Chapter 8: The Serpents Guise
The trip was far shorter than Kaldur had expected it to be. Due to the fact that Ahri and himself were half a country away from their destination, it came as quite the shock when Kaldur found himself staring at the port city of Zhyunia a full two weeks from when they left the mere coastal town.
"So, from here we head to Raikkon, correct?" Kaldur asked, turning his head to face Ahri.
Ahri shrugged. "Unless we can find a ship here. Raikkon is known for transportation to Piltover but that isn't always the best place to find a ship."
"Hmm." Spinning around, Kaldur leaned on the railing of the ferry as he and Ahri drifted to the shore of the buzzing city streets.
Upon making port it became interesting to see how a small city such as Zhyunia could house such an enormous port. With ships varying in size from a longboat to a frigate, the waters teemed with traders and sailors that walked the smooth oaken wood docks where crates of all shapes and sizes dwelled on the portside. It was a jolly scene, as children ran to and from the many vendors that sold goods to people who walked the lines of wood and cobblestone. Kaldur's mouth even began to water as he smelled the aroma which lit the air, it was almost festive. Behind the lines of caravans and small shops stood the town itself, which housed many amazing assortments of stone and wood buildings that zigzagged the hills which lay in the center. With spiraling wood to line each of the houses, the town formed a small circle around the hill that lay at the base of the large mountain range to the east. With lanterns that struck that walkways, and paper kites that flew in the breeze filtered sky, it was as joyous a city as Kaldur had seen in Ionian.
"Stay here for a bit." Ahri ordered. "I need to refill on supplies, if anyone comes asking if you need a ship just tell them that you have one."
"Roger." Confirmed Kaldur, who then proceeded to find a nice place to sit on the dock. It wasn't long before the absence of his companion pulled Kaldur into a trance as he looked along the horizon. It had been a long time before Kaldur had ever been on the open ocean, and for many of those memories he couldn't remember the details. It filled him with excitement.
"You like the ocean kid?"
The voice made Kaldur jump and he spun around towards its location.
"Woah there. Didn't mean to startle ya."
The voice came from an old man about the age of a young grandfather. His hair was spattered with a bit of grey, and he wielded a most impressive Van Dike beard. He bore the usual Ionian skin tone and eyes shape but he felt taller than most, and while he was certainly not fat, the man had a bit of a pot belly growing under his grey tunic. Sporting a small cap that resembled a leaf, and a set of puffed out pants that tucked into his boots the man wasn't entirely startling to look at. In fact, Kaldur almost thought he looked quite friendly.
"Just taking in the beautiful sight, O-fa." Kaldur had gotten used to the fact that people started talking in noxian to him due to the resemblance.
The old man came to stand next to Kaldur and took in the sight of the shore for his own. "You can bet your sails it's a good sight. Nothing like the open ocean to put a spur in one's step."
Kaldur took note of how the slang was very similar to his world, it was probably not a coincidence either.
"Haven't been on a boat in a long time. Taking one here."
"Where ya bound to?" Asked the old man.
Kaldur felt a little suspicious of the questions the old man gave, but for some reason he felt no resistance when answering them.
"Piltover."
The old man nodded for a moment. "It's dangerous movin' through them waters. You're going to need a good ship, and a good captain."
Kaldur sighed. "Look sir, if your offering, I am sorry but I already have a ship and crew."
"Of course you do!" The old man explained. "Young Ahri wouldn't o' made off with any mere deck-swabbler!"
Kaldur closed his mouth. "The captain of our ship I presume?" he said, gesturing to the old man.
"Oaken M'alvers, at yer service sir. I cap'in the Kyirin." The man tipped his hat and made an odd bowing gesture.
Something about him reminded Kaldur of his own world, but he shrugged off the thought. "I really need to figure out how you all communicate with each other."
"Messengers, of course. Whaddya think we use?"
Kaldur shook his head at the comment. "Not what I was asking, but never mind."
With a small sigh of defeat, Kaldur sat with the new captain for a little over an hour before Ahri made an appearance; all the while the man droned on about his ship and the journeys he had been on. Kaldur was only half paying attention at that point.
"Making friends already, Kaldur? Who knew you had it in you."
"Shut up! Apparently, this is our captain, M'alvers. Why don't you tell me that you plan these things ahead of time? It would save me a little stress."
"I did tell you to tell anyone who asked you about a ship that you already had one."
Kaldur scoffed. "Sure, biiiiiig hint there."
Ahri smiled, and walked over to M'alvers. "O-fa."
The old man broke into a big grin. "Anythin' for you ma'am." With a small bow the man leaned in for what Kaldur thought was a kiss, but just when it looked like it would make contact with Ahri's face she stepped to the left and let the old man stumble right past her.
"Shall we get going Kaldur?"
Kaldur stood up and walked next to her. "Which boat?"
