The Captain's Stand

by Kat Mandu

  When Richard opened his eyes, he was standing in the middle of a fog. Without a thought, he began to walk forward. His hair was messy, longer than it normally was and his coat was open to his bare chest. He glanced up and saw a short-haired man walked towards him. He was wearing a red-trimmed blue coat with a square pinned on the left side. Two red lines ran down the side of his blue pants until they met a pair of shined black boots. On his head he wore a black sideways hat with a red feather sticking out of it. There was also a long red cape at his back, trailing along his ankles.

  The two stopped, staring at each other. Pirate Richard drooped as he cleaned out his right ear with a pinky. Paladin Richard placed both hands behinds his back and puffed out his chest.

  “We just need to disarm them,” Paladin Richard growled, staring at the pirate.

  “Nae this again. Look, anything in the name of survival. It’s nae ma fault they picked this line of work,” the pirate replied, making a splash with both hands. “I am nae losing ma freedom!”

  “I don’t care. It was nae very Lumen of you; you murdered in cold blood. People who have done no harm to me,” he retorted.

  “I don’t care, even if they were law abiding men. Murderers, rapists and thieves, they had it coming. I just so happened to need something they were in the way of.”

  “I don’t judge other people. We don’t know if they are rapists or thieves. For all we know, they could have been forced into service!”

  “He would have forced labor watch his ship?” the pirate scoffed. “And anyone who serves such a man, who would kill so many in the pursuit of power, is an accessory to any atrocity he makes!” the pirate growled. “Do we sit by, do nothing as evil men do terrible things? And maybe gain for such things,” he said, a wicked smile appearing on his face. The Military Richard threw back his cape, clearly disgusted at the notion.

  “We shouldn’t kill; we have no idea what led them here. We are nae executioners, we have no right,” Paladin Richard argued.

  “Right, what right does anyone have? What right did Father have calling us a figment of ma mother’s imagination?” he shouted back. “What gives a man the right to rebel against his own nation or to bring genocide because of an idea or difference of religion? People would slit ma throat on the spot for being a fucking Inanis, all the while others are being left for dead by those who share our belief. There is only one right: what a man can and can’t do!”

  “I hold maself to a higher level than this. I believe in the rules set by ma God. Thou shall nae kill. I did, it wasn’t even self-defense. This is inexcusable!” A vain bulged on the paladin’s forehead when he shouted at the top of his lungs.

  “What is inexcusable is the treatment I have been given! I have been forced to fight for life and the ability to prosper even a tiny bit. I shall have power and wealth and whatever else to have the life I wish to live. So many others have done so, why can’t I?” Pirate Richard shouted with equal volume.

  “Cause I have been the victim. We have been left to the side. Even with all the help we have been given, we know what it is like to be abandoned, used and trampled on. And yet, I would subject others! The hypocrisy of it, to curse those who did so. We know how the world works: the point is to rise above it, nae lower ourselves to it.”

  “Compassion is a virtue we cannae afford, you big blue boy scout. Unless we wish to be trapped on this island,” the pirate reminded.

  “There are other ways,” the paladin reminded. “We can rely on the others. They can get us off with no bloodshed.”

  “Rely on others?” the pirate repeated. “You remember what happens when I rely on others. I need to make sure we have as many options as possible. I shall nae trust anyone who would use their power over me to get what they want,” he hissed. “It’s bad enough I’ve helped them as it is.”

  “It was the right thing to do and we have had a few bad turns. We are all in a dark place and cruelty should be expected. But nae when we have gained some trust. We must show we are willing to help others. A man like us, we don’t have a title and we’re nae important. So our actions must speak for themselves,” Paladin Richard replied. “I must be willing to give before I can receive.”

  “Bah, no person on this island is here because of luck. They are all backstabbers and pirates and I’m one as well. But that means I understand, and I understand that relying on one is a sure way to an early grave,” the pirate shouted, throwing his hands into the space above him.

  “Nae everyone!” the paladin pointed out, shoving his index finger at him.

  “People lie,” he growled in a low voice.

