It was already midday, the sun was slightly warmer and the sky was clearer. Two days they have walked and they grew weary, yet none of them seemed to care to rest. Everything looked peaceful few miles away from the battlefield, the war seemed more like a tiring nightmare, or so they hoped. Dufrig walked slowly, with his large sword resting upon his right shoulder. He was leading the party to seize the ship in Qrinmonk shore. He was followed by his youngest and only living son, Myga. Behind them walked Vyrgal and Wungrim, the two dwarves were in pain, their injuries were bad but their anger and grief was greater. Five other dwarf soldiers trudged behind their leaders, their pace was slow but sure footed. They followed the river that flowed from the slopes of mount Mothgar through the vast grasslands of the borders between the giant kingdom Phaa and the dwarf kingdom Efylæ, to Qrinmonk shore where it emptied. They crossed the river west for an easier path and strode southward towards the shore.
"Do we know how many of them are going to be there? Guarding the ship?" Asked Myga.
"No, but there might be one or two of them left. That's what a wise captain would do. No one leaves their ship unguarded, even in safe lands like these..." Dufrig stopped for a second to reconsider his words. "Or at least that's what they were..." He added after a deep breathe.
"Do you think she was telling the truth father? Do you think it's another scheme of Zion to defeat us?" Myga was almost as tall as his father, his breastplate was made from the finest iron in the continent. His armor covered almost everything from the neck down and ending at the groin, but his shoulders were fairly exposed, making it easy for him to move freely. He was a hundred years old, a decade away from being an adult. His tusks started to show and with every passing day, his father saw his younger self in his son.
"I do not know. Although something tells me she isn't a fraud. Maybe she does want to help." Answered his father.
"She's a witch. She can't be anything but a fraud and a liar." Said Wungrim
"He's right! We should have killed her. She might be leading Nolgrek and the others to a certain death or worse, to forfeiting." Agreed Vyrgal.
"Killing her wouldn't have changed much about the truth, and if in fact she is here to help, we would have killed our last hope." Dufrig's voice was of the depth of undisturbed oceans, very intimidating but also calm and heavy. Giants were known for being wise and peaceful, they have always favoured diplomacy over war. However, their anger and enmity can't be easily swayed. They can hold grudges for as long as they live, and they lived very long. The old giant looked ahead of him and frowned. "I can see a ship." He smiled.
When they reached the river's mouth, it broke into multiple small rivulets. The soil became sandy and rocky underneath their steps. The three-masted ship ran aground on the shore. Her flag flapped gently on top of the mainmast.
"I know that flag!" Exclaimed Vyrgal.
"Who doesn't? This smells like more trouble." Answered Wungrim.
"What business do these vultures have with that witch?" Wondered Myga.
"Let's ask whoever that is." Said Vyrgal pointing at a person who walked towards them.
Dufrig walked ahead of his party, his sword still resting on his shoulder. His shield was tied to his back and clacked against his chain mail armour with every step.
"Good morning!" The young woman took off her tricorn leather hat to greet the party and bowed. "I'm Hibe! The sailing master of the Phoenix! Pleased to meet you!" She was a very enthusiastic person.
"Are you THE Hibe? Hibe the Smiling?" Inquired Myga who got caught in her enthusiasm.
"Ay! Flesh and bone!" She answered smiling.
"Don't get fooled. She's a notorious outlaw, and usually outlaws with sweet nicknames are the most vicious." Warned Wungrim.
"Who are you?" She asked, ignoring Wungrim remarks.
"My apologies" said Dufrig smiling as well. "I am Dufrig, this is my son Myga. The suspicious dwarf is Wungrin and the blonde one is Vyrgal. The others are Ubba, Ryck, Klein..." He tried to remember the names of the two other remaining dwarves but couldn't.
"Vigo and Byob" answered one of them.
"We would like to have a word with your captain." Requested the old giant.
"Oh no! He isn't here! There's only me guarding the ship!" She answered innocently. Her voice was soft and warm, like the breeze that blew on that beach. Her dark and long hair was braided and strands of it ran free covering her pale forehead.
