Chapter XXI
Waves crashed steadily against the hull of a ship in full sail as men sprawled lazily across the deck. Men on duty scrambled to and fro amongst their lounging shipmates, climbing ratlines, performing maintenance on cannons, checking the anchor for rust, adjusting neatly coiled piles of mooring lines and rope.
Marcellus' ears twitched as gulls called from above, following lazily behind the ship. The Crimson Tide was underway! Land crawled by far off their port side. Just a week ago, a merchant had approached Maleko to hire his crew to transport goods to Vesper Bay in Western Thanalan. The young Miqo'te gazed down from his perch in the Crow's Nest. At the helm of the ship stood a beaming Hyur, wind blowing through his hair as he adjusted the wheel mere fractions of an ilm to the left or right.
Maleko had not left the helm since the outset of their journey. He had never felt so alive! Every bump, every jerk, every twitch of the helm… a gentle whispering from his ship, speaking to him, coming to life at his fingertips as it glided gracefully across the sea. Waves carved in two, breaking and leaving foaming wake in their trail.
Below decks, crew members, drank, talked, and gambled. The steady thrumming of a Lute echoed around the hold as a jolly Lalafell propped up on a stool played familiar sea songs. Every now and again the men would join in singing a particularly popular tune. Bhaldryss sat in a corner sharpening his axe, and humming along.
The Crimson Tide's "maiden" voyage was off to a great start… but that would soon all change as a flash of movement caught Marcellus' sharp eye. Squinting into the sunlight, Marcellus leaned over the railing of the crow's nest. It was hard to make out, but rippling forms were moving through the water towards the ship at an alarming rate.
"Movement off the starboard bow, heading towards the ship!" Marcellus called from his perch. The Captain's head snapped towards the movement, easing the helm to the port, putting more room between the oncoming shapes and his ship.
An eerie silence stretched over the ship, broken only by the slapping of waves against the hull. Even the gulls seemed to sense the tension, growing quiet in their ever looping spirals…
"Sahagin!" Marcellus shouted, finally being able to make out the shapes. "Sahagin off the starboard bow!"
"All hands on deck! Arm yerselves lads! I'll be damned if them soggy bastards find us unprepared!" Maleko boomed out across the ship, snapping the crew to life. The silence was shattered like a dream, giving way to scrambling boots, shouted orders, and clanging of brandished weapons. With a splash, the anchor was dropped into the depths, slowing the ship to a rocking halt.
Loud thuds shook the ship as Sahagin rammed against the hull. Fountains of water erupted from the sea as Sahagin warriors boarded the Crimson Tide, hissing and gurgling curses at the "Finleshhhhh ones"
"Give 'em hell, boys!" Maleko roared, as he lept from the helm, spearing an intruder with a dropping thrust from his harpoon. The Sahagin crumpled under him with a gurgle. There was a moment of silence that seemed to stretch for eternity before the decks erupted into chaos.
Man and Beast clashed all across the deck, shouting curses. The crew was hardly found wanting, many of them seasoned men of the sea, and the Sahagin fell slowly… but for every beast that dropped or retreated into the sea, two more seemed to take their place.
Marcellus descended from his perch, landing on all fours as he skipped the last rungs. In a crouch, he scanned the chaos. Towering over the churning masses Bhaldryss could be seen lashing out left and right, crumpling Sahagin at his feet. A familiar glint could be seen in his eyes, and a sinking feeling crept into Marcellus' gut. Taking off at a run, he shouldered his way through the melee towards the raging Roegadyn.
Coming to a sliding halt, the young rogue approached the Roegadyn, who turned, looming over him with a wicked, bloody grin on his face. Bhaldyrss raised his axe over his head, and then brought it crashing down, sending Marcellus rolling to avoid the swing. Rolling to his feet, Marcellus heard the Roegadyn laugh like rolling thunder.
"Worry not, furball, I ain't gone yet!" Bhaldryss bellowed, heaving his axe out of a dead Sahagin's chest. The creature crumpled to the deck, twisted trident dropping from scaly fingers as bloody foam gurgled forth from its mouth. "Let us send these scalekin back to their sodden mothers!"
The sun sunk low in the sky as the last of the Sahagin retreated to the depths, gurgling curses as they went. The crew erupted in cheer, calling obscenities and insults at the retreating beasts. The men had seen their first combat at sea as a crew, and they had been largely successful! They suffered only minor injuries, cuts and stabs, from the Sahagin's wicked makeshift weapons.
As the injured gathered up and were administered basic first aid, young swabbies scattered about the deck cleaning, washing blood over the sides, and tossing any Sahagin remains back where they belonged. It was bloody, stomach turning work, but it could not damper their spirits. For many of the swabbies, it was their first time at sea, and they were positively brimming with excited energy as they worked in groups, chattering about the battle, each exaggerating their part more each time they told it.
"Weigh anchors! Let's get 'er under sails, we'll be to Vesper Bay 'afore nightfall!" called Captain Kaleo. "An' where's Nonoso?! The lil' bugger didn' get swept away now did 'e?... Let's get some songs, an' the good drink! We've earned it."