"That I bet I can help ya with." Smiled the old man as he darted to the forefront of the pair. With a spring in his step, M'alvers showed Kaldur and Ahri to a larger frigate just short the size of a small galleon. With a dark wooden furnish and grey sails, the ship looked like one from a pirate movie that Kaldur had seen all too many times, the image of the deck didn't help either. Where every member of the crew was dressed in a dark outfit, and the corners of the ship matched the black of the cannons that sat on port and starboard sides, Kaldur was beginning to think they got on the wrong boat. As he looked around, and observed the massive amounts of supplies which lay strewn on the deck floor, he noticed something odd about the entire crew. Each member was wearing a white cloth strapped to their arm.
"If yer wonderin' about the armbands, that's so we can see each-other in the dark. Them sea dwellers quite love the bright colors and sounds of other ships."
"Sea dwellers?" Kaldur asked.
M'alvers grinned maliciously. "Creatures of the deep they are. They'll tear yer boards apart if yer not careful."
Kaldur looked up at the sky as the sun began to set. "Sea monsters… your world has sea monsters."
"Yep!" Smiled the captain. "Now if you'll be so kind as to head below deck, we be departin' at high tide."
With a quick gesture to the opening in the center of the floor, M'alvers began to shout at his men in Ionian and Kaldur followed Ahri below deck. With a quick stow of their belongings in their cabin, Kaldur sat down on his bunk and looked around the rickety old enclosure he had been placed in. It was cozy for a room, and with a small bunk, and a storage area, he couldn't really ask for any more. Feeling around the bed he realized that it was a little hard, but the longer he sat there the heavier his eyes became.
Spinning around onto his back, Kaldur leaned against the small mattress and closed his eyes. Within moments he was asleep.
It was a while before Kaldur awoke to the loud creaking of the hull and the slow rock of a moving ship. Shaking his head awake, Kaldur slid out of the bunk and tried to stretch. His back felt sore. Rubbing against the pain, Kaldur left his room and walked up the sharp ladder that lead to the deck of the boat. Night had fallen by this point and Kaldur could no longer see the shores of Ionia from where he stood.
He had truly left the country.
With a deep breath of the sea air, Kaldur walked over to the edge of the vessel and leaned on the railing. It was as clear as the eye could see. The only sounds were the boat, the waves, and him as he stood here looking across the open ocean.
"Have a nice nap?" came a familiar voice from behind him.
"Yeah, didn't realize how tired I was. Though it still didn't prepare me for this."
Ahri moved up and leaned on the railing to his left. "I always preferred the forests, but the ocean does have its own charms."
With a small smile, Kaldur looked up at the sky and realized he could see the stars far clearer than he could in Ionia.
"How long will it take us to get to Piltover?" He asked.
"M'alvers says it will take half a month, maybe longer depending on the winds. Better get comfortable."
"With that bed? Not a chance."
Ahri smiled at the comment, but kept her gaze on the horizon. Kaldur seemed to lose track of time as they sat in silence overlooking the moving waves, but as he was just getting pulled in by the lull of the ocean noise, Ahri bid him goodnight and vanished into the lower bowels of the ship. Thinking that it was a good idea, Kaldur vanished to his bunk as well, all the while thinking that he may have missed something in the conversation prior.
The first week of travel was the most uneventful that Kaldur had experienced in a while, and while the ocean was a glorious sight to behold, he found that the view became far less appealing over time. Taking his time to train and keep up his strength, Kaldur was asked to help around the ship for whenever he was free. He couldn't do much around the ship, but it did come as a surprise to the crew how much Kaldur was versed in knots, which at least gave him something useful to accomplish. Since most of the crew were not versed in the Noxian tongue, Kaldur was hard pressed to communicate in Ionian and he found that he became far more adept at it when it became a necessity. Yet languages and knots were not the only aspects Kaldur attempted to master in his time here.
As time passed, Kaldur began to wonder about the three forces that came from the rune within him. He began to feel odd that their silence persisted after he so blatantly challenged their power. Yet, it still didn't stop the flow of magical energy, and Kaldur found that, with practice, he was able to access more and more of that power without consequence. In the times he spent within his chamber, Kaldur attempted to create more than just a sword out of the magical energy, to little avail. He was, however, able to create some general shapes that made for a decent shield or extra weapon, but nothing that he could use accurately.
Shaking his head at the now hundredth attempt at a second sword, Kaldur removed himself from his bunk and walked to the staircase that lead to the deck. Today was quite the sad day to sail. While most of the crew was quietly working, the surrounding waters were full of fog that hugged the edges of the ship. With no wind, the crew was forced to paddle, and some who used magic were setting up the rudder with enchantments that would keep the boat moving.
It was eerily quiet.
Walking up to Ahri, Kaldur leaned in and whispered. "What's going on?"
"Leviathans are known to be out when the fog is thick." She whispered back. "We need to be as quiet as possible if we want to get through."
