Upon a Pale Horse- Raiding the Seven Seas

by Simon Archer

  On the main deck, crew fought monster, and slowly gave ground in blood and life. Whatever these things were, they didn’t seem to die. Gunshots drove them back, as did concentrated assaults, but nothing I saw seemed to break their pale skin.

  Jimmy Mocker popped out of the forecastle stairway and put a musket ball right in the eye of one of the horrors from the sea. That did nothing but knock it down and piss it off, while he stepped to the side and cleared the way for a charge of sailors. The reinforcements helped, but if we couldn’t hurt these things, we were doomed, no matter how good an account we made of ourselves.

  Water splashed around my feet, and wind howled in my ears as I gathered my power. If weapons wouldn’t hurt these damned demons, then maybe magic could. As I did so,Tabitha Binx suddenly burst out from below and joined the fray, opening her attack with a series of shots from a pair of double-barreled flintlock pistols. Her shots knocked some of the flightless monsters back and gave the sailors a moment to rally.

  Ember was close behind her captain, hands and hair aflame with her magic as she unleashed burning hexes on the attackers. Magical fire did seem to burn the things, and they fell back before the fire-witch’s onslaught.

  She wasn’t alone, either. Mary stalked out, her paired knives sparkling as her evil eye blazed with power. The closest of the demons froze under her gaze right before she launched herself at the thing.

  Next and last was Adra, her eyes closed as she stepped delicately out onto the main deck. Around her, though, a tempest of wind and lightning raged. In a trance, the shamaness walked forward into the fray, brushing monsters from her path with wind and thunderbolts.

  I grinned and turned my attention to the fliers keeping me pinned down. My women had made their entrance, and I couldn’t let them show me up. I was the Captain, after all. I coaxed one of the stronger air elementals to do my bidding, and with a gesture, I brought one of the two fliers crashing down to the deck in front of me.

  With a roar that shook the very timbers of The Hullbreaker, I swung my greataxe, empowered by elemental and spiritual force, in a precise arc that swept the demon’s head clean off its thin shoulders. First kill!

  The second one let out a high-pitched shriek and dove for me, its knife-long talons reaching to slice and tear. I sidestepped and slashed the axe again. This time, I lopped off a wing and sent the monster ass over teakettle to fetch up against the mizzenmast. I took full advantage as the demon tried to reorient itself, bringing my axe down on the thing’s misshapen head and splitting it from crown to sternum. As I yanked my axe free and turned, more of the things clambered over the rail and dove down from the sky.

  “Find Lack,” I called out as I made my way down to the main fracas, adding my own skill and spiritual might to the battle. The tide had turned somewhat, and the crew, along with the witches and shaman, held the ship against the incoming tide of beasts.

  “By the iceberg,” Gol yelled down from the crow’s nest. “In the shadows.”

  The floating mountain was aft and port of us as we drifted, and I began fighting my way towards the closest rail at the lookout’s words.

  Ember, Tabitha, Jimmy Mocker, and Jenny Nettles had grouped up to help drive back the demons from the fallen crew, while Bord’s cannoneers dragged the injured belowdecks. Adra stood in the center of the fight, like the eye of a hurricane, with her elemental and spiritual allies battling against the invading monsters, while Mary danced and spun and slashed her way back and forth across the deck, leaving paralyzed and dying demons in her wake.

  There were always more, though. So long as the sorcerer remained, the things would keep coming.

  I got to the rail and glared out through a momentary break in the battle to see Lack, standing in his little sailboat and watching, and that’s when I realized something else. We were being drawn in. The Hullbreaker’s forward momentum had ceased, and it was drifting inexorably towards the looming iceberg and the waiting sorcerer. The water churned around his boat where something else waited.

  An idea struck me suddenly as Mary appeared at my side. “Ye be most mobile, lass,” I said to her. “Relay a message to Bord for me on the cannon deck, an’ have him prepare a broadside.” The ship was turning slowly as it was pulled in towards the sorcerer and whatever else waited for us.

