AN: It's been a busy week for me. After today, I should be able to release more frequently. Well, that's the plan.
I feel like I need a better description for my story, but I’m not very good at making it. If anyone has suggestions, please PM me.
But if everyone thinks it's fine, I'll leave it as is.
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“Captain, we’re ready to set sail!”
“Good. Hoist up the anchor and let’s set sail.”
With that, a large chain on the side of the ship slowly clinks and clanks as it retracted through an opening. After a large, heavy Iron object with a pair of curved flukes hung on the side of the ship, a woman by the name Valentine, commanded, “Raise the sails.”
With her command 2 crew members unharnessed a large rope form a large handle where it was tied to and hoisted it up along with the sail.
Having a satisfied look on Valentine’s face from the bridge of the ship where the steering wheel ship was located, she turn the wheel towards the right side of the boat causing it to shift west while slowing being pushed by a soft breeze.
After a short while, Valentine commanded two very young women that looked like they were in their early twenties to cast wind magic.
With her command the two women named, Susan and Isabel chanted various words as mana in their bodies gradually became active and then started influence the nature around them. With their chant finished, a large gust of wind propelled that large ship forward at great speed.
***
“It’s a bit bumpy,” said Aesar as he broke off from his meditation.
Ryfon glanced at him and said, “Want to go up on the deck and see what it’s like in the middle of the ocean? If you’re new to the feeling it can be quite scary and at the same time you’ll be amazed by the vast amount of blue water that encircles you as far as the eye can see.”
“It’s not like we have anything better to do.” Aesar said then grab his sword he placed down when he meditated.
With that, the two exited their room and made their way through the hall and up the stairs to the top deck.
Upon exiting the bottom deck, strong yet pleasant winds greeted them.
Aesar welcomed the view that was before him. He turned his head to the rear of the ship and saw the now small port they were at, and continued to become smaller as they furthered. He then turned his head to the bow of the ship where only the clear blue ocean and light blue sky entered his field of vision.
Form the green forest to the colorful city and now the blue sea; he could barely fathom the experience.
“I know how you feel,” said Ryfon off to the side in an upheld look.
After quickly breaking off from sightseeing the ocean, he then turned his attention to the ship. Not many were out on the deck. Only a small number of crew members identified by a green cloth with an image of a Nereid tied to their arm. There were also two beautiful women in the center of the ship, with concentrated looks. To the bridge of the ship was a woman with her hands on a steering wheel.
***Ryfon POV***
‘Looks like Aesar in having a good time observing things’
I made my way towards Susan and Isabel, hoping to start a conversation with the two.
‘They are rather young to be out working like this. I guess that woman, Valentine is safeguarding them. She does seem strong enough to do so.’
Stopping near them, I greeted, “Hello, Susan and Isabel.”
“Ah, sorry about before um…”
“Ryfon,” I finished Isabel’s sentence.
“So, do you um… need anything?” she asked.
“Not in particular. I was hoping to maybe have a chat with you and Susan, just to pass time.”
“Sure, but Valentine doesn’t like it when men gets too close to us.”
“I won’t harm you two,” I asserted them.
“Ryfon, who was that person with you,” Susan interjected.
I decided to call for Aesar who was standing on the right side of the ship, observing the surroundings of the ship.
He made his way towards my direction. From this, Isabel and Susan turned their attention to him.
“Yes? What is it?”
Ladies, this is my nephew, Aesar.”
The two girls observed Aesar intently while admiring his stunning look.
With now a pair, we chatted away.
***
The sun was at its peak when the boat started to slow down.
Susan and Isabel were now nearly drained of mana. From their exhaustion, the two girls took a well-deserved break. Throughout the morning to the afternoon, they enjoyed the idle chat they had with Aesar and Ryfon. The subject of discussion range from their favorites things to their life story and adventure.
When Ryfon told them of his adventure from years ago, the two girls were listen to his stories in admirations and awe. Tales like his were a feast to the ears. Of course, he only said the good parts, and he did not speak of their current situation.
Although Isabel and Susan were quite tired, they were resting delightedly. They have never had such conversation with anyone including Valentine. It was refreshing for the two girls.
