Jeedup
07-09-2007, 07:25 AM
Whatever had been stalking the crew of the Lasting Voyage was definatly nothing from this world.
Captain Haggerstien was locked in his cabin, rustling through his drawers to find his pistol, his enchanted longblade, and his book of prayers to the Light.
"Captain!" Yelled outside his door, followed by a panicked knock.
Haggerstien nearly shot himself as he had finally found the pistol when whoever thought it wise to get him.
"Blast it all! What now?!" He yelled.
"Cap'n sir! They found the cook!" yelled the voice, it sounded like Eddy, the new deckhand they picked up outside Menethil Harbor. He couldn't have been more than fourteen years old.
He rushed to the door, unlatched it and open it to be met by the gaze of an utterly terrified boy. Eddy had done his best to hide his age, with varying degrees of success. He was definatly bulkier than most boys his age, strong muscles were well suited as a deckhand on an Alliance cargo vessel that deals mostly in arms and things of that nature. But what shocked Haggenstien more, was the fact that Eddy's hands were drenched in blood and gore.
"God boy, what the in Medivh's holy balls is all over your hands?"
Eddy paused, then looked to his hands, then to the Captain. "The cook, sir..."
Haggenstien went pale, and if he wasnt already leaning against the doorframe to brace himself against the squals of this horrid storm, he may have also fallen over in shock.
"Take me to it boy." He snapped, plugging his pistol in his sash, and holding his longblade in its scabard in one hand, his prayer book in the other.
They made their way down the ship, into the lowest storage hold of the vessel. Haggenstien could see light in the back between the many boxes and crates, muffled voices. He could faintly make out 'devlish thing', and 'moved like a demon', before he and the boy managed to make their way to the group.
"Cap'n sir!" Mort said as he snapped to attention.Mort, his man-at-arms, apparently did a tour with the Alliance army back in the days of Lothar and King Llane Wrynn, even fought against the orcs, but apparently found it "boring". He never questiond him why he would move to the navy, but he had kept his ship safe for almost fifteen years now, and was damn glad to have him onboard.
"What in bloddy hell is that?!" Haggenstien shouted, pointing at a collected mass of red and pink chuncks of meat, with scatterd bits of what looked like pieces of ivory.
Mort pulled an apron from behind him and said, "Cook, sir"
Haggenstien stared at Mort, dumb struck, then gazed at the apron. It was torn nearly to shreds, what looked liked knives or no, claws, hand ripped into the fabric, and whatever had done this to a mere piece of cloth, hand surely ripped the cook into pieces and, ironically, had made a meal of him.
Pieces of flesh were scatterd about, and Haggenstien could see an arm in the distance. He moved over, and prodded it with the point of his longsword. The end of it, split in the middle of the upper arm, had obviously been chewed on, teeth marks obvious even in the dim light of a lantern. Haggenstien had to bite back vomiting, and got up suddenly.
He had been a ships captain for the majority of his life, having inherited his title from his uncle. This didnt mean he had no experience in the seas at all, we was a deckhand on the Maidens Virtue before his uncle did and left with with rights to his vessel. Since that day he was Captain, and he did his best to earn it.
But tonight, he felt like hopping on a dingy, and setting off for greener pastures. No boat was worth this horror.
"Its sticking more often now Cap," Mort said, still at a state of readyness. Haggenstien turned to him, eyed the body once more, then took an poncho that was hanging nearby and coverd the remains.
"H-how many is that now?" Eddy said, eye both the Captain and Mort.
"Six, including cook here." Haggenstien said in a gloomy tone.
Six men, 3 of them fully armed and armored guards at the top mast. They had found them earlier this morning. Ones head was missing, but a trial of blood led off the side of the ship left no doubt were it ended. The other two looked as if they had never been touched. But once they had taken off their breastplates, blood had rushed forth, along with the majority of their organs. Whatever had attacked them did it so fast, and so precise as to avoid the armor all togther, only to have the damaged revealed when they inspected the bodies. Mort had mentiond that may have been calculated, stating that just about any thug can decapitate a man, but to show such martial superiority was a obvious sign of warning.
But a warning to what? When the first attack happend, Haggenstien personally checked the cargo and the lock box in his cabin, all of them were completely as they should be, utterly untouched. Even with the body of the cook in the hold, the cargo had still been left alone.
"What in the Lothars undies is going on?" He mutterd under his breath, catching Mort and Eddys attention.
