“No, but it seems like a good place to start.”
She shuffled across the couch, placing a reassuring hand on his knee. “No matter what comes, I am with you. You saved my people from the servants of Abrenacht, and I intend to get my revenge for what it‘s done to my people. Following you appears to be the best way to achieve that goal.”
Skree smiled, placing a hand atop hers. “Thank you Priestess. I am sorry I hid this from you.”
“It doesn‘t matter.”
“Why not?”
“You are still the same man who fought the invaders of the warren. A man who risked his life, time and time again to save strangers and friends alike. A man like that is a man I want to know. I swore my oath to you, my mother and the king. I intend to stand at your side. We will face this evil together, no matter what comes.”
Skree exhaled, tension draining from his body. He hadn’t realized how much he hated keeping this secret, and from her most of all. She was a true friend, and he resolved to always be honest with her from now on. They sat together, letting the weight of their conversation set in. They would face any challenge, fight any foe and they would do it side by side.
Chapter 47
Skree stood atop the raised poop deck, staring down at the assembled crew members. Almost two hundred men and women had joined the crew of the Sawbones, and many of them were meeting their captain for the first time. It was time to make a good first impression.
“Ladies and Gentleman, welcome aboard the Sawbones. I am Captain Skree. For those of you who don‘t know me, I am an inexperienced captain, cutting my teeth with this maiden voyage. Understandably, this could make you nervous, but fear not, I know my own limitations. I have assigned our quartermaster, Elaina, the role of first mate.” A cheer broke out from the crew, likely the members Elaina brought with her from the original crew.
“Agreed, it is a great honor to have her at my side for this journey. She has full permission to smack me if I make a bad call in judgment.” The crew chuckled loudly. “Master Guns Moultry has also promised to tune me up if I get out of line.” Again, the crew laughed. “Even though I am your captain, I will make the same agreement I made with my officers. You should always feel welcome to speak your mind, to offer suggestions without fear of reprisal.” A hand in the crowd went up. Skree nodded to the man.
“What‘s reprisal?” He asked, and blushed when a chuckle erupted from those around him.
“Retaliation, retribution, punishment.” Skree explained. “But I demand a caveat. While I welcome feedback, I will not tolerate disobedience or disregarding my orders. Once an order is given, I expect you to follow it. If you have a grievance, please speak to myself, or Elaina, in private. I will meet insubordination with swift punishment. Do you understand?” He shouted and received an aye-aye captain from the crew.
“Today, we leave Theseldora behind, to face the open waters with bravery and discipline. Our destination is the Great Rift.” The murmur of concern washed over the crowd. Skree signaled for silence. “This will be an exploratory mission, and we will keep our distance from the rift at all times. Again, I make you the same offer.” He gestured toward the gang-plank. “This is your opportunity to leave. I will end your contract without anger or resentment.”
They all exchanged glances, the murmurs growing louder. He gave them a full minute and when no one left the ship, he continued, “We will make our way with all haste, complete our observations of the Rift and return to Theseldora. We have no other objectives. Upon our return if we have taken no prizes or recovered no treasures, I will pay each and everyone of you a full month of wages, plus interest.”
The crew cheered and he could see their apprehension ease at his pronouncement. “To be clear, I will not do this every time we return empty-handed.” There was a gentle boo from the crew. “This trip is important and I need you to know I take care of my family. And this crew is my family.” A cheer from the crew bolstered his spirits. “Now, prepare to make way. To your stations!” he snapped.
The crew roared, “aye-aye Captain,” and burst into motion, every heading for their assigned stations. Skree turned to face his officers.
“Helmsman, take the wheel and prepare to make way.” Old Greg saluted and stepped up to the wheel.
“Master Guns, make ready with the cannons.” Moultry grinned and saluted, then disappeared below decks.
“Mister Mills, to the crow’s nest if you would.” The boatswain nodded and scrambled up the mainmast.
“First Mate, launch when ready.”
