"What's the situation?" Excitedly asked Lampa as he licked his lips in anticipation.
"Cast your gaze over yonder, to the North-West." Pointed Farmer. "About fifteen miles away there's two ships right next to each other. One bears the markings of the Reichslag Trading Federation. Furthermore, it looks like it's just been through a naval battle; and one it lost badly." He explained.
"What about the other one?" Inquired Serena. Even though she was inexperienced in the ways of the sea, she could understand that the real trouble probably stemmed from the other vessel.
"It looks to be a ship belonging to captain Krieg's fleet."
"That damn whoreson!" Cursed Lampa. "These waters are well within our territory. How dare he place his ugly paws onto our belongings?!"
"THAT'S what you're worried about?!" Exclaimed Serena. "The Trading Federation is a peaceful organisation! That ship of theirs could very well have been transporting innocent travellers as well as merchants, for all we know!"
Lampa was dumbfounded for a moment before he chuckled loudly. "That Trade Federation of yours is far from innocent, my dear Lady. The business they conduct around these parts is anything but legitimate. Opioids, weapons, slaves… Anything that would get them into trouble, they smuggle through the sea."
What Lampa was saying was the truth. In recent times, the newly ascended Emperor had long enacted strict legislation prohibiting slavery and the trade of certain harmful substances. Not many understood the reasons behind these edicts; yet none doubted that the party whom most suffered from them was the Reichslag Trading Federation. In less than a decade, they were forced to disband many of their, now unlawful, activities. Only, they didn't. Instead of putting a stop to it altogether, they merely shifted their actions from the limelight into the shadows. Serena had heard many rumours of this even back in the capital. To think that she would one day bear witness to these activities with her own eyes.
Thus, she could not bring herself to reply to Lampa. And yet she didn't want to resign herself to innocent people dying. If there was a chance that they could save them, they should give it their all, shouldn't they? Hence, she pleaded Farmer with her eyes for him to do something.
How could he not know what she was thinking?
"That's enough." Chastised Farmer. "Lampa's right. This ship was definitely up to no good. Were they travellers or merchants, they would have sent a missive to the hamlet alongside a tribute requesting for safe passage. We're popular like that, you know? Only when gravely illicit activities are involved does the Federation try to sail behind our backs. That's clearly what happened in this instance." He explained.
"What worries me is captain Krieg's vessel. Lampa, we're currently sailing at least five hundred miles from the nearest piece of land. That's far enough from any typically traversed maritime path to arouse suspicion. Why are these pricks here, too? Something smells wrong. I want to check out what."
"What are your orders, captain?"
"Naosh has smiled on us and the Sun is barely rising. Our ship is hidden within its rays and I doubt we will be spotted any time soon. Plus, there is a favourable breeze going that way. I want you and I to take the cutter and board the Federation's ship before engaging with Krieg's men. While we do that, I'll give orders to have Alana's Regret join us there a short while after we board them. What say you?"
"Would it not be better to just sail beside them and blast them to oblivion?"
"Fool!" Replied Farmer. "How would we get any information from a sinking piece of debris? We will board stealthily and slit a few throats before asking any questions. Understood?"
"Yes, captain, it will be done as you order." Saluted Lampa respectfully.
"I want to come with you!" Suddenly interjected Serena, angrily crossing her arms across her chest. She was angry because Farmer hadn't even considered her when formulating his plans.
"Out of the question." Nonchalantly replied Farmer.
"But I specialise in healing magic!" Serena stomped with her foot, somehow making her appearance even more endearing. "I can help you!"
Farmer sighed and let his eyes meet hers for an instant. In that moment, Serena felt as if her heart skipped a beat and then suddenly began to calm down. All her anger and frustration disappeared in a split moment. "Your magic will be extremely useful after the fight, not during. That's why you will stay here and wait for us, alright?"
Serena nodded and took two steps back. She was puzzled as to how her usually stubborn self could have agreed to staying behind so easily. Truthfully, she was truly worried that Farmer would be harmed and be unable to heal himself while boarding the other ships. However, before she could say anything, Farmer shouted out his orders to a few sailors who'd emerged from the lower decks and boarded the cutter with Lampa.
Both of them rapidly lowered the small vessel into the calm sea water and raised its sails with fluid, practiced motions. The breeze quickly pushed the cutter forwards and, before long, they were far away from Alana's Regret. It was then that Lampa began teasing Farmer.
"That lass will not like it that you used your power against her." He snickered.
"Pray tell, what do you mean?" Farmer acted innocently. He wasn't about to admit his misdeed openly, not even to his trusted lieutenant.
"Fine, then. Tell me, though, what's the real reason we're boarding those ships?"
"You'll find out soon enough."
