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The BloodVaine EpicChapter 54: The Allied Fleet
The Lone Falcon, on board the hovering Arklyndellys Vulondur, surveyed the expanse below him, picking out figures he recognized in the crowd. Near the large bonfire sat Lord Barbod and Dordrot, both deep in conversation. Nearby stood the Lone Ranger, glowering. Further on were Trevelayn, Peter, Jack, Reno, Aros, and Luxus, all six of them helping the other Bulls pass out the morning meal. To the right, near the four moored ships stood Lord Void and Gib, muttering in low tones. Marus skulked sullenly among the half-frozen Fright Knights and East and West Knight's Kingdomers, closely watched by Gib's wolf Jackal. Lastly, the earth mage Bourne was examining the spirit-box carefully. After a few minutes the sound of a Fright Knight bone horn tore though the chilly silence, calling the high-ranking officials to council.
When everyone had gathered around the large central bonfire, Lord Barbod spoke.
“I have conversed with all of you, both during council and individually. Many things have been said, but now it is time to come to a decision on which course of action we should take. We know, thanks to Bourne and Dordrot, that the necromancer grows in power by the hour. The sooner we act, the better. Our only chance is to be one step ahead of the enemy.”
Barbod paused, and then continued, “There are only two sides in this war, this world war of Dametreos. There are the followers of BloodVaine; the demon Aezezal who possesses the body of Searil Chordate, Dacker who was poisoned by dragon blood, the god-dragons Coal-Blood, Bahamut, and Eroth Gamus, the Dragon Masters lead under the traitor Del Grakken...and...the bloody Falcons!”
Lord Barbod spat, as did many of the other Bulls.
“On the other side are the victims of BloodVaine, who are desperately trying to keep Dametreos out of BloodVaine's grasp. There are the Forestmen, Wolfpack and Dark Forest, ravaged by fire but still fighting. There are the Black Knights, the only faction who’s army survives somewhat intact. There are the two Knight’s Kingdoms, who by far have been hit the hardest by BloodVaine, for sources say their army is non-existent and there people either dead or scattered or enslaved. The Crusaders, once a powerful navy faction, has nary a rowboat now, and many ports have been destroyed. There are also the Royals and Classic LEGOland, both occupied and helpless. Also, the Fright Knights have been hit hard by frigid weather, but they might have the key to bringing down the necromancer. Lastly, there are the Bulls, a faction remembered by few, but still strong. Only the Bulls, along with the silent Ninjas, have not been hit by BloodVaine. Yet.”
Barbod sat and Lord Void rose.
“Greetings. First off, I am Lord Void, the rightful ruler of the Dragon Masters. There are some here who hate me, perhaps rightly so. But that is of no matter. It is true that if it were not for I, the Eroth Gamus would not exist, and, consequently, the Forestdweller Factions would not have burned. I admit my greed, which a common attribute among evil wizards, blinded me until it was too late. The Eroth Gamus had risen, but not to obey me, but to obey BloodVaine. Some of you may ask what I would have done with the Eroth Gamus? My answer is, the same thing BloodVaine is doing now. Another common attribute of evil wizards is the want of world domination. I would have probably burned Forestmen woods, frozen Knight's Kingdom towers, and decimated the Crusader navy just as BloodVaine has done. However, that did not happen. I am the villager who is being hacked to pieces by a sword, not the knight atop his warhorse who spreads death with a sweep of his blade. My role has reversed. I am the victim, fighting to survive just as you are. I am on your side this time.”
Lord Void paused. You could have heard a 1x1 tile drop in the silence.
“I am not the only Dragon Master on your side, too. Though my former sub-ordinate Del Grakken has betrayed me, as have some others, there are still many Dragon Masters, lead by my second-in-command Caimlin, who will fight against Del Grakken and BloodVaine as long as I live. I can occasionally teleharm Caimlin, and he has sworn that he and three thousand other followers will fight to the death to save Dametreos. Many dragons, too, have sensed what is amiss, and there are many still loyal to the name of Void. I also offer my airship the Arklyndellys Vulondur to the cause of ridding Dametreos of BloodVaine.”
Lord Void sat and the Lone Falcon rose.
“As you all can plainly see, I am a Black Falcon. I am loyal to my faction, but not to my corrupt king. King Falconis XXVIII has been bought by BloodVaine, and I am grieved to say that many Black Falcons also have been bought in this way. King Falconis XXVIII has dishonored the Black Falcons beyond repair, he has tainted the once proud bloodline of Falconis. There are many who feel the way I do, and we have broken away from Falconis's rule to undermine the Falcon regime. These rebel Falcons, as we call ourselves, have chipped away at the pillar of power, assassinating corrupt Falcon advisors and aiding the Bulls back into power. On behalf of the rebel Black Falcons, I can offer the support of a thousand troops who will turn against Faconis at a word.”
The Lone Falcon sat.
And so the day went on, with each person making a speech, pledging troops and offering ideas. After the speeches a course of action was discussed, debated, and finalized.
In the early hours before dawn, Lord Void stood at the prow of the Rose Marie, his gaze studying the patterns of the stars. There were new portents building, and much he could learn with the eyes of a trained sorcerer. Some of the midwatch crew moved about the deck, but with the ship still anchored off the coast of Kingdom Isle, there was little to due except routine checks. Another prowled the deck as well.
“Evening, your Voidship.”
Lord Void’s eyes narrowed peevishly as he stared upward, but he did not turn.
“Jack Craft. Is there a reason you feel compelled to disturb my divinations?”
“Not much of one, your Voidship. Jack’s had a busy few days and my sleep’s been uneasy, is all.”
“I’m certain I could remedy that if you persist in bothering me. Perhaps some essence of Foxglove or Nightshade? I’m sure you’d sleep sounder after a dose.”
