The afternoon was wearing on, the walls of water had slowly descended back into the water, the remains of the pirates docks and buildings smoking wreckage, broken ships tossed atop.
Flotsam gathered around the docks. The Water Lord’s people dove into the depths, his ship next to the docks.
Ships that could still float moored in the water in formation. Not a pirate left alive.
The Water Lord and his retinue rose out of the water, stepping onto Mesurial without a drop of water falling on her deck.
The Water Lord studied the ship, his eyes aquamarine.
“A ship, a familiar, a ritual.” He chuckled to himself. “There is always more to learn.” He glanced in the direction of Irshon, his head now lowered, looking like nothing more than a turtle.
“Always,” A voice came from behind Petor.
He looked back, Irshon stepping up beside Desari with a smile as he bowed to the Water Lord.
“Thank you for your help and message Irshon,” The Water Lord tilted his head slightly.
“My bonded has a propensity for how would one say it. Getting herself into the middle of a mess,” His voice most definitely sarcastic, and approving.
“How better to learn more than being in the heart of it?” Desari rebuked.
The Water Lord laughed, the kind that shook the waters around them. “Ah I wondered what kind of bonded you had. I am not disappointed.” He gave Desari a smile before his gaze turned to the rest of the horsemen and Captain’s Thalios and Crixim. “Or by her companions.”
All but the four horsemen stood straighter.
“You came here to recover goods. Something I think you could have done without the pirates here learning of your intentions. Instead you worked to rid my plane of this plight. You have my gratitude,” He clasped his hands and bowed deeply. His elementals and retinue dropped to a knee.
The others didn’t know what to do as the Water Lord quickly stood before it could get awkward. “Then you combatted a creature that could have brought great devastation to the inhabitants of the water plane.”
He moved to the Captains and took out a box.
“For your service to the plane. This medal of my commendation will allow you free port in any of my cities, including inns and provisions at cost. As well as access to my information networks.” He handed it to Crixim and took out another for Thalios.
“We will bring your ship back to port to repair it and provide upgrades to make you some of the fastest and deadliest ships in the Water Plane. You’ve shown your characters this day.”
Crixim and Thalios bowed their heads, giving their thanks. The Water Lord put a hand on each of their shoulders, gripping them. “Your crew and their families are my crew.”
They nodded in recognition.
The Water Lord turned his attention to the others “The Four Horsemen, an enigma. One that has come through my plane to stir things up as few groups have done in the past.” A wry smile spread on his face. “Though knowing what Desari left in her path, I should think her companions are similar.” He looked them over. “I noticed that your gear is of a very high quality, but you have not yet changed out your weapons. You helped defeating a Mythical beast, you should have weapons of the same grade.
He took out a spear holding it out to Petor. “Do you wish to see its abilities alone?”
“I trust this lot,” Petor looked at the other Horsemen.
Water formed into a description next to the weapon, Mya let out a low whistle.
Spear of the Mirage Mariner
Description: Crafted from the spine of a legendary sea dragon, this spear is imbued with the essence of the ocean's depths, allowing the wielder to create vivid illusions of themselves to confound their foes.
Grade: High-Mythical
Innate Characteristics: Soul-bound, High Appraisal, Illusive resonance
Enchantments:
Cost: 1,100,000 GP
“Holy shit,” Petor looked at it and then to the Water Lord with a bemused expression on his face.
“Take it?” Mya offered.
Petor grabbed it, his body seemed to soften the weapon perfectly balanced. His green mana ran through the weapon as if it belonged there.
A green cloak of mist shimmered down his back from his neck, matching his scarf and hood. It appeared like his old ranger’s cloak, the color adding in muddy browns.
A thought made the cloak lift as if caught in a breeze, shifting to different colors, then back to the initial green.
“High Appraisal?” Petor asked.
“Only people who can appraise Legendary gear will be able to know the weapon’s abilities,” Mya said.
The Water Lord drew out a sword and sheath, holding it out to Valter.
“Thank you,” Valter bowed his head.
“It’s a bribe to hope you help us out in the future and thank you for what you’ve done,” The Water Lord said.
Valter raised his eyebrow to the Water Lord, hand on the hilt of the sword to inspect the blade. A few in the retinue deflated.
Mya snorted, Desari giving her a look. Mya shrugged as if to say ‘well he said it’.
Valter drew the weapon, the hilt create a cage around the hand to protect and balance the weapon. The blade was made of silver and black waves of material, with red and blue veining running through it.
Valter drew out its nearly ninety centimeter length, turning the blade, as it caught the light.