"Too bad." Replied Dufrig. He raised his sword and pointed it at her chest. "Drop your weapons. Guns, knives, everything." He ordered.
"Oh no! I thought we were being friendly." Hibe said sadly while smiling faintly. She wore back her hat. "I suppose you caught little Maruth. I'm just glad Trixter isn't here. I wouldn't want to hear him say..."
"TOLD YOU SO!" A wizard pitched out of thin air, tripping headlong between her and the giant who stepped backwards abruptly.
"Sweet giant Dufrig, if the offer of killing me still stands, be kind to do it right now." She implored only this time, her enthusiasm faded away and despair showed on her face. Which confused Dufrig.
"I TOLD YOU! ALL OF YOU! NOBODY LISTENS TO GOOD OLD TRIXTER! I SPEAK THE TRUTH! DWARVES HAVE TRUST ISSUES! THE LAST THING THEY'LL DO IS BELIEVE A WITCH!" The wizard carried on his monologue, cleaning his clothes from sand, picking up the stones he dropped without minding Dufrig's party. He spat and then turned at them. Everyone except Hibe were staring confusingly at him.
"Oh. Greetings. I'm Trixter the Honest. The quarter master of the Phoenix." He bowed awkwardly. None of them said anything back. They were all flabbergasted by his entrance.
"You're not expecting them to snap back from what you just did, are you? Not everybody has seen a wizard come out of nowhere you cow-handed bastard." Hibe's smile and optimism turned to cringing and irony. "You are an annoying little prick! Why don't you just drop dead? And why are you here anyway? Aren't you supposed to escort the little witch to the capital?"
"What a tormentor." Whispered Vyrgal to Wungrim, both staring and judging her.
"Something happened we did not intend. There was a siege, we had to counter those bilge rats. Golden Eye sent me back to help in case something happens here. I guess he was right. Inevitable troubles when we do not listen to old Trixter." He answered mumbling some more to himself.
"We were getting to know each other." Hibe smiled again while looking at the party. "Before Dufrig decided to draw his sword agaisnt me." Her smirk was irritating and frightening.
"At arms!" Yelled Vyrgal. The dwarves soldiers along with Wungrim and Myga took up their weapons and held their shields. Dufrig stood still.
Trixter walked away and stood behind Hibe, who had the same smirk on her face.
"I am a reserved and restrained person, I cannot reason with dwarves and giants, no matter how judicious I am. I'm also not a fighter, I'm more suitable for paperwork and giving orders. I've had my share of fighting for today." The wizard whispered to Hibe. "I'll let you deal with them, unless you really need me. Although I believe you can handle them all by yourself." He handed one of his stones to her and stepped back again.
"Zion's filth marred the world and nobody can stand up to him. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Betraying your kin and joining his armies, and for what? Your graves will be colder than your hearts and nobody will remember your names. You have no honor. " Faint light shone out of the grey engraved stone, the pommel and the grip of what seemed to be a sword emerged from the stone and Hibe drew it out. It was ridiculously long and large. "This is Funny. It can make you smile." She said cheerfully.
"We are not Zion's underlings. We would rather die than serve th-" Shouted Wungrim before Dufrig walked ahead of him, sword in hand. Hibe stood still whereas Trixter stepped few inches backwards.
"What do you know of honor? You are outlaws, you don't know what honor is. You pillage cities. You sink ships and murder captains. You spread discord and terror in calm oceans and hearts. You are not better than Zion and you dare accuse us of allying with him? You're more suitable to be his pawns." He got close to the young woman who held her giant sword tightly, ready to strike at the smallest alarm. "We're from the resistance. Indeed we did capture your witch. She met us at our camp in Mothgar, where we rested from a sour defeat against Zion's forces. She talked about another siege that she and some of your crewmates encountered. They saved the capital and exhorted the dwarf princess to leave Zolciak for Eefran, claiming it was safer." Added Dufrig.
