Death Knight Box Set

by Michael Chatfield

  Aila wore fine new robes, turning people’s eyes as she passed like a regal queen.

  “Okay, so how much do we have for passage?” Anthony asked, looking at the finest ship. It was an elegant passenger vessel with gold-encrusted crenellations on it. They even had feather beds aboard and boasted a full fresh menu, as well as a security escort with magical formations on the side of the ship. She looked as if she could dominate the seas.

  “I was able to get this robe on sale. It came with a complete set. Isn’t it gorgeous?” Aila asked.

  “It’s colorful and shiny. Are those enchantments?” Anthony staggered backward. He had enchanted armor; he knew just how expensive wearable enchanted items could be.

  “I knew you had an eye for detail. These magical enchantments will allow me much greater control over my mana. I really was listening to you when you were talking about spell casting. See, I want to follow in your footsteps and I can only think of doing that with this robe.”

  “How much was it?” Anthony asked in a pained voice.

  “Well, it was a good deal, as I saw it—a real bargain. Though I lost the shinies. We can always get more, right!” Aila laughed and smiled, as she half lifted her foot.

  Anthony swiftly retreated out of her range. “How much do you have left?” he yelled, now at a safe enough distance.

  “I’ve still got thirty coppers left. See, it’s a really good deal, no?”

  “I scraped the bottom of the bay for all of that! Why did you think I was so muddy and covered in seaweed?” Anthony cried, holding his head.

  Aila had an awkward smile on her face. “I’m sure that you can find more.”

  Anthony’s eyes fell on the passenger ship, seeing the refined folk who were being guided up to the ship, then back to the ecstatic gnome and unabashed elf who was gathering attention with her new robes.

  Anthony’s eyes moved down the row of boats, from the newer and well-cared-for behemoths down to the cargo ships. They were no less smaller but their uses were purely utilitarian.

  Anthony started down in that direction.

  “Where are you going?” Aila asked.

  “To find a boat!” Anthony yelled.

  He went to the different vessels, going through three boat crews before he walked up to a surly-looking shark kin captain. “What is the biggest problem that you have and will fixing it get me and my friends passage to Epan?” Anthony asked.

  The captain looked over Anthony, then Tommie and Aila. “Don’t you have the gold?” the captain asked in a low voice.

  “I did. The elf spent it.” Anthony sighed.

  “Ahh.” The shark kin captain nodded in understanding. “Well, there is one thing. The city has got this big ’berg that has been blocking up the sewers, calling all kinds of troubles. My missus and the kids haven’t been able to use the toilets in a week. If you can clear out the ’berg, then it’ll get you passage.”

  “Consider it done!” Anthony said. “Where is it?”

  “Go to the Old Hog. Two streets down, toward the wall—that’s where I heard it was last.” The captain nodded.

  Chapter: The ’Berg Incident

  “Wait here.” Anthony stepped into the sewers. They all had night vision, but in tight, confined spaces, Aila wouldn’t be of much help and she was still protective of her new attire. Tommie was a good engineer but he wasn’t a fighter and the water would have been up to his chest while it was up to Anthony’s thighs. Also, it was a sewer; it was pretty easy to get all kinds of infections and being an undead, Anthony was probably not going to be killed by a bunch of bacteria.

  “Gross,” Anthony muttered as he walked through the sewer.

  He saw something blocking it up ahead, as well as heard slurping noises.

  “Huh?” Anthony said.

  A face appeared on the collection of items, looking at Anthony.

  “It’s a sewer golem!” Anthony yelled out.

  The sewer golem seemed a bit displeased. It let out a yell, hurling sewage at Anthony.

  “Will you stop that!” Anthony yelled. He waded forward, drawing his sword and deflecting the incoming long-range attacks.

  He closed with the ’berg golem but it let out a snarl and jumped forward, startling Anthony as he put in too much strength.

  The ’berg exploded into a mist. A green haze surrounded Anthony.

