Its #piratesunday : PRAEDATUM in MUNDO and the adventures of Captain K!
The Raven took a mental stock of the landing party’s strength and weaknesses. The men of the Dragon Fire, a competent and experienced crew handpicked and well trained by Captain K. The crewman called 'NoName' is not only a fine sailor but also remarkably skilled at firearms and a crack shot with any flintlock or matchlock rifle. Always calm and soft spoken often wearing his Poncho. Then there's 'Khamen' expert in the Butterfly knives and deadly at any close combat situation, a patient and principled a man such that any shipmate could count on to cover your back. 'Goldie' his sense direction, navigational and tracking skills are the best ever seen, never travels anywhere without his walking stick which also happens to be his weapon of choice 'Mr Wacka'. Doc, the ship's witty physician was as skilled with a scalpel as with a Cutlass, and others with valuable skills yet for her to discover.
She handed her sword to Khamen and her flintlock to Noname, "Hold on to these for me, what I'm about to do I don't want these harming anyone in the party should anything go wrong," And with a wink, "Safety first." She stepped up to the Puzzle box as it sensed her intention. The flame now emitted a thin beam to the relic receptacle, proof that it was also the Touch Key. She drew a deep breath as if it were her last, "I do this not for power but the good of this world."
"Stop! I will volunteer to open it." D stepped up to the table with an air of determination. "I won't subject any Lady to do the unthinkable and your knowledge has been valuable." His assertion was a gentleman's natural protective instincts, quite noble of him and completely understandable.
"Noted D."
Captain K stepped up to the table, "No, I will volunteer opening the receptacle. I'm the leader of this expedition, I am fully responsible for the welfare of not just the crew but this party as well and I have the final say!" He tips his hat to the Raven, "Ma'am, D, please assume command of this expedition, the Dragon Fire and the Puzzle box upon my departure as my last will and testament."
"Not quite my Captain!" Objected his loyal first mate, "And that's why you are NOT expendable, I will open the box on your behalf or shall I demand a crew vote?"
"He's got a point there, I’ll agree to a vote!" Khamen slapped his thigh and stood up and handed his blades to a crewmate, "I'm putting my hat into this too."
NoName shook his head, "Nag, nag, nag." In his usual soft spoken tone, "Can't let you boys and girl have all the fun," he hands his firearms to another shipmate. "Deal me in."
And that left....
Without word Sir Bentley threw his sword aside, jumped on the table and lunged at the puzzle box! Captain K almost anticipating Bentley's reaction snatched him in midair, his nimble paws a hair breath from the pulsing Puzzle box. The furry fury screamed, "I'll save you my Lady! Let me go, let me go!"
"Settle down Sir Bentley." Ordered Captain K.
NoName leaned over to the Doc standing next to the Raven, "What's with Bentley?"
"Not his usual self I see." Said Doc.
"Beats me." Lady Ravenhill shrugged in amusement.
"As much as I find this mutual compassion for one another refreshing and redeeming I believe we are at an impasse," Surmised D.
K nodded in agreement, "I suggest drawing straws, and short straw gets to operate the puzzle box."
"Look!" The Raven's right hand pointed to something beyond the open cave ceiling, "Magic Straw!" Her left hand came down on the Puzzle box. Everyone watched in horror bracing themselves for... an audible click emanating from the receptacle. The lid pops open. The crew let out sighs of relief as the worst didn't happen.
The Raven stepped slowly back to the table, "Well that seemed anticlimac...." The entire cave lit up with a blinding flash with an ear shattering boom as if someone had fired a massive Spanish 18 pounder cannon within the confines of a chamber. With their ears were still ringing most of the crew could hear a disembodied voice saying, "The sacrifice has been accepted." When the party picked themselves up Lady Ravenhill was absent. Her body found still and prone a dozen paces back from the table, her mask blown almost off her head.
Doc puts his palm on her chest to ascertain breathing.
"Is she alive?!" Asked the Captain.
Her body convulsed and her lungs sucked in with deep gasps of air.
She was alive!
She turned over and continued to choke and cough until she instinctively snarled snapping herself out of her gasping fit only to bare her deadly white fangs in the process.
"Relax Lady Ravenhill; you're suffering the effects of blast concussion. I think you have a few broken ribs too, just remain still," Ordered the Doc. "She's going to be okay".
Relieved Captain K then stared into the receptacle. The relic appeared first as the front Cranium that rested on a wooden base carved with the likeness of the Silver Skull of Hephaestus. He picked it up and changed into the form of a Silver Round. It felt warm to the touch and he felt the Jaw relic in his pocket suddenly have that warm sensation as well. “This is the relic.”
