As we near the two caravels ahead of us, I take another look at them through my spyglass.

Now we were close enough to make out their flag, a white horse on a blue background.

The Roldium kingdom.

Besides it flew a plain red flag. A promise of bloodshed, with no quarter.

Damn greedy bastards just won’t take no for an answer.

“Hey Domastus, get over here!” I yell towards the stern of the ship

From there, a skinny human lad no older than myself runs towards me.

“Yes cap’ what d’ya need?”

“You spent a year in the Roldium navy, correct?”

“Ah, two years cap’.” The man said whilst catching his breath.

“Good, so tell me about those caravels.”

“Wait, those are Roldium ships?

Crap, umm, arr. Ok.

Well, first up is that they’re fast as anything’. Got real fancy ‘chanted sails an’ that, so we ain’t outrunning’ them.

They don’t got many cannons an’ that. Five on either side I think.”

Damn, I was hoping if we could get past them, we’d be set. Looks like we’ll have to sink them and avoid the bigger ships catching us.

“What about the men-of-war, we’d definitely out run them right?” I ask, trying to hide the concern from my tone.

“Oh, for sure cap’! No doubt about it!

They got them fancy sails too, so they’d be faster than you’d assume.”

Ah good, so long as I get can away from the large warships I can see a way out of this alive.

“Ok, do you know anything else important.”

His face freezes in a strained expression for a few seconds.

“Ah yes!  

The big ships normally ‘ave a mage with them. Seen one use them magics to sink a ship all on ‘is own!”

Before he rambles any further I raise my hand and abruptly cut him off.

“Alright, that’ll be all.”

With a small nod, the crewman left, going back to his previous task.

I guess I’ll probably have to use that to give us a decent shot at survival.

Quickly heading into my cabin, I return to where my belongings dwell.

Hidden under a pair of gloves, I extract a rather plain black metal ring. With the only decoration being a small white gem in the centre.

Putting it on, I immediately feel the magic resonating into me from the relic.

Ready to be used. Begging to be used!

My very first find, and my most precious possession. It certainly isn’t the most powerful artefact I have recovered, but it is the only one I’ve actually kept. Though I have only used it a couple of times before.

You have to be very careful when using something like this. But this is a desperate situation, so I’ll make an exception. Won’t I now.

After a couple of seconds, I tear by eyes from the simplistic ring on my hand.

Don’t get the wrong idea you stupid piece of scrap, I’m not using you because I like it!

I march out onto my deck, now ready for battle.

.

As I was collecting my relic, it appears that the caravels have begun to turn around, probably intending to run along side and exchange fire. Not that I’ll just let them.

Sure I’m a little bigger than the two and would likely win. I can’t afford any damage to my ship that’ll slow me down.

If those warships catch us, we die and they get the blood kings crown to use for who knows what. Probably something idiotic like world domination.

Once the two ships are both heading downwind, they furl up their sails. Slowing them down and allowing me to catch up to them.

However, I don’t just intend to happily sail between them so they can both fire at me at once.

We bear to our starboard side, heading straight for the right caravel, soon being directly behind it while the other ship scrambles close the distance now between us.

“Fire bow cannons!” I bellow out.

The four preloaded, 6-pounder cannons at the bow of the ship recoiled backwards as they let out a thunderous roar.

Unfortunately, none of the shots of hit, with two of them almost raking the side of the ship.

By the time the cannons were reloaded, we were far closer to the caravel, who were now picking up speed again to draw up besides us.

This volley of cannons however, if four can even constitute as a volley, is impossible to miss at this distance.

Tearing into the top deck, as well as a couple of the more unfortunate crew.

Although I would happily sit behind them and fire at them all day, I’m afraid I don’t have the luxury.

For one, these bastards are going slower than me on purpose, so I’d also have to slow down to remain behind them. Something I’m not keen on doing with those big bastards bearing down on me from behind.

Secondly, the second caravel is just about in range to start firing upon me from my left.

Therefore I continue at my speed, bearing right slightly, pulling around to the port side of our enemy.

