Crixim hurried out of the hold, giving a terse smile to his crew as they moved about the ship. Thalios trailed behind him. A quick glance hurrying people over to clear up the ropes and debris on the main deck.

Lirina was against the starboard railing, the cannons were loaded but drawn back and capped.

“Well that is a sight,” Crixim moved up next to her and looked over the side.

Mesurial had returned to her pristine state, most of her sails drawn up and away, the three ships she’d engaged strung out in a line behind her, secured with thick docking ropes.

They were just a dozen meters away, their spellcaster at the rear of the ship, drinking something. He frowned looking around for the other three.

A whistle drew his attention up into the ship’s rigging as Mya and Petor swung from ropes. Crixim backed up as Mya landed on the railing with feline grace.

“Permission to come aboard?” She took off her captain’s hat and bowed, as if behind her wasn’t an eight meter drop into the waters below.

Petor hit the decking and strode forward.

Thalios bowed.

“Your wounded?” Petor asked.

“This way ser,” Thalios ushered him forward. “Clear a fuckin’ path!” He bellowed, all shifting like the parted tides as he rushed down the ladders, fast as the youngest midshipman, Petor trailing after him.

“Permission granted,” Crixim said.

Mya dropped down onto the deck and gave him a smile. “Well it has been a while Captain.”

“And you as well, much has changed since you left Misty Cove,” Crixim chuckled.

Lirina looked to be restraining herself well by the twitch in her cheek and the way her hand rested on her sword.

“Inspector Lirina, bit far to be out here checking on my goods,” Mya addressed the woman.

“Got a new job,” She looked at Crixim and her expression softened, as much as the hardened woman’s face could. “Lord Osori returned to the waters while Lady Penai took up the protection of Misty Cove.” Lirina took a deep breath.

“She wanted to promote Lirina and make her the overseeing dockmaster. Though we’d charmed her with tales of adventure and hunting down pirates that have been harassing the area.”

“It is a young person’s game. Not one for me anymore.”

“Don’t think that any of the youngsters would be calling you slow,” Crixim said under his breath for only them to hear. Sharing a grin with Mya as Lirina glared at him.

“I think that we’ll have to continue our training in earnest now that this hunt has come to its conclusion.” Lirina’s smile was a thing that promised little respite.

Crixim grimaced. “I hope that there’s some information on these ships we can use to help us find where their new hideout is.”

Lirina looked relucant to put down her tor-punish—training but also agreeing with Crixim.

“Well don’t worry, I got one of the best in the business. If there is information to be found I know that Desari can hunt it down.” Mya glanced back at Mesurial slowly passing by.

“Going by your passage you’re coming from the Anvil Spike?” Crixim guessed.

“Yeah, got some business at the Coral Bastion. Employer said that the shipments haven’t been making it to the city.”

“And they wanted to make sure it arrived.” Crixim nodded. “Well I don’t think that there’s a ship out there that could compete with your own.”

“What were you doing out here?” Mya asked. “I doubt you just thought to take a sail in this direction.”

“We got information through some of our contacts that a number of pirate ships were headed to the area. We put together the rumors that ships weren’t making it out of Anvil and figured they might be here. We thought there would be two or three ships, not five.”

“Still engaged them,” Mya pointed out.

“Well we weren’t about to let them go. We were thinking to just hole them up, leave them wounded, angry and off balance then be on our way. Then you made your entrance.” Crixim grinned.

“They knew that someone was coming this way. We’re two days ahead of schedule. Either its someone in Anvil Spike—” It wouldn’t be someone from the LTC, Limos’ people aren’t the kind. “Or someone in Bastion. There were two ships in dock at the Anvil Spike.”

“The pirates live on their informers,” Lirina said, a rage under her professional demeanor.

“So you’ve taken up the business of hunting down pirates?”

“And moving rare and precious goods in need of protection,” Crixim added.

“Guess it would need to be to warrant the costs it takes to run a ship of this size.” Mya watched the crew, they were well trained, their clothes marked by the battle but they had muscle on the bones, not simply skin, their eyes were clear and their teeth in place—except for a few that could be explained through fighting.

