The Vengeful Tide Ch. 08

The soldiers of the Hæňgaram Empire stood atop the hill that connected the shoreline to the lands above. They stared down upon us and I could tell that my crew was none too pleased by their presence. The gleam of their armor under the moonlight, the pointed tips of their arrows and blades, and the bellows of their horses told us that they seemed ready for combat.

The Hæňgaram Empire, better known as the Empire of Crystal Ash for its highly prized, yet guarded trade of volcanic ash crystals, be one of the richest empires in the world. Its wealth is no less than the empire of Lilkun, who is known as the Golden Empire.

The volcanic ash crystals that the empire produces help line the cabinets of nobles with fancy plates, jeweled glass, and other exquisite treasures that no poor person would have the honor of possessing. However, that isn't to say that not even the poor can't come across them. Many find work in the highly dangerous Crystal Volcano Mines that lay to the north of Hæňgaram. From this honest work, if one survived, they could easily become a noble in 1 to 2 years.

...Unfortunately, Hæňgaram does not have that many noble houses. At the very least, I don't believe it does. I hadn't come into contact with the Hæňgaram empire for another ten years, or...until now.

I could see the hints of crystal ash in the steel armor of these soldiers. Crystalized ash is not only beautiful to look at, but if fashioned, dusted, burned, and molded by the craftsmen, it can become a very formidable piece of protective gear. Much of the Hæňgaram fleet has its warships constructed with some form of crystal ash. The bastards are hard to sink for any normal pirate crew.

"Which one of you lays claim to this vessel?"

I saw a tall man come through the crowd. He was a bit shorter than the deceased pile of waiting 30,000 gold coins that I had collected just a few hours prior to now. His armor was much more majestic looking than those of his subordinates. The back of his breastplate flapped with a dark blue cape. A mighty sword rested at the side of his hip. His voice boomed like the thunder over the sea. Brown hair covered his head, the sides of his face, and his chin. His eyes stare upon my ship like those of city governor upon his citizens.

I stepped into his view. His eyes turned to mine for a brief moment, but I think he disregarded me due to my age. It was no real surprise why. I didn't have the clothes that would signify me as the captain of this ship.

That didn't stop me though.

"Who be asking?" I asked, staring off the port side of the ship.

The man turned his gaze back to me. His eyes sized me up considerably before he decided to respond.

"I am Zevmar Lightfeather, Knight-Captain of the 45th Squadron of the Hæňgaram Empire. Where is your captain? I wish to speak with him," he told me.

...Lightfeather.

I have heard of this noble house before. They have supposedly been a house with such an incredibly long history that not even Ilzahold had seen the beginning of it. In my previous time, there had been rumors that the Lightfeather house was created from the birth of a male angel and a female human. The Lightfeathers were one of the incredibly few noble houses that could produce children with an affinity for Light magic.

I have fought two or three Lightfeathers myself in my past life, and I can say that they be pretty damn annoying to deal with. I had never dealt with this...Zevmar though.

"I be the captain of this ship. What do you want?" I asked.

"You?" He asked me. His face easily told me that he didn't believe me. Unfortunately for him, I wasn't in the mood to play this game tonight. I was, admittedly, a little annoyed that my time with Aesteal came to such a halt.

"Aye. Any more stupid questions?" I asked.

To this knight-captain's credit, he didn't rise to my provocation. Instead, he stepped further into the light of my ship. No one on my crew spoke a word, but I could already see Maeloson preparing for a confrontation as well.

This man named Zevmar cleared his throat.

"It is late and the moon shines her light upon us all. I shall be brief. I require some information that I'm hoping you can provide," he finally replied to me.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Well, that depends on the type of information and my price for it. I might be in the mood to share some information if I know it for 600 silvers," I returned to him.

A pouch was thrown to one of my crew members. They ran over to me and handed it out to me. I signaled for Maeloson to take the pouch. He did so and checked its contents while I kept my gaze on the knight-captain and the rest of his little army. One has to be careful when dealing with Hæňgaram soldiers. They be a rather guileful lot.

"1000 silvers are in the pouch, Captain," Maeloson said to me.