Now we have a ship between us and the other caravel, who now can’t fire upon us without hitting their own.

More over, we are close enough to the ship for us to board. Or rather, let them board us.

As soon as we came up beside them, their grappling hooks were already being thrown over our railing. Joining both ships together at their waist.

The fighting immediately starts with the sound of gunfire, as both crews shoot at the other.

We however have the advantage here. Due to our ship being larger, our deck is higher up and allows us the fire down at them while not being put in a huge amount of danger.

However, two of our crew had already died during the first five seconds of combat. But that is nothing to the ten lives we have already taken.

I leave the helm of the ship and move over to our railing, taking out my flintlock pistol and firing at the closest sod near to me. Hitting him straight in the chest.

By only moving a couple of steps back, I am no longer in danger and can reload without having to worry about troublesome things like dying.

With my second shot I move forwards, firing upon one of the many attempting to climb onto our ship.

I miss, but Garvin’s blunderbuss does the job moments later. Shredding both him and the guy unlucky enough to be besides him.

I spot a lanky fellow off to the back of the enemy ship aiming a musket straight at me.

Swearing, I dive backwards. A lead shot whistling just above my head.

I return to the tedious task of reloading my firearm.

Damn I wish I had a spare pistol or two on me. All the cool people do it…

The first of the boarders are finally getting into my ship. Though they have took heavily losses, with over half of their crew dead already and very few of us being wounded in return.

I put a lead shot into the shoulder of some idiot taking an axe to our rigging, sending him tumbling over my railings.

I reload for a final time, before I jump into the fray.

As I finish, I notice the distant sound of explosions, which is quickly followed a cannonball ripping  through the air above me. Aimed above both ships decks and tearing through the rigging of both.

Those bastards are firing at us anyway! Even though they’re hitting their comrades.

Well… This isn’t good.

I guess we have no choice to sort out the rest of the dwindling boarding force, then drop the grappling hooks and deal with the other caravel.

But if the damage we sustain is too much, we’ll never outrun the larger ships.

This really isn’t good.

Focusing at the most immediate issue, I draw my sabre, shifting the now loaded pistol to my left hand.

I hurry down the small set of steps to the main deck, towards to largest concentration of fighting. Though there doesn’t appear to be as many people to kill as there was a little earlier.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

I stab into the throat of a man climbing onto my ship, sending him tumbling back over the rails with a small push.

Another round of cannon fires rings out from across the water.

A few seconds later, the cannonball cause havoc to the rigging of both ships. Practically making the caravels sails useless, whilst tearing a large hole in our foresail.

A boy holding a boarding axe comes at me, no more than 15 years old.

He swings at me clumsily, no better than wild flailing.

I step backwards, allowing his axe to harmlessly pass by me. With a quick step forwards and a whip my sword across his throat.

Noticing someone to my left, trying to take advantage of the distraction the youth provided, I fired my flintlock in his direction. Hitting him in the shoulder.

Upon him hitting the ground, Hestia stomps on his throat, crushing it.

Looking around, I see no more enemies still fighting. And the few that do surrender are to be immediately killed.

“Get rid of those damn hooks, get ready to continue downwind and fire portside cannons!” I yell over the cheers of the victors and moans of the dying.

I move back to the helm of the ship, reloading my flintlock once I get there.

Another

Removing the grappling hooks that tied the two ships together didn’t take long, nor did it require many people. Which allowed sufficient people to move down to the gun deck and those remaining to quickly repair whatever damage to the rigging they can.

As we begin to pull away from the empty caravel, I begin to chant whilst looking out at our portside, towards the last remaining caravel

Tirest pol ti monsu for sati garveli hont us foye! Oyanadi rorst!

Cannon fire rings out again partway through my spell, rapidly flying towards us.

Upon finishing my chant, I raise my arms and a thick wall of water raises with them from the ocean. Completely covering over port side.

A moment later the iron balls hit the wall, stopping them before they fully passed through.

My ring throbs violently, pleased at its use. Without me wearing this, the wall would have been thin and would struggle to cover a third of the ship.

