Mist cloaks the cove before you, hiding the stars and moons. The Reckoning wheels about and slides forward, the great rudder hard over to port, scudding through the coils of night mist towards the Tol Nedran ship anchored ahead. The sails strain overhead, the masts creaking and groaning. The Reckoning's crew ready themselves for combat, marines wielding bows lining the rail, the scorpion crews ready to fire.
The Tol Nedrans, caught unawares, hurry to prepare themselves, officers snarling orders at their men.
Baj grabs a deckhand, "Run forward and tell the scorpion crews to fire at the waterline. If we can't burn her down, I want her taking water and unable to give chase." At the run, Baj's orders are relayed forward.
Erris' men, ready for battle, hoot and holler derision at the Tol Nedrans as they approach.
Baj yells to the archers, "I want every sail ablaze and take as many of them down as you can!"
Revas says, "Hard t'light a fire in this weather, Mister Mirko..."
Erris calls out, "No boarding! Destroy the bloodsuckers!"
Baj turns to Revas with a slight smirk, "I'm sure that a master such as Mister Almira will be able to conjure up something satisfactory."
Almira says, "I beg you, Baj Mirko, leave the conjuring to me, not our underfed, irascible and superannuated navigator..."
Baj says, "And the boys will do the best that they can otherwise."
Revas steers the ship within scorpion range, which he knows well.
Ferlan, in charge of the scorpion crews, touches a torch to each of the scorpion bolts, which are smeared with pitch and oil. "Fire!" he bawls, and two blazing projectiles are loosed into the misty night, across the watery gap, leaving a fiery, smoky trail behind each of them.
One of the bolts, fired on a swell, goes wide and disappears with a hiss into the sea. The other thunks home, striking in the rigging. Not what Baj ordered, but effective. The fiery pitch splashes, and the Tol Nedran's foresail catches fire. Tol Nedran deckhands leap from the burning rigging into the sea.
Almira steps forward, raises his hands, white robes billowing behind him. He speaks a sentence in Old Kha-khun, the magical tongue of his folk, and flames erupt from his hands, blazing across the waters and striking the side of the Tol Nedran vessel. There is a tremendous boom as the fireball explodes.
The sound of the fiery explosion rings in everyone's ears. The light is blinding. Something on the Tol Nedran deck has caught fire now, and figures are seen racing to and fro, panicked. The Tol Nedran ship now lists towards you, her deck slanted, her hull holed, her masts sagging, aflame.
Baj yells out across the decks, his voice booming in the darkness, "Archers, now, fire!" Erris' men fire their flaming arrows. Tiny flames leap out across the gap, arc high into the night sky, and arrows thunk into the enemy ship now, killing men, igniting more flames.
Revas says, indicating the burning Tol Nedran ship just ahead now, "Take 'er in, sir?" The flames on board the Tol Nedran are springing up everywhere. Splashes are heard as the Tol Nedrans leap from their flaming vessel into the shallow waters of the cove.
Baj says, "Don't endanger the ship, but circle around her if you can, Mister Revas. She's in bad straits now."
Revas calls, "Aye!" he spins the wheel, orbiting the crippled ship at a safe distance.
Erris says, "Y'heard Mister Mirko! Destroy her!" His men reload and ready another volley.
Baj calls to the mage, "Master Almira, could you manage something that does a bit more damage this time? Those bastards are getting away!" He turns and yells forward to Erris, "Mister Erris, take out as many of the crew as you can, don't let them get away!"
Talon sizes up the two soldiers he is facing: two young men, nervous, pale, armored in boiled leather and wielding longswords.
Bodoor is aghast as he stares at Talon, who has emerged from the darkness like an avenging angel. He has a chair leg in his fist that he planned to use as an impromptu club, but it hangs limp in his hand. The two Tol Nedran soldiers are also aghast...they did not expect resistance in this humble village. But they recover before the fisherman does. One swings his Tol Nedran longsword in a panic, hacking at Talon savagely.
Talon spins under the man's wild strike, and sinks his dagger into the man's left eye. He drops without a sound, blood gouting down his cheek, sword falling to the ground at his feet. Talon plucks the weapon from the eyesocket and spins on the other one. Crouching low, Talon whips around and slashes the other Nedri soldier, The fine blade catches on the man's armor, but the young soldier falls back, terrified at this onslaught that has seen three of his companions dead in a few seconds. He aims a panicked riposte at Talon.
The Tol Nedran's lucky blow catches Talon under his armpit. He must be getting out of practice in this sleepy village. Warm blood trickles down the former assassin's ribs.
Bodoor stoops to seize the sword. He holds it awkwardly, but stands ready.