  It took her just a moment to appraise the situation, and she smirked as she figured out what I wanted. “Aye, Cap’n,” she exclaimed before bounding off. Two demons fell paralyzed in her wake.

  I stepped over and finished one off, while Daka grabbed the other and hurled it overboard. Another demon burst into flame, then its head exploded as a musket shot rang out. Ember stood beside Jimmy, who had taken cover with Adra, Jenny, and Tabitha. Dogar and several of the other orcish crew held the demons back from them by sheer stubborn strength.

  These things were as bad with the swarm tactics as the sahagin, only these demons were far tougher and deadlier. What magic we had seemed to do the trick, though, although there was no chance to rest.

  I cleared a space around me, brought down another flyer with a controlled downward blast of wind, and buried my axe in the thing's chest before whirling it bodily around and sending the corpse into the icy water. When a quick glance showed me that we were almost lined up perpendicular to Lack and his little vessel, I dodged past one of the wingless demons, knocked it off its feet, and rushed to the railing.

  A little further. The Hullbreaker continued its slow, drifting turn.

  There it was.

  “Fire!” I shouted as loud as my orcish lungs could manage. Hopefully, Bord had gotten the message.

  A half-second later, a full port broadside boomed out. The ship rocked with the force of the blasts, and smoke clouded the scene for a moment. When it cleared, the iceberg was in the process of calving off significant chunks of ice, but Lack and his little ship still floated there. The sorcerer held one hand outstretched, palm towards us, and three cannonballs floated there, suspended by magic.

  The bastard had stopped them. I swore angrily. That should have worked!

  I would have drawn one of my pistols to shoot, but we were out of range, with the ship still spinning. For a moment, I imagined that the sorcerer met my gaze and smiled.

  Lack gestured, and the three cannonballs shifted position in the air, then he set them spinning and made a gesture towards us, like flicking away a gnat. The captured iron balls hurtled back at The Hullbreaker.

  Time seemed to slow. One of the balls shot towards the cannon deck, another for the helm, and the last towards the clump of defenders that included Tabitha and Adra. Two of these were too far away for me to do anything, but the third…

  I gathered my power in an instant and stepped into the cannonball’s path, dropping my axe as I did so. It hung in the air for a moment, then dropped as everything sped up again. One ball rebounded from the ship’s hull, the second shattered the wheel into shards and flew on out to splash into the water, and the third, well, I caught it.

  The skin of my hands sizzled as I took the full brunt of a sorcerously flung cannonball, stopped it dead, then whirled and hurled it right back where it came from. My axe hit the deck beside me headfirst and stuck for a moment before I snatched it up and let out a loud roar of challenge that echoed across the whitecaps.

  Lack, surprise on his pale face for just an instant, reacted too slowly. He got his hands in the way, but the twelve-pound projectile caught him and hurled the sorcerer backward with incredible force. He hit the sailboat’s mast, snapped right through it, and flew off into the water.

  A moment later, the sea exploded beneath the small vessel as it rose from the water, impaled on the immense spiral horn of the largest narwhal I’d ever seen.

  Ligeia had joined the fray. A bit late, but I was happy as hell to see her.

  My siren launched herself from the head of the King Narwhal and dove into the water where Lack had fallen. I turned and grinned at the remaining demons.

  “Who be next?” I snarled.

/>   A great cheer rose from my crew, and with battle cries on our lips, we charged. Magic and muscle and gunpowder quickly won the day, and we swept the surviving monsters from The Hullbreaker’s deck, bringing down and killing the handful of flyers that continued to harry us.

  All too soon, it was over, and we stood victorious. Mary, Ember, and Adra took over handling and healing the casualties. While we had a lot of injured, only a few had died, and while the ship’s wheel would take a few hours to replace, we did have a spare, and a team of dwarves that could make the fix look easy.

  Meanwhile, Ligeia returned to the ship and rushed to my arms, cold, wet, and all, and I kissed her soundly.

  When we broke, she whispered in my ear, “It was gone, Captain. I could not find a body, nor even the scent of it.”

  Damn.