“You’d be surprised with how much we can make on trade alone. Most merchant fleets are willing to pay us to accompany them between ports and even more to take up our hold space,” Crixim winked.

“A good way to make money in these troubled waters. Now the fun part, splitting the spoils.” Mya clapped her hands and rubbed them together. Crixim gave her an amused smiled.

“How about this one?” Mya waved her hand at the largest ship trailing behind Mesurial. “Put her at seventy five meters in length, four masted, three decks of guns, and I hear that an Epic grade runist is checking her over for a free upgrade.”

“A nice ship indeed, what of those ones?” Crixim pointed at the two ships he had been dealing with.

“I think it fair to say they are yours. The crews on them won’t bother you anymore.”

Crixim nodded his head in understanding. “I thank you. As much as Lirina has taught us in the way of fighting. A good fight is one that we can avoid altogether.”

“Couldn’t agree more.” Mya said, her smile straining as Petor’s words rose in the back of her mind.

“Are you really a necromancer?” Lirina asked.

“Yup, now I have the previous residents working on patching up the hull as we speak. Though I propose a trade.”

Lirina was thrown on the backfoot at the easy admission.

“I’m listening.” Crixim raised an eyebrow, his mouth quirking up in the amusement of catching out Lirina.

“I sell you the three decker,” Mya pointed to the ship behind her. “Working cannons scrounged from the other ships, full food and water stocks and half her loot. For the two ships you have minus the loot we can harry out of their deckboards.”

“Have a need for more ships? Don’t really have the crew for it?”

“Oh, I can get some,” Mya winked, her eye flaring with a white flame.

Crixim chuckled.

“Necromancy is a twisted perversion of the soul and life,” Lirina hissed, unable to hold back anymore.

“Then who to visit it better upon than those that deserve it?” Mya turned her glowing eye upon Lirina.

The woman grit her teeth, grimacing. Mya could see the woman’s argument railing in her head.

“One ship for two,” Crixim looped his fingers into his belt and let out a pained hiss.

“You can stretch your crew to man two ships of this size. It is bigger than all the others with more guns and capacity. Perfect for your needs. It is also in the best condition. You will nearly double your abilities. With some time in port for modifications you’ll have two warships,” Mya said, her eyes fading back to normal.

Crixim looked between the ships. “I’ll need to take a look at all of them, Thalios too. Be a damn shame to lose him as a first mate.”

“Fair enough,” Mya said. “Shall we continue to move with the currents away from this place? Best we keep some momentum if others heard or saw our fighting.”

“Agreed,” Crixim said.

“Alright, I’ll have the ships occupants bring up their valuables and sort them for your perusal.” Mya reached out to the crews of the dead ships, giving them orders.

The dead were slow but they moved to obey, sails were unfurled to catch the wind and bring the ships further away from the stone wall and to them.

“Well if you’d like to take a look at the three decked ship, you’re welcome aboard,” Mya reached out a hand, rope landed in it, tether to Mesurial.

Two more wrapped around the railing as Mya stepped on a cannon and then onto the railing with ease.

“I wish I could take it, but I have things to see to here. Though I will send Thalios—speak of the man.”

Thalios stepped out onto the main deck with a question on his face.

“Mister Thalios would you care to check on the three decked ship?” Crixim asked, pitching his voice in a way all the crew could hear. “I will stay aboard the Noose.”

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

Thalios’ eyes lit up a grin spreading on his face. “Ah, well I’d enjoy that very much.”

Crixim gestured to the rope attached to the railing.

“Lirina if you would go with Mister Thalios, make sure that he doesn’t get too wrapped up in looking over the prize.” Crixim gave a light admonishment as excited whispers ran through the crew. It would do well to pull their minds from the grimness of the day.

Thalios pulled himself onto the railing by the rope, an old hand used to being in the rigging with little between himself and the open air.

She tightened her hand over her sword and grabbed onto the rope, pulling herself up.

“Mister Petor is seeing to the wounded Captain, left some of the lads working under him to attend his needs. A few patches underway,” Thalios reported.

