Angry orange-red flames sizzled and cracked as the first missile arced overhead, missing the lookout by mere yards. As the fireball shot past, he could feel the searing heat.
Attack! he shouted at the top of his lungs. He knew full well the entire night watch had seen the fiery missiles; nonetheless it was his task to alert the crew.
The second fireball struck mid-decks, hitting the companionway that ran from below to the foredeck, and an unfortunate priest of Ishap was consumed in the sticky flames. He screamed in agony and confusion as he died.
The sailor knew that if they were being boarded, staying aloft was not a good idea. He swung from the crows nest and slid down a stay sheet to the deck below as another ball of flame appeared in the sky, arcing down to strike the foredeck.
As his bare feet touched the wooden planks, another sailor who shouted, Quegan raiders! handed him a sword and buckler shield.
The thudding of a hortators drum echoed across the waves. Suddenly the night came alive with noise and cries.
From out of the gloom a ship reared, lifted high by a huge swell, and the two sailors could see the massive serrated iron ram extending from the galleys prow. Once it slammed into its victims hull, its teeth would hold the rammed ship close, until the signal was given for the galley slaves to reverse their stroke. By backing water, the galley would tear a massive hole in Ishaps Dawns side, quickly sending her to the bottom.
For an instant the lookout feared he would never see his children or wife again, and hastily uttered a prayer to whatever gods listened that his family be cared for. Then he resolved to fight, for if the sailors could hold the raiders at the gunwale until the priests emerged from below, their magic might drive off the attackers.
The ship heaved and the sound of tearing wood and shrieking men filled the night as the raider crashed into the Ishapian ship. The lookout and his companions were thrown to the deck.
As the lookout rolled away from the spreading fire, he saw two hands gripping the ships gunwale. The lookout gained his feet as a dark-skinned pirate cleared the side of the ship, and boarded with a leap to the deck, others following.
The first pirate carried a huge sword, curved and weighted, and he grinned like a man possessed. The lookout hurried towards him, his sword and shield at the ready. The pirates hair hung in oiled locks that glistened in the light from the flames. His wide eyes reflected the orange firelight, which gave him a demonic cast. Then he smiled and the lookout faltered, as the filed pointed teeth revealed the man to be a cannibal from the Shaskahan Islands.
Then the lookouts eyes widened as he saw another figure rear up behind the first.
It was the last thing the lookout saw, as the first pirate swung his sword and impaled the hapless man, who stood rooted in terror at the sight before him. With his dying breath, he gasped, Bear.
Bear glanced around the deck. Massive hands flexed in anticipation as he spoke. His voice seemed to rumble from deep within as he said, You know what Im after; everything else is yours for the taking!
Knute leaped from the raiders craft to stand at Bears side. We hit em hard, so you dont have much time! he shouted to the crew. As Knute had hoped, Bears men rushed to kill the Ishapian sailors, while Knute signalled to the handful from his old crew, who headed towards the hatches and the cargo nets.
An Ishapian monk, climbing up the aft companionway to answer the alarm, saw the pirates spreading out in a half-circle around him. His brothers followed after. For a moment, both sides stood motionless, as they measured one another.
Bear stepped forward and in a voice like grinding stones said to the first monk, You there! Bring me the Tear and Ill kill you quickly.
The monks hands came up and moved rapidly in a mystic pattern while enchanting a prayer to summon magic. The other monks took up fighting stances behind him.
A bolt of white energy flashed at Bear, but vanished harmlessly just inches before him as the ship heeled over and started to dip at the bow. With a scornful laugh, Bear said, Your magic means nothing to me!
With surprising speed for a man his size, Bear lashed out with his sword. The monk, still recovering from the shock of his magics impotence, stood helpless as Bear ran him through as if cutting a melon with a kitchen knife. The pirates let loose a roar of triumph and fell upon the other monks.
The monks, though empty-handed and outnumbered, were all trained in the art of open-handed fighting. In the end they could not stand up to pole weapons and swords, knives and crossbows, but they delayed the pirates long enough that the forecastle was already underwater before Bear could reach the companionway leading below decks.
Like a rat through a sewer grating, Knute was past Bear and down the companionway. Bear came second, the others behind.