"Sir, the men that clam to have seen, they all say the same thing. It moves fast, its eyes are read, and its completely naked. No weapons, no armor, nothing. Its using whatever if finds as a weapon, or just what nature, or whatever fathomless pit of hell, birthed it with." Mort said, pointing at both the apron and the body of the cook to make the point.
"We gots only tweleve men left Cap'n, what're we gonna do?" Eddy looked at him, horridied yet couragous.
Haggenstien still had no clue. He was still debating getting on the dingy and waving off to the rest of them. Whatever was on this boat, was stalking them, taking them out one by one. They were under crewed this voyage to account for the large amount of cargo they held, so that they wouldnt be too shallow in their sails.
"Tell the helmsman to.." before the Captain could finish his order, a horrifying scream was heard from above, followed by two shots from firearms.
The trio rushed up the stairs, and pounded out the door to the main deck, getting blasted by rain and wind from the ongoing squal. Haggenstien bit back a curse, having been inside long enough to dry off since the last time he was needed on deck. But just as he bit back his curse, he let it loose from his lips again as he open his eyes to see what had cause the scream.
High on the main mast was the body of the helmsman, the navigator and his second in command. All were ropped togther around the neck, their legs kicking frantically, hands trying to work at the rope that bound their necks, their faces the brightest shade of red Haggenstien had seen since he gazed on the remains of the cook. They would have mere minutes before they sufficated, and Haggenstien, Mort and Eddy rushed towards the mast, but before they could get there, a dark figure appeared on the mast, rope clenched in hand.
It seemed to wait for them to come to a complete stop, and as Haggenstien drew out his pistol and attempted to aim at the figure through the rocking of the boat, it gave a quick heave on the rope, and there loud cracks rang through even the thunder of the squal. The bodies of the three crewmen shudderd violently, then sagged like rag dolls. Haggenstien cried out in shock, then pulled down on the trigger, letting loose a shot towards the menacing figure. Before he could even blink, he saw the figure merely bounce off the mast into the lines of the sail, balancing itself on the ropes like a professional acrobat. As it lept form the mast, it let go of the rope that had pinned the crewmn there, the bodies falling to the deck with a wet thud. He pulled down on the second trigger, shooting of the last shot of his double barreled dueling pistol towards the figure, to only see it laugh, and jump off into the black abyss of the see.
"Blast it all!" Mort shouted, following the figure towards the rail of the starboard side, shooting a shot into the water from a rifle that was on the deck.
So that was how it was moving about the ship without being scene, it must be clingly to the sides of the ship, waiting out of sight. Was this some Naga, or some manner of sea-creature that stalked ships? Haggenstien had heard of such horrors, but never actually had to deal with them before.
"Cap'n!" Shouted Eddy, who was clinging onto the mast. But he wasnt looking at the bodies laying there, but the long blood trail that lead to the forward cabin. Haggenstien could hear Mort reloading the rifle, slinging it onto his back, and drawing out his massive sabre. He and Mort advanced, his longblade drawn, and Eddy with his little dagger. The trail ran under the door, a faint light from a lantern peering from underneath the frame. Haggenstien nodded to Mort, who crept to the side, and kicked the door in swiftly, and all three rushed in.
Eddy quickly rushed on out, only to vomit violently on the deck, Haggenstien looking like that might not be a bad idea. Inside the small officers cabins were the remains of the rest of the crew, their bodies torn about at the limbs, their intestines thrown apart like some childs confetti. But the most horrifying sight was on the walls. The crewmens heads, all with looks of utter horror and fear, were pinned up like trophies through their mouths. But Haggenstien couldn't figure out how until he leaned in closer.
Spoons. That monster had pinned them through the skull using spoons!
"We...we're all thats left..." gasped Eddy past another fit of a terrified gut.
Mort nodded grimly, and stared at the Captain. "We best call for help. Even in this storm, theres bound to be another vessel about."
Haggenstien agree, grabbed Eddy, and they all ran towards the door to the lower decks and his personal cabin. Once they reached the door, Mort stayed outside with his rifle, and two pistols he had gatherd from the massacre in the officers cabin, as well as his sabre. Eddy closed the door behind him, and Haggenstien rumbled through his desk, to bring out a glowing blue orb with the symbols of ships and waves etched onto its brass base. It was a specialized hearthstone used by ship captains. Mages in service to the sea-barons had long ago established a form of communication in an emergency, or in a way of tipping off pirates to the possiblity of good loot.
Haggenstien clutched it tight, and began to shout into the stone.
