
“I’m glad you like it,” I said to my wife as I moved to take her in my arms for a quick kiss. “Do you want to stay with her while I go find the captain? I can catch you up with the plans before we’ll need to take any action.”
“Alright,” Eva agreed with a little hesitation. “But promise you’ll fetch me before there’s any fighting. I want to sink a blade or two into some pirate assholes.”
“Fuck, I love it when you cuss,” I laughed. “I promise I’ll include you in all my shenanigans.”
I kissed her again, and then I turned toward the door. I trotted past the closed door to the medical bay, and I was on the upper deck a moment later. I scanned over the now familiar faces of the crew until I spotted the captain standing on the front rail, and then I crossed the ship to join him and cleared my throat to get his attention.
“Oh, Your Grace!” Black-eye straightened his jacket and dipped his head respectfully. “I was hoping you’d come see me soon. I have provided lodging for you in my pers--”
“I already found my way to your cabin,” I cut him off with a wave of my hand. “We don’t have time for the formalities. There’s pirates headed our way, and they’ll catch up to us shortly after the moon rises if we don’t do something.”
“A-A-Are you sure?” Captain North narrowed his dark eyes at me, but the confidence in my voice gave him pause. “I must alert my first mate.”
“Listen, Black-eye,” I said in a hard tone. “You’re not going to be able to outrun them, no matter how fast we go. I have a different idea, if you’re in the mood for kicking ass and taking names.”
“I’m listening.” The captain’s expression was deadly serious.
“Instead of running away and trying to get ahead of them, we should hunt them down, steal their loot, and destroy their ships,” I proceeded to explain my idea to the captain I’d already come to trust, and soon a wicked grin split his face, and I liked him even more. “Once we get one of their ships manned with a skeleton crew, we can use it to ram into the others.”
“Kipper!” Black-eye turned toward the helm. “Get your ass over here!”
A moment later, the young navigator had joined us on the front rail, and the captain placed a firm hand on the sandy-haired man’s shoulder.
“We’re changing course.” The captain’s tone was grim, but determined. “We’re chasing pirates.”
Kipper immediately flicked his gaze up to scan the horizon, and when he found nothing, he turned a questioning glance to his commander.
“Pirates, sir?” Kipper asked in a skeptical tone, and he glanced at me out of the corner of his eye as he lowered his voice. “Surely our quest takes importance over a suicide mission.”
“Our patron is the one commanding the chase,” the captain informed his navigator, and he squeezed the younger man’s shoulder. “I wasn’t asking for your opinion. Tell Trevin to take us north, and keep your eye on the horizon.”
“Aye, aye, captain,” the navigator grumbled, but he turned to obey the captain’s orders.
I nodded my approval of the handling of the situation. Black-eye’s men all respected and trusted him, but that only brought the older man higher in my esteem.
Next, Black-eye and I marched across the deck to explain the situation to the first mate, but Jags met us halfway with a frown of consternation creasing his eyebrows.
“Why are we changing course, sir?” Wallace asked.
“Jags, remember when you said you wanted one last night of glory before you retired?” the captain asked.
“Aye,” the first mate replied, but his skepticism was obvious.
I was glad I wasn’t the only one the man seemed skeptical of, but I supposed it was just a personality trait of his.
“So, let’s out pirate some pirates!” Excitement crept into Black-eye’s voice, and his eyes glimmered with battle lust. “There’s some to our north, and we can take them unawares before they ever set upon us. We’ll be wealthy men before the dawn arrives, Jags!”
“What does our patron think of this foolhardy idea?” Wallace Jags eyed me with obvious distrust.
“It was his idea,” the captain laughed, and his first mate’s eyes widened in shock.
The older former captain stared openly at me for a long moment, but I met his gaze with confidence and dared him to back down with my eyes. After a long, tense silence, the first mate dropped his eyes to the wooden planks beneath our feet.
“I’ll pass on the word,” Jags finally said, and he nodded curtly before turning away, but he paused to dip his head to me. “Your Grace.”
I returned the gesture as I chuckled, but once he was out of earshot, I turned back to the captain.
“My wife and I will fight by your side the whole way,” I promised. “We’re pretty eager to get some pirate kills for ourselves.”
“The Eastern Ocean will soon fear the name of The Quest,” Black-eye agreed with a deadly gleam in his eyes.
It was a couple of hours later when Krin’s shrill whistle alerted us to the presence of the pirate ships. Everyone tensed and headed to the rails, but there was an air of calm about the ship. The crew had taken to the idea of flipping the script on the pirates like fish to water, and I knew more than one of them sought revenge for previous encounters.
The three pirate ships were in a very loose formation, and the one closest to us was isolated from its companions by a great deal of water. It was perfect for our first target, and The Quest sliced decisively through the waves toward her.