"What happened Doc?" Whispered the Raven.
"We got the relic!" Replied the Doc.
"Good."
"We thought you dead."
"Then who's sacrificed?"
"No one. I just took a head count" said Khamen..
Captain K knelt next to the Raven, "You did it, crazy but you did it. We're gonna camp here for the rest of the night and you need to recover before we try to return to the Dragon Fire."
She appreciated the crew's extra effort to make her comfortable in her convalescence but her cloak was nowhere to be found except for its remains on the altar. Better her cloak than death. Maybe it was her cursed immortality; not dead but not alive either. Perhaps with everyone so willing to give their lives for each other may just have been the overwhelming difference in the spiritual world. When a human will gives up it's own interest for the greater need, a sacrifice is made
After another quick survey Sir Bentley made himself comfortable on a tuft of moss next to the Raven, laid back and stared with her through the cave ceiling opening at the stars. "Magic Straw indeed." He giggled to himself.
She giggled with him. "And everyone believed it."
"The stars and the heavens are beautiful tonight my Lady," Sir Bentley's voice dropped to a whisper. "I want to apologise for my abrupt behavior back at the ship the other night. You knew who I was didn't you?"
"Ahhh, then it is indeed an honor to meet you SIR Bentley of Amoodeen."
"I was an officer and served at the battle for Narnia but I feel so far undeserving of such accolades, I just want to say....hey, did you notice the pair of stars blink?" There was a form or vague outline of a face staring, watching near the edge of the opening.
"I see it now." A second set of eyes barely glistened from the campfire. The figure perhaps didn’t count on acute Rabbit eyesight or the night vision of a Night Walker.
"Spies!" Whispered Sir Bentley, "What are you doing my Lady?" The Raven tried to get up but fell back against the pain of her ribs. "You can't do much my Lady, it's too far to climb up, going to tell Captain K."
"Tell the Captain what?" Whispered NoName.
"We got spies." Sir Bentley whispered, "Up in the opening."
“Oh?” NoName looked up by the corner of his left eye, his right thumb cocks back the striker as he slowly brings his left hand to the front stock. "Now I see ya..." Taking a controlled breath and in quick fashion his rifle lined in his sight at the figure, the Flash bang as the rifle bucking resonating all over the cave.
Sir Bentley could hear a muffled groan along with the sound of feet fleeing through the brush above.
Alerted by the gunfire the entire landing party rallied around the Sharpshooter ready to fight.
Captain K looked NoName in the eye, "What happened, you were on watch."
NoName held his finger up as if to..."Wait." A rustle was heard and then the sound of something falling down onto the side of the mound. "I got him."
Doc examined the body, "One of those Cobra guys alright, he's dead. Nice shot."
"The other one got away, and now they will know we got the relic." Said Sir Bentley.
NoName looked at Bentley, "Well now they know that we know they know too."
"Can't do much with the other one, he'll be long gone by the time one of us climb up that."
Captain K stretched, "We'll need another set of eyes up, I'll be on up this watch. Khamen and Doc will relieve us in two hours."
Daylight begins to filter in from the opening. Goldie hands out the usual sailor's breakfast with plenty of water. The berries were a surprise find making the hard tack more palatable. Doc couldn't sleep either and spent the time fashioning a stretcher for Lady Ravenhill.
Captain K smiled, "You should hold on to this. How's the pain?"
"Only when I laugh," She replied, “I’ll heal much faster starting tonight."
“Good, we made a pact that each senior member of the Crew will be responsible for guarding their part of the Silver Skull of Destiny. This one will be yours; I have no doubt of your abilities Lady Ravenhill.”
The intrepid party reaches the beach by midday, and as expected by Captain K the Dragon Fire haven't wasted any time making sure provisions were more than adequately restocked in their absence. Good fortune yields another find including some feral sheep. The ship's cook has already prepared fresh roasted boar, a hearty meal for everyone before the departure. Captain K raised his tankard to the crew, "Friends, let’s eat well, the gods of the waters and the wind will favor our fruitful return to the Isle of Skye."
In the livestock hold, Doc and Sir Bentley assisted Lady Ravenhill into the holding pen. She selected a young lamb from among the sheep. Her breath laboured and heavy, "You don't have to see this. I need this to help heal and to control the craving. I found I can avoid human blood this way. This kind of immortality is more a curse than it is a blessing. It won't take long."
"We understand my Lady." They stepped out of the hold and waited.
"There, there little one, it won't be too painful, and then you will just feel tired."
The lamb panicked for only a minute then settled on normal complaining after the Raven stepped out of the hold. "It is done, thank you."
"That's a new one for my books", Said the Doc.
