"It's ridiculous," said Doomar.
"So ridiculous it just might work," said Lannon, smiling.
Doomar sighed. "Ah, the old cliché. All well and good for a Dark Watchman to say. But I'm actually mortal, Lannon. You're going to get me killed."
"You could stay here if you want," said Lannon.
Doomar shook his head. "Surrounded by pirates? They would cut my throat and throw me overboard the moment you left."
Lannon considered the issue. At last he said, "I just need to get us close enough to where I can swim to my companions. You can hold back, out of range. Is that fair enough?"
"Mother would be horrified," said Doomar, bowing his head.
"I'm sure she would be," said Lannon, sheepishly. "But at our current speed, the battle--if one occurs--will be long over by the time we get there. I don't want to put you in danger, but I don't have much choice."
"But what if your companions aren't even on that vessel?" said Doomar. "What if those warships are merely on a training mission, or going after pirates? Maybe we should wait until you're certain."
"I am certain," said Lannon. "Well, kind of. And if I'm wrong, we'll just take our little boat to Wolfbine. Better to be on our own than with a group of bloodthirsty pirates. Wouldn't you agree?"
Reluctantly, Doomar nodded. "I suppose. And I'm sure the captain will be delighted to see us leave his ship."
***
On the deck of The Golden Promise, the Divine Knights, mercenaries, and Paladins assembled in battle formation. The sun moved closer to the horizon, and the waters of Legend Lake were splashed with red. Six of the twelve crewmen abandoned the oars and drew swords. The Rangers readied bows (with Galandra preferring her slingshot), and Prince Vannas--who now wore a shining, lightweight, Glaetherin breastplate over his tunic--readied the White Flamestone. Aldreya stood next to the prince to protect him, her stone dagger in hand.
They watched as the warships drew closer. The tension in the air became extreme. No one doubted that brutal combat was about to erupt.
"Bear in mind," Aldreya called out, "that no arrow is to be launched until Bellis makes a move. Is that understood?"
The Rangers voiced their agreement.
"That means I can fire my slingshot," said Galandra, jokingly. She drew the black bands way back and pretended to take aim.
Aldreya didn't respond to this attempt at humor.
Jerret strummed the slingshot bands with his finger. "What are those made out of? I've never seen the like of it."
"A rare and expensive material," she said, letting the bands relax. "That's all I know. It's called Bog Spawn and comes from Goblin eggs. The band is coiled up within the eggs. It's stretches far and is hard to break."
Jerret looked disgusted. "So it's made of some nasty Goblin sludge?"
"Pretty much," said Galandra, smiling.
"Prepare yourselves!" Aldreya commanded. "Take what cover you can find and ready your weapons!"
"I need a good sword," said Vorden, sighing.
Shenosi patted Vorden on the back. "We will fight side by side, with our hands. We have no need of blades. Our bodies are our weapons."
"But I'm not as huge as you," said Vorden, looking the Konji Wrestler up and down. "I do need a blade."
"Weight isn't everything," said Shenosi.
Vorden smiled. "No, but I'm guessing it helps. You look like you could crush anyone, except maybe the Thallites."
"But he's also a bigger target," said Jerret. "And one with no armor."
"I have my shield," said Shenosi. "Nothing gets past it."
Jerret looked amused. "If you say so, big fellow."
"I have a sword for you, Vorden," said Prince Vannas. He tossed Vorden Lannon's Dragon sword. "You won't melt that. And I don't need a sword anyway for this battle." He still wore his jeweled dagger.
Vorden nodded. "Greatly appreciated."
Huenov hadn't yet joined them. He was seated on a crate, the brim of his purple hat pulled down over his eyes. He seemed to be enjoying the ride.
"Better get that bow ready," said Lothrin. "Didn't you hear Aldreya?"
Huenov pushed his hat back and sat up straight. "But I was having a nap. You mean it's time to fight already?"
"Nearly," said Lothrin, looking grim.
Huenov rose, standing atop the crate. With a confident smile, he un-slung his silver bow and readied it. "Time to administer some stings." He glanced up. "Why is the crow's nest empty? We should have an archer up there."
No one replied.
The three warships loomed before them.
