The Fifth Empire of Man

by Rob J. Hayes

  The soldier regained his knees and let out a shout as he thrust with his sword. T’ruck parried the blade with the severed arm then took the limb in both hands and swung hard. The bloody end crashed across the soldier’s face and sent him back to the deck, but T’ruck didn’t stop there. He swung again and again and again until the soldier stopped moving and the bloody limb lost its rictus grip on his wrist.

  “Captain,” shouted one of his crew, and T’ruck looked up to see Pocket alive and well. It brought him much joy.

  “Cut the ropes and get us clear,” T’ruck growled to his first mate, already looking around for his sword and shield. The two ships were close together now, and his crew had all but cleared the deck of North Storm. The soldiers from the Man of War were crowding their railing, still trying to stab across at the pirates.

  “Captain, we can’t keep her afloat much longer,” Pocket said frantically. “Water’s coming in faster than we can bail. She’s going down.”

  T’ruck looked across his ship and then back to the Man of War. Pocket was right. They were sinking, and quickly.

  “All hands,” T’ruck roared. “Abandon ship! Let’s fucking take theirs!”

  T’ruck scooped up his shield and a nearby axe and ran towards the railing. He leapt across to the Man of War, leading the charge and crashing a hole through the defenders.

  T’ruck laid about, swinging left and right, blocking and barrelling through his enemies. He took wounds, feeling them all and ignoring them all. The pain only helped him feel more alive, and he had to live. He was no longer just living for himself, not since taking North Storm. Now he was living for Yu’truda as well. Now he was living for his clan as its sole survivor.

  T’ruck lost track of time. Lost track of the number of men he maimed or killed. One moment he was fighting alone amidst a sea of hostile blades, and the next he was surrounded by his crew, their ferocity bolstering him when he began to tire.

  Somewhere, far away, a horn blew loudly, its cry echoing across the waters. T’ruck planted his axe in a man’s skull and kicked the body away, wrenching the dinted blade from the corpse as it fell. He turned, looking for another fool to die by his hand, but the remaining crew of the Sarth Man of War were backing away and laying down arms. They were surrendering.

  T’ruck stalked towards a soldier who was leaning against the main mast. The man winced and dropped to a knee, one hand held up as if to defend himself.

  “Get up,” T’ruck screamed. “Fight me.”

  “We surrender,” the man cried, his eyes full of fear.

  “All of you?” he roared. “There must be one among you not a coward. Come at me.” He threw his shield away. “Come at me!”

  None of the soldiers made a move other than to cower and look away.

  With a roar, T’ruck flung his axe as hard as he could out to sea. He looked out at the battle. Ships were on fire. Ships were sunk or sinking. Ships were locked together. The sky was just beginning to darken, and not from the smoke, though there was plenty of that.

  North Storm was sinking on the other side of the Man of War. T’ruck could no longer see his ship’s deck, only the masts and the men and women still scrambling aboard the new boat.

  The witch, Lady Tsokei, glided past him. The woman was as graceful as she was dangerous, even surrounded by armed pirates on a deck slick with blood. She looked out across the battle and then glanced back, motioning to T’ruck.

  “What is it?” he growled as he joined her at the railing. He had no stomach for accepting the soldiers’ surrender, instead trusting Pocket to secure the prisoners.

  “Do you see the flags?” Lady Tsokei said.

  The blast of a horn floated across the sea again, and T’ruck squinted against the low sun. Ships were fleeing the carnage – not pirate ships, but his enemies’. White flags were rising on those that remained.

  Chapter 70 - Starry Dawn

  “You mean to kill me then, brother?” Elaina said, her head held high despite the shitty situation. If she was about to die then she would bloody well go out fighting and do her best to take Blu with her, not cowering in fear and pleading for her life.

  “Yes,” Blu replied with a grin.

  “Thought we was taking prisoners?” said one of Blu’s crew, a large man with long hair tied into a braid. “To hang. A, uh… What you call it? A gift. Ain’t much of a better one than the queen.”

  “Aye, we’re taking tributes back to King Veritean. Not her though.” Blu’s lip curled upwards into an ugly smile, the same one their father wore when he got violent. “Too dangerous. Gotta kill her.”

