In closing, I must reiterate the urgency and seriousness of this dire situation. With the intelligence gathered by my spies and your own official, there is no doubt that the False Empire of Tsilien has indeed rebuilt the Treasure Ships of old and placed them under the command of Admiral Azun. A fleet of such powerful ships commanded by such a fearsome man is a threat to us both. In the spirit of cooperation, I have sent you everything I know about the Treasure Ships, and by the time this memorial reaches your court, my fleet will have embarked on an expedition to destroy the shipyards that created them.

I earnestly hope we can work together to vanquish our mutual foe.

Yours Respectfully, Senior Batore Wabaro of Hilt.

Bright sunlight shone through the cabin's tall windows, casting gently swaying shadows as waves lapped at the hull. The ship's cabin was not nearly as palatial as the one on the Golden Colossus, but it was grand in its own way. The floor was covered with thick carpet, and ornate maps plastered every inch of the walls. The table at the center of the room was big enough to seat a dozen people, though there were only three clustered in one corner.

Saiyun flipped over the final page and rubbed his eyes. Even in the bright light of day, reading a forty-page document was no easy feat. "Thank you for making most of the changes I suggested."

"We've only got one chance at getting your Emperor's attention," replied Wabaro, leaning back in her chair. She was dressed formally, but Saiyun could see the weariness on her face through the makeup. "Best not miss."

"I would be remiss if I did not mention the tone one last time," said Saiyun, enduring Wabaro's withering glare. "The Emperor's court may receive the message better if it is not framed as an offer of alliance, but as a call for help. Court Officials are more likely to offer help to a vassal than an equal power."

Wabaro drummed her fingers on the table. "I told you, the other Batore have to approve before I send this out. If they think I'm groveling to a foreign power, at best, they'll refuse to give their assent. At worst, my enemies will try to unseat me. Hilt reaches out on equal terms, or it doesn't reach out at all."

"Understood," replied Saiyun, feeling somewhat annoyed that he even had to offer the advice. The fact that something as trivial as tone could spoil an alliance seemed unforgivably ridiculous. "Commodore Atanel, is there anything you would like to change?"

The third person at the table cleared his throat and adjusted his dark-green uniform jacket. Medals of rank and valor clinked together. Commodore Atanel was a tall, wiry man with well-kept hair and a neatly trimmed beard to match. He looked about as different to Bill as possible. "One alternation," he said, sliding a piece of paper over to Wabaro. "On close inspection, two of our vessels were found to have small infestations of shipworms. Fixable, but not quickly. I've made the decision to leave them behind. There is the order."

Saiyun frowned as Wabaro read the letter. "If the infestation is small, surely they can come along. If this mission is going to succeed, we need every ship available."

"No, Atanel is right," said Wabaro, setting the letter down. "Shipworms can turn a warship into a leaky hulk in less than a month, and you'll be at sea for longer than that."

Atanel nodded along. "We are, for all intents and purposes, declaring war on Tsilen with this attack. Hilt will need as many ships as it can muster to survive."

"Does losing two ships change your outlook at all?" Wabaro asked.

A small silence stretched out as Atanel took a deep breath. "No. They were both second-rate ships. Both useful, but neither vital. That leaves me with six first-rate ships, fourteen second-rate ships, and five supports. Our ships are quick, maneuverable, and manned by professional crews. The guns of our first-rate ships can outrange anything this side of Vath's Ocean. The Tavada are providing plenty of ships and cannons as well. I've spoken with Sayel, and she is confident they can find and recruit the Achara Ata to our cause."

"No doubt here either," replied Wabaro, rubbing her bare arm and standing up. "I crossed swords with them a few times in my younger days. No worse enemy, no more potent ally. I trust you can make the appropriate changes to the draft."

"Of course," said Atanel, standing as well. "Let me show you out."

"You have work to do. I know the way," Wabaro replied. "Saiyun, with me."

Saiyun pushed his elaborately carved chair back and followed Wabaro to the doors. As she tried to open them, he reached out and held them with his palm. "Before we part ways...I want to apologize. I know I'm putting you in a difficult situation with the other Batore-"

Wabaro cut him off with a laugh. "Spare me. There's always someone trying to push me aside and take my place. It's the way of the world." Batting his hand aside, she stepped out on deck.