Kaldur's stomach tightened, but he nodded in agreement. Watching the waters with dread, he noticed that the fog began to dim with its hazy grey, and instead was being replaced with a murky green. Kaldur didn't know how long had passed as he watched the sea, but he had held his breath multiple times and didn't realize it till he had to let it out.
Keeping his eyes on the supposed horizon, Kaldur was surprised to see a small orange flash in the distance. He wasn't sure it was actually anything important till he heard a small boom like that of a heavy gun.
Kaldur froze and looked again.
There it was again … another … and another. Kaldur spun to Ahri, and noticed that her eyes were wide.
As if the ship was hit with a bolt of energy, the crew and M'alvers began to rush around the deck and stirrings of the ship with a silent professionalism. As he watched, cannons were being loaded, and the few magic users on the ship began to use odd devices on the ship's hull.
"What is it?" Kaldur asked, gripping his hands.
"A.." Ahri began, but just as she did a loud howl could be heard throughout the entire area; echoing off the fog.
As if on que, the waters underneath the ship began to ripple violently and Kaldur was forced to grip the edge of the rails to stay on his feet.
Ahri looked over the edge to the small flashes and explosive sounds.
"They hooked it."
"Who? And what did they hook?" Kaldur asked, trying to keep the fear out of his voice.
"A Hunting Fleet, from Bilgewater. They've hooked a monster from the sea."
Kaldur's eyebrow rose. "Isn't that a good thing for us? If the monster is preoccupied with them, we can slip by without too much trouble."
M'alvers strode up to the two by the rails. "Only if they don' see us." He answered.
Kaldur looked at him waiting for an explanation.
"Them fleets may hunt sea dwellers, but an Ionian ship is too good a deal to pass. If we can't pass em' by the time ther' done sprearin' the thing, better pray their in a good mood."
Kaldur's eyes widened.
Shaking his head, he took a deep breath and once again suppressed his fear. Taking a look at M'alvers he nodded.
"How can I help?"
M'alvers grinned. "Help Sable with that rigging ther'. Ahri if …"
Kaldur didn't even hear the cannonball as it struck the mast of the ship. With a large explosion of wood chunks the entire crew froze for a moment. It was only until the loud creaking that Kaldur spun around to see the center mast of the ship falling to the nose of the ship.
Crew members scattered away from the falling wreckage as the long wooden beam fell into is partner and tore it to the hull. Kaldur quickly stepped away to safety, but as he did he noticed a crewman stuck under a large cart where the collapsing masts were headed.
Bracing his power within him, Kaldur dove towards the young man and rolled next to him as the ropes and chunks fell atop him. Creating his sword as physical as he could manifest it, Kaldur shoved the tip under the edge of the crate and lifted, making sure the leverage lifted the box off the man's legs. With a quick scatter, the crewman removed his feet and tried to stand up.
It wouldn't be in time.
Releasing his sword into oblivion, Kaldur grabbed the man under his arm and lunged to the edge of the boat. With a loud crash as the masts struck the deck of the ship, Kaldur and the young man flew off the edge of the ship into the cold waters of the ocean. The water was dark and salty as his open mouth swallowed the incoming waves of the deep. Kaldur, with his eyes burning, looked around to see that the crewman was floating next to him.
With his hand still holding the man. Kaldur kicked the water underneath him and floated to the top where the two of them poked their heads above water. Looking around, Kalder watched as the broken ship wobbled back and forth from the impact, but he could see that most of the crew was fine.
"Hey!" Kaldur shouted. "Men overboard!"
Kaldur looked at his swimming companion. The man looked scared, but he was easily keeping himself floating and kept paddling just enough to move himself to the boat. Realizing he should do the same, Kaldur pushed himself in the water and free-styled his way to the hull of the frigate.
With a little shouting, Kaldur was greeted with a rope tossed from above deck as he reached the hull. Letting the young man grab it first, Kaldur gripped the rope and hoisted himself onto the remains of the ship.
As he stumbled into the broken frigate, he finally had time to realize how cold he was. Wrapping his arms around himself, he huddled down and watched as the crew was frantically trying to salvage the ship before anything else broke. It wasn't long before Kaldur was wrapped in a blanket and Ahri stood next to him.
"That water is freak-king c-cold." He chattered with a forced smile.
Ahri, however, wasn't smiling.
"S-sorry."
"We need t' get this sorted, and fast." M'alvers ordered. "That shot were a stray. Just o'r luck."
"How long till they notice us?" Kaldur asked.
"D'know." He answered.
Kaldur shivered, but rubbed the blanket to dry himself off.
"Is there …" Kaldur began to ask, but a hand held up to stop him.
"D'ya hear that?"
Kaldur stopped for a moment to listen; there was nothing but silence. It took a bit, but Kaldur's eyes widened as he realized what that meant; they were done hunting.