However, this isn’t it primary use and I can feel it pulsating with power. Begging for me to use it to its fullest.

I push outwards with my palms outstretched, and in response the wall of water rushes towards the caravel as a wave.

As the ship is much closer than before, it only takes a few seconds to get there. Ramming in to the caravel with an audible crash that causes it to violently rock from side to side.

A few crew on the ship fell overboard, but it is by no means disabled.

That spell costed me a significant amount of mana, so I’ll probably only be able to use it once more before completely exhausting myself.

Once the wave had hit, I finally call out.

“Fire portside cannons!”

On my command, the crew fire out a full broadside on the caravel in unison.

I wait a moment, tracing the slight arc of the cannons as it eagerly races towards our target.

All but one of the cannonballs hit, but most importantly, one of the shots directly hit the ships mast.

As it smashes into the deck like a felled tree, the crew lets out a cheer. Me included.

With this our ship begins to pull ahead, but before we are clear of them there cannons fire again. A final attempt to disable us.

It is too late to pull of that spell again, so I can do nothing but wait.

The projectiles finally hit, again aimed above our deck and at the sails.

My heart drops as two of them smash through the main mast, which falls to the deck just as our foes did.

None of the crew were crushed by the mast, though some did have to dive out of the way.

Unlike the smaller caravel, we have two masts, so we still pull ahead of them.

But the men-of-war begin to get closer with every passing second, and we can do nothing but watch as they do.

One of their ships stay behind us, maintaining the same distance, whilst the other two run parallel to each other. Coming along either side of us.

I turn to the crew, who are all watching the nearing ships.

Huge and very expensive, perhaps with 60 cannons on each broadside, yet not one has fired upon us.

And why would they? They no longer need to disable us, nor do they want to sink us and lose the cargo.

I call for Garvin, who swiftly plods over to me and gives a nod.

“I want you to go below deck, order everyone capable of fighting above deck.

Then go quickly say goodbye to your kid and do what’s necessary.”

He pauses for a moment, the stout dwarf’s eyes welling with tears before he gives another nod.

Before he leaves I take out an iron key and press it into his hands.

“Afterwards go get the relic and throw it overboard. The enemy mustn’t get it!”

Garvin promptly wipes his eyes and gives a final nod before leaving.

The two ships are almost within range of firearms, and so I finally decide to use the ring.

After focusing for a moment, the rings energy floods into my body. Giving me an amazing rush of magic, which I channel into my spell.

Tirest pol ti monsu for sati garveli hont us foye! Oyanadi rorst!

Hahaha!

Kuhahahahaha!

I’ll kill them all! Everyone of them!

I raise my hands whilst taking in deep ragged breaths.

The wall of water that rises as a result is immense! A true tsunami!

Again, I push out my hands my ecstatic screams drowned out by the sound of the torrent of water.

“DIE!!!!”

Sounds of rending wood rings in my ears, as the ship is mercilessly torn apart the cries of the crew go unheard.

As the magic from my ring fades away, my vision blurs and my head is hit with agonising pain.

I barely manage to turn around to look at the other ship without falling over.

On the deck of the ship, I spot a robed figure forming a rune in front of him. Clearly aiming it in my direction.

Struggling to stay stood upright, I begin to chant.

Sarin tois ro dikesh! Sarin Golan!

Water springs into being before me, acting as a shield. Only just in time, as the mages rune glows bright before shooting some blue bolt towards me.

As the ring’s magic has been used up for the moment, it is dormant and had no effect on my shield’s strength.

Upon impact with my shield, the mages magic destroys it instantly. With the sheer force of the magic sending me flying backwards.

I feel myself falling having completely clearing my ship’s railing.

I hit the water hard, knocking the air from my lungs.

I struggle to get control of myself, but I can’t tell which way is up.

Disoriented, my attempts at getting to the water’s surface result in panicked flailing.

Eventually, the need for air surpasses my will and I breathe inwards. Taking in water instead of the air I desired.

As my vision fades I hear nothing but the distant sound of gunfire.

And then there was darkness.