by Jamie Davis
Focusing on the green glow, Cari activated her burst of speed.
Right away, time slowed, allowing her to move at a pace nearly double everyone else for a brief time.
The timer in the corner of her visual field read fifty seconds before it started counting down.
She had to work fast. When it ran out, she’d be nearly helpless during the recovery period from using the powerful skill.
Ducking under a slow-motion swipe from one of the enormous battle axes, Cari charged forward, leading with sword and dagger and laid open the belly of the first minotaur.
Spinning around the dying creature, she now stood behind the second minotaur. The beast-man struggled to keep up with her speed and agility.
He was unsuccessful.
This time she succeeded in slicing through the hamstrings at the back of the knees and the minotaur’s legs buckled.
Cari lowered her shoulder and rammed forward into the falling beast, tipping it forward to slam into the deck on his face.
She ran past, stabbing downward at the back of the minotaur’s neck, killing it just as the other one succumbed to its wounds as well.
4,000 experience
4,000 experience
Quest completed — rescue the boarding party
8,000 experience
Level Up!
Cari checked the timer. Forty seconds remained.
It might be enough time to pull off what she planned.
She charged forward towards the quarterdeck of the raider ship. The raider captain stood at the forward rail, rallying his crew in their stalled counterattack.
He saw the blur of her approach and pointed at her with a flintlock pistol in his hands.
It was going to be close.
She had to cross the length of the ship from where she’d finished off the two minotaurs.
The pistol fired, its barrel expelling a plume of gray smoke and a round bullet right at her.
Surprised she could see the speeding bullet at all, Cari nearly missed a flashing message at the top of her visual field.
Dodge Projectiles -- Active
She’d forgotten about the new master duelist skill she’d received at level 10. That was why she could see the bullet’s path as it flew towards her.
Time to roll the dice.
Twisting her torso to the side as she ran at her full, enhanced speed, the bullet flew past her face. It passed so close, she felt the superheated projectile’s searing passage on her cheek.
Without missing a beat, Cari used her increased speed and acceleration to propel her forward towards a raised hatch cover.
She bounded off it, kicking upward with all her strength.
The move launched her in the air over the quarterdeck rail, executing a diving leap and somersault to land on the deck next to the surprised raider captain.
She kicked out with one leg as the last few seconds ticked off the power-up timer. The move knocked the raider captain’s legs out from under him.
Cari’s hand lanced outward to slice at the man’s throat as he fell.
Blood spurted from the gaping, fatal wound. He was dead before his body hit the deck.
4,500 experience
The timer hit zero and Cari swooned as dizziness and overwhelming fatigue swept over her, knocking her to her knees.
Stabbing the point of her rapier into the deck planking and gripping her hilt with all her remaining might, Cari managed to keep from falling over.
She remained there kneeling next to the dead raider captain, trying to look as deadly now as she had seconds before despite her gasping breaths.
The remaining raider officers stared at her and then at their dead captain.
“Surrender, and you live,” Cari bluffed. Her voice sounded distant as she struggled to remain conscious, her vision blackening around the edges.
Using her remaining strength, she lifted the hand holding her dagger and pointed the bloody weapon at the nearest of the raiders.
“I’m the Dread Raider Cari, you bastard, and you die next.”
That did it.
Cutlasses and boarding axes clattered to the planks on the quarterdeck. One of the officers raised his voice in a shout.
“Surrender. Barracuda crew, drop your arms and surrender.”
Cari nodded, keeping the grim, confident smile on her face. She only had to hold on a little longer.
More weapons clattered to the planks below on the main deck.
Quest completed — secure the surrender of the raider ship
8,000 experience
Rodrigo raced up to the quarterdeck to stand beside his captain. He knew how vulnerable she was after using her incredible power.
“I’ve got this, Cari,” he said as more of his men and women came up to take the officers into custody.
She wanted to berate him for being so informal in public, but she succumbed to the combination of her wounds and the aftermath of using her power-up ability.
Cari closed her eyes and slipped into unconsciousness first.
Chapter 3
Cari woke up in her cabin, lying on her stomach in bed. Strong hands pressed down on her back and she felt a brief searing pain then a tugging sensation.
Helen’s soothing voice came to her through the sleepy haze.
“Hold still, Cap'n. I’m almost finished stitching up this puncture from the minotaur’s horns. You’re lucky he didn’t pierce your kidney. I’m fresh out of healing potions, and I’m not sure I could have saved you.”
“The rest of the crew?” Cari asked.
“We lost ten,” Helen replied. Cari heard the sadness in her surgeon’s tone. “We have to return to Tandon and purchase more potions from the temple priests there if you’re planning on hunting more raiders anytime soon.”
Cari winced as Helen placed another stitch in her back.
“Weren’t there some potions on board the raider ship?”
“No, ma’am. One of our cannon balls smashed their ship’s infirmary. All the bottles containing any potions were crushed along with it.”
“That sucks,” Cari remarked.
Helen laughed and patted Cari’s shoulder after snipping the thread and tying it off.
