Uriah and Lucy rush back to the village square, now in chaos as the townsfolk scream and run from the cannon fire bursting around them. Uriah and Lucy look at each other and in unison they say."We have to find my father!"

"Your father?"Lucy says in a panic."My father is the captain of the guard Uriah, no offense but what is a blacksmith going to do in the middle of a pirate attack?"

"Pa is just as capable a swordsman as your father, if not more so Lucy. I need to get you to safety and your father will be going right into the thick of whatever is happening. I can't let you run into danger like that.''He takes her hand and starts leading her away.

"I am capable of taking care of myself, Uriah!''She pulls away from him.``I need to know my father is alright. You go find your parents and I`ll go find mine!''She runs off down a side street towards the town guard barracks. Uriah attempts to follow after her but is blasted back from an explosion that causes a nearby structure to collapse blocking the road.

Uriah shakes his head, his ears ringing from the blast and stands up attempting to get his bearings. The air of the village began to become thick with smoke and embers. He takes off towards his home. Rushing through the streets he begins to hear shouts and calls of unrecognized voices.

As he rounds a corner he dives under one of the damaged firework stalls when he sees a group of men clad in sailors garb and brandishing their swords and pistols. He begins to hear them approach, as they march ever closer to his hiding spot, Uriah`s heart begins to pound.``Come on Uriah, how are you gonna get out of this one?''He thinks to himself as he looks around. He starts searching through the storage of the stall and pulls out a large flair."This may work!"He grabs a burning stick from a nearby pile of rubble as quietly as possible and returns to his hiding spot.

Peering through a hole in the stall he sees the group of men approaching another of the stalls full of fireworks. Uriah bides his time holding his breath and just as the men pass the stall he lights the fuse of his flair and raises from his spot."Ahoy mates!''Uriah calls out to them just as his flair launches with a bright burst of light. The flare shoots past the pirates and strikes the stock of fireworks behind them causing a massive explosion of bright colors and hues of fire, the shock wave alone knocking the men from their feet and blasting them to the ground.

"I can't believe that worked!"Uriah says in shock before he runs up and grabs one of their swords and continues down the road.

As he passes the inn he hears a woman's scream. He turns to look and sees another group of pirates, locked in combat with a pair of the town's guards as they attempt to protect the inn and a group of townsfolk inside. "Aunt Carissa !"Uriah rushes to the aid of the guards striking one of the pirates from behind just as he was about to run one of the guards through.

The guard in turn blocks a strike from another pirate that was aimed right for Uriah`s neck before Uriah is able to roll out of the way and the guard tosses himself into the pirate bringing them both to the ground.Through a flurry of blows on the ground the pirate pulls out a dagger from his boot and stabs the guard in the side who lets out a blood curdling scream.

The pirate stands to his feet after pushing the guard to the side as one of his allies fires a shot into the other guard that was protecting the inn before they both look to Uriah.

"well would you look at what we have here eh? Looks like a little runt is wanting to play hero!"One of the pirates says as he blows the smoke from the barrel of his pistol.

"I say we show him what happens to heroes."the second pirate says as he licks the blood off his dagger.

The two pirates swing their swords at Uriah who manages to jump back blocking one of the strikes with a post of the inn porch while deflecting the strike of the other. The three clash blades each strike ringing out , as Uriah loses ground each time being backed up with each strike of the pirates blades.

Behind Uriah a third pirate makes his way stealthily to him with his sword ready to pierce Uriah`s back, with a flash of blue light from the gem of Uriah`s necklace he quickly steps to the side as the blade meant for him strikes the pirate`s own comrade through the stomach. Uriah ducks under the railing, tossing himself back into the open street.

"You little bilge rat!"The pirate shouts to him before he pulls out a pistol from his jacket and goes to fire but is struck from behind with a loud clang of a frying pan and knocked into the other pirate as he falls.

"Thank Quantona!, Uriah!"His aunt says as she stands there ready to swing the pan again should one of the pirates be able to get back up."Hurry now inside before more of them come!"

"Aunt Carrissa, is Ma and Pa with you?"

"No they haven't made it here with the rest of us. But I'm sure they will, just come on!"She says to him frantically.