"And you thought seizing the ship would give you the upper hand." Concluded Hibe.
"Not wrong." Answered the giant.
"Well, if you already know we are here to help, why bother fighting us?" Asked Trixter.
"Shut up." Snapped Hibe. "Don't mind him, not all wizards are bright."
"We cannot trust wizards let alone a pirate wizard. A mutinous wizard with no morals to hold him back, doesn't it sound like Zion himself?" Argued Vyrgal.
"We are not pirates. That's a title we never claimed, it sticks to our flesh like a branding iron on a cow. Not obeying your laws may sound turbulent to you but it is peaceful to us. We never harm an innocent soul. We like to believe that we're a helping hand, waiting to be reached to answer. The Vultures are a manifold crew of justice under the great leadership of Erving Goldeneye. Although we might inspire fear in the hearts of the cynics and the vicious, we will nonetheless answer a call for help." Hibe protested, thrusting her sword into the ground. "That is why we are here." She smiled.
This time Dufrig smiled back. "Let us call a truce for now." He said, waving his free hand to his party to put away their weapons, before stretching it towards Hibe, waiting.
She shook his hand and bowed her head in assent.
"But father..." uttered Myga before his father cut him off.
"Do as I say." Dufrig commanded. Staring at his party, the dwarves looked at each other doubting the giant's decision, distrusting the woman and the wizard. Until Vyrgal nodded at them to do as Dufrig ordered. He then walked towards him.
"I hope you know what you got us into, your highness." The dwarf whispered to the giant.
"They mean us no harm Vyrgal. Trust me." Dufrig put his hand on Vyrgal's shoulder as if to dispel the dwarf's fears. The latter nodded and walked back to the dwarves.
"Let us wait for a word from the captain in the ship. I can answer some of your questions around ale and sweets. Trixter can also tend to your injuries." She proposed earnestly.
"I would love some ale." Answered Vyrgal unexpectedly.
"Me too." Agreed Wungrim. "Sitting and getting rid of these boots would be good too." He added.
"Well then, follow me." She said cheerfully.
"Wait! You can't let them in!" Whispered Trixter who stood in front of her. "You know the code. Nobody steps in the Phoenix without her consent and she's stubborn when Goldeneye isn't here. She might go crazy again."
"Is everything you get out of that mouth of yours so annoying?" Hibe didn't seem to get along with the wizard. "I'll persuade her, just step aside or I'll make you."
"Who is he talking about? I thought you said it was only you guarding the ship?" Asked Dufrig suspiciously.
"This dimwitted prick is talking about the ship. You see our Phoenix is alive." She declared in exhaustion. "And she's not typically friendly."
The ship looked big from afar, she looked old but strong and dangerous, like the oceans she sailed, and somehow she did look alive.
"A living ship? That's unheard of and thoroughly beyond belief." Commented Vyrgal.
"It's the work of Salmanazar, the greatest shipwright to ever live. He made three of her kind, the Phoenix is the last one. The two others' whereabouts are unknown, but somehow our Goldeneye found this one. Although she's quite the bitch, she still has a beautiful spirit." Explained Trixter. "It will be though convincing her to let you in."
"We can try." Said Hibe.
They walked towards the vessel, the dwarves and Myga seemed intimidated by her. The keel was covered in barnacles, shells and seaweed. The banner of the crew flapped above the crow's nest, it depicted a phoenix with a crown of fire. The figurehead beneath the bowsprit was that of a red and golden phoenix, its wings were spread and what seemed to be flames leaked and rose from its beak. The hull was painted dark blue and so were the sails. A rope ladder with wooden rungs hung on its side.
"A living ship? How wicked it that?" Murmured Ubba to Vigo before they jumped back when they heard a groan coming out of the ship.
"Unnatural." added Klein who was just as frightened as his companions.
"All ships creak. Nothing unnatural about it." Reassured the giant.
The contradicting look on Hibe and Trixter faces and the continuous creaking and groaning made the party doubtful about the giant assumption.