“You can get up now. Be careful how you move, though, or you’ll rip out the stitches.”
“Don’t I always listen to you, Helen?”
“No, ma’am, you don’t. I’ll remind you, we don’t have any potions left. Anything you do to yourself is going to have to heal the normal way, nice and slow, even with your uncanny healing ability.”
Cari rolled onto her side and sat up on the edge of her bed. She winced when she extended her arm to reach for her shirt, hanging on the back of the chair next to the bed.
Helen shook her head but didn’t say anything. The woman would have liked to keep her in bed for a day or two, Cari knew.
That wouldn’t do, though. The crew needed to see their captain on her feet again and looking as fit as ever.
Cari fought through the pain and pulled the white, cotton shirt over her head and settled it in place. Wincing, she stood and gingerly tucked the shirttail into the top of her breeches.
She opted out of the leather corset she usually wore. It would be too painful to bear right now, and Helen would make sure to show her displeasure with Cari’s disregard for the surgeon’s orders. She wouldn’t be gentle with the tugging as she laced it up. Helen would see it as the right punishment for foolish pride.
Instead of the corset, Cari chose her blue uniform coat with the bright brass buttons. It looked more formal than she liked but it would have to do and would cover up any blood that seeped through her shirt.
Pulling on the woolen coat, Cari walked to the cabin door. It was time to get back on deck and show the crew she was alright.
On the main deck, Mr. Bowcott, along with Stefan and Rodrigo, stood talking with a group of individuals, two women and a man, dressed in an assortment of torn clothing and rags. They seemed to be embroiled in an animated
discussion about something.
Cari crossed to them and cleared her throat.
“Is there something I should be aware of, ladies and gentlemen?”
“Ah, uh, you’re up, Cap’n,” the first mate said. “I knew Helen was checking in on you, but based on her description of your wounds, I assumed you’d be laid up a little longer.”
“I heal fast, even without potions or magic. What is going on? Who are these people?”
“Ma’am,” Stefan said. “These are the surviving elders from the fishing village last hit by the raider ship we took yesterday. They have an alarming tale to tell about the raiders’ planned destination before we chased them down.”
Cari turned to the two women and the man who been arguing with her officers.
“I’m Captain Cari Dix, Commander of the Vengeance. What is it you want my people to do?”
The first woman nudged her companion. “I told you it was her. How many Captain Caris wander the seas fighting raider ships and freeing slaves?”
The captive man alongside them raised an eyebrow. “You’re the vaunted Dread Raider Cari?”
“I am,” Cari replied, her tone shifting deeper as she detected doubt or reservations in his voice.
“Somehow I thought you would be…”
“Older, perhaps?” Cari took a menacing step towards the man.
Mr. Bowcott stepped up beside her. “Many are surprised by the prowess and skill of our captain. I can attest to being amazed by her exploits on numerous occasions. I assure you, she is the real thing, the true Dread Raider Cari.”
The man stared at her for a few seconds. She returned it with a glare, raising one eyebrow as if daring him to say anything else about her abilities.
He blinked and looked away first and Cari smiled. She let out the breath she’d been holding.
“What is it you’d like us to know,” Cari continued, turning to the two women.
“Three ships raided our village and two others. I overheard the captain talking to his officers about a rendezvous with the others and a trading barque collecting slaves from all the various raider ships to take to the Sultanate lands far to the south. It seems they make a fair bit of money from the sale.”
“The Sultanate?” Rodrigo asked. “The Empire is at war with them. Even the raiders stay away from them whenever possible. Why would anyone be selling slaves to them?”
“Think about it, Rod,” Stefan said. “If you have a ship full of slaves, do you sell them to a place where they could tell everyone where they’re from and who took them or do you sell them in a place no one in their right minds would go looking for them?”
Cari nodded in agreement with her lieutenant’s statement. “That, and more and more places in the Empire outlawing slavery. Pretty much the only places that own slaves any more are far to the east.”
“Yeah, near the Duke of Charon’s holdings,” Rodrigo added, his voice cold with anger. “You know he’s got to be behind this, Cari.”
He stopped himself, but not before he used her first name. She’d had a lengthy discussion with both of them about using her name in familiar terms while in public like this. She had to be the Captain at all times when on deck, and no one else.
“Mr. Dumont, I believe there are duties that require your attention. Mr. Bowcott, don’t we need to have the ballast hold checked for leaks and damage after our encounter yesterday?”
“I believe they were only given a cursory check by the ship’s carpenter, ma’am. They could certainly use a more thorough going over before we get underway and send these folks back to their homes in the captured raider.”
“Excellent. You heard him, Lieutenant. Strip down to your small clothes and climb into the ballast hold. Don’t come out until you’ve checked every seam.”
Rodrigo winced. That job was hard, dirty work and he knew it.
“Yes, Captain Dix. I’ll report back as soon as the job is finished, ma’am.”
He saluted and ran to the ladder leading to the lower decks, disappearing below.
“Now that we’ve attended to that, let’s turn our thoughts to what we should do about this meet up to transfer the slaves,” Cari said. “What is the status of the crew, Mr. Bowcott?”