Sir Bentley stayed with the Raven for most nights as she rested. The moonlight gave her the needed vitality and constitution. During the day she slept. What would normally take eight to ten weeks to fully recover from such injuries now seemed mostly healed in the four nights since. The Dragon Fire drops anchor in the sheltered harbor of the Fairy City. With the latest relic in possession the party disembarked back onto Isle of Skye. They noticed the Fairy city had sustained damage since they left.
They were typically accompanied by a guard of Fairies to Queen Savore. When asked of the Guard what happened they replied , that a Squadron of Cobra Ships tried to lay siege to the City a few days ago demanding the Queen to hand over any relics of the Skull. She refused so they attacked the City. Her Magic held but it had its limits enough that the ships left empty handed.
Fairy Queen Savore was as elegant as ever, “Welcome back our worthy ally, Crew of the Dragon Fire. What news so you bring us?”
Captain K lifted his hat and bowed with a flourish, “May I present our Lady Ravenhill holder of the Relic of Aeaea.”
Lady Ravenhill was practiced in approaching many kingdoms throughout her four hundred years to be respectful without being a doormat, born a Noble but a life of a slave she will not give up her God given dignity as a human endowed of special gifts.
“Step forward Lady Ravenhill, I know of you one who is blessed by the Light and the Dark, the Harbinger of Wrath. But I can feel that you are in need, and in some pain.” Queen Savore unveiled the Cerridwen Skull as it washed the Raven with a soft aura of Healing.
She felt the warm of it aura penetrate her body along with a sense of joy as like a gentle voice encouragement buoying her soul. “Thank you Queen Savore for completing my healing.” With the remaining pain gone strength came back to her body. She open her small black pouch and displayed the relic to her satisfaction.
“You and your friends deserve that and more for completing this journey well, but time is now of the essence for the Emperor Ikanus seemed determined to secure the Silver Skull of Destiny through other means. Enabled……” She steps down from her throne to whisper her words to Captain K, “Enabled by a traitor among my own court. I now must be careful not to divulge this to my citizens or panic may ensue and my warriors could lose heart.” The Queen walks to a nearby Iron Cabinet and unlocks it. Removing a crystal orb from its resting place and towards a large table with a fresh parchment. She rests the Orb in the middle of the parchment as crimson flames emerge and etch geographical features of some islands, shipping hazards, weather anomalies and vital cartographical bearings. Queen Savore steps back allowing them to examine the map.
“Aye, looks like treacherous seas Captain” Goldie exclaims, “According to this I say we’re going south from here.”
The Queen replies, “And so this will be your next destination Captain.”
“Et lux in tenebris to serve laboro, sum sicarius” “I work in the shadows to serve the Light, I am an Assassin”
What an amazing story!!! We are blown away by your story telling!!!
It took quite a lot of thinking without conflicting with anything in the backstory except one little detail, maybe two. Okay two. Keep it simple, logical, and airtight with just a few plot holes. Not saying where they arrrrh! 😂
Can you write a lotr part as well? I have all dvd s of lotr. Take your time.....
@goldrooster To avoid plagerisum I would have to change the LOTR title, set the story in another genre, use different names of characters, change the plot, damn then it will end up being an Original Work....genius! ☠😱
Another wonderful Chapter for #PirateSunday Thank You @kerrisravenhill
Thanks @stokjockey, 2000+ words and it took me all week to put this together. Could just go ahead and write the pirate version of 'War and Peace.'
You Could, but it's only what you want to do that matters......
Thank you for your continued support of SteemSilverGold
Always appreciate the support 👍
Fantastic story!!! On to another episode!!!! Is it next Sunday yet?
If only you knew how much time and effort to went into writing this Sis. It's no wonder most Fiction writers are not living the high life. Keep on Cooking Sis!
I like this snippet, Sis!
Arrrh! Pirate cooking cause we may not have thee appropriate utensils in the galley.
@kerrislravenhill you have outdid yourself my friend! Love the crew and they seem oddly familiar hmmmmm. Really amazing job and well rounded out indeed. Thank you so much for all the hard work and time that you placed into this marvelous work of art! Thanks for sharing!
Disclaimer: Characters depicted in this Epic story in whole or in part are fictional, any semblance, in appearance, in manner, in candor, living or dead, being part cheesy or not..... May be a total freaking coincidence. I thought the principal characters needed a supporting cast.
Thanks for including me in the story. I like how you weave many of the people on here into your story. :)
We needed a supporting cast. So what Community member best fits a that of a classic iconic gun man/sharpshooter? Or at least his avatar looks the part?
Makes sense to me! I think it's a good fit. :)