by Ben Hale
As Liri, Trin, Mae, and Taryn gathered their weapons and readied themselves, Liri leaned close to Taryn. “There’s something strange about these pirates.”
“What is it?” Taryn asked, glancing at her.
She hesitated, which made Taryn finish ducking into his hard leather vest and look at her. “What?” he asked again.
“They turned towards us at the same time . . . at the exact same moment.”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded with a frown. “Didn’t Daiki say that instant communication across distances was something very rare?”
“I think so.” He paused, trying to remember. “I think he told a story of two brothers that could talk mind to mind across any distance, but I thought he said it was just a legend.”
“Whatever it is, these pirates are communicating somehow, which means there is one clear leader.” Her brow furrowed before she continued, “If we find him, we might be able to stop this fight without getting killed.”
“Agreed, go tell the captain so we can be prepared,” Taryn said, tightening his belt.
She nodded and left Taryn to finish readying himself. Sinking his knives into their sheaths, he strapped on his twin curving scabbards and slipped his katsanas home. One last check and he hurried back up to the crow’s nest, doing his best not to think about the last time he’d fought pirates.
As soon as he was on top of the mast he made a quick count of the ships to make sure no more had shown up. There were still seven, which wasn’t good, but at least no more had appeared. Watching them for a minute, he gauged them to be coming faster than he would have expected. Even though they were still a good distance away, Taryn’s sharp eyes narrowed as he peered at one of the vessels. Something was moving on the side of the boat and he pulled the spyglass from its leather case mounted to the rail.
As he brought it to his eye, the ship he had been watching leapt into sharp detail. After a moment’s inspection he realized there were oars on both sides of the ship—two banks of oars. At two rowers per oar, that would mean at least a hundred pirates to the one ship. Turning to examine all the other ships, he could see that others had two banks of oars as well, and the few that only had one were even larger vessels. At best they were facing approximately seven hundred pirates. A shiver ran down his back . . .
There were only forty sailors on their ship.
In the face of such odds, Taryn’s mind turned to his uncle’s words. Do I have to kill to survive? Will I be able to? The questions beat against his skull so hard he had to swallow and shake his head to bring himself back to the present. With all his might he tried to convince himself that the pirates they were going to fight were purely evil and forced himself to imagine sinking his blade into one—but he couldn’t even bring himself to slay one in his own head. In the back of his mind a sinister whisper ripped through him. What if Liri dies because you couldn’t kill?
Abruptly the wood under his feet snapped backward and he snatched the rail to hold on. As if fate wanted to play a hand in the upcoming sea battle, a strong wind began billowing behind him, filling the sails to the point of breaking. Rocking and plowing forward, the prow of the boat began to buck as it crashed through the water.
A creak of wood behind him brought his attention to a person climbing over the rail. The normally grinning Hunrins’ face appeared white under his scruff as he worked himself into the small space. “The captain wants you in his quarters. I’ll take the watch.”
Taryn nodded and climbed over the rail, leaving the cramped space for the small man. When he arrived at the captain’s cabin, he found Liri, Trin, Maemi, and Sabriel already there. The captain indicated for Taryn to close the door.
“We have a problem,” the captain said. “We have forty-two sailors and you four fighters from Sri Rosen. We are going against seven ships with an estimated fifty sailors per ship—”
Taryn coughed and cut in, “Actually, four of the ships have two banks of oars. The others appear to be larger as well.” He paused, realizing there was no way to soften the blow. “I estimate at least a hundred per vessel.”
The captain’s face hardened. “Let me get straight to the point then. I know you four are trained to fight, and Sabriel and I have been in our fair share of sea battles. This is not a fight we can win. We need to come up with something in the next twenty minutes or we will be shark bait by nightfall. Any suggestions?”
The silence was deafening until Mae spoke. “I have an idea I think will work.”
The captain nodded, so she asked a few pointed questions about the ship. As she detailed her plan, the others’ tense expressions phased to incredulous.
