The deafening roar was issued by a copper gargoyle sitting on the mast. The howl of the flagship echoed for many kilometers, and perhaps knocked out a couple of dozen glasses, and perhaps many were rescued from constipation and awarded with a stutter. It caused those watching the ship to sweat. Somehow, it caused me delight…
A lot of ships on the shore had suddenly interrupted their work. Or, they began feverishly to change course, to lift their anchors. Some did the opposite - forgot everything and fell into a brooding stupor, looking at the majestic hulk of the Sleepless ship. People pointed and shouted.
“You heard?! There Great Navigator is aboard! It is him!”
“They are moving!”
“Look at the mast! The flag! See the gold edging? Do you see it? Do you know what it means? It is the flag of …"
“The Sleepless?! It's their ship!”
“What's happening?”
“Zargra-a-a-a-d! Zargra-a-a-a-ad!”
“After them! After them!”
“Idiot! We are on a barge!”
“I do not care! After them! Hey! Give us a rope!”
“Spread the word! Everyone! The Sleepless have announced their flagship! It goes out into the open sea!”
“Take me! Take! I am a half-orc axeman! Take me!”
“Are they serious?! It is too early!”
“Look! There they go!”
My head turned to the hull. There, the mouth of the port was surrounded by ocean and two towers standing on the sides. Out of the water slowly rose an incredibly thick chain overgrown with shells and algae. A diameter as thick as my chest! And it closed off the path of Swift, flying over the water. Following us were a dozen ships of the Sleepless, judging by the flags. Information flashed before my eyes, but I could not follow. If this chain stops us— we will become a pile of wood chips!
“Let’s move,” ordered the Baroness dispassionately.
“They thought we did not know about their stupid plan,” the lips of a half-orc stretched into a grin with a pirate patch over his eye. “They think this will stop us. Give the order?”
“Yes,” the Baroness yelled. “Fire! Half the power - the eastern tower! Fire!”
“They’re going thro-o-ough,” yelled the angler player in delight, realizing that the flagship was not going to slow down.
From the town came the loud ringing of bells, at every moment becoming louder. All of Valdira’s inhabitants were witnessing - so they thought - the beginning of the great trek to the lost continent. Well, that makes sense— the ship was standing peacefully, and then suddenly jumped up and rushed away at full speed!
Two foreign ships, in the reigning chaos, collided head-on— there was shouting, banging, crashing collapsing masts, sails, and the screams of the crew. Then there were flames, which quickly began to spread.
B-B-BAH! D-D-dah!
Sapphire Swift was in a sea of fire - in the literal and figurative sense. Trembling as if in a fit of wild rage, the ship flew past the steel spears, magic discharges, huge cannonballs, and a swarm of arrows and darts. And we fired at the towers, where the figures of players swarmed. They looked like matchsticks under the attack of a flamethrower! Their screams were so realistic, that I involuntarily shivered - it seemed as though they were experiencing real pain. The stone tower began to collapse, very slowly, in the distance.
“Where is it?” The dissatisfied Baroness asked the pirate, not at all touched by the sight of the dying.
“That's where,” the orc with the nickname Angry Ocean chuckled.
He did not have to point. To miss the gigantic dinosaur risen from the depths was impossible. Studded with spikes and bony plates, the incredibly toothy creature collapsed right on the western tower. He twitched and writhed, with every movement destroying everything. He grabbed the top of the tower and tore it off. Soon, the flagship passed the gates. The Sleepless exchanged hellos with two riders on the dinosaur, who were dressed in something like submarine combat suits.
Several powerful figures jumped from the other tower, but the mage rushed at them and covered them with hissing, furious heat. They began to evaporate - their armor was red-hot! It began smoking mercilessly, glowing cherry-red in some places. That is called taking it easy, huh? Napalm magic? That is how the warriors of the Sleepless did things. One thing I will say - I admired the dispassionate views of those knights, who did not pay attention to such trifles as a burning-hot armor. They are tanks for sure…
“Falcon! Lyagush!”
