CHAPTER XV

"Ye' wanted somethin' to prove yerself, colt, well I've got a serious' mission that may suit ye'..."

/

"Word 'bout the docks is a group o' them fishback lovin' Pirates 'ave holed up in Sastasha…" An aged fisherman gossiped with a friend as they peddled their fresh catches.

"The guild's lookin' for rough 'n ready sorts to go and clear the place out."

The friend shook his head in disgust. "As if the fishbacks weren't bad enough... those damned Serpent Reaver Pirates are doin' there dirty work too…"

Maleko listened to the conversation interestedly, and finally approached the two men, introducing himself himself.

"Evenin' mates. What's all this about "Fish Backs, and Pirates?"

The old fisherman looked him up and down, and then explained. "Surely ye've heard o' the Sahagin? Well they take men, and taint' their mind wit' foul magicks, and bend 'em to the will o' their lord, Leviathan."

The friend nodded, "Aye, and if the bastards 'ave holed up in the seagrot, they're in a prime location to raid and waylay ships."

/

"Any luck, Broda?" Bhaldryss inquired as Maleko entered the Drowning Wench.

Maleko told his brother of the Pirate hideaway, explaining that the Guild was paying a hefty chuck of change for the clearing of the cave.

"Ah, now that's more o' my speed." Bhaldryss grinned. "So we stroll through yonder' cove, clear out some bewitched Pirates, slay a few beasties, and we walk away, all the richer?"

"That's the long and short o' it" Maleko smiled. "We'll gather some more info on this Sastasha place, and set out first thing tomorrow"

Seeing Maleko returned for the day, the young waitress, a Miqo'te named Mirri, hurried over, smiling shyly. "Welcome back, Maleko. Can I get anything for you?"

/

The sun was still low in the sky over the La Noscean country side as Maleko and Bhaldryss walked down the torch-lit path to the Sastasha Seagrot. A pair of eyes stared at them from the shadows of crates and barrels stacked by the entrance to the Seagrot. Maleko made no sign of noticing the watcher, and instead stopped before them with his brother.

"Here we are, Broda… No sign o' our man. Suppose we'll set up an' have some food while we wait. Tis' going to be a long day."

Not the most patient of men, the watcher gritted his teeth as he watched the men set down their packs, make a fire, and cook sausages on a cast iron skillet. Soon they were chatting and laughing, seemingly without a care in the world, however Maleko never once let the crates out of his sight.

After a while, the brothers fell into a companionable silence, until Bhaldryss nodded meaningfully to his brother.

"Whoever you are, come on out where we can see ye'. Don' make any sudden moves either, the big man here gets spooked easily, and ye' don't want that… trust me" Maleko called to the watcher behind the crates.

Bhaldryss unsheathed his axe, frowning in distaste as a Miqo'te stood up from behind the crates. A cocky grin played across his face as he moved from his hiding place, hands in the air.

"Oh please, master ruffmans, don' sick yer' pet bear on me…" Suddenly the Miqo'te rolled to the side, hurling a knife towards Bhaldryss. "I'd hate to 'ave to mill 'im up!"

Bhaldryss was just fast enough to turn his shoulder towards the blade, catching it with a dull thud in the thick pauldron he wore.

"Oi'! That coulda put me eye out, ye' slippery lil' bastard!" the Roegadyn roared, charging toward the fleeting figure as the Miqo'te gained his feet, and produced two vicious daggers from his belt.

With a ferocious swing, Bhaldryss aimed to make the assailant a head shorter, but the man seemed to disappear, the axe whiffing through air as the Miqo'te rolled to the side coming up with a spinning slash, leaving thick cuts in Bhaldryss' armor.

Bellowing in anger, Bhaldryss grabbed the smaller man, lifting him into the air and tossing him heavily into the crates, smashing them into pieces and producing an audible huff of releasing air as the wind was knocked from the thrown Miqo'te.

The man slowly picked himself up from the debris, brushing himself off, and frowning. "What'r ye feedin' this thing… I'll take you bloody Pirates to justice, if tis' the last thing I do!"

Bhaldryss charged forward, intent on finishing the job, but was stopped as Maleko shouted, snapping him out of the building berserker haze that was coming over him.

"Bhaldryss, hold a minute... What did ye' call us?" Maleko asked the Miqo'te.

"Don't play dumb, Pirate! You and yer' coves holed up in this cavern, and I'm goin' to bring you and yer' trained bear here, and make ye' cry cockles to the Admiralty."

"What are you on about?!" Maleko asked, stepping between the two men, both bristling to get at the other.

"Yer' dumber than ye' look, mate, I'm sayin' the jig is up. I'll be upholdin' the code, and bringin' ya in for yer crimes!"

"That won't be necessary, Rogue…" The man that Maleko and Bhaldryss had been waiting for arrived, a Yellow Jacket, holding the official Guild contract sanctioning the brothers to enter the cove without repercussions.

NOTE: So... like a derp, I only just realized that the line breaks I've written on my Word Documents, were not transferring to the documents I upload on the site, so the flow of my chapters has been mashed together. I will be going back to fix them!