“Thank you Captain,” Crixim grinned.

Thalios’ face cracked in a smile as he turned to Mya. “Shall we?”

She jumped from the railing, crossing over the water as the rope pulled her up so to go over the railing instead of into Mesurial’s side.

She landed on her feet, walking off the momentum as she headed for the back of the ship.

Thalios landed with several fast steps and a grin upon his face as he looked over the ship, his eyes picking out details a veteran sailor knew.

Lirina landed with ease and took in the space in a glance.

“How are things?” Mya asked Desari as she made her way up to the poop deck.

“Same as they were before, pushing four ships at once,” Desari’s voice a bit more cutting. All night moving through those shoals and then right into a fight is sure to make anyone sharp.

“Shall we have some of that yellow blossom tea and honey when we get back? Just going to check out the big ship.”

Desari held her tongue for a half second, the look of someone who knew they’d been sharp without meaning it.

“That would be nice.” She said, taking the peace offering, releasing some of the tension and fatigue.

Three ropes dropped down to the poop deck, Mya grabbing onto one and hopping up onto the railing.

Thalios and Lirina followed suit.

Mesurial swung them across the space to the large ship, Mya landed on the Jib-boom, walking on it one foot after another with confident steps. Thalios and Lirina landed on the deck.

Most of the dead were cleaning the ship. Others dumped loot into piles on empty spaces.

A flame ran up the mast, skipping places, charred runes and channels burning into the wood. The flame winked out as fast as it started, smoking.

Valter stepped back and checked his work.

“Just adding in reinforcement to what’s here first. A few of those air potions would increase its speed creatly,” He turned from the mast to look at them. His helmet off as he regarded all three and moved further to the rear.

“Thanks Valter!” Mya called after him. He held up his hand in acknowledgement. “Get some ink into it!”

He reached another mast and tapped it, the whole thing quivering and shaking the boat.

“The runes are great, but yeah some paint in there to assist will make them much stronger,” Mya said, walking forward.

The decking showed signs of the plunging cannon balls. Darkened stains were being treated with metal bristle to clear them.

Lirina pulled up a scarf to cover her nose. The dead rarely smelt good.

Thalios grimaced but continued on.

Mya walked them through the ship, down the different holds. The undead had pulled out all of their loot from various hidden spaces, leaving them upturned. Lirina spent more time checking on these, scowling at all the places they’d found to hide their goods.

Thalios would knock on some wood here or there, once or twice wiping the sealent or dust and rubbing it between his fingers or smelling it.

“Few marks on her hull.” He patted a section between cannons. “Though many inside.” He turned his head to the splintered pillar and hole through to the lower decks.

Mya winked. He nodded in understanding and moved out from between the cannons, still warm from the fighting.

“She’s got good bones, need some fixes, but nothing that the docks can’t do up. I’d be curious to find out how such a ship handed up in Pirates hands, she was built to fight on the sea. Though she has the holds for long voyages. Plenty of room for the good we might transport.”

“Well I know of a group that are looking to have some skilled sailors move their goods. Got a few that are missing they’d be interested in someone recovering for them too,” Mya said.

“If they’re goods have been taken already, its rare they’re going to find them again,” Lirina said.

Disapear as soon as they reach whatever black port will take their goods,” Thalios scowled.

“Well these goods are particular, and they’ve got a method to track them,” Mya grinned.

Thalios’ scowl lifted as he looked at Lirina in askance.

“That, might be very useful. If they’re hidden in a port or on one of the isles they use. We can do more good breaking that up than we could with three weeks of fighting out here,” Lirina said.

“Everyone, even pirates need to eat and restock,” Mya said.

“Hit them where they buy and sell supplies. They don’t have a place to settle into no more,” Thalios added.

“I didn’t think that the pirate problem was that big here,” Mya said.

“It had been a problem. The old lord looked after the city and not the seas beyond it. That much is true. The pirates were mounting, though they flourished with Kirtana broke apart,” Lirina said. Thalios went back to his inspections.

