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Chapter length: 2,105 words

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Chapter 34

(Septham 5th Year 672 of the 4th Age)

Trouble materializes in the form of a ship for the Howling Gale. The features they observe, with the flag containing a spider-symbol the most blatant, conclude it is a Phehan warship.

Irin shouts a question to her from the crow's nest, "What's your plan, Captain?"

Lorna shouts back, "Elude those cocksuckers. Let's show them what this vessel can do." Kurane, bless me for the winds to be in my favor. She gives out a series of commands to her crew, and they obey. The Howling Gale gains momentum and leaves her pursuer in the dust.

"We did it!" Sylfinas exclaimed.

Irin responds cheerfully, "I had zero doubts that they would catch us. This ship is unlike the vast majority of seaworthy ships. They are sluggish, whereas this is more agile, and the sails can make more use of the wind to give us more speed." Irin notices the pursuing ship give off a signal. "What are the Phehans up to?"

"I can make a reasonable assumption of what it is they're doing, but it's not good." Sylfinas and Irin scan the horizon for any more Phehan ships, and sure enough, they descry another sea vessel in the distance on the starboard side sailing towards them.

"We got company Captain on the starboard side. One ship, no wait, two ships spotted."

So, there is a pack of them on us. Just like actual wolves hunting elk, they will attempt to maneuver us into a strike zone. Bring it on, motherfuckers. Lorna issues a command to Irin and Sylfinas, "Keep your eyes peeled for more Phehan ships and watch what they are doing."

The Gnome brothers come up from below deck. Evorul speaks, "Cannons are ready to fire. Waiting for your command, Captain."

"Hold your fire. As much as I love the idea of blasting ships like we usually do, Phehan ships are a different breed than what we're used to. I want to use her other strengths in getting out of this. I'll let you know if it's time to fire."

"Scatterbox?" Dagobert asked.

"No! No Scatterbox!"

Evorul and Dagobert slouch their shoulders in disappointment and head back to their stations. The Phehan navy continues their pack tactics on the Howling Gale. The crew becomes alarmed at the sound of a cannon firing followed by a splash of water nearby.

Bolts panics, "Clink-clank! Clink-clank!"

"Yes, I know they're shooting at us! You two up there, how many ships do we have targeting us?"

"I count five!" Irin responded.

Sylfinas corrects her immediately, "Better make that seven!"

"Ok, seven. By the way, there is land up ahead."

"What does it look like?" Lorna asked.

"Bunch of jagged rocks from what I can see, Captain."

"We'll lose them there."

"Forgive me for saying this, Captain; you're out of your fucking mind! Those rocks will tear us to shreds."

"Better hold on to something people, this is going to be one wild ride." Lorna gives a command to a random crewmember, "Go below deck and warn the others of what's to come."

"Yes, ma'am."

Kurane, bless this ship so that she can make it out of this unscathed. Another cannonball lands dangerously close to the Howling Gale. The protruding rocks astringe the Kerithian Sea to narrow passageways that ships that enter have to decelerate fast, so they don't collide with bits of earth. Lorna is going to do the exact opposite and maintains her momentum. The Howling Gale's design is vastly different from other ships, and those differences allow her some more leeway to avoid colliding with the rocks, and Lorna knows it. With grace and beauty, the Howling Gale meanders through the pillars of stone, leaving the Phehan ships behind.

“We lost them, Lorna," Sylfinas said.

"Good to know. Must concentrate on steering now."

"Might I suggest, Captain, that we can try locating a spot to take refuge for a bit if there is such a place? I suspect the Phehans are going around to cut us off. They won't dare with the ships they have currently search for us in here."

"Not a bad idea, Irin. Keep an eye for anything suitable for concealment."

"Aye aye, Captain." As soon as Irin mentions finding a spot to hide, a location appears. "Speak of Azathamalon, there's one right there. Land ho, Captain!"

"I see it, Irin. Thanks." That was fast.

The crystal blue water distends from narrow pathways into a bay. Beyond it, there is vegetation and a beach for the group members to land on, with an imposing mountain casting shade onto the water. Lorna orders her crew to drop the anchor and some rowboats. The expeditionary force consists of Lorna, Bolts, Irin, Arven, Sylfinas, Kaera, Merrick, and a few more crew members; Myla is with Sylfinas after she eavesdrops on the conversation. They split into groups to fit in the rowboats, and they land on the beach minutes later.

"This place is gorgeous," Kaera commented.

Lorna is more serious. "This is not vacation time. This is an expedition. From what I can tell on my maps, this location is uncharted. Who knows what lies here?" She smiles as a thought enters her mind. "Perhaps treasure."

Arven looks at the foliage. "Something rubs me the wrong way about this place. The sooner we get back to the ship, the better."

Merrick agrees. "Yeah, I feel like we're being watched."

"Alright, you pussies, we'll spend two hours max, and then we'll go back to my ship. We're not spreading out while we search. If it makes you sleep better, I'll increase security at night."

Men wielding machetes or other heavy, sharp blades take the lead into the chaparral as they cut down flora in their way. They swat away mosquitoes and other insects from their faces; some actually smack themselves as the insects bite them. Various avians and monkeys fill the jungle with their sound. The excursion team starts to sweat, some profusely, from the heat and humidity.

