The ship grew even larger. The impending battle was as evident as the rising moon.

“Where are your cannons?” roared Ersel.

The captain shuffled towards the railings, “We have none.” He said slowly.

Ersel seemed infuriated, “What? Are you mad? Fugitive from the largest empire this side of the holyland and not a single cannon!”

“Calm yourself noble.” Said Liawynn, “This is not a warship, we do not use cannons to fight.”

Ersel was not convinced, “But still-”

“Unfurl the sails,” Bilal started, “We use what we do have. Black Ink” he motioned.

Black Ink shouted back, “Cap’n we cannot escape with that.”

“I do not intend to run. We move towards them.” Bilal pointed to where the ship was.

I had a bad feeling about this. My hands clenched the railing instinctively.

Then I spotted the two were cats working the sails. Moving between the different ropes in quick succession.

Liawynn stood still amidst the chaos. Age lines stretched across her forehead. I had learned once that a situation could be read from the face of a single actor. I saw that now on Liawynn. I read her. A stern figure, as sturdy as the ship underneath her. Seemingly stunned with the look of someone who had everything to lose. I thought back. She did have everything to lose. This was her world. A world which stood on the edge of desolation. A world which shot forwards.

I held tight. Ersel, as dense as she was, had not thought to hold on. She tumbled besides me and I caught her with my free hand.

“You cannot die here!” I shouted.

She held my grip tighter, “I d-don’t intend to!” she managed.

The Calypso’s advance ended a second later. All sounds flooded by the creak of wood and the splash of water. My feet struggled to hold its ground, my eyes had shut, yet my ears heard everything.

“Gods, the crazy bastards! Men storm the Calypso, capture the prince! I want him alive.”

Men roared, their footsteps a symphony of drums. I opened my eyes. We had crashed side to side with enemy ship. It’s masts leaning towards the Calypso’s.

I flinched as a sword almost sliced through my skull. Luckily another sword had stopped it. Liawynn.

“Bilal!” she cried, pushing the sword back, “If I see a single scratch on the ship, I swear by your spirits and mine that-”

“Save your threats till after the battle.” Bilal parried an attack then kicked the assailant the other way, “I’d rather die once I know my crew is safe.”

Liawynn grinned, pushing her attacker with edge of a parry. I stepped backwards. I had not done anything to this effect before. Yes, I had seen it when the humans killed each other in front of me, but those humans would not dare attack me. This was different. Ersel rushed ahead of me, engaging three assailants with just her dagger.

“Ersel-” I started. I thought she would die then, but her skills proved true. I suppose fighting giants had that effect.

I scanned the battle. Even Black Ink had joined in, punching his foes in some odd fashion. I realised then that we were outnumbered- vastly so, yet despite that, those who fought held their own. Ersel fought three at once, Bilal two, Liawynn four! I did not even want to consider the were-cats.

I looked at Ersel, constantly swerving past her enemies as she fought, or Liawynn fighting constantly in a straight line pushing her enemies back with a flick of her sword. I wondered what I could do. Surely a god of war could contribute more to a battle.

I saw one attacker split from Bilal and move towards Ersel. She did not see him. I stepped in, grabbing the man by his head. I lifted him up when the thing would not stop squirming.

“Do not touch the girl.” I warned, deftly evading his punches.

“I do not take orders from ye. Bilal and his pets sink to the waters. Ye be no exception.” With that he spat at me. I shuddered, feeling the cold spit dribble against my forehead. I held him up higher. I suppose he needed to know who I was.

“I am no pet and I do not wish to sink in any waters. My name is Brambleburn, but you may address me as Atechrities, god of war and fire.”

He gawked at me dumbly, as if everything I told him was not exceedingly clear. “Huh?” he blurted.

I curled my other fist and met his face on it, knocking out the meek human instantly. I had no time for disrespectful unrefined sea scum who spat on gods. It was below me.

I found three more humans just like that one. There was no end to them, a constant stream of imbeciles. By the fourth imbecile, the captain of the boarding party finally showed himself.

His accent sounded as heavy as he looked. “You be walking a fine line prince. Ye own family turned against ye. Yer lucky that they haven’t gone after ye themselves, why, I’m doing ye a service.”

Bilal laughed, “You mean trying to, Ogrin? What is this? The Third time?” Bilal tossed his cutlass high in the air punched the man attacking him, leapt over the next attacker, and grabbed his sword. He pointed the curved blade at the portly captain, “Mates! To me!”

The surrounding crew members quickly disengaged from their fights, even the estranged Zek, who had been fighting three assailants himself. I followed reluctantly, Ersel close behind.

We made a circle around Bilal, our weapons- or fists- held out to whatever lay ahead.

Now it was Ogrin’s turn to laugh. “Yer last stand I see. It’s over Prince of pirates.”

I could barely tell from where I stood in the circle, but I thought I saw Bilal smile. “Yinji! Black Ink!” Cried Bilal, “Start the ritual, Liawynn, Zek, Merah, Serah protect them!”

Bilal glanced at me and Ersel with hopeful eyes, “Yes ofcourse.” Answered Ersel. The nerve. Thinking she could answer for me? But then, what exactly were we doing?