“Blunt ricasso, double fullered, with the back being blunted,” Valter said as he ran his hand up the blunt backside of the weapon, pausing “Then becoming a double edge broadsword blade.”
He tilted the weapon from side to side. “Very good weapon.”
The Water Lord smiled and created a parchment of water with the weapon’s information.
Sword of the Thermal Revenant
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
Description: Forged from coral exposed to the extreme thermal vents of the ocean floor and tempered in the frozen depths, this blade grants mastery over thermal energies, wielding both scorching heat and biting cold.
Grade: High-Mythical
Innate Characteristics: Soul-bound, High Appraisal, Thermal Infusion
Enchantments:
Cost: 900,000 GP
“Thank you,” Valter dipped his head and slid the sword away.
The Water Lord nodded and stepped over to Mya, drawing out a weapon that Petor had never seen before.
It looked like Mya’s flintlock rifles, but it was sleeker with two barrels on top of one another, the bottom one blunted and the trigger guard had a hilt on it.
Mya blinked and took the weapon, water forming into detailed information on the weapon.
The Drowned Captain's Requiem
Description: A haunting lever-action rifle made from the remnants of ships claimed by the sea, it channels the anguish of drowned souls to fire ethereal bullets that sap the life force from its targets.
Grade: High-Mythical
Innate Characteristics: Soul-bound, High Appraisal, Replenishing, Necrotic
Enchantments:
Cost: 1,780,000 GP
Mya cranked on the hilt looking thing, levering it down and then up. A shell of ghostly energy flung out of the weapon, dissipating like smoke in the breeze, returning to the weapon and alighting its runes, already burning with her own mana.
“When you kill targets, this weapon reaps part of their soul, turning them into a thrall and also replenishing the stores of power, making it so you don’t need to reload. You can also use other ammunition.” He took out a pouch and handed it to her. “These shots will be stronger and laced with the powers of the weapon.”
Mya held the rifle and the pouch.
“I appreciate the gift, but I have a greater need.”
The Water Lord tilted his head in curiosity.
“My people are trader folk of the seas. We seek to go from port to port, sell our goods and defend them as needed.”
“There are few gods that come to the water plane and those that do are weak and remain in their celestial realms. Some walk my waters to help my people. Those that seek to corrupt send their agents,” He waved in the direction of the abomination and the Pirate Cove remains. “The rule in my plane is thus, based on the ways you have lived, you will be judged. If you have lived a good life, you will have an option will be before you, to reincarnate as an elemental, or as a soul within the plane. If you have not, then your soul will know the pains that you have put upon others for eternity.”
His tone didn’t change, as if discussing the weather, which made it all the more terrifying.
“What if one is to practice necromancy? What if they were to bring a god with them?” Mya asked.
“Necromancy is neither good nor evil, its uses are. As you trap souls in their bodies that have done bad in this world,” He tapped his foot against the deck. “I too do the same. I am stronger, does that make me right? Does it make you right being weaker?” The Water Lord shrugged. “We can but make decisions. Good and Bad are reliant upon your actions. As for bringing gods. If they bring evil I will hunt them. If they bring harmony, well I am born of elemental power, I am not all the creatures I protect.”
He pressed the rifle towards Mya. “I see a determination I know all to well. Let this help you protect others, and if you bring your trading family, well then will they not be mine to protect as well?” He smiled, leaving Mya thoughtful and stepped infront of Desari.
“I had hoped that your soul would reach the elemental celestial plane. We waited for you and would have fought the Geraxi Pantheon for your soul. Though it seems another has taken interest in you.” There was a question in his voice his aquamarine eyes looking over her and the others. “Each broken souls, patched together.” He focused on Desari again. “Few make equal bonds with their elemental familiars, fewer still fight for my people in other planes. You are the first I have heard with bonds to all elementals, that were willing to give up their very life force, knowledge and power on an attempt to save your soul.” He blinked, just looking at her.
“Your legend has already spread across this world and its planes, Desari the liberator of elementals. I wished to meet with you to offer you a position as guardian over elementals. Though I see that would but trap you to this world. I thank you for what you have done and know that the planes of Etera will be a home to you.”
He clasped his hands and bowed, his people solemnly and slowly falling to a knee for several seconds before they recovered.
“I hope this helps you,” He drew out a bow of startling white, runes weaved across it in several designs merged together. The string a gossamer thread of black.
Desari held it, her mana spread through the runes in deep purple and black flame against the white.
Bow of the Legend’s Wake
Description: Crafted from Othir strung with Primal Filament, this bow commands the elements.