One of the men in the front spots a building, "I see a building up ahead. We're not the only ones that found this place."

"Can you tell if people live inside currently or not?" Lorna asked.

"Appears to be abandoned upon the first inspection."

"We'll proceed with caution."

"I see more buildings now. It's a village."

The party reaches the village and begin to explore. The settlement is tiny, with enough buildings to house around a hundred people; every building is vacant, with dust and spiders claiming space. Sylfinas is the first to notice signs of ransacking in the past; the others began to observe them. The wood on the floor and walls have bloodstains and other marks of an attack.

"This village was attacked," Arven said.

"Yeah, but by what or who?" Kaera replied.

Sylfinas and Myla are in a building farthest away from the rest of the group when he discerns a tree with something engraved in it. He ascertains the markings as letters "CRO" with another letter too unfinished to make out. CRO? CRO? CRO? What does it mean? What were they attempting to convey? He resumes his inquest in the nearby building. The sun's rays reflect off an object into his eye, and he uncovers it from the rubble. This talisman, I know where it came from. So, this is where they were right up till the bitter end. Another engraved marking catches his attention. No way. They were a part of… I need to alert the others.

Myla startles him, "Hey, Sylfinas!"

"Gah! Don't you dare sneak up on me ever again."

Myla frowns her ears. "Sorry. I found something that I thought you would like to check out."

"What is it?"

"Follow me."

Myla guides Sylfinas to a small clearing in the jungle close to the village. It quickly becomes apparent to Sylfinas that it is a site for rituals after seeing candles and other items and the same markings from the one in the building.

"Let's get Arven, Kaera, and Merrick."

"Ok, Sylfinas."

Sylfinas spots them on an old porch talking to each other. They follow him and Myla over to the farthest building. He brings the symbol to their attention and suggests that they need to speak in a lower voice.

"Remember where we first saw this symbol before?" Sylfinas asked.

"That's the same symbol I saw from Acrine Village. That means-"

Arven finishes the sentence instead of Merrick, "One or more people were a follower of The Soulmonger."

"Myla also found a ritual site not far from here, and the same symbol is there also," Sylfinas uttered.

Kaera stares at the tree with the letters engraved in it. "Know what that means, Sylfinas?"

"Not a clue. Been digging to find more about it."

"Should we let the rest know?" Merrick asked.

"The less that people know, the better."

Arven nods in approval. "I agree with Sylfinas. If The Soulmonger is trying to return, that means he has henchmen helping him, and we have no clue who they are."

Lorna and Bolts appear. "What are you talking amongst yourselves?"

"I was telling them about how I know who used to live here," Sylfinas answered.

"Well, don't keep me waiting."

"The people that used to live here were part of a group that we now know today as the Lost Colonizers. They were a group of people in the 2nd Age, around the year 1920, sent out by King Arghon IV of Adoran to explore and colonize an island rumored to contain gold. They were never seen or heard from again. The leading theory was a storm sunk the ship or blew them off course and got lost at sea." I'm starting to doubt the whole thing with the recent discovery of them being The Soulmonger's disciples.

"How do you know that this village is from the Lost Colonizers?"

Sylfinas shows her the talisman and other trinkets. "These were reported to be with them as a departing gift from the king."

"Arven and I found signs of a battle in one of the buildings," Kaera said.

Merrick adds, "I found some too."

"Everyone on my crew said the same thing." Lorna sucks on her bottom lip. "So the question is, who or what attacked."

Merrick looks out the open window into the jungle. "I don't know, but whatever it is, it's big."

"What makes you say that?"

Merrick points Sylfinas to what he beholds. "You didn't see the trail over there when inspecting that tree?"

"No, but you're right. That is big. At first glance, the moved earth resembles a trail a serpent would make."

Lorna does not like hearing those words. "Serpent? As in a snake?"

Sylfinas shrugs, "More or less."

"Perfect... I fucking loathe snakes."

"Let's get back to the ship," Arven suggested.

Lorna is already out the door. "You don't have to tell me twice."

"Clink-clank."

"Shut the fuck up, Bolts! It's a perfect thing to hate snakes!"

As Lorna stomps off to her ship while gathering the rest of her crew, Irin grabs her attention. "Have you seen Oris anywhere, Captain?"

"I thought he was with you."

"He said he was going to go into the jungle to take a piss, and I haven't seen him since. I asked everyone else if they had seen him, and they said no."

"He's probably taking a shit as well."

"You know he hates doing that."

"I thought that was someone else. Let's go find this son of a bitch and get back to the ship as soon as possible. He'll be taking over cleaning the water closet once I get my hands on him."

"Clink-clank."

"Not a bad idea. He'll clean the barnacles off as well."

The group shouts Oris's name during their search in the jungle, hearing no reply from him. They find imprints of where he was standing and the dark coloration on the tree he used to do his business, but his physical body is absent.

Lorna gets frustrated, "I'm starting to get fucking pissed off from your stunt, Oris. Come out right now!" She and the others hear a snap close by. "Oris, is that you?" No response. "This isn't funny anymore. This island is freaking me out, and the others agree with me also. Come out so we can get back to the safety of the ship."

Suddenly, armed men appear from the bushes and blow darts at their trapped prey. Their legs begin to buckle from their weight as the sedative makes their body languid and their vision goes black.