“Wait!” Adela said, “Something’s wrong!”
Niesha growled as she opened her mouth and her fiery breath exploded, sending a stream of flames toward the ships below. Adela heard their screams and shut her eyes in an effort to dampen the pain. She was thrown around as Niesha banked hard, hearing Captain Silvertongue’s voice as he screamed, “Skyfire!”. The force of her flight made her feel as if her face was going to fall off. She struggled to breathe.
Adela cried out, and Niesha must have sensed her distress, as she eased her turn.
She caught her breath, then looked through the window again. Captain Silvertongue watched from Lucia’s deck as his other ships went up in flames.
Niesha’s voice entered her mind. Let them see me.
The freed dragon defiantly morphed her scales to reveal herself in the redeeming skies. The sound of the many men screaming ‘dragon’ broke through the deafening winds.
The ships turned, but none as quickly as Lucia, and the heavy thuds of cannons firing filled the air. Niesha barely avoided the cannon balls and narrowed her eyes as she prepared to make another bombing run. She morphed her scales once more and disappeared into the sky.
Niesha’s screaming voice made Adela’s heart race. “You dared imprison me in that wretched island! Damn you all!”
The thundering booms of the pirate ships’ shots were near deafening as the dragon flew over the ablaze ship, Adela watching as they scrambled to throw buckets of water over their dying men. The roar of flames engulfing the ship once again was almost as terrifying as the cries that followed.
“There, fire!” Silvertongue said, as a volley of cannons followed their trail. One cannon ball connected with Niesha’s tail. Adela’s stomach churned as they dropped from the sky, her body launching into Niesha’s stomach, before the dragon righted herself. Niesha let out a deep growl.
Adela asked, “Are you alright?”
I’ll be fine. They’ve seen nothing yet.
When Niesha turned to make a third run, they saw the long line of black ships approaching on the horizon, and the pirate ships fired warning shots into the bed of ocean. The dark ships had no sails set, and their decks had large fangs protruding from their surface. Long oars stuck out from their sides.
I have never seen ships like those before, Niesha said.
“Neither have I. I think we should get out of here, now!”
You are right. Let’s go. Until next time, you bastards.
They flew over the pirate ships and banked left. The darkening skies filled with what appeared to be a cloud of fireflies bursting from the ships. Niesha frantically beat her wings to gain height as the flamed bolts rained down on their position. Most of the bolts fell short, but some were still coming straight for them. Niesha rolled through the sky. Adela vomited as the bolts whistled past them.
That was far too close. How did they see me? My revenge almost cost us our lives. I am sorry, Adela.
Adela held her stomach, not sure if it was the destruction she had seen and heard, or the aerial manoeuvres that made her so sick.
Probably both, she thought.
Her body ached, and as the adrenaline wore off, she felt as if she had given herself that planned beating.
“I understand. I need to rest after all this. First, can you please take us somewhere with fresh water? You don’t want to see what I look like right now.”
“Of course. I think we both need to wash down.”
In that moment, although Adela finally left Grenlees, she had an awful thought that she may be taking on more than she bargained for in this new world.
Kassina stood on the bow of her ship, staring down the long line of pirate ships on the horizon, and turned to Tusdar. Tusdar knew that nothing was going according to plan.
Why is everything so difficult? he thought.
Her voice was sharp and cut through his confidence. “The pirates have a dragon? Then they could have many! Have you led us into a trap, general?”
Tusdar swallowed hard within his mask and stared at the dark queen. “No. I would never do that. Don’t forget that I stand here on this ship with you. They were battling the dragon and lost one of their ships. I hardly think they are in control of it and I’m fairly sure it left when we fired at it.”
Kassina looked over their many dark ships on both sides. “They have already sent warning shots, and the sun is almost down. Until the Blood Red Moon rises, I need to buy some more time. How can we do that?”
