Possessing a bulkier frame, the trireme was a bit slower than its lighter escorts, with the bronze ram producing additional drag on the craft. Yet with each well-timed row of around a hundred and twenty oarsmen the ship quickly closed the gap, but not quite quick enough. The Sawtooth under the careful and experienced helmsmanship of former Admiral Tritus, timed the movement of their sail, catching the wind and tacking to the port side. As the Sawtooth turned and pulled away, the Trireme unable to easily change its direction simply continued forward, unable to give chase.
At this moment the Sawtooth and attacking Trireme were side by side, barely a fifty-yard distance between the two of them. Either side in arrow range of the other, but it was the Sawtooth crew who were prepared, armed and ready for a ranged fight. Their opponents on the other hand were hesitant, unprepared as they had been banking upon their main weapon the ram. Now they found themselves exposed, without armor or shields, just like their comrades on the previous vessels. This time the crew of the Sawtooth intended to showcase their most terrifying weapon yet.
“Fire!” Vexariz didn’t need to give the order, Sabina was already prepped and in position, and she was not one to hesitate when desiring to show the efficacy of her designs.
The bow mounted ballista released its projectile, a head sized clay pot. It did not appear as dangerous as the original heavy stone projectiles, and the additional padded sling device attachment required increased the loading time. Yet this innocuous pot was infinitely more dangerous than a mere stone, inside it was separated into three sections. Sap from a carnivorous vine native to the Jormani forest, oil, and most importantly a fungal spore known as burst shrooms, also found within the Jormani forest, that burst into flames when exposed to light.
In Temrenos both plants and fungi were in the early stages of domestication, with farming processes having little success. Burst shrooms finding popularity as an easy method of igniting cooking fires or campfires, as the fungal spore tended to burn much slower than a piece of firewood and was much lighter. The only downside being the cost of storing them, as it required specialized containers to inhibit light and possibly losing the spore.
Alone the spore couldn’t do much, light a small fire, keep a cook pot going for a few hours. However, when the vine sap mixed with the oil, the two substances in the appropriate ratio would merge into a thicker coagulant, one that possessed highly volatile qualities, Naphtha. With a single ember this substance would burn for hours on end, melting flesh from the bone. It was a sticky, cloying substance, it could not be put out with water, instead simply needing to burn itself out, not the best outcome for someone covered in the dangerous sap. Salamander’s Breath was just that, a delivery device for naphtha, packaged together with its ignition source, upon shattering the shroom would ignite the naphtha, spreading hellfire within the vicinity.
A reality that the pirates aboard the enemy vessel learned the hard way, upon shattering there was a short puff followed by the entire mast and center deck going up into flames. Droplets of Naphtha spread across the wooden deck quickly caught fire from the embers flittering about in the air, screams could be heard as men unfortunate enough to be hit by the burning fluid ran headfirst into the sea hoping for salvation. Others simply fell to the ground, portions of their skin and flesh already beyond recognition.
The Sawtooth pulled away, wanting to avoid the chance that the embers might catch their own sail. Many of those on deck unfamiliar with the clay pots quickly took their distance, fearful of the immense danger inherent in the compact devices. Others watched in shock and horror as the flames spread along the surface of the enemy vessel, inching along the wooden frame as if they were alive. Some of the enemy sailors managed to escape, primarily the few above deck not caught in the initial blast. Those below deck were not as lucky, with the mast and entrance above completely engulfed in flames.
Men screamed and cried, begging for help, their pleas falling upon deaf ears. There was no one willing or able to save them, and soon enough even those cries began to peter out, transforming into unearthly screams as the flames spread to the bottom decks. Within the few minutes it took the Sawtooth to change its trajectory to engage the remaining eight pirate vessels, the Trireme had disappeared, its charcoaled remains sinking beneath the waves.
“It would appear that these pirates have a spine made of steel. Normally their ranks would cut and run after such a show.” Caedyrn made a calm assessment of their enemies, his voice and tone as cool and collected as ever. It was as if he was on a routine outing, not as if he had witnessed the violent and brutal deaths of hundreds of people. One could deduce that in his eyes the enemy barely registered as human, their deaths just another number, a mark to add to an already long count. “Mera I know you’ve been waiting anxiously, but I guess you can go ahead and test out a few of your new projects… After all, its not often that the rats deliver themselves to our door.”
Mera who was standing and watching the entire affair with bated breath jumped up in joy and excitement, much to the surprise of Niko, Cauaria, and others nearby. The girl was ecstatic, her hands moving swiftly to remove all manner of pots and vials, containing all shades of colors, dazzling and dark. With the Salamander’s Breath fresh in their mind the surrounding individuals took a few steps back, giving the girl and themselves a bit of room. Strangely enough, the younger Atia did the opposite, moving closer and attempting to touch and play with the colorful vials. Luckily, even her new sister Mera had the good sense to reprimand her, informing her of the danger and that she couldn’t handle such substances…yet.