Hibe got on the gangplank first to embark the ship, but the moment Dufrig attempted to set foot on the plank, the ship groaned louder. Hibe stepped back, waving her hands for the giant to do the same.
"You need not to worry. It's the breaking waves." Paying no heed to the woman's vigilance. "Wood sings when waves dance against it." He stepped ahead, this time the groaning sounded alive.
"You should step back." Hibe kept her distance from the giant, not wanting to disrespect him by pushing him. "Do not make any step forward."
The sceptic giant felt challenged, he thought it was absurd to be afraid of a living ship, for it is nothing but a ship after all. He pushed the woman aside gently, and stepped forward. When be reached the dock, his companions laughed in relief.
"The only weird thing about your ship is the size. It is abnormally big and I'm a giant. Do you have one on your crew? A giant that is." Dufrig jokingly asked the woman, who embarked in cautious steps.
The groaning stopped but Hibe felt uneasy, something was wrong. She lived on and with the Phoenix for fifteen years, she was mad and Hibe knew it.
"You need to disembark right now." She whispered to the giant.
"Why is that?" Inquired Dufrig.
"Now." She insisted.
"You're worried. Nonsense. Come aboard lads! It is safe." He called his party.
Only this time, the moment Wungrim set his foot on the plank, Trixter saw the figurehead move and he knew that they had to leave.
Fuck. He thought. He pulled a stone from his wrist pocket, he was wearing leather gauntlets that matched his leather copper reinforced hooded jerkin. He had an iron pauldron on his left shoulder where the crew's banner was engraved. Trixter was three years younger than Hibe but he looked older. He was bald and his ginger beard was light. His dark eyes were big and his skin pale, which was odd for someone who lived most of his life sailing the seas. The wizard was very tall for his kin. He was also very cautious, never acted hastly, which made him one of the strongest Vultures, second to his captain. He does strike people as sluggish and cowardly at first while in fact he is none of that.
"HIBE! IT'S TADMIL ALL OVER! DISEMBARK!" Cried the wizard.
"STEP BACK!" She yelled running at the dwarves and Myga who instantly obeyed. "DUFRIG! QUICK! GET OFF THE SHIP!"
The giant was slow to react, the ship started rumbling and trembling, Dufrig felt a presence that didn't really like him. He felt hateful eyes upon him, and although he was armed and protected with his armor and shield, he still felt naked and vulnerable. Trixter, who was aground, chanted a spell with his purple stone and instantly disappeared, leaving behind him nothing but a blinding beam. He reappeared in front of Dufrig who had the same look on his face the first time he saw the wizard jump out of nowhere. Trixter held the giant's arm and put the stone in his palm while pressing his own against it.
"You might get drowsy." The wizard warned the confused giant, who was still trying to figure out what was happening. Both disappeared in a similar manner, instantly and insanely. Myga and the dwarves were staring at the ship when Trixter and Dufrig disappeared in front of them. When they surfaced back out of thin air behind them, Dufrig collapsed on his knees, his sword and shield fell on the wet sand.
"You will feel better soon." Said Trixter, who was short of breath, to the giant, who was feeling nauseous.
The ship kept shaking and briskly caught fire. Everyone was in shock, except the Vultures who seemed more annoyed than surprised.
"Holy land of Brymhel!" Prayed Wungrim. "Your ship! It caught fire on its own!!"
"Let's put it out!!" Advised Vyrgal who rushed to the water with his helmet in his hands.
"That won't help. She did this before." Answered Trixter.
"She's a phoenix. We have to let her burn for now." Added Hibe.
"I'm terribly sorry." Apologised the giant. "If I wasn't stubborn and scornful... That was stupid of me. Your ship..."
"Ah don't worry about her. It takes time, but she will eventually stop burning and fix herself." Comforted Trixter. "Keep your apologies for Goldeneye. He will be furious. He considers her as one of us and not a vessel. He is very protective of us."
"You won't have to keep them for long. There they are." Said Hibe, pointing at a group of people from afar that walked their way.
