The Captain's Stand

by Kat Mandu

  “Yes sir,” Goliam snapped off as he quickly grabbed each of the four and pilled them onto his shoulders as everyone quickly have the biggest being on the ship plenty of elbow room.

  “Huh, you know I had my doubts, but despite his disinterest in fighting he’s pretty handy,” Boss admitted in a neutral tone.

  “So how was the sparring match?” Richard asked looking at Madison, she frowned at the question. Richard walked up as he slides his hand into his pocket. He suddenly passed her something into her hand, “You know my cousin King may be able to help you out, you meet the big guy?”

  “Is this the?” she asked eyeing the coin as she recognized the lewd design. “I can’t believe you held onto this,” She commented looking at Richard.

  “It may come in handy, I plan on doing some research into the coins effects, besides it may help if I need to infiltrate some place and if my face becomes too well known. You never know when something may be useful.” Richard shrugged.

  Richard made his way back up on deck, with a slight smirk on his face, “Madison is going to check on the cells she will be right up.” Richard whispered to Audwine as he made his way back to his room, and grabbed some extra male clothing a few sizes bigger than himself.

  Richard passed them to Sam who rushed off with them as Richard settled himself in for an amusing match-up if nothing else.

  Madison made her way back up sporting the clothing with Sam holding onto her tunic and gear just a step behind her. The male form of the Dame was that of a well-built machine. Tall square shoulder and strong clean-shaven jawline, and to add to it all a six pack abs, Madison gave a slight wink as the crew who lived through the gender incident started cat calling and laughing.

  Richard grimaced as he held back his own laughter as Audwine glanced around in confusion along with any of the new members of the crew who didn’t know about the coin.

  “You ready?” Madison asked brandishing her blade as Audwine sighed with a smile on his face.

  “I am always up for a new challenge.” He returned well naturally. “Although I can’t help but feel I am missing out on some crew wide joke.

  “Trust me, this will all make sense soon,” Madison laughed in her male voice. The two went through the normal motions as the two kept trying to tag the other one in the designated spots.

  “Touché,” Audwine admitted as he backed off, “Good match,” he admitted,

  “Oh, can you toss me that coin I dropped,” Madison pointed out as Audwine walked over to the coin.

  “A lucky coin?” he smirked as he eyed it over. “Or is this part of the joke trying to get a reaction out of me?” he mused to the crew as he tossed the coin, “I have seen weirder.”

  Madison watched as it fell as a new more famine voice started panicking, Madison flicked the coin back reverting to her normal self as Audwine glanced at the coin in realization, he picked it up flipping and returned to normal as Madison took the coin.

  “Was that necessary?” he asked grimacing nervously

  “No, just wanted to see what would happen, really everyone who came in on the Eagle had to deal with this shock, so I figured it wouldn’t be fair if we didn’t spread it around.

  “I can’t believe you still have that Laurella commented, glancing over at Richard who shrugged.

  “I feel it may yet have some uses,” he chuckled as Madison handed him the coin as he slipped into his pocket. “Okay well I feel it’s time to get some things down, Audwine I was hoping you would be willing to run some basic combat drills, get everyone into a more cohesive fighting force, maybe pay the crew back a bit for laughing at you.” Richard pitched as the Captain of the guard mused as a devious smile as the laughter and amused glanced around him slowly died away.

  “I am going to need some supplies, you have any spears, I feel working from the ground up a good place to start.” Audwine putting his hands behind his back with a professional smile on his face,

  “I think we have some in the armory,” Arvil blurted out as everyone looked at him as the wind user clamped his mouth shut realizing what he just brought about a few seconds to late.

  “Excellent,” Audwine as the crew felt they were going to pay in full for their laughter.

  Chapter 57

  Richard stood at the farthest tip of the Golden Eagle waiting to see the first signs of the coast in the Distance. He glanced over to see Boss sitting on barrel glancing over a book on history, from Richard’s collection. Sam had somehow managed to lodge himself over the man’s shoulder and was following along.

  “So where are you at in the book, around the origin of Britannia, it seems rather hard to believe,” Boss admitted tentatively eyeing Richard.

