The Fifth Empire of Man (Best Laid Plans Book 2)

by Rob J. Hayes

  Spitting salty water out of her mouth, Elaina drew her own steel and held it in front of her. She’d never tried a sword fight underwater before, but there was a first time for everything and she’d be damned if she was going to lose to some old pig from the Five Kingdoms.

  It was a strange sort of dance the two performed as they both worked at treading water while forcing the other into an opening. The battle waged on around them; Elaina could both hear and smell it, but she didn’t dare take her eyes from her opponent for even a moment, despite the lumbering hulks sailing past them.

  The soldier lunged, a strangely slow and exaggerated motion in the water, and Elaina parried with her own sword, then whipped the blade upwards and out of the water with a splash. It had just the desired effect, and the soldier started and thrashed, attempting to back away while still holding on to his sword.

  Elaina pressed forwards and felt a sting across her belly. The soldier grinned. His wild thrashing had been a trap; he was more devious than she’d given him credit for.

  Something bumped against Elaina’s foot and she dared a glance into the water. Large, dark shapes were moving in the murky blue below. They were far out in the deep ocean, and the battle was making plenty of waves; anything could be coming up from the depths for a snack, and whatever the creatures were, they were likely to find plenty of morsels.

  Then it dawned on Elaina that she was bleeding. Elaina dropped her sword into the depths and turned towards her ship, kicking into the fastest swim of her life. She didn’t bother looking behind to see what the soldier might be doing. She didn’t care.

  “Cap,” someone shouted down from the deck of Starry Dawn. Elaina could happily have kissed every one of her crew for realising she’d gone overboard and pulling the ship to a halt.

  A rope ladder dropped over the side of the hull and Elaina changed her course a little, still kicking and pulling herself through the water as fast as she could. A scream echoed out from somewhere behind her, and a glance upwards revealed the look of fear on Pollick’s face as he watched over the railing.

  “Better hurry, Cap,” the lookout yelled.

  Elaina’s fingers touched wood and she stopped kicking, her own momentum slamming her into the boat. She grabbed hold of the ladder and wasted no time hauling herself out of the blue, rushing upwards as quickly as her limbs would carry her. Something bumped against the hull below her, and Elaina glanced down to see grey scales and a fin disappearing under the surface. The waters were clear enough to give her an idea of the size of the beasty, and it would have been enough to strike plenty of fear into even the most courageous pirate.

  Rough hands grabbed hold of hers and helped her up and over the railing. Pollick and Surge were nearby, and some of the rest of the crew were busy throwing the bodies of Five Kingdoms sailors and soldiers overboard.

  “Thought we’d lost ya for a moment there, Cap,” Pollick said with a wide grin.

  “I need a new sword,” Elaina growled, running wet, shaking hands through her hair. “Are we fit to sail?”

  “Aye, Cap,” said Surge.

  “Then get us moving, quartermaster.”

  Chapter 64 - The Phoenix

  Even as the first grapples were thrown, Keelin hurled himself across the watery expanse towards the Man of War. He landed heavily against the hull, fingers gripping the railing, and started to pull himself up and over. Keelin’s crew were quick to follow, some leaping across after their captain’s example while others swung over on ropes. Before long there were a great many pirates on board the Man of War, and the Sarth crew found themselves fighting a battle on two fronts.

  Keelin couldn’t see onto the Riverlanders’ ship. Judging by the number of soldiers still aboard the navy vessel, Deun Burn and his crew were holding their own. Riverlanders had many a foul reputation, and some of them were well deserved – one being their renowned ferocity in a fight.

  A number of the soldiers on board the Man of War turned to face the new threat. Keelin decided to give them something other than the crew of Rheel Toa to worry about. Drawing his cutlasses, he gave a battle cry and charged, knowing his crew would follow him in.