  “Ugh! I’ll never get the smell out!” Anthony yelled.

  He was cleaning himself off as he saw the power core of the golem. “With this, I can increase my mana!” He reached forward as he heard Tommie and Aila talking.

  I should probably let them know I’m...is that a flame?

  “N—”

  ***

  “What was that?” Tommie asked.

  “I’m not sure.” Aila used her flame spell. Her flame was torn away from her hand and a light flashed before their eyes as an explosion went off closer to the dockyards. A geyser of water and bits of the ’berg were catapulted out of the sewers with a cartwheeling and screaming knight.

  Aila and Tommie looked at each other, then looked around, edging away from the sewer grate and making sure no one saw them as they took off at a run.

  Chapter: Across The Swirling Seas

  Anthony had gained them passage aboard the mighty Hubberston. He consumed a mana core, which had increased his overall mana capacity once again. He’d rid the city of Norlund of a monster sewage ’berg, gaining the admiration of the people.

  But he was also thrown clear across the Norlund bay, taking him three hours to walk under the bay and requiring three more washes with soap to get rid of the remaining scent from the ’berg.

  Captain Lothir kept his word and took them aboard, setting off the next morning.

  Tommie had retreated to the bowels of the ship to play with his new parts. Anthony was sitting on the quarterdeck, playing a game of cards with the captain and some of the crew.

  The sweet sounds of seasickness came from the rear.

  Aila didn’t seem to be the biggest fan of ships. At least her stomach wasn’t, though Anthony had thoughtfully secured her to the rear of the ship with rope to make sure that she wouldn’t fall overboard.

  “Something feels wrong,” Aila said.

  “Sounds like it too,” Anthony quipped.

  “No, the mana is getting stirred up,” Aila said.

  “Mana storm?” one of the crew members said.

  “Shouldn’t be,” Captain Lothir said.

  “We’ve got mana gathering off the port bow!” the man on watch called out.

  “Dammit!” Lothir yelled and rang the bell next to the steering wheel. “Mana storm! Make sure the gear is secured and unfurl the sails!”

  People who had been taking a rest below decks now rushed out with pale expressions as they ran up the rigging to loosen the sails.

  Anthony jumped up the rigging as well, letting loose the sails; they snapped in the wind. Lothir turned the ship, catching the wind, propelling them away from the mana storm.

  “It looks to be coming closer, Cap!” the watcher said. “The water is glowing!”

  The clouds seemed to roll in on them and the skies darkened. A vortex of water and mana stirred up, connecting the waters to the skies.

  The ship was jostled by the wind. A man screamed out as he lost his positioning.

  “Come on, fella!” Anthony yelled, grabbing a rope and jumping. As he swung in an arc, wings appeared on his back. He grabbed the man and circled back around, landing on the boat.

  “Y-you?” Lothir needed a second to find his words. “Are you the winged Guardian Anthony?”

  “You heard of me?” Anthony asked. Well, this is going to be awkward if people connect me to the ’berg incident.

  “I know some of the traders who go down there. They told us about a person with golden wings who protected the city.”

  “Yeah, they’re pretty sweet.” Anthony looked over at the water that was slowly rising up.

  Black, almost green, waves appeared, thr
ashing together and lifting up from the water, suspended in the air to form a turbid sphere.

  They rested there, drawing in an incredible amount of mana that shot into the sphere of waves.

  Tommie ran up on the deck as the sailors dropped down from the rigging. The sails unfurled as they tried to flee.

  “Anthony, is that an elemental?” Tommie’s voice climbed in volume as he pointed at the glowing water creature that seemed to be made of sea waves.

  “What did I tell you?”

  “If it makes you puckered up, scared, and nature seems like it’s broken, then it is probably an elemental!”

  “Good, Tommie—you were listening.” Anthony strode forward and pat him on the shoulder.

  “Now, you should all probably get below decks. It’s nothing to panic about! Just don’t need the screaming and running around—distracts from some totally awesome sailing!” Anthony said.

