Amid battle, the crew on the ship was a well-oiled machine, too. The archers continued to rain arrows down upon the sea beasts, thinning their numbers. The fire team, despite the chaos, managed to keep a controlled blaze on the water's surface, causing the creatures to shriek and retreat beneath the waves. The sailors scrambled to reinforce damaged sections of the ship and replenish their dwindling supply of arrows and torches.
Elias cut off the limbs of the sea beasts. Their tentacles dug into the wooden sides of the ship as they searched for a way over or inside the ship. The ship shifted once more but this time it was the captain’s doing. He spun the helm around and the ship followed. The other boats were also moving as one.
“Form up and be prepared to board elsewhere,” shouted the captain. “Our comrades require our help.”
The ship shifted with the waves. Elias watched as one of the sea beasts was knocked off the boat and went under the boat as it turned. The sails pushed them forward and toward the neighboring ships. Two other ships were joining up with theirs. As they got closer he could see the problem.
“Focus Eli,” said his master.
He realized then that he hadn’t been paying attention to the fight in front of him. Elias raised his sword and brought it down on the monster his master was fighting. It released its tentacles unwillingly and fell into the water while leaking bodily fluids.
“We will be part of the support team,” said Sir Callum. “The people on the ship will need our help to get back on their feet otherwise we will lose them. Prioritize the pathways between the lower deck and the starboard side. They will need to douse oil there because we will be on the other side of them. The other ship will send a support team of their own. We also need to be ready to leave if necessary. I will call you when that time comes. Stay close. If all else fails the ship will be set to blow by its captain. You will hear the emergency bells if that happens. If we can’t get to our ship then the water will have to do.”
The ship sailed forward and slid into place next to the other ship. Sea beasts had flooded the upper deck of the ship and were currently destroying various things on board. The remaining people fighting on board were few and far between. As the ship came to a stop Sir Callum jumped onto the other boat. Elias followed shortly behind. The rest of the crew came to support them as well. Volleys of arrows were shot at the beasts that had got aboard.
A minute later the other ship pulled next to them and sent their support crew aboard. Elias fought back against the sea beasts next to his master as the fight devolved into a bloody affair. The captain of the ship they boarded was now dead after being impaled by a tentacle. The fighters on the ship could only slow the boarding of the monsters. Wood cracked around them as the ship slowly tore itself apart.
“The captain is dead! Ring the Bell! The captain is dead.”
“Evacuate! Abandon ship!”
Around him, the crew and fighters were moving to the edges of the ship. Even Sir Callum pushed his way back toward their original ship.
“We need to go,” said Sir Callum. “Help the others if you can but we need to leave.”
The surrounding ships got the message and were adjusting their sails to leave. The sea beasts had overrun the ship, and they were on a timer. Elias followed behind Sir Callum as they fled. His sword kept the sea beasts at bay. Sir Callum and Elias stood amidst the chaos on the besieged ship, its deck overrun by relentless sea beasts.
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Sir Callum jumped onto their ship as it pulled away from the sinking vessel. Elias leaped and felt his foot catch the side. The water slipped under his boot as his body fell. One second felt like ten before Sir Callum had his hand. Elias grunted as his side hit the ship. He grabbed hold of the ship and was hoisted up to his feet.
The chaos reached a climax as the explosions rippled through the ship as barrels of oil ignited, sending a fiery shockwave through the invading sea beasts. The ship was now a blazing inferno, a desperate final stand against the encroaching menace. Their ship rocked with the shockwaves from the explosion. Elias winced as the heat hit him. He could hear the sound of the sea beasts that had attached themselves to their ship screech. The heat from the blast hit them. They could not hold onto the ship and dropped into the water.
As the distance between them and the doomed vessel grew, Elias couldn't help but feel a heavy weight in his chest. He had done his best, but the loss of the ship and its brave crew members weighed heavily on him. The sea beasts, now surrounded by flames, shrieked and flailed, but their victory had come at a great cost.
Sir Callum put a reassuring hand on Elias's shoulder, drawing him back from his thoughts. "You did well, my young apprentice," he said, his voice filled with pride. "You saved lives today and protected many more on the Southern Shores. The corruption will not spread to it today.”
“Adjust the sails,” shouted the captain. “We are regrouping with the rest of the fleet. Prepare to jump on land. You will report to the general on the ground. We will need our loading teams to prepare to offboard supplies for the other troops.”
Elias turned to Sir Callum. “Are we retreating? Why?”
“The captain has his reasons and his orders. Dawncoast is likely having issues with the corruption. We need to help purge it before it affects other cities and the surrounding villages. To be honest, the fight by sea has always been a dying effort. Whatever magics are creating this corruption have preferred to mutate land creatures. The efforts at sea are helping to create safe shipping pathways but the efforts are becoming less effective.”
Elias nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. The corruption they faced was a dark, relentless force that spread like a plague across the land. It twisted and mutated all it touched, turning once-peaceful creatures into nightmarish abominations. The Southern Shores had been a primary target, and Elias knew that the fate of the entire region rested on their shoulders.
The sea creatures, their fiery end still visible in the distance, served as a stark reminder of the daunting challenges they faced. Elias had seen the aftermath of the corruption firsthand in the villages they had already liberated. The images of those suffering, transformed, or lost to the vile magic haunted his dreams.
Sir Callum gave Elias a stern yet reassuring look. "Our mission is to push back the darkness, Elias. We can't afford to be spread too thin. The land battle requires our immediate attention, and the rest of the fleet is better equipped to deal with that threat. Remember, the sea is not our only battleground; there are many facets to this war."
“I understand. Thank you for this guidance. I'll do whatever it takes to protect our homeland."
The general's voice echoed from the deck, calling for the crew to prepare for the upcoming battle on land. The ship began to change course, heading toward the coast. The sea beneath them churned as they sped toward the Southern Shores.
As they approached the shoreline, Elias couldn't help but feel a mix of anxiety and determination. The city was active. People moved around the docks helping to unload boxes from the ships. From the ship deck, he could see the west side of the city and its current plight. The swamp that had once neighbored the city had doubled in area. The waters streaming from it into the ocean were darker and murky.
Most troubling however were the creatures leaving the swamp and attacking the city’s defenders. Large, mutated insects flew above people and darted down to attack them. Archer’s on the wall tried to defend against them but the insects were often too fast. Dawncoast’s army flooded the walls with men. They were lucky that the creatures didn’t quite have enough numbers to surround the city.
“How are we supposed to help?” asked Elias. “A bow would be better, but I can’t shoot.”
“We will help in other ways,” Sir Callum replied. “The archers need us as backup up and we can assist by bringing them the support they need. There is always a way we can help even if it isn’t the most effective. The fishermen of the city may not be able to fish the waters anymore, but we can help combat the mutation of these swamps. Soon the Seers may call on the hero and declare them, but that day hasn’t happened yet. Hopefully it is soon.”