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 was 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.
“Deun,” Keelin repeated, stopping close to the Riverlander. “How many have you lost?”
“Too many,” Burn said. “Too many lost to this war. To Morrass’ war.”
“Bring your crew aboard The Phoenix,” Keelin said quickly. “We’ve both lost too many. Apart we will be beaten by the next boat we try to board, but together we’re stronger than we were before.”
“Rheel Toa…” Deun said.
“Will float here safe and abandoned. We’ll drop you back on your ship once this fight is over.” There was another creaking crack beneath them. A second mast snapped and fell, toppling over the aft railing.
“Quickly, Deun.”
The Riverlander nodded slowly and turned away, barking orders to his crew in their own language. Keelin let out a deep sigh and ran towards his ship. The Riverlanders joined him, swelling the numbers of his crew.
As the Man of War finally collapsed in on itself and sank beneath the waves, leaving bits of flotsam and bad memories as the only proof it had ever existed, Keelin scanned the sea. Everywhere he looked, ships were locked together, ships were on fire, ships were stopping near wreckage to pull their comrades out of the deep blue. The sun was shining and the world somehow seemed dark.
“We’ve got incoming,” Deun Burn said, and Keelin turned. The Riverlander was growling as he stared out to sea. Keelin followed his gaze; another ship was approaching, flying the colours of Sarth and wearing the scars of a recent battle and victory.
“Ready to repel boarders,” Keelin shouted.
Chapter 67 - Starry Dawn
Elaina scrambled up the rigging as fast her hands and feet would carry her, climbing in a way that would have made her mother’s monkeys proud. Reaching the yard, she grabbed hold with both hands and let go with her feet, dangling high above the deck. She turned and swung her legs up to grip around the yard and started to scurry along, upside down. By the time she reached the flaming section of sail it was long past salvageable. Elaina wrapped her legs tight and let go with her hands, pulling a dagger from her belt and cutting away at the sail with wild abandon. Before long the flaming canvas was floating harmlessly down to the deck, and Elaina had only a few minor burns to show for it. She breathed a sigh of relief.
“Cap,” Alfer shouted up from the deck. Everyone down below looked so small.
“Aye?”
“Ocean Deep is moving up on our stern.”
Elaina barked out a laugh and swung her body upwards, catching hold of the yard and turning around again, then headed back towards the mast. It was just like Blu to wait until the the fighting had thinned down a bit before joining in. No doubt the coward was looking to claim some glory. Some of Elaina’s glory.
Heading upwards instead of down, Elaina raced towards the nest. She climbed in quickly, giving Four-Eyed Pollick a quick shove. Pollick screamed, turning on Elaina with a small knife. “Oh, fuck. Sorry, Cap. Thought it was… um… I dunno, really. Not you.”
“We’re all a little on edge, Pol…” Elaina trailed off as she took in the sight from up high. As far as she could see, ships dotted the blue water, some locked together, others sailing or sinking. One pirate ship was running – or rather limping, given the condition of its sails – back towards home. The thickest of the fighting was to the north. Man of Wars and galleons from both sides were crashing into each other, tiny specks leaping from one ship to another. Captain Khan’s behemoth was over that way too. The ship was moving, but it looked in bad shape. Even from such a distance Elaina could see the holes in her side and the smoke still trailing out of her hold. North Storm wasn’t done though. She was turning towards the fight and picking up speed.