Seemingly the face of Sevrian didn’t change after hearing the news, but Ehrir could sense how a great burden weighed his shoulders down all of a sudden. The old man sighed deeply and focused his gaze on Varhel.
“I’ll need more information on the matter. Nalia, you should begin first. Your senses are the most useful in a storm”, said he with a serious tone and then turned to Ehrir. “You can go if you want, young man. But it wouldn’t hurt if you stayed. There is probably a battle waiting ahead of us and you’ll be an important part of it.”
Ehrir licked his lips nervously. The words he just heard – both those of Varhel and the old man – were more than unpleasant for his ears. Storm? Pirates? Battle? His heartbeat quickened, but he didn’t move. Knowledge was power and he needed to know what he was getting into.
Sevrian and Varhel threw their looks at him, but he only nodded reassuringly. He wasn’t getting anywhere.
Nalia didn’t gaze at him. She just started talking. Her voice was as clear as the morning skies and cold as winter winds.
“Master, the storm is coming in our direction from the south and was at roughly one hundred and twenty leagues from the galley when we saw it. It’s moving fast, so it’ll probably be seen on the horizon soon. The ship within it is an enormous frigate. My brother knows more details about it. It’s shielded from the storm by a magical barrier of considerable strength. Most of the crew are ordinary people, although there a few with weak magical powers. Except the mates who are mostly of a mediocre level, that is. I sensed their famous first mate and he is indeed very good when it comes to creating defenses. Their captain is still the most dangerous among them. I didn’t see him doing anything in particular, but his inner energy is enormous. The rumors about his destructive power are probably true.”
After she finished talking Sevrian’s face had become paler. Ehrir didn’t look very good either. How could he and the others fight against pirates who had so many sorcerers among them? The Undone One shuddered.
“I want to know exactly what I’m up against. Nalia, compare the strength of the mages on the pirates’ ship to mine own might.” The old man wasn’t looking very good, but the flame of determination burned in his eyes.
The young woman nodded and began speaking anew.
“The mates are not really powerful. Judging by the strength of our new comrade over here, they are slightly below him. If I fight next to him we will be able to take them out easily. However, the first mate can’t be handled by Varhel alone, although he is weaker than you. The three of us will have to attack together to have a chance against him. But only you, master, have enough strength to defeat the captain. He is almost at your level and would be quite dangerous with his destructive potential.”
Sevrian didn’t say anything immediately. His face twisted into a thoughtful expression.
“Nalia and Ehrir, go to your cabins. You need to rest if we’re to engage in a fight soon. Varhel, you remain here. I need to hear the details about the storm and the pirates’ ship itself.”
Varhel didn’t hesitate to start explaining, but Ehrir didn’t focus on the young man’s words. He opened the door on the cabin and held it as Nalia left the room. She pushed the wheels of her chair by herself, although not without struggle. Ehrir wondered if he should offer her help, but decided not to. Her will seemed as strong as steel. Such people would take any helping hand for an insult towards them. Ehrir knew homeless people like that and they were tough. Nalia was also hardy and her crippled state probably made her even more so.
The two walked next to each other between the rowing sailors. The simple seamen greeted them with respectful nods, but didn’t stop their work. Ehrir’s curiosity was awoken and he wondered how Varhel and his sister could see far beyond the horizon and into the coming storm.
At the middle of their path Nalia spoke.
“I knew what you’re thinking right now. You probably wonder about what I’m capable of, but that shall remain a secret. I’m also quite a strange view, huh?” Her tone was filled with irony, but there was no smile upon her lips. “Well, I can’t say that I am not. But still… I’m pretty good with magic, although I can only hope to one day become like master Sevrian. And currently you’re weaker than me, so don’t go around throwing jokes about my knees or ankles or I’ll end you.”
At this moment a smile surged up on her face. She began laughing wholeheartedly and loudly. Ehrir understood that all this coldness was more of a façade. He smiled too.
“What a strange sense of humor…” he muttered to himself, but Nalia heard him.
“I know, right?” she said before starting to chuckle again. “Sorry for not introducing myself earlier. My brother is just too protective of his little crippled sister and I have to act all cold and indifferent when I’m meeting new people. Well, I hope we can get along well. I mean, we’ll have to if we want to survive the upcoming battle.”
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Ehrir grinned in answer, although he felt uneasiness when he thought about the pirates and all of that.
“I’m looking up to you for that. You’re a senior disciple, after all.”
“Yeah, right…You should know better than that.” Nalia went silent for a second. “Ya’ know what? You’re the first disciple of the master that me and my brother encounter. Besides us, of course. Therefore you deserve a treat from your seniors… I’ll give you a bottle of really fine alcohol from the south. I’m not sure what is in there, though. I haven’t tried it yet. So drink it with caution, it may be some damn poison. I’ll give it to ya’ after the battle. I can give it now, but better not. It’s not good to go killing pirates while drunk.”