“The underwater city that floated along on the currents?” Mya asked.

“One and the same. You know of it?” Lirina said.

“Was there for a short visit,” Mya said.

“They lost a powerful artifact, one that helped to move the city. Strife between the elementals and those that lived within the place. The elementals left and joined Misty Cove. The city’s administrators bickered amongst one another. Debating between the deep seas and the surface. It all came to a head, they needed the support of the artifact, elementals and their people focused to keep their city spinning and steady. Something went wrong and the city broke apart into three sections, the top docks, the upper and lower city. The docks are a drifting island of sorts. The upper city drifts on the currents, far away now. The lower city, we don’t know where it went.” Lirina bristled. “Though we have heard reports and rumors. People in the lower city buying and selling with all kinds. They care not about who they deal with on the surface. That, and they’re looking for something, that artifact we talked about.”

“So they turned into a safe harbor for the pirates,” Mya said.

“It is all rumors, their location unknown. Many think that they have sunk into the depths of the ocean.”

“You don’t though,” Mya said.

“Have you looked at the food the pirates eat?”

Mya shook her head.

“You’ll find seaweed, fruits, vegetables and fish. The kind that are farmed underwater, not above it. Pickled and brined, never salted. Under water food.” Lirina tilted her chin towards a dead man with a dagger in his chest as he brushed up wood. “The weapons, thin, agile, bone and stone, weapons meant for fighting in the water. The kind that uses pressurized air and water.”

“It is the water plane,” Mya said.

“It is, but in this volume and good gear like this in the hands of pirates? The last few weeks they’ve been getting damn bold with their new gear and their ships are showing signs of being modified by crews that know what they’re doing.”

Mya frowned, the ripples they left in their wake had turned into waves it appeared.

Thalios closed a storage room door and walked over to them, his eyes more on the ship than Mya or Lirina. “She’s an ugly beast, going to take hard work to clean the scum off of her, with the right crew and a bit of time?” He turned his grin on them, “She’ll be a monster.”

“Very well, you want some more time with her or shall we head back over to Crixim and see if we can’t set this whole thing into motion?” Mya asked.

“Best we about that.”

“Perfect,” Mya tapped out a melody on the nearest timber, heading for the stairs out of the ship.

“What about the dead?” Thalios asked.

“Don’t worry I’ll get them off of your ship. They’ll warn me if any leaks start up and in the meantime they can work on scrubbing down the grime on your ship.” Her words sunk into the heavy wood around them as she made it up to the next deck. “You’d be surprised what several dozen tireless undead can get done.”

“What will you do with them?” Thalios asked hesitantly.

“They’ll serve as crew till their bones turn to dust,” Mya said.

“Why?” Lirina asked.

“Don’t need food, drink sleep or air, they’re good crew.”

“Its wrong,” Lirina said.

Mya’s steps stopped on the next deck. She detoured away from the stairs up to the main deck. “Pirates are a special kind of animal. I call them beasts because to call them people would be a stain upon us all. Why do you think I should let their souls go free for judgement?”

“Then it is done, the gods will sort through them and see them punished,” Lirina said.

Mya glanced back at her and crouched next to metal bands hammered into the deck.

“Remind me of Petor a bit,” Mya said, giving her a tight smile. “It’s a high compliment. You know what he was in his last life?”

“A warrior?” Lirina frowned, confused by the line of questioning, by the metal rings Mya tapped.

“Well he was that,” Mya snorted. “Damn good one from what I can tell. He was also a Paladin. A righteous soul that would give his very life in defense of others. A man that took on the darkness of the world to shield those at his back. He deserved that title. He’s a damn good man. In the darkness of the world, they’re a rare breed.”

Mya looked at the wooden walls without seeing them, the trough that drained through the ship’s wall.

“Problem was, he was too good. Goddess didn’t want that, didn’t want someone that would actually do good.” Mya’s chuckled had no humor in it. “You see, she wanted her paladins, those that were the fighting arm of her faith to do what she wanted, what she saw as good. Not what was.” Mya turned to Lirina, waving a finger and half closing one eye. “Seems a small thing that. But it means a world of difference.”