  The two Richard’s bickered back and forth, neither right truly nor wrong. Richard watched from above, his hands behind his back and his hair pulled into a neat ponytail. He closed his eyes and a faint scream reached his ears, as if someone was in pain.

  Richard opened his eyes from his dream and Jill perked up, having heard the same thing. When he shifted a bit and the dog leaped off causing him to shiver in the cold. It was still dark but he had no way of knowing how close to dawn it was. A scream rang out loudly and he clamped his hands over his ears.

  “What is it?” came a shout, followed by the sound of a blade being pulled from its scabbard. Madison rushed out of the broken ship.

  “No idea, calm down,” he replied. With that she paused, slipping her sword away. Sam appeared behind her and she gave a yelp at his sudden appearance. He let out a long yawn that seemed to stretch his mouth over his entire face. “I take it Boss is still asleep?” Richard asked. Sam nodded absently. “Well, can you write?” he asked. Again, Sam nodded.

  “Leaving a message?” Madison pointed out. “I have to admit, it is very nice of you to investigate this,” she added. Richard rolled his eyes at the comment.

  “I am a light sleeper. If this keeps up, I won’t get any damn sleep,” he said while Sam picked up a stick. “If anyone comes by, let them know that me and a crack-sure navigator are hunting for a screaming man.”

  “I don’t see how this is going to help you sleep. Running around in the night and trying to find someone who is screaming, you’re not going to get much sleep,” she noted. Richard moved past her and into the jungle, ears focused on the screaming.

  “As opposed to ignoring the problem. Because, you know, that always works,” Richard snapped. She shook her head, giving up on arguing with him. The cursing and screaming gradually got louder as they moved deeper into the jungle. Eventually, a smell hit their noses.

  “Oh god, what is that smell?” Madison asked, pinching her nose.

  “Human flesh, very old human flesh,” Richard said, recognizing the smell. “You don’t forget that smell after you’ve spent a couple of days cleaning it off the deck,” he added, shaking his head as they pushed forward. “I’ve got a feeling we are getting close. Oh, don’t tell me,” he said, pausing when he noticed a dragging mark on the ground. The area gave way into more rocky and rubble-like terrain. “I know this place,” he murmured before the screaming echoed along again. After a few steps, he soon found himself looking into the very hole he had slid into not long ago.

  “Well, I didn’t think this place was that close to the north side. Right, the island’s nae a perfect circle. All the same, Jill must have dragged me a long way,” he realized. “I really have no sense of direction,” he admitted.

  “Richard, are you okay?” Madison asked, moving into view. She frowned with worry when she noticed that he was standing before a hold in the ground. “That’s a big hole.”

  “Said the actress to the priest,” Richard commented. Jill trotted up after them, tongue hanging out of her mouth. Richard glanced at her, studying the animal intently, when another scream shot up from the ground.

  “Look, can we get on with this? The poor man doesn’t seem to be getting out of the pain anytime soon,” she pointed out. Richard turned back to the hole

  “Another mystery for another day,” he murmured, sliding down into the dark. “Shit, I didn’t g
rab a torch,” he growled. “We need to head back.” But the knight was already sliding down, holding a torch above her head.

  “I grabbed it when you weren’t looking,” she said with a smile, taking the lead.

  “Whatever makes ma life easier,” he said with a shrug while they moved farther into the tunnel. They had just come upon a small opening when a voice rang out.

  “Sigyn?” the voice cried out. “Please tell me that’s you.” Richard pushed past Pheobe and she fell behind him as Jill whimpered. “An animal. I thought the pain would end but it is nothing but a dog,” he lamented. The torchlight fell upon the figure and Madison screamed. A snake was hanging over the man with something dripping from its fist-sized mouth. Richard drew his sword and the man began shouting.

  “Who is there?” he demanded while Madison drew her sword as well. The massive snake uncoiled itself while Richard and Madison spilt and circled it. The snake glanced between them. Madison struck first, her sword sticking the snake. It coiled back, hissing at her and showing a pair of long fangs.

