The Ocean's Flame
Aldrinari's view
Distant cannon fire echoes off the ocean as a fierce battle rage between the pirates of the Crescent Hound and the navy crew of the Highrise. Screams fill the air as the cracking of the woods of both the ships terrify any sort of onlookers keeping any other sort of vessel away. These bitter rivals are too stubborn to know what 'Surrender' meant, blasting holes in each other hulls since before I joined the crew. I try my best to keep the wheel steady, the shelling of cannonballs made controlling our ship difficult and distract us from the enemy crew trying to board us. But the failed attempt did not go unnoticed. I never knew why they kept going on like this. If we survive this, I should probably ask Captain Liekos.
A trilling battle cry draws our attention. Our heads snap up in time to see a man swing across from the navy ship only to end up clinging to the rope for dear life, sway back and forth, but too afraid to throw more of his weight to swing back from which he came. A handful of our men stare up at him, laughing and smiling like hungry dogs, watching the living pendulum in hope he would fall. Our 9-foot-tall half-giant shipwright/cannon specialist gets annoyed watching this man over our ship. Grabbing someone's sword, he throws it. The blade whistles through the air and impale the man. He falls with his eyes going dull as his face slams against the railing of the ship and adds to the blood bath being left behind. All I can do is shake my head at the sailor attempting the old pirate's tale. Seasoned men of the sea would never do such a thing for this very reason or worse, but that never stopped them from telling stories of them doing it. I was told it gives a certain flare to keep the audience interested.
A few members of the crew begin cutting the ropes of the grappling hooks to keep anymore from boarding as the ship groans and jerks. The smell of gunpowder and burnt wood mixing with the sea air as the wood splinters from the continuous back and forth cannon fire.
After a well-placed blast causes a massive explosion by sparking a gunpowder barrel on the deck of Highrise. Lucky for the poor souls onboard it only acts as a shrapnel bomb and doesn't do any serious harm to the ship. The screams filling the air, the blood in the sea... caused... Something hungry to surface. It feasts off of horrific situations that happens on the sea. I already know that this likely won't be the last time for us to see the beast as my skin prickles. I sense something coming from beneath the waves.
"CAPTAIN!" I yell as loud as I can to be heard just as the water turns black.
He looks at the helm towards me from a cannon then over the ship to witness the change. His voice soon cuts through the sounds of battle.
"Aldrnari! Hard left! Prepare yourselves, men! We have company!"' Running to the ship's bow, he warns the crew of the Highrise. They cease fire to hear him, but it's too late. The kraken is upon us. Monstrous tentacles breach the surface, rising high into the sky, towering over both vessels. Everyone cranes their necks to stare up in fear and awe.
A shot from a flintlock pistol broke everybody's trance. The men soon scramble to their positions as I spin the wheel to the left, the Crescent Hound creaking in protest. There is a sudden jolt as the Kraken’s appendages wrap around us and the navy ship, snapping the line. The wood begins to bend and splinter from the beast constricting our ship like a massive snake. Our crew frantically starts slashing and firing upon the tentacles while I fight against its grip from my place at the helm. The creature bellows in pain as chunks of flesh get cut away making its hold upon our ship weaken. A tentacle soon falls free into the water below with a heavy splash after being completely severed. A second limb shortly follows. The beast finally releases us to focus solely on the Highrise.
Once freed, the Crescent Hound turns away. Now standing at the back of the ship, the shipwright Tor Gríss would be starting to spin a chain shot in his hands. He spins it like bola and tosses it with his full might at the tangled nest of tentacles encasing the navy ship as the captain hangs from a rope off the side of our vessel.
"Don't say we didn't do anything for you! Now learn to sail, Sertpian! I won't be around to save you!"
The beast bellows once more as the chain shot hits it's mark, shredding through what looks to be multiple limbs. Large pieces of wiggling tentacles fly into the water. With a gurgling shriek, the kraken retreats back to the depths, forsaking its potential meal.
The captain throws his legs back over the railing, planting his feet firmly on deck with a grin painted on his face.
"Alright, men! Let's go home!"