I shifted my focus to Mossman, I suppose he was ‘Yinji’, he had his right hand held out. Black Ink reached into his sleeves and pulled out a silver quill. How strange…

“No!” shouted Ogrin, “Stop them. Stop them!” he repeated. By his reaction alone I imagined this ritual was more than what it seemed. Black Ink held the tip of the quill to Yinji’s hand. He started scratching symbols upon Yinji’s flesh. As I eyed it, I swear I saw a glimmer once the first mark was made.

“Back.” Echoed Liawynn as she forced an attacker away. The attackers were more desperate now, their attacks less coordinated and their approach a mess to hear.

I saw three headed my way and I simply swung my hand to my side, simultaneously slapping the humans one after the other. I grinned at Ersel, she had to do move considerably more to accomplish the same feat.

After slapping the next few, I tried something new. I kicked the next assailant, the result, a human projectile. Fascinating.

“Almost ready!” Cried Black Ink. I assumed that meant the end of this ordeal, but I readied myself just in case. Amidst my preparation a heavy hand clasped on my shoulder. It was Zek, or what little I saw of him under that hood. He shook his head once.

That was all I needed, in the next moment a light as bright as the sun glimmered in all directions. Blinding all who looked. When the light died down, I scried all around. Our side seemed fine, albeit our arms shielding our eyes.

Their side was not so lucky.

Ogrin and his men scurried in disarray, swinging blindly and blinking even more. I realised then what had happened. Blinded. All of them blinded. Oddly they came to that conclusion after me.

“I can’t see!” cried Ogrin, his men mere echoes under his own girth. “I can’t see!”

Bilal motioned with his head, “Tie them up.”

What followed was a mass of blind fools herded and tied. First each individually, then tied in clumps on two rowboats..

“Do not worry, Ogrin.” Jested Bilal, smiling down at them, “Your sight will return, just be glad my people are as skilled as they are. I mean if your crew fought better, we would have been forced to kill them.”

The bound Ogrin echoed back at Bilal, “They are goodmen, all of them, ye just lowered to cheap tricks and magic! I’ll catch you Bilal, and when I do, I’ll smear me boot on ye sorry royal face. Mark me words.”

“Oh, I will be sure to paraphrase you come our next encounter, after I send you off again.” Bilal spun as he made the statement and passed both Ersel and I.

I watched the enemy crew float into the mists, vanishing slowly into the night. I wondered how exactly one would survive in that situation. It seemed hopeless at best.

“You did not kill them?” Asked Ersel.

I turned to see her eying the Bilal, Bilal still with his back to her.

“You might not believe me, princess. But he means well.” He glanced at her, “When you sail these seas, you come to learn of monsters other than sea beasts. Ogrin is no monster. He may capture you, he may even try to kill you, but he won’t do it for no reason and he won’t sell out his crew.”

“Any murderer is still a monster.” Hushed Ersel.

Bilal took two quick steps to the noble, “Then I am monster to!” He shouted. Having made his point spied at me. Turning once, he walked away.

I approached Ersel. She was motionless, stricken by the captain’s voice. I wondered why humans cared so much about killing. Then I considered Ersel, her grandfather, her mentor. It seemed murder was quite personal to her.

I placed one hand on her shoulder, and watched as her expression shifted from shock to recognition.

“Bramble.” She said, “promise me you will not kill anyone.”

I cocked my head, “I-”

“Then I command you to not kill anyone.” she snapped.

It was a strange command, to which perhaps I had no control over. I kept watching her as she paced away into the cabin. To not kill? Well I had never done it and truly I lacked any reason to start.

“What have you, Merah?” shouted Bilal. I could see leaning past the railing.

Merah responded on command, “Nothing at first. Though we found this letter- you might want to see it. It has the seal.”

Bilal leapt over railing and ran towards the were-cat. While I made my way to the railing. By the time I got there, Bilal had already ripped open the seal, and had begun scanning the contents.

“Spirits.” He hushed, “Spirits!” He looked up from the letter then ran towards me. His eyes were strewn, “We need to leave now!” He cried, waving the letter high above him.

Liawynn ran out, Salis, Yinji, and the last crew member in toll. “Cap’n, what is the matter?” asked Liawynn.

Bilal looked at me then Liawynn, “It’s an order from the Ilivarin fleet. Ogrin was working for them, he must have gone ahead.”

Liawynn ruffled through her silver locks with her both hands, “Blockade.” She uttered, “It has to be a blockade. We need to change route.”

“Aye.” Confirmed Bilal, he put one hand on my shoulder then hoisted himself up. “And we need to do it now. Mortimer!” he shouted, “Set Ogrin’s ship to blow. Zek, Ink, push us apart when Mortimer’s done. Everyone else grab what you can.”

I was thoroughly confused though crew knew exactly what to do. Most of its members save for Salis, raced to the railing then leapt over. The last to cross, the spiteful creature from before waddled by me. It stopped to hoist itself over the railing and glared at me, “Ah, the heartless Tree. Care to insult more orphaned children?”