  Tommie and the rest of the sailors looked at Anthony as Aila threw up over the side of the boat.

  “How do you have anything left in there?” Anthony asked, genuinely surprised.

  “How is that the most alarming thing when there is a water elemental off our bow and where did you get that hat?” Tommie looked at the pirate hat that was on top of Anthony’s helmet at a jaunty angle.

  “Pretty dashing—” The wind pulled on Anthony’s hat, and he clamped it down. “That’s it, sea elemental—you’re going down!”

  The elemental seemed to hear. The sphere expanded and the waves turned into a black and green whale with eyes that glowed brighter than blue gems.

  The whale dropped from the sky and it let out a roar that flattened the water around with force. It hit the stilled water and sent up massive waves that rippled out in every direction.

  “Lothir, get your people below decks!” Anthony yelled. The clouds above shook with thunder and lightning as rain poured down.

  “I only just met you!” Lothir yelled.

  “I’m a guardian angel, buddy, but I can’t save anyone who falls off the boat. You’re welcome to stay, but tie yourself in!” Anthony yelled.

  “You gone up against an elemental before?” Lothir yelled.

  “A few!” Anthony laughed.

  Lothir looked from Anthony to the wheel before he nodded.

  Anthony took the wheel, turning them toward the elemental.

  “Everyone who’s not essential, get below decks—it’s time to ride!” Anthony grabbed onto the steering wheel with one hand and held his hat with the other. Power flowed from him into the ship. Their speed lurched, the boat rearing up before it charged forward with greater speed than before.

  Lothir tied himself in as a few others gritted their teeth and made sure that they were tied in as well.

  “Solomon, you’re on lookout. Dave, give us some more speed! Bruce, buff the ship!”

  The rain came in sideways now and people listened to what Anthony said.

  “Aila, what are you doing out here still?” Anthony asked as they were all cleared away.

  “I’m still tied to the banister! Untie me!”

  Anthony looked back and into the storm and the waves that were coming at them. “No can do! Don’t worry—I have trust in the knots!”

  “Is this about the robes?” Aila yelled.

  “Sorry, I can’t hear you!” Anthony shared a look with Lothir.

  “We should trim the sails!” he yelled.

  “We’re going to need the speed to get up those waves!” Anthony said.

  The waves were now towering above them.

  Lothir looked at them and shivered. “What’s the plan?”

  “We do some surfing, cargo-ship style,” Anthony said.

  “What is surfing?”

  “It’s a really fun sport in Ilsal.”

  “The one where they use flimsy wood to ride down waves, can hit rocks or drown from the waves crashing down on them?” Lothir’s voice changed.

  “You really know how to highlight the negative points, don’t you?” Anthony frowned.

  He looked back at the ship. It had transformed. The five masts had black flames that couldn’t be extinguished by the torrential downpour. The ship was glowing green and gold, with Dave’s head as the ship’s figurehead; his wings jutted out from either side of the ship

  “Here we go!” Anthony yelled.

  Dave put all of his strength into it; their speed increased again as they reached the bottom of the wave.

  “Get ready to pull the sails in and then release them!” Anthony yelled.

  The crew had grim faces as they worked on the rigging, preparing the sails.

  Anthony grinned inside his helmet. This is the coolest! Wait till I tell Claire!

  “Bring the sails in!” Anthony yelled.

  They hauled on the ropes, bringing the sails up. Dave kept their momentum up as they climbed the wave.

  “Hold on to something!” Anthony yelled, holding onto his hat as everyone clung to different parts of the ship.

  Anthony felt the motion of the ship, the wind acting on it, the pull of the water underneath, their momentum declining even as Dave strained. Just as they were about to start going backward, Anthony cut the wheel to the side, turning it with all of his might. As the rudder cut against the water, the boat creaked and groaned with the forces trying to tear it apart. Bruce’s glow intensified.

