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Sunday, October 25

Red Skies: Part 8 – There’s a War Going On, You Know

The Triangle’s waters varied greatly. Most often, the seas surrounding it were rough, sporting whitecaps and making sailing difficult. Sometimes the Pale Sea’s wrath was terrible, with swells of up to twenty feet.

“All hands t’ battle stations!” shouted Baldric. “Enemy craft sighted!”

A small, fast galley with two masts was visible. A Kolter Titan GG swivel gun was mounted on the port and starboard sides, and its figurehead was carved in the shape of a snarling wolf.

“That’s Red Wolf’s ship,” said Kham. “A skohir tribesman.”

“Th’ must be hired by th’ Emperor,” said Baldric. “Already, th’ war has come t’ Freeport. Well then, let’s bring Freeport t’ th’ war!” He drew a cutlass and pointed at the ship. “Fire at will!”

Sebastian flew up into the air and unleashed a blast of flames. The heat washed over the ship to no effect.

There was a clap of thunder and a bolt of lightning blasted into Sebastian. He spiraled down to the Nǎoké’s deck, trailing smoke as he went.

“They’ve got powerful magic defenses,” Baldric said quietly.

The two ships pulled alongside each other. “Time to get up close and personal in that case!” shouted Kham. He grabbed some of the ship’s rigging and drew Talon.

Baldric stepped off the deck of the ship, using the power of Cho Sun’s ring to form a bridge made of water between the two ships. A dwarf stood on the other side. “Come, ye Illirite dog!” snarled the dwarf. “Stumpy Hookhand be waitin’ fer ye!”

More lightning arced between the ships as a one-eyed Altherian caster wearing a tall black top hat and a dress coat, but little else, gestured and chanted.

Sebastian got to his feet. “That’s it. Now he’s made me angry.”

Kham slashed the rope and swung through the air. As he was at the apex of the swing, the rope snapped.

“Son of a…”

Kham dropped like a rock into the water. more

Labels: arcanis

posted by Mike Tresca at 7:25 AM

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