"I believe they're still out of range," said Aldreya.
"No, the great catapult is launching!" Lothrin warned.
Even as he finished speaking, the massive arm shot forward and hurled several heavy spheres into the afternoon sky.
"To late!" Jace yelled, his eyes wide. "We're finished!"
***
The catapult's first launch was perfect. The steel orbs--two of which weighed more than five-hundred pounds--descended straight toward The Golden Promise's deck. The Knights, mercenaries, and crewmen scrambled to get out of the way, some running and some leaping.
The three lighter orbs cracked the deck but bounced off. One of them struck a crewman in the chest, killing him on impact--shattering his bones and hurling him into the lake. But the two heaviest orbs smashed through the reinforced planks and vanished below, leaving gaping holes in the boards. The entire ship shook from the impact, knocking people off their feet.
Aldreya rose and yanked Prince Vannas to his feet. "Destroy that catapult," she commanded, "before it can launch again."
"It's still too far away," the prince replied. "We need to get closer."
Theradaxa motioned to a crewmember. "Check the damage. Let me know if we're taking on water."
Looking frightened, he bowed and went below. A moment later, his voice arose from one of the holes in the deck. "There's plenty of damage, but no sign of water. They didn't break through."
"Row faster!" Theradaxa ordered the crew.
The catapult fired again, but this time their foes had taken less time to calibrate it and the steel orbs did no significant damage. One of them tore part of a rail off the deck, and another bounced off the boards and landed in the lake, while the remaining ones missed completely. The one that bounced, however, jarred people off their feet and caused panic. Prince Vannas again fell to the deck.
Again Aldreya pulled him up. "You must try! We have no other weapons that can reach it."
Everyone else had taken cover, leaving only Aldreya, Vannas, and Theradaxa standing in the open.
Sighing, the prince raised the White Flamestone.
Then a dark shape descended from the sky. Still recovering from the shocking impacts, Prince Vannas was unprepared for the Goblin Vulture that swooped down and seized the White Flamestone in its claws. The Vulture flew off toward the warships, followed by two more Vultures.
"Shoot that beast!" Prince Vannas cried, his eyes wild with desperation.
Aldreya hurled a fireball that fell short.
Lothrin and Saranna shot at it and missed, but Huenov's arrow drove deep into the Vulture's body for an instant kill. The Goblin dropped like a stone into the water, where it lay in a feathered heap rocking on the waves.
Prince Vannas gazed at it in horror. "The White Flamestone will sink forever! We'll never find it beneath the lake!"
Without hesitation, Jace dove into the water. He swam toward the fallen Vulture with powerful strokes from his long arms. But he soon came within bow range of the two smaller ships that were still advancing as the big one held back. Jace was forced to halt as arrows struck the water near him.
Lothrin prepared to dive in as well, but Aldreya ordered him to halt. "We need all of our archers," she explained, "to give Jace cover."
The Golden Promise surged toward the two advancing warships. Meanwhile, the remaining Vultures dove toward the dead one in an effort to retrieve the White Flamestone. L
othrin and Huenov shot the beasts from the sky.
Jace dared to swim forward and took an arrow to the shoulder. Crying out in pain, he quickly retreated again. The two ships of Bellis halted, and the Paladin ship did the same. They were now well within bow range of each other, with Jace caught in the middle and still trying to get to the White Flamestone.
With anchors dropped, arrows flew back and forth between the ships. Huenov climbed to the lookout and put his bow to good use from there, keeping the smaller catapults on the two ships from launching. He shot dead anyone who tried to get close to the siege weapons. Bellis' soldiers returned fire, desperate to take out this lethal marksman, but Huenov was well defended in the wooden bucket high in the air. Soon the crow's nest was bristling with enemy arrows.
Facing two warships filled with many archers, Aldreya's warriors were soon pinned down and struggling to return fire, while Jace had to withdraw completely from the vicinity of the White Flamestone or he would have been riddled with arrows. He swam just out of range, looking pain-wracked and frustrated.
Then the great catapult launched again, and this time one of the heavy missiles entered a hole in the deck and hurtled below with dreadful force. Moments later one of the crewmen shouted that they were taking on water.