Decorum usually demanded all aboard come to attention when the Senior Batore made an appearance, but the crew was quite distracted by the spectacle in front of them. A loose circle of people had formed around the middle of the deck, with plenty more watching from the rigging. Bill stood in the center, punching his palm with his fist as Ji circled him, walking on her toes.

Bill charged with surprising speed, lunging to grab hold of one of her arms. Ji hopped to the left, drifting through the air until she landed softly.

"Wow," Saiyun muttered as Ji repeated her drifting dodge, much to the delight of the crowd. "I still can't believe she actually did it."

In the circle, Bill stopped chasing, took a few steps back, and gestured for her to come at him. Ji changed her stance and crept forward as the sailors called out in languages Saiyun did not understand. A gust of wind washed over the ship as Ji launched a straight kick at Bill's belly. He deftly side-stepped it, grabbing hold of her foot and dragging her to the deck.

"Do you know why Bill is as good as he is?" Wabaro asked as the crew hooted and hollered.

Saiyun thought the question over as he watched Ji and Bill circle each other once again. "Adaptability," he replied. "Until you captured him, he always got out from under whatever situation we found ourselves trapped in."

"No one is born adaptable," Wabaro said, watching as Bill lunged for Ji again. "He's as good as he is because of those scales on his neck."

The sparring match continued when Ji darted out of the way of Bill's attacks one after another until he motioned for her to attack again. But instead of darting forward she leaped up, her jump carrying her well above Bill's head. The wind whipped around her as she did a front flip and slammed the heel of her foot into his head.

Bill liquified the second she made contact, splashing to the deck and reforming just as quickly, a giant smile showing through his beard.

"He's as good as he is because he's a survivor. The more you endure, the harder you are to kill," said Wabaro, rubbing her arm again. "The only mistake you can't learn from is a fatal one. Speaking of fatal mistakes, do you think it is necessary for you to go along on this voyage?"

Saiyun blinked, turning his attention away from the sparring to Wabaro. "I...beg your pardon?"

"Yazwa needs her curse broken, Aven wants revenge for his mother, and Ji is sworn to fight evil," Wabaro said, counting off on her fingers. "You are trying to prove your loyalty to clear your name of false accusations. Don't you think outing a traitorous ambassador and strong-arming a foreign leader into fighting your battles for you is enough?"

"You know what I stand accused of," Saiyun mumbled. The thought had occurred to him. It occurred to him so much that it was keeping him up at night. "Without some great victory, I can't risk going home."

Wabaro scoffed. "You Qisini are maniacs about loyalty. Bill and I have tried to kill each other at least three times, and it doesn't stop us from getting along. If you think you can't risk going home yet, stay here. If the Emperor's court won't forgive you, you have a place at my side. I could use someone with your talents in my service with war coming."

"I'm honored, but I must decline," he said with a respectful bow. "I have not traveled all this way to secure mere comfort."

"Honor then?" asked Wabaro.

Saiyun looked away, trying to order his thoughts as he watched Ji and Bill spar. "I wanted little more than honor and comfort when I set out on this voyage. I always knew there was a war, but I never gave thought to what that meant outside the marks on a map. Here and now, I have a chance to do something that will bring that war closer to its end. After everything I've seen, I can't walk away from that."

Wabaro was silent for a moment, watching as Ji landed another solid hit on Bill. "Youthful optimism. I remember that. Honestly surprised it hasn't been beaten out of you yet. But then again, you've proven very good at surprising me."

"I suppose I've become a survivor," Saiyun said with another bow. As he rose, he caught sight of Yazwa across the deck with Turantoc at her side. "If you will excuse me, I must speak with someone urgently."

"Goodbye Saiyun," she said with a gentle wave. "I hope I see you again."

"Likewise," Saiyun said as he stepped away. Weaving through the crowd gathered to watch Ji and Bill throw down was a challenge, but he made it through and only got his foot stepped on three times.

"Saiyun!" Yazwa called, waving when she spotted him approaching. "I found him!"