Talon spares a glance for the cut then says, "That almost hurt." Like a striking cobra, he is on the man, dagger in hand, whirling. His first hurried strike opens the man's arm from wrist to shoulder. His second tears out the man's throat with the knife, Talon's skill pure flowing artistry. The young soldier staggers back, eyes wide, unable to scream, and collapses, clutching at Talon's feet, before lying still.
Bodoor's young daughter, Vaja, appears at the open door to his small hut. "Father! I'm frightened!"
The burly fisherman stoops to embrace her, Tol Nedran sword in hand. "Don't worry little one...all will be well. Won't it, healer?"
Talon wipes his blade on the fallen soldiers cloak then says to Bodoor, "You and Vaja better get back inside. There may be more about."
From the cove, an explosion rings out in the night. Angry flames leap up and glaring red light spills across Talon and Bodoor. A ship anchored a few dozen yards off shore is now aflame, and another sailing ship approaches her. More shouts are heard from the main village square, just down the hillside from Bodoor's hut... the sounds of angry voices shouting orders, and booted feet running to and fro.
Talon says, "That doesn't look good. I suppose they'll be on their way to the docks. Quickly, get back in side."
Bodoor asks, hugging Vaja to him, "Is it pirates?"
"Maybe. Bolt the door." With that, Talon steps back into the shadows and is gone.
Bodoor herds his little girl back inside, shutting the hut door.
Talon heads towards the shouting voices. At this point he intends just to follow them to see where they are headed.
The Reckoning circles the other wounded ship, which is now a fiery wreck. Burning timbers collapse in showers of sparks, hissing and steaming as they shatter into the water. Men try to paddle ashore, but Erris' archers cut some down as they splash into the shadows. Shapes stagger to the shoreline, barely visible in the misty darkness.
Baj calls forward, "Two longboats, Mister Erris, get them lowered as quickly as you can!"
Erris calls to Baj, waving his sword, "Let us go ashore an' finish 'em, Mister Mirko!" Erris and his men hurry to the longboats, tripping over each other in their glee at seeing battle.
Baj turns back to Revas, "Keep the ship safe, above all. I'm going ashore with the landing party."
Vendig says, tagging along behind Baj, "And me, lad, and me!"
Revas says, "Aye sir!" He tacks into the mist, keeping the ship steady.
Baj grabs his rapiers and runs for the longboats, "Mister Vendig, you are more than welcome to come along."
The scene at the longboats is chaos as men crowd into them, hoping for some share of plunder from the Tol Nedrans on shore.
Erris says, "Permission to lead the landing party, Mister Mirko?"
Baj looks at the man carefully, judging him, and nods a sharp nod, "Aye, lad, and I'll be right behind you taking your orders."
Erris grins, red hair flashing. "You heard the man! Koster, you're steering! Give me a look like that again and I'll break your face! All right, all right, room for everyone! Make way, make way for Mister Mirko, there! And Mister Vendig!"
Baj nimbly jumps into a longboat and holds out a hand for Vendig, "Come along, now, time's wasting."
Baj leans in close to Erris, "Just remember, no looting of the townspeople, just the murderous bastards that give honest blackguards like us a bad name."
The two longboats are jammed with pirates, 30 in all, leaving a small crew of 20 to run the ship. The two boats are lowered, one after the other, and Erris stands all the way down, even when the oars are lowered and are sculled towards the small fishing village where the Tol Nedran soldiers gather. He points his rapier towards the village. "The Reckoning!" he cries.
Vendig mutters to Baj, "I liked him better when he was malingerin'."
Baj smiles at Vendig, "He'll do fine."
The two longboats paddle towards the shore, crowded with eager buccaneers.
Talon witnesses a spectacle before him as he crouches behind a sand dune. The ship moored off the cove has come to sudden life, striking and destroying a smaller vessel that now lies aflame a few dozen yards off shore. Men from the smaller ship, in Tol Nedran dress, splash ashore, clutching weapons, confused, soaked and frightened, and begin to assemble on the beach before the village. Soldiers who were expecting to raid the village now race down from the tiny hamlet, abandoning their errands there, to join their comrades below.
The larger ship has lowered two boats to the misty water, and the boats, busy with assorted scurvy dogs, pirates by their ragged look, now paddle towards the shore, headed for the village where about 20 Tol Nedran soldiers are trying to form up, led by a tall, thin, pale figure in black clothes. He moves gracefully, too swiftly to be completely human. Talon has seen their kind only rarely, but enough to know that that one is a Vorghol, perhaps the leader of this small band of Tol Nedran raiders.