  Madison pulled back; she clearly wasn’t loving this. Richard charged into it and decapitated it with a single swipe. The snake fell to the ground with a loud thump. Richard glanced over at Madison and shook his head.

  “I guess nobody is perfect,” he grunted, approaching the man.

  “Well, that explains the smell,” Madison said, pointing out the man’s restraints. When Richard looked closer, he noticed that they looked like chewed off and rotted intestines.

  “Disgusting.”

  “Those were torn from my son. Please, let me out,” he said in a surprising silky voice.

  “That’s disgusting. We have to help him,” Madison said, reaching for her blade. But Richard put his hand in the way.

  “Nothing on this island is as it seems,” he said, looking her in the eye. “I am sorry, but I only wanted to stop your screaming. Now that it’s been taken care of, we shall be taking our leave.”

  “Such cruelty and selfishness,” the man replied. “Unwilling to help, even when it costs you nothing.” They were silent but Madison looked at Richard in horror.

  “Look, mister pretty boy,” Richard said, looking down at the man. He had to admit, between the extremely dark hair and well-muscled body, he was suddenly feeling very inadequate. Beyond the dark locks, Richard saw a man who looked gaunt and with a face wracked with pain beneath the fully tangled beard. “I may have been born during the day, but it was nae yesterday,” he started, noticing that Madison was fingering her sword from the corner of his eye. “But with your strength, given your rather impressive form, rotten flesh should nae be capable of holding you down.” Madison suddenly picked up on it and all the goodwill that had been dragged from her was now under suspicion.

  “It’s a cruel world when I am not able to talk a woman into helping me,” he said with a soft chuckle. “All the same, I suppose I should thank you for ridding me of that damn snake.”

  “You’re welcome,” Madison replied.

  “May your names grace my ears?”

  “Madison Felis,” she answered.

  “Richard Zane,” Richard said. “Now then, you were starting to explain why you were. I take it that it was some being of god-like power?”

  “Nice try, but my reasons are my own,” he replied. “Besides, I am not even sure you could get these off.”

  “Yeah, nae buying that. You wouldn’t ask if you didn’t think there was some chance. But I am wasting ma time,” Richard said, moving to the door. Madison glanced between the two before deciding to join Richard.

  “I’ll make a deal with you,” he said and Richard stopped. The knight shook her head, continuing to walk while Richard turned to face the man.

  “You have ma ear. What kind of deal?” Richard asked casually.

  “Look, I have been here for a long time and you’re the first person who has ever found me. Or at least, could free me. Make an offer and I shall see what I can do,” he said in a smooth voice.

  “Hmm,” Richard hummed, stroking his goatee. “Promise me a few things and we’ve got a deal. I’ve got a feeling that if you do get out, I am on your shit list. So, I let you go and anything that endangers ma life or hampers it – directly or indirectly – is nae allowed,” he said, looming over him. “You promise me that, we are golden,” Richard said.

  “That’s all?” he asked, cocking his head to the side. “I would have thought you would choose something grander,” he mused.

  “Hardly. It goes against ma principles to leave you like this but I know how good intentions have a bad habit of screwing me over,” Richard replied.

  “This was your aim the entire time? I could have transported you off the island,” the man admitted.

  “Yeah, I bet you could. But they don’t put a man, who has already recovered from his acid bath, in a cave because he has a habit of being kind and safe.”

  “I, as the God of Chaos and Trickery, do so solemnly swear not to harm, hamper or kill you in any way, shape, or form, direct or indirect,” the man said.

  “Thanks, now then, let’s get you out of here,” Richard said, slicing off the man’s bonds. He flexed his arms and stood to his feet.

  “Ah, that feels so good, to be able to move again,” he said, stretching his body. “It’s sad when a pirate is capable of more compassion than your own blood brother. But still, a deal is a deal,” he said, reaching out and grabbing Richard’s hand. He felt his hand pulse when the man released it. “It may not seem so, but I am a man of my word. And wise, on your part; I would have dropped you off someplace worse if you had asked something of me,” he said, beginning to float above the ground and spinning into a lazy recline. “So, I shall no longer hamper your sleep and hopefully we shall see each other again,” he said, giving a very cat-like grin. His body began to vanish, the details slowly disappearing. The man faded until only his smile remained.