***
Lannon and Doomar departed from the pirate ship in a small rowboat that they lowered by rope into the lake.
Lannon rowed as fast as he dared, and the boat shot across the waves. It was tiring and took great focus to maintain the swift pace, but he was desperate to reach the battle and assist his friends. He was pulling the oars with such force he feared the pressure would snap them in two. One pleasing aspect, however, was that the boat's oar design allowed for easy rowing while facing forward, so Lannon could see what lay ahead of him without sacrificing speed.
"You're rowing like a madman," Doomar pointed out.
"Good," said Lannon. "That was my goal."
Doomar studied Lannon thoughtfully. "It looks almost comical. This insane rowing and the boat moving so swiftly. You're like some Dwarven machine instead of a man. This is totally inhuman."
"Just trying to get us there," said Lannon.
Doomar opened his pack and peered in it for a moment. Then he took out the painting of his mother that had hung over his fireplace. "Yes, I brought her with me. I couldn't bear to leave her behind." He gazed at the painting for several moments, and a smile formed on his lips.
"Mother would have wanted to come," the Dwarf added, nodding to Lannon. "To watch over me and protect me. So here she is."
Doomar again gazed at the painting. "Mother, I want you to know that all is well. There are some rough times ahead, but I can face them."
The Dwarf looked up. "I still talk to her a lot."
"I understand," said Lannon, who was struggling to respond and still keep his focus. "But don't let her influence you too much." He realized that last statement sounded rude, and he regretted it.
"I didn't catch that last bit," said Doomar, leaning closer.
Lannon cleared his throat. "Nothing important."
Doomar's eyes widened. He pointed behind the boat. "Did you see that?" Trembling, he hurriedly put away the picture.
"You're pointing behind me," said Lannon. "How could I see it?"
"Well, the Eye and all," said Doomar. "Anyway, I saw a large aquatic creature surface for a moment. It was matching our speed."
Lannon didn't slow. He had no time for beasts.
"There it is again!" said Doomar, pointing. "Getting closer! Stop the boat, Lannon, or it might ram us!"
Lannon stopped rowing. He turned, but saw nothing except the waves.
"It went under again," Doomar explained.
Lannon wondered if Doomar was losing his wits. "You actually saw something? It wasn't your imagination?"
"Without a doubt," said Doomar. "And no, it wasn't merely some big fish. It was a lake serpent, probably ancient by the look of it."
"But is it wise to stop?" said Lannon. "Maybe we could outrun it. It seems like we're making ourselves an easy target."
"My instincts say we should halt," Doomar replied in a whisper. "Just sit still and let the boat drift. Perhaps it will go away."
The two sat in silence as the boat rocked on the waves.
Then the beast rose up beside them--a towering serpent with scales that were varying shades of purple and wing-like gills on its head that were transparent in the rays of the afternoon sun. A wide black beak, almost three feet long, was pointed in their direction like a spear. Water poured in rivers from its ancient scales that were crusted with snails and draped with tufts of slimy green algae. The creature smelled as ancient as it looked. It studied Lannon and Doomar with white eyes. Behind it, three humps surfaced, showing the beast's impressive length of more than seventy feet. It was as thick as a large tree trunk. Lannon sensed the immense power within it that all Dragons possessed.
"Don't move a muscle," Doomar whispered.
Lannon nodded, overcome with awe.
"I said don't move," Doomar whispered.
As they watched, the Water Dragon slipped below the surface so smoothly it barely left a ripple. They waited in tense silence, bracing for impact, but it never came. Moments later the beast surfaced further away, and was no longer gazing at them. It seemed to have lost interest.
Lannon breathed a sigh of relief. "That monster could have shattered our boat into bits. It seems we were quite lucky."
Doomar wiped sweat from his brow. "Yes, that was too close."
They waited until the beast was out of sight, and then Lannon started rowing again. The Water Dragon had been amazing and wondrous, but he had no time to dwell on it. The battle was still in progress.
Doomar took out his favorite painting again. "Mother, if I don't survive this, please don't blame Lannon. He only tried to offer me a new life."