The pirates finally noticed our approach, but it was too late to gain wind enough to move them away from the looming threat. Cries of alarm traveled across the distance between us on the piercing wind, and I heard the whistle of swords being drawn.
“Ram them!” Black-eye’s voice called above the heads of his crew, and cheers erupted at his words.
“Brace yourself,” I warned Eva, and I reached out a hand to steady her as the prow of The Quest smashed into the pirate ship.
Wood splinters sprayed into the air, but the crew paid them no mind as they rushed across the breach to the pirate ship deck. Eva and I followed after the first wave, and after I hopped across the four-foot span of ocean between the rails, I turned to catch Eva. My wife landed with nimble grace, but she flashed me a broad smile as she pulled throwing stars off her thighs with both hands.
Then began the slaughter.
The crew of The Quest fought like demons, but they weren’t outnumbered this time. The two other pirate ships were trying to maneuver around, but the wind was against them, and I imagined there wouldn’t be much left to save by the time they arrived to help.
I killed pirate after pirate as their blood sprayed across my chest and arms, and Evangeline was always no more than a pace behind me. She threw out stars around the shield I provided for her with my body, and together, we carved a dent in the hordes of bastards rushing toward us.
We fought our way across the deck to the mast, and I spotted Black-eye struggling with a pirate wearing a tri-cornered hat. I rushed over to help him with my wife a step behind me, and I slid my feather sword into the man’s back as he brought his sword down against the captain’s.
The pirate arched his back and yowled out a death cry as I ripped my feather sword free from his spine, but as the lifeless body collapsed to the wooden planks, the captain, Eva, and I had already all found new opponents. Jags ran by chasing a pirate turning tail, and the older man cackled with glee as he swung his sword at the retreating pirate’s legs.
“At least he’s having fun,” I laughed as I blocked the blow of one of those wicked sharp curved blades, and I eyed the weapon in fasciation as the pirate twirled it around in a figure eight.
Eva watched the fancy moves of my opponent with a roll of her eyes before she flung one of her blades at his face. The throwing star jutted from the pirate’s eye socket an instant later, and my wife laughed.
“This is fun!” she said, and her cheeks were flushed with excitement.
It took the fifty-man crew of The Quest less than half an hour to annihilate the pirate ship’s men, and then we all stood collecting our breaths as the captain strode into the center of the crowd.
“You all fought well,” Black-eye complimented, and his eyes were full of pride as he scanned over his men. “But it’s not over yet. There’s still two ships full of those assholes just waiting to taste our steel!”
The crew roared, Jags most of all.
“Now!” The captain held up his hands to motion for silence, and his men immediately obeyed. “We split up. Half sailing this hunk of junk, the rest back aboard The Quest.”
Salutes were snapped all around, and the men moved in a flurry of activity. Sails were hoisted on both ships, and they began to slowly move away from each other. The deck of the pirate ship was nearly deserted, but I spotted Kipper and Jags among the faces manning the new vessel. Kipper took the helm with an experienced hand, and soon the pirate ship was gliding over the waves at a brisk pace toward the two remaining enemy vessels.
Eva clutched the rail as the wind blew in her hair, and I took a moment to appreciate the view. Then I prepared myself for the next stage of the Great Pirate Battle of the Eastern Ocean, or at least, that was what I would call it in future retellings. I cleaned the blood and gore from my feather sword and checked the durability.
Durability - 43%
Weight - 0.2lbs
Quality - High
Magical Aspect - Feathering
Magical Ability - None
The durability was the lowest I’d seen, but I blamed the fancy curved blades the pirates wielded. I’d definitely need a new weapon soon if I was going to encounter higher quality steel in battle.
The two ships aimed for the next closest pirate vessel, and they moved in tandem across the ocean. Jags and Black-eye seemed to have a telepathic link between them, but I wasn’t one to be left out, and I quickly climbed into the rigging to aid in our speed.
We approached rapidly, and soon I could make out the looks of confusion on the pirates’ faces who stood on the deck and stared at us. Then the two vessels parted slightly to slide on either side of the pirate ship, and the next thing I knew, we were all launching ourselves over the rails to the enemy’s deck.
The greater our success, the more savage the sailors became, and I hopped over severed limbs as I fought my way through the well-armed pirates. Evangeline stayed back and flung her blades at any who dared attempt to reclaim our new ship, so I flashed her a grateful smile before I disappeared into the chaos. Bodies fell beneath my blade, but then I parried the blow of another curved sword, and my muscles screamed in protest as I shoved my much bigger opponent away.
