Chapter 12
On the Seas Again!
"No offence laddie, but how do you expect us to get to the Oligos with this big tub?" Schneider asked as the walked on the deck of a ship.
"Well, we can't exactly use the commercial ferries to travel," Maxwell answered. The mage was back in his robes made at the Tearoom. He actually liked fabric and the way it felt on body. Maxwell was busy looking at all the rigging on the ship though, "And you said this was the ship your wife came in on, right?"
"Yes. The Rokuron Dokuron," Schneider said with distaste. It was a vanity project if he ever saw one. The skulls on the twin figureheads were a direct representation of it's captain. And that red lacquer was going to be expensive to keep up.
Buzz was of a similar mind, chuffing at the strange smells around the deck. He even peed on one of the railing, which made Schneider crack a smile.
Maxwell laughed, "Don't worry Schneider. We'll be getting rid of this thing as soon as it's served its use."
Roba had informed them that most of the Bigalo Pirates had been arrested when the Marines raided the club. Maxwell had decided to use poetic justice by choosing this ship. It was both Roba's deliverance and her living hell.
After all, this sushi platter might not even survive the journey!
"Now I just need to see the helm…!" Maxwell murmured as he marched up to the pagoda styled mansion that was the cabin.
Inside immediately opened up to the dining area. It was surprisingly lavish for how sparse it was. The tables were low to the floor, atop a mat laid platform, surrounded by cushions. The walls were made of red pillars between wood screens. And a plaque, above the high table, read "Dining Area," in kanji.
Maxwell immediately started walking through the cabin. Each room, looking like variations of the dining hall.
"Kitchen." "Medical." "Records." "Storage." "Washroom." "Bridge."
"—Ah, here we go!" The bridge was about a floor up from the deck level. It was a hooded balcony, with the all important stirring wheel, a pipe intercom, and a den-den mushi sitting on a desk. A journal lay open on it—probably the captain's log of their journey.
As you looked out, you could see the entire ship below. Maxwell tried to imagine standing here on the open sea. The crew bustling beneath him. A king on the open ocean!
Maxwell shook his head in amusement. The Rokuron Dokuron was certainly bigger than the Going Merry, maybe even the Thousand Sunny. It was ship meant for a crew of at least one hundred. That meant you needed space and coordination to sail this ship.
But in this case, size didn't matter. Because this ship lacked the two things that Sunny had!
Heart!
…And an Adam wood hull!
Both of which Maxwell could take advantage of!
As soon as the mage touched the ship, he could tell that the Rokuron had no klabauterman. No spirit came in response to their intrusion. To the owners, this ship was simply a means to an end. And Maxwell was just fine with that!
Schneider followed in behind him, "Okay, you found the wheel. But how do you plan to—? WOAH!"
Maxwell thrust his hand down! Mana spewing from his palm! Schneider watched in fascination as the magic spread throughout the ship. Buzz tried sniffing the cerulean misty rivers as they soaked into the wood, coiled along it's cords! Maxwell was energizing the ship.
The mage spread his foci into a triangle around the helm. Then with a flick of his wrist, the mooring ropes came loose, retracting onto the deck. The sail unfurled, rope tugging, wheels turning, as it anchored itself.
Schneider could see the anchor rising out of the bay, "How are you doing this?"
"When our crew first got a proper pirate ship, I used telekinesis to quickly fold and unfurl the sails. As time went on though, I found more and more efficient ways to muster the ship, until eventually, I could control the entire ship with magic."
"…HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Schneider laughed a deep belly laugh at the mage's response. "WELL DON'T JUST SATND THERE! Hoist the colors! Spin the wheel! We're going on an adventure!"
Maxwell grinned in agreement. The wind wasn't with them, but that was easy to solve! The mage conjured a great rune above their ship, and had a Blizzard blow them out of the harbour!
"HA-YAYA! That's cold!" Schneider shivered as he rubbed his arms. It was certainly a cool breeze!
Maxwell just laughed, "Which way, Schneider?" —taking the wheel. Seeing the blizzard gone, Schneider took in their bearings.