"This is Captain Alan Haggenstien of Lasting Voyage. We are over fifty nautical miles off the coast of Menethil Harbor on our way to Theramore Isle. We are under attack by some...thing!" Haggenstien really wasn't sure what else to say. With only three men left, even if the monster left them alone, they would be hard pressed to be able to sail out of this squal. Suddenly, he was reminded of that fact as a high wave knocked him and Eddy off their feet, and he could hear a thud outside followed by a grunt from Mort.
"Eddy! Get up and help Mort at the helm, slow our pace but get use out of this blased squal!" He barked orders at an already frightend boy, who ran out of the room, grabbed Mort, and they both ran out into the rain slicked deck.
A few seconds later Haggenstien could feel their pace slowing, and their course changing, hopefully, out of the storm.
"Again, this is Captain Haggenstien, we are under attack by some creature, its killed my crew! Requesting assistance from any military vessel in the area." he shouted once again at the stone, looking at its mystic waves churning inside the sphere. If the waves kept churning, it ment the message was not recieved, if a vessel appeared inside it, it meant someone had got the message, but was too far out to reply.
While staring at the trinket for a response, he was again launched off his feet by a massive wave, tumbling over his bed, nearly knocking his skull against his desk.
"Dammit Mort! Mind the helm!" He shouted as he ran out his door, and onto the deck. The rain was coming down hard now, and he had to cover his hands as he went up the stairs to the wheel. But no one was there, the wheel was spinning out of control like some childs twirling top. Mort and Eddy were no where in sight.
He looked around frantically, orb still in his hands. No trail of blood, even the bodies at the mast had washed over the side in the last wave. No looming figure of doom.
A sudden flash of light quickly followed by a loud crash of thunder heraled the center of this squal. Haggenstien tucked the orb into his over coat, and grabbed hold of the helm and tried to steady the pace of the ship. The storm was strong, fighting to take the ship overboard. He was straining to just keep the vessel upright.
Something wet, other than the streaming rain, splattered onto Haggenstiens head, dripping down his face. He wiped his face, and looked at his hand.
Blood.
With a sudden loud thud, a body dropped from the crows nest, smashing into the deck, flailing its limbs with the impact. Knowing that even by himself, steering the vessel was useless, he reluctanly let go of the wheel, and ran down the deck.
He turned the body over, and gasped. Eddys face was beated nearly to a pulp, but his eyes, their sockets were empty.
A second loud thud came from behind him, and he turned suddenly. Braced against the rails was Mort, well, minus his head. Haggenstien look up in a panic, drawing his pistol and reloading it frantically. The swaying lines, the sails pulling the vessel forth, all looked menacing as places this monster could hide.
A third loud thud came mere feet behind him, and the hairs on Haggenstiens neck stood on ends. He slowly turned about, and saw the menacing figure in full, and began crawling backwards in fright. It was nearly seven feet tall, its hair was long, draping down his back. It was lean and thin, but this did not give Haggenstien any hope, as every muscle was well built, and taunt. In one hand, it gripped Morts head by his ear, the other held something small.
Haggenstien vomited on himself as he realized what it was. They were Eddys eyes.
Just at this realization, the monster slowly popped on into his mouth, and chewed it like a candy, making a bone chilling giggle, like some possesed school yard bully. With the other it made an offer to Haggenstien, who vomited yet again at the sight. The monster shrugged, then swallowed the eye in a gulp, and tossed the head overboard.
Shuffling backwards frantically, Haggenstien drew his pistol, and shot frantically. The first shot when wide and missed the monster, but the second hit it in the left side of his chest, but it didn't sway the monster on bit. It still advanced towards him slowly. Haggenstien tossed the pistol away, then drew his longblade, getting up then charging the thing. Before he could even get a swing in, it grabbed him by the wrist, took away the blade, kicked him in the stomach and tossed him down.
As Haggenstien fell, the seafarers orb was tossed from his coat. He stared at it, blood from the new wound on his forehead and rain mixing in his eyes, but he could plainly see an elven warship riding the waves of the orb. He almost cried out in glee, and never thought he'd feel relief at being rescued by the elves.
He turned back to the monster above him, who just stared at him with those red eyes. Haggenstien slowly brought himself up to his feet, and made the motions of dusting off his coat, even though he was soaking wet. The monster just continued to look at him, his glowing longblade clenched in its hand.
"Just get it done with." was all that Haggenstien felt was right to say, and the monster seemed to nod at him.
