Sea Queen (19 page)

Chapter 22

Revenge

Dreams come to me in these strange lands, far away years play on the mist. The man in black, the dark elf beauty, stubborn dwarf lass. What are these dreams? I see mine eyes and heart leaps. How can this be? Elf lands offer strange sights. Some nights I can take it no more! Elf Azzeal brings old Gretzen to forest. Lush and green, its wonders abound. Here I know peace, away from elf eyes, them always asking with their mind. Elf show me wonderful things. Feel old mind come clear like young lass, fog of years lifts. I see terrible battles, the dark elf lord, and the savior. Will I live such dreams? Krellr whisper. – Gretzen Spiritebone. 4997

The next morning Talon was roused by Grimald once more. He hadn’t been sleeping, but sitting cross-legged before the door, waiting for it to open.

Grimald regarded him strangely. “Come,” he said with a jerk of his head.

Talon followed Grimald to the deck where the other Skomm gladiators were loading into the rowboats. They had docked near Hithero sometime during the night. The city wasn’t nearly as big as Fendale, but it too had a coliseum.

When they arrived, Talon suited up and inspected his new daggers, and then went out to wait in the tunnel with the others.

McGillus soon walked up with a smug grin.

“Good to see you know to pick the winning side,” he said to Talon, and then turned to the others. “Let’s show ‘em what House McGillus is made of!”

Talon watched the other matches, his fury building by the minute. He saw everyone around him as the enemy then, not only the traitorous gladiators, but the bloodthirsty Agorans cheering for murder. By the time his name was called, Talon was ready to explode.

The gates were opened and Talon wasted no time. He ran forth and engaged his opponent immediately. The crowd screamed in anticipation, but he stole their fun. As Kyrr filled him with strength, his movements became like a blur. No sooner had the Agoran gladiator brought back his axes than did Talon leap onto his chest and bring him to the ground. After stabbing him a dozen times with lightning speed, he rose from the corpse, covered in blood.

The crowd had fallen silent.

As Talon walked back to the gate calmly. The crier tried to break the tension with fake enthusiasm. “It seems as though House McGillus is full of surprises!” he said nervously.

Suddenly, when Talon had neared the gate, the crowd erupted into a thunderous applause. He stepped inside and was greeted by the other gladiators.

McGillus took a long time to arrive. When finally he and Grimald could be seen coming up the hall, Rekkr glanced sidelong at the men beside him and then quickly at Talon, who, after a moment of confusion realized what was happening.

When the captain reached them he shook his head and regarded Talon with a wide smile. “My boy, you’ve outdone yourself,” he said. “But please, next time a bit more of a show, if you don’t mind.”

Talon offered the captain a grin of his own. Finally he was free. All the years spent running and hiding from the Vald—all the beatings, the pain and heartache. All the years wanting to fight against his masters culminated into this moment.

He grabbed McGillus and slammed his head against the wall. Just then Rekkr and his men charged.

Grimald unsheathed his swords and engaged the would-be assassins.

The captain produced the trinket and called to Chief. The spirit wolf flew from the figurine and solidified in the tunnel.

“Kill him!” McGillus bellowed as he ran like a coward.

Chief regarded Talon curiously.

“It’s me, boy. I’m your friend.”

Chief suddenly turned on McGillus, chasing after him, and Grimald rushed to intercept.

To Talon’s surprise, Grimald became translucent and moved with great speed to block the wolf’s path.

Talon ran after McGillus as Grimald wrestled Chief to the ground and stabbed him through with a glowing blade.

None of the remaining Skomm gladiators moved against him. They stood staring at the spectacle in fear and wonder.

Chief gave a howl as he disappeared.

Grimald tried to save his master, but Talon had already reached him. He whirled the captain around and quickly stabbed him through the heart.

Grimald’s blade stopped inches from Talon’s neck, and the captain regarded him with eyes of impotent rage.

“Godsdamn…filthy…Draugrs.”

Talon twisted the blade.

McGillus’s eyes turned to him and filled with fear as his life left him.

Behind them, Grimald stood frozen.

A light suddenly illuminated the tunnel, coming from McGillus’ necklace. Talon snapped the chain and held the pulsing orb.

Grimald regarded Talon as he never had before. Slowly he pulled back his hood, exposing his face.

“You’re Skomm,” said Talon, dumbfounded.

Grimald bowed. “You have killed my master. My soul is now in your hands.”

The other Skomm gladiators looked on, wide eyed.

“You were under his control the whole time?” Talon asked, panting.

