09

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“Land, Ho!” Gale cried, pointing to a small blur of an island through the haze. 

Raal ran to the front of the boat. 

“There it is,” Natala said, standing next to him as they looked at it from afar. “Uselles Island.” 

As Raal stared at the island, he was somewhat disappointed in its size. “Not much of an island is it?” he said with a slightly disheartened expression.

Natala nodded. “Aye,” she said. “Not much of an island needed for a bunch of brigands.” She then tapped Raal’s shoulder. “Let’s go help get ready to anchor.”  

As the ship sailed into the boating dock, Gale maneuvered it into a gap between two other ships with the help of two men on the docks signaling his way through the process. After slowly getting between the ships, Gale told Little Man to drop anchor. Then, Trovii and Natala jumped off with a rope. They tied the rope to each side of the ship and to a metal rod on the pier. After that was complete, the crew started to disembark. The healthy helped the ones that were injured. Raal and Gale helped Miro stand up because his arms were still ravaged, and the three of them made their way off the war-torn ship.

Miro stepped off the ship onto the dock’s pavement, and then took a deep breath through his nose and let it out. He grinned and said, “Nothing like the smell of an island full of rum and musty pirates.” 

“It’s quite a distinctive aroma, that’s for sure,” one of the men that directed Gale into the anchor said to Miro. “Figured that was you. I couldn’t really tell because of all the damage to your ship. Looks like it’s been through a whirlpool.”

Miro let out a hardy laugh when he realized who was talking to him. The man had long, bristly blond hair that went a little past his shoulders and blond scruff that was the shadow of a beard on his face. He had a bluish-green eye that was almost identical to the sea. His other eye was covered with a patch that had a relief of a bird with arrows engraved on it. He wore a green vest with a white, frilled, buttoned shirt under it. 

His baggy white pants were covered with pouches that held knives and other blades, and his brown boots also had knives connected to them. On his waist, two curved swords were buckled to his belt. Judging by his appearance, if this fellow wasn’t a pirate, no one was.

“Captain Nelrig,” Miro said to him with a merry expression. “How’s the sea been treatin’ ya, my friend?”

“Better than you I’d have to say,” Nelrig said with a cheery yet rough accent. As he came closer to embrace Miro, he noticed the bloodstained cloths around his shoulders. Nelrig then backed up and threw his arms out in Miro’s direction. He held them there in a way to direct the attention to Miro’s entire body. He asked, “What in the name of Sem happened to you?” 

“A lot,” Miro said with a laugh. “You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”

“Oh, I’d believe ya,” Nelrig said. “There hasn’t been a day The Basilisk has ever come back here without some kind of story to tell.”

Miro laughed again. “Yeah,” he said. “But I don’t think you’ll believe this one though. It’s a lot to take in. Anyways, what brings you to Uselles?”

“What do you think brings a pirate to this scum of a town?” He grinned. “If it wasn’t for rum and gleddies, I wouldn’t dare step foot in this damnable filth hole full of drunk, lying, motherless vagrants.” He huffed and turned a sinister glare to a couple of pirates who were sitting outside of a bar along the docks. “Sem piss on those landlubbers. Lying cheats, the whole lot of em. I had half a mind to gut em and see em hang by their entrails.”  

Raal cringed with disgust as he pictured that statement unfolding in his mind. Miro laughed. “I see your gambling curse hasn’t lifted any.”

“Bah,” Nelrig spouted as he turned back to Miro. “The only curse I have is the curse of being swindled. I’ll get what’s mine soon enough, you can believe that.” Then he let out a laugh. “But in all honesty, the boys and I are getting ready to leave.” He pointed to his ship. A lot of his crewmembers were bringing boxes and other crated supplies onto it as others scurried around to prepare the ship for departure. 

“We’ve been here resting for a week,” Nelrig continued. “I know a week’s a while, but the crew needed it. We recently had a pretty lengthy expedition. We traveled nonstop from Cloral, where we got attacked by hydramen; bloody monstrosities they are. Then, we went north through Cape Taoli to travel through a heap of a mess there until we hit the edge of Phantei. After that, we turned around and sailed into the Sea of Thieves. You already know how that turned out. We ended our little journey near the Roran Isles. Then we came back up here to Uselles. Pirate’s life for me, aye?”

“Definitely a pirate’s life for you, old friend,” Miro said to him, astonished by his long voyage. “Speaking of Roran Isles, I had a run-in with Mister Roran Isles himself.”

Nelrig widened his eyes. “Katu?”

Miro nodded.

“And you’re alive? Wasn’t this your second time facing him in less than a month? I heard some tall tales about The Basilisk and The Sea Raider. Heard he gained some godless power and slammed a wave on ya.” 

