A Ship to Cleanse
Between him and the fire though, was a small schooner. Dual masted and with a single row of oars, it was a very nice schooner; one that Rayolun rather wanted to own himself! But it would require a crew… As that thought occurred to him, he narrowed his eyes and examined the ship for movement: had they left anyone on board? If so, he needed to deal with them first! Rayolun crept out across the beach, slinking from rock to rock until he reached the ocean and began to wade out. The pull of the ocean felt like a welcoming hug to him, the cool waters easing some of his worries and inner pain. He swam as silently as he stalked through shadows; on land, in trees or in the ocean, Rayolun knew how to be an unheard shadow. As he approached the boat, he heard the voices of the Obans; figures he thought to himself with disgust. If these guys are here officially then I’ll have to take this information to Suhuba…She will ensure that everyone knows being the huge gossip that she is.
If they weren’t... then they were just bandits; and Rayolun would deal them as he did all other bandits: violently.
Rayolun began to pull himself up when he heard the clink of metal on metal. Pausing in his climbing he looked at the oars and saw movement beyond them. Peeking through his eyes widened as he saw the Matori chained to the oars. They hadn’t released them! The surrender terms had said that all Matori were to be released! The Matori on the other side, a thin beaten looking boy looked at him with wide eyes. Rayolun motioned him to be quiet and continued climbing.
More rage added to the flame already burning within him: these bandits would die! Not only had they attacked Lasarra’s home… his home, they’d taken her villages animals and kept Matori slaves who should have been freed! He stopped just above the rail that ran the length of the ship to pull his trident out of the sling across his back. Waiting for that perfect moment, the moment when the voices of the Obans, complaining about having to watch the ship while the others were off enjoying warm food, faded slightly.
Quickly slipping over the rail, he landed and looked about; making sure no one had seen him. Then he stalked after the voices; the guards would be the first to die! Two of them, just as he’d heard, were lazily walking about, their eyes scanning the ocean for approaching enemies and not paying attention to the shadow that slipped up behind them. Rayolun’s trident speared the one closest to the ocean, the middle spar going clear through the neck as he caught the other one’s foot with his to trip the Oban. He quickly spun and shook off the dying body of his trident as his opponent stumbled and turned to face him, unsheathing the sword as his side. Rayolun sneered and spun his bloody mace back up as he stepped rudely upon the fallen body.
“Who are you? Do you know whose ship you’ve attacked?” The Oban asked warily, startled by the sudden attack but not as afraid as Ray wanted him to be. Oh well…
Rayolun didn’t answer he just attacked; his trident stabbing and slashing in quick arcs, blocking and knocking aside the blade and spinning up to jab the end of his trident’s staff into the other’s face. Always he was on the offensive, trying to pin the other, sliding out of the way of any blow he could not block. The other was good, Rayolun would give him that.. but not good enough. Rayolun sidestepped one blow and jabbed his trident the other’s extended arm, the three spars sliding through the leather armor and into the chest with a bloody crunch.
“Who… why?” Came the gurgled response as Rayolun twisted his trident before pulling it out. He looked at the dying man’s eyes and shrugged. Why should he answer a dead man’s question? The trident stuck one last time and ended the Oban’s misery.
With the outlooks dead, Rayolun began to search the ship for other Obans as well as a key. He picked up, just in case, a sword from one of the Obans. It would be useful in breaking the chains if he couldn’t find a key.
After searching and finding no key, he headed down into the galley where the stench of unwashed slaves and stagnating water washed over him.
“You… are you here to help us?” Came the whisper as the Matori spotted him.
Rayolun nodded as he looked around. 10 slaves, some of who looked to be in very poor health.
“I found no key… so I’ll have to break the chains.” He said as he walked over to the first.
“The key’s kept by the captain. “ Came the hoarse whisper. “How did you find us?”
“Tracking a group that attacked my wife’s village.” Was his abrupt answer as he had the slave pull their rusted chains taunt to make breaking them easier.
CLANG! One slave freed.
“Slavers?”
CLANG!
“No, just bandits… There may be slaves but I didn’t see any traces as I tracked them.”CLANG!
“Where are they?” One broad guy asked; from the rawness of his whipped back and the fire in his eyes, Rayolun guessed this was a new slave that hadn’t been beaten yet.
CLANG!
“Up the shore a bit. I was tracking a group of about 15. How many sailors?”CLANG!
“Only 10 including the captain.”
CLANG!
“Eight now.”CLANG!
“We’ll help you kill them.” Came growls from all of the slaves. Even the ones whose eyes had been dead just seconds before.
CLANG!
Rayolun was impressed. “
Not those that are too wounded.” He eyed one of the thinner and older ex-slaves.
“Don’t go dying when you finally got free.”CLANG!
“It will be worth it.” Came the growled response. So be it.
CLANG!
“There is a small armory I found, as well as some food in the kitchen. Go eat and arm yourselves.” Rayolun told them once he’d broken them all out. He looked at the sword; its blade was notched and twisted after he abuse he’d put it through. Shrugging, he dropped it and left eh stench of the galley behind.
“What’s your name?” The broad Matori asked as he followed.
“Rayolun. Yours?” “Loriash. Thank you.”
Rayolun nodded his acceptance of the thanks; he had done what anyone with a shred of decency would have done. He itched to go to the bandit’s camp now, not wait and increase the chance that the sailors would come back and discover them. But the slaves needed food to give them strength, and they needed weapons.
“Why are you still slaves? When the Oban’s surrendered one of our demands were that all Matori be released.” He asked Loriash. The other man laughed.
“As if they would all obediently obey! Most do… in the cities and public areas. Those who sail the sea’s? Or small farmers who use us like tools? They don’t want to give up the free labor… so they ignore the order and hide the slaves when someone official shows up… and if an official shows up, well a small bribe will make them turn a blind eye.”
Rayolun was disgusted; they had no honor, they had no sense of decency and took what was not theirs.
“Well, this group is about too learn that the jungle has it’s own laws…” He said softly as he watched the Matori arm themselves after they had finished raiding the kitchen.
“And that the only product of slavery is hatred and death.”“Ready?” He asked the Matori.
“We will swim over, it will be quieter and they will not expect and attack from that direction."