Tusdar knew that the pirates were ruthless and took no chances. To buy time with them could come at a cost he was ill prepared to pay. They heard booms echo across the ocean floor as another barrage of cannon balls exploded into the ocean, but much closer than the last shots. Ocean water sprayed over them and their masks were covered with water droplets.
The next round of shots would be fatal. Time was short and only one insane idea came to mind.
Tusdar gestured for Mestal to follow him and he led her to the remains of Kassina’s crate, pulling out a large white canvas. “Hold this from one corner and pull on it, quickly.”
He drew his sword and rotated it in his hands, holding it blade down and stabbed the fabric until the sword was hilt deep. There was a violent shudder as a cannon ball collided with one of the fangs on their ship. The dark wood was enchanted, but its strength barely withstood the hit. The ship lurched back and forth as Tusdar was thrown toward Mestal, his sword planting into the deck beside Mestal’s head. Her wide eyes held fury as he whispered an apology. He had no time to take care of her feelings right now.
“Enough of this!” Kassina said, turning to the face the sun’s tip quickly sinking.
The pirate armada was far closer than he had anticipated. She raised her fist and he watched as Captains Faowind and Aidan snapped orders to their crews, screaming between the ships. They lit the bolts already loaded on their ballistae.
No, they will ignite a war where pirates hold all the advantages, Tusdar thought. If they fired back, all chances of diplomacy will disappear.
“Wait!” Tusdar said, yanking his sword out of the deck and continuing to cut through the fabric. He nodded to Mestal and snapped, “Rip it, now!”
Mestal grunted as they tore the sheet into two pieces. Tusdar rolled up his section and as he knelt down, a cannonball screamed over his head and pillowed into the ocean bed behind them. Screams escaped the other ships that did not fare so well. Some cannonballs sped through vampires’ bodies, splitting them into pieces on the decks before they disintegrated inside their armour.
You do not order your queen to do anything, general, remember that. This time, they die, Kassina said.
Her eyes glowed as the ocean and sky darkened, and the power of the Blood Red Moon coursed through her veins. She dropped her fist and pumped it forward. The word ‘Fire’ echoed over the ocean as their payloads were released into the night sky, their fiery reflections lighting the ocean’s surface as they tore through the air and descended on the pirate ships.
To Tusdar’s amazement, he watched as a few dark green ships unnaturally shifted through the water, avoiding the bolts from landing on their targets. The remaining ships took the full brunt of the barrage, and many bolts impaled pirates’ bodies, which were quickly thrown into the ocean.
Tusdar rolled the white canvass over the front of their ship as Kassina raised her arms out wide and grinned as she brought them forward. A gigantic watery skull burst from the ocean and the hollow eye sockets glowed as its two large arms pulled its form from the water, as if the giant was standing on the ocean floor. The water demon’s deep guttural roar silenced everyone as they stared at the mighty form.
The demon stretched its watery arms out wide and pushed through the water, rocketing Kassina’s ships forward, toward the wide-eyed pirates.
Let’s see how sure they feel to shoot at us again, Kassina said.
Captain Silvertongue paused at the sight of the giant water demon, before turning to his crew and grimacing. “We’ve han
dled worse, aye? Point our cannons at that thing’s head, and rip ‘er off!”
“Aye aye capt’n!” the crew said, relaying his orders down the armada.
“Shoot its head!”
Within a few moments, the night was filled with hundreds of flashes from the pirate ships, as their payloads shot straight through the demon as if they had shot into the ocean below. The demon roared as it pushed harder toward the pirate’s positions.
“What is that thing?” Lucia said.
“Capt’n we best retreat,” Raehar said, close to Silvertongue’s ear, wondering why they hadn’t already fled this battle. It would be the first time that they had done so, but he feared they would all die there. It seemed his intuition may have been right, but he was not going to just stand by and let death find him.
The captain spun around and picked him up by the scruff of his neck, staring deep into his eyes. “Retreat? We never retreat, boy! To arms!”
