Shell Harbor

[Tyr Antilles]

[The lands described here in Tyr's journey have nothing to do with Britannia; they are intended to be located somewhere on the south of the actual sosarian map after a great ocean.]

The sun rised already on the sky throwing golden shining spears on the ocean. Few good weather white clouds painted the blue of the sky. Salty water drops from some high waves breaking on the board get on me who had already started the morning watch. By Neptun, I love the ocean and I love this life!

The ship cut the waves with the sharp keel, pushed by a good wind from port aft. I stole it from Peg Leg James on Shell Harbor after this one drowned the ship with witch I was traveling on the southern islands, thinking to seek informations about my childhood and about the doubts I had about my existence. The lands I found after the crossing of the great southern ocean were extremely interesting, there was a small continent in the north seized by a vast kingdom called Briseea, alongside which our ship sailed without even find it's existence and unfortunately out of bad luck, headed to the island with a shell shape, crowded with pirates. Besides these lands and a heaps of islands, the only bigger island was located on the eastern part of the archipelago, dominated by barbarian tribes which disputes among themselves the owning of this arid land: Corfax.

Peg Leg James, the head of the pirates ambition, was to conquer the strong and rich kingdom of Briseea ruled by the old Brissius the Mighty, under of which long and enlightened rule, the peace withstand of decades. For this scurvy purpose he clinch an alliance with the necromancer king, which compelled himself to help him with his undead legions. Relying on this help, on his pirates gathered around Shell Harbor and on a skilful battle tactic, Peg Leg James already saw his dream become true. For this he gathered fighters from all corners of the archipelago, paying them well - because he had from where - calculating that right after he will get to Briseean throne, he will recover his money, thousand times more.

Myself, after becoming captive, changed in a pirate slave and working a few weeks on the island golden mines, because of the sympathy earned among the peoples, I could run with a few of slave companions like thirty on number, stealing this fat ship and distancing as fast we could of Shell.

Unfortunately wasn't the best idea to try to refugee ourselves on north, on Briseea, the other pirates believed that even deserter pirate slaves would be considered thieves and hanged on the first tree, this if we escaped from unknown and dangerous waters in the north. So, pushed by a good wind from behind, the only way we could see, was to refugee ourselves on the barbaric harbor from Corfax Island and to hope from all heart that barbarians from there wouldn't place our heads on poles.

From my old companions from Britannia, only a beard guy remained, on his name Archibald Quantorus, on the others fate we didn't know anything from our capture by pirates and our selling as slaves. Archibald had under 60Kg weight and his physical force wasn't something to be proud of, but this shortcoming was fully compensated by his unusual intelligence. He was the one who planned our escape plan from the mine where we were working. From the others, interesting was a guy called Olaf, a giant pirate who at least looked intelligent enough. He was the one who nominate me as the head of the group (i don't have the slightest idea why), and nobody had the courage to contrite him, not even I.

(to be continued...)

Edited June 30, 2008 by Tyr Antilles

[Tyr Antilles]

After few days the weather start to change and becoming more and more rainy. Day and night enormous quantities of water had fallen from the sky, like the nature was decided to wipe out the land. Thank gods that we were already on water...

In the interval spent among these peoples I asked many questions about what I suppose to be my home island, based on the traces I had, but the most of the slaves was ex pirates felled on disgrace or condemned by their comrades for various violations of the code and didn't seem too interested in helping me. Nevertheless, I have to admit that I didn't have too many hopes to successfully finding my origins on these parts of the world and implicit of some answers at the questions that worried me. My traces were limited at a sequence of unclear memories about a sandy land (all islands from this regions have something like that) and a tall mountain accessible from a gorge, on the base of this mountain, two statues guarding an entrance. The shape of the statues I couldn't remember by any means, they appear to me like they were shadowed in mist, and still they seemed familiar...; nevertheless my memories tide of this entrance was very unpleasant. Besides that, I always had the feeling that I miss something of the utmost importance, that the pieces weren't in the right place, but in spite of all my effort, I didn't find the reason.

"This is a search that might never find it's answers" I thinked to myself depressed after adnother rainy day.

