“Attention crew!” In traditional Killian fashion, he drunkenly called out to the entire crew. “The Torrential Seas! No crew has gone through these seas and come out the same. The lucky ones may come back with around half their crew, most others would find themselves lucky to come back with half their ship, but this is the Lion Khanum’s Blade! The most beautiful ship at sea, manned by the greatest crew to sail. Under her guidance we will push forward and be the first to traverse the Torrential Seas in more than 850 years!”
The crew exploded with cheers, every person steeling themselves for what’s to come. Darius could only weakly join in their festivities. In last month of travel, Darius never truly understood why these people took the job to sail over the most dangerous sea in the world, other than the extreme amounts of wealth offered by the Don.
When asked, the only responses he received were, “To prove that we’re the best,” or “For the captain.”
Realizing that he’d never get a straight answer, Darius just dropped the subject. It didn’t matter in the long run, so long as they weren’t suicidal. Either way, if what Jerimiah said was true, then they wouldn’t be in any trouble in the first place.
Darius had held off from talking to Killian about the staff, fearing it be stolen. The crew were still a bunch of pirates. Instead, he had intended to keep it hidden until its use was needed, but found himself rethinking that train of thought after getting to know the members of the crew.
Once Killian finished his speech Darius moved to talk with him alone, “What’s up? Did you blow something up while tinkering with one of your gadgets?”
“It was only the one time… this week, and only a few more before that, regardless. No Killian, nothing is going to explode… today, instead I’m going to tell you that no one has to die.” Killian’s hand reaching towards his hilt indicated that he severely misunderstood Darius. “As in I have a way for no one to die.”
Killian smiled warmly at Darius and ruffled his hair, which looked strange as Killian had to reach up to touch his head. “Listen kid, I appreciate your concern for my crew, but we sail knowing the risk. We know that at any time, the slightest change in the wind may usher us towards assured destruction, but we do it because we love the danger, the freedom the seas bring us, so don’t worry too much about who is going to live and die.”
“I’m pretty sure that was his half-assed attempt at an encouraging speech,” Darius thought. “Kid? Aren’t you only 25? Just follow me.”
Darius led Killian to his room, a small cabin fitted with a bed, a “toilet”, and a desk that held his gadget pack. The place was quite the upgrade when compared to his previous housing. From inside of Darius’s mattress, he pulled out the staff. “If it worked in the past, it would probably work now… probably.”
“My Gramps would tell me stories about the place beyond the Torrential Seas. These stories are the reason I’ve chartered you to take me here,” Darius explained as he held the staff to Killian. “He told me this staff could calm the seas, and I can’t say why, but I believe him. I also believe that, as the captain of this vessel, it would only be right that you lead us into complete safety.”
Without hesitation Killian took the staff from Darius’s hands, “Normally, I would do anything to protect my ship and her crew, but this is not a normal situation. My crew are out here for two reasons; to conquer the Torrential Seas with our own power, and to safely transport you across. If it comes to the point where we need it, I’ll use it, but for now I ask you to believe in me and my crew.”
Darius sighed inwardly, he kind of already realized this was how things were going to go down. He just wanted to present the option to Killian. Darius wasn’t too worried though as Killian’s confident smile filled him with vigor. “Alright, but you better make sure we get out of this alive. If not, I’m going to kill you.”
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“All hands-on deck! A storm in brewing.” Kent came crashing in from below deck. It was some-time around midnight and Darius was finally getting some shut eye after a long day. No time to sleep now, look like trouble’s coming.
Killian was up top running with glee, “We are here crew, the depths of the Torrential Seas.” The skies were black, the night’s stars nowhere to be seen, and the waves constantly crashed over onto the ship. “Make sure to get that water off the ship! Some of you go below deck and make sure there are no holes in the hull, the rest of you follow the orders of Ricardo, Kent, and Darius; they’ll get us through this.”
“Me? No pressure, the captain just left me in charge of a bunch of people’s lives. Not weird at all!”
Nevertheless, everyone in the crew yelled, “Yes, Captain!” and set out to work.
“Kent the winds are pulling us off course, we should raise them for a bit and let the current carry us, we can have some of the rowers correct for us in case the currents get too strong,”
Kent typically took every little chance to belittle anything Darius would say, “While your minuscule brain rarely, if ever, presents a good idea, this time I concur,” and this time held no difference.
“Whatever, all hands that are left, pull up the sails and rowers get into positions!” These guys were a well-oiled machine, not wasting even a second of time.
“Move, move, move!” yelled Ricardo.
The crew were constantly moving around, switching jobs with those who needed a break, taking care of minute details that Darius, Kent, and Ricardo couldn’t see when worrying about the bigger picture. After an hour of fighting against the sea, they managed to break through the worst of the storm. Kent was the first to realize, “The winds are calming a bit, it should be safe enough for the sails to be let down. Go on and tell the other, Darius.”
Kent just loves to act like he’s in charge, “Lower the sails it should be saf-” Darius was cut off as a large wave crashed against the hull of the ship. “What was that?!”
It was Killian, up in the crow’s nest who spoke up, “It’s the Contusis, here I thought it we wouldn’t get to face the challenge!” He quickly climbed down before yelling, “All hands be ready, once we get past this, we’ll have conquered the Torrential Seas!”
Confused Darius looked out to see what Killian was talking about, “What is that Killian!” Clouds blacker than the most starless night sky, only illuminated by massive streaks of lightning, and to top it all off waves bigger than Sheildon’s castle, let alone our ship.
“That last one damaged the rudder! I can’t steer!” Ricardo exclaimed.
“Killian, the staff! Use the staff!” He quickly ran towards Darius and gives his largest smile yet, “The Contusis is our target. Literally meaning the crushing defeat, all sailors who have seen it have experienced this. Now he we stand ready to fight this great beast!”
Darius had never seen Killian like this before, it looks like he’s losing it, “Calm down Killian, listen go get the staff, as long as we have it, I’m sure-.”
Killian grabbed my shoulders and looked down gravely, “Listen to me Darius, you may not understand but this is what my crew and I are destined for. We will defeat the Contusis, we will face our destiny, and we will become legends, didn’t you say that you would trust me?”
Darius couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Until now, Killian was a great guy, but right now he was downright crazy. Darius had always heard of the horrors of Contusis, but always thought them exaggerations. Being faced with it, Darius felt nothing but fear.
Darius thought that Killian’s talk of destiny, legends, and his delusions of grandeur might have just been held by him, but the faces around Darius all had the same level of extreme confidence. He didn’t really have a choice at this point, “You’re crazy Killian, but at this point all I can do is help, just know you owe me!”
Killian nodded while giving a thumbs up, before running about to help on the ship, “All hands, let’s do this!”