Kaldur stood up and shrugged off the blanket, and watched as M'alvers quietly ordered his crew around, telling each and every member to get ready for combat. Kaldur thought it was odd that an Ionian would prepare for a fight when peace was an option, but it soon dawned on him that peace was not going to be an option if the hunters found them.
As every crewmember grabbed a weapon, the ones who were free attempted to clear the debris and free some cannons that they could use to defend themselves. Kaldur and Ahri joined them in the attempts to free some space that they could use. It was only a matter of minutes before the crew began to shift uncomfortably, and all of them looked around at the encroaching shadows.
They were here.
With the sounds of shifting water, the time for silence had ended as Kaldur looked up to see a giant Galleon appear next to the damaged frigate. The water it waded shoved the smaller ship to the side as it strode alongside the broken hull. With masts and sails the size of small buildings, the ship was a sight to behold as the metallic plating which held on the nose of the ship tore through the waters. When it came aloft, Kaldur noticed the three rows of cannons and harpoons that held to the openings in the hull. Yet it wasn't the sheer size, nor the armaments that drove the point home for Kaldur, it was the screaming and jeering crew that stood atop the deck looking at the broken vessel from on high.
It was the harpoons that shot first, breaking the silence; slamming into the deck of the frigate and binding the smaller ship to the bigger one, the two ships shook in the waters below them. Second came the swarm of black powder bullets as they rained into the crew, tearing the men apart as the screams grew louder. Not a single cannon was fired from the Kyirin, as no man was able to react in time to the onslaught.
Kaldur manifested his sword quickly and hid behind whatever cover he could find. Turning his head, he noticed that many of the crew he had spent the last week with were falling to the barrage of bullets. Cringing as some came close to him, Kaldur waited till the gunfire stopped. When it did, Kaldur heard the most horrific bloodthirsty shout in his memory, which was followed by the sounds of boots hitting wood as the members from the enemy ship boarded theirs.
Removing himself from cover, Kaldur noticed that the enemy crew was far from what he expected. Dressed in garb made of shells and scales, the crew looked like it was meant to hunt in the sea. With weapons designed of jagged edges, and tattoos that showed on every bit of revealed skin, the people, if they could be called that, seemed to be one with terror; and one with the sea. Squelching the fear within him, Kaldur moved towards the first man that stood near him.
Surprise struck his opponent, but Kaldur didn't hesitate as he swung his sword in an arc with increasing speed, striking the man through his head down to his pelvis. With his eyes rolling in the back of his head, that enemy sailor fell to the floor, unconscious.
Rushing into the heat of battle, Kaldur noticed that the fighting had already resulted in casualties on both sides. Dead bodies lay near him on either side, yet as an enemy approached him Kaldur was quick to get a sharp jab in before they could do anything, and tried to focus on the fighting rather than the death that surrounded him.
Facing a man in a hooded fish suit, Kaldur just watched as the man grinned with missing teeth and held up a serrated spear. Shrugging at his stupidity, Kaldur sidestepped the first thrust and sliced at the man's hands. There was a small clutter as the spear dropped to the floor, and the man looked up at Kaldur with a simple look of shock lining his face. With no hesitation, Kaldur sliced horizontally across the man's chest and watched as he fell to the floor.
Making sure that he wouldn't be caught off guard, Kaldur observed the battle as a whole and tried to put himself in a position where he could help his crew, but wouldn't get himself killed. It was here that he noticed the lack of an Ahri running around on the boat. Keeping his attention on the enemies, and slicing a few that were distracted otherwise, Kaldur looked up to notice bright blue and pink lights reigning on the deck of the enemies' ship.
Kaldur smiled for a moment as he realized that Ahri was wreaking havoc on the enemy galleon just as he was defending theirs. Returning the rest of his attention back to the battle at hand, Kaldur rushed through the enemies he could fight without getting in anyone else's way.
Jumping into a bundle of opponent sailors, Kaldur spun an entire circle and slashed through the group, causing them to fall in a circle around him.
"Well I'll be!" Shouted a familiar voice.
Kaldur looked around to see that M'alvers was walking towards him with his friendly grin occupying his face, large spear in hand.
"If I'da known we had a'noder warrior on this ship I wouldn't a' worried for nuttin'."
Kaldur smiled in return. "Ready to send them back to where they came from?"
"Wid' pleasure."
Kaldur spun around and stood back to back with the older man. Despite his apparent age, M'alvers was quite the fighter. Using his spear to keep the distance, he allowed for Kaldur to get a good hit whenever he could, and Kaldur made sure to prevent any surprise from getting his partner. Making sure to keep their group moving, Kaldur and M'alvers slowly grabbed their fellow crewmembers and started to form a circle that could defend itself from the seemingly endless wave of Bilgewater hunters.
As they kept their formation, the fight began to progress in their favor, Kaldur noticed that they were losing less and less men as the enemy attempted to swarm the circle.