  “What about Da?” Elaina said. “Ya think he’ll just let this go?”

  “No. But then, not even Tanner Black can rise from a watery grave. Old bastard ain’t dead yet, then he will be soon. Doubt he’ll be taken alive for hanging though, probably just gutted on his own ship.”

  “Nice and neat, eh? Everyone but you dead.” Elaina knew she had to buy time. Blu loved the sound of his own voice, and she hoped to keep him good and talking. With any luck another ship would stop by to even the odds. “You were the traitor all along, weren’t you?” A horn echoed across the water. It was far away, but some sounds carried for miles on the open ocean.

  Blu laughed. “Aye. Ya nearly had me a while back, little sister. Remember that Acanthian fluyt? Captain was a Guild man through and through, spotted my ship docked up in Land’s End. Luckily for me, you killed him long before he could talk.”

  Elaina swept her gaze over Blu’s crew. They were vicious bastards one and all, and they looked like they were just waiting for an excuse for a bit of violence. They were also pirates, and pirates didn’t like working for free.

  “Just what are you getting out of this, Blu?”

  “A pardon for my crimes. Land and a title in the Five Kingdoms. Legitimacy. No more of this risking my life to make other folk rich. Starting myself up as a merchant in a world without pirates. Seems fairly lucrative to me.”

  Elaina laughed. “What about them?” she said. “What’s your crew get out of this?”

  “Pardons and a place on my first merchant ship. Good pay and no risk.”

  “And they’re content with that?” Elaina was looking not at Blu, but at his crew. “Content with giving up their freedom to live off whatever scraps you throw them?”

  A few of the crew started to whisper among themselves.

  “They’ll live, and they’ll live well. Better than dying here, nothing but food for the sharks and worse. Now, if you’re quite done talking, little sister, I’ve been wanting rid of you for a very long time.”

  Elaina readied herself to leap at him; she doubted the bastard would kill her himself, but if he did she’d tear out his eyes before he was done.

  A second horn blasted out across the water.

  Blu paused, his head cocked to the side as if he expected more, but after a moment he shrugged and turned his attention back to Elaina. He advanced upon her with two of his crew at his side.

  “Cap!” Four-Eyed Pollick called down from the nest. “The bastards are turning tail.”

  “What?” shouted Blu, his eyes darting upwards.

  Elaina grinned and punched Blu hard in the face. The bastard went down in a stunned, bleeding mess. Elaina shook the pain out of her hand. She was still faced by Blu’s crew, and they were still armed.

  “Navy ships are fleeing,” Pollick shouted. “Those that can. White flags are rising on others.”

  Blu shoved away the hands that were trying to help him up. “Kill ’em all!” he sputtered, pointing with his sword in Elaina’s direction.

  Ocean Deep’s crew hesitated. It was all the delay Elaina needed.

  “Fight is done,” she shouted. “Navy lost. We won. Ain’t no reward waiting for you now, Blu.”

  “They know too much,” Blu said as he struggled back to his feet, addressing his crew. “Kill ’em or we’re all…”

  “Pardons,” Elaina said, pitching her voice louder than her broth
er’s. “I offer you all pardons. Amnesty for your recent traitorous transgressions.”

  “You…” Blu’s voice cracked a little.

  “Are the queen of the isles. In charge.” Elaina grinned and took a step forward. Blu backed up and bumped against one of his crew. The pirate was looking from his captain to his queen, his expression intense.

  “Attack us now and they’ll know. The whole of the isles will know,” Elaina said. “You’ll be hunted everywhere you run. No safe port in the known world will harbour you. Or you can stand down, take your traitorous captain into custody, and live in the kingdom we’ve just created. No repercussions for your crimes.”

  “On your word?” said the big, long-haired pirate. She was negotiating with him now, Blu all but forgotten.

  Elaina nodded. “As queen.”

  “Wait,” Blu squealed. He lunged forwards with his sword, only to be dragged back by the man behind him.