Miro nodded with a sigh. “That’s not far from the truth. He’s a witty one, that’s for sure. He’s the reason I’m bandaged up like this.”

“He’s the reason most of the fellas are bandaged up like that,” Nelrig said with a laugh. “You’re not special, matey.”

Hearing Katu’s name forced Raal into the conversation. “We’re going to get him back,” Raal said. “We’ll get our revenge.”

Nelrig turned to Raal with a raised eyebrow. “You talk like you’ve already won,” he told him. “Who are you supposed to be?”

“Someone who really wants to put a blade through Katu’s heart,” Raal said to him with a resolute expression. Raal had such determination in his eyes that it caused Nelrig to change his facetious attitude into a more serious one and study Raal with more consideration. 

“You may have heard of this guy,” Miro said to Nelrig. “He’s been known to be the Red Bandit, the Wanted Mercenary, the—”

“God of Thieves,” Nelrig finished Miro’s sentence. He looked Raal up and down. “So,” he said to him. “You’re the little vagrant that’s been causing the Auroites to lose so much sleep at night.”

Raal just stared at Nelrig. They stared at each other with an unwavering sternness. Then Nelrig let out a hardy laugh. “Good on ya, mate.” Nelrig chuckled. “It’s about time those scumbags got off my arse and got on someone else’s.” Nelrig respectfully put out his hand to shake. Raal shook it and quickly realized that Nelrig’s grip was a lot stronger than he thought. When he let go, Raal flexed his fingers.

Nelrig continued to have a wide smile. “Any friend of Miro’s is a friend of mine,” he said as he patted Raal on the back. Again, he was surprisingly strong, almost knocking Raal over. Raal then decided it would be best to stay at least an arm’s length away from him.

“So,” Miro said to Nelrig. “Where ya headed this time?”

“It’s another long journey,” Nelrig told him. “I’m supposed to meet up with Cap’n Arill’s fleet, something we agreed on in Roran. Then we’ll head up north to the northern continent. I’ve heard some nasty rumors about some pretty high-class drama going on up there. Auroite generals are starting to go against each other with word twisting and politics; a lot of political crap that’s making everyone go into a bit of a frenzy . . . Perfect time for a fleet of pirates, don’t you agree?”

Miro laughed. “Aye,” he said. “No better time for chaos than in a time of chaos. Good sailing to you, my friend.”

“Aye,” Nelrig told him. “You too, seafarer.” Then he turned to Raal again. “It was nice to meet ya, God of Thieves. Keep doing whatever you’re doing that’s keeping those Auroites away from me.”

Raal nodded to him, unsure of how to respond to that. “I will . . . I guess,” he mustered up. Raal kept his distance. He didn’t want Nelrig to break his hand by trying to shake it.

After saying their goodbyes, Nelrig went to his ship to help with the departure. Miro gave his crew orders to relax and get some rum in their belly. They would be there for a while. There was no need to waste precious leisure time worrying about the inevitable. It was true, but Raal couldn’t help it. Leah was out there on the sea somewhere with one of the most dangerous pirates in the world. How could he not worry?

As they walked out of the boating dock, they came into a marketplace. On each side of them were little stores with shady-looking people selling all types of merchandise. Kids were running around playing tag and bumping into people to steal their wallets. They were pickpockets, something Raal could easily distinguish because of his reputation. Besides that, people were gambling in the middle of the street, signs were being held advertising discounts for items that should have been free anyway. The air was filled with all of the common sounds of a marketplace. 

“Cabbage, get your cabbage! Only three gleddies!”  

“Come see the greatest fight of your life! Jona versus Tibeth with a tempting offer of twelve gleddies!”  

“You can look beautiful, ladies, with these silver and gold jewels worn by the finest of Felinis! This bracelet is only twenty-three gleddies!”  

This was a scene that was all too familiar to Raal. He grew up pickpocketing on streets like these. It was the starting point for all bandits and pirates. However, not all of them could gain a reputation like Raal’s.

The crew split up to go to different places. Miro, Natala, and Gale stayed together, looking for a store that sold parts for ships. Raal was intrigued by the statue that he noticed when they sailed into the bay, so he made his way to it. He was unaware of a young woman, with long black hair, tan skin, and brown eyes, who was sitting at a table eating and reading. She had put her paper down to study his every move. “Big game,” she muttered to herself. As she did, a man stopped by her table and tapped her on her shoulder.

“Captain Nelrig’s departing now,” he said. “Are you sure you don’t want to come with us? This place can be dangerous for casual travelers.”

The young woman smiled and shook her head. “I’m all good here. Thank you. And thank your captain for the trip. I enjoyed all his singing out on the seas.”