As he slid his sword though another unsuspecting seaman, a loud crack interrupted the noise of clashing metal. Kaldur looked around to see that part of the circle had broken apart, and men had scattered away from the area like pins hit by a bowling ball. Kaldur spun around to notice that a cannon had been fired from the enemy ship, and it was preparing to fire again.
"GET DOWN!" Kaldur yelled, holding out his hand toward the cannon.
He wasn't entirely sure how he did it, but as soon as his hand was fully extended forward, Kaldur felt his magic surge outwards to form a light blue, and semi-transparent, barrier that covered him and some of the surrounding crewmembers.
There was another loud bang as the cannon fired, Kaldur barely felt anything as the force pounded off the shield and flew away into the distance. At first Kaldur smiled at the fact that it worked, but as soon as he did so his head began to feel fuzzy and all magic he was controlling faded.
Stumbling backwards, he could hear shouting from M'alvers as the crew attempted to recover, but couldn't make sense of it. Suddenly he fell to his knees, but couldn't find the strength to stand back up.
It didn't take long for the circle to fall, and by the time the dizziness had passed, Kaldur had been shoved to the ground with a bullet striking him in the side of his leg.
Screaming in pain, Kaldur watched as the members of the circle were overrun, and the only person fighting was M'alvers. Spinning on his side, Kaldur observed M'alvers as the man struck at whomever he could before a group of men jumped on him, tackling him to the ground. There was a giant amount of shouting, but as the commotion separated, Kaldur saw three men drag M'alvers from the bundle and held him on the deck with his knees on the floor.
Kaldur tried to shout, but his head was in far too much pain to utter words.
His eyes glued to the companion he only knew for a short time, Kaldur's eyes began to tear as a single enemy sailor walked over to the old man, raised his spiked sword, and shoved it into the center of M'alvers chest.
With a spurt of blood out his mouth, the blade tore at M'alvers when it was removed, and after a few moments the light that was once so full of energy fled from the old man's eyes.
Gritting his teeth in an attempt to get up, Kaldur tried to scream as he forced himself to move. In his mind, he had no fear of death, he had no worry of loss, only anger remained.
"You BASTARDS!" Cried Kaldur.
With all the attention on him, a few members of the enemy crew came up to him; one even raised his sword to strike.
"Stop!" ordered a hoarse voice from behind him.
Kaldur was barely able to turn around to see who it was that staved his death, but at the moment he didn't care. Hoisted up by both of his arms, and lingering on his knees, Kaldur came face to face with a burly man of easily six feet. Without a shirt, and decorated in tattoos of all shapes and sizes, the man had a face that looked scarred and worn from years of work. His head was too fuzzy for all the details, but he could easily tell that this was the man in charge.
"This one's a magician, and a warrior to boot. We keep him, bet a fine price for him alive."
After a few disgruntled nods, Kaldur was dragged to the center of the frigate where he was placed next to a few other crewmembers taken captive, all of them were the magic users. Shaking his head, Kaldur swore that he could still hear fighting somewhere, and as he looked up he noticed Ahri was still on the enemy ship, destroying each and every person who was after her.
"Vastayan!" Called out the burly man.
There were a few more screams and blasts of energy before it quieted down. Ahri stood atop the ropes that hung from the masts, her nine tails swaying vigorously in that air, as she looked down at the frigate. At first, her bright yellow eyes showed nothing but an urge to keep fighting, but as her eyes passed over Kaldur and the others in a line, a look of worry began to show.
"You're good." Called the burly man. "Probably good enough to beat the rest of my men here. But I've got to warn you, we are not the only ship out here. After a moment, the rest of our fleet are bound to show up."
Ahri remained silent.
"Now," Began the enemy captain as he walked in front of the line of prisoners. "You could kill us all, and hope that you could escape from the fleet. But, if you did that, the lives of all the people in front of me would cease."
Ahri's eyes widened for a moment, but she quickly hid the reaction.
The captain grinned; he'd noticed.
"So, I can make you a deal. If you surrender to us peacefully, no fuss, I will make sure all the men here live, and that you all are sold properly without any harm or misfortune."
Ahri stood silent for a moment, but after a moment her famous charming smile emerged.
"How about we change the terms of that deal?" She asked.
The burly man crossed his arms for a moment. "Go ahead."
"How about you give us all a small boat, put us on it, leave us be, and I won't kill you all."
The burly man smiled. "Like I would let a deal like this go that easily. You cost me half my crew alone. I need some compensation for this trip, and while a leviathan is good money, a magician is even better."
The man turned around and looked at Kaldur straight in the eyes. "And this one looks to be unique."
Taking a good look at Kaldur, the man stood up and turned around. "No, I am afraid I will not change my deal."
Ahri stood there in silence for a moment, her smile had faded. Kaldur knew what she was trying to do, if she could talk her way out of this situation then she would be home free, but she was not the one in danger here. Kaldur watched as her eyes looked directly into his, and as those brilliant lights reflected on his, Kaldur felt a terrible sense of disappointment. He had let her down, he was the reason she was forced to make this choice, and the longer he looked into her eyes the more he felt that to be true.
