Malark didn't go into this encounter unprepared, he was ready for a lot of things. Plans and counters had taken into consideration a duel, a riot, a quick escape, and unfortunately they had to account for a potential betrayal. The wizard was facing a ghost from his past and he would not be caught off-guard. Yet here he was, standing in front of a man clearly different from the one he left pinned and dying to a sinking ship, expecting to move on from the ghost. Instead he found that same ghost was pointing to him in shocked recognition.
"You! You were the one who took us down 6 years ago!" The crowd muttered in confusion, uncertain whether to reach for their weapons. "Why the bloody hell are you here? This is my night you wretch! This is the night I become Lord! None of you spineless "heroes" will get in my way. So answer me, why are you here?"
Malark didn't look back at Meira, though she was on his mind as the crowd grew more restless. "I suppose I'm here to see a ghost. Why are you wearing a dead man's name? Ashamed of your own?"
"Hookhand" cursed and spat towards his defiant adversary. "I knew it was you. You and your lads sank the boat with the captain impaled on the mast. The rest of his crew were just minnows getting in the way of your shark hunt. We could have all drowned in that dark drink, storm beating down on us. You wouldn't have given a damn."
The pirate stood on his perch shaking with rage as memories brought him to silence. While the crew seemed ready to jump on Malark at any moment before, now they backed away, trying not to get caught in their captain's wrath. He suddenly lifted his head to the sky and bellowed "Well this Minnow became a Shark! And you, here all alone, like some sort of Invincible Hero? You're nothing but dinner."
Malark had heard enough. Without waiting for the Pirate Lord to finish his threat or draw his blade the wizard blasted a Ray of Frost straight through two of the supporting barrels under his makeshift stage. As the cold pierced and shattered the wood, a small hole snapped in the stage planks, dropping the pirate's right leg down below. Hookhand caught himself roughly on his hip, gasping in pain before bellowing at his crew. "Get him!"
But without missing a beat after his spell, Malark reached into his cloak and pulled out his countermeasure to a riot: a spell scroll. Hoping that his companion had enough knowledge to follow his lead, the wizard shouted, "Three half elves near the cargo!"
As the scroll opened and was activated the words of power, rough hands reached its user from behind. With a rush of magic and a spray of fine sand, the scroll activated, reaching out in a sphere with Malark at the epicenter. As the magic pulsed outwards, the arms encircling his waist slowly loosened as their owners dropped to the floor fast asleep.
The magic was powerful and widespread, as the crowd had packed in within 50 feet, every pirate without elven blood was forced into a magical slumber. Half drawn weapons scattered to the dirt of the camp and a few small fires even broke out from the torches held aloft by crew members.
A cry rang out as one of the half elf pirates fell afoul of an unseen blade. Meira had taken Malark's cue and had sought out the half-bloods he had discovered while waiting for the captain to arrive. The fey ancestry of Malark, Meira and her victim prevented them from succumbing to magical sleep, though as the man fell in a pool of his own blood, he clearly envied his comrades their dreams.
A rough cry from the stage refocused Malark's attention. As the pirate Hookhand slowly paced forward, limping slightly but still standing strong. Without waiting for an explanation Malark casted the same spell that had bested his predecessor and sent a spike of ice hurling towards the black heart of the Pirate Lord.
The spell struck true but as the Ice Spike pierced flesh it dissolved into waves of energy and Malark noticed the hanging skull medallion around Hookhand's neck was now glowing with power.
"Heh heh heh, bet you weren't expected that were ya Hero? Your little castings won't hurt me so long as I wear this!" Hookhand walked over and kicked one of his crew. When he didn't awaken, he grabbed for the horn around his neck and blew into it. While the slumbering crew didn't rise, a set of guards on the ship responded to the call. Bows were drawn as they spotted Malark alone with their captain and a first volley was released upon command.
Another spell provided a shield of wind that diverted two arrows from finding their mark but Malark was still under attack. Both remaining half elf pirates were charging with their cutlasses, unaffected by the sleep and seemingly left untouched by Meira.
The wizard found reason to draw his previously unused blade and blocked the first strike roughly. Strength nor swordsmanship was his forte, but he managed to use his position to avoid the second strike before his opponent tore his sword from his grasp.
Malark's hands clasped together and a quick familiar spell came to mind as he pushed both palms out and called for the fury of thunder. The Thunderwave pressed out in a cube, pushing back the two half elves, but once again passing harmlessly over Hookhand, his medallion growing even brighter.
Before Malark could recover, a weighted glove backhanded him across the cheek, and a metal hook tore at the side of his jerkin. The half-elf hero backed up, stumbling over bodies and barely dodging arrows as he backpedaled towards the sea side of the cove camp.