When she finished, Trin asked, “Is that even possible?”
Sabriel’s brow knit together as he considered her suggestion, “I . . . think so, but I’ve never seen it done before.”
The captain leaned in. “I think it’s our best shot, but it’s going to be risky. We will be betting our lives on Liri and Taryn.”
Uncertain about his role, Taryn’s eyes flickered to Liri. Smiling confidently, she said. “We can do it.”
The captain stood up. “We’re going to use Maemi’s plan. I don’t see any other option anyway. You all know your positions, so get to it. Sabriel, inform the rest of the crew and finish getting this ship prepared in any way possible.”
Mae leaned forward with an intense expression, drawing all eyes towards her. “Taryn and Liri will do their part. You can count on it.”
The captain nodded grimly. “Let’s hope so. Our lives depend on it.”
Resigned determination mingled with a glimmer of hope as the group hurried to prepare for the upcoming battle, but Taryn found that his heart was not in it. He’d trained his whole life for just such a battle, to defend those weaker than himself against individuals seeking to destroy, to fight the strong preying on the weak.
He just wished he wasn’t so afraid to end the life of another sentient being—a sentient being that might still have good within its soul.
Chapter 6: Outnumbered
Taryn looked down from the crow’s nest at the crew finishing their preparations. The plan that Mae had presented was going to be tricky, and counted on Liri’s and Taryn’s skills with a bow. After she’d suggested the plan, she’d explained that there were a limited number of options when faced up against a vastly superior opponent. Hit and run tactics was usually the best option—but they couldn’t use that in the current situation. When you are forced to face a much larger enemy, you could either take a superior defensive position—which they couldn’t do either—or attack at a weak spot that cripples your opponent. This is what they would attempt.
Prior to explaining her idea, Mae had asked the captain what places on a ship could be hit by an arrow or two that might disable the entire vessel. The captain had answered by saying the rudder might be destroyed by a few well placed arrows. He’d also suggested that cutting the ropes holding the sail down might work as well, but that could easily be repaired.
The proposed plan involved an attempt to disable ships before they could surround the Sea Dancer. The oars were the complicating factor. They couldn’t really take out the oars, which made hitting the rudder the best option since cutting the sails would only slow the ship. Everything would depend on Liri’s and Taryn’s ability to hit specific locations on the rudder at the correct angle while both ships bobbed up and down—at unknown distances. But a single vessel disabled might balance the scales for their survival.
“Are you ready?” the captain called up to Taryn.
He leaned over the rail and raised his arm to show his readiness. Liri, positioned at the front of the ship, did the same. The pirates were closing in on them, with the first one only a minute or two from getting within range of bow and ballista. At the moment there were three ships right in front of them. Two of them were in the process of turning to block their way forward. Other vessels were gliding in on the right and left of them, cutting off any escape. This was going to be close, Taryn though
t.
“Fire as soon as you think you can hit them,” the captain called to Taryn and Liri.
Taryn waved in acknowledgement and drew Ianna. In a flash of light it changed to the bow. “I’ll take the big one on the left,” he yelled to Liri as he raised the bow. Sighting on the ship he’d designated as his target, he waited for the right moment to shoot. He’d picked this particular ship because it was one of the ships that was in the process of turning broadside towards them, which would present the rudder in a couple of seconds.
There! The vessel had finished its turn, bringing the rudder into view. With his elven vision enhanced by the far viewer, he focused on the tail end of the ship. Locating the spot he wanted to hit, he carefully put the far-viewer back into its case without taking his eyes from his target. Taking a deep breath, he brought the bow up and drew back an arrow of solid green light. This is just target practice, he told himself—then he released.
It took a few seconds for the arrow to strike, even though it flew so fast it was a blur of green. Hitting hard, it sunk into the wood at the highest spot visible—right next to where the cord that turned the rudder was connected. With a snap that could be heard from their own ship, the arrow went clean through the rudder . . . breaking it completely off! Not only did the rope tear, but also the top wooden pin that hinged it. Now the pirates’ rudder hung to the side, barely connected by the second wooden pin at the bottom.
