I woke. That was surprising in itself. I didnt think I had any business being alive. I was alive, right? Yep. For better or worse. My head throbbed in a counter-rhythm to the rolling of the ship. Notifications were flashing in my head, but I ignored them for the mont. A Tarish pirate in light armor was watching co around.
Youre lucky you were out for the captains wrath. Ive seen him get angry before, but that was sothing else.
I blinked my dry, crusted eyes and tried to stretch the cramps out of my arms. They were tied to the mast behind . I was nearly in the sa spot where Id left off: the lower gun deck in front of the hole Id made. They had tried to patch it with a mixture of magical and mundane thods, but a bit of water was still coming in with each wave we t.
You really who your stats say you are?
Huh? I retorted cleverly.
No level 10 seaman Ive ever seen would do what you did. Youve no profession, neither. You really what you say you are?
No more, no less, I said, my throat rasping. I discovered a dehydrated debuff. If I took the ti, Im sure Id find a lot more debuffs than that. I didnt want to find them.
The pirate shrugged. Capn will find out sooner or later.
He left, presumably to tell Lawless Jack I was conscious. I sagged against the mast, unaware that Id ever tried to right myself. Not dead was good; pirate-prisoner was bad. Would I give up the forr to change the latter? That had been my plan the last ti Id been conscious.
While I waited for whoever was coming for , I looked over my notifications.
Your ship Wind Runner has been sunk!
You have failed the quest: Escort the Wind Runner to its destination.
All linked Wind Runner quests have been lost.
Yeah, I saw that one coming. Still, it was hard seeing that there could have been a lot more quests. Quests were one of the best ways to gain XP. Having a quest chain led to great rewards if you could finish it. Of course, so quest chains took people their whole lives to see through. I may not have liked what the next quest in the chain would have been, either. Besides, Id gained a total of 257,853 XP from the sea battle. 257,853! That was a windfall like Id never seen before! After the XP that took to my level 10 progression, I still had 197,505. No, wait. I had more than that. Where ?
You have crippled an enemy ship of a higher level! You have been awarded 40,000 XP.
You have caused the most damage in a significant engagent! Your reward is based on relative damage done and the average damage by your fellow combatants: 25,000 XP
40,000 XP wasnt much when compared to what I was getting for each pirate kill, and the bonus for causing mayhem was only slightly better than each kill. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I was being a miser. Crippling an enemy ship wasnt sinking it, so I was lucky to get sothing. It was also attached to my position as captain rather than as a combatant, so it was sothing that captains got even if they didnt gain XP from direct combat. Nice.
The bonus for the damage Id done was sothing I hadnt even known existed, so it probably didnt even kick in until a combatant distinguished themselves. Even then, I caused a lot less normal damage than a soldier. The only reason I accomplished what I had was because of artillery and traps. The soldiers that had put up a fight had no doubt done a lot of damage on average.
Add to that the XP amounts I was getting from the pirates were skewed in the first place. The only reason I was getting such numbers from them was because of the modifiers I got from our level difference and the boost from the princesses blessing. The thousands I got from those two bonuses alone were amazing Id gotten less than 5,000 XP for killing the Hamrnose! Ok, that was a skewed representation too, because I hardly caused it any damage to that beast and what I got was essentially a participation trophy. It had just happened to be what I needed to level. But get a hold of yourself, Donic! You have a lot of XP from a unique encounter you managed to survive: be grateful! At least until they kill you.
I considered investing in a combat profession and dumping all this XP into it, or even allocating all my unspent leveling attribute points. I didnt. Suddenly becoming a combat profession while the pirates prisoner seed incredibly stupid, and I didnt think that whatever I could learn would offset the fact that I was facing a whole crew of combatants. Attribute points wouldnt help either I could invest everything into constitution (against every common-sense recomndation Id ever heard) and amass an HP pool to be envious of. I could even spend my XP on leveling and double that again. It wouldnt help , because the body took ti to adapt. My HPs would remain at their current amount as my body slowly filled my expanded pool naturally. A health potion would do it, but I didnt have any of those, did I?
And again: I was a bound prisoner. A huge health pool would only give them more sport in breaking down.
Steps behind crossed the deck quickly. Captain Lawless Jack entered my field of vision. I expected him to look angrier, since the other pirate had ntioned Id gotten him so worked up. Instead, he was all business.
What kind of magic users did your ship have?