  Keelin was the first to reach the enemy lines and he ducked under a wild swing, cutting the soldier near in half as he stood inside the man’s guard. Not bothering to finish the dying man off, Keelin stepped up to his next opponent as the rest of his crew caught up, crashing into the soldiers. Chaos erupted on the deck, with steel clashing against steel and the smell of blood and fire in the air.

  A block followed by a hilt to the face sent a hook-nosed soldier reeling, and Keelin followed with a powerful slash that opened him up from shoulder to hip. He kicked the man’s body into his comrades behind and stabbed left, hobbling a soldier long enough for one of his pirates to deal the killing blow.

  For what seemed like forever, Keelin’s world became the ebb and flow of combat. Blocks and parries, slashes and stabs. Always moving, always keeping his opponents guessing. The lessons of his childhood served him well. He might never be as naturally gifted as his brother, but he wasn’t known as the best swordsman in the isles for nothing.

  After a while Keelin had to drop back, his arms aching from swinging his cutlasses and his hands stinging from all the impacts. The crew of the Man of War were faltering hard now that Captain Burn’s Riverlanders had started to cross onto the bigger ship. Trapped between two blood-thirsty crews, the soldiers from Sarth were collapsing in upon themselves, and it was only a matter of time before the ship belonged to the pirates.

  “Are you injured, Captain?” said Jojo. The man wasn’t much of a fighter these days, so he tended to stay towards the back of any scrap they encountered, but he was still one hell of a sailor.

  “No, just tired. Best to take a breather before jumping back in.” Keelin had already killed eight men aboard the Man of War, and he’d injured a few more. Such brutal combat took its toll on both body and mind. He suspected he would need some dark rum to go with his dark thoughts once all was said and done.

  “Don’t think you’ll need to,” Jojo said with a grin. “Looks like they’re surrendering.”

  The sailor was right. As the soldiers fell further and further back and their numbers dwindled, the two pirate crews merged together and the numbers made the victory clear. The soldiers were already starting to lay down their arms and beg for mercy. Keelin was happy to give it to them. The day was far from done, and he’d already seen too much killing. He’d already been the cause of too many deaths.

  “That’s enough,” he roared as he strode forwards, leaving Jojo behind. “Let the bastards live.”

  “And why should we do that?” Captain Burn said. He had a nasty, jagged-bladed axe in his hand and a grimace on his skull face.

  “Because I say so,” Keelin said, grabbing hold of the Riverlander’s shoulder and pulling him around. “No sense in any more killing than is needed. The cowards have surrendered, and we ain’t without mercy.”

  “And just leave them behind to sail on and attack us again.” Burn punctuated the statement with a growl. “I think not.”

  “We disable the ship. Cut the rudder. They’ll be stuck here for hours. Far too long to be of any help with the rest of the battle.”

  “Safer to kill them.”

  “Ain’t about what’s safe this time, Deun,” Keelin said, hoping his voice held as much steel as he knew his eyes did. “It’s about what’s right. Let’s show them we’re not savages. That we can be reasonable and merciful.”

  Deun held Keelin’s gaze for a few moments before nodding. He turned to the cowering soldiers. “If it were up to me, I’d eat you all.”

  Keelin clapped his fellow captain on the shoulder before turning to the soldiers. “He’s not joking. He really would eat you. We’re disabling your ship, leaving you alive. Once the battle is over you will be free to return home. Just sit quiet ’til then and you’ll all survive this yet. Where’s your captain?”

  A few of the soldiers gave each other
a look and then quickly dropped their heads. A bad feeling began to creep its way through Keelin’s gut.

  “Where is your captain?” he said again, putting as much command into his voice as he could.

  The Man of War erupted in smoke, flame, noise, and death.

  Chapter 65 - North Storm

  Nerine knelt upon the starboard side of the poop deck and dipped her hands into a bucket of seawater. The two pirates tasked with guarding her were nearby, fidgeting nervously and watching the approaching Man of War.

  “Rin,” she said, staring into the bucket. “I invoke your name and demand your attention.” The water began to ripple. Nerine hated invoking gods; demons were so much more amiable.