“We are pretty beat up by that last fight, Cap’n. I don’t know how we’d fare without recruiting more crew members somewhere.”
“Pardon me, mistress,” the second and younger of the two women said. “I would join your crew, as would many of our companions. We could fill out your ship’s company and help you take revenge on those who took us captive, to begin with.”
Cari considered the young woman. A part of her mind was amused at the way she thought the woman younger. She was, in all likelihood a few years older than she was. Yet, Cari was the captain of her own warship and the woman was not. Cari had earned this post, on more than one occasion. She planned on doing so again when the opportunity presented itself.
“What is your name?” Cari asked.
“Darla,” the woman said. “The raiders kilt my husband. I ain’t got nothing else to go back to. Plus, my sister’s captive on one of those other ships. I’d like the chance to fight to get ‘er back.”
“We work hard, drill hard, and fight hard, Darla. Men and women, we all do our share on this ship.”
“I know, Mistress. I can pull my weight. The others who would join you will as well.”
Cari glanced at the other two. They seemed surprised by Darla’s offer, but they were older than she was and likely had other ties back on the mainland.
“Mr. Bowcott, see how many of the other former prisoners are interested in joining the crew. Report back to me with the numbers and how you think they’ll fit with our complement.”
“Aye, ma’am. I’ll have the answer for you within the hour.”
“Good, in the meantime, we still need to return the remaining folk to the mainland. Make sure there are enough able seamen among them to sail the raider ship and take it and the raider prisoners back to the coast. They can set sail once we’ve recovered enough stores to replenish our supplies and weapon stores.”
“Yes, Cap’n. I’ll add my findings to the report with the other.”
Darla dropped to a knee before Cari. “Thank you, Mistress. You won’t be sorry. You’ll see.”
“Get up, girl,” Cari said. “It’s Captain or ma’am. I’m not a noblewoman or a princess for you to be kneeling and bowing to, no matter what you may have heard. Go with the first mate here and help him find out which of your fellow prisoners wish to join our number. We’ll see later on about what you can do.”
Darla stood up, unsure what to say next. “Uh, yes Cap’n, ma’am.”
Cari turned to Stefan. “Mr. Claridge, see which of our wounded could use a break from our work and are still able enough to help crew the raider ship. We’ll detail enough of them to help get the remainder of these people home.”
“Yes, Captain. I’ll arrange a skeleton crew able enough to get the job done. I don’t think many of them will be happy about it, though. They’ll want to remain here and join us in the coming fight.”
“Tell them there’ll be other fights. We’ll skim the coast on our return and pick any of them up who wish to rejoin us. Or they can head to Tandon and meet up with us on our next stop there for refitting.”
Stefan nodded and left to gather his crew for the raider.
Mr. Bowcott took the three former prisoners with him and left Cari alone on the deck watching the bustle of activity around her as the battle damage was deftly repaired on both ships.
Judging from the progress, they’d be ready to sail again in a day or so. Then they could set out to free some more slaves.
Taking a moment to check her statistics since she’d leveled up during the battle, Cari looked over the updated information presented to her.
Name: Cari Dix
Class: Duelist
Level: 11
Attributes:
Brawn: 12 - +2 to hit/damage
; Wisdom: 10 - +1
Luck: 10 - +1 to all saving throws
Speed: 20 - +7 defense
Charm: 14 - +3 personal reaction
Health: 72/110
Skills: Two-Weapon Combat, Acrobatic Dodge — 2, Multi-Foe Tactics — 2, Feint — 2, Taunt, Bladesmith — Master, Prescience — 2, Ambidexterity, Seamanship — 2, Navigation — 2
Master Duelist power-up bonus — projectile dodge 50%
Experience: 173,000/300,000
Attribute points: 2
Skill points: 1
———
As usual, Cari had two new attribute points to apply and one new skill level to select.
Deciding they’d need the ability to bluff if she was to be successful in the plan she had brewing to recover the other slaves, Cari placed her two attribute points in Charm. That added another bonus of plus one to her ability to influence others when negotiating and trading.
She tried to add the extra skill level to her Master Duelist ability to dodge projectiles. A fifty percent chance to dodge was good, but it wasn’t a sure thing.
A glowing golden message appeared in her visual field overtop the stats menu.
Unable to increase Master Duelist skill at this time. Next automatic increase to 55% occurs at level 12.
The notification disappointed her, but at least she knew it would increase as she continued to level up. Since that didn’t work, Cari decided to add an additional level to her Prescience ability. It always helped to sense hidden attacks, plus it made her feel a little like Spider-Man.
Satisfied with the progress of everything except her current HP, Cari headed to the quarterdeck where she could oversee the repairs and training of her crew while staying out of the way. They never knew when the next engagement might catch up with them.
Chapter 4
The journey south took five days. Cari stood next to her cabin’s chart table and studied the maps retrieved from the raider ship. She chuckled at the marking on the chart. An actual “X” marked the location of the rendezvous on the main map. She’d transferred the location to her more accurate charts and laid in the course to get them there.