Grimald nodded and looked to the captain. “I was once a great gladiator, but like you, I defied McGillus. He had me killed by a dark elf, and I was made a lich, cursed to do his bidding.”

“But you…you hate me, whenever you look at me you regard me with such—“

“I did what was asked of me. I was compelled—my actions, even my words. I am now under your command.”

“Did you kill my wolf?” Talon asked.

Grimald shook his bowed head. “No, master, I simply overpowered him and sent him away. He is young…weak.”

Talon searched McGillus’s body for the trinket. When he found it he held it aloft and said, “Chief, come to me!”

Blue mist swirled out of the trinket and Chief took form.

“Hey, buddy,” said Talon. The wolf barked and then, upon seeing Grimald, growled.

“It’s alright, Chief. He’s not our enemy.”

Talon held up the necklace to Grimald. “Help me free the Skomm, and I’ll release you.”

Hope filled the condemned lich’s eyes. “Yes, master.”

“Call me Talon.”

Talon saw that Rekkr had fallen in the fight. His body lay with the others Grimald had killed. He turned from the sight to the remaining gladiators. “Your captain is dead. There is but one choice for you now. Redeem yourselves! Return with me to the slaver and free your people. I offer you what McGillus only falsely promised—I offer you freedom!”

I see his people stand before him victorious, and my heart smiles. After so many centuries of life, even sunsets lose their luster, gold becomes but a rock. But the cry of the liberated, that, my friend, gives me life anew. – Azzeal of Elladrindellia, Keeper of the Windwalker Archive, 4997.

Talon, Grimald, and the dozen or so gladiators left the coliseum and quickly made their way through the city, back to the docks. They did what they could to conceal their weapons, being that it was illegal for Skomm to carry arms.

Soon the bodies in the tunnel would be discovered, and likely soldiers would come after them. They needed to take over the ship quickly and set sail. The harbor contained mostly fishing and merchant vessels, with the exception of one huge Eldalonian war ship. If the alarm went up too soon, they might get attacked. Though the slaver had its own ballista and catapults, it would be no match for the naval vessel.

The city folk gawked and pointed as Talon and his crew rushed to the docks. Startled proclamations issued from many, and others cried out when they saw Chief among them. They reached the docks and made their way to the rowboats, under the suspicious gaze of two Eldalonian soldiers. They made no move against the gladiators, but rushed off back to the city. The alarm would likely go out soon.

“Get these boats in the water and make haste!” Talon yelled to the men.

The boats were loaded quickly and the oars put to water. Talon stood upon the bow looking back at the city. Grimald stood beside him and indicated the seat he had occupied.

“Windwalker, it would be much less suspicious to the Agoran crewmen if I am standing at the bow rather than you.”

“Of course,” said Talon, sitting down.

As they approached, the Agoran crewmen began throwing down the rope ladders and rigging. The gladiators tied off the boats and began their ascent quickly.

On shore, a bell began to toll, its bellman screaming.

Grimald reached the deck and attacked without warning. Talon came up after him along with the others.

A call to arms went out and the Sea Queen’s crewmen rushed to meet them.

“Open the slave hold!” Talon ordered Grimald.

“Yes, Windwalker,” he said, dispatching two Agorans and cutting a path.

As the Skomm clashed with the Agoran crewmen, Talon leapt on top of a group of barrels and called to his people.

“McGillus is dead! You are free if you fight for me!”

Crag caught Talon’s eye as he came lumbering up from the hold carrying himself like a scared child. Talon slapped aside a sword and moved inside the blow, quickly stabbing the wielder before speeding off.

“Come, Chief! Crag!” Talon called as he fought his way through the crowd. “Crag!” he yelled again.

The giant turned a frightened gaze on Talon.

Behind him, Talon could see an Agoran taking aim with his crossbow. As the bolt fired, Talon leapt and snatched it out of the air. He crashed into the slaves and tumbled to the deck.

“You hurt the Windwalker!” Crag howled.

Talon leapt to his feet in time to see Crag charge across the deck and throw the Agoran overboard before he could reload.

“Stop hurting them!” Crag screamed. The Agorans knew not his gentle nature, all they saw was a furious, eight foot slave. He began storming about the ship tossing crewmen about like ragdolls.

“Chief, keep an eye on the big man,” said Talon.

Grimald approached through the chaos, unaffected. “We have caught the attention of the Eldalonian ship,” he said. “We must go.”

“Then we’ve got to end this fight now,” said Talon, assessing the situation. Hundreds of slaves had charged up onto the deck. The gladiators were winning, but the Agorans weren’t giving up. Many of them called to Grimald for help, but the lich only sneered.