Grade: High-Mythical
Innate Characteristics: Soul-bound, High Appraisal, Elemental Harmony
Enchantments:
Cost: 1,580,000 GP
“We knew that there were pirates here, but the abomination was new,” Mya said.
“A complicated weave,” The Water Lord frowned. “The pirates cove grew here as they had few other safe harbors of such size. The city Kirtana broke apart and sections washed up against the columns here. From what we’ve learned. They investigated the seal that kept the leviathan bound.” The Water Lord’s eyes darkened like roiling clouds, the air becoming humid.
“They sacrificed the lives of others and then slaughtered through their own people to create a dire ritual that empowered the abomination and broke open its cage. The clan, they were the ones that accosted you upon your journey to the city last time. Their hunger for power corrupted them.”
The air cleared as he closed his eyes, a tired breath coming from him. The breath of one that had seen so much, lived through it all. There was a grounded ancientness to him.
Just how many sunrises and sunsets had he seen?
He blinked, his energy returning. “Now from the loot and resources taken from the pirate’s docks, their ships and the remains of Kirtana, split four ways between our four ships,” The Water Lord looked to Crixim and Thalios. “Each Ship gets a bounty of Nineteen and a half million gold.”
They paled at the numbers.
Well that’s quite the bounty. Petor thought to himself, though at some point those kind of numbers had stopped becoming overwhelming. Maybe it was because they were so big?
The Water Lord took out a book. “This has the various loot to be found and their associated costs. Some things should not pass into others hands and I have removed them. If you wish to buy the items they can be traded to you out of the gold dispensation.” He handed one to Crixim.
“Ships,” Mya said. “I’ll buy any ships that float.”
The Water Lord took out another identical book, flipped it to a page and held it out to her. “These are the ones that are still sea worthy with their damages listed.”
“I’ll take the five frigates, three Galleons and seven Brigs,” Mya said.
“I’ll take that out of the coin,” He waved out to the waters. Ships that had been moored shifted and started towards where Mesurial, Noose and Reckoning had stopped.
“I have people on their way to help with the clean up and recovery. Though Captain Crixim, Captain Thalios, if you would be up for protecting this area I would be happy to pay you for your time,” The Water Lord asked.
“Yes sir,” Crixim clasped his hands.
“Thank you,” The Water Lord smiled and walked across the deck. “May the waters be calm and plentiful.” His retinue jumped over the ship’s side as he stepped off, water catching him and taking him below the waves.
“Well, whichever port we go into is going to be having a good time,” Thalios said.
“Might be a good idea to tell them that they’ll get their stipend over a couple of months or years, that way they’re less eager, get more time to think about where to put that gold. Get talking to some merchants that could turn a profit on that,” Mya said.
“Know anyone in that whole trading business?” Thalios grinned.
“Well I might have a few contacts,” Mya winked.
“People are going to start hearing about this right quick,” Crixim held his chin.
“Good time to work on increasing your people’s overall strength. Anvil Spike will be eager to outfit your ships,” Valter said.
“That’s not a bad idea and we can get contracts taking their gear where it needs to go. Now is the best time to transport as much goods as possible.”
“If you know good crews Jaxus, the trader fella working with the Nether Forge people. He can do the trades you do the transport,” Mya said.
“That could be good,” Crixim looked at the ships still moored up by the pirate cove.
“Them schooners are right quick, though they only have the one deck below the waterline. Good to use as scouts if you need to, move through island chains and the like. You get them outfitted right and they’ll pull circles around most ships,” Mya said. “Bit of advice from one captain to another.”
Crixim and Thalios looked at her, Petor could see the respect in their eyes, her words having a great weight to them. “With crews and captains, its best to move slower than faster. Having solid crews and people you can work with is for the best. As long as the two of you are aligned you can operate independently. The problem with unaligned groups is that it creates frictions within, the two groups linked in name only. You have to make sure those bonds are strong. Move the crew around, have them work on the different ships, hire from the same ports so their families are interconnected, or come with them if you’re gone a great long while.”
“Thalios, you need help with your masts?” Petor asked before they could get too deep in their chats.
“Yeah, going to be a limp back to the yards,” He grimaced.
“Let me take a look at it, you okay if they’re resistant to lightning?”
“Uhh, yeah sure?”
“Enjoy, I’m going to work on those incoming ships,” Valter said, taking off his old sword and adding the new.
“I’ll come over and give you a hand,” Desari said.
“Catch you all later.” Petor and Desari walked across the dock in the direction of Reckoning.
“So how we going to get to the ship?”
“I have an idea. You going to grow a new mast?”
“I have an idea,” Petor grinned.
Desari gave him a look but she couldn’t say anything having her own words returned to her.