Saben grimaced.
“I do more than those fifty could.”
“More than fifty?” Said the king. “You are arrogant, young one.”
The king's reptilian eyes moved to Jaswei.
“And what you, woman?”
She frowned.
“I may not have the sacral scroll, but I'm Saben's equal in swordplay.”
“It's true,” Saben murmured.
“And you,” the king turned to Rond.
The minstrel shook his head.
“I’m no warrior. May I offer to write the tale of your victory?”
The king laughed, a harsh sound in his throat.
“You would offer to write of my victory? I need no simple human to do such a thing. I have many servants. You destroyed fifty but moreover, you thwarted our mission. Without the gate broken, the fleet must attack into the river. So perhaps you should answer me one more question, Saben.”
“What question?”
“Do you know my mentor?”
A figure solidified as if from a thin mist beside the king. Saben took a step forward teeth grating.
Beside the king of Nassio, stood the tall shape of the maladrite with the starry field for a face.
“You!”
The maladrite turned, lips peeling into a grim smile beneath the cloud of stars that dominated his head.
“Yes,” said the maladrite, “and you.” The maladrite’s voice was rich, with a feminine lilt.
Saben held his teeth in check, close to them grinding together.
Rond and Jaswei both stared at the entity before them. Jaswei’s hand touched Saben's arm.
“I doubt you approached the king with pure intentions, Saben.”
“How did you come to be this place?” Saben asked.
“I am the one who healed the king of Nassio. Zalklith Once Broken is now my client. We are friends by rite, and by passage, and trial. We are both set on the same course. You do not walk our path.”
“I’ll kill you,” Saben whispered.
“Indeed,” said the maladrite. “Your mission in life has been to shout in my face and destroy me.”
“So you know who I am.”
“Yes. I have watched you with interest. My name is Havindas.”
“Havindas, I never knew,” said Saben.
“Of course not,” said the maladrite. “My band destroyed your village when you were but a child. You could not remember my name then, but you shall remember it now, and for the rest of your days, however many those are. Or how few.”
The king motioned to Folt.
“Rise,” he said. “Take these three to a brig on another ship.”
“As you wish,” said Folt. He turned to Saben. Behind them, the other members of the fist of the king of Nassio approached. The five of them would be too much for Saben and Jaswei to fight all at once. There must be another way out.
Folt motioned to Saben, Jaswei, and Rond.
“Go with Uigara.”
Saben gritted his teeth. If he shouted here, he would start a battle, one he and his friends would not survive. If he assumed the sacra form and called out Azel, perhaps he could win, but the ship would surely be destroyed and they would all sink beneath the waves.
He glared at Folt.
“This is not over.” He turned to Havindas. “You heard me.”
Havindas grinned.
“I know.”
The fist of the king escorted the three of them from the bridge of the fortress ship. They left the king behind. Saben heard Havindas laugh.
Melissa
The governor took command of Soucot’s fleet personally. Melissa and the rest of the Hand accompanied her aboard the capital flagship. They rowed out toward the growing line of Kanori vessels approaching the harbor mouth. Melissa glanced at Suya.
The governor's sword servant looked uneasy.
“Folt is there somewhere,” Suya said.
“You think so?” asked Hilos.
“I know it,” said Suya.
Melissa patted the sword servant on the shoulder. She hoped Suya would accept the gesture kindly. Melissa glanced at the other three. Hilos wore his gentle servant uniform with a breastplate over the chest. His arms were so light they could barely carry chain armor. He turned toward her.
“Suya,” said Hilos, “don't worry. We'll stop them.”
Suya nodded.
Kelt lifted the oar he held in one hand. He held it aloft.
“I plan to take down at least one ship. I think we can do it.”
Niu nodded.
“If we get separated, make sure to keep the governor’s safety in mind.”
Governor Lokoth snorted laughter at that.
“Nonsense,” said the governor, “Mother Mercy’s will protects us. And me specifically.”
Melissa frowned. Her destiny seemed to be fast approaching a climactic moment. Her time serving the governor had been the best in her life. She and the others formed a line at the bow of the ship. The five of them stood beside the governor as she commanded the fleet into motion. She always moved with complete confidence and made an excellent commander. However, she lacked much experience in war.
The previous governor of Lowenrane had been the one to prosecute the battle against Kanor last time. History still clung to the bay like a concealing shroud. No one on either side could say exactly how the new battle would begin. Regardless, it formed the fruition of a grudge long established between Kanor and Lowenrane.
Another awareness filled in the air, more than the stench of the tar that would light arrows and allow them to set ships aflame. There was more than tension in the fear in everyone's eyes. The whole battle, Melissa thought, could it just be a distraction? After all, the Kanori and the vakari seemed as though they would fight each, rather than join forces against Soucot. Lowenrane and Mother Mercy were their targets, but how could they possibly have expected Kanor to join with the king of Nassio?
Melissa and Suya nodded to each other. Suya held two swords, both she at her hip. Melissa held her spear. The others readied their tools and weapons. Magic flickered in the air between them. Sprites and banes danced.
Melissa, Niu, and Kelt hung back as the governor stepped forward. She spoke, to one of the demon Caferis' crows circling overhead.