I ripped out one of my enchanted daggers with my left hand, and I stabbed him sideways through the ear, which cut off a huge chunk of his long, stringy dark hair. Then I worked my way through the packed deck with a murderous gleam in my eyes, and any who stood in my way went down with a spray of blood. I was soon drenched in it, and I flicked it from my weapons as I scanned for a new target.
I was the God of Death come to collect my dues.
With Black-eye’s crew at my back, we killed every single pirate on the second ship as well, but by the time we turned toward the third, they were already coming to their companions’ aid. It was too late for their friends, though, since the captain and I stood among the pile of their bodies with tight-lipped smiles on our faces. The wooden planks were stained red, and the blood foamed as it rolled toward the rails of the ship.
We waited patiently for the final ship to cross the distance and attempt to board one of our vessels, but we didn’t have to wait very long.
“Ready to end this?” the captain asked me with a sideways glance.
“Absolutely.” I nodded.
The enemy began to hop across the distance to our decks, and we met them with a surge of rage-filled battle cries, but the battle was short-lived. The crew of The Quest acted like they were invincible, but this blind courage allowed them to rush headlong into the fight without a thought to their own safety. It worked in our favor, and a short while later, all three pirate ships stood empty.
“Search the bodies,” the captain ordered. “Then throw them overboard. Let the ocean eat them while they’re still fresh.”
My gaze flicked to the blue-gray water lapping at the bottom edge of the boats, and I wondered if there were sharks beneath the waves. The captain had mentioned a bite from one of the deep-sea swimmers when defending his surgeon against the cook, so I eyed the sea curiously.
It would be so fucking cool to see a shark.
“You should also look through the ships to see if they have any supplies or valuables,” I suggested.
“This was your idea,” the captain said. “You will get first claim on anything and everything we find.”
A couple of the crew members grumbled at that, but after a stern glare from their captain, their sounds of discontent quickly subsided.
Eva and I returned to our vessel, and I ducked below deck to check on Caelia. We’d made more than one sharp turn, plus rammed into another ship, so I was worried she might be displeased, but she was fast asleep when I entered the captain’s cabin. I closed the door once more with an amused shake of my head, and Eva giggled.
“I’m glad you fought by my side today, my love,” I murmured as we walked to the dining hall.
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” my bombshell bride replied.
The captain had said he’d have all the loot collected brought to the communal space, so I figured I’d kill two birds with one stone and find some food while I waited for him to finish. It was nice to not have to do the unpleasant task of cleaning up after the fight, and I stretched out on one of the table’s benches with a contented sigh.
“What a day!” I laughed.
“You’re amazing,” Eva breathed. “The way you predicted the pirates’ location like that…”
Crew members began to suddenly cart chests and clinking bags into the dining hall, and they piled the loot in a corner of the room. They also brought stores of grain, apples and other fruits, dried meats in wooden casks, and other such edible treasures. Then even more sailors began to pile weapons and armor onto the tables. Several of the long-curved blades were included in the stack, and I pulled one free to swing it around experimentally. Then I grabbed a second, and I twirled them in tandem.
That felt really good.
With excitement causing my heartrate to increase, I pressed a finger against the steel to check the stats on my new weapon.
Durability - 99%
Weight - 3 lbs
Quality - Superior
Magical Aspect - Absorb
Magical Ability - Absorbs and reflects elemental damage
“It suits you.” The captain walked in and chuckled when he spotted me with the weapon.
“What’s it called?” I asked.
“Those are panabas,” Black-eye explained. “They’re common in the islands, originally used by the ancient tribes of sea dwellers before the Zaborial freaks chased them into the grave. Like I said, anything you want is yours. The rest I will divide among my men.”
The crew completed their task and piled into the room, and they sat on whatever tables remained empty, on the floor, anywhere they could fit. I looked around at the dirty, blood-streaked faces, and I wondered if anyone had even been injured. Everyone murmured excitedly among themselves, and several stared openly in my direction with awe in their eyes.
“Listen up!” The captain cleared his throat. “You all did a good deed out there. I’m proud of all you fuckers, but we need to remember how we ended up here in the first place. His Grace predicted the pirates’ position and led us straight to their rails. Three cheers for the God of Time, otherwise known as Red Hands!”
The crew screamed with excitement, and soon the new name was chanted so loud the walls of the dining room shook.
“Red Hands, huh?” I gripped my awesome new panabas as I grinned into the faces of my new followers. “What sparked that?”
The captain glanced down at my fists, still stained and covered in the blood of the pirates, and I grinned as understanding dawned on me.
On the high seas, the name Red Hands would go down in the history books, and it appeared I’d been accepted completely by the crew of The Quest.
“To The Quest crew!” I shoved my weapons in the air, and the shouts intensified to a fevered-pitch.
I was now the God of the Sea.