Tarsuria, Year of Severus, 18, I.R., the 63rd day of Spring, The Ardantean Strait

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"All hands, on deck!" The man from the crow's perch shouted as a fleet of Ardant ships came crossing their way.

Commander Crovar smiled as he viewed the massive fleet from the quarter deck.  "Look alive, men! It looks like we have company!" He threw the telescope to his first mate and took the mast from one of his crew. "We are about to taste salt and blood once again!"

"Aye, Commander!" His crew shouted.

He immediately twisted the mast and made the ship change its course. Instead of going straight towards the fleet barricading them, he made his ship face sideways with cannons pointing directly at the Ardants.

"Cannons on standby!" Commander Crovar shouted at the top of his lungs.

The cannons popped out of the side of the decks. Their ship wasn't the only ship that did the maneuver, the first 20 ships also did the same and waited for Commander Crovar's order. The opposing fleet seemed to have seen this and stopped their advance.

"They ain't moving commander!" The first mate said.

"Indeed." Commander Crovar smiled. "Are the bombardiers in position already?"

The first mate looked at the sky and counted his fingers. "Given how dense the forest is from the shore, they should be there by…noon." He clicked his tongue.

Commander Crovar smirked. "Shouldn't I have listened to you instead of them?"

"Yes." His first mate answered. "With all due respect, commander. I told you the plan would fail from the get-go. This battle is at an impasse from the beginning. How many times have we tried to—"

Suddenly, their conversation was halted by a loud blast coming from the opposite side of the strait.

"Give me the scope!" Commander Crovar shouted. The crew immediately threw the telescope to him.

As he was about to set his sight on the opponent's fleet when a huge mushroom-like cloud came out of nowhere. The Ardant ships were trying to change their course, but unfortunately, a number of flaming debris and other pieces of the vessel barricaded their escape.

Commander Crovar grinned. "That dwarf is a crazy son of a bitch!" He shouted in delight as the flaming projectiles came firing out from out of the cliff. "I am sorry, Jonas but it seemed like the bombardiers came in too early before the Ardant fleet could detect them!"

The first mate shook his head and laughed hard. "I shouldn't have doubted him! Now, I owe him a drink or two!"

"Ohh…you're going to need more than that!" Commander Crovar smiled and threw the telescope on one of his crew. "Men, set course for the formation!" He commanded.

He immediately twisted his mast going to the right, setting his ship to face the chaotic, flaming Ardant fleet.

"Ready the trebuchets!" He commanded.

His first mate echoed the order to the other ships. The ships from the third row readied their trebuchets and anchored their ships for the attack. The other commanders from his fleet signaled that they were ready.

"Trebuchets be ready!" Jonas shouted as he heard the other officers' signal.

"Too loud, Jonas!" Commander Crovar spat. "I like it! Fire the load!" He shouted.

"Fire away!" Jonas signaled.

His ordered echoed through the fleet. The other officers heard his command and shouted their confirmation. Not a moment passed and the ships on the third row fired their flaming projectiles. The impact of the throw sent huge waves that rocked their ships, but that didn't budge them, in fact it was good sign.

The flaming projectiles went into the enemy lines like a rain of comets coming from the gods, smiting their opponents and punishing them further. The skirmish ended by sundown and by that time, the islands facing the Ardantean Strait was filled with flaming debris and dead bodies washed ashore.

Commander Crovar and a few of his fleet landed on the shores of the island where his bombardiers hid. He camped near the bloody sandy shores just in case they get attacked.  The young commander and his crew sat around a bonfire while they watch vigilantly from the shores.

The young commander commanded his men not to drink and celebrate in fear that the enemies might still be lurking elsewhere. They sat silently around the bonfire enjoying the salted dried meat and mushy porridge over a cup of watered-down wine.

"This is a boring celebration." Jonas clicked his tongue.

"Who says that were celebrating?" Commander Crovar asked as he sipped his abysmal-tasting wine.

"At the very least we get some good food." His first mate scoffed as he gnawed at the jerky.

"I wish we could have one too." The commander clicked his tongue.

"Well, yah lads, say no more!" A familiar voice echoed from the dark bushes.

The bushes shook and revealed a handful of silhouettes. The bombardiers got out from the forest, marching with their gears and cannons carried on their backs. The dwarves and their human partners looked exhausted albeit grinning from a successful job.

"Do you have anything else you brought with you aside your smiling faces?" Commander Crovar addressed the jolly bombardiers.

"Bah! Yah bhstyrd! Yah couldn't let us rest, ah?" The familiar voice answered.

"Oh, there you are!" Commander Crovar stood up and sipped wine from his cup. "I thought you were blasted from force of those damned cannons, Ghwynmyr!"

"Hah! It'll take't more than juz dat!" Ghwynmyr chuckled. "Lad, we've did good! Now, where's the ale?!"

"Hahaha! You little twat! You know our men would get drunk without meat on their stomachs!" The young commander grinned.

"Meat? After a hard day's toil, yah ask me fer meat?!" The dwarf asked. "Lad, I thirst fer ale so…I brought yah a bunch. Urfie! Get dem meat here!" Ghwynmyr called out the beastman.

"Did anyone said meat?!" Urfaal jumped out of the bushes carrying two enormous wild boars on his shoulders.

The rest of the men by the fire stood up and cheered. The beastman dropped the boars near Commander Crovar's feet.

"Now, tis gotta feast! Permission tah roast 'em boars?" Ghwynmyr grinned.

Commander Crovar sipped his cup and raised it. "Permission granted!"

"Lad!" He called out Urfaal. "Take 'em dah blades. We're in fer a feast tonight!"