"Not until I find Ma and Pa."Uriah helps them bring the guards in."These men are going to Die if I don't find Ma. She is the town's best healer.``He runs off back into the village after they block the entrance to the inn.

Uriah charges back into the crowd of people running through the village dodging through the smoke and ruins of the streets, over piles of rubble and under burning archways.He grows ever more frantic in his search as he swings his head from side to side, passing side roads and alleyways looking for any sign of his parents. In his haste he misses a jump and trips over a pile of rubble in the street.losing grip of his sword and tumbles to the ground, as his momentum carries him a few feet while he scrapes his arms and legs on the cobblestone road. He comes to a stop, his sword landing a few feet away from him.

Before he is able to pull himself up a worn leather boot comes out of the smoke and steps on the blade of his sword.Uriah looks up to the figure standing in the smoke before him as a hand covered in wrinkles and scars reaches out to him.

"Need a hand Lad?"The figure reaches down and lifts him to his feet.``Your mother is going to have a right fit when she sees you got blood on your new tunic eh boy?"Uriah hears a familiar old laugh as Robert dusts him off and hands him back his sword.``Your going to need that kid. Come We need to be heading towards the coast I heard some of their ranks saying they are taking the captives there."

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"But Robert, Ma and Pa I need to find them."Uriah says to him as he takes hold of his sword.

"Your Pa is with the town guard defending the barracks where most of the towns folk ran off to as soon as the firing started he is fine."

"And Ma?"He asked frantically.

"Your ma ran out to help the wounded and hasn't come back yet now she can handle herself well enough Uriah but they are looking for someone.Who that is I'm not sure all I know is that they have been taking any of the women that didn't make it to the barracks in time to the coast where they have ships waiting. Now no more arguing! We have people to save!"He gives Uriah a shove to get moving, and they both head towards the coast.``You know this reminds me of a time-"

"Is this really the best time for one of your old war stories Robert."Uriah Interrupts abruptly.

"Ey I guess you're right that story can wait for another time.''He smirks.``Darn shame too, that was a wild one.''He says, leading the two of them through the fire and smoke.

Robert and Uriah follow the back roads of the town, cutting through a few of the still intact structures and make their way to the shore line just a stone's throw away from Robert's workshop. As they make their way, they overhear the shouts of the pirates as they drag their captives through the streets. Looking out the window of their current hiding spot they see a small group of the pirates loading women aboard long-boats just off shore, Uriah's mother being one such captive.

"We will need to act fast, Uriah! Alright pay close attention now lad"Uriah turns to face him."I`ll keep them busy, but I need you to run to my shop and grab that package you brought me. I have a feeling it will give us the extra muscle to make them there scallywags wish they never set foot on our island!"

"But wont you need help?"He looks out the window."There's way too many of them."

"Ha... Boy I have had worse odds back in the war. Why there was one time-"

"I trust you, but be careful sir !"Uriah stands up and runs out towards the dry dock as Robert laughs and steps out of the building towards the group of pirates.

"Hello Lads by chance, do any of you know where an old sea dog could find a Pub?"He shouts at them.

The group of pirates turn his way and one steps out in front, he was a sickly looking Candarian Elf his dark gray skin was blotchy with sores and his hair hardly remained on his head.

"Well boys looks to me like we have a senile old man out for a stroll"He smiles and they approach Robert beginning to surround him. With a nod of his head two of the pirates to Robert's side charge towards him, only for them to be swiftly dealt with as he unsheathed an old sword from his side.

"Well by the Majarin I didn't think my sword would ever get a chance to taste Candarian blood again.''Robert says with a smirk.

The Candarian looks to him and sees the blade and recognizes it, even in its aged state he is taken aback for a moment."If mine eyes deceive me it looks like we have a living legend boys!"He says with a growl."It's Robert Elf-slayer the Scourge of Candaria. I will truly enjoy killing you old man!"He says as he pulls his own sword from its sheath its blade dripping with a putrid green liquid and a sadistic grin arching across his face.

"Not exactly the first time I have heard those words. I could tell you a few stories but you won't live long enough to hear the end."He chuckles as he wipes the blood from his blade and the pirate charges toward Robert.

