Drifting upon the calm lapping's of the ocean was an ancient galley, there was nothing except its subtle enormity amidst the vast ocean that would set it apart from others, that and the raging flames licking the ships auxiliary mast.

The dying flames subsided, the black charred mask collapsing under its own weight sending plumes of black soot billowing over the ships bow, the soot settled coating it in an inky blackness, within the darkness was an unsettling premonition, a small figure adorning the bowsprit.

The small figure, well more of a relief, depicted a monstrous form terrifyingly real despite its lacquered wooden form, sized appropriately to the colossal ship. The idyllic monster was aquatic, with shimmering scales coating its blackened body, small beady eyes drilled into its barbarous head, and layers of wing like fins.

The galley was all but empty, exempting the two inhabiting it is murky depths, one of those is me, a fool unworthy of my own prejudiced pity.

My tale is a long winding one, after all what life is berthed of twists and turns, uncertainties that rear their sunken gaze when least welcome, inviting their wretched selves into the lives of the dirty squalid poor and the filthy rich, torturing each to its own satisfaction.

Well, my stories was that of the latter, I was once rich acclaimed as a prodigious youth, a bachelor within the list of greats, a list of scrawling names created to honour the important, the wealthy, the blessed and the lucky. So, I took pride in this empty title and crowned my head with a paper crown, I acted avariciously, I will not delve into the details, I will not disclose the full horrors of my actions, I will disclose this.

I committed crime, became a pirate, and lived a dishonourable life.

During my tyrannical reign as a pirate, I pillaged doing as I so please. It was during this time that it happened, I was out marauding in my ship, an ex-navy ship seized in the mist of war, the war between two prominent countries.

Well whilst I was out deep into the twilight, I came across a goliath shadow in the distant horizon of the endless sea, the silhouette resembled that of a ship, and as it came closer, I recognised it as a galley its hoisted sail proudly showing an insignia, the insignia was not known to me, most likely hailing from some distant country voyaging across the sea, but then again I would recognise the insignia of any royalty.

It could potentially belong to an archduke or some other subsidiary branch of royalty, but then it would share characteristics, the insignia was made up of numerous interweaving symbolisms, encircling the edges was a black serpent with fiery red eyes, there was a lion in the centre bighting the neck of the serpent, just below its head, its paw constraining the serpent's tail. The lion had dark gunmetal grey fur, with large bat like wings, the serpent's midsection was wrapped around a twisting branch, on its end was a crimson apple, hanging just over the lions' head, the apple had a lustrous gold stem, fading into the dark mahogany branch. The whole insignia was circular with a band of twisting gold around the rim, and a vermilion backdrop.

Nothing in this overtly extravagant insignia matched any known royalty, so then where did this vessel hail, what grand empire was capable of creating this behemoth.

The sea had a faint lingering fog as it approached me, eventually stopping besides my ship, my usually imposing ship was dwarfed, the ships rows of cannons all creaked aiming at my humbled ship. Onboard the ship it was pandemonium, my hastily stitched together crew fell into turmoil, unravelling into individuals, these individuals armed themselves hiding in the crevasse of the ship.

The chaotic disturbance staggered my ability to command, so relying on my own feeble strength I mustered all my courage bellowing at the incoming escalades until my voice was hoarse, 'invaders, do you not know the might of my father, my mother. Evan a servant in my archaic house has the influence to do as they as they so please. Stand down and repent, do not commit this ignominy.' my frantic ravings when unheard, ignored as the escalades docked my ship with a grand rumbling, the wooden decks planks fracturing into splinters.

After waiting my breath baited, fear slowly overwhelming me, shock prevailed as none came, not one single enemy came down the escalades, there was no siege, no battle, no bloodshed. Looking around the deck of my ship I saw my underlings, emerging from there hiding spots staring blank eyed however, unlike me they were staring at something else something dark and shadowy.

Upon the deck of the ship there was a fleeting figure, fluttering around the deck of the galley, their form was indistinct, the drifting mist concealing details, but around them there was a faint incandescent light.

The eery drifting of the light was unearthly, the way is rocked with the swift movement of the fleeting figure, it defied my knowledge of physics, it made me incredulous, nothing was so immune to the zephyr of the wind, it was impossible, or so I thought ignorantly, foolishly.

'Creak,' a plaintive cry was issued as the escalades docking my ship pushed further, the craggy metal spikes lancing into the deck of my ship, this upheaval broke my crews revery jolting them into action, as, if this situation were left to fester, the results would be unspeakable.

I remember the event vividly, the horror, dread that coursed through my veins was like a drug, the effects were dire, my hands trembling, and thoughts broken. 'Boom!' my naval ship rocked as one of my crew their terror overwhelming them, promptly fired the one of the sixteen starboard cannons, hitting an auxiliary mask towards the front of the superstructure, bursting into fragments the debris of the cannon ball drilled into it as the searing heat set it alight.

The fire did not spread past the mask, nor did it stop burning until long after the frantic battle, no that was no battle it was a slaughter, a massacre.

Well after the cannon was fired, I was stunned, knocked of my feet, witch fool had attacked the galley, my murky confusion sought something to latch onto, so within the darkness I chose my wretched entitlement.

*This story may never be completed however, I will do my best, there is enough current material to make five more chapters, comment on this note if you want me to post or continue this story.

-herohero, a fool who can't find it within himself to finish a book