Advent of Eternity - Chapter 27 (Patreon)

“Where’s the rest of your crew?” Cyll asked. Knell kept himself on the man’s other side, hiding the sound of his staff biting the deck with Cyll’s footsteps.

“They’re at the bar, but why’s that matter?” the pirate asked, struggling to keep up. His hand started to go to his sword. “Who are you? I don’t recognize any of you, and I’ve moored at this dock hundreds of times.”

They boarded the ship and Cyll struck the man on the back of his head. With a groan, the pirate collapsed into the taller man’s arms. Cyll heaved him over the side of the ship, where he hit the water with a loud splash.

“Stealth, Cyll,” Knell snapped as the card-playing pirates spun toward them. Stix leapt at them, striking the first man in the forehead with the hilt of her dagger and drawing it across the second one’s throat before he could react.

“There,” Stix said, wiping her dagger off on the fallen man and suppressing a sigh as magical energy left his body and entered hers.

“But you got blood all over the deck,” Hau said with a frown. At some point, she’d followed them aboard without anybody noticing. “That’s gross.”

“When did you get here? And what would you have done different?” Stix asked, cocking an eyebrow as she and Cyll dragged the men over to the edge of the ship and threw them overboard. Knell step-tapped over to the anchor and started to raise it, struggling against the weight. Cyll arrived a moment later to aide him.

“Better,” Hau replied with a smug grin. “I just would have done better.”

“What happened to not getting on the ship?” Knell asked, stepping back once the anchor was raised. He and Cyll lowered the sails as one of the pirates they’d thrown overboard managed to wake up and start calling for help.

“I’m getting off, sheesh. See you again soon!” Hau made a face and hopped onto the dock as the ship started to move. She waved eagerly to them as they departed.

Stix walked up beside Knell and cocked an eyebrow. Pirates had only just started to gather, but only a few seemed to have any concern for their fallen compatriots. The rest seemed content to watch as the ship sailed away, completely unaware of what had happened and just there to enjoy the entertainment.

“That went whiskey,” Stix said while Cyll took the wheel behind them.

Knell grunted. “For now. They’ll send someone after us, if only to make an example out of what happens to those who steal from whatever captain this ship sailed under.”

On the dock, a tall man strode up to stand beside Hau. Knell squinted as he put a hand on her shoulder. A dark hood covered most of the man’s features, but Knell caught a flash of yellowish white beneath it.

Hau and the man turned, vanishing into the growing crowd.

“So, where to?” Cyll asked. “I might know how to steer this thing, but it’s been a long time since I last sailed the seas. I’ve got no clue where anything is.”

“Unfortunately, I’m not much of a navigator,” Knell admitted. “There should be some sort of logbook and tools in the captain’s quarters, though. We need to figure out where Silver ridge is. I’ll go take a look.”

He strode over to the captain’s quarters and rattled the handle. It was locked. Knell frowned and jabbed his staff behind the hook of the handle, yanking back on it with a sharp tug. With a loud snap, the whole contraption tore out of the wood.

Knell pushed the door open and entered the captain’s quarters, grimacing at the smell of scented oils that emanated out from within it. Whoever had owned the ship previously had horrible taste and absolutely no shame in it.

He pinched his nose shut, trying to block out the omnipotent smell of citrus, and scanned the small room. A small but nice cot hung from one wall, across from a nice wooden table. Papers were piled high on it, covering several books.

Knell carefully moved the garbage out of the way, scanning through the books until his eyes caught on a large, blue tome. It was bound with thick strands of rope and tanned from years of usage. There was no title, but he flipped it open to reveal dozens of maps, all carefully protected within the book’s bindings.

“Found it,” Knell said, emerging from the room and handing the book to Stix, who ascended the stairs to the wheel so she could deliver it to Cyll.

“You’re lucky I can read this,” Cyll said with a dry laugh. “You’d all be lost without me.”

“I’d like to think we all have our role to serve,” Knell replied.

“What’s she do?” Cyll asked, grinning at Stix.

“Walks the stairs for the captain, apparently,” Stix said in a monotone voice.

“They’re my greatest weakness. Your sacrifice is greatly appreciated,” Knell said, not breaking composure even slightly.

“But where in the Sixteen Seas do we go?” Cyll asked.

“I already told you. Silver ridge,” Knell said. “I’d rather not to go too far right now. We can keep things local, especially if we want to drop by Mount Bloodwater in a month.”

“I’m honestly surprised you don’t already know where it is,” Stix said.

“I have no idea. It’s not like I’ve traveled this area much before. My talent is strategy, not navigation or memorization.”

“You knew where to find Cyll!”

“That was more of a gift from someone else,” Knell said, drumming his fingers on the hilt of his staff contemplatively. “Payment to right old wrongs. I’m all out of favors, I’m afraid. It’s just us now. And possibly a few angry gods.”

“Oh?” Cyll asked. “I like the sound of that. Which ones?”

“Holen. And possibly Mordrigal, depending on how things play out,” Knell said with a shrug. “That’s all I’ll be saying for now. Stix has still yet to join our crew permanently.”

“Oh, at this point, I think I’m stuck with you,” Stix said with a sigh. “Consider this my official signing on. After all the crap we’re going through, I do expect some significant rewards at the end of it all.”

“Ah, right,” Cyll said. “The little elf needs protection while she gathers energy.”

“Your ass might need protection if you don’t watch it,” Stix threatened, pointing a dagger at him. Cyll just cocked an eyebrow.

“That’s the best you can come up with? You need more practice on your insults, that was really pathetic. They don’t make them like they used to. I once knew a moon elf that could curse with the best of them. Now she was something else.” Cyll trailed off and let out a dreamy sigh. “The Shadowdance tribe was the best.”

Stix started. She quickly tried to hide her reaction, but both Cyll and Knell turned to stare at her.

“No way,” Cyll said, starting to laugh. “You’re Shadowdance?”

“There’s nothing wrong with that!”

“I could be your great great great grandfather or something,” Cyll said, shaking with mirth. “Ha! Your super grandmom had a great–”

“That’s enough,” Knell said. “Stix, welcome to the crew. We’re killing the gods.”

Stix stared at him, then glanced at Cyll. The immortal man gave her a wide, toothy grin.

“Wonderful. Is there anything else horrifying I need to know? Perhaps we have to cut off body parts and sacrifice them to you?”

“I think you’ve suffered enough today. After all, you’re likely in Cyll’s family tree.”

“True enough,” Cyll said with a cackle. “Sorry for your loss, moon girl.”

“Could you at least stick to one name?” Stix asked wearily.

“Absolutely not,” Cyll replied.