Two of the Sleepless arrived before the Baroness with faces of delight. They were excited. I cannot lie - I was, too! Excitement bubbled in my veins like boiling water.
“Have you confirmed the involvement of the city in the undertaking of the Echidnas to block our exit from the port, and the placement of mercenary soldiers in the barracks of the port guards?”
“Yes!”
“One hundred percent?”
“Yes!”
“Good,” the Baroness said, satisfied. “Has Azorg already arrived to the town hall?”
“About five minutes ago. All according to plan, Baroness.”
“I hope so,” grinned the Baroness, and walked across the bridge, her tenacious gaze scanning the port remaining behind us. There had been crossbows, magic wands, etc. in excess.
The small town, I learned, was Lazurovode. A coastal fishing and shipbuilding town, which had a claim to becoming a real big city, if the development would continue in the same spirit. A rich town, with many shipyards usual and five Ancient ones. The infrastructure of a port. Home to several whaler clans.
“Let Azorg send a note of protest to the governor of the city,” commanded the Baroness, and an enthusiastic bloodthirsty cry thundered over the deck.
“What shall it say?” Said the green haired Lyagush, trembling with impatience.
“One that is rigid and pretentious. Include the words - "We are deeply disappointed by the black betrayal of the governor of Lazurovode. Our response will come quickly…”
“Got it! Shall we begin?”
“Yes,” nodded the Baroness. “Send the fleet the command “shell crunch"!
“Done!”
“Three-minutes!”
“Good!”
“Champagne! Everyone!”
“Ye-e-ee-eah!” The roar was reiterated, filled with raging approval and delight. The Sleepless were on the sea! All hands on deck!
“Great weather today for sailing, yes, Navigator?” The Baroness asked, walking up to the rear of the bridge and leaning against the thick carved railing.
“Yes,” I said, still a little in shock “But I did not even get to read any of the commands.”
“You'll have time,” the Baroness encouraged me. “Now is not the time. You will begin as soon as we get back and after the fireworks. There will be time to check everything out.”
“Fireworks?”
“You'll see,” the Baroness smiled thinly, straightened her posture, and took two bottles of champagne from a gnome. She handed me one, and I easily popped out the cork and returned the bottle to the Baroness. Then I took one for myself. Why not celebrate?
“For good luck,” said Baroness softly, and we clinked bottlenecks.
“For good luck,” I agreed.
“And for the Sleepless!” Loudly cried the girl.
“For the Sleepless!” Came a wild roar from everywhere— it seemed that the whole ocean was shouting.
“All is ready!” Growled Angry Ocean.
“General volley,” the Baroness commanded, and took a big sip of bubbly champagne.
“Vo-o-olley!”
And I was deaf ... I barely remained on my feet. The sea erupted into a roaring fire before me. Smoke, steam, acid clouds, a dancing haze of lightning, exploding crystal balls the size of a pumpkin and shattering into shrapnel, huge stones, colored tongues of flame, huge boulders falling from the sky ....
Having left the port, the Sleepless fleet inflicted a massive blow on all ships on the outer ring
of marine protection. We hit some of the neighboring islands. We hit the ships whose white and red striped sails were clearly visible from our distance. And also some coastal buildings— warehouses, it seems. And two or three coastal towers.
This went on continuously. Sapphire Swift was shaking so hard that for a moment, I was afraid - would she be suddenly smashed to pieces? She was firing non-stop.
With a roar, one of the towers on the island collapsed. From a lighthouse on a nearby island frantically ran three guards armed with bows, shooting arrows into the nearest ship - that is, at us. But they did not have enough power. One of the Sleepless mages fired magic at them, and the foot of the lighthouse was engulfed in flames. However, the lighthouse itself remained intact. Apparently, for some good reason.
Everything happened so quickly that no one was able to resist— all in our path perished. And underneath us, on the bottom of the sea floor, below the surface of the foaming water, a huge monster broke through coral and stone barriers, creating a winding corridor for us to pass through.