A tall man in red hair stands in the approaching longboats, waving his rapier about. They are about fifty yards from shore now, entering the shallows. The men behind him make ready to leap from their boats. Behind him in the boat sits an dour, green-skinned Urag, rare but not unheard of in these parts.
The Tol Nedrans assemble at the foot of the sand dune where Talon crouches. He has an excellent view and is no more than ten long paces from them.
The soldiers look out at the approaching marauders, unaware of Talon where he hides under his cloak. The Vorghol hisses at the Reith before him, "Heads will roll for this, I assure you! This mission has been a failure since the beginning when we were trapped on the sandbar! If the navigator were not dead already, I'd rip his heart out!"
Talon realizes the attacking ship must be a band of pirates. It is the Sarrik way. Gladly would most raiders attack the bluecoats, but defend their shores to the death they would also do.
A Tol Nedran soldier volunteers, "We could take hostages from the villagers, my lord Matothis! Hold them off and take their vessel, and escape!"
Matothis roars, baring his fangs, his back to Talon. "Those are buccaneers, you fool! They won't care what we do to the villagers! They're after each of us!"
On the beach, the remaining Tol Nedran soldiers are being dressed down by a pale, thin leader in black. Baj cannot hear what they say, but it's clear the leader is displeased with his twenty men. He gets a whiff from the shore. He has not smelled that since a back alley in Port Arjuri, when he and Tyree were ambushed once..but once scented, he cannot forget the smell of a Vorghol.
A few of the pirates aim arrows at the figures on shore, but Erris waves them down. "No, no! Get close and wipe them out!" he cries. "The Reckoning!"
Baj growls low in his throat as he points, "That one there, the Cold One, he's mine."
The pirate longboats scull into the shallows, and the pirates splash from the boats before they've even been drawn up on the beach. They are a crazed mob, no order to their formation.
The Tol Nedrans have formed a disciplined line, weapons and shields ready, the Vorghol behind them.
Erris is first, swinging his sword, long red hair flashing.
Koster doesn't make any move to leap from the boat he's steering, but takes his sweet time about drawing a weapon.""Glory!" Erris cries.
Vendig says to Baj, eyeing the line of soldiers, armed and armored. "This'll go south fast, Baj, if we're not careful."
Baj jumps from the longboat with fire in his eyes and yells out over the commotion, "Meet me in battle, Cold One! I come for what is left of your life!"
The pirates blaze into battle, Erris hooting and hollering at their lead. The swift pirates slam into the Tol Nedran line, and make short work of the panicked soldiers. The pirates charge them and engage them fearlessly, Erris at the front of the line, his sword a deadly killing blade. Cutlasses meet longswords, slice through shields, lop off arms and heads, spill guts on the beach. Tol Nedrans scream, choke and die in the dark surf, the waves turning red with their blood, unable to flee. Seventeen Tol Nedrans die this night, and the Reckoning loses but five.
But their leader, the Vorghol, isn't cowed by the pirates. In battle, he is a furious maelstrom. He kills two of the Reckoning's crew by snapping their necks. When he kills his third, gutting the man with a long, cruel saber, he opens up the man's aorta with his long fingernails and drinks from it.
Soon, there are only three living Tol Nedrans: a marine and two young sailors. Erris and his men have kicked them to the sand and are playing a cruel game with them, taunting and mocking them.
Baj efficiently cuts his way through the fight toward the Vorghol, dispatching foes efficiently until he faces the creature, "Stand and fight me, Cold One! I will end your miserable existance now!"
Talon sees his chance and moves on the Vorghol commander. He has heard the Vorghol do not die easy, but cold steal shoved from the base of the skull into the brain would bring down a bear. He moves from the shadows, as the Vorghol is distracted by his dining on the dead pirates blood, he sneaks up from behind and strikes.
Talon's diving blow from behind nearly severs the Vorghol's spine. Matothis gives a bellow of rage and pain and drops the viscera he was licking clean. Talon rolls and comes to his feet in the surf as the red waves pound about him.
Baj spots a swift shadowy movement as something--a man?--strikes at the Vorghol. The bloodsucker rounds on Talon, snarling and leaping forward, ignoring Baj, who has a clear strike. Baj seizes the advantage and strikes at the Vorghol's back.
The battle raging about him, the Vorghol charging him, Talon sees the immense Urag charge out of the surf, swinging twin rapiers at the Vorghol from behind.
The Urag's blades are a storm of steel, flashing swiftly in the night. The Vorghol whirls and puts up its arms in defense, but falls back, roaring in rage and fear.
With a final, almost contemptuous flick of his rapiers, Baj strikes the Vorghol's head clean off. The bloodsucker turns to ash, starting at the fingertips and toes, then the wave of dessication travelling swiftly up the arms to the torso. What's left is a pile of dust in manlike form, that collapses with a hiss and implosion of stagnant air. Ash sprays over Baj and Talon.