I turn the wheel to the Northeast as the crew work the sails to catch the wind. Looking back, I see the Highrise dead in the water with her masts snapped in two. Turning my attention back to the Crescent Hound's crew to find grins painted on their faces as the captain pat their backs in praise.
I scream out to the crew.
"Any bits of the beast left on our vessel gets eaten by the finders when we get to port so get to cleaning!"
The crew groans. Some calling me a killjoy. Liekos laughs, grinning from ear to ear.
~~~~
The sun sinks below the horizon, casting the sky in pinks and oranges. The sea mirrors the colors as the scent of fresh water mixing with saltwater reaches the crew. They breathe deeply, taking in the change in the air. It has been a day since the fight with the Highrise and the kraken. There hasn't been any signs of danger and the crew settled to singing shanties. The captain climbs the stairs to the helm to stand beside me as the island that is our home grows closer.
"Once we dock, I'll take you home," he says, noticing the patch of dried skin on my neck in the dimming sunlight and flickering flames in the lamps.
"No." I turn to him, smiling. "I'll wait until after the celebrations. Everyone will want to see the crew of the Crescent Hound after how long?"
"I don't want you getting sick," he says with a hint of concern.
"Liekos.. A few hours won't hurt me." I chuckle then look over the helm at the crew. "Raise the front sail! Half the middle! Signal that we've come home!"
The captain smirks then look out over his men. "You heard the lady!"
The canvas sails curl, heeding the tug of the ropes as the men pull. The lights dim until only the ones on the bow are left. The shipwright and the cook flash the lamps. A few moments pass before a spot of orange appears at the side of the waterfall. It sways back and forth in a familiar pattern. The two then nods up to the captain who in turn nods to me. I take a deep breath.
"Raise back all sails! Brace for the water!"
The crew closed all doors to the lower decks to help prevent flooding and secured all the ropes before hanging on to the railing as we slowly glide under the waterfall. The captain stays beside me as we brace. The freshwater parts and washes over us, flooding the top deck. Once the curtain is behind us, Tor fires the whaling harpoons at the mated poles of the dock, using it to pull the ship closer. Those use to bother me, disgust me but... I've learned that they can be used for good just as much as they can be used to harm life. As the people in the dimly lit cave begin to help securing and unloading the vessel, Tor and Liekos moves to stand on the dock examine the damage. It's a miracle it's even floating. Tor drops to his knees and slams his fist against the dock in despair.
"MY ******** SHIP! THOSE BASTARDS HAVE NO IDEA THE MONTHS IT TOOK TO BUILD THIS SHIP!" He cries out in anger. "THE PAINT ALONE! ALONE! TOOK THREE WEEKS!"
Liekos pats the half-giant on the back and smiles.
"It's not that bad. We'll be up and running in two weeks."
By the time the words leave his mouth, there's a loud crack as the figurehead falls and sink beneath the waves. However recoverable.
"You better get the paintbrush. I want this ship sailable in two weeks! Starting with retrieving that ******** figurehead!"
The captain goes to board his ship, an exhausted crew member staggers off the ship with a bucket in hand and shoves it in Liekos' hands, panting while he speaks. "I... kept it... floating."
Tor takes the bucket from the captain and place it on the crew member's head as he falls over and passes out there from exhaustion. I snicker at the spectacle, before calling down from the helm.
"Captain! We should double the rations. They did a great job!"
"Aye! And double the brews! For ******** sake, we need it!" Liekos called back, stepping over the unconscious crew member as he goes back to his quarters. The moment the door shuts, it falls off its hinges and his voice resonate from within the room. "********, our chef appears from below deck after hearing the crash of the ship falling apart. I notice from her knees down is soaking wet from helping the crew mate bail the water. She smirks, hearing us about doubling the rations.
"Only if you make sure to pay me triple. I already have a feast to prepare for tonight."
The chef then walks down the ramp, also stepping over the passed-out crew member.
"I'll see you guys at the party. It'll be a little while before the food is ready, but they'll likely be into the rum by the time the ship is finished being unloaded. And make sure that man is awake by that time so he can eat!" She calls back to us before disappearing from the cave, all too happy to get away from the water.