With a slow movement, it raised its arm up, the blade flashing in the lightning. As it brought the blade back down, Haggenstien closed his eyes, and clenched the prayer book in his coat. The blade sliced into the deck, having cut the captain, quite literally, right in two.
The monster leaned down, at began to poke at the Captains guts, skewering bits of them on the blade, giggling as it did so. It leaned foward, picked a bit of brain, and began to chew on it happily.
The orb began to flash, startling the monster, and it growled at the trinket. It bent down a picked it up, the image of the elven warship still on the waves, but with the image of the Lasting Voyage close by. The ship was near, and was transmitting a message.
"Captain Haggenstien, this is Captain Haridine of the Mithril Quiver, we are nearing your vessel, turn due west and prepare to be boarded." said the orb, and the monster tossed it away.
It didn't seem to care that a warship full of over fifty armed elven warriors were ready to board the ship, looking for it. The monster just got to his feet, and began to walk towards the helm, grapsing the wheel, and began to turn the ship due west, right towards the elven ship. Lights from the vessel could be seen in the distance, its long shape and high sails coming into view.
It didnt seem to matter, just more bodies to join the rest, it thought. The monster riased the enchanted longblade into the air, its blue blade flashing into the darkness, and it screamed out a menacing laugh towards the oncoming vessel.
And with a quick breath, Jeedup let loose his battle cry:
"FOR THE HORDE!"
Captain Haggerstien was locked in his cabin, rustling through his drawers to find his pistol, his enchanted longblade, and his book of prayers to the Light.
"Captain!" Yelled outside his door, followed by a panicked knock.
Haggerstien nearly shot himself as he had finally found the pistol when whoever thought it wise to get him.
"Blast it all! What now?!" He yelled.
"Cap'n sir! They found the cook!" yelled the voice, it sounded like Eddy, the new deckhand they picked up outside Menethil Harbor. He couldn't have been more than fourteen years old.
He rushed to the door, unlatched it and open it to be met by the gaze of an utterly terrified boy. Eddy had done his best to hide his age, with varying degrees of success. He was definatly bulkier than most boys his age, strong muscles were well suited as a deckhand on an Alliance cargo vessel that deals mostly in arms and things of that nature. But what shocked Haggenstien more, was the fact that Eddy's hands were drenched in blood and gore.
"God boy, what the in Medivh's holy balls is all over your hands?"
Eddy paused, then looked to his hands, then to the Captain. "The cook, sir..."
Haggenstien went pale, and if he wasnt already leaning against the doorframe to brace himself against the squals of this horrid storm, he may have also fallen over in shock.
"Take me to it boy." He snapped, plugging his pistol in his sash, and holding his longblade in its scabard in one hand, his prayer book in the other.
They made their way down the ship, into the lowest storage hold of the vessel. Haggenstien could see light in the back between the many boxes and crates, muffled voices. He could faintly make out 'devlish thing', and 'moved like a demon', before he and the boy managed to make their way to the group.
"Cap'n sir!" Mort said as he snapped to attention.Mort, his man-at-arms, apparently did a tour with the Alliance army back in the days of Lothar and King Llane Wrynn, even fought against the orcs, but apparently found it "boring". He never questiond him why he would move to the navy, but he had kept his ship safe for almost fifteen years now, and was damn glad to have him onboard.
"What in bloddy hell is that?!" Haggenstien shouted, pointing at a collected mass of red and pink chuncks of meat, with scatterd bits of what looked like pieces of ivory.
Mort pulled an apron from behind him and said, "Cook, sir"
Haggenstien stared at Mort, dumb struck, then gazed at the apron. It was torn nearly to shreds, what looked liked knives or no, claws, hand ripped into the fabric, and whatever had done this to a mere piece of cloth, hand surely ripped the cook into pieces and, ironically, had made a meal of him.
Pieces of flesh were scatterd about, and Haggenstien could see an arm in the distance. He moved over, and prodded it with the point of his longsword. The end of it, split in the middle of the upper arm, had obviously been chewed on, teeth marks obvious even in the dim light of a lantern. Haggenstien had to bite back vomiting, and got up suddenly.
He had been a ships captain for the majority of his life, having inherited his title from his uncle. This didnt mean he had no experience in the seas at all, we was a deckhand on the Maidens Virtue before his uncle did and left with with rights to his vessel. Since that day he was Captain, and he did his best to earn it.
But tonight, he felt like hopping on a dingy, and setting off for greener pastures. No boat was worth this horror.