My mind blanked. This was what he wanted to know? Did Halis enchanted necklace count? I hadnt seen her use any other magic. There were a few sailors with tricks they could do with water magic, but nothing that would qualify them a real mage!
My bafflent at the question and subsequent consideration on whether to lie and how to do it was obvious to Jack. He sighed and pulled out my dagger. That is, the dagger Id taken from the hold when Id grabbed the runes.
This was the only bit of treasure we managed to take from that hold and only because you brought it to us. The distractions you caused served their purpose. We werent able to keep the Wind Runner from flooding while we dealt with what youd done here, he gestured at my handiwork. Even as I looked at the ships durability, I saw another point fall off. What Id done would cause continuous damage as the ship tried to handle the sea. I almost lost another man who tried to grab sothing as it was on its way down. I say another because it seems that you were responsible for the deaths of 16 of my n.
Now I was getting the angry captain vibes.
I expect losses, though I keep them minimal. My personal goal for this boarding was no more than 10 losses. I brought 80 n with . Now I have 47. 47 n! Nearly half my crew gone! And I find that you were involved in the death of 16! Thanks to you, a fifth of my crew is gone, including boys that I spent years training and leveling. He glared at in such a way I knew he was analyzing . I decided that being only partly responsible for so of those deaths wasnt going to help my case. And as captain. Captain! Is this a joke? You were the captain? Was Lord Michaels never really involved? How could a runt like you with no profession at all fill that position? He took a deep breath and controlled himself. This stinks like nothing Ive ever co across. I will get to the bottom of it. But the most pressing thing: the life rafts that you put over have soone cloaking them. Who could do that?
I dont know! I said quasi-honestly. I could guess, sure, but I didnt know.
The captain stabbed with the dagger. Just a slight wound, enough to break skin and cause a small HP drop. He did again and again. I flinched from every strike, but he was thodical. The fourth ti he got the effect he was looking for. I already had anxiety, but the enchanted dagger bestowed the fear debuff on , and I trembled.
Tell everything you do know, Jack demanded. He didnt stop pricking , and every few strikes another fear debuff stacked atop the first. It beca worse in duration and effect. That was the statistical/clinical side of it. From the emotional side of it, it was a nightmare without end in sight. By the ti my fear beca terror, I would have wet my trousers if I had anything in my bladder. I was begging for release. Jack demanded answers.
Id like to look back and think that I held out from my own willpower, but the truth was I spent a significant portion of my interrogation gibbering and unable to express anything coherently. Terror had climbed higher, but I couldnt count how high after panic. What ca after panic anyway? I couldnt recognize any of my debuffs, only the phantoms plaguing my mind.
When fear is magically induced, the subject has a chance to resist the effect. Naturally, its harder to resist anything when youre already suffering from an affliction like anxiety. If you dont resist the effect, then the response fills your mind. If you had nothing to fear, you would still have the effects, they just wouldnt have a manifestation. If you did have sothing to fear though the debuff hijacked your own mind and magically ramped up what your own mind was capable of.
I relived my waking monts aboard the Wind Runner, only without the adrenaline to push forward or the safe ignorance of what was going to happen. In my mind, I was the last one out of the berthing area. A storm of bolts burst from every bulkhead and riddled the whole crew in front of . I saw their faces every one of them the color of sea foam.
Virgam was at my feet. His hand reached out to grasp my ankle and with his dying breath said, I thought you were taking responsibility! Look at these n! You could do nothing for them, because you spent your life following your whims instead of learning to protect your own!
I tried to break away, but his hand was as strong as iron, just like hed been in life. I fell on my backside, the grip on my ankle a vise. The blood of the crew drained from their bodies and pooled, swelling to fill the hold. The gore crested and broke like the waves of the ocean. In a mont, it had swept up and carried outside. I looked up at the deck of the Wind Runner, it seed to tower above like the anvil of a storm cloud. The bloody waves picked up and dashed against the hull, grinding my body against the barnacles up and down the ship like cheese against a grater. It pulled away and dashed against it again and again. Every ti I cried out the blood of my crewmates flooded my mouth.
Then I felt sothing grasping my legs. I looked down and saw Hali, scrambling for the surface, trying to save herself from drowning. I tried to pull her up, but I couldnt swim and only succeeded in making myself drown. Desperate, I pushed her away. She dropped into the depths like a stone with a scream. Donic! Her voice scraped at my mind, accusing of thrusting her away, of killing her.
You didnt kill her, a young voice said in my head. You killed !