  “We live in a wild world, you think those are fantastical look at the Author,” Richard advised, as Boss did so making sure he still had his place. “Dustal Alec Guinness, he actually travels around talking with the oldest beings on the planet, so he is pretty accurate, the intro even states a lot of the origins are more hearsay. Once you get to around the Arthur era things will start feeling more like history.”

  “Hmm I skipped the intro, I figured it was going to be a few pages with someone sucking someone else’s knob,” Boss admitted.

  “Most are,” Richard admitted, with a sigh, “Anyway keep on your toes and let me know when we get closer to port, I’ll take us in from there, Also keep everyone in line, we are here on business so no drinking until we finish the job.”

  “Sure,” Boss shrugged as Sam nodded as well even if he seemed more interested in reading.

  Richard walked along with his hands behind his back watching over the crew with little issue nodding and smiling to anyone who acknowledges him as he walked back to his private room.

  Richard spent the remainder of his time in the silent company of Spark as he slowly moved through the motions and stances of basic fencing and swordplay.

  “So who taught you how to fight?” Spark asked as Richard paused in his point slowing his fallow threw before turning to look at Spark.

  “A lot of people, what about you?” He inquired sheathing his sword.

  “My Dad,” She admitted, “It was asked of everyone do to our wish making powers, to be able to defend ourselves as one wish could cause issues if given to the wrong person.” She admitted, “I took to it rather well while I was free.” She admitted.

  “That must not have been easy, to be confined to such small prison. Even Madison was allowed some luxury during her stint.” Richard sympathized, as he slowly walked towards her. “So now that you know the truth do you still plan on sticking around?” he asked,

  “Yes,” she admitted floating down to the floor and growing to full size to better look him in the eye.

  “Good to know,” he nodded turning away.

  “I would prefer to make a skeptical to make at least the majority of the crew believe I am no longer aboard thought, for your safety and my own.” She requested Richard pinched his facial hair slowly spinning it as he nodded after a moment.

  “That way when we get back we can at least get rid of Morgan safely, we may need to wait a day to make sure word spreads but it shouldn’t take long, heck most might even pass it off as rumor since there would be no proof of you even existing.” Richard smiled even broader.

  Spark walked out first as Richard escorted her to the front of the ship. “Well!” he said casually with a smile, “I wish you luck,” the two shook hands as Spark nodded before leaping into the air.

  “It has been a Pleasure my good Captain, and wish you luck in your justice seeking quest,” With a slight curtsey she flew off into the air, as everyone started to watch her go.

  “So she’s gone?” Laurella asked as she walked up to Richard,

  “Yeah, It was necessary, with her went it will take away the treat, as much as Blackbeard is terrorizing the western world he is human and I can deal with a human, what she would bring in,” Richard explained,

  “Anything In mind, I mean if the leader of a guy who can thro
w swords the size of skyscrapers around isn’t what’s the biggest threat on the planet what is?” Boss asked as Sam nodded along with him.

  “Well, there are a lot of Ancient evil beings the two that would love to get a hold of Spark are The Succubus Bitch, I mean Queen,” Richard frowned glancing over at Sam. “And the Fire Giant both Ancient enemies of the Mages, not just the Dragon Mage himself,” Richard explained,

  “Sounds interesting,” Boss admitted, as Richard glanced around, spotting Nathan.

  “Right Nathan can you take over for me on this one, since you’re the storyteller,” Richard asked, as Nathan smiled as he got up, and soon found himself surrounded by other members of the crew who really had nothing better to do than to listen to stories that they probably heard a million times from their own granddads.

  “Hmm,” Nathan slowly stroked his beard clearly in his element. “The Succubus Queen and the Rise of the Dragon Mage,” He announced to jeers at the first name and hoorah at the second.