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“Captain, two enemy scout vessels closing in on our port and starboard sides!” The lookout called attention to the Penteconter’s rapidly approaching their flanks. These smaller vessels had the ability to rapidly close the distance using short bursts of speed, their goal was simple, get close and attach boarding hooks to the Sawtooth. Undoubtedly their crews were outmatched, the men on board rushing to their deaths, but something drove them to do so anyway.
Off in the distance the Quinquereme, the crimson-colored flagship approached cautiously in a curtain formation, with the two remaining triremes leading the charge. Which only amplified the purpose of the pair of scout ships, they were meant to hold the Sawtooth crew, to restrict their ability to unleash their most dangerous weapons while the main squadron closed the distance. The pirate commander appeared to want to whittle them down, no longer proceeding at ramming speed, keeping a moderate pace, one which would allow for more maneuverability, while their formation was meant for encircling and boarding an outnumbered foe.
This was an effective strategy; however, the enemy was sorely underestimating the crew of the Sawtooth, both their numbers and skill. The first Penteconter smashed into the starboard side of the Sawtooth, its port side oars smashed to bits from the impact yet allowing the crew of the pirate vessel to deploy their boarding hooks. They would have started their ascent up the side of the larger vessel, but their ship possessed no top deck, this meant there was nowhere to hide, to take refuge from the storm of arrows that came down upon them. Their deck quickly becoming strewn with corpses, blood running in rivulets down the sides of both ships.
If any of the pirates were lucky enough to be one of the four survivors clambering over the railing and onto the Sawtooth’s deck, they were met with a blazing haired fury. The first pirate didn’t even have the chance to unsheathe his blade, a throwing axe finding its mark and burrowing into his skull, sending the lifeless corpse careening over the edge and into the blood-soaked deck of the damaged Penteconter.
The remaining three boarders could have easily been dealt with, yet Cauaria was clear that they were hers, a few weeks at sea and no recent skirmishes had left her itching for some light exercise. These men would act as a suitable warm-up before the arrival of the main squadron. Wielding a curved iron kopesh in her right, and a short iron xiphos in her left. The kopesh was great for cutting, but also for hooking enemy blades while the xiphos was mainly for thrusting and piercing.
In tandem, and in the hands of an experienced duelist, the blades were a whirlwind of destruction, slicing flesh and piercing armor with calculated strikes. The three remaining pirates, sensing that the others were hesitating to attack, decided to quickly deal with the lone enemy offering up herself to their blades. Reality sunk in a little too late as they moved within her range and her right arm lashed out, the tip of the khopesh running along the edge of one of the men’s necks. Having lowered his guard, the man was unprepared, and had not even noticed the attack before he was clasping at his throat, gasping for air as blood flowed through his fingers. He was not yet dead, but would be in less than a minute, but the fight was not yet over.
As the second man fell over, the remaining two pirates turned their attention away, an instant of distraction, but just enough time for the fury to rush into the chest of the man on the left. He had little to no time to respond as the xiphos was thrust upward his armpit, right before a powerful kick propelled him over the railing and into the water below. While in that same motion Cauaria twirled to her left, avoiding the last man’s swing, his blade impacting empty air and the deck of the Sawtooth. However, Cauaria was not done, before her enemy had lifted his blade, hers came down in an arc, the overhead swing empowered by her momentum and coming down directly on the base of the man’s outstretched neck, separating his head from his body.
The fight was over in a matter of minutes, Cauaria carving through the attackers the way a butcher carves through meat. Yet, as impressive as that showcase of finesse, strength, and combat prowess were, it was nothing in comparison to the sheer horror that had been unleashed upon the other vessel. Not even one of its crew able to make it over the railing and onto the deck of the ship. Some of the Sawtooth crew members turning their heads in disgust, rushing over to unburden the contents of their stomach into the sea. Peering over the port side railings with an inquisitive smile on her face was none other than Mera, her eyes focused on the area just below.
What lay on the other side of the ship was a gruesome sight, Mera had unleashed a couple of unknown devices upon the deck of the Penteconter. It had just pulled up alongside the Sawtooth, employing the same boarding strategy as their comrades, however they never got the chance to so much as throw their hooks. Instead, Mera’s devices burst into a cloud of colorful dust, a smoky yellow and green cloud which encompassed the entirety of the small ship.
The effect was immediate, the men on board began screaming, even that was difficult as they began choking on their own swollen tongues. Eyes were next, the particles causing an intense burning, with blood leaking from their sockets, with all wandering aimlessly, tripping over themselves and the wooden oars. If that wasn’t enough, some of the men had an even worse reaction, with their skin growing massive pustules, leaking a vomit inducing yellow fluid before turning the skin grey and desiccated.
Without any effort, Mera had dispatched an entire pirate crew, its men having taken the full brunt of her noxious gas devices. Caedyrn himself praising the young girls innovative mind, all the while the others around them gazing at the aftermath in revulsion. Questioning whether anyone, even such vile and craven criminals such as these pirates deserved such a fate.
“Get back to your positions! The fight isn’t over yet!” Maatilani and Vexariz were quick to reorganize the crew. Even if they had eliminated five vessels and their crews, there remained three more, and these would contain the best the pirate fleet had to offer. Time for contemplation could come later once the immediate threat was removed.