The crewman laughed. “Aye, I’ll let him know. I hope you find who you’re looking for. Stay safe, lass!” Then he started to jog toward the docks.

The woman waved goodbye and then turned her attention back to Raal. She kept her stern eyes on him as he walked up to the statue.

The statue was in the center of a plaza and was enormous. It depicted a man in full armor holding a sword and looking with sternness toward the sea. A couple of birds nested on the statue’s withered and broken shoulder, which showed the stone’s age. Raal noticed a little subscript at the bottom of the statue that read, In memory of the Great Warrior, Leo. 

Many stories about Leo, the warrior of legend, were plastered in Raal’s memories over the years. Each one was like a fairy tale. He was told by some that the stories were true and by others that they were all just myths. Raal tended to lean toward the latter. A man riding the world’s most untamable dragon to war didn’t seem all that possible. 

As Raal walked to a bench to sit down, he noticed the black-haired woman staring at him. To make sure that she was looking at him, he waved to her. She didn’t wave back and just continued staring at him. “What is her problem?” he asked himself. He got up from his bench. The awkwardness of the situation overwhelmed him.  

Raal started walking away. The woman got up from her table and started following him. “What is she doing?” he whispered to himself. Then he started walking faster. She did the same. 

He took a turn around a corner and looked. Again, she did the same. He walked through a small store that had an exit on the other side. Coming out of the exit, he made a right into a market vicinity, and then he made a left into another market area. 

He looked back again. She was still there. Raal grew frustrated. He soon made it to another plaza and stopped in the center of it. Then he turned to face her. She stopped as well. They stared at each other for a while. 

She was wearing a tight, black leather jacket that had no sleeves and  a white shirt under it that showed her toned abs. She also wore black leather pants and black boots. They were pretty rough clothes, which stood out since she was such an attractive young woman. However, her eyes were glaring at Raal in a way that seemed threatening. Raal continued to look at her. Then, as he continued to keep his eyes on her, he slowly started walking backward. She moved toward him, but then a crowd of people walked between them, causing her to lose sight of him. 

She gasped and ran into the crowd to find Raal. She pushed her way through everyone and looked everywhere. As the crowd subsided, she turned her head in every direction. She had lost him. She started walking around every area of the plaza. She looked in every little shack and up and down every stairway. 

Soon, she came into a dark alley. She walked through it as she cautiously looked around. It was quiet—so quiet that the sound of a tin can rolling behind her caused her to quickly turn around, startled. Realizing that it was a small animal that caused it, she let her guard slip. Raal quickly came up behind her, wrapped his arm around her neck, and put the tip of his sword to her chin. 

“Who are you and what do you want?” Raal whispered in her ear. She didn’t say anything, so Raal moved his blade closer to her skin. “Who are you?” he asked again. “Why are you following me?”  

Then she put her leg around his, leaned back on him, and tripped him with his arm still around her neck. As they fell, the girl held her elbow out. The impact of the fall caused inertia to force her elbow into the center of Raal’s forehead. Then, she jumped off of him and flipped away. She pulled out an oddly shaped weapon. It was a long, black string with crescent blades on each end of it. 

Raal stood up, holding his head. He glared at her. Now that they were closer to each other, Raal could make out that the clothes she was wearing were a familiar type of clothing that only a few people that he despised wore. “You’re a bounty hunter,” Raal said with a malevolent face. 

She grinned. “The name’s Tira, and yes, I’m a bounty hunter.” 

“Why are you after me?” Raal asked. 

She laughed. “Did you seriously just ask that?” Then she held up a paper. It was the paper that she was reading previously. On it was a list of names and each name had a fairly decent sketch of a face that went with it. Raal’s was near the top and below his face sketch was the word that every bandit hated to read: WANTED. 

“You’re the one and only, Raal, God of Thieves, wanted in over fifty cities,” she said. “There’s big money on your head, God of Thieves.”  

Raal shook his head in disbelief. “Out of all the bandits and pirates on this island,” Raal told her, “you had to single me out? Really?”

“You’re worth the most,” Tira said to him. “You should be honored.”

“My five days are up,” he told her. “I can’t be arrested for something I didn’t do. The Auroites wouldn’t even take me.”  

Tira smirked. “Who said anything about arresting?”  She then ran at him, swinging her weapon around her head. It flew at Raal and almost decapitated him, but he ducked, letting the blade barely touch his head. Though it did cut a small strand of his hair. 