In my eyes, the Sleepless clan was destroying the city. And I benefited from it - I had just noticed that I was getting points from each hit towards enemy players. My experience went up a little, very little, but I had to do nothing to attain it - just stand there and drink champagne.
Shouting, the Baroness gave an order and Lyagush came to the rescue:
“Send the news to Admiral Lihodey! The main entrance is open to him!”
I knew who the "Admiral Lihodey” was. He was one of those personalities that was known to all, and sometimes even to those who had never been to Valdivia and only saw a few naval battles on the television. A “Local" Pirate. Another pirate under whose command were two fairly large and powerful fleets. The enemy of many coasts. The enemy of merchant ships. An offender with a rich evil biography, loving to sip very strong rum after each fight. If Admiral Lihodey was invited to the town…
“Aye-aye, Captain!”
“And add - that we have fulfilled our part of the bargain. Therefore, we receive all the ships that are anchored in the Sunset Lagoon! All of them! We leave no vessel!”
“Got it!”
“Ocean.”
“Yes?”
“You’re in charge,” said the Baroness, taking a three-cornered hat and putting it on the head of the half-orc pirate. “Lead us towards the Blood Reefs. In full swing, Ocean.”
“Accepted!”
He obeyed and began to turn the wheel.
The ships lined up behind us. And behind them, heavy black smoke rose into the sky. The wind wept and howled. The town Lazurovode lost its protection, and its inhabitants already clearly understood - soon, the black sails would appear on the horizon, heading straight for the black swirling smoke.
So I did not look back anymore. What for? I would rather look to the future - where we would soon be amidst the legendary Bloody Reefs. A place just as notable, for me, as the Rock…
Chapter Thirteen.
Black flash. More and more news on the Navy. Unloading. Bloody Reefs ahead!
What happened between the beginning of the sudden voyage from the port town, and our arrival at the Bloody Reefs?
Well, I was nearly killed.
How? Well, as was later explained, they tried to use a magic spell specifically used against mages. It enveloped the enemy in black smoke, followed by an even blacker flash, and then the mana of the victim was exhausted completely, and gained again, but then at the expense of the life points. I have, for example, a thousand mana points and five hundred points of life. My mana was drained — all thousand — and immediately given back, at the expense of five hundred points of life. And the mana was not completely filled, and all the life drains. And the victim dies. True, it is only in the higher ranks that such power can be attained. You need a specialization, and properly selected skills, as well as equipment. And you have to manage to hit the target. The magic is particularly nasty, incomprehensible, and complex. And it may not work - if you do not keep tabs on everything. Or if the victim fights.
The one who attacked me while I was enjoying my champagne was one of the battle mages, one of the Sleepless. He had the necessary equipment, the whole shebang. He attacked from close range. I saw a black clot of energy flying towards me with an ominous hiss. I tried to dodge. But I simply did not have time - it happened too suddenly, and I naively believed that, if I was not among friends, I was among those to who wanted me alive, healthy and anonymous.
The Baroness protected me.
She was much faster than the spell. I did not see her movement, but I felt the wind, then the iron grip and a push. Instinctively I grabbed for something, and tried to pull her behind me, out of the path of the black clot. We did not have time. But I was not hurt - only the head of the Sleepless hooked. However, it did not kill her, did not immobilize her. But it did leave her completely out of mana, as I understand. Why did I think that? Because the Baroness did not use any skill against the aggressor— just a beautiful kick. The aggressor, probably for the first time in their life, did a beautiful back flip and landed straight into the arms of the astonished Lyagush and Falcon. They would have finished him. But the shout of the Baroness stopped them, so he was immobilized from both sides.
The enemy cursed viciously, and sent us all so far away that the lost continent would have met us halfway, and then was questioned. He was a spy.
Why attack me now?
To kill. Obviously. Why to kill?
So I would appear naked on the revival location on the ship.
And so I would be left without my disguise, and would stand shivering, and so over my head would shine the treacherous and clearly visible personal information - my nickname - Rosgard. So that all the anonymity of the Great Navigator would disappear.