Their blades clash and they make their secondary strikes, the pirate`s swift and cunning while Robert`s are direct and methodical. With every second of their fight Robert slashes multiple times through the opening that the pirate leaves in his defense. The pirate backs away slightly snarling at the blood dripping down his wounds and off of the old man's sword. Seeing their companion is in trouble, all but one of the remaining pirates head to the aid of the Candarian warrior.

Robert takes a step back as a slight heaviness to his breathing begins to take hold."You should have brought more friends, elf!''He says to the candarian pirate as the new combatants surround him.

Aboard one of the long boats Lo-vellah sits up from where she had been tossed into the craft.She gets her bearings and looks around her before seeing the other women that had been captured including Lucy. Her heart racing with her eyes darting across the interior of the hull for anything that she may use to free her from the ropes tied securely around her wrist.

Finding only oars and seeing the remaining pirate near her distracted by the battle just on shore, she takes a hold of the oar with what little grip she can muster and swings with all her might to the side of his head knocking him into the water, followed by the cheer of the other women aboard .

Taking her chance Lo-vellah climbs out of the boat and reaches into the water and grabs hold of the pirates sword. Using the blade she starts cutting her bonds.

"Watch out behind you!"Lucy shouts as the pirate stands up from the water holding his head and snarling,as he reaches for the pistol at his side.

Lo-Vellah cuts the final strand of rope just in time to swing around with the pirate's own sword and strike him down before he could take aim and fire.

She releases a small sigh of relief as the pirate falls back into the water, before turning her attention back to the women aboard and begins cutting their bonds as well.

Uriah bursts through the door of Robert's shop and hastily scavenges through the piles of tools and half finished projects. He frantically begins looking back and forth over and under objects and covers only to come to the package at the end of a large craft suspended in the air above the dock, its silhouette only illuminated by the small bit of torch light in the room and the flames from outside.

Uriah grabs the package and opens it up revealing a complex mechanism of gears and springs built onto the side of a copper and brass housing of hinges and clamps ,at its center is a small recess that matches the shape of a red gem that sits next to the machine in its box.He takes hold of the machine and the gem, before running back out side finding Robert surrounded.

Robert strikes down another of the pirates as they charge him, the Candarian circling behind him. The old man stumbles slightly and drops to one knee before standing back up and adjusting his grip on his sword.Seeing Uriah he calls out.``Lad toss it here Now!'' Just as he shouts to him the Candarian takes the opening and charges from behind, slashing Robert across the arm. Stunning Uriah for a moment. "Gah!"Robert yells out as a searing pain shoots up his arm. Robert glances at the wound and sees the green liquid from the pirate's sword.``Silvian Viper venom hmm?"He winces at the pain.``You Candarian`s never did fight with honor."

"There is no honor among dead men."He chuckles sadistically before licking his blade."Your people are so susceptible to such tricks."

Robert looks over to Uriah "Uriah my boy, remember that story I told you about the time I fought with the dwarven warriors of the east?"

Uriah looks up to him and he thinks back for a moment, passing the times of wanting to fall asleep at the old man's stories to one he knew well. In a moment the idea clicks and Uriah grabs for the gem and places it in the socket of the device before throwing it to Robert as the gem begins to glow.

As Robert lunges to catch it, the device is knocked out of the air when a hulking beast lands between him and Uriah . The machine crashing into its side and falling into the sand. Robert stands to his feet and stumbles back in fear as the hulking beast turns to face him.

Uriah falls back at the sight of the creature, its scales black as the night sky with streaks of deep glowing blue that shine with an unnatural energy. The creature spreads its wings and its form becomes fully illuminated by the burning village.Uriah frozen in place can't believe his eyes as the beast from his dreams looms over Robert blocking his only path of escape, Uriah only sees the surrounding pirates and the beast begin closing in on Robert before a blinding flash of blue light explodes upon the sands as if daylight shone out if not but for just a moment.

"DRAGON!" a voice shouts out from behind Uriah. As his eyes finally adjust back after the flash of light, he sees a group of men charging past him towards the beast. The women from the long boats running off towards the relative safety of the village and Lucy running towards him as the men distract the dragon.

"Uriah we need to go now!''She grabs him by the hand and he stumbles around as he follows after her, along the path back to the barracks away from the beach. He glances back only to see more flashes of light as the beast thrashes and unleashes a flurry of attacks at its surrounding assailants.