Crows had been spread across each ship in the Tancuonese fleet. The demon made their best form of communication. His flock connected to each other’s minds instantly, and therefore they can be used as messengers without having to move between vessels. As long as they remained close enough together the demon maintained control over every part of himself.
The governor held out her hand as the fleets waited just outside shooting range of each other. She turned and motioned for Suya to hand her the sword. Suya drew the governor’s sword and handed it to her master hilt first. Tandace Lokoth raised the blade. She hefted it toward the sun.
“People of Lowenrane,” she said, “we fight here to defend our land from another invasion. We know not why Kanor has begun hostilities, but we will stop them here and protect our land and our city.”
She hovered the blade over the water, pointing it at the lead ship of the enemy fleet. The fortress ships gleamed silver in the distance. Their bows arched forward and their backs bright-domed. Melissa and her friends and fellow students prepared themselves for the fray.
She felt the tension in the grip of her spear. She eased herself forward on the deck. In case any long-range mage is attempted to take a shot at the governor, she prepared to jolt the projectiles from the air with electrical sprites. She knew each of the others was doing the same. Magisters had joined most of the ships in the fleet. Only the flagship and crew were protected by the governor’s mages.
The water before them turned choppy as waves began to rise. The sky began to darken. Water jumped up the front of the ship, splashing against the bow. The figurehead on the front of the vessel turned dark with the spray. Melissa and Suya flanked the governor. They kept their weapons readied and th
eir sprites in motion.
The fleets sailed toward each other.
Before they could reach the midpoint between the harbor mouth and the enemy fleet, ships began to take shots from distant Kanori ballistae. The huge crossbows mounted on the front ports of each fortress ship rained long spears. These shot were not set aflame and therefore did little to the ships themselves. One good shot could clear half the crew from the top deck of a Tancuonese ship. The spears, once they hurtled the distance across the water, could still cut down men and women with ease.
The ship adjacent to the governor's flagship took a volley of ballista bolts and several crew members fell. Melissa glanced at Niu.
Niu nodded. She put on a jolt of motion sprites. Leaping the distance between the ships, Niu flew onto the deck of the other vessel. She spun her staff, deflecting even the heaviest bolts with twists of the sprites at either end of her weapon. The sprites Niu wielded could tug the metallic bolts off-target with magnetic force. Spears from the ballistae flew to either side and scattered into the sea as her staff whirled.
Melissa smiled.
Niu could protect that ship. Melissa took a deep breath. Her role remained.
“We are here for the governor, we must protect her.”
The governor stifled a laugh.
“You’ve done so much already,” she said. “But you're correct, this battle could go poorly if our command is disrupted.”
Melissa nodded.
Suya drew her sword. She waved the blade skyward, spreading sprites in a line behind it. Melissa sketched barriers in the air using the point of her spear. She and Suya drew a set of temporary defenses upon the bow of the ship. Many of the other vessels had such wards inscribed personally by the magisters aboard them as well. Melissa might be a newer mage than most of the magisters, but she knew what she had to do She would protect her master.
Melissa finished drawing wards. Hilos rolled his dice on the deck.
“Already?” She said.
Hilos nodded. He picked up the dice.
“Lucky seven,” he said over the sounds of the battle.
His shape began to shift and he took the form of the demon he had practiced to become as his sacra form. His sacra form had long taloned fingers and a pallid white face. Ears pulled back along a skull-like head. The ears resembled those of a bat.
“Hilos,” said the governor, “it is good to see you achieve such a shape. I never managed as sacra form in all my years of training.”
The demon used Hilos’ voice.
“You governorship, I'm honored to serve you as always.”
The fleets converged. Ships crashed against each other. Water flew into the air. Vessels on both sides careened toward and around each other. They smashed into each other’s sides and fronts. Collisions sent people stumbling, but Melissa held fast even as they collided with the next vessel across from them. The enemy ship loomed huge and heavily armored.
Great slabs of metal connected by chains formed a ram on the front of the enemy ship. Melissa and the others scattered as the governor retreated a few paces behind them, sword in hand. The two of them left in the vanguard, Melissa and Suya, sent their sprites to attack the new can enemy troops. The vessel released the chains on either side of its front ram. A heavy bridge made of the front ram crashed upon the bow of the governor's flagship.
Behind the vessel, Kanori warriors advanced along the bridge. They each carried a spear and shield. Melissa recognized them all too well, armsmen, common across the lands of the south. These were Kanori, but they had the same sort of weapon and training as her before she became a mage. She prepared herself. Spear back, muscles enhanced by her iron bane, she swatted the first man out of the way. He blocked with his shield and went flying over the side of the ship. His spear clattered to the deck.
Suya’s blade sliced down the next boarder. The man fell. Blood spread on the deck beneath him.
Melissa and Suya, fought in the forefront, with Hilos in his demon form sweeping aside those who managed to pass them. His long talons extended like tendrils of pure shadow ending in sharp blades. Few even reached him past the two women. Melissa grimaced as she fought. The front of the enemy ship quickly ran short of supplied soldiers. Suya and Melissa pressed their attack on board.