Ehrir didn’t know what to answer, so he just smirked. Nalia looked at his expression and – for some reason – exploded in laughter again.
***
Ehrir slept for solid two and a half hours before one of the sailors woke him up. There was a worrisome expression on his face – a mix of terror and confusion.
“Milord, please come with me. And be faster, if you can.” His voice was also filled with fear. Ehrir’s expression darkened. He already knew what had happened. Even if he didn’t see on the sailor’s face, he could sense it. The ship around him was shaking irresistibly. It was, without a doubt, in the middle of a storm.
He quickly put on his sea jerkin and seafarer boots and left the cabin. There was not a single man on the lower deck except for him and the sailor.
“Shit. Why do I have to be so late…? Are they already here?”
“Yes, milord. Master Sevrian is talking with their captain right now. He hopes that this whole thing can have a peaceful end. I don’t believe that, though.” The seafarer’s face was grim and he was clenching the cutlass hanging on his waist.
Ehrir went silent and followed the man to the door leading to the upper deck. The scene that appeared before him when he finally got there was straight out of some lunatic’s nightmares.
The storm was raging all around him and the sheer size of the waves made his stomach tighten. The sails were stowed and the oars were lowered. There was a bright barrier a few steps away from the ship’s handrails that engulfed it from all sides. The storm waves were hitting that shield without success, but their might – and that of the wind – was still shaking the whole galley.
On the deck were gathered almost all of the crew members and they filled it entirely. All of them had some kind of sharp weapon in their hands, be it axe, dagger or a cutlass. On the top of the deckhouse was Sevrian along with his two disciples, the captain of the ships and the first mate. Varhel was holding his sister’s chair tightly so it could not be overturned by the shaking.
The sailors made path for Ehrir to walk to the deckhouse. There was hope in their gazes when they looked at him. It was a new feeling for the Undone One. Nobody had ever put trust on him nor had anyone believed in him before.
Their enemies’ vessel stood at about fifty feet from the right side of the ship. It was bigger than the galley, although not by too much, and it was wholly protected by a shining defensive barrier. The frigate was taller and had more sails and masts than the galley. On the high end of the main one was hanging a big black flag with a purple flame on it. There were people on the deck on its deck too. And they looked rougher and more capable for fighting than the ones on the galley. Upon the deckhouse there were gathered the captain of the foes (or what looked like him) – a tall, muscular man with long blond beard. Around him were his closest subordinates.
As Ehrir walked towards the galley’s deckhouse, he heard the negotiations going between the two sorcerers. Both of their voice boomed with unnatural loudness.
“I’ll say it again, Hildos. There is no need to shed any blood here. Both of our crews are equally strong and it would only be a waste if we tried to kill each other. Nobody would win in the current situation”, said Sevrian. The expression on his face was dark, but there was no fear showing. His voice, echoed clearly above the waves.
It was hard to see the face of the pirates’ captain, but there was cheerfulness in his tone.
“Do you honestly believe the crap that comes out of your mouth? I know who you are, Sevrian. You’re nothing more than just one of the dozens of the puppets working for Ostrias “the Ashen Gaze”. That bastard is controlling the whole Archipelago of Claws by now and everyone there is kneeling and bowing their heads to him like he has come down from the heavens or something. Hell, I would kneel to him if my ship had to dock there. Even I know that he is untouchable. But you, on the other hand? You are just too tiny compared to your master for him to care. And all you have are those weaklings behind you. Is that what you call a capable wizard?” Hildos giggled uncontrollably. His laugh was deep and sincere.
While the two sorcerers were negotiating, Ehrir finally reached the deckhouse and greeted Nalia and Varhel with a nod. The old man looked at him.
“Well, you are already here, young man… Maybe I won’t need your strength after all.” He muttered. His voice was quiet now, although he still yelled so the waves and winds couldn’t drown the sound. “Don’t let your guard now.”
At that time the laughter of the pirates’ captain stopped and he finally spoke again.
“Hear me well, Sevrian, for I don’t intend to repeat myself. It is true that we can part ways peacefully. But I don’t intend to just let you go your way without even touching you. Let me be clear! I want half of your food, water, alcohol and money, and also any book regarding spells that’s on your ship! Hell, I’ll take a quarter if needed and you’ll never see my ugly face again. But that doesn’t mean that you have to be a skinflint now! Just give me what I want and I’ll be outta here!”
Ehrir swallowed. In his mind the offer was justifiable if they didn’t have to fight these pirates. But half of the ship’s supplies… That was too much.
The Undone One looked at Sevrian. Sweat had started dripping down the old man’s face, although cold wind blew all around him. His mouth was moving, but no words were coming out. Ehrir quickly understood what he was silently saying.
“The master will not forgive me. The master will not forgive me.”
Happily, the old man quickly got a hold of himself. He looked straight at Hildos. There was a dangerous shine in his eyes and his expression was grave. The words he spoke were said with might that shook Ehrir.
“I refuse!”