I don't know how Maeloson counted such a quantity as fast as he did, but I didn't have much time to put my focus on it. I would just take his word for it.

"What do you want?" I asked. I think I had asked that question probably three or four times now.

"My scouts reported seeing a nearby town village a few miles from this location about two weeks ago. I had sent a knight under me to make goodwill with the town. Not only is one of my knights gone, but so is the town. All that's left is a haven of death for scavengers. Do you know anything about what happened?" He asked.

Ah, now I saw where this was going.

"Aye. The town was struck by raiders. Men, women, and children were killed. Others be made for sport or indulging desires. The body of their leader rests upon my ship where I will collect fine coin for his death. As for the surviving town people, they have a place on my ship for the night," I answered.

He didn't believe me. Again.

"...a pirate with a heart of gold. Forgive me if I am skeptical,"

"Don't forgive me for not caring about your skepticism. Anyway, it is possible that I came across your knight since I happened upon a woman chained to the leader's bedpost. She attacked me so she's currently below my ship's deck,"

It was dark, but I could not mistake the look in this man's eyes. Due to how quiet it was, I could hear the soft rattles of his armor. I wanted to imagine that was him clenching his fists so tightly that they trembled which rattled the armor.

"May I come aboard the ship and verify?" He asked.

"No. You can stay right there while I send someone to bring out the prisoner. If she does match your person, then I be willing to let her go," I said.

This was a lie...sort of. I wasn't willing to let her go, but I was also aware that my ship and crew were not enough to tangle with the Hæňgaram Empire. Well, there be a few defining factors to that. At this moment, Liara, if she aided me, the elves, and I were more than enough to deal with the current force that stood before us, but I did not want the weight of an empire down upon me if I could help it.

On the other side of this argument, I be the Son of Poseidon. The seas are mine and all that there is in them. I had bested all that came before me previously and I was no less powerful now than back then. Yet, I was no fool either. There were obviously three others just like me and I did not know if they were allies or enemies. All I knew was that until I found at least one of them, there was no need to extend myself so much.

"That is acceptable as well," he said.

I nodded and sent for someone to fetch her.

A few minutes passed longer than I think they needed to so I sent someone else. The person I sent had returned...without my prisoner. He came over to me and leaned into my ear.

"Captain, we...have a bit of a problem. The prisoner...wishes to see you," he said to me.

A frown marred my face and thoughts jumbled around in my head. I cursed beneath my teeth.

"Watch him," I told my mother and Ellen. Both agreed without complaint before I left and walked below the deck of my ship.

While I journeyed into the lower levels of the boat, the second person I had sent for began telling me what happened. Apparently, not only had my prisoner awoken, but she also quickly disarmed and knocked out the first person I sent. When the second member came, she had threatened to kill them first if I did not meet with her.

I wondered what she could possibly have to use as a threatening weapon, but...now I am reminded of those ropes I had someone tie her with. As I now see, I would need to give lessons to some of the crew on how to tie ropes, or I buy some chains.

"Oh, there be a pleasant thought," I thought to myself. I curse and bless my mind for the rather perverse ideas that run through it.

After about two or three minutes, I came to the lowest level of the ship. It might be because it's now the time that the moon shines its face over the waves, but it's darker down here than I am comfortable with. There was only one candle lamp and it was hung next to the door.

"Stay here," I said.

"Aye Captain!" he responded to me.

I took the candle lamp from the wall and opened the door. I then stepped inside. It was more cluttered in here than it should have been. Then again, I never had a use for this place until today. Stupid as it sounds, I never entertained the notion of taking prisoners. All my enemies would either be dead or ones I hadn't met yet. I did not think there to be a use I had for prisoners...until now.

"Don't move!"

Perhaps it's because I enjoy testing demands like those that I turned my head and raised the candle lamp. There, I saw my prisoner along with the first crewmember I had sent. The Hæňgaram female knight had somehow caught the female crewmember I had sent down by the throat with both her arms. One rested on the back of the head and the other around the neck. If the female knight desired, she could snap my young crewmember's neck without much effort.