  “Maybe now I can get some damn sleep,” Richard grumbled, walking out of the tunnel. As he trudged up, he put his sword back into his belt.

  “You didn’t let him go?” Madison asked.

  “I did, but I don’t like dealing with all-powerful beings. And to be honest, it wasn’t much of a choice. Either he would get out and hunt me down – and I doubt death would stop him – or I let him go. I knew asking for something of a being was foolish, especially one nae required to grant it. I let him go, so long as he promised nae to cause me any grief or death.

  “What about me?” she asked in panic.

  “Your death would grief me, so you are safe,” Richard said, sounding a lot more confident than he actually was. “Now then, let’s get some damn sleep. I hate it when I get deprived of sleep,” he grunted, making his way back to the broken ship and his bed within.

  Chapter 12 An Altar Fight

  Richard’s eyes cracked open to the sounds of shouting and he leapt out of his hammock. He dashed onto the sand right as Sam knocked into him. He hesitated for a second before grabbing Sam by his tunic and pulling him up onto his feet.

  He found before him Boss and Madison staring down Tray, James and Laurella. Everyone had their weapons out; Tray sporting a spear, James a cutlass and Laurella with her shocking stick. Madison glanced back and spotted Richard.

  “Oh, thank the Void shaper. Richard, you’re just in time to even the odds,” she said. Everyone relaxed when Richard approached them. But he brushed past everyone and stood somewhere in the middle, whistling for Jill as he went. The other three gapped at her sudden appearance but James quickly recovered his tongue.

  “I didn’t think you would pull a stunt like this. We wanted to meet here, not give you your own base,” James growled while the Alsatian trotted up, a bag on her back.

  “Easy, Jill,” Richard said, ignoring the shot as he dug through her bags and pulled out some sort of mechanism. He tossed it to James. “It’s a replacement for your left hand; hooks, fake hand, something to use. It straps onto your shoulder and chest,” he explained before turnin
g to Madison and Boss. “Also, come meet some acquaintances of mine. This is Doctor Laurella, James and Tray – both of which are shipbuilders and carpenters. Madison here is a knight and a navigator. Boss kind of just kills things,” Richard said with a shrug.

  “Oh,” James said, eyeing the contraption. Laurella remained silent.

  “We’ve got a table set up. I believe there is some talking to do,” Richard said, making his way back to the shipwreck. He closed his eyes, listening to the sound of following feet on sand. But then he heard a low humming. Everyone froze as he glanced back.

  “You heard it too?” Boss asked, looking Richard in the eye. He nodded, beginning to scan the tree tops. “It’s gone,” Boss informed a moment later. Everyone released a breath they hadn’t known they were holding.

  “Let’s get under some cover. I have nae seen that damn Gargoyle for a day or so and I don’t think I want to,” Richard replied.

  “Wait, so you did go through with it. Where is the fairy?” Tray asked, scanning the areas as if he expected it to pop out of nowhere.

  “Long story short, aye, we did and it got away after we jumped off a cliff,” Richard answered, crossing into the shade. He walked into the ship and sat down on an empty crate. “But I don’t give up and I’ve got a few other ideas. But I am going to need your help, all of you. Whatever I can follow through on depends on how badly you want off,” Richard said, folding his arms over his chest.

  “Okay then. Let me get me hook on and you can lay down the law,” James said, pulling the straps over his shoulder and across his chest. He pulled the contraption tight before adjusting it comfortably. And with a small spike where his left hand used to be, everyone got settled. “Thanks,” he grunted, resting it on his knee.

  “Well, I was hoping to get this done with as little death as possible – on ma part anyway. But, it’s out of ma hands,” Richard started. Everyone listened intently to what he had to say. “Well, I have simple plan, that will require building a small fort in the area, and using it as a gathering point, once we get forty people we raid the ship get the hell out of here. There are other options such as stowing away when they are ready to leave, but there a high risk involved in that.”