Not a moment later, a second arrow flew from the front of their ship. It didn’t travel as fast as Taryn’s had, but Liri’s arrow still hit its target, and even more accurately, Taryn noted as he looked through the distance viewer. Liri’s arrow hit the rope square on, snapping it and embedding into the wood behind it.
A cheer went up from their ship and sailors began calling to Liri and Taryn, but the captain’s deep voice cut through their exuberance: “Save the celebration for later mates, we’re not out of hot water yet. Taryn, Liri, nice shooting; now do it again if you can.”
Taryn waved his arm and prepared to target another ship, but as he began looking for a rudder to target he noticed something strange—and not good for their plan. Even though several other ships had been in the process of turning broadside before, now they were straightening out and coming directly at them—keeping their rudders out of view.
Liri must have noticed it too. “I don’t have anything, do you see an opening?” she yelled up to him.
“No, they’ve all turned towards us,” he said, then hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “They responded pretty quickly to our shots; maybe they are watching their own ships.”
Her sharp look was still visible to him despite the distance separating them, and he nodded to her. She tilted her head in acknowledgement and left her post, heading for the captain at the helm. He hadn’t wanted to alert the crew, but the pirates almost certainly had some form of communication, and whatever it was, it was fast. There was no way all the ships could have seen them hit the rudders, so he’d hoped Liri would catch on and go tell the captain. He was glad to see her hurrying because they didn’t have much time. A couple of pirates were already trying to shoot some arrows—which splashed down a hundred feet short of the Sea Dancer.
The captain suddenly shouted, “It looks like they’re on to us. Taryn get down here. The rest of you lot, prepare to repel boarders.” Seeing the fear returning to their faces, he added, “And take courage, they will learn to fear us before this day is out!”
Taryn dropped to the deck and raced to the captain. As he skidded to a stop, the captain said, “Liri explained your theory and it sounds right, so what’s our new plan?”
Liri looked at Taryn and he nodded to her. She said, “Normally the only option left would be to try to take the leader…”
“—And that won’t work because even if we caught the leader, someone might just kill him to ‘advance’ themselves in rank,” the captain interjected, finishing her statement. “So what are we going to do?”
Liri spoke up again. “I know that normally finding the leader of a group of pirates wouldn’t work—but, we aren’t dealing with a normal set of pirates, are we? If a group has united like this, maybe there is a leader they will obey.”
“I don’t like it, but I don’t think we have any other hope,” the captain replied with a frown.
An arrow thudded into the railing nearby, drawing all their eyes to the quivering shaft.
“Well, we’re out of time, so that’s our new plan, but if you see an opportunity to stop a ship, do it.” Then the captain raised his voice and yelled to the crew, “Defend the ship, Taryn and Liri have a plan. Don’t wait for a command from me to shoot; if you see a target you can hit, hit it!”
The members of the crew that had bows or crossbows immediately turned and aimed over the rail. Pirate ships were all around them now. The two they had disabled were slowly turning with the rowers rowing in reverse on one side. Two ships were on their left, sailing parallel to their own vessel—but getting closer. Three ships were on the right with one of them sailing on an intercept course and the other two mirroring the others on the left. Pretty soon they were going to be surrounded.
A sudden volley of arrows came from the ship on an intercept course. Most embedded in wood, but one sailor cried out when an arrow sunk into his arm.
“Frey, take the injured that are unable to fight below, the injured that can still fight, do the best you can for them. We need every available figh—everybody get down!” the captain shouted as another volley flew through the air towards them from the left.
Everyone ducked as pirate ships all around them launched arrows and crossbow bolts in their direction. A hailstorm of deadly missiles rained down on their ship. Sails were ripped and torn, rails and barricades were pummeled relentlessly. Several of the men were hit because it was impossible to find cover from both sides.