  The story starts off at the end of the second mage war. The Succubus Queen, whose name is lost to time, Had to hold up the remaining remnants of her army, filled with all kinds of Lesser demons, hags, Monitors, goblins, Imps, and all other manners of monsters and cold-hearted beasties. The Queen had held up in the ruins of the Camelot castle. The Blitz core was ready as the siege began, The Mage was bold, and crashed in, taking the form of a Giant white dragon that gave off all kinds of light breached the door smashing in and leading the charge. The Dragon mage powered threw taking a smaller dragon flying up to the highest castle tower was the Queen stat on the old king’s throne her legs crossed with her leather demon wings flared out. Welcoming the Mage with his old friend the Demon Mage, one who was once a great magic user until his mind was warped by a demon. The two crafted weapons of arcane magic as the two attacked each other while the war waged below them between the two armies, as the Great Dragon Mage fought to end the war only for the only remaining mage stood before him guarding the most hated enemy of all kinds.

  The battle was waged between the two last great mages, as Days drew on even as the mortals below rested the Mage fought on to best his old comrade in arms. Finally at the end of the third day, the final day before the twelve tolls, the Devil Mage was fell, as the Dragon Mage squared off with the Queen herself.

  The Queen laughed at the Dragon mocking him for his foolishness of coming alone. She drew upon her magical power bringing forth a storm with winds that ripped away The Queen flew forward as the Dragon Mage took to the sky’s, the pair clashed circling around each other but the Dragon was tired but for all his power even he is limited by sleep. He was sent back to the tower crashing to the stone before the foot of the throne as the Queen lowered herself back into the old king’s throne smiling at the Dragon mage as the scales slowly turned to the skin. “So ends the Age of Man!” she declared

  “Sounds like one hell of a fight,” Boss commented,

  “The real telling of the story is while much better much longer,” Audwine piped in as Nathan frowned at the pair. “Yeah, it’s a family story, passed down generation after generation. “The Siege lasted a long time, it was weeks not days. The Succubus army at that point was devastated so most of the defending army was undead thanks to another mage, in fact, my old man said that there was a lot of mages at the final confrontation.

  “Well if you want the historically accurate one,” Nathan sighed, “But to be fair all the cool stuff would happen after an hour-long explanation of logistics and a bunch of characters that are going to die, tell you what I’ll add in a detailed roadmap, and ever rock that someone tripped over as well,” Nathan returned looking at Audwine with a critical eye.

  “Calm down it’s a story man,” Audwine glanced away scratching his hair.

  “I thought it was history? I would prefer to hear a more accurate telling of the story,” Boss commented throwing his hat in the ring.

  “Well, I would love to, sadly a lot of events contradict each other. Some stories say The Dragon Mage Drew Excalibur, others say that he and the Devil Mage fought while a group took on the Succubus and when the Dragon Mage arrived it was already too late. One really unpopular story in the west but the East seemed okay, had it that the Dragon Mage was down on the ground healing the Blitz core and helping fight the undead, while another Mage actually fought the final fight, a Minotaur by the name of Tiff.” Nathan explained,

  “Yeah right, Minotaur was part of the enemy army, in fact, they were the biggest issue for the blitz core thanks to their natural immunity to magic, kind of like the dwarfs.”

  “Short people?” Boss asked, as everyone who had come for the story started arguing over the events during the final days of the Second Mage war.

  “Enough!” Richard shouted over all of them as the ship lurched stopping so suddenly a good group of the arguing men sprawled out on deck. “If you want to spend time arguing over the Dragon Mage do so someplace that won’t prevent me from hearing a ship gets to close!” He raged,

  “For the second time, we got a ship off the port bow!” Eagle Eye screamed down at them. Richard released a hard sigh out of his nose as he glanced up at the man before pulling out a spyglass and spotting it.

  “So what are we dealing with?” Audwine asked as Richard spotted the decent sized ship

  “Three Masts I would say maybe a fully rigged, no colors and they seem, to be on an intercept Corse considering currents speeds,” Richard admitted, as he turned to look at Boss, “Put everyone on alert, we may have some company, the canons will take care of themselves, so have everyone on deck arms and ready. Sam, stay inside and away from the windows, everyone else takes positions and hold until attacked or ordered. Spread the word I want everyone ready.” Richard ordered as he held the spyglass down before sliding it shut, the click seemed to signal the go-ahead as Boss started barking orders and everyone started moving. Everything that wasn’t as tied down as people started to climb out of the deck and other scaled the ropes to add to the level of eyes out.