I found myself looking down at Redmund in the cargo hold. There was a lulling stillness while he stared down, accusing . Then the deck below him began to bulge, and I saw in slow motion the rupture where he stood. Wooden fragnts turned his feet to gore, then shrapnel destroyed the rest of his legs. The whole ti through all his screaming, sobbing, and pleading for to end it his accusatory eyes never left mine.
When I was aware again, I was sagging against my bonds. My clothes that had been nearly dry after my swim in the ocean were now rank with my sweat. I knew I had plenty of other debuffs but could only recognize severely dehydrated and the slow drain it was causing on . My HP sat just below 20%. A pirate was lifting my head and pouring a health potion in my mouth. Id swear none of the liquid made it to my stomach, instead being absorbed into my parched tissues.
The pirate lifted my head by my hair to look in the eyes. A word of advice: dont try holding out so much next ti. Youll scream less, and wed all appreciate it.
He let my head drop and patted my cheek roughly, like an uncle that forgot he had a strength of 30 and wasnt sure he didnt want it to be a slap anyway. The health potion brought back to 180 of my 230, but I still felt awful. My debuffs hadnt worn off, Id beco too exhausted to do anything but play rag doll.
The sunset was shining on my head through the gaps in the hull patch. We were sailing westerly. Probably scouting the coast looking for the lifeboats that had escaped the pirates. That thought didnt even bring any joy in my current state. I was a ss.
With a splash, water from the ocean entered the ship and flowed across the deck. My mind jumped back into its primitive reflexes, and my fear quickly found a new subject. Thats why they placed here! To drown first if the ship went down! We were sinking! I was drowning! My air was being used up and the sea was thrashing
As the ship dipped and another wave surged into the ship, the water played across my knees. The sea she was a mistress that would kill , but Id never been terrified of her. Fear, sure, in the sense of awe and respect. But not like this. And it seed that the sea wouldnt have it this way either: the stacked debuff the dagger inflicted on disappeared. I was still a ss, but I wasnt a quivering, terrified ss.
I spent nearly an hour like that, soaking up the comfort of the sea until the edge of the sun disappeared. Id never thought Id be happy to see water rush into a ship, but I was now. With each splash I felt comfort. The ship had beco a necessary evil to keep alive, but I wouldnt regret my impending death in the depths. Surely the pirates would agree to let drown instead of executing !
I beca aware of soone watching . Captain Lawless Jack, examining critically from my blind spot. How long had he been there? He grabbed an empty crate and brought it over, pulling out a white light-stone. He motioned to soone at the rear of the hold and sat down. A minute later, the water on the deck was magically pushed forward, surging past my knees and back out the hole to the sea. The team that did it also renewed the magical sealings on the patch. Jack nodded to them and they left us.
Have any notifications you want to share with ? Jack asked, adjusting his scaled tail as he sat on the crate.
I furrowed my brow as I focused. Yes, there was another notification
Congratulations! You have completed the secret quest: Assure the Princesss safety. You have been awarded 75,000 XP.
So! The princess had made it to safety, and I had a secret quest that gave more rewards than any other source before. I didnt try to hide any of this and echoed the notification to Jack word for word. He grunted.
I figured as much. We tried picking them up along the direct route to shore, then along the route to the nearest towns in case they tried for those. I dont know who they got to conceal them probably that spy girlfriend of yours but we couldnt find them. Congrats, you dont get XP rewards like that unless youre in the big leagues.
I didnt know if I was supposed to say anything and was too tired in any case. Jack heaved a deep, controlled breath.
Sorry about getting too carried away with the fear thing. You cost a lot of money, kid. We were paid to get the princess. Wed have got a solid reward for killing her, but a whole lot more for capturing her alive and bringing her to the Madu. I dont know whether Nilfheim wanted to squeeze her for secrets or ransom her, but she was a real pretty copper for us! Enough so that I decided to board a galleon with a contingent of specially trained soldiers to make sure I got her alive. He rolled his scaled shoulders like the decision weighed on him. And that turned out just dandy, didnt it?
Again, he seed to be giving the opportunity to say sothing, but I couldnt get the right gears to turn.
What happened back there was exactly what happens in a fight. Everything goes sideways. As pissed as I was about you costing the loot aboard the Wind Runner, that was my call. Ive got to admire you for what you pulled off. Sinking your own ship a galleon to keep it out of my hands? Distracting my crew while you snuck aboard my ship and turned her own artillery against her? Bloody fishguts! Ive been sailing these seas my whole life and Ive never seen anything like it! And at level 10 no less! He shook his head ruefully.