  They shifted and then turned.

  “Come on, you beauty. Don’t fail us now, Hubberston!” Lothir yelled.

  “Dave, now!”

  Dave had stopped flapping his wings and now put them out to the side, catching the wave. They started to fall down the side of the wave, gathering momentum.

  Anthony felt the bite, the power and the speed.

  Dave used his other wing, pushing them into the wave as Anthony used the rudder. They carved through the massive wave, curving around it.

  “Yelling Atoll, here we come! Ready to release on those sails, lads?”

  “Ready!”

  “All right then, on my command!” Anthony laughed as he felt the wind against his armor and the spray of the sea water as they surfed the massive tsunami wave.

  Their speed increased as they angled down more. They were now like a boat out of hell as the Hubberston creaked and complained but remained together. The cargo-designed boat was much hardier and larger than passenger ships.

  And right now she was the most beautiful ship that Anthony had ever laid eyes on.

  “Foresails!” Anthony yelled as he cut the rudder. They turned, no longer cutting along the wave but now plunging down it as they picked up speed.

  Anthony let out a whoop and he held onto his hat.

  The others were all screaming as they moved faster than old Hubberston had ever gone before. Dave flapped his wings eagerly; their speed increased to the point that they were lifted up out of the water, gliding on just Dave’s wings, before they skipped across the water.

  “Release the sails!” Anthony boomed.

  The towering waves were still behind them as Dave flapped his wings as fast as possible. They shot across the water, the wind at their backs as concussive waves of force rolled forward.

  The sails dropped, snapping out to full sail as they surged ahead.

  “That’s it, girl!” Anthony barked and patted the wheel as they shot across the Swirling Seas, the wind at their back and the thrill of surviving rushing through their veins.

  The crew cheered but didn’t let go as the speed was still astronomical.

  ***

  The crew of the Serendipity was just serving dinner to their passengers. They had seen the mana storm from the top of their rigging but it was far enough away to not affect them.

  They had continued on their course; the captain was called up to the quarterdeck as he was seeing the guests. He excused himself and went to the quarterdeck.

  “What is it?”

  His first mate passed him the telescope. He extended it and looked out at where he was pointing.

  T
here was a ship that had green lightning running across the ship. Golden wings were flapping along its side and it was wreathed in black flames.

  The hellish ship shot across the water faster than any ship that he had seen before.

  It shot past the aft of the ship, coming in the direction of the mana storm.

  “What in the hells?” the captain asked as it shot past. He caught a glimpse of the captain: a man wearing full armor, holding onto his hat with one hand, steering with his leg and waving with his free hand.

  The crew were all moving around the deck slowly and there was a person tied down to the rear of the ship. As fast as it arrived, it passed, continuing on its path.

  “Was that a cargo ship?” someone asked.

  “Cursed ship raised from Davy Jones’s Locker,” another said in fear.

  “Not a word of this to the guests. Cut our course away from that mana storm. We don’t need to run into trouble. We’ll sail all night.” The captain snapped the telescope closed.

  Chapter: Yelling Atoll

  The Hubberston slowed down after half a day. Dave, Bruce, and Solomon returned to Anthony, who passed the hat back to Lothir.

  “Will you untie me!” Aila complained.

  “Coming, coming.” Anthony undid the bindings and Aila stood up.

  “No!” Her legs failed her and she grabbed onto the railing to support her.

  “Urgh, pins and needles...the worst,” Anthony said.

  “How could you leave me on the back for that!” Aila yelled.

  “How could you make me go into the sewer and fight a ’berg?” Anthony muttered to himself but she could hear him.

  She looked at him with thinned eyes before she reached out a hand. “Truce?”

  “For now,” Anthony said.

  A chill ran through Aila.

  They continued their journey over the next few days. Tommie and a few of the engineering types were in and out of the hold the entire time.

  Anthony and the sailors bonded while Aila finished with her seasickness and admired her new clothes.