"Times ticking deary." The man said impatiently.
Kaldur lowered his eyes from Ahri's, no longer able to look at them.
"Alright." Answered Ahri; inside Kaldur's heart sank.
"That's good." Acknowledged the man. Turning around to his men, he raised his hand in the air and shouted. "We got a prize, boys! You will be paid well tonight!"
Cheers surrounded Kaldur, but he barely paid attention.
It didn't take long for the Bilgewater crew to take everything and pack up. All the supplies they found were put in the cargo hold, while all the prisoners were placed in the brig with many guards watching over them. It didn't take long for the enemy combatants to find their unconscious comrades, all of the ones in which Kaldur had struck down. After all the supplies were boarded, and the prisoners were hunched on the deck, the enemy captain ordered them to sink the frigate. Kaldur and Ahri were bound in chains, one on their necks that were attached to their wrists and then to their ankles. It was quite uncomfortable but Kaldur didn't pay attention and just made sure not to cause any more problems.
While the brig was a uniform section of the ship, the crew made sure to separate all of their members, which meant that Kaldur was placed as far away from Ahri as possible. It wasn't long before Kaldur noticed that the ship began to move, and while he sat in one of the darkest parts of its underbelly he could still feel the dread that emanated from the prisoners around him.
Falling in an out of consciousness, Kaldur was able to pick up some information as he listened to the ship's crew, which was a good sign to him that his curiosity still wasn't dulled by the experience. According to those he heard, they were less than a day out from Bilgewater, and while it was not normal for ships to hunt out this far, the fleet that left was known for odd risks. Kaldur's ship was just very unlucky.
It was only an hour out from what Kaldur heard as the Slaughter Docks, that a familiar voice came from the wall behind him.
"Kaldur?" Ahri asked.
At first he wanted to talk with her, more than anything now; but as he opened his mouth he felt that utter sense of defeat that he had earlier.
"I don't blame you." She continued. "It is not your fault we are here."
"Sure it isn't." He managed to say.
"Kaldur…" There was a sadness in her voice. "We can get out of this, we just need to stay together."
"Ahri, I'm the reason you're here."
"No." She answered sternly. "That was my choice. Not yours."
"Maybe…"
Ahri made an obvious sigh. "Why am I being the optimistic one here?"
Kaldur couldn't help but make a small smile. "I have no idea."
"Come now. I could use a little of that misplaced optimism."
It wasn't much, but as deeply as it hurt Kaldur knew that if he were to give up now there would be nothing left.
"Alright. As long as we stick together we have a chance." Kaldur managed to say, trying to leave the doubt away from his voice.
Kaldur could feel the small smile from Ahri before she spoke. "That's better."
It wasn't long before the crew came to grab the remaining prisoners and haul them up to the deck. When Kaldur emerged from the bowels of the dark slaughter ship, it came as a large shock when he was able to see the emergence of Bilgewater.
The island was nothing like Kaldur had expected it to be, especially as the sun was setting. With tall rocky cliff faces, the massive island was a collogue of ruined ships and materials turned into homes with a burning firelight. The island was huge, but unlike most of the pictures Kaldur had seen as a kid, these isles had no beaches and palm trees but rather jungle underbrush strapped onto large mountainous rocks that emerged like spears through the sea. The fleet of ships that Kaldur accompanied were heading through an odd overpass that looked like a semi-circle stone hole which lead into the heart of the city structure. From what he could see, the city itself spanned most of the island, or at least all that his vision caught. With many small lanterns and lights keeping the structures in sight, Kaldur watched as the docks on the lowest section were far more rugged than the buildings, if one could call them that, that sat atop the highest points of the island.
The structures were easily made out of the remains of wrecked ships and drift wood; yet they were not the only ones there. Some creations looked far less temporary than the dwellings of the marauders that held him captive. As Kaldur gazed around the exterior of the isles, he found that there were many small turret-like structures that sat half covered in the ocean's waters. Each one looked to have been made of serpentine fish whose maws opened to swallow the water that passed through their teeth.
"Serpent Callers." Came a gruff voice from behind Kaldur.
Turing around, Kaldur was face to face with the leader of the crew. Now that his head was far clearer than it had been before, he was able to make out the details of the burly six-foot. Aside from his shirtless exterior covered in tattoos of sea-creatures and hooks, the man had a torn-up face that made it look like he had too many altercations with the ocean wildlife. The man still had both of his eyes, each a dark green like that of the ocean, and his head carried with it a full mane tattered with grey stripes. His beard was quite burly and thick but was dreaded in many places and sown together with small bones and metal pieces.
"Come again?" Kaldur asked, his gaze stern towards his captor.
"Those are the names of the pillars you keep looking at." Smiled the man.