Days passed one after another, our food stock lowered under our eyes until we remained only with the salty fish barrels, from which, luckily we had enough. In the afternoon of one of the days we finally heard the scream "LAAAAAANND" of the watch sailor. Any pirate ship shall have eyes everywhere, and us, running from Peg Leg James and without fighting strength, most of all. After an hour we reach the surroundings of the island presumed Corfax and find a good place to land, a small gulf with a old and screaky small ship, looking empty at the first sight. On the land were two fishing boats, not too much smaller then the old ship. Of joy that we finally reached the land few men jumped in the green and warm gulf waters starting to swim to the land. We leaved 6 of our peoples to guard the ship and with the others we swim to the beach. The golden sand, shine beautiful under our feet. I leaned back happy on it, letting the waves flow over me on the edge of the shore. After we recover from our euphoria we started to point our attention to the tropical vegetation that starts at the end of the broad beach, at first sparse, then more and more dense. Not long after that, a man returned from the edge of the jungle, with the word that a small path goes to the depths of the island, and another one returned after the investigation of the two boats from the beach founding them empty. After a short discussion with Archibald Quantorus and Olaf, we decided to follow the path with the hope that we will reach any settlement, from where to gather some information's regarding the way to Corfax where we were planning to try to speak with the king.

But before our preparations could be done, strange noises started to be heard from the forest...

(to be continued...)

Edited June 30, 2008 by Tyr Antilles

[Tyr Antilles]

A messy pack of goblins showed themselves from the forest and started to run to the two fishing boats which must take them to the small ship "anchored" not too far of the shore. Among them, two human fighters looked like they were protecting a small silhouette dressed in a monk robe. When their sight meet us the entire pack stops abruptly, unsure of their selves. Our thievery faces didn't earn any trust.

- Ahoee, Olaf voice rises out load. We are coming in peace!

- Who are you and what do you want? - could be heard from the monk robe guy. He had an unsure and feared voice of a teenager.

(to be continued...)

Edited June 30, 2008 by Tyr Antilles

[Tyr Antilles]

- We are refugees, screamed Olaf again, we are running from the great pirate Peg Leg James and we want to speak with his highness, King Em of Corfax.

At this point, like he took a decision, "the monk" signals us to get closer. Right away we were surrounded by green and ugly goblin faces.

- We don't have time, our pursuers can be here any minute now, says "the monk" removing his cloak and showing on light a high forehead, blonde hair interlacing tails and bluish eyes. The small tattoo from his left temple appointed him like one of the Corfax royal family members. He throws a surprised sight on my blue hair, but kept his thoughts for himself.

- My name is Tyr Antilles, I lead these honest men, I say. With whom I have the honor?

- I am Prince Erban of Corfax, I had run from the palace and escaped from the hand of the traitors, but the enemy is right behind us. Let's run to the ship and I will tell you more.

- And where do you intent to run with that boat your highness, to Briseea? - I pointed out to the small and old ship looking like a nutshell near ours. At the first bigger waves you will drown for sure.

- Better like that, then to be slaughtered like all the others ..., the prince reply, his voice becoming a whisper.

- Better die with honor in battle then sunk running like a coward, interfered Olaf without invitation.

- Easy friend - I temperate him deciding myself hasty, seeing a perfect occasion to be accepted on Corfax - no one is coward here, let's better see what is to be done in this situation. Prince Erban seems to need our help, isn't it Prince? Better stay and fight the enemy, instead running to a likely death in the ocean waves. Do you have any idea about their numbers?

- Then I gladly accept your help, says the Prince enlightening himself, I think we have to face like thirty goblin scum. What do you think noble Tyr Antilles?

~~Oops, I was becoming noble.~~

- Guys, take place in the bushes from the left of the path, you prince with your goblins on the right and at my signal attack.

We didn't have to wait too much; at a couple of minutes after the last man occupied his position in the hideout, the pack of pursuers appeared on the path.

- To battle!!!!, I yelled with all power and swoop with the scimitar, cutting the chest of the first of the goblins who get in my way. The fight was cruel and harsh, even unexpected cruel and we had some casualties between Erban's goblins and two of my comrades were injured. But the goblins looked decided to fight for their prince to the very end and luckily none of the enemies escaped, so we hoped that the rest of the enemy troupes find nothing of our arrival, before they will start to search for this group.

In the next three days we established our camp in a small village from the depth of the forest, sending scouts in all directions to gather the followers of the deceased king and of Erban and organize them for the final reconquering of the city.