Elaina nodded, and stepped over to the mooring team, who freed the ship. Once they had secured the ropes, she shouted, ”Raise the sails!” and the rigging team hoisted the colored sails. Skree admired the crimson sheets as they unfolded, revealing the ships symbol in brilliant white contrast. The snarling face of a kobold wearing a crown, flanked by crossed swords.
Skree smiled up at the visage of his friend. “Sawbones, keep us safe.”
The ship pulled away from the dock, and under the expert handling by Old Greg, it was picking up speed.
“Skree!” Priestess yelled, snapping him out of his moment of reverie. She was looking back at the dock and he followed her gaze. Sprinting down the dock was Seema, waving her arms and looking terrified.
“What is happening?” Skree said, rushing over to Priestess.
“She looks hurt! We have to go turn back now!”
“Old Greg, bring us back to the dock immediately.”
“Will do captain, but it‘s going to take a few minutes. The wind isn‘t good and we need to adjust the rigging.”
“Get it done!” he snapped angrily. Elaina appeared at his side. “Elaina, I don’t know what is going on, but something is wrong. Dock the ship.” He said, stepping onto the railing.
“Yes, captain.” Elaina said and Skree dove from the top deck, slicing into the water. As soon as he broke the surface, he was paddling for all he was worth. Two minutes later he was climbing up the support beams onto the dock.
Seema collapsed into his arms, bleeding from a gash on her arm. “Men are attacking the boardinghouse!” she gasped.
Skree cast Minor Restoration and the cut on her arm closed. “Stay here, tell the others when they dock.” He set her back on her feet and glanced back at the ship slowly turning around. He could see Priestess flailing about, and could hear Zuka’s howls of anger. “No time.” he growled, sprinting down the dock and through the streets of Theseldora. His legs burned and his stamina bar was draining rapidly, but he ignored the pain, pumping his legs harder than he thought possible.
He rounded the corner and saw a dozen men fighting with the adult kobolds. Grelo was launching shards of ice from his hand with little effect. Two of them lay bleeding in the street and he roared in anger. He dug into his Nearly Bottomless Bag and drew out his great sword, the savage steel weapon feeling good in his hands. Whoever these men were, he would make them hurt. He would make them pay.
Distracted by the kobolds, the first two men didn’t stand a chance. He activated Cleave, and his blade tore clean through the first man, sending a spray of blood into the air before his sword dug deep into the second. The scream of agony drew the attention of the others. He grinned at them, feral anger burning in his eyes. With a thought, he activated Tremor Strike, slamming his blade into the ground and sending a wave of force through the ground. The group staggered as if affected by an earthquake and several of them fell to the ground.
Next, he activated his fighting style - Unstoppable force - increasing his movement and attack speed by fifteen percent. He settled into the stance and swung the blade, letting the momentum carry him forward. He was a whirlwind of steel, blade flashing, carving hot red lines through their flesh. He drove his shoulder into a staggered man, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Channeling everything he had learned from Boz, he danced among them. He removed one man’s arm at the shoulder, ducked under a swing and severed a man’s lower leg from his body. Blood c
oated the deadly blade, droplets flying in sparkling arcs with each swing.
He had killed four before they recovered, but he knew his moment of surprise was over. A bolt of lightning streaked from a dozen feet away, striking him in the back with brutal force. Electricity coursed through his body, momentarily paralyzing him. A brutish looking man stepped toward him, heaving his axe for a fatal strike. With every ounce of willpower he could muster, he shook off the effect in time to avoid being killed, but the axe cut a burning stream of pain across his chest.
He held up his hand, casting Ice Dagger. A glittering blade of razor sharp ice coalesced and shot forward, driving into the man's knee. He screamed and toppled over, his axe clattering to the ground. Skree raised his sword to finish him, but another bolt of lightning forced him to roll to the side to avoid getting paralyzed again.