As he watched the little strands of his hair float onto the ground, he glared at her. “I haven’t had a barber in years, and I didn’t ask for one today.” He tightened his grip on the sword as he got into a fighting stance. Tira did the same. They stared at each other for a moment, visualizing their fight. Raal then ran at her, his sword held behind him. Once he reached her, he sliced his sword up toward her, but she avoided the attack. When he turned to face her, he quickly realized that she only had one blade in her hand. Raal quickly ducked. Tira’s other blade flew over his head from behind him. She caught it and then swung both of them around her in a deadly cyclone of blades. 

Raal backed up as she and her cyclone came closer and closer to him. If he got caught in that, he would be shredded. He took a moment to focus. He gazed at Tira’s arm movement. It wasn’t clear, but he was able to see each blade’s path. With that, he ran into the cyclone, parried the incoming blade, which knocked Tira off balance, and thrust his sword at her. With her other blade, she parried and bounced off of it. As she recuperated, she got into a defensive position. They stared at each other, waiting for the next attack. 

In the meantime, Miro walked around the plaza looking for Raal. Natala, Gale, and a few other crew members were behind him, carrying bags and barrels. They yelled out his name to no avail. 

“Wasn’t he the one complaining about getting out of here fast?” Trovii said, irritated. 

“Raal, we have the parts we need for the ship!” Natala cried. “Soon as our technician fixes it, we can leave!”

It wasn’t long before they reached a crowd of people staring into an alleyway and cheering. They slowly made their way past the crowd to see what the commotion was about.  

“Oh, no,” Miro said when he saw Raal fighting Tira. “Raal, stop it!” Miro and the crew members pushed their way through the crowded ruffians and ran into the duel to stop it. They wrapped their arms around Raal and tried to hold him steady. Natala stood in the middle with her hand on the hilt of her sheathed sword. She glared at Tira and shook her head at her, daring her to attack.

“Let me go!” Raal cried struggling to break free. “I’m gonna kill her!” Tira just stood there. 

Miro got in front of Raal’s face. “What’s your problem?” he said. 

“She almost killed me!” Raal cried. “Look at my hair! Her blade did that!” 

Miro looked at his head. His hair didn’t look cut at all. Raal pointed to the little brown strand of hair on the ground. Natala picked it up. 

“It’s barely anything,” she said. “She cut more air than hair.”   

Tira growled. “Get out of my way,” she said. “Raal is a wanted man, and I’m going to get the gleddies that I deserve one way or another.” 

Miro turned to her. “You’re a bounty hunter?” he asked her. 

She nodded. “Now get out of my way!” she said. 

“You heard her,” Raal said, as he continued to try and break free. “Get out the way so I can split her in half.” 

“No, Raal, we’re leaving,” Miro said. 

“Move!” Raal cried. 

Little Man came over to Raal, picked him up, put him on his shoulders, and started to walk off with him. 

“Put me down!” Raal cried as he tried to leap off of Little Man. However, Little’s Man’s grip was too strong. Raal looked like an infant being taken from his play place. 

Tira yelled to Miro. “He’s my prize! Don’t take him anywhere!”

Natala glared at her again. “If you want him, then you will have to go through us,” she told her. Then Miro and the crew had their weapons out. 

Tira knew that she couldn’t beat all of them. “Fine,” she grunted. “But remember this, Raal!”  

Raal looked at her from his spot on Little Man’s shoulders. 

“Next time I find you, you will be mine!” she finished. 

“Put me down!” Raal cried. “Let me show her who’s gonna be whose!”

Later on that night, Raal was in a much better mood. One of the technicians gave word to Miro that the ship would be good to set sail early the next morning. With the rest of the day to waste, the crew decided to find a place so that they could all eat and have a good meal before their departure. 

As they sat and ate, Raal spotted some familiar faces hanging around the marketplace. Their tattoos did little to hide who they were. They were Atlohs. And not only that, they were the ones who took Leah’s mom and tormented the village. 

“So they did trade them off,” Raal said to himself. 

“What?” Miro asked. 

“Those Atlohs,” Raal told him. “They’re the same ones Leah and I fought on Oaka. Looks like the Trade Runners did take the captives.”  

Miro could see the fury in Raal’s eyes and knew exactly what he was thinking. “Just leave them alone,” Miro told him. “There’s no reason to start something here. There are too many swords.” 

Raal nodded. He knew Miro was right. 

***

The next morning, after sleeping on the ship, Raal was the first one up. It was a new day, a day in which he would start his search for Leah and Katu. He was eager to find Leah. He had to. He already wronged her once by bringing the Atlohs to her village. 

He had to make it right, and the only way he could think of making it right was by saving her somehow. However, getting even wasn’t his only reason. Leah trusted him with her life . . . her everything. If anything were to happen to her. . . “Let’s hurry and set sail!” he cried. “Katu could be anywhere!”