There's a moment of silence. Erris hoots, "Baj Mirko!" The other hands take up the cry.
Baj turns to look at Erris, "Mister Erris! Your first successful action! I congratulate you!"
Erris makes an exaggerated fencer's bow and smirks as his comrades clap his back and cheer.
Baj nods at Talon, "You fight well for a townsman."
Talon tries this reply on for size, "Well uh...a man can be driven to great feats to protect his home."
Koster takes a moment to kick the three Tol Nedran survivors in their ribs, threatening each with his dagger and demanding money.
A cluster of villagers has gathered on the dunes nearby, most too terrified to venture close. Bodoor, however, Tol Nedran sword in hand, approaches slowly.
Baj looks back at Talon and raises an eyebrow, "Great feats? Indeed. And completely untrained, I'm certain."
Talon shrugs. "Beginners' luck."
The pirates use this chance to loot the bodies of the dead Tol Nedrans. gathering weapons, armor, coins, and personal possessions. Erris pulls a fine leather pouch from the remains of Lord Matothis' clothes, finding within it some fancy papers.
Baj says, "Mister Erris! Gather what loot these poor bastards have amongst them and get the men back to the Reckoning."
Erris says, "Aye sir! This looks important, sir!" He pockets a fancy ring that Matothis wore, and passes the papers to Baj, losing all interest in them.
Vendig stomps about , barefoot, in the surf, looking for some loot, but all of the armor is Reith-sized. He does pocket some Tol Nedran coins, though.
Taking the papers from Erris, Baj calls out to the Reckoning crewmen, "Excellent work, all of you, gather your loot and let us return to the ship!"
Erris shouts at his men, "No more looting, Mister Mirko says. Leave them villagers be! We're to be back to the Reckoning!" He whacks a few with the blunt side of his rapier to make his point, and the pirates fitfully pile back into their longboats, pouting and complaining but complying with orders.
Bodoor says, "Healer...are you all right?"
Talon turns to Bodoor and says, "You should have stayed with your daughter. Good things these buccaneers were near."
Bodoor says, "Is it a Tol Nedran invasion, healer? I sent one of the boys to the local outpost, to warn 'em and bring the King's troopers. Should be here soon."
Talon looks troubled then says, "No, not an invasion, just one ship of fools."
Bodoor looks back over the dunes where the villagers gather. "The folk...they don't know what t'do. 'Spect the troopers'll set things right."
Baj turns quickly to Bodoor, "King's men, you say? Well, then, we must be taking our leave of this fine town."
Talon turns to Baj and says, "Good Captain, it seems my friend has sent for the bluecoats. I assume this is your signal for departure?"
Baj nods to Talon, "Indeed. And would you be needing transport elsewhere before the King's men arrive?"
Talon says, "I believe that may be prudent. I'd rather not be here when they arrive."
Vendig says, "We've wounds t'patch, Baj, and Benning's away with the Captain. I'll do me best for 'em."
Baj nods and calls to Erris, "Mister Erris, the King's men are on the way, let us hasten back to the ship with our wounded lest we be forced into another battle."
Erris calls back from the boat, "The King's men? They should thank us proper, Mister Mirko, we did their jobs for them. Isn't that right, boyos?" A cheer goes up.
Baj laughs aloud, "Thank us they should, but I doubt they would see it so."
Talon walks over to the villagers and says, "It has been my pleasure to live with you all the past few months, I will miss you one and all." He then turns and heads back towards the pirates.
Bodoor says, seeing the way of things, "Good luck to you, healer. The Lady smiles on you."
Vaja, the little girl, stands behind her father, watching Talon. She calls, "Healer!"
Talon turns back to look at the little girl.
The little blond girl races forward into the ankle-deep surf, throwing her arms around Talon's legs. Then she steps back. "We'll miss you too, healer."
The surf is strewn with Tol Nedran bodies, the corpses of dead men from the north now picked clean. The pirates gather up their own dead, saddened.
As one of the longboats leaves the beach, Baj holds the other and calls to Talon, "Stranger, if you are coming with us..."
Talon turns to Vaja and says, "Farewell, little one and thank you. Take care of your father and sisters." He then joins Baj and says, "Perhaps I can be some assistance with the wounded."
Baj regards the stranger in his boat for a moment before extending a hand, "Well, good sir, welcome aboard the Reckoning. Might you have a name?"
Talon replies, "I'm Talon, the village healer." He winks and settles into his seat.
Both longboats scull off into the misty night and are soon lost to the sight of any on shore.