A man fell atop him, raising a large dagger in both hands. Time seemed to slow as the blade drove toward his chest. Skree batted his arms aside, but the blade stabbed into his shoulder, grinding against bone and tearing through muscle. His right arm went limp and his attacked ripped the blade free, sending a fresh wave of hell through his body. With his good arm, Skree grabbed the man’s collar and pulled him in close. With his arms pinned between them, Skree bit the man’s nose, shaking his head like Zuka would, ripping it from his face.
The coppery tang of blood filled his mouth as the man recoiled, dropping the knife and holding the spot where his nose used to be. Skree grabbed the discarded weapon and drove it into his chest several times, killing the man. With a growl of challenge, he rose to his feet, pulling a hatchet from his side. The mage was casting another spell, so he threw it at him, the blade tumbling end over end. With a bit of luck, the sharp end hit the man in the face, splitting a monstrous gash in the soft flesh.
An arrow thudded into his stomach, knocking the wind from his lungs. Skree fell to one knee, ripping the projectile from his guts with a scream. Rolling to his side again, another arrow stuck into the ground where he had just been. He didn‘t need the status indicator to tell him was bleeding, he could feel the blood pouring from his wounds. A quick look at his health bar showed that he had taken significant damage. Less than fifty percent of his health remained.
He started casting Minor Restoration but couldn‘t finish the spell. A man came from his side, driving a knee into his head, sending him toppling to the ground. The world spun, and he struggled to stand. Blood covered the ground and poured from the ragged gash in shoulder. He glanced up at the sound of a kobold scream, and he saw Grelo fall to his knees, clutching the sword impaled his chest.
Rage of the Blue Stone Champion activated. 1 Stack has been acquired. +10 strength.
His role as Blue Stone Champion had activated, and he felt a rush of health returning to his body. Rage infused his muscles, and he rose to his feet. Grelo was dead. The only way Rage of the Blue Stone Champion activated was if a kobold died within range. It was a powerful buff that could stack up to five times, and he had hoped to never feel its effects again. He hissed, dodging an attack and striking out with a kick to the man‘s crotch. His assailant clutched at his junk, and Skree drove his knee into the man's face, returning the favor.
With his enhanced strength, the blow shattered bone, and the man crumpled to the ground. Another arrow struck him in the back, the arrow head protruding from his chest. He stared down at the metal tip in a daze. His chest burned, and he felt liquid entering his lungs making hard to breath. He gasped like a fish out of water, raising his hand to cast Minor Restoration but he couldn‘t speak the words of power needed.
A grimy looking man walked up to him casually, resting the point of his sword tip against his throat. Skree glared into his eyes, gasping for air. “Should’ve taken the deal Dibo offered you.” He tsk’d. “Too bad.” The man drew back the blade, prepared to drive it into his chest when a blur of a motion passed over head. Through bleary eyes, Skree realized that Zuka had arrived, and just saved him from being executed. His companion savaged the man's face and arms as he tried desperately to defend himself.
Skree saw the archer, taking aim to finish him. There was nothing he could do. That arrow would hit him in the chest and put an end to his life. He had given everything he had, but it wasn‘t good enough. He stared at the blinking health bar, now showing less than ten percent of his health remaining. He closed his eyes and waited for the end. An end that never came. He opened his eyes to a beautiful sight. Priestess was burning the man alive, and he smiled, his health bar ticking down to two percent.
He felt a sand paper tongue scraping against his stubble, and like a bolt of lightning, air rushed into his lungs as an icon appeared.
Lick your wounds - Health regeneration
His vision sharped, and he saw his companion with clear eyes. His health bar was back above ten percent and slowly ticking up. With renewed vigor, he cast Minor Restoration, and roared his joy and adulation into the air as his health shot up above thirty percent. His bleeding stopped, and his arm was responding to his commands once more. He looked around and nearly wept at what he saw.
Elaina was hacking a man to death a few feet away with a saber, her normally placid expression one of rage. Moultry hit another man with a large hammer, sending him careening into a wall. Old Greg lashed out with a whip of dark energy, wrapping around one attacker's neck. The man was clawing at the energy whip, eyes bulging as it chocked the life from him.