  “What’s she doing?” said one of the pirates. “What are you doing?”

  “This sacrifice I give to you.” Nerine tore her eyes away from the bucket of water and fixed them on the pirate who had questioned her. “Grant me permission to give you more.”

  The pirate’s face went slack and his arms dropped to his sides. His body swayed a little as Nerine dominated his will. The pirate was still inside somewhere, watching as if from very far away, but he no longer had any control of his actions. He was now her minion to do with as she pleased.

  “Burton?” said the other pirate. “Burton, you alright?”

  “Give yourself to Rin,” Nerine said to Burton, and the man walked calmly towards the starboard railing and flung himself overboard.

  “Burton!” The other pirate ran to the railing and looked down. “Man over board. Man over…” His voice trailed away and he staggered back from the railing, waving a hand in the air in a foolish attempt at a protective sign. Nerine pitied the ignorant.

  “M-m-merfolk,” he stuttered, his eyes wide with fear.

  Nerine drew her hands from the bucket and wiped them on her trousers, then walked over to the railing and looked down. Burton was gone. Lithe shapes darted about beneath the surface, waiting for the rest of the sacrifices they’d been promised.

  The Man of War flying Sarth colours was drawing close now, close enough that Nerine could make out the sailors rushing to and fro. Soldiers crowded the deck, armed with all manner of weaponry. Bows were a problem. Those with swords and axes would never get close enough to be a threat to Nerine, but those with arrows needn’t get close.

  “Protect me,” she said to the cowering pirate. “Or join your friend in Rin’s court.” He inched forwards, shield and sword held in front of him.

  “You won’t need the weapon,” Nerine said with a lopsided grin. “Just the shield. I will be the weapon.”

  The first of the arrows from the Man of War started to fly over as the ship sailed up from behind, attempting to run parallel to North Storm, where it would be easiest to board the crippled vessel. Captain Khan’s crew were too busy to fight, either getting the ship back in order or tending to the dead and wounded.

  Nerine began to chant and opened herself up, requesting power. Her request never reached the Void. No sooner had she made herself ready than she felt Rin rush into her, the sea goddess’ power filling her.

  Bits of Nerine’s shadow began to peel away from the deck, slithering towards the railing and disappearing over the side. It was Rin’s power inside her, and the goddess had dominion over the water and many of its more terrifying aspects, but Nerine shaped that power. She was the Keeper of Shadows, a title earned and jealously guarded.

  An arrow hit the deck close by, and the pirate with the shield stepped a little closer to Nerine, his circle of wood held high. More and more shadows were detaching themselves from her now as she directed all of the power gifted to her by Rin into one sorcery. With the sun on the ship’s port side, North Storm’s shadow became hers, a vast weapon to be used against their enemies.

  “Captain,” shouted one of the pirates. “Uh… the… uh… Captain!”

  Nerine looked sideways to see Captain Khan rush to the railing and look down. The bronzed northerner blanched visibly; he’d seen Nerine’s monster.

  “Are you doing this?” Khan shouted at Nerine over the noise. She smiled back at him, still chanting the words of her sorcery, still directing the power of the sea goddess.

  The captain on the Man of War saw it too, a mass of shadow bubbling and writhing at the base of North Storm, thrashing the water to foamy white. A few more arrows flitted across the divide; one headed straight towards Nerine but was caught in her guard’s shield. The Man of War started to turn away, trying to flee the shadows. Nerine couldn’t allow it; she’d promised Rin further sacrifice, and the sea goddess would have her payment one way or another.

  A dark tentacle shot out from the writhing mass beneath the boat. It darted in and out of the water, as thick as a main mast and as strong as steel. Panic hit the deck of the Man of War, but it was too late for them to get out of the way and the shadowy tendril punched through the hull and started to drag the huge ship down.