"…I'll let that slide, since you're with another crew," said Schneider with grim seriousness! …But he couldn't keep the straight face he was using!
"Hard to starboard, 60 degrees! Just start sailing around that volcano!"
O O O
"I don't know what I've been told~!"
A band of marines were walking across a bridge, singing at a meagre pace. Their troupe leader singing the song while the others refrained.
"Being a marine will never get old!"
The bridge had been painted bright red, and was wide enough to accommodate 2 driving carts beside each other. However, building this bridge was just one of the agreements Creamy Mist had with them being here.
"G-8's gotta keep the peace, alright~!"
Plenty of smiths and engineers were still working on the bridge. Before G-8 was established, the bridges between the Oligo cliffs were little more than rope and wood planks. It was hazardous to travel with more than 1 person. But they did good work here!
"If you don't listen we will use out might!"
Civilians were still allowed to cross the bridges. They had tried to keep the mountain tops relatively alone when constructing the base. There were some interesting sights if you went searching in the jungle plateaus. Signs of what seemed to be an ancient culture cemented in the cliffs. Odd statues sticking out of the dirt. But, most of the people stayed in their stilt houses, heading out to fish. The tide always seemed to swallow one side of the island every other day.
"If they're dumb enough to come near~!"
G-8 base was located in and around Oligo's central cliff. Hanger doors had been embedded to the sheer cliff face. Each one containing an artillery battery to shoot down from. And they did this all around this flat-topped mountain! 13 rings of military grade firepower! —Making the mountain look like spiked club.
"Pirates will always run in fear!"
Thankfully, King Cello had limited the Treasure Wars competitions to the further ends of the islands.
"Our pride!
G-8~!
108 cannons sticking out~!
No enemy shall get in or out!"
"Hey! Let us out!" "Yeah you can't keep us here!" "I thought the Treasure Wars gave us a pardon from our bounties!"
Meanwhile, in the dungeons. All the criminals arrested in last night's raid were making a ruckus. Some of them were pirates from outside the archipelago. Others were local criminals who tried to run. And some were simply people who were drunk enough to get involved with the bar fight. Those were the most vocal!
Saga didn't care though. He sat alone in the dungeon of Oligo Marine Base G-8. His hands were cuffed behind his back in a reinforced wood plank, but he was free of that collar Dreak's grunts had escorted him with.
They were afraid of him. And the marines had every right to be. Most seamen were just grunts, following orders. They didn't have to deal with the bureaucracy behind each decision of their superiors.
No, they just heard rumours. And Saga was fine with that. They didn't matter.
What did concern him though, was the state of his former apprentice…
Saga was lucky he didn't kill Toma. Something had aggravated the Shichiseiken during their duel. Something that woke the sword up.
He could feel the rush of energy as the cursed holy sword used him as a conduit. But it weak, allowing him to keep control. It was like the sword wasn't even interested at Toma. The sword's focus was somewhere else, ignoring the lust for bloodshed.
It wasn't a fair duel.
Saga sighed, adjusting his arms as the cuffs were uncomfortable. He had put himself in this predicament though, even if it was a spur-of-the-moment decision.
The swordsman wanted to know how much of Solona's story was true. In their conversation, she mentioned that the marines were secretly trying to kidnap her. Another noble wanted her gone so that the throne would be left empty after Cello's passing. Saga wanted to see if he could uncover who it was and their dealings in the base archives.
There was one glaring issue with the plan though…
It wasn't the cuffs—he could easily break out of them if we wanted to.
The problem was the prison cells were constructed with sea-prism stone.
Steel bars he could have broken through, given enough time. Iron padlocks he could have picked. Saga secretly had a set stuffed in his sock for such emergencies. Most marines don't even search for contraband on a prisoner before shipping them off to Enies Lobby. However, kairoseki was much more difficult to tamper with!
They were expensive, but when constructed right, anything with kairoseki in it was damn well indestructible. And lock proof! The way the marines bought it, the locking mechanisms in the padlocks were also made with kairoseki. A thieve's bane, as it didn't like cooperating with other materials. It often needed a matching key just to unlock whatever it was holding.