"'Lo," Turantoc said, leaning on the railing. His clothes were still shredded from his fight with the Korav, but the gouge in his chest was healed. "Yazwa says you have a proposal for me. If it's asking me to come along with you, the answer is no. This is your fight, not mine."

"I don't know if you have been made aware of all the pertinent facts," Saiyun said with a frown. "The man we sail against is the one who was buying the Blood Achali from Ca Diro. They even met in person. Surely striking a blow against the man funding all this horror would be part of your fight."

One of the corners of Turantoc's mouth twitched up in a grin. "Good pitch, but Azun isn't the only practicing Blood Achali. There's a pack of them in Avendi, and that's where I'm going next."

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"Those aren't the only dark arts he's tangled up in," Saiyun replied, leaning in. "That Korav you fought was serving him. We also know he has dealings with the Akshi. Back at the Embassy, you said we were on the right side of the fight. Azun is clearly on the wrong side of it. Please, help us. With you on our side, we have a better chance to win."

Turantoc clapped him on the shoulder. "You're on the right side of the fight, but this isn't my battle. If I stopped to kill every crowned head that did something evil, I'd never get anything else done. Tsen called me in to go after the Blood Achali, and that's what I'm going to do."

Saiyun sighed. It had been a long shot, but worth a try. "Thank you. Without your intervention at the Embassy, we would have been killed."

"It's nice when things work out, isn't it?" Turantoc said, letting go of Saiyun. "If I ever see Tsen again, I'll let him know you survived. He had very neutral things to say, so he must have taken a liking to you."

A question popped into Saiyun's head as he exchanged a look with Yazwa. "May I ask you something?"

"So long as it's not 'Pretty Please Come Fight With Us'," Turantoc replied.

Saiyun shook his head. "No, it's about Tsen. He said you offered him a treasure trove of knowledge if you swore to forsake Blood Achali. What did you teach him?"

A roguish smile split Turantoc's face. "Simple. I offered up my vast knowledge of the erotic arts."

"What?" Saiyun asked as Yazwa doubled over laughing.

“You heard me,” Turantoc grinned. “Do you think Tsen would turn down anything for his books? I think there are three or more chapters about-“

“Thank you,” Saiyun hissed, holding up his hand before Turantoc could say anything that would be impossible to scrub from his memory. “I will not dispute that you have your own mission, though we will miss your help.”

“You’ve got plenty as is,” said Turantoc, waving his hand over the railing. “A couple of Ata’s worth of pissed-off Vathlanri is a dangerous thing. Hilt’s giving you plenty of firepower, and I wouldn’t want to take on those two in an even fight.”

Saiyun looked over his shoulder to see Bill and Ji approaching as the crew dispersed to their duties. “Have you finished your spar?”

Sweat covered Bill's hairy body as he wiped himself off with a rag. “Yeah. Done for now. Been a long time since I had to fight an Esgan, and it’s just as hard as I remember.”

“Will you join us?” Ji asked, eyes on Turantoc.

The green man shook his head. “No. I’ve got my own mission, and I try to keep away from admirals and emperors as a general rule.”

Ji bowed deeply from the waist, sweat soaking her clothes. “Then let me take this last opportunity to thank you. Without your help, I would not have reached my friends in time.”

Saiyun copied her bow. “Thank you for coming to our aid.”

“Knock it off,” Turantoc laughed, motioning for them to rise. “I’m always happy to help someone on the right side of the fight. Once I hunt down these Blood Achali, I might check up on you all.”

“Might?” Saiyun asked, rising from his bow.

Turantoc shrugged. “I might cross paths with someone who needs more help than you.”

“They will be lucky to have it,” Ji said. “Saiyun, this is the ship Aven was brought aboard, right?”

Bill grabbed his jacket and slipped it on. “Yeah, this is the ship with the biggest infirmary.”

“I wish to speak with Aven,” Ji said, suddenly looking down at the ground. “I would like you to come with me. Just the two of us.”

Saiyun frowned as he watched Ji shift back and forth. He pondered what reasons Ji could have for a secret meeting with Bill and Aven, but quashed the thoughts as quickly as they came up. He trusted Ji. Bill was getting everything he wanted, so there was no reason to suspect him. “Let us know how he’s doing. Yazwa and I will…are you quite done yet?”