I was surprised to hear such praise coming from him. Hadnt he just tortured ? Wasnt he about to kill ?
Whyd you do it Donic? Just to spite ?
I had to answer this question. I swallowed several tis and croaked sothing out. Jack leaned forward in interest. Not spite. I said. At least, not just spite. I had to make sure my crewmates had a chance. I paused. Maybe it was Jacks friendly deanor, maybe it was an effect of the torture hed put through, but I felt the need to clarify. Ok, a lot of it really was spite.
He laughed. Oh, youre a find, Donic! I wish I had n like you! Then he leaned forward, intently serious. In fact, I just might consider it.
He left there in shock. Had I just been given a job offer by the pirate Id ruined?
They left tied all night. I didnt sleep so much as I fell unconscious. In the early hours of the morning, after another team bailed the water out of the ship, my exhaustion wasnt enough to keep my mind comfortably under. I had endured the pain of the sa position for an entire day. I prepared myself to endure it for the rest of the day but was surprised when a pair of pirates ca down and untied !
Cmon, then, follow us. Was this to be my execution? I didnt think I could live with myself as a pirate, but hadnt Jack hinted he wanted on board? Didnt I even have a chance?
I stumbled along, rubbing my limbs and holding back groans from the pain of returning circulation. They didnt take to Jack. They didnt even take topside, just to the next deck up where two dozen pirates were eating. I got a few glares, but for the most part they treated indifferently. So were even amiable. Wasnt this a dirty band of cutthroats who were only held in line by the strength of their captain?
They handed food. Not the nastiest scrapings they could dredge up either, but bread, cheese and salted fish. Sailors rations. Stunned, I t the eyes of the pirate whod handed the al to .
He shrugged. Fewer people, plenty of food. Our best cook is dead, so there wont be hot rations any ti soon. Take your ti. When youre done with your hands, well bind them.
I nodded mutely and took my ti, trying to stretch my muscles as much as possible. I didnt want to press my luck but being tied to a mast for a day was no fun. When Id finished, they bound my hands behind like theyd said they would and escorted topside. I was left on the quarterdeck by Jack, who had the helm.
Mornins blessings on ya, Donic! the Chortin said cheerfully.
Wed turned back east after Jack had learned hed failed and were now alongside the Falai cliffs that marked the dividing line between Oorkom and Andros. How long ago had it been since I was here on the Wind Runner heading the other direction? Wasnt that the sa morning Id shown Redmund the world?
I could ignore the grief for most of my crewmates. There were so that had escaped, and I could pretend nearly anybody had been on board those rafts. I hadnt seen Virgam in the chaos? He mustve been on the raft. Sam or Harm? Mustve been on the raft. Anyone else I ca to know on ships crew? Well, they couldve been on the raft, now couldnt they?
But Redmund his death hit hard. Even harder because Id caused it. I shoved my grief away. Interesting how a ntal action like that could actually feel like shoving.
Jack had rightly ascertained that there was no safe harbor for him in Oorkom. He was making for Andros, it seed. Andros wasnt wholly uninvolved in the current war, but they were staying out of it because the trade benefits they might get if Antarus fell wasnt worth antagonizing Oorkom. They were as close to neutral as neighbors could get. They also had an interesting culture pirates werent considered scum. Becoming a pirate would only disappoint your family if you didnt sign on with a successful pirate. A fellow could toss a coin between piracy and the navy and not be judged for it.
Of course piracy was still illegal, but when they sold their stolen goods cheaper than the governnt-controlled markets and kissed the babies while they were at it, the public refused to despise them. What did they care if the ships of other nations were robbed? Or even ships from their own royal fleet? Jack could find a dry dock to see to his ship. It would cost him, but the Raven hadnt seen her last days.
Not very chatty, are ya? Jack said. I startled.
Just trying to enjoy it, captain.
He chortled. You do that, but dont fret overmuch! Ive not decided whether to kill you yet, but if I do it wont be anything too nasty.
I wondered if I should thank him. After what hed put through already, what was his definition of too nasty?
In the anti, stretch your legs! Ill not be releasing your hands just yet; in case you get any ideas about using your Lifesaving achievent on your own skin. But I see no reason why we cant be anable to each other!