He was going to have to dig his way out, if he couldn't get the key. And even that would be difficult. The dungeons in G-8 were burrowed through solid stone. Tunnelling through the mountain with barred alcoves serving as the jail cells.
Saga sighed, "Me and my bleeding heart…"
O O O
The funny thing about islands when you're sailing, is that you don't appreciate the scope of their landmass until you actually passed it by.
Maxwell felt this way as he looked up at the volcanic mountain of Creamy Mist. Where Maruchi was bright and inviting, Creamy Mist was dark and foreboding place. It stood like a knarled tree, trunk sweeping down as the roots turned into black rock beaches. Basalt folded over itself like haphazard cloth blanketing the mountain side. Obsidian vein, void and dark, glimmered as the glass reflected in the turned light.
Even now, the mountain smoked. A giant storm cloud of ash and soot hovering over the volcano's mouth. The black gases fell like willow vines over the ocean, dipping down into the miraculous white vapours across the water.
A dark tree in a circle of white… Quite the contrast to being called Creamy Mist.
Even now, Maxwell wondered if he could spy the Elven Temple hidden in the bleak landscape. For he could not imagine any other dwelling holding that mirror.
Borodo mentioned the Eluvian by name, despite his frail state. That was significant, because using that name indicated one was here. An Eluvian being in this plane of existence meant that the ancient elves once visited this world.
One just didn't simply conjure up a portal! Start in say, Minrathas, and head over for tea-time in Orlais! If the mages of ancient and modern Thedas figured that out, Tevinter would have conquered the continent by now!
Which was why studying and excavating elven ruins was so lucrative! Mages wanted to know how the ancient elves did it! They created magical wonders that hadn't been seen in centuries! Techniques of arcane mastery that most modern day spell-casting was based upon. They had an entire empire revolving around the use of magic! That included far travel, and the Eluvians were how they did it!
The fact that they came here…
Maxwell shook his head! Either he had a false sense of hope. Or the Nightmare was trying to mess with his mind.
The idea that he could go home… It was tempting. More than he liked to admit.
He could see Evelyn again. Help her in the fight against Corypheus! Maxwell had the for-knowledge, thanks to his familiars! Free the mages! Save the Templars! Save the world for Maker's sake!
…Did he really want to be a hero? Maxwell was all for altruism, but his cause for ending the Mage-Templar war was dead. The ashes of that conflict would be swept up and buried by the Inquisition and Venatori when they were done with them. Besides, he was following someone else now. A captain that he respected…
But Thedas had resources he could use here! Techniques he could learn. Potion ingredients he could finally utilize—! Maker knows he and Chopper had been killing themselves trying to create a proper health potion!
…But could he really risk it?
Even if they eliminated the cult and the Eluvian was free for the taking, there was no telling what would be on the other side. Ruins? Elves? Demons? The Nightmare!? The Dread Wolf…!
Maker, just knowing the elven gods were alive was frightening. And Solas taking over the Eluvian network in two years meant that the mirror would be compromised. It would become a threat, regardless.
"Everything alright there, cabin boy?" Maxwell blinks and looks back to see Schneider walking into the cockpit.
"Just thoughts…" Maxwell replied as he looked back out to the sea, "Just of what I might be doing after all of this."
"Eh? I thought you would be heading back to your—"
"I AM going back to my crew!" Maxwell affirmed. "It's just this quest has a lot more at stake than I realized…"
"…That demon thing, that the Children are trying to bring here. It's real, isn't it?" Schneider asked.
Maxwell took a breath a sighed, "Very."
And Saga's Shichiseiken might be the best weapon they had at stopping it. Maxwell saw how that sword drank up the blood magic that Maleficar was using. It was literally called the Cursed Holy Sword! That title had to count for something!
Schneider, solemn at his friend's response, then developed a smirk. "You know… if we succeed at this, we could be hailed as heroes."
Maxwell couldn't help but laugh, "Ha! And who would believe us? A couple of pirates eager to get off these islands?"