"I'm only going to say this once. Let me go or I snap this woman's neck like a butcher's chicken board!" she exclaimed.

I folded my arms. "You also be aware that if you do follow through with your course of action, I'll make you wish you had stayed chained to that bedpost back at the raider camp," I warned her back.

In response, her grip only got tighter on her captive. Her eyes were like hard ice. Her gaze was as fierce as ten stoked fires. Her tone was filled with steel.

"Well, I'd rather face my death and keep my honor than live and be shamed by pirates and raiders. Now release me!" she ordered.

I stared at this Hæňgaram female knight for a little while. There was no need to tell her that her freedom was basically guaranteed already. I found this little...back and forth between herself and me to be amusing. As I had noticed before, she be a strong lass just like many of the other women I had fancied. This made me desire her even more. I actually nearly thought that having the nations learn of me so early wouldn't be so bad as long as I could take this one for myself, but...strange at it might seem, I could not think with my lower head this time.

"Tell you what lass. Just to show you how merciful I can be. Turn your head around for me," I told her.

The knight frowned for a moment before she slowly turned her head around. I cannot imagine the thoughts that must have gone through her head when she saw a sharp spear of water pointed directly at her skull. Due to her head being turned around, I could only imagine her eyes as wide as a fish and her mind as turbulent as a thunderstorm. Had I desired, I could have killed her while she spoke her demands to me with the water I had silently pulled from the air around her.

I think this realization weighed heavily on her because she did not turn back to face me.

"Perhaps the gods of luck find favor with you," I said. I then dropped the spear of water letting it splash to the ground in nothing more than a puddle. She then turned back to me. I could see that despite her earlier claims of being satisfied if she died, there was a look of fear behind her eyes when she must have realized how she lost to me the first time.

"That...wasn't a dream then," she commented.

I waved my hand dismissively and reached for the prison keys that laid on a wall hanger. I then unlocked her iron doors. She looked at me strangely until I further explained myself.

"A mighty strange coincidence it be. One might think you purposely led your army to my ship just to annoy me. It has worked out this far," I told her. It be true as well. I was rather annoyed. Yet, when I looked at the woman, I did not expect to see an expression between suspicion and confusion.

"What army? I have no army! Do you really think I would have been captured by such a despicable bunch if I had an army with me? I...have nothing like that. Not anymore," she said.

The anger in her eyes faded away for a moment. It was quickly replaced by an expression that I couldn't ascertain.

I continued to stare at her for a moment. I opened the cell doors. She still had not moved.

"Well, apparently there be someone outside to prove you wrong. I have a small armed force of about 50 men and women surrounding the sandy shores of my ship under a knight-captain named Zevmar Lightfeather. You sure there be no army for you?" I asked her.

I be sure that as long as I had walked the earth and sailed the great tides, I had never seen a more fearful look upon the visage of any man or woman like the one I saw on this Hæňgaramian woman. Her eyes turned as wide as a fish's. Her body turned as white as ice. Her arms shook like a severe chill had run their course through her.

"What...was the name of that superior officer?" she asked me. The fire in her voice that I liked to see and hear was gone.

"Aye, Zevmar Lightfeather, Knight-Captain of the 45th Squadron of the Hæňgaram Empire, and keeper of the Blessed Chasity of Men," I joked. This was more for myself than for her but I could tell that my comment had not made her any happier.

It was at this time that I took the matter a bit more seriously. I turned to the woman who had been held captive by my prisoner and ushered her out. My female crewmember was more than happy to oblige. This left me alone with my prisoner if one could even call her that anymore.

"And what be your problem? You look like you stepped in front of the gates of Haganthar. Is this Lightfeather such a fearsome beast?" I asked her. Her hands clenched.

"Zevmar Lightfeather, strong enough to lead Hæňgaram forces into battle against mystical beasts. Smart enough to take over two heavily fortified kingdom lands. Charismatic enough to wield the love, adoration, and support of nations, Hæňgaram or not. Cunning enough to survive a den of serpents, and...ambitious enough to claim hold over the world and all her great mysteries," the knight said.

