It was going to be another boorish day.
The sailor looked into the golden dunes spread across the great desert. In the center of it all, the usual giant wall of billowing sandstorm obscured everything behind it.
It was another quiet day to be noted in his journal.
The patrol consisted of five ships, sailing all around Pamalyra to fend off pirates, monsters lurking below the sand and secure trading routes. After sailing for a month, the sailor was unfortunate to encounter anything to relieve his boredom. He wished he could set his eyes at something new other than the vast land of sand.
“Are you slacking off again?”
“No, captain. I’m on my break.”
“Break? What break?! I ain’t paying you to sit your ass down and doing nothing! You took your damn break an hour ago!”
The captain smacked the sailor at his noggin until the sailor stood up from the barrel.
“And take that barrel back where you pulled it from! Get going!”
The sailor received a kick on his rump and powerlessly watched the captain huffed away. He resented the abuse, but it was his fault for choosing to enlist as a sailor. If he could rewind time, he would’ve applied for a guard in a remote port instead.
A heavy sigh came out of his mouth as he slowly rolled the barrel, being cautious it wouldn’t be caught by the momentum of the ship’s rocking. He enviously observed his neighboring vessels, watching their crews much relaxed and carefree than the one he’s boarded.
Some smoked and drank while playing cards on the deck. They even got their captain involved.
The Kobolds did everything. They raised the mast, swabbed the deck and one tiny Kobold acted as lookout in the crow’s nest.
“Lucky bastards.”
The sailor continued rolling the barrel until he reached the place where he took it from. With a grunt, he set it upright and pushed it in a corner before exiting.
Everyday was like this. Follow the captain’s commands, maintain the ship, eat, sleep, wake up and repeat. Before he knew it, he was slaving away his days. There were no monster, no pirates but the occasional traveling strays selling miscellaneous items here and there.
It was another uneventful day.
“Hey, you. We need an extra hand over here. Help us out.”
A group of sailors called him as it was time to wind in the parachutes. They formed a line, holding onto the rope and pulled. The chutes flew high in the sky, catching fast winds, was slowly pulled down as the ship now propelled only by its sails.
“So, why are we stopping here? The patrol’s not going to end sooner, and I don’t see a port.”
“We’re transporting craftsman to repair the runic pillars. We’re going to have to circle around each pillar for them to mend any cracks.”
“Are you serious?! I never signed up for this! I thought the job said to just sail one round and earn a few thousand silvers!”
“You didn’t read the actual job description, did you? It was the page behind the reward.”
“Ugh… I want to go home.”
“Stop complaining. You’re dragging down everyone’s morale.”
“Quit yapping, you two!” The Captain shouted at them. “Get to your stations. We’re scouting ahead. Move any slower, and I’ll feed ya to the next sand lurker I see.”
“Captain, ship graveyard in sight!”
“A graveyard?”
After a wave of blowing sand hit their faces a cold ominous feeling crawling over their fur despite the scorching rays of sunlight shining onto the desert.
The Sailor bravely moved to the edge for a better look upon seeing a silhouette of a stalagmite in the distance. When the vessel carefully sailed next to it, he identified the part being a broken mast.
There was more wreckage covered by mounds of building sand. There was one separated into three parts. The damage suggested a creature with large pincers crushed the unfortunate vessel. Others either met the same fate or were abandoned.
Spotting the flags and the style they were decorated, some were from the navy. A few of them weren’t mass produced models either. Famous admirals once coordinated these vessels with expert sailors piloting them. Other shipwrecked vessels were previously owned by pirates.
Now they laid here slowly being forgotten in the desert.
“So many ships… what happened here?”
The Sailor noticed something strange upon seeing new wreckages. Their parts were clean of sand, like they were freshly added to the graveyard recently. Then where are the bodies? There weren’t any blood markings as far the Sailor could see. Monsters under the sand aren’t ones to eat a tidy meal.
“Is it monsters? Even pirate ships were left here.”
“Are the pirate’s treasure still here?”
“Yeah! We should go take a look shouldn’t we?”
“No one is to leave this ship. Something ain’t right.” The Captain muttered. “Navigator, plot a route out. I don’t want to find out what’s lurking here.”
Quickly, before anyone or anything was alerted to their presence. The crew turned the ship to sail out of the graveyard.
Minutes passed, then an hour. Finally, they broke through the sandstorm surrounding the graveyard. The scorching air returned, warming them from the coldness wrapped on their bodies from lingering in the graveyard.