  The big pirate kicked Blu in the back of his knee, sending the bastard to the deck, and tore the sword from his hand. “This here is a mutiny,” he growled. “Don’t reckon you’re fit to lead no more, Cap’n.”

  Blu screamed in fury and frustration, thrashing about, but more of his own crew moved forwards to restrain him. Elaina’s crew had started to pick up their weapons. There was still a nervous tension aboard the ship.

  “I’ll fucking kill you for this, El,” Blu shouted.

  “Shut it, Captain,” said the pirate holding Blu’s sword. He raised his arm to strike.

  “Don’t kill him,” Elaina said quickly, rushing forwards and getting in the way before the pirate could swing.

  “Fuck you, bitch,” Blu snapped. He tried to surge back to his feet, but his crew held him fast.

  Elaina carefully reached up and took the sword from the big pirate’s hand. “Don’t kill him,” she repeated. “You kill him, and there ain’t nothing that will save you from our da. We hand him over to Tanner.”

  The pirate looked far from convinced, but he nodded.

  Blu laughed. “You do that, El. Hand me over to Da. I’ll be back on my ship in a day, and I’ll string the fucking lot of ya.”

  Elaina’s brother thrashed about some more, but he was being held down by three of his own men and they held him fast. Eventually he stopped struggling and contented himself with spitting in Elaina’s direction.

  “Alfer, show them to the brig,” Elaina said. “Throw the whore-faced dung pile in and bring me the key. Make sure he’s guarded too.”

  As Alfer led the crew holding Blu below decks, Elaina faced the big pirate.

  “You the first mate?” she said. There were a lot of Ocean Deep’s crew still aboard Starry Dawn, and even with her own crew armed once again, a fight would end badly for them. He nodded slowly, staring down at her.

  “You can read?” Elaina said. “Letters and charts?”

  “Aye.”

  “What’s your name?”

  “Mobep.” Judging by his skin colour and accent, he was from deep in the southern Wilds.

  Elaina grinned and held out a hand. “Congratulations, mate. You just made captain. Ocean Deep is yours.”

  Chapter 71 - The Phoenix

  Keelin hung from the rigging of his ship as she sailed up next to the King’s Justice. Though, he had to admit, The Phoenix wasn’t so much sailing as she was limping. She was taking on water, missing both rigging and sail in places, and the wheel kept getting stuck. There would be nothing for it but to beach her for a while once they were safely back at New Sev’relain.

  As soon as they were close enough Keelin wrapped a rope around his hand and swung across onto the deck of the King’s Justice. He needed to know why the navy forces had surrendered, and Tanner Black was sitting aboard the answer. A few moments later, Deun Burn landed nearby. The skull-faced Riverlander had been a pain in the arse ever since he’d come aboard Keelin’s ship, demanding to share in the command of The Phoenix and shouting orders to his men in the harsh language only the Riverlanders knew. Unfortunately, Deun and his crew were also the only reason Keelin and his own were still alive. They’d fought side by side and back to back against superior numbers, and while Keelin doubted he would ever like the Riverlander, he was starting to respect him.

  “Stillwater.” Tanner Black’s voice rang out deep and loud. “Just the man I was looking for.”

  Tanner was sitting on the poopdeck railing overlooking the quarterdeck, with a pipe in hand and the most unlikely company Keelin had expected to see.

  “Socialising with traitors now, are we?” Keelin said as he drew close.

  Tanner laughed. “Still better company than Riverlanders.”

  Deun Burn hissed a couple of words and drew his sword. Keelin held up a hand to stop him. “Let it go,” he said quietly, and Deun sighed deeply. They were all exhausted.

  “Good to see ya again, mate,” Daimen Poole said with a grin around a pipe of his own. “Fast friends, me and Tanner these days. Plenty in common.”

  Tanner growled, and Daimen stopped short of patting the man’s arm.

  “Such as?” Keelin joined the two at the railing and looked down over the quarterdeck.

  There was a fat man tied to the mast, sagging against his ropes, and a large number of sailors and soldiers wearing the colours of the Five Kingdoms being menaced by Tanner’s crew. There were more soldiers being lowered to the water in a dinghy with no oars.

