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Sharks Swim with the Fishes
by Bberke

The last Khrait died with a horrific death cry. It had been another successful trip. Serpents had died in large numbers west of Derah, and three Khrait ships, now little more than burning embers, floated in a sea of blood. The entire forward mast of the Sitharon dripped with blood - it pooled around its base, and fae magic flowed along the ship sweeping the crimson puddles away at a steady pace. Before the Khrait's lifeless corpse could fall to the ground, the heroes who had gathered to take the ship began to disperse. As Captain Bberke wiped the sweat and blood from his brow several dragons descended upon the ship ready to carry several of his form mates away. Five remained on the ship Xion, Zwork, Sagien, Yvain, Tenen, and Bberke.

As I wiped the blood from my brow, Xion dashed to the crow's nest and began hoisting the colors of clan 65 up the mast. My heart started racing. None had done this before, would the three of clan 65 attempt to take the ship, while my Man O' War sat adjacent and prepared if necessary to sink the ship? Still they could simply loot the chest of its gold and leave the ship to rot as I often did.

I always tried to give the heroes who aided me enough compensation in glory and gold to avoid such greed, but expected the worst. I cast spells of protection and defense, forming several illusory images around myself and a white glowing aura of sanctuary. To the trained user of magic each of my images glowed multiple shades of blue and white, so as I descended with all possible speed down one mast and up onlookers saw a blur of blue lightning shooting down and up towards Xion as he hauled on the ropes.

When I approached he stopped his hauling and leaped down the mast. Without delay I took hold of the ropes myself and began to pull, steadily setting the colors of the Cloaked Shadows on the mast. The ship properly captured, I looted the chest of roughly fifteen million gold coins. Finally I felt at peace, my business with this ship was done. Too exhausted to consider sailing both ships back to port solo as I'd done the other night, I gave up my rights to the ship and asked those still aboard if they wished to have the ship for themselves and the fae with it.

We rolled dice to determine who would keep the ship, the three members of clan 65 all rolled low, with Tenen rolling high. I remained silent. I did not want Tenen to have the ship, but he had the winning roll. I waited for Yvain to declare Tenen the winner at which point I agreed with a simple nod. Floating down the mast I made my way over to my ship, Wilderness Operator, and started the process of cutting all the ropes that attached the two ships.

Suddenly, Xion removed himself from the form and I heard shouts pleading with Xion to stop and for Xion to be killed. Wanting the roll to stand I shouted that attempting to kill anyone at this point would anger the immortals as we had engaged in the silent pact of warriors working in concert. It was to soon to be out each other's throats and I was sure such ill intentions would serve no one.

As I worked for what easily seemed like an hour to ungrapple the ships myself there was constant bickering on the other ship. Heroic warriors shouted to let the roll stand. Others pointed out that the Sitharon was steadily taking on water and without a joint effort the ship would soon sink. A voice who was certainly Tenen's threatened and I assume proceeded to summon the aid of the immortals to enforce his just claim on the ship, yet as far as this reporter could see there was no response. Even the gods become busy, it seems.

Then someone pointed out to Xion the Sitharon could go nowhere until it was ungrappled. It was at that very moment I managed to free the ships of the ropes binding them together and with an audible twang they separated. From the Sitharon came a bold cry of, "Onward!" To my satisfaction it was only moments later the Sitharon sank beneath the waters of the Fae Ocean. My ship soaked up over two hundred thousand fae, over four hundred thousand when increased by my clan's amplifier. Smugly, I turned the ship southeast and headed back to Derah.

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