Weve got no time! shouted Knute, looking around the aft crew quarters; from the abundant religious items in view, he judged this area had been given over to the monks for their personal use. Knute could hear water rushing into the hole below the forecastle. Knute knew ships; eventually a bulkhead between the forecastle and the main cargo hold would give way and then the ship would go down like a rock.
A small wooden chest sitting in the corner caught his eye and he made straight for it, while Bear moved to a large door that led back to the captains cabin. Movement was becoming more difficult as the deck was now tilting, and walking up its slick surface was tricky. More than one pirate fell, landing hard upon the wooden planks.
Knute opened the small chest, revealing enough gems to keep him in luxury for the rest of his life. Like moths to a flame, several raiders turned towards the booty. Knute motioned to two other pirates close by and said, If you want a copper for all this slaughter, get up on deck, help open the hatch, and lower the cargo net!
Both men hesitated, then looked to where Bear struggled to open the door. They glanced at one another, then did as Knute instructed. Knute knew they would find two of his men already at the hatch and would fall in to help. If Knutes plan were to work, everyone would have to do his part without realizing that the order of things on the ship had changed.
Knute unlatched a trapdoor in the middle of the deck, and let it swing open, revealing the companionway leading down into the cargo hold. As he stepped through the opening towards the treasure below, the ship started to take on water, and he knew she was fated to go down quickly by the bow. He and his men would have to move fast.
Bear was smashing himself uphill against a door that obviously had some sort of mystic lock upon it, for it hardly moved under his tremendous bulk. Knute cast a quick glance backwards and saw the wood near the hinges splintering. As he lowered himself into the hold, Knute looked down. He knew that there was enough treasure below to make every man aboard a king, for the odd man named Sidi who had told Bear about this ship had said that ten years worth of Temple wealth from the Far Coast and Free Cities would accompany the magic item Bear was to bring him.
Knute regretted having met Sidi; when he had first met him, he had no idea the so-called trader trafficked in the magic arts. Once he had discovered the truth, it was too late. And Knute was certain there was far more to Sidi than was obvious; Sidi had given Bear his magic amulet, the one that he refused to remove, day or night. Knute had always stayed away from magic, temple, wizard, or witch. He had a nose for it and it made him fearful, and no man in his experience reeked of it like Sidi, and there was nothing tender about that reek.
The cargo hatch above moved, and a voice shouted downward, Knute?
Lower away! commanded the little thief.
The cargo net descended and Knute quickly released it. Get down here! he shouted as he spread the large net across the centre of the deck. Were taking on water fast!
Four sailors slid down ropes and started moving the heavy cargo chests to the centre of the net. Get the small one first! instructed Knute. Theyll be gems. Worth more than gold, pound for pound.
The sailors were driven by two goals: greed and fear of Bear. The massive captain was smashing through the door above with inhuman strength, and everyone in the crew knew as well as Knute that Bear was becoming more violent by the day. Even his own crew now feared to be noticed by Bear.
One of the men paused to listen to the fiendish shout as Bear finally smashed through the door. A half-dozen pirates, finished with butchering the ships crew, descended the ropes from the deck above and looked questioningly at the pilot. Knute said, The captain said everything else was ours for the taking if he got that damn stone the priests were guarding. You going to let all this sink?
They shook their heads and set to, working in pairs to move the larger chests and sacks into the nets, although Knute could see the doubt on their faces. But they hurried and got most of the booty in the net and tied it off.
Haul away! Knute shouted to the men above.
Pirates grabbed small chests and sacks and attempted to get back to the forward ladder. The ship was now heading down by the bow, picking up speed and rocking slightly from side to side. Tell them to back water! shouted Knute, as he negotiated the ladder to the upper deck, clutching the small wooden chest as a mother would a baby. He saw a brilliant light coming through the captains cabin door and his eyes widened. Bear stood outlined against the glare, obviously struggling through the water as if engaged with a foe of some kind. Get out! shouted Knute. Youre going to drown! Not that Knute would shed a tear if that happened, but if Bear somehow came to his senses and made good his escape, Knute wanted to appear convincing in his role as loyal and concerned pilot.
Knute hurried to the gunwale and nimbly leaped atop it. Glancing at those behind him who were sliding across the deck, trying for the boat below, he called, Hurry! The galley was backing away, and water rushed quickly into the hull of the Ishapian ship. Knute knew that, had he not given the order to back the galley, the weight of the dying ship might have pulled its bow under the waves.