The decks were alive with excitement as the dark ships neared, and their many swords glowed in the moonlight. Lucia yelled as she glided through the water, aiming directly at the enemy’s flagship as she readied her giant sword by her side.
Raehar spotted a woman in dark armour at the ship’s helm. The woman’s helmet was discarded by her side. She had a grin from ear to ear as she dropped her glowing hands, and the water demon receded into the ocean depths. Spotting the white flag on her ship and barely believing his eyes, he turned to Silvertongue. “Cap’n, they are surrendering!”
Silvertongue ran his hands along Lucia’s body, yelling out, “Wait Lucia! Bring us to their flagship, but ye don’t need to harm them, yet.”
The two long lines of ships floated toward each other, halting a short distance away. They all readied their weapons, but nobody made a move.
Kassina stared at the bearded pirate captain on the bow of the closest ship, wondering how such a wild man could command an entire fleet. The ship’s giant carving pointed her large sword toward the vampire queen’s throat.
A living carving? That must take powerful magic,
Kassina growled and tightened her fists, wanting to knock that sword out of the carving’s hands. The only thing that stopped her was the fascination. What were these ships, and how could she obtain them for herself?
She remained confused by the shiver of familiarity from before the battle, but decided that she would shake those questions from her mind.
“What business d’ye have in my seas?” the captain said.
Kassina stared them down, refusing to yield. She had never surrendered to anyone before, and she wasn’t going to start now. “Listen now and listen well. If you don’t take that sword away from my neck, then I will rip your ship into splinters!”
“I will run you through before you have the chance,” the carving said.
“I doubt it, but I invite you to try. What magic is this, and how did you get it?” Kassina said, staring into the eyes of the carving.
The captain tapped the living carving on the shoulder. “Lucia, stay your sword. Now, I asked ye a question and me patience runs short.”
Lucia narrowed her eyes and eased her sword to her side. Her words were stiff and dripping with annoyance. “As you wish, captain.”
“It seems you are wiser than you appear. Your cannon fire could have ignited a war that you wouldn’t want to wage.”
“Enough with the threats. You’re flying a white flag, and that buys ye a little time before ye surrender. I be Captain Silvertongue, and who may ye be?”
His wide grin revealed the dim shine of his golden teeth.
Kassina’s eyes glowed as her fingertips burst with electricity. Her voice boomed over the ships. “I am Kassina, queen of the underworld, and second in command to the lord of darkness, Shindar. Who said anything about surrender? I came here to talk, while you all still pique my interest.”
The captain’s smile dropped and face paled. “Stand down! Stow all of yer weapons.”
Kassina grinned. “Now, this is much more like it.”
“Ye deserve my respect, and I give it... But know that I bow to nobody, yerself included. Now, Kassina, what do ye want with us?”
“So be it. What is it that you want the most, Silvertongue?” she said, her eyes glowing red as she stared deeper into his.
Silvertongue grabbed his skull and growled, “Yer in my head!” His men drew their swords and some strange looking pointed weapons, filling the air with threats.
“Calm down. I do not harm your captain!” Kassina said, her eyes returning to normal. “Your thoughts sure are interesting, as are your desires. Strange, but interesting.”
Kassina stared at Lucia and cocked her head. “Your home, Grenlees, whilst I am sure it is splendid, would pale in comparison to the largest castle in the land, would it not?”
She had had enough of toying with them. It was fun, but time was wasting, and she had pirates to convince.
Silvertongue nodded. “We are proud of our home, but aye, t’would be true. I don’t suppose ye would hand over a castle, would ye? In any case, our true home is on the sea, not land. What good would a castle do us?”
Kassina laughed before placing her hands on her hips. “Do you care about treasure then? I simply ask that you join our cause, and once the war is won, then we will ask nothing else of you. You can co-exist with us, in peace. There is no need for us to shed each other’s blood, is there?”
“I s’pose not and I care not for what ye do in yer war, but the seas belong to us and always will. What would our part be in this war?”
