Six weeks later

The dwarven ironclad ship sailed smoothly, long having turned off from Druvia’s shore and now sailing over open ocean, the main continent’s abandoned and desolate half laying to its right and in the distance.

And from that direction, under the shadows of night, three shapes were approaching over the water.

Another ironclad ship, with two wooden galleons alongside it. No lights lay on, not a torch, not a crystal shining. No, these three ships were making use of the dark, as they approached their target.

Each ship having the same flag flying at the top of its mast, pitch black in colour, a warped green bat with clawed wings as the emblem.

These ships were pirates.

And their decks were crowded with them, scoundrels from all over the world and of varying races. Some armoured, some wearing simple clothing, yet they all held the same unkept and disgruntled appearances. Each armed, wielding weapons of all kinds, some even makeshift clubs and staves. Whatever fancied their thirst for murder, and whatever gave them the upper hand in combat.

At the front of the lead ship, the dwarven-made ironclad, was a large throne of bones. The pirates kept well away from it, although some would glance hungrily at the dozens of young, beautiful and barely clothed women that lay chained to its sides.

Dark energy oozed out of the throne, forming tendrils which wrapped around the one sitting upon it. At first glance and from the distance, they could have passed for human. But on closer inspection the vampire’s pale white skin, rose red eyes warping with black energy and clawed nails were unmistakable.

“There, she was there the last I could tell.” The vampire hissed, not quite the same as from Shizuka’s dream. Young instead, a dashing male within his late twenties. His hair not greying but instead jet black, gelled back and well kept. “Is there, where your quarry also lies, master mage?” The vampire then asked, glancing to his left.

“Yes.” Replied the cloaked fox, a thin cold smile barely visible from beneath his lowly held hood. “That is, where they will be soon, I should say.”