Farmer smiled mischievously and refused to answer any of Lampa's additional questions or remarks. Lampa had long grown accustomed to Farmer's knack for silence but still decided that talking to himself was better to pass the time than merely sitting silently.
On the other hand, Farmer was deep in thought. He had sent his powerful spiritual sense towards the two ships to inspect them as soon he recognised captain Krieg's insignia. He had instantly noticed that most of the Federation ship's crew was dead. In fact, only a handful of women and a child were left alive. The fact that women and children could be found on such a ship was truly a surprise. What genuinely sent Farmer's thoughts in disarray, however, was the collective strength of captain Krieg's forces; the lowest of which were a few third-dimension sorcerers. There was even a fifth-dimension sorcerer in their midst!
This was a shocking line-up to say the least. More than enough to cause his own crew severe losses if himself and Lampa didn't head forward as the vanguard. Farmer didn't fear for Lampa, though, as his lieutenant was a fifth-dimension sorcerer very near to breaking through to the sixth-dimension. But he wasn't the kind of man to take risks. With him personally boarding the enemy ship, they would ensure a swift and decisive victory. After that, it would be time to ascertain the purpose of such a strong fighting force brazenly waltzing around his territory. According to his understanding of captain Krieg, there was something aboard the Federation ship that he desperately needed. Otherwise he would never risk incurring Farmer's wrath.
Whatever the case, Farmer had to put those thoughts to one side as they were nearing the two ships rapidly. Once again, he sent out his spiritual sense to inspect the situation of the two vessels. Instantly, he noticed the state of the Federation's ship. The hull was cracked, its sails burned, and signs of impact from powerful arcane arts covered its entire surface. Whilst most of Krieg's crew were back on their own ship, he could tell that five of the pirates remained on the Federation ship.
Three were still asleep. From their demeanours and loud snoring, Farmer could tell that they had passed out from drunkenness the night before. The other two had very recently woken up and were in the midst of dragging two kidnapped women towards a relatively untouched cabin. Farmer wasn't worried of being detected by the enemy sorcerers. He knew perfectly well that his spiritual sense was an ability never-before seen in these parts of the world. Even so, he couldn't help but act with extreme caution. He didn't want to cause a ruckus before he and Lampa had boarded safely, no matter how low the risk was.
By the time he finished with his inspection, Lampa had been able to stealthily dock the cutter to the side of the Federation ship. Farmer nodded towards him and Lampa pulled a candle from one of his pockets. He then covered it with an awkward-looking conical device and lit it with a snap of his fingers. Once the candle was lit, he covered the conical opening with his hand and pointed it towards Alana's Regret. He then lifted his hand three times in succession. This was the agreed-upon signal which told their crew it was time to head in their direction. Farmer calculated that they had half an hour at most before they arrived.
Nodding once more to Lampa, Farmer tossed a hook onto the Federation ship's upper deck and began climbing in absolute silence. He was followed closely by Lampa. In less than three breaths, the both of them had managed to reach the entrance to the lower decks without making a single floor board creek.
Using hand gestures, Farmer told Lampa that there were three men sleeping two floors down behind the second door to the left and that they were his responsibility. After that, Farmer activated his movement technique and quickly disappeared into the shadows as if he had never been there in the first place. Very swiftly, he made his way to the cabin wherein the two remaining pirates had gone off to.
Crouching outside, he didn't need to send his spiritual sense inside to guess what was going on. It was sufficient to hear evil chuckles mixed with the sobbing of women to understand that the two dragged women were being raped. This was to Farmer's advantage. Drawing his jewelled dagger, he melted into the shadows and slowly pushed the door open. From another person's perspective, it seemed as if the breeze had made it go ajar. He then entered the room.
Only the two women realised that a dark shape crossed the threshold of the door; the pirates had their backs to it. Nonetheless, they said nothing as they suspected Farmer was just another pirate coming to enjoy himself at their expense. Their guess could not have been further away from the truth.
Silently walking to stand right behind the pirates, Farmer drew an arch with his dagger. The blade cut the air like the grim reaper's scythe and sliced the back of the two pirate's necks with such swiftness that they fell backwards with a look of mad pleasure still on their faces and their manhoods still completely erect. The two women wanted to scream at this sight but found that a strong hand was pressing their mouths, stopping them from doing so.
"Do not worry." Whispered Farmer gently. "They will hurt you no more. Now, be good, and go to sleep." Before either of them could protest that sleep was impossible in this situation, they felt a strange power emanating from Farmer's violet eyes and they suddenly succumbed to slumber.
Farmer sighed, exited the room, and headed back to the upper deck. Lampa was already waiting for him. He had a satisfied smile and his curved dagger was drenched in the blood of his victims. Nodding towards him, Farmer led Lampa across a wooden board placed between the two ships and they quickly arrived aboard Krieg's vessel.