Why? I blurted. At his look I hastily anded myself. I an, why arent you all furious with ?
Oh, we were. So of the crew who lost good mates still are. But were rcenaries. Its part of the life, and we had to admit you were impressive.
It was amazing to how dispassionate these pirates could be about killing. Id pictured a bloodthirsty lot and they had looked it while boarding us but now they looked normal.
Rather than study the morality of the crew, I watched the horizon. I saw the Gull for the first ti, a sloop. She was keeping pace with the Raven easily as Jack took it easy on her hull.
Who captains the Gull? If I may ask
Jack smiled. My brother Nigel, but the Gull belongs to .
That told a lot about the captain. As a race, the Chortin placed a heavy emphasis on family bonds. Jack hadnt given those up to be a pirate, instead he made his brother his accomplice. He was proud of his brother, too, by the looks of it, but didnt hesitate to let know where the ownership of the vessel lay. This was an operation owned and run by Jack.
The fact that he owned and operated two ships spoke of his skill. Two ships greatly increased his attack power. The Gull didnt have the sa quantity of artillery the Raven could manage, but she was quick and easily maneuverable. I didnt think Jack would hesitate to arm such an asset with the sa kind of ship-crippling enchanted weapons that he had.
Mr. Tucker! Jack yelled. A mont later a Tarish popped up on deck. Aye, Capn?
Send word to Regis. I want Nigel to scout out that ship on the horizon and see if shes the one to et us.
Yes sir!
Then check with the bailing team below and see if we need Regis to spell us now that his mana pool has had ti to recharge.
Aye, aye.
The efficiency of the commands and the willingness Mr. Tucker displayed to follow them were showing. As was the captains eyesight. I could just make out a ship on the horizon. I thought about asking the captain if he was expecting company, but that was the kind of inane question you asked when you were fishing for detailed answers. I didnt want to co across like that, being in a precarious position and all.
Donic, Jack barked. Co take the helm.
I blinked twice in confusion but approached. How did this pirate keep surprising at every turn? Jack undid my hands, then gestured for to take over.
Maintain heading? I inquired.
Do as you please. He replied. What was that supposed to an? I didnt for a minute think he ant turn about and head for a friendlier harbor. Did he want to see if I could maintain a course? Of course I could! Anyone with half my levels of seamanship could! I could maintain our heading in a storm!
So that obviously wasnt it. What did he want to do? He didnt just want to relieve him for a bit. You dont remove a prisoners bonds for that. What was he testing on?
I felt it and corrected before I understood what the test was. Wed been slacking behind the Gull and our course had us taking on more water from each wave than was necessary. I adjusted by a few degrees to take better advantage of the wind and relieve the bailing efforts below. It was the proper way to run a course.
Thats when I realized that had been the test. Or at least, that had been the question. Was the test to see whether Id see it and correct it, or whether Id sabotage the ship and slow us down? That would have been futile and amateurish, both. No, the test wasnt to see it. The sails were all adjusted to catch the wind at this course. Jack had deliberately moved off course and let fix it. What in the na of the deep was the test?
Whyd you take us off your course?
He grinned, a frightening sight with teeth that big. To see what you said.
Did I pass the test?
No test, I was just curious what kind of sailor you are. Bloody stars that was annoying after Id worked myself up so much. Tell , why havent you spent your XP on sothing?
If I spent all my XP on sothing that might help escape, youd kill straight off. Am I wrong?
Nope. Fishguts! If I could assure your loyalty it would almost be worth one of the treasures you made lose. He looped a line around the ships wheel to hold our course and tied my hands again. The trouble is I cant assure your loyalty.
Id swear not to sabotage you.
I dont need deck hands! Were not low enough on crew for that. I need your drive! I need whatever it was that made you decide to spit in the eye of the kraken and take two ships down with you! But you dont have the makings of a pirate.
I could be the best sailor on board, and at half the levels of your other crew.
I know. Youre 23 years old and have 18 levels in seamanship? Most people with that level have grey hair and ships of their own. That perk of yours Heart at Sea I fancied that I might get it myself when I was younger. It took years to realize why I didnt get it, why it was rarer than a helpful Hamrnose: Id get back to port and Id feel safe. I couldnt wait to get back out here, back to the freedom, the adventure! But I didnt feel safe out here. What idiot would? We all know the sea isnt safe. But you He shook his head at . I saw the fear slide off of you. At first I thought you had a hidden ability, so trick that youd played on . But it wasnt. You felt the sea and she cald you. Your heart really does belong to her. Shes more wife than mistress, aint she?