Deckard
The battle became disorderly quickly as Deckard watched from above. He circled below the clouds, waiting for the storm to drive him down to the water. He would fight when the time came. Something seemed off about the enemy, though.
The Kanori had arrived as a surprise. Without the King of Nassio, he doubted that would be possible. The king and his mysterious benefactor were no doubt both powerful magic users. They’d altered the tides the weather to rapidly move their fleet to the harbor mouth. They could have come from anywhere on the other side of the bay with ease.
Governor Lokoth still seemed confident in driving back Kanor. Her ships and her mages made a formidable force indeed. However, Deckard feared they'd missed something altogether during the war planning. He descended toward the fray.
The enemy vessels had advanced a single broad line except, for five that formed another a column behind them. They hung back yet, moving slowly toward the harbor mouth. As they picked up speed, the rear vessels would pass very close to the governor's flagship, currently in battle against another enemy vessel.
One by one, every ship in Lowenrane’s line had been engaged. The fighting might continue all day. Deckard hated to see anything so bloody. It was coming true, once again, the prophecy of the dungeon’s mural. The second battle of Soucot raged.
Ships fought in the same harbor mouth, and the forces of Mercy triumphed there as well. The battle might go differently today. Despite the number of fortress ships, the Lowenraners held strong. Fortress vessels could hardly be dented by arrows or set ablaze by pitch.
No, Deckard thought, they require a more stern approach. He darted toward the column of vessels in the rear. No doubt those five had been holding back for a reason. He descended toward the lead ship, darting toward the hatch at the back where he remembered fortress ships opened to the air.
As he circled, moving low, he shot out a line of sprite strings. Grabbing the hatch, he pulled the door off with a pull of all his might. The hatch sprang open. Deckard raced toward the vessel, drawn by his the reaction to his pull. Normally he avoided battles between mortals when he could. Not today. He rushed to the hull of the Kanori fortress ship. Landing beside the open hatch with a thump, he peered inside.
Below, the crew rowed hard with their oars. On the central command deck above the rowers, Deckard came face-to-face with the woman who attacked the palace with the rest of the Fist of Nassio. I knew they were planning some deception. He stepped off the hatch and into the ship. Below them, the oars continue to slice through the water. Uigara turned to face him. She drew both blades in quick succession.
Deckard drew out his sprites. He formed a halo about himself, striking banes and entangling sprites. Stalking forward under the dome of the ship, he moved to meet Uigara. She approached him in a fighting stance.
The two of them met, bane to blade. His strings entangled one of her arms in seconds. She sliced the sprites off at the edge of her enchanted sword. Her other sword thrust at Deckard.
He darted backward. His iron robe fluttered over the bridge. He landed on the inside of the hatch once more. Uigara rushed forward, both blades aimed for his scalp. He ducked low, sweeping his arm out. He made her legs light as a feather and she lost her balance.
She stumbled. One of her swords sliced through a line of heavy rope holding down the dome. The ship’s dome twitched, unstable. The line, however, was not the only rope holding the metal shell in place. Despite breaking the line, Uigara pressed the attack. She snarled with fury.
Deckard leapt and landed behind her. His feet found the bridge. Two Kanori armsmen rushed along the bridge toward him. He tripped them both with sprite strings and they fell into the lines of rowers below.
Uigara turned and whipped a dagger at Deckard. The poisoned weapon clanged off his armor, the iron robe absorbing the hit with a reverberating thud. Deckard drew his sword.
“I thought the immortal didn't use blades?” said Uigara.
“Not normally,” said Deckard. “But for battles such as this, sometimes they're necessary.”
The two of them clashed once more, blade to blade, back and forth along the bridge. They danced and cut at each other. Uigara possessed significant skill with her weapons and the second blade gave Deckard more trouble than he guessed it would have. With her mastery of her weapons, he was glad for the robe for it covered most of his mistakes.
He was no blade master, even after over 300 years. He caught the blade of one weapon on his crossguard. He grabbed her arm by the wrist. He blocked her other sword with the iron in his robe, then shoved out with both arms. She lost her grip on the trapped blade. The sword flew free of her hand. She reached for another dagger at her side. Deckard shot a bane dart directly into her wrist. The black entity pinned Uigara’s wrist to her cloak. She staggered, blood oozing from her wounded wrist. She could not draw the dagger now. Her fingers twitched. She grimaced.
“Dirty trick,” she said.
He shook his head, then ran past her toward the front of the ship. Defeating her was not as important as finding out what purpose the ship served.
He leapt over the rowers and flew the rest of the way to the front of the vessel. There, beyond another doorway, he found not one, but three dozen vakari warriors with wings under the front of the dome. They waited at the fore of the ship, opposite the bridge on the narrow rear of the vessel. Deckard slammed the door behind him and spun to face Uigara.
“So you did get them to ally,” he said.
Uigara grunted. She held her remaining sword on guard. Her advance could trap him here, by the door until the vakari warriors emerged and finished them off if he didn’t move. He struck at her, forcing Uigara back step by step using his superior strength. Despite his sword having as light a touch as he could give it using his feather magic, her skills slowed him down.
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