Prince Erban told us the events who led to the tragic end of his parents and massacration of their supporters. The author of this unworthy events was a shaman on his name, Tzatziki, who managed to attract on his side an ambitious military leader from the Corfax court, and which army used at the palace hit. That military leader was useful to Tzatziki only until he managed to place his men in the key points of the army, and right after the conquest of the palace, the previous leader mysteriously disappeared without trace.

The Corfax city lied on a green valley, but guarded by tall and completely barren mountains, dry rock and sand blown in the wind. Without doubt, vegetation was only possible because of the river which cut the valley longitudinally and disappeared on the jungle, to flow into the ocean after that. Our scout informed us about the reconstruction works, hastily made by the defenders of the city, the walls affected by the previous siege couldn't offer a real protection to the new owners, but they planned a quick reconstruction and fortification within few days. Our conclusion was that in our advantage was to organize the army and attack them as quick as possible, before the enemy could fortify himself. On the other hand Tzatziki didn't expect Prince Erban, considered still a child, to finish so quick the reorganization of his forces to strike back, and didn't make all efforts to rebuild the defense as soon as possible. Like it was saw in on the next night, that thing proved deadly for him.

The attack of our army started in the middle of the night from two sides but not in the same time, the enemy had time to regroup in the north side of the city to defend what they though the only attack line. Only then the second half of our forces attacked from the south where walls were in a really bad shape and the barricades raised quickly by the enemy and scanty defended, fall quickly making free path for our forces into the city.

- Attack!, Die scoundrel!, Aaargh! exclamations were heard from everywhere, the metallic noise of the swords and the deadly arrows noise completed the terrifying battle screen lighted by the trembling light of the fires.

After a great battle of approximately five hours, the city was ours, but no trace of the shaman. Only the second day, Tzatziki remains were found between the ones felled in battle. After all signs, he tried to run undercover, but was caught in the fire of battle and fell without even his identity become know.

Next day, we started at first to organize the city defense, afraid of the eventually assassinate tries of Prince Erban, from some fanatic supporter of wizard Tzatziki. Mobile guards on the walls were posted and the four gates of the city were placed under strict surveillance. In the same time we sent to the ship a group of brother... errr, refugees, to guard and establish watch on longer periods.

Finally, we could take care the succession problem as well. Prince Erban, affected by the death of his parents wasn't very hurried to become king. But his advisers and myself, showing him the importance of crowning an authority in Corfax as soon is possible and befriend him with various advices, he accepted after all to fix the crowning date on the next Sunday. Until then the time flowed without incidents worth to be mentioned and the ceremony unfolded quietly, in sobriety and without too much pomp because Erban didn't want to defile the memory of his parents. After the ceremony, the young king summoned the old man's counsel, the traditional old man's counsel of barbarians in witch the most experienced and wise shamans, tribe chiefs or personalities from all Corfax tribes choose the new members of the royal suite and decided the kingdom policy.

Me and Archibald Quantorus was invited by Erban, and right at the beginning of the reunion, he, the king, underlined the major role we played in restoration of his legitimate authority. Olaf, who wasn't invited, was about to beat down two guards who didn't permitted him the access on the big but simple room assigned for the council. Luckily he fast find his comfort at “The Plucked Cock” where he will have the happiness to meet a certain lady Mathilda, which, on the future, will make him to remind with big pleasure of “the luck” to not be invited at the boring state meeting.

(to be continued...)

Edited June 30, 2008 by Tyr Antilles

[Tyr Antilles]

But let's get back to the reunion. At first I took the word to bring them the news about Peg Leg James and his alliance with the necromancers.

- Enlightened faces, I say to the 19 wise barbarians who sit at the big table from the reunion meeting, I am afraid that, because of the growing power of the southern necromancers about which I get news when I was in Shell Harbor, and of the knowledge about us of their new ally, nobody else then the famous and not less scoundrel Peg Leg James, I consider that we all are in a great danger, that we need to face and eliminate with all costs. I hope that your highnesses will decide that Corfax kingdom needs fresh forces that can't be found anywhere else but in a close union of the tribes, and in the same time powerful allies to sustain it.

Saying that I took sit on my place leaving the word at King Erban, which, on his granite throne dominate the entire room.

- Most trustworthy gathering, friends, I wish that together with you, to start the Corfax unification work and the transition from a tribe union just with name like until now, in a strong Kingdom in which the individuality and traditions of our tribes will be kept with holiness, but that can act together in unity for the everyone good.