I could only swallow. I wouldnt deny it. I could see he understood, understood in a way no one else ever had. I just wish that the conversation didnt seem to be pointing in the direction I thought it was.
I could convince myself to take you on, even knowing that your ambitions differed from others. But your Lifesaving, your pitiful attack skills; youre not a man who wants to take life.
I didnt hesitate when your crew showed up.
He rounded on . Look in the eyes and tell that when I order you to board a rchant ship, youll leap aboard and cut your way to the nearest hatch. Tell youll lay traps for its crew like you laid for mine! Tell youll follow my orders when I point out the prisoners we cant leave alive. Swear to that and make believe it!
I tried to push the lie past my throat. I needed to live long enough to escape. I could lie. I could even follow through on slaughtering a crew if it ant saving my hide, couldnt I?
And yet as I imagined laying traps in so ship, I imagined a red-haired cabin boy stepping into them. I imagined chainmail shrapnel shredding through the legs and the HP of an 8-year old. Had he died instantly? Did he know what happened? Had I really shredded his legs or removed a limb? Had I just sent just a sliver of wood into his heart and make him gasp as he saw the quantifiable asure of his lifes essence drop away
Jack saw all he needed in my eyes. He turned back to the ships wheel without a word. I didnt ask if hed made up his mind. I didnt want to hear the answer.
The ship on the horizon was the ship Jack was eting with. As chipper as he seed to be, I gathered from the general tension that this was not going to be a happy visit. The portholes for the artillery were closed, and half the crew remained below. It didnt take a genius to imagine 20 people manning ballistae with their armor piercing bolts. They would bypass the Ravens armor as easily as another ships if it ca to that.
The ship was nad Veracity. It was a quirk of the Madu to na ships in such a manner; Veracity, Fidelity, Concordat, etc. It made naming Madu pirate ships a joke. They werent flying any flag, but the na of the ship and a basic understanding of Jacks employers told who owned the ship: Nilfheim.
The pirates didnt exactly roll out the red carpet, but they were courteous through and through, not protesting in the slightest as an ard retinue boarded the deck ahead of their diplomat. Jack personally greeted the diplomat with a bow, and if physical touch had been socially acceptable to the Madu Im sure he would have kissed her hand.
The diplomat was female, of course. Being a matriarchy was what the whole Madu race was best known for. It was not the most interesting thing about them, not by a long shot. It was what people tended to get hung up on, though. Stories said that the Madu females had started to keep a male counterpart nearby in case whover they were talking with refused to speak with them, but no one dared do anything but talk directly with the matriarch because when they sent the male to speak with you, they were dismissing you.
Personally, I thought that story had been made up by Antarus. Their political structure was incredibly similar, only the roles and titles were mixed up a bit.
Lady Yuthe Seel, announced the diplomats assistant. At first glance, youd expect them to have sibilant voices, but they didnt. Their voices were gravelly with a slight echo, like they had twin voices only one was slightly behind the other. It was different from the flanging effect the Tarish voices had but caught the ear in the sa way.
The diplomat noticed how couldnt she? I was the only one on deck with my hands bound but she didnt stare. The bodyguards did, though they didnt let their guard down from any other possible threats.
The n had wide, round eyes. The sclera were the sa color as the pupil, so you had to pay attention to the iris if you didnt want to think of their eyes as being all one color. It made it difficult for the n to look harsh, more like wide-eyed children. Children with blades and incredibly quick reflexes.
You heard them referred to as the snake people in the sa way the Chortin were the lizard people, but that also seed like a poor description to . They were what a human would look like if you gave them fine scales instead of skin or hair. Mostly. They had waves of corrugated red cartilage along their necks. On the n, it started at a point just above the collarbone and moved up both sides of the neck in a V shape to the ears or where the ears would be on a human and across both cheeks to just below the chin. This fringe and the cartilage that grew around it bore the unfortunate resemblance of a cobras hood at least it did when youd seen the caricature pamphlets showing the Matriarch of Nilfheim biting the friendly hand of Antarus. Yes, Antarus has been rabble rousing for as long as Nilfheims been shaking their spears. I grew up in Pristav. I got my full dose of rhetoric on why Nilfheim was bad and the Madu were savages. Sue .
