Last time on Raiders of the Middle Seas Part 12
“Why? It will take you hours to…” Leland did not let Nerod finish, he could see that this frustrated the ex-Captain greatly.
“Because ‘Captain’, you only lost men at night. So did I. At night and on shore. I plan on staying on the water for the night, out at sea where you were floating about. What’s out there is no spirit. It can’t swim or you would have been dinner.”
The foreigner shut his mouth with an audible click.
Nich chuckled at the man. “See why we chose him to be our new Captain? He’s clever!”
Raiders of the Middle Sea 13
The new day dawned and Leland was already on deck and fully dressed.
It was not fully light yet and he did a head count, equipment check and stock take of their new supplies while he waited for proper light to hit the shores.
As he had predicted, nobody had died in the night and all the crewmen were fully rested. The foreign captain seemed sour about this fact, that it proved that Leland was somehow the better man in this regard. The men were in high spirit, the wit and cunning of their Captain had kept them alive and his quick decisions had saved them from any further casualties.
Leland sent out Nich, Holdt and two other men to the shore first to make sure that it was safe. Leland knew that there was at least two things that he would need from Nerod before the man had outlived his usefulness. Leland was no murderer, but the pirate Captain posed an massive danger to his crew. He needed to seriously consider at what point he might need to dispose of the man.
“Tell me Nerod.” Leland said to the man. He had allowed Nerod’s arms to be loosened and had replaced the old rope with actual steel shackles that Leland carried the keys for. There was a set around the man’s wrists and another set on the man’s ankles. Even with these precautions, he had stationed Franco to follow the man everywhere and be ready for any treachery. “Once we are stocked up with enough food to last us, how many days at sea are we to the nearest port that is safe to dock?”
“Why would I tell you?” Nerod spat on to the deck at Leland's feet.
“I can set you free at that port and we can go our separate ways.”
Nerod grunted and stared out over the seas and then looked up at the Kings Dart’s sails and rigging. “Around six to seven days of sailing in the right direction.” He answered finally. “But you wont get there without me.”
“Not a worry. You shall be our guide.” Leland replied with a smile that he did not feel inside. “We are going ashore next. I need to be there to make sure we are taking in enough food. I would like to leave tomorrow.” He nodded towards Franco.
“Yes Captain.” The large sailor said even though Leland had said nothing. The man attached a length of rope to Nerod’s leg shackles, making it easier to keep the man tied up and stationary.
“Why am I being tied up all the time?” Nerod asked. “I haven’t done anything to you!”
“You’re a pirate.” Franco said in his short and gruff manner. Nerod sighed and shrugged his shoulders.
They boarded their boat and went ashore. Leland left only old Rogger and two deckhands to keep watch over the ship. They would need all their men if they were going to accomplish what he planned on doing next.
The final set of supplies was being ferried from the island to the Kings Dart.
Although he made it perfectly clear that they had what they needed, Leland kept the majority of the men on the island. Nerod was getting impatient and Leland supposed that the wily pirate had an instinct for trouble.
This only confirmed to Leland that the pirate could not be trusted. Nerod would betray them sooner or later.
They were on the edge of the little valley in the center of the island, where the bloody trail that had led from Dieter’s severed arm had vanished. Some of the dry blood still coated the sand that had not been disturbed by the wind or the other men.
“Why are we still here?” Nerod complained into the silence. “This is folly! We should make way to the nearest port and be done with this cursed island! I don’t care if you have figured out that the killings only happen at night! If we stay here then we are doomed!”
Leland turned and faced the pirate Captain. “Well then Nerod…” He smiled as he saw the man flinch again at his casual use of his first name. “Then why don’t you just make it easier for us all and tell me where it is?”
Nerod glanced to his left. “Where what is?”
“Don’t play games. The treasure. The reason that you and your men, a pirate crew came to this island. You weren’t settling here to start a farm. This was not some vacation trip and there are no people to raid and plunder. So you came here because there is a treasure on this island.”
