leader…”
“—And that won’t work because even if we caught the leader, someone might just kill him to ‘advance’ themselves in rank,” the captain interjected, finishing her statement. “So what are we going to do?”
Liri spoke up again. “I know that normally finding the leader of a group of pirates wouldn’t work—but, we aren’t dealing with a normal set of pirates, are we? If a group has united like this, maybe there is a leader they will obey.”
“I don’t like it, but I don’t think we have any other hope,” the captain replied with a frown.
An arrow thudded into the railing nearby, drawing all their eyes to the quivering shaft.
“Well, we’re out of time, so that’s our new plan, but if you see an opportunity to stop a ship, do it.” Then the captain raised his voice and yelled to the crew, “Defend the ship, Taryn and Liri have a plan. Don’t wait for a command from me to shoot; if you see a target you can hit, hit it!”
The members of the crew that had bows or crossbows immediately turned and aimed over the rail. Pirate ships were all around them now. The two they had disabled were slowly turning with the rowers rowing in reverse on one side. Two ships were on their left, sailing parallel to their own vessel—but getting closer. Three ships were on the right with one of them sailing on an intercept course and the other two mirroring the others on the left. Pretty soon they were going to be surrounded.
A sudden volley of arrows came from the ship on an intercept course. Most embedded in wood, but one sailor cried out when an arrow sunk into his arm.
“Frey, take the injured that are unable to fight below, the injured that can still fight, do the best you can for them. We need every available figh— everybody get down !” the captain shouted as another volley flew through the air towards them from the left.
Everyone ducked as pirate ships all around them launched arrows and crossbow bolts in their direction. A hailstorm of deadly missiles rained down on their ship. Sails were ripped and torn, rails and barricades were pummeled relentlessly. Several of the men were hit because it was impossible to find cover from both sides.
Taryn leaned up and glanced over the rail at the ship that was still coming at them. If it didn’t turn, it was going to hit them in thirty seconds. Then the ship started to swing sharply to come in line with them. Now coming in at an angle, the rails could be seen lined with villainous looking pirates armed to the teeth with all manner of swords, axes, and daggers. Taryn estimated there to be about seventy in the boarding party, and it was clear they were going to be the first to intercept them. Their oars had been stowed and beams were ready to be put in place between their two ships.
As the ship drew closer the arrows slowed and stopped, allowing him to stand cautiously and look around for something to do. Seeing a stray rope that had been cut by the volley of arrows, an idea flashed into his mind. Brash and dangerous, it just might be brazen enough to take the pirates by surprise. It also might get him killed. With that comforting thought, he sheathed his weapons and sprinted to the rope that was hanging on the side where they were about to be boarded.
Without stopping he snatched the end of the rope and, still on the run, raced towards the back of the boat, wrapping the end of the cord securely around his left wrist as he ran. He streaked past the captain and a few sailors, reached the back rail and leapt off the boat at an angle. The rope instantly went taut and swung Taryn out to the right side of the ship in a wide arc—two feet above the choppy water.
In seconds he was angling out and away from the Sea Dancer an arm’s length from the pirate ship. Still gliding through the air with astonished pirates looking down at him from above, he drew Mazer and sliced right into the boat! The blade lit up with its magic as it cut through the side of
“—And that won’t work because even if we caught the leader, someone might just kill him to ‘advance’ themselves in rank,” the captain interjected, finishing her statement. “So what are we going to do?”
Liri spoke up again. “I know that normally finding the leader of a group of pirates wouldn’t work—but, we aren’t dealing with a normal set of pirates, are we? If a group has united like this, maybe there is a leader they will obey.”
“I don’t like it, but I don’t think we have any other hope,” the captain replied with a frown.
An arrow thudded into the railing nearby, drawing all their eyes to the quivering shaft.
“Well, we’re out of time, so that’s our new plan, but if you see an opportunity to stop a ship, do it.” Then the captain raised his voice and yelled to the crew, “Defend the ship, Taryn and Liri have a plan. Don’t wait for a command from me to shoot; if you see a target you can hit, hit it!”
The members of the crew that had bows or crossbows immediately turned and aimed over the rail. Pirate ships were all around them now. The two they had disabled were slowly turning with the rowers rowing in reverse on one side. Two ships were on their left, sailing parallel to their own vessel—but getting closer. Three ships were on the right with one of them sailing on an intercept course and the other two mirroring the others on the left. Pretty soon they were going to be surrounded.
A sudden volley of arrows came from the ship on an intercept course. Most embedded in wood, but one sailor cried out when an arrow sunk into his arm.
“Frey, take the injured that are unable to fight below, the injured that can still fight, do the best you can for them. We need every available figh— everybody get down !” the captain shouted as another volley flew through the air towards them from the left.
Everyone ducked as pirate ships all around them launched arrows and crossbow bolts in their direction. A hailstorm of deadly missiles rained down on their ship. Sails were ripped and torn, rails and barricades were pummeled relentlessly. Several of the men were hit because it was impossible to find cover from both sides.
Taryn leaned up and glanced over the rail at the ship that was still coming at them. If it didn’t turn, it was going to hit them in thirty seconds. Then the ship started to swing sharply to come in line with them. Now coming in at an angle, the rails could be seen lined with villainous looking pirates armed to the teeth with all manner of swords, axes, and daggers. Taryn estimated there to be about seventy in the boarding party, and it was clear they were going to be the first to intercept them. Their oars had been stowed and beams were ready to be put in place between their two ships.
As the ship drew closer the arrows slowed and stopped, allowing him to stand cautiously and look around for something to do. Seeing a stray rope that had been cut by the volley of arrows, an idea flashed into his mind. Brash and dangerous, it just might be brazen enough to take the pirates by surprise. It also might get him killed. With that comforting thought, he sheathed his weapons and sprinted to the rope that was hanging on the side where they were about to be boarded.
Without stopping he snatched the end of the rope and, still on the run, raced towards the back of the boat, wrapping the end of the cord securely around his left wrist as he ran. He streaked past the captain and a few sailors, reached the back rail and leapt off the boat at an angle. The rope instantly went taut and swung Taryn out to the right side of the ship in a wide arc—two feet above the choppy water.
In seconds he was angling out and away from the Sea Dancer an arm’s length from the pirate ship. Still gliding through the air with astonished pirates looking down at him from above, he drew Mazer and sliced right into the boat! The blade lit up with its magic as it cut through the side of
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