Taryn leaned up and glanced over the rail at the ship that was still coming at them. If it didn’t turn, it was going to hit them in thirty seconds. Then the ship started to swing sharply to come in line with them. Now coming in at an angle, the rails could be seen lined with villainous looking pirates armed to the teeth with all manner of swords, axes, and daggers. Taryn estimated there to be about seventy in the boarding party, and it was clear they were going to be the first to intercept them. Their oars had been stowed and beams were ready to be put in place between their two ships.
As the ship drew closer the arrows slowed and stopped, allowing him to stand cautiously and look around for something to do. Seeing a stray rope that had been cut by the volley of arrows, an idea flashed into his mind. Brash and dangerous, it just might be brazen enough to take the pirates by surprise. It also might get him killed. With that comforting thought, he sheathed his weapons and sprinted to the rope that was hanging on the side where they were about to be boarded.
Without stopping he snatched the end of the rope and, still on the run, raced towards the back of the boat, wrapping the end of the cord securely around his left wrist as he ran. He streaked past the captain and a few sailors, reached the back rail and leapt off the boat at an angle. The rope instantly went taut and swung Taryn out to the right side of the ship in a wide arc—two feet above the choppy water.
In seconds he was angling out and away from the Sea Dancer an arm’s length from the pirate ship. Still gliding through the air with astonished pirates looking down at him from above, he drew Mazer and sliced right into the boat! The blade lit up with its magic as it cut through the side of the ship like it was a slice of hot bread. Gouging deep, the curved wood split open, leaving a ragged gap dipping below the water line.
Cries of astonishment turned to anger as they saw Taryn coast by several feet below them, gutting their ship like a fish. Before anyone could do anything, he finished his swing, sheathed his sword, and lifted his legs to fly right over the rail to land lightly at the front of his own vessel.
“Show-off,” Trin said, his voice laced with sarcasm.
Taryn shrugged
and ducked as a retaliating stream of arrows shot towards them again. Through a crack in the barricade he could see the ship he had sliced begin to settle and fall behind as water poured into the long cut he’d made.
A sudden crash from the opposite side shook their entire boat, throwing men stumbling to the deck. Another ship had just collided with theirs! Pirates, sailors, and the four fighters from the island rose to defend themselves. Shouts and screams echoed everywhere as the small group struggled to stave off the wave of corsairs, and the thrum of the large ballistae firing shook the deck. Before long, another ship hooked onto their boat from the right and pulled themselves close—forcing them to defend against both flanks!
Taryn and Liri fought on the left while Trin and Mae helped to defend the right. At first, Liri stood back and used her bow, repeatedly dispatching pirate after pirate until she ran out of arrows, then she drew her sword and moved to stand next to Taryn. For his part, Taryn was using both swords, blocking with first one, and then the other. When he had an opening, one of his swords would dart in, knocking pirates out with flat-bladed blows to the head. Even in the heat of battle with everyone’s lives at risk, his sword somehow turned at the last second before cutting into flesh.
Suddenly he charged forward, roaring as he rammed his shoulder into two men about to jump onto their boat. Smashed into each other, they flew backward and dragged another man into the water between the boats, where all three were quickly left behind by the racing hulls. Sending a quick prayer to Ero for them to survive, he hilt smashed a man that was about to kill Hunrin and sheathed Mazer.
With his right hand free, he changed his mother’s sword to a bow and whipped an arrow or two into pirates trying to jump between the ships. Each arrow went precisely where he wanted, embedding deep into shoulders or legs and causing each man to cry out before falling backward onto their own ship. Darting forward, he drew his father’s sword again and rejoined the fray.
On the opposite side, Mae twirled and danced, her short sword cutting through any that stood in her path. No one could even get close as she glided in and out of the group of pirates like an avenging wraith of destruction, and before they knew what hit them, they’d been cut down.