Kaldur was a little disturbed by the man's skill at observation, but in all the cases that they had met, the leader was far from crude; in fact, it was easy to say that he wasn't unpleasant to be around.
"What are they for?" Kaldur asked returning his gaze to the open maws.
The burly fellow smoothed his way next to Kaldur, careful not to trip on the dangling chains.
"They serve as this islands defense, and its terror. Each one can keep a bearded lady at bay."
"Bearded lady?" Kaldur asked, his eyebrows raised.
"This." The gruff individual pointed at his shoulder where the image of a tentacled, multi-eyed, creature stood poised against a large galleon; one that was nearly a hundredth of its size.
Kaldur shuddered a bit at the thought. The man laughed heartily, his large hand gripping his stomach.
"What's your name kid?" The bearded individual asked, wiping a tear from his eye.
Kaldur was unsure about friending his captor, but he was quite positive that it would be far worse should he mouth off.
"Kaldur." He answered.
"Kaldur, huh? Not a name I've heard before, but we do get the strangest around here, all from far and wide."
There was a small pause as the man leaned a little far forward. "Names Grend, sailor, harpooner, and hunter by trade."
Kaldur nodded in a halfhearted greeting.
"Don't worry kid. My men and I have never mistreated a prisoner in our lives, can't say the same thing about my old boss, but just be sure that while you are in my hands, I will keep you and your young lady friend safe."
Grend made a big grin and turned around to see to the rest of his men. Kaldur didn't have the heart to tell him that Ahri was the older of the two.
Kaldur wasn't quite sure how to react to the cheery exterior that the man portrayed, but it didn't ease his suspicion, anger, or disappointment in himself; he was a prisoner of men he knew nothing of. Shaking his head at the thoughts of the future, Kaldur turned his attention to the docks as the ships pulled in to the harbor.
The Slaughter Docks were just as the name implied. Here steam and smoke rose from the ground as machines worked to carry large monsters onto platforms by chained hooks. As Kaldur observed he saw that the creatures that were mounted onto the platforms were being strewn apart bit by bit, each creature the size of a large ship or bigger. Looking down he noticed that much of the chum, blood, tissue that fell into the harbor water was immediately attacked by something resembling sharks which stirred up a fine froth over the colored blue water. It wasn't just the sections near the docks that imitated this behavior, however; it was happening all around the harbor as the chained and harpooned creatures were dragged through the water.
Looking up, Kaldur noticed that many platforms in the back, behind the slaughtering of creatures, were moving up and down like elevators with supplies and weapons that took the items farther up the chain of buildings. Each one making this place look more and more that of an old industrial complex.
"Hoist to port!" called Grend from the upper deck. "Make sure the Caller gets that creature into Marris' dock. I don't want that thing in the water any more than it has been."
Kaldur watched as three other ships within the small fleet of five began to wane towards the docks, dragging the giant bulb of a creature with them.
"As for us, I want boats in the water and this train of vagabonds near the warehouses before the sun sets."
Kaldur was led by chains to the edge of the ship where long ladders were dropped towards the long boats which had previously lay in the center of the deck. As the smaller boats were levied into the air by ropes, and dropped into the ocean below, Kaldur and the rest of the prisoners were tossed into the loose skiffs where the waves that wracked the harbor shook them in return. With Grend sitting in his and Ahri's ship, the prisoners began their trudge into the depths of the city of Bilgewater.
The internals of the city were far more complex than Kaldur had first observed. While the entire city was sure made of old ship parts, it was not just a mismatch of pieces; oddly enough there seemed to be an order to this chaos. With rope bridges, ladders, platforms, and machines that bound the crossways of the upper levels; the higher the city went the wealthier the city looked. On the lowest level near the rivers, and docks, stood the businesses and shady alleys that were lit with torches and a green hue of the ocean surface. Each building looked like it was the slums of the underground, where around every corner was a seedy bar and someone playing a game of cards or dice. Here it seemed like every person was doing something, whether it was to survive or to thrive.
Rounding the bend of the river, the longboats stopped at a small wooded dock where Grend and his men jumped off the skiffs and tied them to the wooden posts, each littered with barnacles from the resulting water. Dragged off the boat by his chains, along with the rest of the magic users, Kaldur was led along the wooden walkways that outlined the buildings on the base level. Taking a left down one of the more sinister alleyways, Kaldur was directed up a set of stairs where he spiraled to the next level of the industrial chain. The floor was still made of wooden planks as before but instead there was a small sense of vertigo in Kaldur's head as he heard the floor creak beneath his feet, each step making his stomach clench with his uncertainty of the footing.
At this point it became clear that Grend didn't like followers and didn't like the way that people eyed whatever he deemed as a prize because, as Kaldur observed, they had passed the same intersection twice along their way through the second level of the city. With a quick maze check, Grend finally settled that they were clear to move on and the bound members arrived in front of a small tavern that read 'The Lonely Wharf Rat' in the Noxian tongue. Kaldur wasn't entirely sure what a Wharf Rat was, but he was quite certain that if it was anything like a real rat, they were pests of a vicious nature.