Hookhand raised his arm once again to signal the archers to cease fire and then tore the cloak from his shoulders. The pirate tossed aside his hat and drew his blade, standing menacingly against the wizard, ready to strike. "You're not going to die by an arrow to the heart, no! That would be too quick for the likes of ye! My blade will open you up a dozen times and my hook will peel flesh from bone. You'll be begging for death before I'm done with ye!"
Quick and sure, Malark stood up quickly and instinctively shot another Ray of Frost towards Hookhand. It impacted but dissolved just like the others but now the wizard was on his feet with some space to work with. As he observed, the glowing necklace was brighter, but only towards the center. Some of the outer stones were no longer glowing.
Hookhand caught him staring "You like my pretty here? A warlock gave it to me to protect against pathetic casters that can't fight like real men. I've worn it every day for two years in case we met again!" Hookhand stabbed his sword into the dirt and pulled out a small sphere from his pouched, it glowed with flickering lights of yellow-red. As he hurled it at Malark's feet, it exploded with flame and force, pushing the wizard back and forcing him closer towards the docks. A nearby tent caught on fire and some of the sleeping pirates were now smoldering corpses.
"That warlock also gave me these pretty presents. I'm going to use the breath of a dragon to burn down whatever I please. Nothing will stop me from being Lord, especially not the same bastard that cost me captain his life and took the fear from all Sword Coast pirates!" Malark's next spell missed wide, caused smoke getting impeding his normally sure eyes. As he readied yet another elemental casting, he stumbled to his knees. His eyes were drawn to the right where he saw the Snake lying on the ground with an empty scroll container on his side. Malark felt his heart sink as he realized that Meira had only taken out the half elf because she was between her and the scroll….
"For too long we've been running and hiding! Those blasted marines knew that we had lost our leader. They hunted us day and night, till merchant ships sailed these waters with nary a care in the world. Fat and lazy they were till I brought the fear back." Malark didn't even register the monologue of victory as he thought back to these past few weeks. His mind couldn't help wondering if he had been that much of a fool to think he mattered to a rogue he knew nothing about. He couldn't focus on his enemy or cast a spell, he felt like if these were his final moments, he should be thinking about his friends and those he fought with not some ridiculous copycat or scheming betrayer. Even though he kept thinking about violet…. BOOM.
Hookhand threw two more dragon's breath spheres around him, cutting off Malark's escape to the sides and shaking him out of his thoughts. Hookhand was still talking "I've come too far and killed too many to let you foil my plans. With you dead, no one will stand in my way!" But with the speech and the posturing came time and room that let Malark study the necklace with arcane knowledge. Three stones near the medallion were lit up and glowing with a bright aura and the three further stones were dark. The wizard guessed the dark stones were countered spells, meaning three more spells could be blocked. There was no certainty in this fight. Malark needed to gamble and see if a powerful enough casting could take out more than one stone simultaneously. He let Hookhand continue…. "You followed me in my nightmares! You haunted me! I will put you out of your misery you dog! Then the great Hookhand will rule and the captain's name will live on forever!"
Peace and quiet settled in Malark's mind despite the flames and the crazed ranting. While his ring weighed heavily on his neck, and he felt his failures and remaining tasks pulling his head down, up rose his head with pride. Malark os Mys Shari had cast his magic and his defiance into every evil he passed. He fought alongside good beings, saved innocents and inspired many. To say there were no regrets was a lie, but here, surrounded by flames and staring down yet another face of evil, Malark knew he had lived his life well. And if he died, then he would fall into his beloved ocean, and that was an end he couldn't have written better.
Though turning to the sea he couldn't stop the thought 'I wish I had taken her sailing just once….'
Hookhand was ten feet away. His eyes gleaming in triumph. The pirate had his prey cornered. Six years of his life were coming to a head and as he enjoyed his victory, the gloating came naturally. He stepped over the body of another sleeping crew member as he made his way to the wooden dock. Finally, he was the big shark and no one could stop him. "You'll die for the captain, for the crew and for me!" Malark readied a bolt of lightning. "Finally, I'm the big shark and no one can- SHRRRRRK.
The tip of a familiar Kukri blade stared at Malark through the chest of his nemesis. The blowhard pirate looked down at his lifeblood seeping away; the grand conquest of his nemesis was rudely interrupted. The blade slipped out and the man fell to his knees. Hookhand II, the merciless Demon Captain and pirate lord of the Sword Coast died confused. His last thought was resentment that he hadn't gotten to finish his speech.