“Ones person’s good, a gods good. Can be very different from what is good. See the gods are fallible. Balance, fair, good? Bad? Tithe.” Her lips pulled back in a snarl at the word.

“That’s the cost, the insidious worm. Their tithe. Gods gain power with the more followers they gain. When you die, keep in your heart a god, for that is the one you go to. If you don’t well, then its a feast.” Mya stood, smooth and slow as a shadow. She turned to Lirina, the woman taking a half-step back. “For the gods, they want your soul, your very core.” Mya breathed the word, running her finger down where Lirina’s was located, tapping ever so gently.

She turned away and moved to the terrible space she had crouched Lirina recoiled. The movement seemingly intime with Mya. It was not her aim to embarrass her.

“These pirates, when their souls are freed, they will head to that dear,” Mya raised her finger, shaking it like some of the faithful did under the power of their representatives. “Celestial Plane. There they might step into the realm of their chosen god.”

Mya turned to Lirina and Thalios. “What paradise do you think they will choose?” Her smile was a sickly sweet thing.

She tapped her boot against the metal rings on the floorboards. “Those that would chain up their fellow people, treat them as cattle, sell them because the greed within demands and craves more.”

Lirina shifted back on her feet and Thalios took in the space.

The trough to clear the mess the slaves made, the rings to hold them. “No,” Mya looked over the rings. “I don’t think I’ll let them escape their judgement. I hope they still feel and understand, chained in their coffins of flesh and bone.”

Mya turned back to them. “You see, I’m not as kind as Petor. I have fought pirates and their dark masters. To remove that kind of poison, you have to stop feeding the beast.” She looked into Thalios’ eyes. “Those that don’t serve as crew, I’ll burn their very souls as fuel to empower my ships and hunt down their kind.”

Thalios glanced at the rings, the scarred wood, finger nails were little against the thick timbers. “Need a light?” His eyes found hers.

Lirina flinched slightly.

Mya’s laugh cleared through the gloom of the space. “Well damn, I think I’d like drinking with you.” Mya walked past Lirina, slapping Thalios on the shoulder as she sauntered to the stairs.

“You’re mad you know that?” Lirina said, though there was no heat in her words, any fight flat and pressed out.

“Been a while since I heard that,” Mya grabbed onto the rope bannisters, pausing. “Mad Mya.” She shook her head.

The Mardun traders needed her. She’d played with the idea of giving the tracking information to Cirixim and sending him and the people of the noose on a flight after the pirates. Though that, well it would work. Though it was not her way, it was not the way of the Mardun.

She had been given a job. A job to hunt down pirates. She had the means to do so. She looked at Thalios and Lirina as they swayed with the rock of the ship, their heads bowed under the beams.

“Maybe its time I taught the pirates of this plane the error of their ways.” She pulled herself up the stairs at a jog. Petor was right, they had been trying to do things the fast way, not the right way.

She sent a mental command to the had-been captain of the ship. He hurried over to meet her with a heavy chest at the stair well.

Mya tapped on it, hearing a dull noise from the lid. Some kind of trap. “Probably something to destroy the contents if it was opened by someone other than the captain.”

“Mimic how to open up the chest?” Mya asked the undead.

It dropped the chest, Mya throwing out a hand to catch it as he started to mime pressing something and pulling something else before rotating the lid and opening it.

Been a bit since I’ve dealt with the undead. They were always so literal.

“Again.”

It repeated the motions, Mya remembering them as she stored the chest, Thalios and Lirina joined her up on the main deck.

“Very good, continue to clean up the ship.”

The captain ran off, his jacket sporting several bloody wounds.

Mya glanced around. “Valter must be working on the other ships.”

Flames raced along the length of the second ship to confirm her thoughts. The enchantment she gave him would allow the ships to be shrunk, and be a basis for other rituals. The first of many to be wound into the timbers of the ships to turn them into Mardun ships.

Mya headed to the bow of the ship, the mid-morning sun warming her bones. “Well lets head back and see how we can make this trade work.