“Good riddance. It felt like I was swimming through an air riddled with dammed souls.” The Captain tightened his grip on the wheel. “Men, raise the chutes and catch the wind! We must report this to the others-.”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
As the ship’s bow arced around, the bell underneath the crow’s nest suddenly rang. Not a moment too soon, a crash from behind reached the Beastkins.
“C-captain! The main fleet is under attack!”
“By monsters?”
“N-no…! By the Invincible!”
The Sailor rushed to the back and pulled out his telescope. He couldn’t believe what he saw. The Invincible, captained by Radhr, bulldozing two of the five patrol ships behind them.
Just why had the famed Steel Heart crew attacked them? Radhr was one captain of the Silver Beasts Alliance assisted the Liberator to quell the Pirate Revolution, a part of a legend. The Invincible and its noble crew earned their titles by once defending a critical port by itself to help the navy pave a route directly to the pirate hideout.
Had they gone rogue?
“Incoming starboard!”
A smaller ship sailed at starboard side at such speed it was like hovering above the sand. It was the Pursuer, and it was beelining at them with the intent to crash into their ship.
“I can’t believe my eyes. It’s the Pursuer!”
“We’re turning! Everyone brace! We’re hightailing it out of here!”
The chutes were fully raised and caught the powerful winds. Their ship jerked forward, pulling itself free from the mound of sand and began speed away at high speeds.
“Why is it after us?!” The Sailor screamed.
“Why are you here?” The Captain shouted. “Get back to the deck and work lest I throw ya overboard!”
Their ship may be fast, but the Pursuer was no ordinary vessel. Upon seeing its prey sail using the high winds, it made a sharp turn and chased them down. The Captain of Pursuer, Whirlwind Fang, chased down many pirate scouts and delivered vital information of hideouts and patrol routes. It was famed as the fastest ship, whilst making impossible sharp turns to move out of harm’s way and chase down prey.
“It’s catching up!” The Sailor screamed. “Port side!”
“Man the harpoons! Once they’re within range, fire at will! The Pursuer may be fast, but it can’t take a hit!”
A hail of projectiles showered the Pursuer. Its speed easily steered clear of spearheaded arrows as it shot a grappling hook at their ship’s stern. In one fluid motion, the Pursuer had swung itself around to starboard. As it passed their rear from port to starboard, the whole ship quaked.
The Captain discovered the wheel was loosely turning.
“Dammit! They destroyed the rudder! Where are they?”
“They switched sides-!”
The Sailor watched in horror as a lookout dropped from the crow’s nest. The Pamalyrian’s face was mutilated by an arrow piercing through the side of its skull.
“U-UWAAHHH!”
Everyone scrambled to shift posts to the other side of the ship when arrows launched from the Pursuer found their marks. Their numbers were being plucked as armed sailors rushed from one end to the other.
Suddenly, the Pursuer disengaged and steered away after having to inflict substantial damage.
The crew below the Captain had their morale sucked out of them. About half their numbers were reduced. The wheel could no longer turn the ship but if they were to escape it could be repaired with the remaining crew.
Just then, a large shadow cast over them.
The Sailor looked horrified at the whale like vessel flying overhead. Its fins were spread apart like wings, its flat armored keel gradually closed towards them.
It was the Elusive Wraith captained by Flying Sphinx Sazhar. Sazhar’s vessel was unlike any other as it had the ability to glide in the air almost as if it was flying. Its flat armored keel was made for stamping and crushing others unfortunate to be in its landing.
Not many had seen the Elusive Wraith as suggested of its name, but everyone had heard of a ship that could fly. The pirates that were once captured spouted a ridiculous nonsense of a ghost ship reaping the lives of their comrades during the night. Its haunting presence eventually cracked the defense of a nigh impregnable city for the navy to recapture it.
“Steel Heart, Whirlwind, Flying Sphinx… They’re the Liberator’s companions. Why are they attacking us?!”
The Sailor had moments before their ship was crushed under the Elusive Wraith. While everyone was stricken by fear, he quickly ran towards the edge of the ship and jumped. He threw himself overboard and landed on the searing sand. Thankfully his fur was able to insulate his skin from the intense heat.
A resounding thump and the rush of wind kicked up a wall of sand at him. Once the shockwave passed, he saw the ship he once boarded crushed by the Elusive Wraith. His companions and the ship were no more. The patrol party was decimated.