In the distance the Eldalonian war ship was beginning to lower sails. Time was running out. “Run the Agorans off the ship!” Talon cried to the slaves still piling out of the hold.

They surged forth with a collective cry. The biggest of the lot—those who might have been picked for the pits—rushed ahead, eager to get their hands on the slavers’ necks.

Talon charged to the center of the main deck where the majority of remaining Agorans had gathered.

Realizing they were surrounded, many of them lost the heart for battle. Just as Talon was about to order their surrender Grimald leapt and landed in the middle of them, his swords quickly cutting down the lot.

The few remaining Agorans throughout the battle soon surrendered.

Talon took the stairs to the quarter deck and ordered the crewmen to set sail.

“Them godsdamned Draugr got to get out of the way if we’re to set sail,” said one of the gladiators.

He was right. The hundreds of slaves littered the deck making it virtually impossible for the gladiators to set sail.

Grimald laid a hand on Talon’s shoulder. “May I?”

“Please do,” said Talon. He was eyeing the Eldalonian ship, which had begun to slowly close the five-hundred yard gap.

Grimald leaned on the rail and ordered the remaining crewmen, “Get this ship out to sea, and we shall spare your lives! Anyone who can man a ballista, do so now.” Catapults at the ready. Get dragonsbreath ready to fire. I want that anchor up and these sails full before I’m done talking. Now! That war ship’s going to turn us into kindling. Move, move, move!”

By the time they had cleared the deck, the anchor had been taken in and the sails lowered, but the Eldalonian ship had already closed half the distance between them. Luckily, they were still out of range.

Scrambling up to the quarter deck, Talon found Grimald standing behind the Skomm at the wheel. He steered into the waves, heading south.

“You will want to brace yourself,” said Grimald, standing with both hands behind his back.

Talon saw what he meant. The Eldalonian ship was only a hundred yards away now, and its many firing bays had opened. Large cannons were slowly pushed through their portholes and aimed at the slaver.

Explosions suddenly ripped through the air like thunder.

Talon dropped to the deck as cannonballs ripped through their port side.

Grimald turned and raised a hand. “Catapults at the ready…Fire!”

The four catapults at the bow launched their dragonsbreath bombs. The sails didn’t allow for any more than the four catapults in the back, and four at the front, but there was still the ballista bellow. Three of the fiery bombs hit the ocean and exploded, shooting up hundred foot plumes. The remaining bomb was on target, and for a moment, half the warship seemed to be engulfed in flames.

The slaver gained momentum as the Eldalonians continued to veer to the side.

“Hard port!” Grimald ordered. “Fire port ballista!”

The sharp twang of a dozen giant bows rang out. If they hit anything, Talon could not tell. He stood hunched beside Grimald holding the rail. “Is there anything you can do?”

The lich grinned beneath his low hood. “Tell your wolf to follow me.” He turned to the wheelman. “Bring us broadside.”

The ship lurched as the wheel was spun. The Eldalonian ship was coming on fast again, and they had no time to avoid it.

Grimald yelled down to the men on deck, “prepare for a boarding party!”

Talon unsheathed his daggers in anticipation. He welcomed the familiar feeling of power, the energy coursing through his veins. All his life he had been a victim, ever running. Now he was powerful.

“Chief! Follow Grimald onto the warship.”

The two ships collided and grappling hooks were thrown from the warship. Eldalonian soldiers began to jump the rail onto the slaver as Grimald and Chief flew to the deck of their ship.

The gladiators, and those slaves who had taken up weapons, collided with the boarding party. Talon leapt and came down, daggers first, on one of the soldiers. His blades found a crease in his armor and sank deep.

“Surrender your ship to the Eldalonian navy!” came an authoritative voice from the warship.

Talon felled another man and yet another as the gladiators pushed the soldiers back, and men high up in the sails dropped down and began hacking at the ropes connecting the ships.

One of the warship’s sails faltered and flailed uselessly in the breeze, and then another—Grimald was sabotaging them.

Talon grinned as frantic cries of “Wolf!” issued from the Eldalonian ship.

Grimald and Chief caused such chaos that soon the flow of soldiers ceased, and those who remained were killed swiftly by the seasoned gladiators. They solidified on the quarterdeck deck beside Talon, and soon the slaver began to pull away.

“Stay ahead of her turn and out of range of those cannons!” Grimald ordered the wheelman.

The warship’s sails had all been dropped to the deck, and though the Eldalonians tried desperately to bring her about, the slaver was soon out of range. A swift wind filled their sails, and the Skomm sailed south into the unknown—free men, one and all.