  15

  Once the Gale was free of Lack’s bindings, it proceeded to rip apart the iceberg in a rather childish display of power and temper. Most of the able-bodied crew gathered at the rail to watch once we’d anchored to wait for Bord and his crew to replace the wheel. Mary had seen to bandaging my burned hands as well, and I gawked along with the men at the elemental’s rampage.

  “My apologies for taking so long to return,” Ligeia said to me. “I fear that I was a bit picky in my choice of companion for this quest.”

  The King Narwhal floated nearby, a massive, pale, and spotted thing with a horn the protruded about a quarter of its length further. It seemed quite content to just rest while we went about our business.

  “I’ve no complaints, lass,” I told her. “Next time, though, give me some bit o’ warning before ye stay afield for a week.”

  “Of course. I am glad that we arrived when we did, although I hate that we lost that thing.” Ligeia had taken to referring to Lack as an ‘it’ for some inexplicable reason.

  I shrugged. Overall, we had come out pretty well, although I did wonder about Rhianne. Where was she during the fight? I had to know.

  “Come with me,” I said, motioning to Ligeia as I slipped out of the crowd at the rail and made my way to the cabins. The siren followed unquestioningly, but she picked up on my sudden change in mood and stayed silent.

  The undead witch sat alone in Mary’s lab, her eyes fixed on a scroll that she’d unrolled before her. “Before you ask, Captain,” she said without looking up, “I remained hidden here at Mary’s behest. She shielded me from Lack and wanted me to remain out of his sight. I would have preferred to act, but it was, perhaps, safer for everyone if he did not know I was aboard.”

  “Do ye think that he might have figured it out?” I asked.

  She shook her head and shrugged. “I know not.”

  Ligeia studied the witch in silence for a moment, then nodded slowly and backed out as I turned to go.

  “Ye know,” I said, “I will trust ye, eventually.”

  “Better that you don’t,” the undead woman mused.

  I left her at that and headed back on deck. Once there, I paused and looked around. We had come out of that fight remarkably intact, considering everything that had been arrayed against us. We’d also caught the sorcerer by surprise, and I doubted that would happen again. It was a frustrating truth that enemies who survived grew more dangerous, and Lack was potentially more of a threat than the Admiral. At least he was for the moment.

  My siren stuck with me as I checked on the wounded and the others. Mary and Ember were fine, while Tabitha had taken a talon-slash along one arm, but it would heal. Jenny and Jimmy had picked up a few more scars as well, as had Daka and Dogar, but no one was truly bad off.

  I found Adra later on the foredeck. Once the healing was done, she got quickly out of the way and found a little spot to watch from. Ligeia stayed with me, though, which I was happy for.

  Before I could say anything, the siren smiled at the shamaness. “Welcome to the family.”

  Adra laughed and looked from her to me. “As you suggested, Splitter of Skulls, they do make me feel welcome. How may I help?”

  “You’ve saved a few lives, Adra,” I replied in Orgik. “You are entitled to get some rest if you need it.”

  She shrugged and laughed softly. “I have set the hounds loose on the sorcerer. We will find him.”

  “I know,” I said. “I suspect he has gone ahead to prepare another ambush for us, or, if we’re lucky, he’s given up.”

  “Not likely,” Adra spat. “Have you considered my question about the artifacts?”

  “I have,” I said with a nod, “but I want to come along. There is no way that I’d let you face those things alone.”

  “As you wish,” she said. “Could we do it now while your duties are being repaired?”

  It was an odd expression, but considering the state of the helm, I could see how she arrived at it. “I have no objection. Meet me below in the forward brig, and let’s be done with this before we have to sail again.”

  Adra nodded and smiled. “Thank you, Captain.”

  “You mean to do something that you do not wish for me to know?” Ligeia asked.

  “Nay, lass,” I said with a shake of my head. “Adra and I mean to further investigate the mirror and the skull while Tabitha an’ Mary are busy. If ye wish to watch over us, ye can.”

  “Do you think it best to do it without them?” Ligeia asked.

  “Hells,” I grumbled. “Nay, I do not, but Tabitha needs to be safe from the damned skull, an’ I trust not the mirror at all.”