  It didn’t take long for everyone to have a spear, ax, or sword ready to go as Richard and Boss got comfortable, It took some time before the ship was within shouting distance. “Cutting it a little close?” Boss shouted over to the other ship, his voice seemed to carry a bit before fading as everyone waited, for a response.

  Richard kept cover as he glanced over the railing to see the ship righting itself, sailing parallel. “The Golden Eagle, are you Helmed by Captain Richard?” cried out a voice, as Richard glanced over at everyone motioning down as everyone got closer to the edge.

  “Yeah!” Richard shouted as the Golden Eagle suddenly stopped causing everyone to lurch forward as the opposite shit fired missing a good portion of the ship thanks to Richard’s sudden stop only hitting the bow of the ship.

  Richard moved to the Wheel, turning the ship starboard lining up a shot, as the cannons fired off nailing the attacking ship as it struggled to turn to get into firing range. Richard felt his shoulders relax a bit as the Eagle twisted in ways no ship its size could as the cannons bombarded harder ripping into the enemy.

  “Seems like we are kind of pointless,” Boss laughed.

  “Until someone figures out a way to get on board,” Richard frowned rotating the wheel as he kept clear of any of the cannons.

  “They are moving guns to the back of the ship!” Boss shouted as Richard noticed he was getting a signal from Eagle Eye.

  “Good to know, let everyone know we are going to board after the next bombardment, want to lead it?” Richard asked raising an eyebrow as Boss grinned before heading down to the main deck. Richard kept his cool as Nathan headed up giving lee direction since the sails were the way.

  The Golden Eagle let of another bombardment as the masts of the enemy ship started to snap and fall in on themselves, as topes started being tossed over. “Everything seems to be going smoothly,” Nathan said drawing his Katana, he cut across an attackers stomach as the man dropped as Nathan took up a stance ready for mo
re.

  “How pleasant,” Richard frowned waving his hand over his nose.

  “You know the smell stopped bothering me a long time ago,” Nathan admitted getting a faraway look in his eye. Claw went off dropping another border as Richard watched Boss charge the other ship. “Sorry about that, not the time,” he psyched himself,

  “Let Boss know I want someone of rank brought back alive,” Richard said taking his hands off the wheel to reload.

  “Right,” Nathan moved into the fray, as Richard watched him go with some trepidation as the two groups classed between the ships.

  “Grr,” growled a low voice as Richard spun around just in time to see a figure leaping at him. Drawing Talon just in time to do defect a blow for his chest just as the cutlass cleared the sheath, the figure was a shirtless man with a bit of tan, and the number thirty tattooed on his chest.

  Richard’s eyes went wide as he dogged a flying barrel that crashed spilling fresh water over the edge. “Fuck,” Richard cursed as suddenly he felt as if everything was shifting as the Eagle started to roll, Jill skidded along yelping in panic as Richard grabbed onto the port rail just in time to see the Eagle masts now dipping into the water.

  “So your Richard?” the man grinned with a massive smile, “I have to admit I don’t see why Morgan is having such a hard time with you. He stood there on the deck of the ship inches above the water level, as Richard noticed how quiet it suddenly got.

  “To be fair Morgan has a lot on his plate,” Richard said as he adjusted his grip frowning as he realized dropping would land his boot on the man’s smug face.

  “I like the idea that he’s just incompetent,” The man shrugged, “Anyway it’s been nice knowing you hope you can swim,” as the man simply walked up the deck.

  Richard pulled out Tooth and fired just grazing the man but it was enough as the Golden Sails snapped back up to attention as Jill charged the now distracted man soaking wet but no less angry. “Gravity Richard thought,” as He charged forward only for his feet to be taken out from under him as he raced off the edge of his own ship as if. “What a cruel bitch,” Richard thought as he twisted around, a rope fell toward him as he grabbed onto it only to look down and see nothing but water, still at gravity’s mercy, he got his feet up just in time to prevent his face from being crushed into his own creation. The sound of combat resumed drowning out any noises as Richard suddenly felt something poured onto his head, Richard glanced up to see the man emptying a bottle, with a light match in his other hand.