Yazwa wiped a tear out of her eye, still giggling from Turantoc’s revelation. “I’m sorry,” she wheezed. “But can you imagine?”

“I do not wish to,” Saiyun huffed as Bill and Ji left to go below decks.

-

Aven lay on his back on an infirmary cot, watching the clouds drift by through the open porthole. He was glad for the fresh air. The ship's surgeon had been bottling something foul, and the breeze had almost cleared out the smell. The ship's infirmary was certainly larger than the tent he had gotten used to. There were a dozen cots and an operating table shrouded behind a curtain, as well as a small door that led to the surgeon's private cabin. He took a breath, enjoying the relative quiet.

The voyage had not yet begun, so no one had a chance to hurt themselves yet. Reaching down, he gently pressed against the wound in his side until he grimaced. Good. There was no sharpness to the pain, only a throb that kept time with his heartbeat. Utosa had done an excellent job patching him up.

He grimaced again as he thought of his old friend. Utosa had been furious when she'd found out he was being moved. But as much as she'd ranted and raved, he'd been carried off. Those who were staying behind didn’t want a drylander in their midst, and Aven wouldn’t have hung around even if they did.

Not when the fleet would be sailing for the beating heart of Azun’s ambitions. There was no way he’d miss a chance to stick a knife in.

The infirmary door creaked open, and Aven turned to see Ji coming in with Bill close behind. “Are we leaving?” he asked, fighting the urge to sit up.

“Saiyun and Wabaro have signed off on the draft,” Bill said, sitting down on the cot next to Aven. The wooden frame groaned but held up. “Now it depends on how much bickering the other Batore want to do before they approve it. We could leave tomorrow or in a couple of days. So…soon?”

Ji knelt on the other side of Aven’s cot, eyes flitting to his bandages. “Do you need anything from shore? Does the surgeon? I can get whatever you need.”

Aven shook his head. “No. All I need now is rest and plenty of water.”

“Do you think it’s a good idea for Aven to come?” Ji asked abruptly, looking up at Bill. “He’s not done healing.”

“What?” asked Aven, frowning when Ji wouldn’t look at him. “I’m fine.”

Bill raised a bushy eyebrow. “Well…she’s not wrong. You can’t even stand up right now. If I were running this ship, I wouldn’t want you aboard.”

Ji spoke up before Aven could answer. “You could get Wabaro to find a place for him to stay, right? I’m sure the Senior Batore can call on the finest doctors in Hilt.”

“That doesn’t matter because I’m not going anywhere!” Aven shouted, gripping the thin blanket covering him in his fists as Ji refused to look at him. “It’s three weeks to the Sacar Islands with good weather, and Utosa says by then stitches will be ready to come out. I’ll be fine.”

Bill ran one of his meaty hands through his beard. “That’s if all goes well. A ship is far from a healthy place. Could take a turn for the worse.”

“Right,” said Ji. “Aven should remain in Hilt, and you should stay with him, Bill.”

Aven blinked, forgetting his angry retort. Bill stay? What was she thinking?

“Say again?” Bill replied. “I know I didn’t hear that right.”

“If Wabaro loses her position, Aven will be vulnerable,” Ji said quickly. “You have the most influence, so you would be most able to protect him.”

“I’m not staying behind because you feel guilty about getting Aven shot,” said Bill flatly.

From the way Ji twitched, Aven was certain Bill was right.

“You didn’t pull the trigger,” he said. “This isn’t your fault.”

Ji looked Aven in the face for the first time, and there were tears at the corner of her eyes. She reached out and gently placed her hand on his bandaged wound. “If I had not fallen so far, if I had not been so obsessed with vengeance that I didn’t listen, you would be fine. I may not have pulled the trigger, but I am responsible for your wound.”

Aven tried to sit up but flinched as the throbbing pain worsened. “No, you are not,” he hissed, the guilty look in her eyes causing him more pain than his wound.

“That is not the only reason you both must stay,” said Ji. “My fury robbed me of my senses. Had I not seen what I was becoming, I would never have stopped traveling down that dark path.”