Lannon gave a quiet sigh. Doomar's one-sided conversations with his dead mother were distracting and somewhat unnerving. But Lannon dared not say anything for fear of triggering one of the Dwarf's dark moods.
Doomar kissed the painting. "I love you, Mother."
Lannon looked away, slightly embarrassed for having observed this intimate moment, and mumbled, "Glad she is with you."
Doomar frowned. "I know she isn't actually here, of course. She is quite dead. I wrapped her cold body in cloth and buried her myself."
"I meant in spirit," said Lannon. "Or whatever you might call it. Something like that." He cleared his throat, his mind blanking. "The painting at least makes her, you know, be here with you. Kind of." He forced a smile, while inwardly chastising himself for such an awkward response.
"Is her spirit really here?" asked Doomar, his face lighting up with hope. "Can you see her with the Eye of Divinity?"
"No, I didn't mean that," said Lannon, wishing he would have kept quiet. "I haven't actually glimpsed her."
"But could you?" asked Doomar. "If she were here, I mean?"
"Possibly," said Lannon. "I've seen the dead before."
Doomar's black eyes held a pleading look. "Then will you try?"
A shiver ran over Lannon's flesh. He had no desire to use the Eye for such a purpose. "Her spirit is probably at peace, my friend. I'm sure she is watching over you, though. Take comfort in that."
"I shall," said Doomar, nodding. "And in my painting."
"Glad to hear it," said Lannon. Actually, he wasn't sure Doomar's obsession with his deceased mother was healthy. The oversized Dwarf was obviously struggling badly to let her go--or something. Lannon didn't know for sure. Doomar was too strange for him to understand. But Lannon thought this quest was possibly just what Doomar needed to finally break his mother's hold. This could be his long-overdue path to independence.
They fell silent and it seemed the conversation was over.
But then Doomar asked, "Do you miss your mother?"
"Yes," said Lannon. "And my father too." It had been a long time since he had visited them, though
he received their letters quite often.
Doomar closed his eyes and leaned back, clutching the paining to his chest. He fell asleep looking peaceful and soon began to snore. The snoring was so loud it seemed to vibrate painfully in Lannon's ears.
Lannon rowed a bit faster.
A feeling of dread gripped him, making him wonder if he would arrive too late and find his friends had sunk to a watery grave.
Chapter 17:
The Clash Upon the Waves, Part 2
As Lannon and Doomar drew closer to the battle, one of the smaller warships turned and began moving in their direction. Not only had Bellis' warriors spotted Lannon's rowboat, but they somehow knew it was him onboard. Lannon had not anticipated this move, but it didn't trouble him much--for it left his friends with one less warship to face. He let Doomar sleep even as the enemy vessel loomed closer. There was no point in waking the Dwarf just yet.
As the warship sped toward Lannon, the full size of it was revealed. It was like a giant bearing down on a mouse. Its catapult was loaded and ready to fire, and if that wasn't enough, more than a dozen archers stood on the bow, arrows readied. They were taking no chances with the Dark Watchman.
Lannon finally shook Doomar awake. "Don't be alarmed, but we're soon to be attacked."
Doomar stretched and yawned. "I thought you were going to swim, Lannon, and leave me out of danger." He rubbed his neck and sighed, then turned and let out a gasp. "They're coming for us!"
"Calm yourself," said Lannon. "All I have to do is get close enough to board. Then I can fight them with my blade."
"How?" asked Doomar. "They will blast us into bits!"
"I have a plan," said Lannon. "When we get close enough, I'm going swim to the warship. After I deal with the archers and catapult, I'll toss you a rope. You can climb up and help me secure the ship."
"Can't you just levitate me?" asked Doomar.
"Maybe," said Lannon. He didn't like that idea, for the Dwarf looked heavy. Surely the effort would exhaust him. "But I don't like to waste energy. Let's plan to try a rope, unless absolutely necessary."
"I can't climb very well," said Doomar.
Lannon reminded himself that Doomar had yet to receive any training as a Squire. The Dwarf was immensely strong, but not a skilled warrior with combat experience. "Never mind. I need all of my energy for myself. Just stay in the rowboat and I'll deal with our foes on my own."
Knights: Legends of Ollanhar Page 26