A longboat bobbed on the water a few yards below and he muttered, By the gods, Ive gotta get out of this business.
He glanced upward and saw the cargo boom with the net loaded with treasure being lowered to the deck of the galley. With a quick prayer to every god he could remember, Knute leaped from the sinking ship, hitting the water while he clutched the small chest with all his might. Weight pulled him downward and he struggled, and finally his head broke the surface as voices echoed across the water. With his free arm he struck out for the longboat, reaching it quickly. Strong hands reached over the side and pulled him aboard.
The ship sinks! men yelled as they leaped from the deck into the foam.
Leave the rest! shouted a man holding what appeared to be a large sack of gold coins. He hit the water, and after a minute his head broke the surface. He struggled mightily to get the sack aboard Knutes boat.
No! Noooo! came Bears anguished cry from the bowels of the sinking ship as Knute helped the pirate aboard the boat.
Sounds like the boss is having a problem, said the drenched pirate.
Row, instructed Knute. The sailor complied and Knute looked over his shoulder. Whatever the bosss problems, theyre no longer ours.
You going to leave him? said one of Knutes men.
Lets see if that cursed amulet keeps him alive on the bottom of the sea.
One of the pirates grinned. Like the rest of his brethren he had been obedient out of fear as much as any loyalty to Bear. If it does, hes going to kill you, Knute.
Hes got to find me first, said the wily pilot. Ive sailed with that murdering lunatic three times, which is two too many. Youve been his slaves long enough. Now its our turn to live the high life!
The pirates rowed. One of Bears crew said, If he does make it out alive, hell find others to follow him, you know that? Why shouldnt I cut your throat now and gain his favour?
Because youre greedy, like me. If you cut my throat, youll never get that galley safely out of these rocks. Besides, even if Bear lives, itll be too late, said Knute. Well all be safely gone.
They reached the galley and quickly climbed aboard, other longboats and a few swimmers reaching the ship at the same time. The ship creaked as the longboats were hoisted aboard. Men scrambled up ropes while others lowered nets to haul the riches taken from the Ishapian ship. The crew moved with an efficiency rarely seen, spurred on by equal shares of avarice and the fear that Bear would suddenly appear. Finally they lashed the cargo to the centre deck and Knute said, Get underway!
Where are we going? asked one of the pirates who had rowed Knute to the galley.
To a rendezvous down the coast. Ive got some men waiting for us who will offload this cargo, then we row this galley out to sea and sink it.
Why? asked another man as the crew gathered around Knute.
Why? echoed Knute. Ill tell you why, fool. That ship we took was the property of the Temple of Ishap. In a few days the entire world is going to be looking for the men who sank it. Bears got that ward against priests, but we dont. Well divide up our shares and go our separate ways, tonight!
Sounds good, said one of the sailors.
Then get to the oars! The slaves are half dead and I want us split up and every man on his own by sunrise! shouted Knute.
Just then, Bears voice cut through the storm. Its mine!! I had it in my hands!
All eyes turned to the sinking ship, and against a lightning flash they could see Bear standing at the rail. Slowly, he climbed atop it, shook his fist as the retreating galley, and leaped into the water.
Like a spur to a horse, the sight of Bear plunging into the water as if to swim after them caused the sailors to spring to action. Below, the hortators drum began to sound as slaves were unchained and pushed aside by frantic pirates. Knute paused a moment to look where Bear had stood outlined against the lightning flashes. For an instant Knute could have sworn Bears eye had been glowing red.
Knute shuddered and turned his mind away from Bear. The man was terrible in his anger and his strength was unmatched, but even Bear wouldnt be able to storm into the Princes city and find Knute.
Knute smiled. The men waiting for him were expecting a ship full of riches and a dead crew. Poisoned wine and ale waited below, and Knute would pass it out minutes before reaching the rendezvous. By the time the cargo was offloaded and aboard the wagons, every pirate and slave below would be a corpse. His own men would also be departed, but that was an unfortunate circumstance he couldnt avoid. Besides, it meant more for him and those driving the wagons.
All his life he had waited for an opportunity like this and he was going to be ruthless in taking advantage of it. None of these men would lift a finger to help Knute, he knew, if his life was at risk, so what did he owe them? Honour among thieves might exist with the Mockers, where the Upright Mans bashers ensured honourable behaviour, but on a ship like Bears, the rule was strictly survival by strength, or by wits.