I was not amused. I did have words for incompetents, certainly not for incompetents carrying a variety of bags on its back.

“What are those?” I managed, pointing at the bags.

It cackled, “my pride and powder.”

That did not answer my question, but I was not keen on continuing any conversation with it. Soon after, Salis shuffled to my side, “Is it over?” she said meekly.

How very dull of her, of course it was over. I did not comment on that however, she was after all the only creature on this ship who had given me a gift and not gotten drunk in front of me. Sad as it is, that was a feat by itself.

Instead I asked her, “Are all the crew members ex-slaves?”

Her brows expanded to that, but only for a second. She looked down then up, “Not all, but most.” She said quietly, “My master had many slaves. Slaves for many different tasks. My mother was a slave cook, so naturally I followed her trade. Serah and Merah they… I should not be telling you this.”

“Why not?” I queried as I eyed the strange creature from before carrying a barrel far too large from his over the railing.

Again silence. I waited as more crewmates rushed onto the ship, then out of it, often carrying small crates, barrels, and even the odd chest with them.

Finally, she answered, “Bilal says the past is the past. That we are governed by a simple thread that is our future. Our fate. He says to forget what we were, but he means well. My memories are painful, and I can only imagine the same for the others.” Her head lowered, “Yet not all my memories are bad.” She looked at me, somehow it was as if she had convinced herself.

“Remember this.” She concluded, pressing two fingers against her blindfold, she spoke again, “It means, ‘please understand’ in Isdari.”

How strange.

Soon I noticed that the crew had stopped the raid, now all but Mortimer remained on the other ship.

“It’s ready.” Cried Mortimer.

I followed his voice to the creature himself. He had created a trailed of black powder from the ship’s cabin to the bow. At the bow, rested the large barrel from before.

Zek and Black Ink made for the Calypso’s bow. By the time they got there Mortimer had already made it across.

I could hear the grunts of Black Ink and Zek amidst the creak of wood. The two had been pushing the other ship.

“It’s no use, Cap’n. The Calypso is stuck.” Yelled Black Ink.

Bilal said nothing as he walked towards the two. Wordlessly still, he began pushing. Liawynn joined after, then Yinji, and finally the were cats.

Their combined effort still failed to fix their ship’s predicament.

I studied them precariously, wondering whether…

I jumped as I felt a cold touch on my side. Salis had been trying to nudge me. “Go.” She said quietly.

I was still pondering that when I began to walk forwards, my feet already thinking for me. In seconds I was at the bow, seconds later I found an open spot amongst the pushing party. I pushed once, and a large creak roared across waves. Most of the crewmates were still pushing by the time the ship had moved. Their initial surprise was followed by one simultaneous action.

They all stared at me.

I had hardly done anything, though I suppose gods were normally looked up to this way.

“That was incredible!” cried Yinji.

Bilal patted me squarely on the back, “Truly a god, this one.” He declared.

“Well done.” Agreed Liawynn.

All eyes then turned to Mortimer, apparently the next stage was his.

“Mortimer, how far must we be?” pried Bilal.

Mortimer smiled, and reached deep in his overcoat to find a flintlock. I had seen one of those before, quite recently actually, when the bandits had raided my gifts. I knew what it was called from the stories, but never seen one used.

Mortimer deftly juggled the flintlock around one hand, and aimed it at Ogrin’s ship. “A little further.” He said, eyeing the other ship with one eye shut. “A lot further.”

“By your word, Mortimer. Until then we set course!” bellowed Bilal. “Black Ink, Liawynn, what are our options?”

“Not options,” said Liawynn.

“option.” Finished Black Ink, “The only way through is by the Hangman’s channel.”

Bilal started to laugh to that, somehow pleased by the predicament, “Prefect! I’d prefer the channel any day to a blockade of slavers after my head. Set course for the Hangman’s channel!”

Afterwards I made my way to my typically spot overlooking the darkened sky. Salis, once more, stood beside me. I glanced at her to see a black cap over her head.

“What is that for?” I asked.

She pulled the hat back, “I use it to block sounds. Isdari do not have hair as Humans and Vesper do. We have many ears instead. This hat is what I use when Mortimer does what he does.”

I had a bad feeling, “What does he do?”

Just then Mortimer bawled as loud as he could, “Ready!” he said cheerfully.

“Cover your ears.” Motioned Salis, pulling her cap over her head.

I saw Mortimer prance to my railing, while he hovered his flintlock haphazardly in the air. He held the small pistol to the other ship, now a good league away. From what I heard, those ‘flintlocks’ often missed their mark. A shot that far was impossible.

Mortimer smiled at me, as if he had read my thoughts, “Still hear me Tree?” He re-aimed the pistol, “You saw my powder, and now witness my pride.”

I covered my ears the instant the gun fired. My eyes a quick flick to the ship far away.

A second passed and the ship burst into a million splinters. A fire, so bright, it swept away the fog and lit the night sky for all but a second.

I blinked. The fire had vanished amongst the rain of planks and splashes. The last planks, still weakly ablaze, twinkled in the ebony sea, dancing among the stars which covered the sky.