Tor and half the crew begin patching the holes and recovering the figurehead while the other half carry the cargo off the ship, getting ready for a night of relaxation. I chuckle and shake my head at it all. Even though it has only been about 6 months, everyone feels like a family. Oddly enough for me. I never truly had a family.
I go down the stairs to the captain's quarters where I see Liekos sitting in his chair behind the table with a bottle of rum in hand. An exhausted expression painted on his face. I pick up the door and carefully place it back where it belongs before walking over to him and take a seat on the edge of the table.
We sit in silence, listening to the commotion happening on and around our ship while taking turns with the rum. This was his way of dealing with loss- at least from what I've observed- and yet I never truly know what he's thinking. My kind sees death as a part of life and to dwell on it is a sign of weakness that would lead to your own demise.
Some time passes when he stands up and motions for me to follow.
Liekos and I walk through the cave to our small village. A majority of it is still under construction with a few houses and farms dotting the small island. The townsfolk were once members of the crew of the Crescent Hound that decided to have a more peaceful life.
Most of the crew are sitting around the campfire after unloading the cargo. One of them is currently playing the banjo and singing bones in the water for those they lost. Liekos looks at me when I stop to see why. I nod towards the others. He growls. He hates making speeches, finding them too long winded. I playfully nudge him towards them, knowing they need a morale boost. He growls again, grumbling under his breath as he jumps atop of the logs.
"Because I was told to do this... Listen up, men! The crew we've lost didn't give their lives to watch you sit and mope. Thi-"
"This isn't like you!" One of the men shouts, interrupting the captain as the rest watch him in shock before chuckling.
Liekos growls in slight annoyance. "BLAME THE HELMSMAN! Now shush!" He clears his throat. "This is a time to celebrate! So, quit your crying and DRINK! Drink all your sorrows away, because we still have work to do!"
The crew yells out in cheers and laughs at his outburst as the one who was playing Bones in the Water begins a more exciting tune. Liekos hops down to glare at me.
"Happy?" he asks, and I nod while giggling. He then grabs me by the hand and pull me into a dance around the fire. "Good! Payback."
His actions catch me off guard, but all I can do is smile and laugh as we start dancing. Despite not knowing how to dance correctly and the burning sensation in my feet, I enjoy myself with him. It's feels like a wonderful night to be alive as the party continues well into the night.
~~~~
The moon high in the star filled sky, tales of adventure told, and homecoming celebrations ended, we set out on a rowboat. Liekos rows us out to sea, not far from the island. He's sending me home. Something he's done after every voyage since we've met nearly a year ago. The boat rocks gently atop the waves even after we stopped. I smile at him as I stand, removing my coat then unlacing my blouse. The captain's face flushes before he looks away. I chuckle. My kind knows nothing of modesty. Clothing is a foreign concept I've grown accustomed to.
"You know," I say to him, smirking playfully as I stand naked before him. His eyes upwards towards the sky. "I figured you'd be used to seeing me like this."
"Used to, yes. But the idea of being aroused by a fish is troublesome," he says with a laugh.
My smirk fades, feeling a bit insulted. Even with his laugh. I push that emotion away, my playful expression finding its way back as I shrug.
"There are worse things to be aroused by."
Before he has time to realize what I had said, I put my foot against his chest and kicks off the small boat into the depths, causing it to tilt and sway. Leaving him alone with his thoughts.
The cool water feels nice, soothing the tingling in my legs and feet. But, despite its advantages, this form comes at a cost. It suddenly feels as if a thousand blades are cutting into me after every movement. My skin is softer, easier to damage, unlike my scales.
I swim deeper, still holding my breath, and preparing myself. The soothing sensation fades as my lungs burn while both sides of my neck rip like a cutlass through parchment, creating gills. I gasp, then scream in agony. My legs start fusing, flesh tearing, peeling, and mending until I'm in my true form. White spotted black scales fading into a softer grey around my chest. My red hair becomes brighter, matching my tail fins. I sigh in relief as the pain fades away and the water feels even better.