The crew made their way through the tight wooden entrance to the establishment, where Kaldur and Ahri were greeted by a softly lit bar and a plethora of tables that were made of rough wooden circles surrounded by small stools. Roped netting layered the walls while the lights made of either fire or small blue crystals, what Kaldur assumed was hextech, were scattered in between the gaps. The bar was easily full with all manner of alcohol and a thin bald man in a tight leather suit made of some aquatic skin was standing behind the counter where he was making a set of drinks as the crew of the fleet came wandering through the door.
"How many will it be Grend?" Asked the man behind the counter.
"Have Mary bring mine up to the room, I have a few appointments to make."
"Understood." Accepted the man.
Grend spun around to the first member of his crew he could see before speaking. "Derk, take this lot to the merry room. I want three guards on them at all times, and for the sake of all keep the chains on." He paused for a moment, thinking. "And keep them separated!"
"Aye, sir." Responded Derk before he led the group by the arm with the rest of his men helping.
Entering through a draped door in the back that was covered in orange and red silk, Kaldur found himself in a hallway lit with red lanterns and covered in red silk which barricaded the door openings of the many rooms that came along with it. At first it was confusion that layered Kaldur's mind as he walked along the carpeted floor, but as the sounds of moaning echoed through the openings in the drapery the sudden urge to leave this place became all the more paramount. Blushing a little too deeply Kaldur looked up to see that Ahri had a small mischievous grin on her face as she noticed the sounds. Noticing his gaze upon her, Ahri squinted her eyes and made a far more vigorous smile at Kaldur making him spin his head away in fervor.
Ahri chuckled under her breath at her companions' obvious discomfort.
Arriving at the rear of the hallway, Kaldur entered the studded wooden door and found himself in a massive bedchamber. Lined with red silk drapes that hung from the ceiling, the room was made to set a mood for those who partook within its walls. As the floor was carpeted with some odd wool, and candles could be seen around every bend, the oddest part of the room were the mass of cages that stood half buried into the outer walls of the room.
At first Kaldur couldn't tell what the use would be for these objects in a room such as this, but as his gaze fell to the spaces in between them he realized exactly what this room was for.
"They even have this crap here!?" Kaldur spoke in shock.
Derk seemed to pause for a moment before spinning his head towards Kaldur. "I can feel ya kid. Place don't set right with me either." The man stated with a grimace.
Shaking his head, Derk directed each of the Ionian magicians, Kaldur, and Ahri to their own individual cages; quite careful to keep Kaldur and Ahri on separate sections of the room. Taking in the numbers, it was the first time Kaldur had remembered that there were eleven prisoners in total and only ten cages in the room. At first it seemed like their would be a pair stuck in a singular cage, but that idea didn't seem to be the case.
It was quite the shock to Kaldur, and the others, as one of the magic users who were in his group struck back at the nearest guard, chucking him into the cage wall, chains rattling.
The man looked like a smaller and more wrinkled version of an elf that was plastered with pale skin. While he didn't look harmful, it was clear that this man had been around the sea a few times. Elbowing the nearest guard in the stomach, the chains that this man wore around his neck, arms, and ankles didn't slow him down. Kaldur himself felt the need to join in the commotion. As the older magician stopped his spin, his arms raised above him and he began to chant. At first, the guards seemed to freeze as they heard the words being uttered in the Ionian tongue. Yet as the chanting finished, it was only silence that proceeded afterwards.
The guards began to laugh.
It was a horrid laugh, one that held only hysteria for a man who had attempted to save his own life. The magic he wished to utter did not work.
With a quick flip of his wrist, the magician struck at the guards once more, but the motion was stopped as the enemy blocked the man's attack. With a small motion and some tussling of the remaining guards, the magician was pounded into the floor with the blood from the blows scattering on the walls behind him.
Kaldur wasn't entirely sure that the Ionian was still alive, but in his mind the brutality of his situation came back into focus.
He was still a prisoner, and he was unable to use his magic.
Looking down at his chains he was quite positive that it was the shackles that prevented him from using his magic.
"Anyone else want to cause a bit o' ruckus?" Threatened one of the guards, he was standing over the beaten Ionian with a look of pure enjoyment over his face.
"Get them in the cages!" Barked Derk.
After a few well-placed shoves, and many locks, all of the prisoners were within a separate cage. Kaldur himself sat on the floor and placed his back against the bars on the far edge to watch the room in front of him. Ahri was placed within the cage across from him but each of them focused on the area surrounding them rather than each other, both hoping to find an opening of which escape was possible, despite the pressure they felt.
Kaldur looked down at his feet only to realize just how tired he was. Despite all that had happened Kaldur realized that he was going to need his rest for whatever lay in store for him. Closing his eyes he began to drift to sleep, letting the escaping bliss surround him.