With this shiny move, Erban cancelled in a shot all reticence of the tribe chefs which love their tradition and tribes more then the light of their eyes, and determinate them to participate with all soul at the construction of the new kingdom, born in this way right at the beginning of his rule. A week later at the end of the talks all nineteen wise mans were named in the key positions of the new kingdom, from which we keep in mind, treasurer(who take care of the taxes and commerce and keep the royal treasury), wise man (which have the domestic affaires, intermediating the communication among the tribes and judge the presumed conflicts), adviser, position in which I was named myself, Erban insisted on this even after I was explaining my imminent leaving from Corfax and returning to Britannia, ambassador (embassies and external diplomatic relations), the head of the unite army of the tribes, and others.

To be remarked this head of the united army, a small goblin, green and restless, with a rugged face, having two white tuft hairs on head which from distance looked like feathers, always joking, couldn't stay in a place or position more then two minutes…, what to say, at the first look it was the most unfit person to be at the command of any army, not to speak about “Supreme Ruler of the Great United Army of Corfax Tribes”, title that made him extra proud. In reality this small guy, on his name Patricius Grandonius (probably his parents were dead drunk when giving him that name), was an excellent general who fought in more then forty wars and battles from which looses only three. From all of his look only the young eyes betrayed his shining intelligence and the depth of thinking.

No doubt, the meeting was a great success, strengthening the royal authority and joining together the structures of the new Kingdom of Corfax in a state formation strong and independent. But, only the time will prove its sturdiness.

Using the influence I gained in the new barbarian kingdom I had the chance to search thorough fully all indices I had about the island I had in mind, but no one know of such a place; even a cartographer who claimed to know all islands from the southern archipelago guaranteed me that no such place existed on that side of the world and no doubt that I was the one wrong informed. In these circumstances I started to think at my return in Britannia with mission unfinished, when I get from King Erban's side the asking to go in Briseea to make the alliance against necromancers and pirates, considering that I was fitted for this mission. How this invitation coincided with my wish to look for more indices, I accepted thinking that it wasn't bad to eliminate any possibility before my returning. Still, the miss feeling for my friends leaved behind at a so great distance was hard upon me, and I already spent in these southern regions way more time of I was think for this search.

(to be continued...) (gods know when I will have the time )

Edited August 27, 2008 by Tyr Antilles

[Tyr Antilles]

That day was selected by King Erban to begin the negotiations for the alliance with Briseea. He sent after me and Archibald Quantorus inviting us in the throne room. After a few formalities Erban reached to the subject:

- Like you pointed, Tyr, in case in which the pirate-necromancer alliance, would manage to conquest Briseea, that would mean we will be directly threatened by a huge empire of evil.

- True, even if is very unlikely that Briseea will fall, I believe that peace with them will be in our advantage , and also the destruction of the pirate alliance as soon as possible.

- Exactly. I know that you are preparing to return home, my friend, but I still want to ask you, if on the road back you can take a small detour to King Brissius court, because I can’t think at a better ambassador to accomplish this alliance. Ambassador Gungar – the one appointed in the ambassador position, is not very experienced and this will be a good opportunity for him to learn more about diplomatic relations and to get in touch with Briseean court.

Memories from Britannia came back strong in my mind, faces of my friends calling me amongst them, and I was burning of impatience to get back as fast I could, still Erban become my friend too in the last time, I was looking at him almost like at a child in my care.

- I will stop on Briseea and I will try to make this alliance; after that I am planning to go home, to Britannia.

I get his assurance that I will have a ship and crew ready for my returning trip. He even told me that I can go back from Briseea itself if I will get a ship from there and the diplomatic answer will be carried back to him by the ambassador Gungar.

After a warmly farewell and after preparations was done, together with Archibald and the Corfax delegation leaded by ambassador Gungar, we took the road to a small fisher’s village where it was anchored a ship prepared to get us to Briseea.

The road to Briseea took a few weeks, the sea life having a beneficial effect upon me, which in the last period started to have dark dreams and strange views, and in which the mountain entrance with the two foggy statues frequently appeared and looked to have a major role. They looked this time covered in flames and in the dream undead beasts guarded the entrance… When I wake up I felt drained of power and only the remembering of the simple and philosophic words of my teacher, Hamato from New Haven could reestablish my calm at the end.

