Utter chaos.
We Seven of the Green Eyes saw yet another significant loss this night.
We of the Seven saw utter chaos.
If I had known it would have come to this, I wouldn't have volunteered to lead the attack.
Though, being the rookie of the Seven, I wouldn't have had a choice.
It appeared on the horizon as the perfect target. A magnificent vessel, as curved as a raindrop and white like pearl. Multiple decks. Plush. Luxuriant. And faster than anything I'd ever seen.
It had to be owned by some rich noble out to see the open seas for perhaps the first time- A rich noble out for a rude awakening, we thought.
But what we met was utter chaos.
In hindsight, our loss was obvious. In a way, it was no different from our actions across the mountain. In a way, it was the reckoning from that chaotic day.
It was what I assumed after seeing that bolt of light blast through our ordnance with ease. Most of the guns were thrown into the mountain. And anything that wasn't was shrouded in a silvery fire.
Even after a lifetime of piracy, I've never heard so much screaming- horrific howling through the night.
I suddenly found myself glad to be sent out to sea. But my mirth didn't last long.
Like the emplacements, the cannon of silver light plowed right through the ships sent from the sister island. And then that fearsome cannon aimed our way to spew a mist of dreadful darkness.
It was a darkness that few creatures were able to conjure. And that particular darkness was able to conjure more dwarves and humans and other beings made from shadow and arcane light- beings of death who bow to a single family across all the realms.
One family tree. One with no half-orcs hanging from its branches.
Yet, those very branches were seen on his clothes. On his belt and cowl, the dark leafless tree we saw months ago, standing as tall as the Bodhi Tree.
The horror of my dead officers aside, that made it far too easy for me to surrender. And not just my arms, but my coat as well.
My coat, and more.
I pondered it deeply once we took to shore. Once I witnessed what became of my officers and saw, even in death, that they remained themselves. I thought about it deeply as I limped inland and I stared under the light of the second sun at this half-orc springing with power and youth.
He had to have stood a solid 195 centimeters. The thick bands of his muscles writhed under his glowing mail, implying that he wasn't just trained or experienced- or deadly- but that he was either wealthy or had the backing of someone who was. And the flowing black cloak clasped onto his shoulders gave me a good idea as to who.
Yet, strangely, he didn't have the swagger of a pirate. He had a nice sword, glowing tattoos above his eyes and on his hands, silver-tipped tusks, and salted hair. But he seemed to have a naive sense of honor about him. Or, perhaps that wasn't it.
I'm not sure what it was, but it drove him to hardly listen to me explain the lifestyle and code of what he brought himself into. And worse, he looked upon the other six as if they were random passersby.
After the events of late, though, we of the Seven were.
With that grim thought in mind, I looked each of the remaining six hard in the eye. "I, Captain Riptide of the Seven Green Eyes, stand before my usurper, surrendered and humbled. Taking my place at this council of greats is… er- Captain Silvertusk."
He gave me a side eye but said nothing as the six introduced themselves in ascending order. The second-youngest of the Seven, Captain Rickety Woodgrain, the manic halfling known for setting entire fleets ablaze instead of plundering them. The savage and fearsome orcish Captain Sinoshk. The ruthless and charming Captain Bella 'Seadog' Hampton. The aged dwarven Captain Ragnuron Stronghull. Captain Lu-Lu Stubbs, the sixty-year-old goblin legend known for her trickery and cunning.
And at the head of the round, broken table, was the illustrious Captain Vexx. Even in this dire situation, she composed herself gracefully- as only a half-elf could.
"We are Six of the Green Eyes of Lonora. You, Captain… Silvertusk, having brought Captain Riptide to his knees, makes the seventh. Alone, that would be fine. However, we find ourselves in a... predicament."
"Do you know where you stand?" Captain Sinoshk growled.
"I assume your pirate stronghold?" Silvertusk carelessly shrugged.
"Henmouth Island. The largest and left eye of our territory. Batnosya Island, the other eye, is in no better shape than this place." Captain Vexx waved to the strangely charred but chilled rubble around us. "Clithamia Island, further to the south, hosts the Red Fin Alliance. And every other uninhabited island around the continent boasts an additional pirate faction."
"And now you're at risk of an attack," Silvertusk said, and none present missed the distinction of his words.
He didn't think himself a part of us.
"Assuming they learn of your current state." He added.