  With the sorcery finished, Nerine closed herself off from the power of the sea goddess. Her limbs grew heavy, exhaustion flooding her body. She wanted to rest, to close her eyes and sleep, but the battle was far from over and she had to see what her shadow monster could do. It was almost as large as the shadow she’d once defeated in order to gain its power.

  Another dark tentacle shot out from North Storm and ripped its way into the other ship’s hull, followed quickly by another. Screams floated over the water along with a final few arrows. Then the bulk of the monster detached itself from the North Storm and rushed across the waves. It slammed into the Man of War, sending it rocking and reeling.

  The creature was far from pretty – a bloated mass, much like a tick, with dark, flailing arms that ripped at its prey. Soldiers and sailors were crushed or sent sailing through the air to land in the waves, where they were quickly plucked from the surface to be dragged below by darting figures Nerine couldn’t quite see. Wood was torn free from the rest of the ship to be tossed away and forgotten. One mast was chopped down with a casual flick and another soon followed as the beast pulled its shadowy body up onto the Man of War’s deck. Some of the soldiers attempted to attack the creature, but their weapons had no effect. Steel could do nothing against a shadow. They would be better served by fire, but it would have to be an inferno to scare away such a monster.

  The crew of North Storm had all but stopped their work to get the ship under way again. They stood staring at the carnage Nerine’s creation was causing. Awe had a way of distracting men.

  “A kraken,”said one of the crew. A misinformed opinion, but one Nerine was happy to allow if it meant she retained some anonymity. “Never thought I’d see one.”

  “Aye,” Captain Khan shouted. “A kraken. Guess Rin really must be looking out for us. Now get the fuck back to fixing my ship.”

  Chapter 66 - The Phoenix

  The world was noise and bright light.

  Keelin was lying on a deck, staring up at a mast as it slowly toppled away from him. The blue sky was marred by dirty clouds of rising black smoke. The air itself tasted acrid and his chest hurt when he breathed.

  Rolling onto his side, Keelin started coughing. The ringing was fading a little now, and he could hear shouts and screams, and the creaking and groaning of a ship in poor health.

  Strong arms grabbed hold of him and started to pull him up. With a sigh, Keelin relented and got his feet underneath him. Another coughing fit hit, and he squeezed his eyes shut against the pain. Every bit of him seemed to hurt, and none more so than the feeling of his brain trying to drill its way out of his skull.

  It took a lot of effort to open his eyes again, but when he did Keelin found Smithe staring at him, waving a hand in front of his face and mumbling something under the sounds of death and fire.

  “What is it, Smithe?” Keelin said as he looked around. His voice was quiet, distant.

  There was a hole in the Man of War – a rather large hole – and blood and bits of people all around. Somewhere below decks a fire seemed to be raging, and smoke wa
s rising up out of the hole. The deck shifted a little beneath Keelin’s feet, a movement he knew well. The boat was taking on water fast and would be sunk in mere minutes.

  Smithe shook Keelin by the shoulders, and he looked back to find a concerned expression on his quartermaster’s face. Keelin had to concentrate to decipher the man’s words over the din that was hammering inside his own head.

  “Morley,” Smithe shouted.

  “What about him?” Keelin said.

  Smithe pointed at the hole in the Man of War. “Don’t reckon he made it, Cap’n.”

  “Fuck.” Keelin launched into another coughing fit. The smoke was starting to get thick and his lungs were burning. “Get everyone back on board The Phoenix. And congratulations on making first mate.”

  He expected Smithe to smile or gloat. Instead, the burly pirate looked sad and tired. A moment later Smithe was storming off, shouting orders.

  Nearby, Deun Burn was staring down into the hole. The ship was noticeably lower in the water. It gave an unsteady lurch; they had very little time left.

  “Deun,” Keelin shouted as he approached. Even with his voiced raised, he still sounded quiet to his own ears.

  The Riverlander turned to look at him. His skull face was smudged with ash and he had a haunted look about him.

  The Man of War gave an awkward creaking sound followed by the unmistakeable snapping of planks. Keelin glanced down at the deck, hoping he had enough time.