Finally, at the horizon the land appeared again and derricks of the harbor-city of Briseea become visible on the foggy evening, Briseea - the capital city of the kingdom with the same name.

Here, I get to step on Briseean land, not like a fleeing pirate, but like the emissary of the new created kingdom of Corfax, with a warning and an alliance offer addressed to King Brissius. Faith really turns over without any rule and one day you are a slave working in a mine, thinking that your life is over, couple of days later you can be the attorney of a kingdom speaking with hi-ups and setting the path of politics…

From what I saw along the coast, Briseea, far of being a barren and dry land, had variant vegetation and the green and water abundance was predominant.

After all appearance, Briseea was a much advanced kingdom then Corfax, the harbor we entered was huge, and the atmosphere we could catch a glimpse of, remembered me of any other Britannian city. The castle itself was imposing enough, but not just like Lord British Castle. With massive walls of a open yellow, it looked more like a military centre then a government residence. Still, our deputation was received without delay, proving the attention given to diplomatic relations by King Brissius.

The king, in spite of his white tresses and his age, emitted a power and justice impression. To me, he looked like a man used to rule, but in the same time, right. After he listen to our warnings about pirate-necromancer alliance and at alliance proposal of King Erban, he smiled and took the word:

- I am glad to hear about the founding of Corfax Kingdom and I joyfully receive the peace offer of King Erban, still, the alliance between pirates and necromancers cannot be considered a real threat; Briseea was already attacked in west by necromancers, but our forces win an easy victory. How the enemy was already defeated I don’t see the reason for such a military alliance anymore.

This one being his last word, the rest of the meeting was spent in less important matters.

On the evening we were invited on an official dinner, taking place in one of the biggest hall of the palace, specially prepared for this kind of events. There we had the pleasure to meet the king’s daughter, Bianca, who did a very strong impression on my good friend, Archibald. Bianca was a delicate being with a very white skin and short black hair. But her blue-violet eyes was the ones that shake me from the depths… she gives me a strange familiar impression but malefic in the same time. Strange sensations I had at her sight, like the evil itself was standing in front of me, but in the same time I felt sorry for her. It was an evil I knew very well inside me. And still, nothing was clear to me, nothing looked sure. I looked at my friend Archibald who seemed totally enchanted of the girl. The companion at table on my right pokes me to get my attention; the king was addressing me. Blinking I tried to recover from my dizziness. “What the hell was going on with that girl?”

- … that you would like to travel on the northern lands, was saying Brissius, I heard many rumors about the northern kingdom of beyond the Great Ocean, still we didn’t assembly an expedition yet to establish some relations because of the large distance of unknown waters that separate us. Can you tell us about your country?

In this way I told them about Britannia, about britanian life and customs, about Lord Brittish and Blackthorne and many historical events, and then some of the adventures and events I was with my friends. Still my mind wasn’t at the conversation at all and Bianca was in the center of my attention all the time.

Another two days had passed and our staying on Briseea was close to end. In this short time Archibald became a different being, totally charmed of the girl. I tried to speak with him, to make him realize that she was princess, the highest placed among the nobles in the country, much younger them him and from a foreign kingdom.

- Love don’t have any boundaries and know no restrictions, he replied.

- How true… I said sighing. I couldn’t explain to Archibald what I felt about Bianca, no way. I realized that any try to warn him was fated to fail. On the other hand, I must discover myself what so strange familiar at this girl was. After hours of thinking and doubts, I decided that I can’t leave this matter how it is and I need to search for more evidence at all costs. So I collected all my courage and asked for an audience, unusual thing and, as a rule, watched with suspicion; what the ambassador of a barbarian kingdom can talk with the daughter of the King Brissius.

Bianca was standing on a terrace made of granite slabs of two colors which draw a checkered zone in this area of the palace. Accompanied by two girls from her retinue, she was wearing an immaculate white dress, giving her an angelic look. Even if my thoughts weren’t focused on that, I had to recognize that the girl was a beauty.

- I demanded to meet you your highness, to discuss a problem rather personal.

She smiles slightly taking an innocent attitude, only her blue-violet eyes seemed to laugh of my useless tries, looking to know everything. Starting to feel a bit anxious I continued:

- Like I said two evenings ago at the dinner, I came on your country to search for the island I was born, and how much I can about my origins.