As they were resting with Aesar and Ryfon with them, Valentine who was on the bridge wholly observed them. She intended to intervene when Ryfon approached the two girls, but decided to wait to act on her earlier judgment. As they continued to talk without any problems and saw that her Isabel and Susan were enjoying themselves, she decided to let them be.
With the ship now sailing smoothly, Valentine went to the cabin and decided to take a quick rest herself. However, as she made her way to the cabin, she told one of her crew member to keep an eye on Ryfon and Aesar.
With the now smooth sailing, some passengers emerge from their rooms to get a breath of fresh air. Some of the passengers however had a nauseated look. This was due to the uneven movements of the ship as it sailed in great speed.
The rest of the day continued on without a hitch. Isabel and Susan rested the rest of the day to refill their mana and use it for the next day.
***
On second day of sailing, the morning was nearly identical to the previous one. Aesar and Ryfon continued to chat with the two girls. However, it became transparent that they were also enjoying the interaction just as much as the girls.
On Isabel’s and Susan’s break, Aesar’s delighted face from his interactions with the two girls became a facade as he masked his true emotions upon sensing from a distance. He sensed a couple of ships approaching them. He however could not tell if they were pirates or just another ship passing by, so he stayed silent. Nonetheless, he stayed vigilant and continues to enjoy his interactions with his now new found friends.
After a while, a man on the crow’s nest sounded an alarm with a loud whistle.
“Pirates! Get the Captain!” he shouted.
From this, a man on the deck burst into Valentines cabin. Every crew member on the ship ordered the passengers that were currently on the top deck to go to their rooms in the lower deck. However, some of the passengers stayed. Those passengers that stayed were a few Iron rank and 1 Steel rank Adventurers from the showcase of their Adventurers’ Medallion.
“Mmm, pirate slaying. Sounds fun,” one of the Adventurers commented.
23 battle-ready Crew members were on the deck, preparing for incoming attack. Although the situation was dangerous, there were no chaotic activities within the deck; only slight panic and anxiety with a tinge of fear. It was not wrong to feel such emotions, for they knew what fate would befall among them if the pirates were to have their way. Some may be slain and others would become slaves, or worse.
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Isabel and Susan had panicked and alarmed looks.
“Aesar and Ryfon, you two should return to your rooms,” Isabel said in a worried tone.
“I’ll help out. I know you may have some doubts to some of my stories I’ve told you, but they are real, and Aesar and I are quite strong. You don’t need to worry about us,” asserted Ryfon.
“But still, what if you two were to get hurt?” said Isabel with Susan nodding in agreement.
Although it did not show, both Aesar and Ryfon were touched by the care they displayed. They have grown fond of each other throughout their interactions. Although they were incredibly strong and fought monsters that would turn anyone mad in hysteria, they had a soft heart.
After a brief moment, Valentine emerged from her cabin with a dangerous look on her face.
“Everyone to position! Mages and archers, prepare for range attacks.”
With her orders, 6 people moved up front towards 3 fast-nearing ships almost the same size of the one they were on.
The faces of the 23 crew members were focused, but had a tinge of anxiety from the site of 3 pirate ships. From the looks of it, the pirate ships had mages casting wind spells, judging from its fast sailing speed.
“Isabel and Susan, get inside the cabin, now!” Valentine ordered the two girls.
Isabel and Susan hesitantly moved towards the cabin then turned their heads to Aesar and Ryfon as if they were urging them to come with them, but Ryfon only shook his head. And with that, the girls headed towards the cabin with one crew member. Before they entered, they said, “Please stay safe.”
Valentine then turned to Aesar and Ryfon.
“We’ll help out,” said Ryfon.
Valentine did not comment. She was putting her passengers in harm’s way, but they were willing, and they needed all the help trying to fight off the 3 pirate ships.
“3 pirate ships…” Piers, who moved next to Valentine uttered in anxiety.
However, Valentine did not respond and only observed everyone on deck. There were a total of 31 on deck prepared to fight, including her.
“Valentine, why did you not order Hathiel to cast his wind spell to out sail the pirate ships?” asked Piers.
“We probably won’t lose those ships. It’s sized is a bit smaller than ours, so with that, they will most like catch up to us given time. It’s best to have Hathiel save his mana for combat.