The won had a similar corrugated flange, only theirs ran from their ears below their chin, without covering the neck. It was the most reliable way Id found to differentiate the sexes. The other differences involved the eyes the won didnt have quite the wide-eyed look the n had as well as the well, the best description would be decorative scales. While the males were mostly shades of light and dark green scales, the won had light green scales with segnts of red that matched their fringe and light pink accents. Human ladies applied makeup to adjust to different fashions of what pretty was. The Madu had their decorative appearance established in their scales. It was pretty, but anyti you spent a mont admiring youd draw the attention of any guards or escorts.
As a general rule, they showed no scales on their bodies except their heads and neck which were always exposed. I didnt know if it was a modesty thing or not, but this delegation was no different.
Captain, said the diplomat, Lady Seel. She had a similar voice to her companion, only it wasnt deep enough to be called gravelly. We had a contract for the Antarus princess. You havent delivered.
No, my dear lady, said Jack. Nor shall I, Im afraid. The princess made the shore in a stealth craft. I risked enough of my crew on the seas, Ill not take my n ashore Oorkom.
You have reneged on our deal. The diplomat said.
Not to be contrary, Jack said, But you hired more captains than just I. None but and mine even dared attack.
You were given a full description of the vessels capabilities! I am disappointed, your reputation was much more indomitable.
The vessel was exactly as your information described, your ladyship. Only the crew presented he looked pointedly at . Anomalies.
Lady Seel examined as she was expected to. You were hired to capture a princess, and instead you save this man? I thought it was the humans that had difficulty differentiating genders of other races.
I did not save this man. He had the terity to steal aboard my ship. He withdrew a packet of letters from his coat. I could not acquire the prize we agreed on, but I would not insult you by coming with absolutely nothing. These were taken from Lord Michaels cabin before the ship went down.
We will not pay for intelligence.
Nor am I selling it. Consider it part of an apology.
The diplomat took the letters, glanced at them, and handed them to her assistant. Our relationship is through, Mr. Jack.
Jack bowed with a flourish while the lady departed, followed by her guards. He kept his smile while the Veracity pulled away and it was out of sight. Mr. Tucker approached him first.
Well captain?
Jacks smile twisted into sothing else and he made a deep-throated hissing sound. Nilfheimll have a bounty on us, if they dont hunt us down themselves. Bloody stars! We had nothing for them! He turned to glare at . Set our course to the northeast. Well detour to Lazlos Deep. He stopped to whisper in my ear as he made his way to the helm: There be monsters, there!
It was as I feared. Whatever subliminal ssage Jack had gotten from the Madu had broken whatever goodwill he seed to have for . Not completely, I was still given simple rations and wasnt tied to the mast again. There wasnt any question of my impending doom, though. We detoured to a spot known for sightings of monsters beasts that preyed upon small fry like Hamrnose whales. It was only a few days from Andross harbor, and subsequently one of the larger known ship graveyards in the Passive ocean. Where there was a steady stream of comrce, there was bound to be a steady stream of fools who tried to harvest the schools of fish, hunt the whales, or even challenge the denizens for the sake of rare alchemy ingredients.
I didnt know if this detour was a spite or an honor. Was Jack dropping to be a snack for a monster, or was he giving a proper farewell to soone whose heart embraced the depths? Conversely, how did I feel about it? How did I reconcile myself to my now certain death?
To be honest, I didnt. I spent most of my remaining ti incredibly nervous, like I was going to stand up before a crew and speak for the first ti. Thoughts about my life and dreams didnt co easily. I was glad that my last visit ho had been much like a last goodbye. I wasnt leaving anyone hanging or dependent upon .
It was a surreal mont when I was bound tightly with line, had my ankles manacled together and a weight attached to so Id sink faster.
Jack brought the dagger to and held it up for examination. You know, I actually considered sending you down with this: let you have your spoils, fight off the monsters down there for eternity and all that. Then I rembered that your own stats brand you as adaptable and a trickster, so knowing you thered be a way out sohow and Id run into you captaining a naval vessel hunting in a few years! A chuckle went around the group. Jack had thought it fitting to put a plank where Id blown out the hull. Because of that, water ran over the plank with every wave. Not much of a drop, eh? It also served to remind the crew of the shipmates theyd lost, and my execution was sothing of a celebratory affair for them.
I also thought of giving you a fear debuff before you go and wondering how far down youd make it before the sea cald you. Would she calm you, knowing you were about to die? In the end, I didnt want the suspense of wondering what happened to you! Another round of morbid chuckles was shared.