- Indeed? - giggled her, but not with the same conviction. And you believe is any chance that I know such a place?

- I can’t say I have high hopes milady, still I will be more then honored if you can listen to my story; however less could mean very much – I respond watching carefully her reactions. Suddenly I realized that my presence have the same effect upon her, as her have on me, and no, it wasn’t a pleasant one. I hurried myself to continue:

- Yes, from what I know is all about a strange place, a tunnel entrance in a mountain guarded by two statues of fire and smoke, and the evil lies inside, is a gallery, long and straight corridors inside and … and … a fountain of blood flow within a wall – I remember in a shine. My words looked to trigger in her a strange reaction; she seemed to fight with a terrible force that grinds her from inside. Things look to get out of control.

- No – she whispered – not there…

- Be pure, be yourself, nobody can defeat your inner strength – I whispered looking in her eyes, the words and concepts which constitutes the core of the teaching acquired from my teacher, Hamato. Her forehead had covered with sweat and her eyes staring in all directions couldn’t see anything.

One of the two girls that accompanied her withdraws in a hurry to the palace entrance, while the other one watched us terrified. Without thinking I suddenly grabbed Bianca of her hand. The contact electrified us, in the same moment our eyes meet each other and I knew. In that very moment I saw him for a faction of a second. How could I forget? How? It was him. My old enemy, my old conqueror, my old master and the owner of an unbelievable strong malefic force that I could never defeat. Lord of the Abyss. Paladin destroyer. Eternal hellfire.

Steps could be heard from the terrace entrance. The guards arrived with running steps, in their front at some distance being Archibald Quantorus. Bianca lost her control, her eyes shined with his evil, and her delicate mouth disfigured in a weird grimace while she was biting her lips to blood.

- Die foul! – she whispered gripping my hand and the blade of the dagger shined in the sun rays on the terrace, small blood drops from her mouth sprinkled my shirt. The dagger draw a shining arc in the air and stopped on … the neck of the poor Archibald who jumped to separate us. Only the I could release my hand from hers, and the guards surrounded us. Archibald shivered a few times then remained immobile. The poison of the dagger was lethal.

I found about him, the one that had the keys of the answers at my questions and my search, now I was sure of that, but with what price, with what price!

I spent the next day alone, embraced in sadness, not wanting to know anything of the alarming rumors, not wanting to see even the ambassador Gungar who tried to contact me many times. The next day however, I had to act quickly; of a couple of days already we heard alarming news about attacks at Briseean borders, but these rumors was infirmed by the King Brissius who hoped to solve the problems in the meantime. So we didn’t had too many reasons of concerning until now when we received a message from the king with which we was invited to leave quickly the palace and the kingdom, because of the terrible news received from the southern seacoast and from the western front.

Apparently, the necromancer attacks from the west, constituted only a diversion to attract at that border the main briseean army, in this time Peg Leg James’s pirates massively landed in south of the continent, heading quickly to the capital city, plundering and pillaging everything in their way and cutting the supply lines of the Briseean army from the west. In the same time, tha main necromancer army attacked again, this time from north and west at once, surrounding the briseean army and fighting on life and death to destroy it. The few soldiers remained around the capital, started to fortify the city, waiting for the imminent invasion of the pirates. I and Corfax deputation were quickly led to the harbor, the king hoping we could leave before the harbor get blocked of Peg Leg James’s ships.

Arrived on the sea on our corfaxian ship we headed to south trying to reach Corfax. I was already in a very bad mood because of Archibald, only after his death I realized how close I get of him and how much I miss his company and sharp mind, and now a new delay for the returning of Britannia and the uncertain future of Briseea worried me even more. But, it wasn’t to be like that. After a couple of hours of navigation to south we saw a small ship with all sails raised, sailing at full speed to north. We was already on guard because of the pirate threat, so we approached the newcomers with big precautions. They, at our approach, had no though to slow down, even if they recognized our Corfax flag. In that few minutes in which we intersected each other, a tall man yelled at us from the other ship:

- Turn back, turn back, a dark fleet is coming this way from the south, is going to north, save yourself while you still can!

Our tries to warn them to not head to Briseea remained bound to failure, they were already too far away.

In this situation it was rose the question what we could do. The captain of the barbarian ship decided quickly:

- Pirate fleet is coming from the south, we will go to north, damn be Peg Leg James and his cursed island, Shell Harbor.