"They know." Captain Vexx assured him. "If not now then soon they will. Word travels fast on these waters. And…" She flicked her gaze to the other six to wait for their respective nods. "We were involved in a bit of a... folly." She then sighed. "Hubris or sheer stupidity, I know not what drove our actions. But we carried out a raid in the north, beyond the mountain."
"Polaris territory?" he incredulously asked.
"Yes." Captain Vexx nodded. "My crew alone was reduced from over one hundred fifty to just below fifty. Forty-seven, including me to be exact. And then you arrived. Though, we do not blame you for defending yourself."
"And now, in defeat, you assume I'll join you?" he stoically asked.
"Therein lies the problem." Captain Vexx smiled, pointing a slender finger out at Silvertusk. "You don't look the part of a pirate. And your… emblem gives me the notion that you belong to another already. Tell me." She smiled wider. "How does a half-orc come to wield the power of the second sun? And darkness?
"What are you, exactly?"
"Half-orc." Silvertusk absent-mindedly said. But Vexx paid his sarcasm no mind.
"A half-orc possessing eldritch magic. One who captains a magical ship and who proudly wears the mark of the darkest devils."
"Yes."
"How?"
He stared at her for a long moment. Trying to see something, I guessed, before he muttered four words that stole my breath from my lungs.
"I sold my soul."
"Right." She laughed heartily. "Shadows- the mark I understand. But to whom would you sell your soul to, to be able to wield the second sun?"
Captain Silvertusk laughed this time. Long and hard for an uncomfortable- and disrespectful- moment. "What you call the second sun, is in truth, called Mani." He gestured to the nearly closed eye above. And then to the stars representing Tiamat and Bahamut and Viltramas. "Other than the proximity, Mani is no different from the other stars in the sky. I sold my soul to the God who dwells inside it. And now, I live as his Investigator."
The amusement faded further from her face with each passing word and when they were spent, she found herself staring just as intently as the other six- just as intently as me, until she finally asked. "The investigator of what?"
"The unknown, illegal, and arcane." Silvertusk flatly said. "Whatever Mani spies from above, I seek. Faithfully."
"So then, what did you come here to investigate?"
"Nothing." He quickly shook his head. "I came here to recruit."
The other six erupted in laughter this time. And admittedly, I did too.
But his next words cut through the noise just as easily as his ship's cannon through our hulls. "My patron walks among us. He's here, in these lands. And, he has a guild.
"I am a captain in his Legions." He continued. "Tasked with forming a fleet. Join me- you and your crews. Join my fleet as captains and you'll have my word that whatever treasure we find along the way is yours to split evenly. He pays me enough as is."
"If I understand, you're a warlock." Lu-Lu leaned over the table, a maddened humor glistening in her eyes. "Your patron pays you in power? And gold?"
"And knowledge and more. He is generous." He patted his mail with a nod, much to the interest of me and many of the Seven.
But…
"Pirates?" Captain Seadog clarified with a rambunctious laugh. "You wanna recruit pirates?"
"Who else would be willing to sail under a half-orc?"
She sunk into her seat immediately. "Fair point."
"Besides." Silvertusk continued. "He has far worse labels and cares not what we are. And we are both pirates and militant nautical explorers. The Noctis Fleet."
"I see." Captain Vexx slowly tapped her chin. But Captain Stronghull broke the pontificating silence with a resounding snort.
"You want us? Not a navigator or quartermaster? Us?"
Silvertusk didn't even turn to him. Another one of those copies appeared from nowhere and waddled over to answer the rugged dwarf. "Already fulfilled." He quickly said, pointing to the man of darkness who appeared across the table. "Niel, there, is the navigator until we kill another hydromage. And I'm the quartermaster." He stabbed himself with his thumb. "And we have other little minions for the other jobs. Meaning you." He pointed a finger over all of us. "Can have specialized positions."
"This power…" I heard Captain Vex mutter.
But Woodgrain's next statement pulled my eyes away from her at once. "How are ye payin?"
"Starting out?" the copy shrugged carelessly. "Ten gold a week."
"Thirty a month?" I incredulously asked, uncaring who heard.
"As I said. My patron is generous."
"Can we meet him?" Captain Vexx asked. But before Silvertusk could begin to reply, the crescent shape of the second sun brightened to blinding proportions to carry the most soothing voice imaginable to our ears.
"You can."
All but Captain Silvertusk fought to peer through the light until it faded enough to reveal a dark shape overhead. Then faded further just as my eyes began to water, blurring the sight of an aberrant creature of many hides and furs and of many textures and colors.