“I need your ships and men to aid us in capturing castle Greenhaven, which will be yours to plunder once we are done with it. You can keep all the treasure within it.”
The pirates on their many ships whispered to each other.
“And what if there be no treasure in this castle?” a young pirate said, stepping forward to the right flank of his captain.
Kassina stared down the young pirate.
How dare this insolent boy address me and interrupt negotiations? These pirates have no sense of order.
She held back her anger and managed a smile. “Then we will pay you in a large chest full of gold. Will that do?”
“Aye. We’ve an errand to run first. When would ye be needing our ships?” Silvertongue said.
“I saw this in your thoughts, and understand the need for discretion. I am quite curious about these creatures myself, and would like to see the one you are holding. We will accompany you to your sorcerer, as I would much like to meet him. Once you are done creating your Bloodship, then we sail for Greenhaven.”
She knew she had impressed him and made him lose face in front of his crew, but she cared not. She could afford to offend them, a little.
Silvertongue nodded, stepped forward on his deck and held out his hand. “Yer powers of reading me mind could come in handy, ye know.”
Kassina smiled, revealing her pearly fangs and leapt an inhuman distance to land in front of him, taking his hand in hers.
The pirates screamed out, “Vampires!”
“I guess not all of you knew who I am. Worry not, as we will not harm any of your people. We may be creatures of the night, but we’re not animals. It is done, and our agreement is sealed. Know that if you ever cross me, then it will mean the lives of your men will be ours for the taking.”
The young pirate squeezed his long weapon in his right hand and it went off like a cannon, its bullet hitting Kassina’s discarded helm on her ship, sending it spinning until another vampire caught it. She snarled in his direction. “How dare you!”
“If ye cross us, then expect no mercy from us either!” The boy said, defiantly standing his ground.
Kassina wanted to tear out his throat and let him choke on his own blood for his aggression, but she just stared at him before composing herself and snapping, “Of course, so we all understand each other then. But if you use that thing in my direction again, you won’t live to regret it.”
Silve
rtongue turned toward a pirate on a nearby ship and said, “Show some courtesy to our guest and take her below deck to show her the monster. I will lead the way forward, if your crew can keep up with us!”
Kassina smirked. “General Tusdar, you are in charge in my absence. See to it that we follow Silvertongue’s ships in good speed!”
Tusdar bowed and barked orders at his men whilst the pirates set sail. Kassina leapt to a deck of another ship and followed the man below deck. It was done, and she was closer to victory. Shindar was right, and Tusdar was proving more impressive than she had ever imagined.
The sea was alive with activity and the cries of many men and pirates as Lucia turned in the water and led the way past the vampire fleet.
“She has a name, captain,” Raehar said.
“Aye, my boy... she does, and I don’t forget it. But remember that Jasmine will never know who she is once we turn her.”
“This is true, but she is no monster.”
Silvertongue stared into his eyes. “Ye like her? Remember what she is, and what can never be. Since yer parents died and we adopted ye to life on the seas, I never led ye astray, have I?”
Raehar looked to the deck, “No.”
“And we’ve provided well for ye to look after yer sister, Adela, aye?”
“Aye, captain.”
“Then learn to trust me when I tell ye these things. Yer barely becoming a man, and our lives aren’t easy for anyone. It’s lonely, but ye will get your fill of tail, and not one that swims in the sea.”
Raehar leaned in close and whispered, “Aye captain. Listen, are we really going to trust vampires? And the queen of the underworld? Once she has no use for us, she’ll kill us all.”
Silvertongue smiled and whispered back, “Trust in yer captain. Once we have our treasure, we won’t be staying around to give her a chance to betray us. If they turn, then take their heads off, or run yer sword through their hearts. This isn’t me first time in dealing with vampires, and even her powers won’t stop us or drive fear into me heart in battle.”
Legends of Marithia: Book 3 - Talonsphere Page 11