Jack, perceiving the mild threat to be nothing more serious than Lord Void’s caustic humor, chose to press on. His grin flashed in the darkness.
“I’ve always preferred the crispness of cyanide myself, your Voidship.”
“Indeed. And is there a reason you seem to call everyone by a nickname ending in -ship? ‘Your Lordship, your Falconship, your Voidship.’ Voidship? How droll.”
“Simple, your Voidship -- you’ve never given anyone your name.”
Lord Void blinked, and finally turned to face Jack.
“My...name?”
Aye. ‘Lord Void’ can’t be your original name, can it? Or is that why evil wizards turn out so dangerous? Jack can see it now: ‘Oh, John, what shall we name our beautiful child?’ ‘Well, I promised we’d name him BloodVaine, after your aunt.’ Aye, and thirty years later the tyke grows up and sells his soul to the planes of darkness.”
“Well, it’s not…”
“Or is that when it happens, is it? One day you’re ‘Floyd, son of Mends the Blacksmith’, and the demon prince says to ye, ‘I’m sorry, now, but Floyd the Conqueror isn’t quite what we had in mind -- can we call you Lord Void from now on?’”
“I don’t see…”
“Or is it a part of the Magician’s Guild? Do they hand out stage names, like a troupe of actors? Did you draw out of a hat?”
Lord Void frowned, smirked, and frowned again in the space of less than a second. Finally, unable to see any other reasonable course of action, he turned back to his stargazing.
“You have some interesting...thoughts, Jack Craft. If it amuses you, then continue to call me what you will.”
“Consider it done, your Voidship.”
Lord Void stared at Jack with a mixture of annoyance and amusement, which felt a bit odd. Lord Void was rarely amused.
"What about yourself, Jack Craft? That surely isn't your name? A Jack-of -all-trades, eh? Did you change you name to fit that description or did you create that phrase yourself?”
“Ah, your Voidship, wouldn’t you like you to know…” grinned Jack back.
Annoyed, but still slightly amused, Lord Void left Jack and approached Lord Barbod.
“Has the loading of the refugees commenced?” he asked.
Barbod nodded, then yawned. The discussion and debating had gone long into the night, and the Bull King had had little sleep.
“Yes, we’re putting them on the Fleetwood and Barbarian Blood. Those two ships will be ready to sail on the tide and they’ll probably reach Bull Isle in a fortnight.”
Lord Void grunted. “Its a fools hope your pitiful amount of Bulls, with a few able-bodied Fright Knights will be able to fend off BloodVaine’s attacks.”
Barbod scowled. He did not much like the Dragon Master wizard.
“We might be able to aid the Black Knights, that is all we can hope to do. Besides, we have the element of surprise.”
Barbod left, leaving Lord Void glaring.
With their relief supplies largely exhausted, and their small convoy overloaded with refugees and volunteer soldiers, Barbod finally gave the order to continue their journey. From the news Dordrot had brought, he was more anxious then ever to reach Drullen Bell and join their forces to the Forestmen. As they cleared the makeshift harbor they had been using, another surprise waited.
A fleet of five more vessels, all of Knight’s Kingdom Secundus make, sailed alongside the Bulls’ convoy. Though garishly colored, the craft -- two sloops, a tiny barque, and a pair of sleek cutters -- fell into formation with Barbod’s ships. Shouted conversations between the vessels made it clear that the fleet, by order of their king, had been placed at Barbod’s disposal. The news of it -- one of the first pieces of good news in several days -- spread though the crew in no time, and spirits rose.
“... to the freeboard, then lads,
She’s a running broad-reach,
and she’ll not turn her keel,
nor for rock or for beach…”
On board the Rose Marie, a lively shanty volleyed from decks to ratlines, ratlines to rigging, rigging to spars. The gloom of recent days had burned off like the morning fog, and the sky shone a luminous blue in the midday sun. The two Knight’s Kingdom cutters, the Faindor’s Green Glen and the Maiden Blue-Eye raced playfully to the starboard side of the fleet, and several crew had wagers on the outcome. Barbod was still meeting with the captains of the Purple Loosestrife, the Chain Of Gold, and the Garnet on board the Bull’s Revenge.
Jack oversaw the shift from the forenoon watch to the afternoon watch, alternating between relaying the Lone Falcon’s orders and leading another verse of the shanties. His high spirits had most of the crew grinning though their work as well, especially when he took a few minutes here and there to turn clumsy acrobatics along the ratlines or gunwales. During one of his conversations with the Lone Falcon, the subject turned to their unusual ally, Lord Void, who was also in conference on Barbod’s ship.
“...I’m not sure if putting our trust in him is wise, Jack. Once an evil wizard, always an evil wizard. He as much as admitted it himself the other day, and without a shred of remorse.”
“Aye, your Falconship. It’s true he wants the same as the rest of us -- to stop BloodVaine -- but for who’s gain? And what’s to stop him from turning on us like a starved dog when he gets that?”
“We have to watch him closely,” the Falcon agreed, “and make sure that we aren’t helping to make a worse problem for ourselves after Bloodvaine is gone. I do admit that flying ship of his will make a valuable weapon in the fight to come.”
“Well...Jack wasn’t going to mention this, yet, your Falconship. But I was watching his Voidship pretty carefully when I was on board the airship. It’s not as hard to fly as he likes to pretend, I’d warrant.”
“Are you saying…”
“Aye. I could fly it, methinks. Something to keep in mind, should the need arise -- but I’d prefer you keep quiet about it for a bit, yet. Best if his Voidship doesn’t suspect.”
The Lone Falcon nodded sagely, and turned his full attention back to the helm.
“Now if your excuse me, your Falconship, Jack’s got a five-mark wager to collect -- the Maiden Blue-Eye just won her race.”
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