“And why would I share my treasure with you?! Huh?” Nerod rattled the chain at his wrists, shaking them back and forth. “The treasure that MY crew died to find!” The pirate calmed suddenly. “Why would you want the risk of retrieving this treasure anyway? You are traders.”
Leland held up his forefinger to the sky before him. “Correct! However, we have no money and nothing to trade thanks to the deprivations of one of your… colleges. And we will need some kind of valuables in order to get us back in top shape with all the supplies we need.”
“Right. That answers the one question.”
“Why should you help us? Because you can’t get the treasure without us. You lost your crew. How soon do you think you will return to this island you are so terrified of? Or to find a new crew who will follow you to a place where you lost all your men? You are a Pirate Captain of some renown. Men will want to know what happened to your crew. So I will be generous. When we get to a port, I will set you free and give you a tenth of whatever we find or its worth.” The pirate seemed about to protest when Leland added. “Besides… we saved your life.”
The pirate captain’s mouth went shut and his face drooped down towards the ground. Drawing a deep breath he straightened up again and sighed. “Alright. You have a point.”
“Brilliant! See? Told you he is a reasonable man?” He asked, looking at Nich. He hadn’t actually said anything to his first mate but the man played along and nodded, grinning. “Now, before we begin. What is the supposed loot that we are attempting to retrieve?”
Nerod Ar An Barga grinned unexpectedly. “It’s like you were born on the wrong side of the ocean! Keep this up and I might consider you for my Clan!” The pirate pointed towards the east of the island. “There is a grotto on that side of the island that holds the wealth of a Pirate Lord. It’s probably more than we can carry with all of your men, but even one chest of his gold, jewels and other rare items could have us living like kings for the rest of our lives.”
The men laughed and clapped hands appreciatively. Leland had a moment to think about what Railor loot rules were and decided to keep his mouth shut for the moment. If he told them now what the law stated then he would have a mutiny on his hands.
“Right. Let’s head off to find the cave.” Leland ordered. “Keep your wits about you men and your weapons ready to draw!”
They set off.
Leland had Franco keep Nerod close. Leland had ordered a line of men to spearhead their advance.
Soon enough they came to where the cave was. It was higher than the rest of the island and made a sort of hill that would be overlooked in the countryside. To the sailors it would be like a mountain, unused to such obstacles. Even so, the earthen edifice stood around four hundred feet above sea level and covered an area three times as broad before falling abruptly into the ocean.
Sure enough in the side of this hill was a rock sided opening that went down into the darkness. Leland stopped to consider the best approach to go about the task, considering the dangers. He turned towards the pirate Captain. “Where did you lose majority of your men?” He saw the man’s eyes widen and he had his answer. “In the cave. You went in there and your men began dying. Then you ran and you were one of the few that got out into the light before whatever it was got you.”
The pirate seemed stunned.
“Whatever it is… it is not a curse Nerod. It is no ghost. What I can promise you is that whatever it is, it is not fond of daylight. What I…” He cut off as he saw one of the sailors run towards the cave mouth.
“I’m gonna be rich!” The man yelled as he ran.
“Stop!” Leland shouted at the man. “Someone stop him.” But it was too late, the man had already reached the opening and disappeared inside. “Do not follow you ignorant fools! I am your Captain and you grog-suckers had better well listen to me! You want to die? Eh?”
The men stopped and some of them turned around to gape at Leland. It was the first time that he had flung an insult at them. Usually they had just followed him because they needed a leader. Now there was considerable wealth to be had and the need to listen to an authoritative figure began to fade. Some of the men looked like they might actually retaliate against him right now.
Before anyone could move towards him, they were forestalled by a blood curdling scream that they would remember for all time. The scream went on and on and seemed to be coming closer to the cave mouth. The scream stopped for a second and the man cried out in pain and then went silent.
“Gather close to me you sea monkey filth and let Captain Leland tell you what just happened and how we are going to get rich and still keep our hides.” He said. The men who had been about to start a mutiny dropped their gazes and shuffled closer.
“That had been Hennec right?” Leland searched the men's pale faces. A couple of the men nodded dully. “He never did like me, listening to my orders even less. Serves him right.”
