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The Misfits of DametreosChapter 18: The Great Sea Battle
Graygon stared at the Crusader ship that carried his lord, which was his goal at the moment. How he wanted to get on that ship and find out what was so pressing that Willem did not try to contact the pack before leaving. Graygon was very uncomfortable with his surroundings. If he were to have to battle he would end up wounded if not dead. The one thing that came to mind first was to try as disable as may of the crew as possible. And what would become of him if he were found out? He had to keep a low profile as long as possible.
Sneaking in the weapon storage below deck, Graygon cut each bow so it would snap when it was pulled to fire. That would at least keep the arrows from doing any damage. Sneaking back to his spot below deck he started to wonder how he was going to manage through all this. Back on deck Graygon waited and he started sizing up his opponents.
That should even the odds a little... thought Graygon. Mentally he prepared himself for whatever was to come next.
Barbod sailed his makeshift raft slowly toward the Crusader ship. He readied a spear in his hand. Why am I doing this? he thought. Then it came to him, For my friends.
He smiled to himself, and looked over his shoulder to the Shadow. For my friends.
He pulled to the side of the Crusader ship, and thought himself un-noticed. He threw up a rope and tugged it with his hands. A Crusader looked over the side of the ship to see where the rope had came from. He got a spear to his face and toppled off the deck. Barbod grabbed an arm full of spears and climbed the rope. He jumped onto the deck, dumping all but one of his spears onto the deck and readied himself for a fight.
This is it, thought Bjarn, It is time for battle.
Bjarn signaled to Willem and Drakko who were located strategically at the stern and bow of the Shadow; they signaled back without a sound. They dared not make at sound, they were so close to the Hornet they could here the pirates on the deck, but a thick fog obscured vision. It was blessing and a curse.
There is no way Willem could fire that ballista with nothing to aim at, Bjarn thought, We'd have to be right on top of them to -- MEGABLOCKS!!
Suddenly the menacing Hornet loomed out of nowhere, the gruesome figurehead snarling in a grimace. Drakko swung the Shadow around too late, both ships collided and the sound off wrenching wood filled the air. The entire figurehead of the Hornet was torn away and crashed into the water, while a long gash was etched in the Shadow's port side.
Bjarn snatched his pile of arrows, lit them, and began firing them at the bewildered pirates. Drakko locked the rudder in place and dropped the anchor, but not until the Shadow had drifted enough for Willem Blackcloak to shoot away the Hornet's rudder with the ballista.
The Shadow was wounded, but she stayed afloat as her meager crew battled with the pirates.
A spear flew right past Graygon, impaling the Crusader next to him.
I am not ready for this... thought Graygon.
At least there were better odds now. He approached this newfound friendly stranger. The Crusaders watched as he began to approach the crazed man who was taking on four of their own in close combat. As two of them were waiting for their chance to battle they each received a slash opening their backs wide and dropping them to the deck.
Barbod caught a glimpse of the man approaching him. As he dropped another Crusader he saw the man drop two Crusaders himself and a small feeling of relief came to mind.
Maybe things are going to work out after all... Barbod thought.
The two men were now side by side. Graygon introduced himself to Lord Barbod.
"Are you a friend of Lord Willem Blackcloak??" asked Graygon as he battled.
"Aye, that I am!" replied Barbod, skewering another Crusader.
"Then we are on the same side, my friend!" shouted Graygon.
Suddenly a group of Crusaders approached them, bows drawn. A smile came across the face of Graygon. The Crusader's pulled back on their bows and at that moment they were all left weapon less as the bows all snapped.
The battle had turned for the two outcasts. The two charged at the group of Crusaders, weapons drawn, with only the thought of dismembered Crusaders on their minds.
As Graygon and Barbod charged the running archers, one of the near dead Crusaders grabbed Barbod by the foot. Barbod's anger grew, crushing the man's head with his free foot. Barbod looked ahead a saw one archer with a sword through his back, while another had his face shattered by Graygon's shield.
A loud yell came from above, and as Graygon looked up he only had enough time to jump back as a Crusader swiped at him with an axe. The blade sliced Graygon's shoulder, a minor hit, but enough to slow Graygon down. The Crusader charged Graygon, swinging his axe for a final blow. He did not get far, for Barbod's spear impaled the Crusader to the cabin behind him.
Graygon took a second to catch his breath, but knew that the battle was far from over.
"How's the shoulder?" Barbod asked Graygon as he helped him to his feet.
"Not too bad," Graygon responded, "But it will have to wait."
With that Graygon grabbed his sword and shield and approached the stairs to the upper part of the ship. Barbod was right behind him, both ready for what was to come. Suddenly a group of Crusaders darted out from behind some crates.
"They seem to have a death wish!" Barbod shouted as he pushed ahead of Graygon to drive his spear deep in the lead Crusader.
Graygon advanced right behind Barbod, sword in hand. However, some Crusaders had managed to come up behind the two outcasts. Now Graygon and Barbod were surrounded and outnumbered. The battle came to a standstill and the Crusader captain approached. Anger ran across his face, his sword in hand.
"How can two rogue pieces of filth cause so much trouble?" snarled the Captain.
Without any hesitation Barbod cried, "I am the Bull King, and the filth you refer to is going to wipe up the deck with the rest of you!"
The look of shock that ran across the face of the captain did not last long, Barbod's spear scored him deep in the stomach. As the remaining Crusaders looked on as their captain fell, Barbod grabbed the captain's sword and went in to a frenzy. He and Graygon soon felled the rest of the Crusaders and jumped onto the deck of the Hornet, ready to join in the battle.
Burtrand was mad with rage. His treasure had been snatched from around his neck, his ship was on fire, and he was stuck fast to another ship. On top of all this two scoundrels were aboard the Hornet and killing his men. He yelled to his men to get them together, but chaos prevailed and his cries were lost in the tumult of battle. Burt spotted Sydney, his first mate and made his way to him, skirting the flames.
"It don't look good, sir!" Sydney yelled to him.
"Aye," acknowledged Burtrand, "but we need to get a boarding party together, this ship won't do us anymore good."
"Yes, cap'n, but the two lubbers with the swords are cuttin' up all our men."
"Then we'll go together."
"Aye sir."
The two pirates went across the main deck, letting the other pirates fight the two enraged men. Sydney procured a grappling hook, snagged the rigging of the other ship, and the two of them swung across. They landed on the deck with a thud and met face to face with Bjarn, clutching a fist full of arrows.
"Hello, gentlemen," Bjarn said.
Before either party could say anymore, however, the Rose Marie loomed up out of the fog and collided with the other side of the Hornet.
The men had not even begun to see chaos.
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