Glancing at her hand, Aven spotted the scars from their first encounter with the Korav. The day after Ji returned, everyone had caught him up on what he missed. He felt a pang of guilt for not being there to help as Ji continued.

“The need for revenge poisoned my mind, and I see that it has a hold of both of you now,” she said, looking at Aven and Bill in turn. “Aven, avenging your mother will only lead you into greater and greater danger. Bill, you have spent your entire life in pursuit of Azun. Now, this fleet is going to crush his stronghold. You can step back and let go of revenge.”

“So why are you going?” Aven demanded hotly. “Shouldn’t you be letting go of getting your revenge on Azun too?”

Ji frowned. “I do not set forth for vengeance. Azun’s stronghold is close to my monastery. Ca Diro said that Kavanal like me work best for the Blood Achali he was making. I must end that threat to my brethren before I return home. Azun is no threat now to either of you. You can remain here and-”

“Let go of revenge?” Bill laughed.

A shiver ran up Aven’s spine. Whether it was from Ji’s plea or Bill's ugly laugh, he couldn’t be sure.

“I did,” replied Ji. “So can you.”

“I get that you’re all excited about finally hearing the voice of En Chitei, but you really can’t pull off the wise sage act,” said Bill, bright blue eyes boring into Ji.

“It is my duty as an Aco…as an Esgan of En Chitei to oppose evil wherever I find it,” Ji said, matching his gaze. “The evil of vengeance has hold of you both. I must…I must get you to understand…”

“No, you don’t understand,” Bill retorted, voice cold. “I’m not like you. I couldn’t care less what harm he does, who he hurts, or what demons he makes deals with. I want to burn everything he’s built before I kill him for the sheer joy it will bring me. I’ve wanted that since the day he drowned my dog because I talked back to him.”

After a moment of heavy silence, Ji turned away from him and looked to Aven.

He reached up and laid his hand on hers. “It’s not just revenge Ji,” he said quietly. “I promised my mother. I swore I’d bring him down. Her spirit can’t rest until he’s dead.”

“But he’s not even there,” Ji pressed. “He’s with the Treasure Fleet. If you’re hunting him, you don’t have to go.”

Bill clapped his hands together, the noise echoing around the room like the crack of a musket. “Bottom line, are you going to try and force us to stay behind?”

Ji’s shoulders slumped and she pulled her hand away from Aven’s. “No. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't.”

“Then there’s no more reason to talk,” replied Bill. “We’re going.”

“I see,” said Ji, rising to her feet and bowing to Aven and Bill. “Forgive my forwardness. Do not think that I doubt your skills. I look forward to fighting at both your sides in the battles to come. Excuse me.”

“Wait,” said Aven, but before he could reach for her, she was already out the door.

“Some people,” Bill said, leaning backward to stretch his back. “They get a little bit of enlightenment, and think they can start barking orders.”

Aven was silent as he stared at the empty doorway. Part of him wished he could stay for her sake, but he knew there was no turning back. Even though he was sure of that, there was a thought at the back of his mind that refused to go away. “Bill…if this goes well, if we actually manage to destroy the shipyard, what happens next?”

“Well, we can’t stop the fleet from picking up all that gunpowder and rice,” said Bill, looking up at the ceiling. “There’s no doubt it will finish its first voyage. After that, well, I know Wabaro is reaching out to other cities in Ankurivi for help. The Tavada will send out word that the Treasure Ships are back, and I’m sure plenty of Ata will want a piece of them. If Saiyun’s message gets through, the Haogon Emperor will probably offer aid. With the shipyard gone he won’t be able to make more or fix heavy damage. With some lucky battles and storms, after a few years, the Treasure Fleet could be whittled down.”

“Then what?” Aven asked, a shiver running up his spine again. “If there’s some great battle that sinks the Treasure Fleet and Azun goes down with his ship, what then? What next?”

Bill shrugged his shoulders. “Cross that bridge when I come to it,” he said as he got up to leave.

Aven nodded, looking at the ceiling beams as Bill made his way out. Had he really never asked that? Once Azun was dead and his mother’s family was avenged, then what?

What next?