- But we need to get to Corfax at all costs – withstand Gungar, the Corfax ambassador. The message we need to transmit to king Erban is even more important now when Briseea was already attacked.

- The King’s Erban help would have been arrived in Briseea too late – I interfered. The captain is right, if we will continue to south we will fall right in the hands of the pirates. The only way we know of is to north, let’s try to reach my country, Britannia.

- But in the north lies the Great Ocean, we don’t have the provisions and …

Gungar’s words were interrupted by the watch sailor:

- Ship at fooooore! Ship at fooooore!

The captain without wasting more time, get his hand on the steering wheel, and turned the ship so abruptly that some men lost their equilibrium. Then he commanded the rise of all sails. In the meantime other two ships become visible on the spyglass behind the first one. Of course, they saw us too and raised all sails at their turn, showing us clearly their intentions. Right now they were at a very big distance, could be observed only by spyglass. Now, it only remained to be seen how fast our ship was. Right from the beginning of the race, the captain commanded the drop of a part of the ballast and a careful anchorage of all other weights, to not slip because of the dangerous inclination of the ship that run with full speed. Hours passed one after another, the distance didn’t modified too much, it was a race not only of speed but of our nerves. After two days it was clear that they were approaching, but the difference in speed between our ship and theirs was very small. Out captain reduce it even more planting some additional sail in the left and right of the ship. For some time we even hoped that they will abandon the pursue, and return to the fleet that no wonder in those moments was besieging Briseea, but they didn’t. Only one ship was in our tail now, but no doubt, without any defensive devices on ours, it was more then enough to sink us without problems. The weather continued to remain calm with a constant wind from the south, which was good because if the wind will get faster or a storm would hit us, we had to remove a part of the sails.

The crazy race took over three long weeks, in which we finished our provisions and we needed to eat only the caught fish, with the pirates still at a respectable distance behind us, when a storm finally hit us. We needed to furl some of the sails otherwise the ship would have been turned down, and they started to get closer and closer. But is the same time the weather becomes worse and worse, till a mother storm begins to scream his rage across the endless ocean. Our small ship wasn’t prepared for such threats and higher waves started to sweep the bridge, reducing our speed even more.

The pirate ship caught us finally, but we were too busy fight the storm to care about fighting pirates in same time. Suddenly a thunder was heard from the enemy ship and a explosion on ours destroyed the upper deck, killing two of our eleven sailors. It was all over, they had a canon. How they could target us on that hell remained a mystery. Our ship was on a total chaos, everyone was trying to save himself, rain was falling without interruption and the waves were hitting the ship from everywhere, when, a big wave swept the bridge; our ship was already heavy of water because everybody leaved the pumps after the first canon shot, and started to sink slowly. Screams could be heard from the pirate ship when they realized that we were indeed sinking; after a so long race they didn’t imagine that they won’t capture our ship and the load, plus a bunch of good slaves, us. Sliding on the bridge I started to climb the mast trying to avoid to be pulled on the water from the sinking ship. In a desperate try to capture us the pirates get their ship closer, a very dangerous maneuver on such weather. Hooks caught our ship while the pirates start to pull it, trying to bind it of theirs so they can loot it. I was getting already in top of the sail when another big wave hit our ship from behind pushing it hard against the pirate one, crushing it with a sinister noise. The mast finally collapsed and started to fall over the pirate ship. I lost my grip and fell from it flying over the enemy ship and jumping in the sea. I didn’t lost conscience and as soon I get in the water I started to swim, very difficult task with all the storm, rain and waves dropping tons of water on my head. After some time I found myself alone in the middle of the ocean, the sinking ship or ships were moved by the strong wind and currents, out of my sight. For a long time I fought with the waves swimming to what I believed to be north, many time the waves covering me, other times drinking sea water, which I discovered strangely, it did not hurt me, nor make me sick…, very strange indeed.

After more then three days I finally met a small boat with a single sail and a single human on it, who saved me at last. He was a poor fisher from Jhelom, who was trying to get famous by modifying his fishing boat and exploring with it the Southern Ocean in search for unknown lands.

After a few weeks I was back on the civilized world, on Britannia, quarrying with me many regrets, and much news about the unknown lads on the south, with at least a part of my mission accomplished and some answers found, but in the same time with many other questions that I knew, I will have to face sometimes.

[ End ]