Meira stood with both blades drawn and gave Malark a wry sarcastic look. "I mean honestly, who talks for five minutes while throwing bombs at an opponent? Was he planning to kill or deafen you?"
Malark was….. conflicted. Obviously, there was relief and a surge of compassion and pride for his tricky companion. But there was also a bit of a drop in his stomach, like he had lost out on him big climactic life defining mo- oh wait, shit he forgot. Malark unleashed his prepared lightning bolt directly to his left, impaling the pirate ship and frying the two archers who were getting back to their senses. The well placed bot even managed to fry a good hole in the center mast, laming the ship so the crew couldn't use it for more plunder.
With a shake of his head the wizard cast out his stupid disappointed thoughts, shook his hand of the remaining lighting magic and pulled the violet haired rogue into a tight embrace. One which she did not return the same way as the kukri blades were still in her hands. "Ummmm trying not to stab you but I do appreciate the thought."
The two backed away a bit and readjusted. The wizard spoke first "I'm just glad you were still around to save my ass."
"Well I've barely gotten to appreciate it prope—hang on. Did you think I left you to die?" Silence hung awkwardly in the air for a few beats. Meira did a mental review of the past five minutes in her head. "Ok, well I guess I was a little focused on the scroll, especially with all the flames and the bombs. Hmmmm…. Maybe I did leave it a little late there but honestly, I was just waiting for him to shut up or give me an opening and he only did one. I suppose…. I could apologize later when we're alone."
Malark's quick banter response was of course, interrupted by an enormous explosion. Because he is one unlucky wizard with a major crush and these things happen. One of the many torch fires had been spreading gradually through the brush and cloth until it had reached the crates of Dragon's Breath near the entrance. The large crater it blew in the ground sent sparks and chunks of flaming earth throughout the campsite, killing many of the unlucky pirates and immediately waking the rest.
Chaos was everywhere as Meira looked around alone, the men were screaming everywhere, the docks were sputtering with flames, and the lightning scarred ship now had chucks of it blown out by flaming earth. The rogue sat up after being blown back on her ass by the explosion, looking around for Malark who had disappeared during the blast. Luckily her blades were lying right next to her hands so she picked them up in time to intercept one of the panicked sailors. She caught wind of the Snake starting to rally the rest of the men and backed to the end of the pier. At first it seemed he wanted them to just put out the remaining fires. Then Snake looked down at the empty container nearby and sought her out, rage and revenge taking full priority over the preservation of crewmates lives. He gathered his men and found her position, moving towards her in order to overwhelm her with numbers.
Meira had plenty of time to gather her wits and her weapons but no time to escape. Her only assailant lay dead at her feet, but more were coming. They approached slowly and methodically, as if the world weren't burning behind them. With ten feet between them Meira had formulated three ways out with a less than 10% chance at success.
Suddenly a large gust of icy wind somehow passed over her completely and blew chunks of sleet into her approaching playmates. Meira turned and despite the wind and ice could see Malark perched shirtless on a rigged skiff, his hands pointing out and directing the storm forward. The violet haired half elf was never slow on the uptake, so she sheathed her weapons and darted towards the skiff. With a perfect jump, Meira landed on Malark's soaking wet cloak and shirt.
As they cast off, Malark effortlessly guiding the skiff out towards the exit of the cove, she looked up and blessed her dark vision. There was something purely unique and intense about seeing someone attractive in their element and Meira was drinking in Malark at his most pure: piloting a vessel with a grin on his face while casting storm magic straight into the forces of evil before escaping with the treasure.
That grin was pointed towards her now and she couldn't help but revert to old habits and try to put him down a peg or two. Meira poked him in the chest "What's with the fashion statement? Decided to show off for the men onshore?"
"I was somehow both soaking wet and on fire! Magical combustibles are a bitch, eh?" Burned patches of his cloak confirmed this as it lay in tatters beneath her, he also had a hole in his pants, which was fortunately or unfortunately on his outer calf. "Pleasant night for a sail isn't it, huh Gorgeous?"
Meira fell silent, smiling and blushing but refusing to answer, instead sitting down in the skiff and looking back towards shore. The pirates were waving their cutlasses impotently in the air as 50 feet of water lay between them and their quarry. Purple eyes started to close in relaxation before she heard a snap of fingers and an "oh" behind her.
As Meira turned back towards Malark, she felt one more spell being cast above her head. A look of concentration and a narrowing of eyes was soon replaced by a smug look of triumph as he looked down at her pleased as a puppy. "Got that good-looking Snake bastard right in his face!"
She decided that now was a time for a better embrace than earlier.