  “A mutual disdain for Drake Morrass,” Tanner said, with a dark glance in Keelin’s direction.

  “I’m still wondering why he’s even alive,” Keelin said, thumbing towards Daimen. “Shouldn’t he at least be down there, tied to the mast?”

  “What? With the admiral?” Poole laughed.

  “Wasn’t talking to you,” Keelin said.

  “See how quickly my good friends turn on me?”

  “You turned on us.” Keelin was a bare drop away from gutting the man.

  “No, mate. I sacrificed myself, my ship, and my crew for you. Then I find out it was all for a lie. Drake started this war. Made a deal with that young pup of a king from the Five Kingdoms. He gave them Black Sands and was supposed to give them the rest of us too. Looks like he changed his mind though, figured he could use the war to unite us. Worked too. The bastard.”

  Keelin looked to Tanner, who was staring back at him. He read the question in Keelin’s eyes and nodded once.

  “Fuck,” Keelin said, climbing over the railing and sitting down next to Tanner. “Played us all like strings on a harp.”

  “And what a melody he played,” Tanner said.

  “Anyone find themselves in the least bit surprised, though?” Daimen said.

  Keelin shook his head. He’d been suspicious of Drake from the start, but the man had a charisma about him and it had sucked Keelin in and muddled him up until he found himself believing all of Morrass’ shit. Worse than just believing it, he’d convinced others to believe it.

  “Do we have proof?” he said.

  “Do we need it?” Deun Burn hissed.

  Tanner shrugged his big shoulders. “Got charts. Should match up with Drake’s.”

  Keelin shook his head. “Fortune went down.”

  “Eh?” Tanner said. “When?”

  “Before the battle even started. Black flames. Reckon someone smashed the jar of Everfire.”

  “With any luck the greasy rope-licker went down with his ship,” Daimen said with a laugh.

  “If not, we’ve got him.” Tanner pointed with his pipe to the man tied to the mast. “Admiral of this here navy fleet. Confirmed everything Poole says.”

  “That’s how you got them to surrender.” Keelin laughed. “I’d thought the fight could still have gone either way. Seemed odd they’d just turn tail and run.”

  Tanner nodded. “Poole convinced the man to lay down arms.”

  “At the point of a sword?”

  Poole shrugged. “Best way to negotiate, I’ve always found.”

  Tanner swung his legs over the railing an
d hopped down onto the poopdeck. “A word, Stillwater.”

  Keelin suppressed a sigh and followed Tanner, marvelling at how much his limbs protested at the idea of moving again. They walked towards the stern and looked out at the calm waters that had just recently been a battlefield.

  Ships were everywhere, some sailing, some limping, some doing their very best not to sink. At a rough count Keelin guessed they’d lost a full half of their vessels, including North Storm and Fortune. He didn’t even want to imagine how many people they’d lost.

  “If Drake survived…” Keelin started.

  “We’ll hang him,” Tanner finished.

  Keelin nodded.

  “It’s my daughter I want to talk about. Elaina will be queen, no doubt about that now.” Tanner smiled. “Without Drake around there’ll be plenty of people looking to sit beside her.”

  “I’ve got…”

  “I reckon it should be you, Stillwater.”

  Keelin laughed. “I don’t think she needs anyone…”

  “Don’t be dense, lad. Ain’t about needing a king over a queen, though Rin knows we’ll need one at some point to continue the line. It’s about my daughter needing someone to temper her… temper.”

  Tanner grimaced. “Back on Ash, Stillwater, I agreed to join you and Drake because your argument was sound. I knew the folk of the isles would never follow me, nor would half of the captains. Also knew they’d follow Drake, at least to a point. Always knew the bastard would show his true colours eventually. It’s my temper, you see…”

  “It’s your reputation, Tanner.”

  “Aye, that too. A lot of that comes from my temper though. Short fuse, they call it. It’s a curse of my family. Elaina has the same damned temper.”

  “I know.”

  “Aye, and I know you know. So stop fucking interrupting me. She likes you. Always has. And she’s better around you. Calmer, happier. Less prone to fits of murderous rage.”