As...fanatical as she made this knight-captain out to be, I don't think her words swayed me as much as she probably hoped they did. As I say again, even when I heard of his name just moments ago I did not recall anything of note about him in my past life. I suppose I could have tried to sort through Ilzahold's memories, but that always left me with an irritating headache.

Before I could speak on this, she beat me to it.

"In your eyes, nay in anyone's eyes, he is probably the type of man who could unite every corner of the world under a just cause and bring the world to great prosperity. However, I have seen the deep chains of the abyss wrapped around his mind. I have seen the ends he will go to for his cause. I have seen...the web of lies hidden beneath the streets of our empire that he has built. Hæňgaram...will be overtaken from the inside," she said.

In the back of my mind, I was aware that the Hæňgaram Empire did have a rather devastating internal war that had weakened its hold on its neighboring countries and allies. This had led another competing Empire into taking those lands for itself. Still, this couldn't have been happening any time soon. I had been well into the middle of my voyages as a captain by the time that occurred. I was at least halfway around the world from where this battle had taken place.

"The Hæňgaram Empire...is gonna have a coup. Hah! I'd almost mistake you for a comedic jester, Lady Knight," I said. It be obvious that these comments would annoy her, but I needed more information into these circumstances. Riling her up would be a good excuse.

...And riled up she was.

BAM!

Lady Knight, I be calling her that for now, slammed her fist into my wooden floor. She left quite the sizable dent in it as well.

"YOU THINK THE FALL OF MY COUNTRY IS A JOKE?!"

Under the weight of her voice, my face lost its smile. My eyes grew hard when I looked down at her.

"Best lower the fires that surge from within your voice, Lady Knight. I don't take too kindly to being yelled at unless it be from a woman under my ministrations. I haven't decided to hand you over to the bastards outside yet, but if you do that again then I'll gag you and tie you up like a present for them. Understood?" I asked.

She stared at me with a look of indignation. I could see that she was struggling to come to terms with what she had just heard. From her lips came incomplete stutters and sputters. In the end, she settled on an angry huff.

"...I understand," she remarked.

She held her head down when she said this, but I could see her suppressing the desire to lash out at me. For her sake, she should thank her self-control that she did not.

"Good. Now then, continue your tale," I urged to her.

"I best check if my mind has been driven insane or not that I would be sharing my woes with a pirate," she muttered to herself while thinking that I had not heard her. When she laughed, I thought it was a rather pleasant one aside from the bit of snark behind it.

Once she came up with whatever reasons she could to make herself and her situation better, she continued as I had asked. I asked her to cut to the chase since we were a little strapped for time.

So if I had to cut down her little story then it was pretty simple. She had been investigating Lightfeather's activities and he had somehow found out. Once he found out, he had drugged the tavern food she had eaten which had knocked her unconscious while they stayed in another town in Hilvir. She was then sold to Saviara in exchange for the mercenary's aid in conquering the Empire of Crystal Ash.

It seemed that Saviara was just one of the allies Zevmar had under his hidden banner. It would explain why the army had come to me. My ship wasn't necessarily far from where Saviara was supposed to be. Additionally, now that I had said body of said raider on my ship, this was my problem as well.

Dammit, all I wanted was a sack full of gold coins. I did not expect to encounter this stupid shit in just two days of being here.

"Listen, if Zevmar can make deals, then so can I. Pirate, I request a deal between us," she suddenly uttered.

I raised an eyebrow. "If you recall, you're my prisoner. Just what kind of deal do you think you be able to take with me?"

I was genuinely intrigued. My desire to have her and my desire to not have my intentions revealed so early had been plaguing the corners of my mind. How odd for a Hæňgaramian to make deals with a lowly pirate, but once I considered her circumstances, it was probably all she had left.

"Look, it's mutually beneficial to both of us. Don't reveal me to Zevmar. Sail me to Hæňgaram and help me expose him," She said with a brief pause. I used that pause to chuckle.

"Sounds like an awful lot of work just for me to help you," I returned.

She shook her head quickly.

"In return for your help, I will personally have the Emperor grant you access to the Crystal Ash mines free of charge. From there, you will be able to take as much crystal as your ship can carry," she answered back to me.