  “Yet you would risk yourself and the self of Adra?” The siren gazed intently at me.

  What in the hell was I thinking? I reached up and scratched my head, then looked from Adra, patiently waiting near the stairs to the main deck, to Ligeia, who stood facing me with her head slightly cocked to the left. I closed my eyes as I scowled. Something wasn’t quite right with me. When I let my thoughts empty out, I felt a vague tugging towards the Black Mirror where it rested belowdecks.

  “Adra,” I said suddenly, sticking to the human tongue for Ligeia’s benefit. “Look within an’ tell me if ye feel a draw to the mirror?”

  The shamaness paused and closed her eyes for a long moment while I waited, then suddenly snapped them open. “You are right! I would never have noticed it, if you hadn’t bid me to look for it.”

  “I understand the calling magics,” Ligeia explained unasked. “I have felt the draw of the mirror since it was brought aboard. It is not something that I have an interest in, and so it means nothing to me. I thought that you all were aware of this, or I would have brought it up before.”

  “Well, we did know that those things called to some of us,” I mused, “just not that the mirror was so bloody sneaky.”

  “It even lured me, Splitter of Skulls, and I am far more experienced in the realm of the spirit than you, if not near as strong,” Adra said. “I still must investigate it and the skull further though.”

  “Considerin’ the risk?” I asked.

  She nodded and smiled faintly. “Tell the others, if you must, and I will need you to… how do you say?... guard my back.”

  “Can ye do anything about the things’ lure?” I asked, looking at my siren.

  “My song might overwhelm its influence, should it come to that,” she replied. “But I am uncertain what other magics and influence it may have.”

  “We’ll have to risk it, then,” I growled, then leaned over the rail. “Mary! Tabitha! Can ye come here for a moment?”

  Both of them nodded and then made their way over. Tabitha spoke first, “So, what do ye need, Cap’n?”

  “Adra an’ I mean to further look at the Black Mirror and Kurle’s Skull,” I said flatly. “I did not want to involve either o’ ye, an’ I almost forgot my honor an’ duty to ye.”

  “Glad am I that you remembered,” Mary said, crossing her arms beneath her breasts and scowling slightly.

  “It is not his fault,” the siren spoke up, “nor is it Adra’s. The Black Mirror calls out, and its pull is subtle. It is like the scent that draws one unkn
owing to the den of a predator. It is like my song.”

  Tabitha blinked and looked between us all. “Bloody hell,” she swore. “Can’ we just dump the damn thing overboard?”

  Mary studied me for a long moment, then looked at the other women before she stepped forward and reached up to pull me down for a kiss. When she broke it, she whispered, “Please do not leave me out, my Captain. If ever I chance losing you, I wish to be at your side to face the danger as well.”

  I sighed. These women knew me well, especially Mary. Of course, she was my first.

  “I swear, Mary Night,” I said. “Now, do ye wish to partake of this folly?”

  She smirked. “I wouldn’t bloody miss it, Cap’n,” the witch said as she dipped into pirate cant.

  Tabitha was silent for a moment, then shook her head. “I think I’ll be sittin’ this one out. Not that I ain’t worried about ye or don’t want to be at yer sides, but I think I’d be a liability should the skull reach for me once again.”

  Mary slipped an arm around the black-furred woman and gave her a loving squeeze. “No one thinks less of you for that, Tabby. It takes courage to admit one’s limits.”

  “Aye,” I said with a nod, then looked off towards the helm, where the work crew toiled. “We should be done with this sooner than later.”

  “Agreed,” Adra nodded.

  “Let’s be off then.” Mary took my arm and tugged me towards the door leading belowdecks. I went easily, and the others followed.

  Not much later, we stood around the chained crate that held the Black Mirror. I remembered the liquid, oily voice that spoke to me when I partially unchained the thing back at the island where Adra had raised the rotting hulk of The Golden Bull treasure ship. The thought drew a soft growl out of me and caused the others to look at me curiously.

  “Rememberin’ this damned thing from the last time we thought to look at it,” I said, then pulled the magical key from my pouch. “Everyone ready?”