A strong arm hoisted him to his feet and Skree saw the smiling face of Mills. “Damn Captain, we were at sea for barely two minutes before you nearly got yourself killed.”
“What can I say? I always try to impress.” Skree coughed, spitting out a mouthful of blood. He dragged a sleeve across his lips, wiping away the excess.
Mills grinned. “Ready to finish this?”
Skree nodded, watching as his officers engaged in battle with the remaining men. Snatching his blade from the ground, he prepared to dive back in when a shriek from inside drew his attention. Without hesitating, he leapt over a corpse and rushed through the double doors of the boarding house.
“You bastard!” Skree growled. “Let her go Butt-face.”
“I hate that name.” the huge man said with a youngling clutched to his chest, his blade pressed against her throat.
“She’s a kid Dibo. Let her go, it’s me you want.”
He grinned. “No, it‘s your ship I want.”
“You can have it, just let her go.” Skree said. He would give the ship away in a heartbeat to save one of his family.
“It’s too late for that. I will take this one and you‘re going to let me walk out of here.”
“I can’t do that Dibo. Put her down, and we can work this out.” Skree tossed his sword to the ground, the heavy blade hitting the wooden floor with the thud. He held up his hands. “Take me as your hostage. March us straight down the street to the ship, and I will let you take the ship.”
Butt-face snarled. “You killed my men, my crew!”
Too Skree’s surprise, a familiar figure appeared in a blink, standing directly behind Butt-face. She reached out a hand and tapped him on the shoulder. Butt-face whirled to face her.
“Fenna?” he gasped as she drove her legendary blade Lady through his throat. His weapon clattered to the ground, and the kobold landed awkwardly. He clutched at the pristine white blade.
“I told you I would kill you for what you have done.” She hissed, yanking the blade to the side, severing the flesh of his throat in a wash of blood. Butt-face collapsed to his knees, staring up at her through tear-filled eyes. She drew back the blade and with an effortless swing, removed his head from his shoulders. It bounced along the ground, rolling to a stop a few feet away. She snapped the weapon, removing blood and viscera from the blade.
She knelt, meeting the eyes of the young kobold. “You okay, sweetie?” The small female rushed forward, crying into her shoulder. “There, there. you’re safe now.”
Skree rushed to them, dropping to a knee and
pulling them into a hug. “Fenna what are you doing here?”
“That doesn‘t sound like a thank you.” she said, still clutching the kobold in her arms.
Skree huffed and a laugh slowly bubbled up from deep in his chest. “Thank you Fenna.”
Chapter 48
The funeral was the next day. The entire crew of the Sawbones was in attendance, along with most of the Typhoons. After the dust had settled, three of the adult kobolds were dead, along with twenty of Dibo’s men. They had returned their bodies to any friends of family they might have had, but this funeral wasn’t for them. Again, Skree faced the prospect that someone nearly killed the kobolds. This was different. Where Abrenacht was a being of pure evil, bent on destroying life, these had been men just out for petty revenge.
Theseldora was a dangerous place, he knew that. Despite the normalcy of everything in the town, it was still a bastion of pirates, criminals and thugs. The Admiral's guards only protected the important buildings like the Ironworks and the Harbor, leaving much of the city undefended from crime. Skree realized that healone held the responsibility for these deaths. He had left his family unprotected, letting the good people of Theseldora lull him into complacency. He should have hired guards, could have hired guards, but had not.
Grelo and the others had paid the price for his hubris. It was a mistake he would not make again. After the attack, Skree had hired a contingent of guards, a full forty men to guard the boardinghouse. They were relatively expensive, but he was holding a fortune and wanted the best of the best to keep his family safe. He needed to make it to the rift, that much was certain and he could not bring them with him.
Priestess had considered remaining behind, but she wanted to be with him. He could see how much the decision weighed on her. It was a burden he didn’t know how to help with. If they didn‘t leave now, they would have to eventually. They had a settlement to build, and it would require them to leave the kobolds on their own again. He didn’t feel safe dragging them into danger.
Raiya- Early Game Page 33