image [https://i.imgur.com/1mCqcnx.png]

Picaro clambered to the crow's nest to get himself a better view of the battle between the sea monster and the Trident. Alcatran and his vessel were already in full retreat, firing off the last of their ammunition in hopes it might deter the beast.

Then two thin shapes broke away from the Trident, changing their course in pursuit of Ye ‘Ol Marigold. "Captain, there's two small ships following our rear. I see no sails, but they are moving quickly across the water," called Picaro from his vantage point.

"What's that now?" said Valgur as he went to the rail. Barely visible among the peaks of the current, there were indeed two long rowboats racing toward them, each manned by only a single rower. "We can outrun them," he said more to himself than the crew, though Silvertime overheard it from the helm.

"Perhaps, and perhaps not captain. The wind is ailing now, picking up more southeast, and we’ve taken heavy damage. The sail has a new tear in its canvas and is not picking up the full force of the wind.”

“There’s a new leak as well,” said Mord as he regained the main deck.

"Then stand ready for anything," said Valgur to his men.

The race was on between Ye ‘Ol Marigold and the oncoming rowers. The pursuers grew ever closer, and Picaro confirmed from his vantage point it was the twin rogues, Amir and his brother Asim in the other craft. And Ye ‘Ol Marigold was already compromised. This was something Alcatran must have understood when he sent his two master assassins after them.

If these rowboats could catch them, then what of the Trident? Picaro’s only solace was that the giant crab had not given up its pursuit quite yet. It would only be two against one, at least for now.

“Fire on them when they’re in range,” said Valgur to Atrocius at the stern.

“As you say, captain. But I’m not sure we can hit such a small target from this distance,” said Atrocius.

Valgur strode up beside him. “Hitting them ain’t the goal. But we can slow them down or change their course,” he said.

So when Atrocius found one of them in his sights, he let loose a volley from the two stern cannons. One shot went wide, another came up short.

“Again,” said Valgur.

“Aye captain,” said Atrocius. They let loose another volley, and a third. The final cannonball connected with the closest rowboat. Picaro watched the craft take the shot splinter under the impact. “Aha, we got ‘em,” said Atrocius. The man aboard it disappeared, into the sea or elsewhere, Picaro could not tell. The second rowboat did not slow its pursuit.

“Bring down the other,” said Valgur triumphantly. The crew let fly another volley.

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Then there was a cry from the stern. Picaro looked to see the gunner beside Atrocius crumple to the deck. A dark shape was behind him, and the glint of steel shone in the bright sun.

“We’ve been boarded. One of them at the stern,” Picaro cried out desperately.

Valgur was at the helm with Silvertime, and he wheeled to see a shadow veer across the deck and then disappear into a grey mist. Atrocius swung his saber at him, but struck only air.

Then a man at the boom cried out, and fell bleeding. He loosed the rope in his hands and the boom swung. Ye ‘Ol Marigold lost its wind and began to stall. “Get the boom back. Steady. Swords out. The man is still here,” Valgur yelled to his men.

Valgur stood ready beside Silvertime, who was looking around nervously. “Hold,” said Valgur calmly. “I got ye lad.”

Then Silvertime cried out in pain. A dagger found his back, just below the ribs. But Valgur had expected this. It made sense that the assassin would attempt to slow their retreat in time for the Trident to gain on them. Valgur thrust with his sword at the shadow of the assassin who had just materialized behind Silvertime. The sword bit into the assassin’s side, and the pair locked eyes before Amir disappeared again into the mist.

Valgur looked around wildly. “I put a hole in him, lads. Be ready to finish him next he shows.” Silvertime had fallen to the deck, clutching his side. Valgur took the helm, barking orders and keeping the vessel steady. His men had been able to control the boom, and Ye ‘Ol Marigold was taking more wind in its sail.

The second rowboat closed in. Atrocius trained Jaws upon it and unloaded a clip. Rounds churned up water around the boat, and the second assassin was forced to slow and turn to avoid being torn apart. From the crow’s next, Picaro saw there was no one to guard Valgur’s rear. Working off instinct, the boy began to scale down the main mast in time to see the mist began to circulate behind his captain.

Reflexively, Picaro took a throwing knife from his belt and flung it at the space behind Valgur. He heard the cry of pain before he could see the man. When Amir appeared the throwing knife was deep in the top of his shoulder. The man staggered to pull the knife free, and Valgur spun on him with a quick slash from his saber. Again Amir disappeared.

There was a tense silence, punctuated only by another turn of the crank as Atrocius unloaded a fresh clip upon the second assassin’s rowboat. Picaro waited, clinging to the main mast. The crew of Ye ‘Ol Marigold glanced around themselves nervously, clutching their weapons and circling slowly, trying to anticipate the next strike.

Then a grey mist formed just above Picaro on the main mast. Before he could react, a man’s hand reached down and grabbed his wrist, throwing him from the rigging down onto the deck. Picaro looked up as he fell to see a pair of coal-like eyes glinting down at him. The assassin grinned, blood still dripping from his wounds, and disappeared again.

The boy hit the deck hard, and for a moment lights flashed in his eyes. The wind was knocked out of him, and he groaned. Atrocius was still at the stern, preventing the second rowboat from gaining any ground. “There’s two on the one boat now. They’re turning away, captain.”

Valgur ran to the rail and indeed saw that Amir had retreated back to the rowboat, and sat now atop it, watching Ye ‘Ol Marigold sail farther away. Then, slowly, the rowboat turned in the surf and began to retreat. “We shook them off, captain. I think we’re home free,” said Atrocius, and he called out victoriously.

“Hear that, lads. What a day. We bested a sea monster, and the Admiral himself. The treasure is ours,” said Valgur, raising his saber point to the sky. He threw back his head and laughed. All across the deck, men cheered for the sake of their lives, and the treasure they carried.

Two men lay dead for their troubles, and they had lost four more to the siren. Silvertime was badly wounded, but he would live to man the helm of Ye ‘Ol Marigold another day. Ye ‘Ol Marigold crawled back to Loneport with its prize in tow.