Curious more than panicked, I rubbed my eyes and looked closer. Finding not an aberrant creature, but two massive direwolves and a pair of owls curled around and perched atop a man's shoulders. An elven man, perhaps a drow, with the rounded facial structure of a human lineage.
"A monk?" Captain Seadog muttered in surprise, drawing me to his fashionable robe of black silks and silver inlays curved into the same emblem Silvertusk sported- an emblem that suited him perfectly.
"And a cute one." Seadog giggled, and with her comments said, turned to Captain Vex for some insight. But nearly lost her jaw from what she saw.
Wide-eyed and pale, the esteemed Captain Vexx stared at the elven monk with equal parts awe and fear. Whispering incoherent somethings to herself while he absently shifted his gaze between us.
"Emeric?" She eventually gasped.
But he looked at her with the same amiability as before. Then shook his head. "Amun." He palmed his chest. "Emeric is my father."
"So, it's true." She slumped back into her throne and slowly shifted her eyes between the dark humans and Silvertusk's clone. "The black tree was you. The House of Cole- The Nox has returned."
"That it has. And I created not just the dark tree, but the object you wrongly call the second sun." Amun nodded cheerfully, darkening the visages of Lu-Lu, Stronghull, and Vexx alike. "Luckily for you, however." He gestured to Silvertusk. "My subordinate has opened the door for you to walk under Mani's light.
"Will you cross the threshold?"
"Those in favor of joining the Noctis Fleet, declare yourselves." Captain Vexx said after a few moments of silence, then slowly raised her slender hand. Followed by Sinoshk. And Lu-Lu. And Woodgrain. And Seadog. And begrudgingly, Stronghull.
Even I raised my hand, declaring my five surviving crew and myself as Captains- hopefully- in the fleet. It's not as if we had a choice in the matter. Or rather, we did, but the other option was to sit on the island and starve until someone came to wipe us out.
That said…
"May I be so bold as to make a request?" I stepped forward, then turned my gaze to Lu-Lu. She would understand. "I-" I paused to look at the many dark duergar standing about.
"Your body is weak, so you want to become an undead shadow?" Amun guessed before I could even speak, the disgust evident in his tone. "Do not rush to your death. There are things that can only be enjoyed by the living. And, greater things await the seven of you still. Wealth and boons. power and prominence. Knowledge and wisdom and unbounded freedom.
"So make your pledge to your new Commander, Captain John Ripley." He smiled, sending a cold shiver down my spine. "And if you want what your heart desires, form a pact with me.
"Or not."
Unless otherwise stated, it was customary for Captain Vexx to be the first to do anything. This was no different. With power booming in her voice, she pledged her fealty and that of her forty-seven crewmates to Captain Silvertusk, binding their very spirits together in an everlasting contract before she did the same to Amun, requesting a taste of that silver power.
Silvertusk listened stoically, accepting her pledge while his patron clasped his hands before him in meditative prayer and chanted ever so softly. Seemingly beckoning the light of the second sun- of Mani, to pour into her slender frame.
And when her last syllable was spent, her eyes bloomed with a silver light, and her back arched in evident pain. But when she recovered, her face was serene and her eyes were tearful, filled with a visible mix of a dozen emotions.
The same sight was repeated five times over, with five different requests placed on top of that radiant energy.
Lu-Lu pleaded for the return of the agility she had in her youth and- if it wasn't too presumptuous, to become unaging. In typical orcish and dwarvish fashion, Captains Stronghull and Sinoshk wanted strength, though the former wanted metals too. Seadog wanted agility and grace underwater, and Woodgrain wished for the same in the air.
And when my turn came and went, I no longer found myself longing for undeath.
Instead, like Lu-Lu, I was all too eager to sell my soul and rid myself of old age and the weaknesses of the flesh.
More, I was all too eager to become a warlock.
What I saw when that light hit me, made me realize how utterly vast this Mortal Plane was. More importantly, it made me understand what kind of ship we all signed up for.
This voyage was to take us from the depths of the ocean to the top of the skies, around the Mortal Plane, back again, and across many lifetimes, I suddenly realized.
And I couldn't have been more excited.
"Congratulations on your promotion, Commander… Silvertusk." Amun chortled softly at the half-orc writing in pain that far outweighed ours. "Though your numbers are small, you are the first in the Legions to have more than one company. As such." He turned an amused smile towards the coast. "I'm taking your ship for a refit.
"Your new one will be here soon enough."