Fall of the stormchaser
Discalimer: Edge belongs to Paul Steward
Every sky pirate knows three things : How to steer a sky ship, if the ratbirds leave your skyship you should too and avoid ships that has a Leaguesmaster on board. Cloud Wolf only knew two of those rules...
The trog he had rescued's name turned out to be Maugin. She was very shy and kept looking down longinly at the ground until she became scared. She was literally teared in half. High up in a sky ship, she wants nothing more than to go back underground but everytime she looks she seems to be farther away from it. Marris had been nice to her and treated her wounds with incredible effecincy. She had been unable to face the ship and the rest of the crew until Marris had the idea of giving her the old stone pilot suit. She could explain it but she felt safe in it.
Cloud Wolf was standing on the helm of his ship looking through his spyglass when he noticed Maugin. She was touching the flight rock somewhat lovingly. He walked over to her. "Does the rock remind you of home?" he asked her kindly. She was thankfull for the suit which hid her blush. "Yes" she answerd timidly. She was yet to warm up to the captain but she could talk to him. He and Maris were the only ones she could do that to. "It's the only thing onboard that looks like it can belong underground. Like me." Cloud Wolf smiled and sat down on the deck. "Your desire to be underground is like my desire to sail the skies. In the blood" Maugin loosend slightly. Cloud Wolf looked at her and back at the flight rock. "Tell you what. I can teach you a lot about this rock. How to make it lighter, how to make it heavier. Anything you would like to know." She smiled a smile that no one saw.
Over the span of three days to Stormchaser went down once to get supplies. During that time Maugin had learned a considerable amount about the flight rock. Once when a very cold wind hit the stormchaser she managed to manipulate the flight torches until the rock was at the perfect temperature. Maris had praised her along with everone else but she alone was nervous. Maugin although still shy, was spending more and more time with the flight rock. Cloud Wolf had joked that she would become their new stone pilot. The thing was , Marris knew he was probably right.
And so it was a week after meeting her , Maugin became Cloud Wolf's stone pilot. Once more he was standing on the helm but this time he saw something. A massive ship, looking as though it was filled to the brim with goods. He immiedly set course towards it. "Get ready for boarding!" he cried drawing his blade. Maris was down below with Spleethe nursing his fever. Neither of them heard the captains call. And unfortunetly they were the only ones who knew that this particular ship was the ship of the leaguesmaster himself. "Go down to the hold Maugin" he orderd kindely, but firmly. She ran off without a second thought.
Spiker readied his crossbow. Tem drew his sword. Stope did the same and fired the ballitsa like contraption the sky pirates used to grapple on to enemy ships. The managed to make it onboard the ship no problem no problem but stared at what they saw. At least twenty flat head goblins had assembeled on the deck behind which hid several timid gentleman in large hats. Cloud Wolf knew they probably stood no chance but he wasn't giving up. With a great cry he flung himself at the flat heads.
They were losing and badly. The flat heads hadn't made a kill yet but that was only luck and Cloud Wolf skil. He had drawn them into a corner were the flatheads had to fight one on one. Two flat head lay dead but it wasn't enough. Suddenly Quint saw a lighting bolt illuminate the entire area. He saw into their cargo hold and saw what it contained. Among various other things a massive albino banderbear. "Stope go get the ballitsa!" Stope only just managed it. He recived a slight nick on his jaw before a well aimed arrow from Spiker ensured he would see no more facial injuries. "Fire at the hold!' Cloud Wolf yelled. Stope replied without a moments hesitation. He then saw a massive albino banderbear jump out of the hold.
The banderbear swept through the flat head ranks and gave the sky pirates time to escape. However not even the banderbear was a match for that many flat heads. When they left Cloud Wolf fought a while longer so that the banderbear could get onboard with him.
Disenheartened they left the mire and returned to Undertown. They hid the stormchaser in the mire. It would take money to repair it, money Quint didn't have. The rest of the crew left him but they promised if he ever tried again they would help. Marris however had practically adopted Maugin. Trying not to sound depressed she asked Cloud Wolf what he was going to do. His answer was simple. He would find work onboard a league ship until he had sufficent funds and information to continue. The next day Cloud Wolf found work for all three of them. They were to sail under a captain named Multinius Gobtrax.