Leland made a point of spitting into the sand at their feet as he said it. It was not really in his nature to be this disrespectful to anyone, living or dead, but he was angry. He seemed to be the only one, the rest of them were scared and pale.
“Hennec had heard or felt them coming.” He began, remembering the screams. “He began running, screaming. Then they got him and hurt him. Then he was dead. That means several things…. They are faster than us. They are likely animals, they bit him or tripped him and then they finished him. Quickly.” He stared into the eyes of the crew. “You will listen to my every command.” He said softly.
“Yes Captain!” The response was from every man standing there save Nerod who almost looked like he was going to say so himself as well.
“You have twenty minutes.” Leland said. “Bugsby. I want a small camp fire five paces of the cave mouth. The rest of you need to gather as much firewood as you can. Twenty minutes! Move!”
“Aye Captain!” The men shouted and Leland took Nerod’s restraint from Franco to allow the big man to dash away to work with the other men.
Soon enough a massive stack of firewood began piling up. Bugsby had started a tiny little smouldering fire which he started blowing on until there was a curl of blue wood smoke in the addition to the first naked flames that began to grow and spread.
Leland took a branch and held it over the fire, the flames spread up the branch of their own accord. He then walked to the cave mouth with the burning brand.
He had Nerod still in tow and the man resisted a bit before following. Leland threw the burning branch just inside the cave. Going back to the fire he set another branch alight. Bugsby had grown his little fire and the process was a little faster.
“Bring an unlit log.” He instructed the pirate Captain and the man complied. Leland led him to the cave mouth and walked in. His first branch was quickly burning out and he added his new burning source as well as the thicker log that Nerod was carrying. That would hold for a good couple minutes. He pulled the pirate a full five meters into the cave and Leland made sure not to shield the deeper tunnel of light with his own body.
He stood there and waited.
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There was movement inside the cave. Something brushed against the cave walls. Leland stared intently into the darkness. He stooped and picked up a hand sized piece of wood that was burning only on one end and flicked it into the darkness further on.
An inhuman squeal answered the invasion of the small light source and there was a rapid shuffling to get away from it. Nerod jumped and let out a yell that was answered by sounds of alarm from the outside of the cave. Leland held the pirate’s restraint taught as the man peddled to get out of the cave.
“Well well!” Leland said to his men who had gathered quickly, weapons in hand. If he had their attention and fear before, he now had their respect and adoration. “A couple things we have learned so far. There are many of them inside there. They wait just beyond the edge of the light of the flames. They cannot stand light, not even a little. What we need to do is build little camp fires from the entrance to wherever we need to be, the light from one fire needs to reach the next. Whatever you do, do not block off the light from an opening or they might be able to get at you from there. Understood?”
“Aye!”
Despite the chill that ran down Leland's spine, he stalked forward into the cave.
Next time on Raiders of the Middle Sea
The hall was lined either side with chests.
“Bring more wood!” Leland barked and the command was passed along the line.
There was only one problem with the chamber.
There was massive amount of movement beyond the light’s edges. It seethed like one single unending noise. Like a swarm of them, though he was pretty sure that they could not fly.
Leland walked over to the first of the chests. The container itself was covered in gold inlay and decorated with fancy scrollwork like it belonged in a king’s hoard or a cathedral’s store.
He placed his hand on the lid and as if it was fated he heard yells from the corridor. The yells got louder and louder as information was passed on to the inside of the cave system.
“Captain!” Franco called. “News from the outside. Our store of wood we gathered is depleted!”
New to Raiders of the Middle Sea? Begin Reading previous Episodes!
Raiders of the Middle Sea Part 1
Raiders of the Middle Sea Part 2
Raiders of the Middle Sea Part 3
Raiders of the Middle Sea Part 4
Raiders of the Middle Sea Part 5
Raiders of the Middle Sea Part 6
Raiders of the Middle Sea Part 7
Raiders of the Middle Sea Part 8
Raiders of the Middle Sea Part 9
Raiders of the Middle Sea Part 10
Raiders of the Middle Sea Part 11
Raiders of the Middle Sea Part 12
World of Kedra