"…I don't want Roba to get hurt by those monsters," Schneider admitted. "I've seen a lot of things on the Grand Line. But this is more dangerous then all of those things put together."
Maxwell nodded, "We'll stop them. Then we can all go home…" The mage then squinted looking around the coastline, "I think we're coming up on the Oligo's."
They had already passed Solbi Island. It was interesting watching the sand dunes from a distance. They seemed shift and churn like their own form of waves. Sand rivers, Schneider had called them.
"That would be them," Schneider agreed. The islands looked like three stone fingers sticking out of the ocean. Or perhaps a double archway, with the two large bridges constructed at the top.
The mountain gouges stood like some ancient fortress, with G-8's cannon's sticking out of it's central spire. Clefts in the mountain cliffs appeared like platforms where more soldiers may be stationed.
"My god, I forgot about the birds…" Schneider whined as he observed. Hundreds, if not thousands of seabirds were soaring about the mountains. Those footholds in the cliffs were actually places the birds built their nests.
There was even an old rhyme for them. "Oligo's peaks hold treasure inside. Gems or food, you'll have to decide. For every nest there is a roost. Four seabirds, one will give you a boost. There is the mama, the papa, the treasure, and the chick. Careful though of who you grab, only 3 dare to get mad! If they're mad you will get hurt. Dropped into the sea or into the dirt."
The islands were an entire microcosm of ecological diversity. On the west side was a forest of mangrove trees sticking it of the water. The soil appeared to be soaking wet! split into multiple deltas and swampy jungles beneath the cliff. The east side was a series of tide pools and beaches people walked upon. It was also the most populated with boats and docks stationed along the shoreline. Some of the villages appeared to be vacation resorts as well. The mountain forests though were hidden up on the plateaus, standing like hairs on a human scalp. There were trails crisscrossing each mountain where they could reach the top. But from what Schneider had witnessed, all the jinseki seemed to be outside the trail.
Maxwell's attention though was on the base, "I can see the entrance." There was a giant hanger in the central mountain. Likely the port, or shipping yards for the marines. That, was their ticket inside! "Alright, Schneider. Did you get that lifeboat tied to the stern like I asked?"
"Yeah, it's ready and waiting," Schneider replied.
"Good. Let's carry off then!" Maxwell stepped away from the wheel, collected the captain's log, then walked off with Schneider. The book would be a good gift for Nami when they reunited.
O O O
"Ugh… You'd think there would be more excitement with the Treasure Wars on," one marine sighed.
"Don't jinx it, Jimmy," his partner on watch replied. "We're short-handed as it is. What with the war about to begin…"
"Well, at least we don't have to join that mess. I hear Admiral Sakazuki can be rather… Wait, Carel, what's that?"
"Hm?" Carel brings out his binoculars and looks to where Jimmy was pointing. "…It's a pirate ship."
"Any idea who it belongs too?"
Carel brings out a pamphlet and sorts through the photos of multiple pirate ships. G-8 likes to profile all the ships coming in and out of the archipelago each year the Treasure Wars are hosted. It's great for keeping track of pirates and determining their threat level.
The marine looks between the pamphlet and his binoculars, "…According to this, this is the Bigalo Pirate's ship.
"Bigalo…" Jimmy then snaps his fingers, "Didn't we arrest him and his whole crew last night?"
"We did." Carel then yawns, "Still working through the midnight oil on that one."
"Yeah… But why is their ship heading our way?"
"I don't know. You think someone commandeered the ship for their own use? Not uncommon for contestants to steal another's ship."
"Maybe. Might turn and head to one of the residential islands. Who'd be dumb enough to attack G-8?"
…
…
…
"Jimmy, it's not turning."
"Huh!?" Jimmy then grabs the binoculars and looks through them himself. "…Where's the crew?"
"Crew?" Carel takes back the binoculars. "…You're right. Where's the crew? A ship that size usually requires at least 20 men!"
…
…
…
"Jimmy. It's still heading towards us!"
"Uh… What do you think we should do?"
"…High alert?"
"…Yeah, let's go with that." Jimmy then pulls the lever at their watch station.