Both Pursuer and Elusive Warith paid no heed to the overboard Sailor as they sailed towards the Invincible to regroup.
Suddenly, he heard the parting of sand behind him.
It was majestic.
The ship’s edges shined silver. The tip of the bow had a sword attached to it, made for piercing the heart of guardians hiding behind Pamalyra’s largest sandstorm. The emblem of a beast biting on a sword was stitched on its sails.
The long forgotten Silver Cry.
Its captain was the famous Liberator, Silver Mane, the Pirate King Slayer.
“We got a survivor!”
A rope with a wooden hoop attached to the end was thrown at the Sailor with Silver Cry not stopping. He knew if he didn’t take it, he would be eaten alive by monsters only moments later and secured it around him.
“Here, take my hand.”
The Sailor graciously accepted the oversized Mixrel’s aid and was pulled up onto the deck. He was unsure what to think when he saw famous faces standing before him.
“Zicron, please notify Silver we have a guest.”
“Ah? You went ahead and save someone? He’s not going to be happy.”
“It was Scaryl’s idea. He suggested we take prisoners to get information. We don’t what we’ll be up against.”
“Indeed. Afterall, Tama, her traveling companions, Rogus and the Oracle are there.” Scaryl added. “Silver doesn’t want them to be roped into our grudges, but if they do, it can’t be helped.”
Scaryl extended a hand to the Sailor, flashing a gentle smile at him. As the Sailor skeptically took Scaryl’s hand to stand up, his instincts warned him of a threatening presence emerging from the cabin.
It was Silver, Douglas. He loosely wore a long jacket and a tricorn hat with bundles of large feathers of a monsters he hunted long ago. His attire was the same as the day he cut down the Pirate King to free Pamalyra of its terrors. His weapon wasn’t [Rolling Crown], but rather, the Pirate King’s [Tyrant Fang].
Douglas turned his snout towards a new scent on board. “Who’s he?”
“A survivor, boss. I was hoping if you’ll give me permission to ask him details of Navargzan’s security.”
“You don’t need permission from me. I trust all of you enough to know what you’re doing. Do as you like.”
The reason dawned onto the Sailor of the massacre against the patrol. The Silver Beasts alliance comprised of the Invincible, Pursuer, Elusive Wraith and the Silver Cry had come back together to attack a fleet of patrolling ships. Now they’re searching for information about Navargzan’s defenses to attack it in near future.
“L-Liberator…! Why are you doing this?”
The silvered Lycanthrope stomped across the deck and stood in front of the frightened sailor. He shot the Sailor a paralyzing gaze, slamming his claws on the rails and pushed his snout up to the Sailor’s face.
“Because dey made me their villain.”
“No one said anything bad about you. Everyone still praises you till this day.”
“Yes, yes. That much I know, but dey’re all empty gratitudes. After a bloody war my comrades and I fought to build a better future fer Pamalyra, that’s all we’re rewarded with. After the lives of my friends made as stepping stones to bring us victory. After all that, all we get are empty words and false courage to continue sacrificing our lives for the betterment of this country.”
“What are you on about…?”
“As a Hero who conquered the villain threatening Pamalyra, shouldn’t one have thought I’d live in my own palace, spending the rest of my days living a lavish life?”
“You don’t…? Didn’t the Council had gifted your own land, a title and riches.”
“You see, it’s funny. They offered me land, but it’s very far north and away from Navargzan. In addition, I was forbidden to sail anywhere south or near the capital.”
“You were… exiled?”
“Dey’re scared of me. They tried to scam the Silver Cry right under my nose.”
“But, why are you planning to attack the capital now? Were you planning your revenge all this time?”
“Revenge?” Douglas laughed. “Never have I once thought to turn my claws at the Council during my banishment. Except now.”
The railing underneath Douglas’ hand buckled. The wood snapped sending splinters and fragments of silver to explode.
“Dey’ve taken my peace. And now, I’m takin dere’s. An eye fer an eye. A tooth fer a tooth. Dey’ve taken a life of someone dear. It’s only natural I get their lives in return.”
Numerous suddenly ships flanked the Silver Cry. The Invincible, Pursuer and Elusive Wraith all sailed with the Silver Beast Alliance flag.
“I’ll gut each and one of em, make em beg for death. When they do, I’ll make sure the reaper’s scythe will very slowly come ta them till dey break. This is all because of their warped vision of peace influenced by their golden greed."