Hathiel was their ships emergency wind spell caster for times when they needed to sail fast from danger, but it seems as though that his role has changed.
With everything prepare, they waited for the pirate ships to come closer.
As the pirate ships neared, about 17 pirate crews were on each pirate ships came into view.
As the pirate ship came closer, its speed decreased. Now only 100 meters, Valentine ordered her range attackers to attack. She knew better than to let the pirate ships come closer or wait for a bargain that is no different than having no bargain at all.
With her order, 4 mages started to chant and 2 archers pulled back the string of their bows while infusing the arrow and the bow with mana, strengthening it.
The archers were the first to launch their attacks at the pirate ship located in-between the other pirate ships. With their excellent shooting skills, one died as an arrow pierced his left eye and out to the other side of his head. The other arrow pierced a woman’s shoulder injuring her.
Soon after, 4 large fireballs the size of a head flew towards the pirate ships. Each of the pirate ships received a fireball, however, the one in the middle receive an extra one. Upon impact the fireballs exploded in a 5 meter radius, burning and injuring a total of 5 pirates.
The mages attacked 3 more times and the archers were able to attack a total of 10 times. There were now a total of 7 dead pirates and 12 injured ones.
15 meters were now between Valentines ship and the pirate ships since she ordered her attack.
“Focus fire on the one in the middle.”
Before anyone turned their heads to whoever said those words, Ryfon lunged onboard the pirate ship to the left, and Aesar went to the one on the right.
Everyone was caught-off guard by the sudden exclamation and the two individuals.
***Aesar POV***
After Ryfon briefed me on his simple plan, we engaged the pirate ship.
After I launched myself into the air, I unsheathed my silver greatsword onto a man directly in front of my path. As I landed, the man was cut in half from head to toe.
This was the first time I have killed a humanoid life form, but it did not bothered me. They were enemies that would hurt my friends and that was all I needed to know to execute them. The feeling was no different from killing the monsters in the Forest of Asteria that would harm my village.
Before the man I sliced fell on the ground, I had already made my way to the next victim, a hardened woman with a single sword on her right hand. But before she could even move from my advances my sword swiftly and cleanly passed through her neck, leaving her head still ‘intact’ on her body from my precise slash.
Soon after, like flowing water, I moved from person to person, executing them without any resistances. Before the body of first man I killed fell, everyone on the top deck of the pirate ship I was on were now lifeless bodies, some in pieces.
However, since the people in Valentines ship were slow, I made my way to the pirate ship in the middle that was left untaken care of. But before I moved, I destroyed the two large poles that held the sails to prevent it from sailing away. I sensed that there were a few people still inside the ship and thought of checking on them afterwards. With the current and evident threat on this ship gone, I launched myself into the air and onto the middle pirate ship.
Upon landing on the middle pirate ship, in a blink on an eye, everyone on the top deck of the pirate ship was dead.
I moved to the bridge of the pirate ship where the steering wheel was located and steered it away from the direction of Valentines’ ship. It wasn’t too hard to figure it out.
I took a glance over to the pirate ship where Ryfon advanced. Just like the pirate ships I went to, the pirate ship he was on was also littered with corpses, but I was not able to see him on the top deck. He was inside the ship.
***
Everyone on Valentines ship was left silent. Some rubbed their eyes in disbelief, believing that what they saw was an illusion.
It was not a brief moment ago that they heard voice to focus on the middle pirate ship. Before they could I even take a single breath, everyone on the pirate ship was slaughtered.
“W-what happened?” Valentine let out a soft voice in confusion. Her mouth was at a gape with widening eyes trying to comprehend the events that passed in a single breath. She was not the only one; everyone in her ship was left dumbfounded.
Valentine turned her head from left to right, casting her gaze over the 3 pirate ships that were now covered in lifeless bodies. In the middle of it all was an individual who she I identified as one of the men who chatted with Isabel and Susan.
“There are still people inside this pirate ship.”
With Aesar’s words, Valentine, the rest of the crew members and adventurers broke from their daze.
Presuming that the people still inside the pirate ship were slave or prisoners, she ordered her crew members to board on the ships and rescue or detain anyone inside.
After her orders, she continued to stare at Aesar.
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Map of Helios