Sending out his spiritual sense, Farmer was able to ascertain where everyone was. Six third-dimension sorcerers were caring for three women and one child which had, no doubt, been taken from the Federation ship. These were in the lowest deck, which happened to be the gaol. Seventeen fourth-dimension pirates were beginning to stir from their sleep in the middle deck. Finally, the fifth-dimension sorcerer was going over a few scrolls in his quarters on the uppermost deck. All this, he described to Lampa using hand gestures.
Smiling evilly, Farmer came up with a course of action after pondering for a few seconds. He gestured Lampa to follow him and, like shadows, they entered the deck where the seventeen fourth-dimension sorcerers were still struggling to get out from their bunks. Together, they both began to weave through each bunk bed. Every time they struck out with their blades, a pirate would have their throat cut with blinding speed. Such was their proficiency at killing, that they were able to easily slaughter eight pirates before any of their opponents realized something was wrong.
"Quick, we're under attack!" Shouted one just before Lampa dug his dagger up to its hilt in the man's head.
Farmer was surprised, he hadn't expected to be able to kill off so many before being detected. He suspected that strong alcohol and severe hangovers had played a major role in his and Lampa's success. Whatever the case, he wasn't one to refuse the blessings of good fortune.
As the remaining pirates scrambled up to their feet, Farmer pulled out a small black stick which instantly grew to become his staff upon his willing it. Like a whirlwind, he pounced into the midst of the nearest group of pirates and struck out in all directions. His staff pounded against skulls, cracking heads open as if they were eggs; and his feet kicked accurately into throats, crushing windpipes as easily as stomping on paper. Before long, four men had died by his hands. Grabbing onto the last man, Farmer flung him over his shoulder and tossed him into two pirates that were brandishing their swords towards him.
His speed was too swift, and the two pirates stabbed into their companion before they could retract their attacks. Just as the man landed before them, deader than dead, Farmer's pole struck against their heads with such immense strength that they were decapitated instantly.
By now, only one man remained in the room and he was scared so senseless by Farmer's ruthless methods of killing that he immediately wet himself and fainted on the spot. Lampa chuckled softly at the sight and decided it was best for him to head further down and deal with the remaining third-dimension sorcerers by himself. After all, in the time it took his captain to kill seven opponents, he had only been able to fell one.
Farmer observed Lampa and nodded approvingly. This is exactly what he wanted. With that, he turned and hid next to the entrance, completely invisible to the naked eye. He could feel that the fifth-dimension sorcerer, the man evidently tasked with leading this particular expedition, was hurriedly rushing towards this chamber brandishing some sort of enchanted sword.
"What in Naosh's name is going on her…" Tried to say the pirate leader as soon as he crossed the entrance. He never finished his sentence, however, as Farmer immediately punched him in the side of the head with enough force to send him flying and crashing against the wall.
Cursing under his breath, Farmer turned the leader's body over and checked for vital signs. He found none. This wasn't what he'd planned! He wanted to keep the leader alive in order to question him later on. Never had he expected that he could kill this man instantly with a single punch. Why did he have to be so weak? Farmer cursed the pirate leader to a thousand deaths for being so puny. Now he needed to inform Lampa not to finish off the third-dimension sorcerers! This man's weakness had truly thrown a wrench in his plans.
Heading down, Farmer was just in time to see his lieutenant use his fire-based arcane arts to slowly incinerate the last remaining pirate. At this, he could only curse even louder than before. This startled Lampa that turned to eye him quizzically. Farmer shook his head and instructed him to grab the fainted pirate and take him onto the top deck as well as to call him when Alana's Regret arrived. According to his calculations, they still had ten to fifteen minutes before it did.
"Very well, captain, I shall do as you say." Said Lampa. "What about these poor souls, though?"
"Leave them to me." Ordered Farmer as he turned to inspect Krieg's prisoners.
There were three women in one cage. At first glance, they seemed to be rather beautiful. From their dresses, Farmer deduced that they did not belong to a humble background. However, their once lavish clothing was now torn and many bruises adorned their faces and bodies. Evidently, they had suffered the ill-attentions of Krieg's pirates. These women, in turn, stared at him in shock and trepidation. They were obviously wary of him.
Farmer chuckled scornfully and moved to face the child placed in a separate cage. He was stunned to see that it was a six or seven-year-old girl. This girl was dressed in rags and her entire being exuded an aura of weakness. That being said, her eyes remained unflinching as they stared into Farmer's own. This was something that not many fully-grown battle-hardened men were capable of doing. In that moment, Farmer was curious beyond measure as to the origins of this little girl.