However, I was saved ....
“Where were you trying to drag me to?” Asked the Baroness wearily, coming up to me as I was sitting on a hard bench on the hull, staring at the beautiful fleet of ships. How nice .... My father would have been in seventh heaven.
“When you shoved me?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Away from the line of fire,” I snorted. “Silly, of course, but just an instinct.”
“Good instinct.”
“Was he a rat?”
“He was,” grimly responded the Baroness. “Shaklee-McQueen, a battle mage, in our clan for half a year. We have to find out… how much was he paid? What seduced him? Or was it from the beginning that he was a traitor?”
“A rat deeply hidden,” I nodded understandingly.
“We know his address in the real world. His place of work. We know his family.”
“Would you ... What will you do?”
“Nothing. To execute in the real world ... this is not our style. But he will have punishment in both worlds. And it is not bad, Ros. We are like nuns when compared to many other clans. You are aware how of how those from the Diamond Hammer deal with issues of trust?”
“How?”
“A real-world debt, that’s how. Certified on all bases. An official document, in black and white - and a huge sum. Enormous! Without interest, but the obligation exists. You must pay— at some point, “on demand.””
“Hell…”
“Hell is right. It is completely villainous. But necessary to retain an iron fist. Commit a crime in Valdivia - and get wrecked with a monstrous debt in the real world! Or they will take away your apartment! Or a car! In general, the clans are no longer operating on gentlemen's terms. The silk gloves have long been removed, and replaced by steel spiked gloves. And the hand of the clan is no longer gently placed on your shoulder, but it immediately grabs you by the … you know. It is insane. It is rumored that sometimes they frame you for a crime. Betray them - and they will get some information on you, some USB flash drive recording, and send it to the cops. And hello, prison.”
“Well, that is just nonsense …"
“Maybe. But the same traitor McQueen had access to one safe in B
arat-Gadur. If he has arranged a theft - we would have been down a very serious amount. McQueen worked for the clan at a very high level of access .... Fuck…. I am sure he still leaked a couple of clan recipes.”
I said nothing, preferring to sip unassumingly on my champagne and watch the sea. Not because of rudeness. I do not think that the Baroness was in need of a listener. She probably just wanted to talk. And I let her blow off steam, occasionally inserting short comments and interjections. And when I looked at her, I was surprised - her combat leather garments disappeared without a trace. She was wearing blue jean shorts with white laces, a white light blouse, and bright orange flip flops with thick soles. The Black Baroness disappeared, and instead of her appeared ... God knows ... a girl in frivolous clothes.
“Do you want to get a tan?”
“No. Escape from the harsh virtuality. Funny, huh? They used to say - to escape from the harsh reality. And now I am more tired of virtuality, from the world of the digital, rather than that of the present.”
“I like you better like this.”
“Yeah. It helps. A slight change of speech, dress, behavior. And my head is already starting to become less crowded with each passing minute. Just between us, okay? In secret?”
“Mm-m ... okay,” I nodded. “I promise. I do not like to keep secrets, but I will not tell.”
“I believe you. But even if you tell - no one would believe you. So— sometimes, when I really start to fall apart, and nothing helps, I wear a tattered blue robe, put on a silly cap, and about twenty necklaces. And then I go to Plosefont and start selling colorful guppies.”
“Come on…. Are you serious?” My eyes bulged against my will. “The Black Baroness pushing guppies in Plosefont?!”
“Yeah. The release is great. I bring a giant aquarium with guppies. Relaxes the soul.”
“Wait a minute ... the guppies live in almost every pond in Algora!”
“Exactly. That is where I scoop them from. And then I sell them.”
“But they are free! Well, maybe a penny …."
“Well, I sell them calling them special, magical, enchanted, etc.” The Baroness snorted, and then said in a voice that was plaintive and trembled strangely “M-m-magic enchanted fish, g-granting power and strength! Opens the third eye! Closes the negative chakras and blocks the source of negative synergies!”
The Way of the Clan 7 Page 26