But seriously, Jack went on. Youre the man who faced a crew several tis your level and spat in their eye. We know you wouldnt fear! If the sea does lend you her ear at the last, rember that we sent you off with respect.
So, no curses on the ship or crew from a dead man. Got it. He really was trying to cover all his bases.
I didnt walk the plank so much as I shuffled the plank because my legs were manacled. Were these what theyd planned to put the princess in? Would she ever know that Id taken her place? I stopped on the end of the plank and looked to the horizon. I trembled. So this was the last of it I would see. My promising life ended here. I always told myself that the sea would kill , but there was usually at least a coin flip as to whether it was then or later. Now it was certainty.
What did I regret? Not spending more ti with girls? Not finding the perfect girl? Not working a simple, routine job? I thought of Coe, whod done his best to ta his little corner of the sea. I thought of Virgam, the aged, experienced sailor I thought Id be, and again told myself that I hadnt really seen his face on the deck of the Wind Runner. I thought of Hali, who I was only pretty confident that Id saved by throwing her overboard. Now that I was about to die, I could safely admit that Id had a big crush on her.
One of the pirates jounced the plank and was elbowed by one of his more superstitious brethren. My sea legs could handle a lot more than a little jounce.
Looking back on my life, I couldnt really regret much. The things I wished I hadnt done had been learning experiences that made better. Maybe my life wasnt as filled with adventure as a tavern story, but Id given it a fair shot! Except that in the end, I didnt have what it took to save myself only enough to save a handful of people out of my whole crew.
As I looked into the depths that were about to beco my grave, I felt the sa pull from the depths that Id felt when trying to rescue John, the sa pull Id felt on the Wind Runner just before taking command. There was no interruption this ti. I felt like I had sowhere to be, and it was below . Whatever spirit or consciousness Id felt before was sowhere down there. Maybe Id even recognize what they were before I drowned.
I didnt wait any longer. I took a breath and fell into the sea.
By reflex, I checked my ti and tried to control my movents. My ti was 5:54, on the upper limit of my capacity, but of course my movents were restricted. I was going down fast, the dense weight tied to my manacles pulling down. It was fast enough that it was hard to gauge my depth. Id done free diving before and knew sothing of what to expect. At about 100 feet my airti flickered; first down by ten seconds then upwards by five as my heart started to beat slower. My ti continued to flicker as I descended, the increased pressure of the ocean literally crushing my lungs, while my heart slowed as I stopped pumping blood to my extremities and only around my major organs. I got the debuff to explain it. I could safely say this was the deepest Id ever been
The filtered sunlight from above disappeared, unable to penetrate this far. As my airti tried to decide how fast I was using my oxygen, I received another debuff: crushed. Now the weight of the ocean above was inflicting direct damage on my HP. It seed like I was descending faster and faster, which made sense if I was being forced down.
I flashed by sothing that moved. My mind didnt process it until Id passed, otherwise I might have panicked a bit and lost more airti. Whatever it was had been big!
Id lost awareness of whatever presence had shared my underwater ho with . It seed to be capable of masking its presence. I guess I wouldnt be solving that mystery before I drowned.
I saw the ocean floor below, glowing plants scattered across an otherwise barren terrain. I thought that I was going to smash into it, but my speed was deceptive. I might be descending rapidly, but not as fast as a free-fall through air. I touched the sea floor with 60% health and 2 minutes of air left. Two minutes to live. Unless the crushed debuff killed first. Whos to say? I could make any wager I wanted with myself on which would do in.
Less than two minutes to live. Wow. It made feel a bit reverent, like this was a montous occasion.
I looked around and tried to take in the place that would be my grave. Not much to see. It wasnt a coral reef, or anything. One of those glowing, tree-sized plants might have moved. I gave a little hop and turned around. Maybe thered be a canyon or
I almost spat out my 1:30 of air. Just on the edge of my vision was a ship! Id co to rest right next to a sunken ship! Oh, the irony!
The ship was a beauty, a massive Man of War with black sails that rippled in the ocean current like they were still filled with wind. Interesting, I didnt notice a current. I used my analyze skill on it:
The Perdition
I didnt get past the na. This ti I really did spit out half of my air. The Perdition! Why, that was the ship of
I heard a song, said a voice behind . It had a slight echoing quality through the water, but otherwise ignored the rule everyone else acknowledged about speech underwater being impossible. A song of the sea
Davy Jones.
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