"Its sticking more often now Cap," Mort said, still at a state of readyness. Haggenstien turned to him, eyed the body once more, then took an poncho that was hanging nearby and coverd the remains.
"H-how many is that now?" Eddy said, eye both the Captain and Mort.
"Six, including cook here." Haggenstien said in a gloomy tone.
Six men, 3 of them fully armed and armored guards at the top mast. They had found them earlier this morning. Ones head was missing, but a trial of blood led off the side of the ship left no doubt were it ended. The other two looked as if they had never been touched. But once they had taken off their breastplates, blood had rushed forth, along with the majority of their organs. Whatever had attacked them did it so fast, and so precise as to avoid the armor all togther, only to have the damaged revealed when they inspected the bodies. Mort had mentiond that may have been calculated, stating that just about any thug can decapitate a man, but to show such martial superiority was a obvious sign of warning.
But a warning to what? When the first attack happend, Haggenstien personally checked the cargo and the lock box in his cabin, all of them were completely as they should be, utterly untouched. Even with the body of the cook in the hold, the cargo had still been left alone.
"What in the Lothars undies is going on?" He mutterd under his breath, catching Mort and Eddys attention.
"Sir, the men that clam to have seen, they all say the same thing. It moves fast, its eyes are read, and its completely naked. No weapons, no armor, nothing. Its using whatever if finds as a weapon, or just what nature, or whatever fathomless pit of hell, birthed it with." Mort said, pointing at both the apron and the body of the cook to make the point.
"We gots only tweleve men left Cap'n, what're we gonna do?" Eddy looked at him, horridied yet couragous.
Haggenstien still had no clue. He was still debating getting on the dingy and waving off to the rest of them. Whatever was on this boat, was stalking them, taking them out one by one. They were under crewed this voyage to account for the large amount of cargo they held, so that they wouldnt be too shallow in their sails.
"Tell the helmsman to.." before the Captain could finish his order, a horrifying scream was heard from above, followed by two shots from firearms.
The trio rushed up the stairs, and pounded out the door to the main deck, getting blasted by rain and wind from the ongoing squal. Haggenstien bit back a curse, having been inside long enough to dry off since the last time he was needed on deck. But just as he bit back his curse, he let it loose from his lips again as he open his eyes to see what had cause the scream.
High on the main mast was the body of the helmsman, the navigator and his second in command. All were ropped togther around the neck, their legs kicking frantically, hands trying to work at the rope that bound their necks, their faces the brightest shade of red Haggenstien had seen since he gazed on the remains of the cook. They would have mere minutes before they sufficated, and Haggenstien, Mort and Eddy rushed towards the mast, but before they could get there, a dark figure appeared on the mast, rope clenched in hand.
It seemed to wait for them to come to a complete stop, and as Haggenstien drew out his pistol and attempted to aim at the figure through the rocking of the boat, it gave a quick heave on the rope, and there loud cracks rang through even the thunder of the squal. The bodies of the three crewmen shudderd violently, then sagged like rag dolls. Haggenstien cried out in shock, then pulled down on the trigger, letting loose a shot towards the menacing figure. Before he could even blink, he saw the figure merely bounce off the mast into the lines of the sail, balancing itself on the ropes like a professional acrobat. As it lept form the mast, it let go of the rope that had pinned the crewmn there, the bodies falling to the deck with a wet thud. He pulled down on the second trigger, shooting of the last shot of his double barreled dueling pistol towards the figure, to only see it laugh, and jump off into the black abyss of the see.
"Blast it all!" Mort shouted, following the figure towards the rail of the starboard side, shooting a shot into the water from a rifle that was on the deck.
So that was how it was moving about the ship without being scene, it must be clingly to the sides of the ship, waiting out of sight. Was this some Naga, or some manner of sea-creature that stalked ships? Haggenstien had heard of such horrors, but never actually had to deal with them before.
"Cap'n!" Shouted Eddy, who was clinging onto the mast. But he wasnt looking at the bodies laying there, but the long blood trail that lead to the forward cabin. Haggenstien could hear Mort reloading the rifle, slinging it onto his back, and drawing out his massive sabre. He and Mort advanced, his longblade drawn, and Eddy with his little dagger. The trail ran under the door, a faint light from a lantern peering from underneath the frame. Haggenstien nodded to Mort, who crept to the side, and kicked the door in swiftly, and all three rushed in.
Eddy quickly rushed on out, only to vomit violently on the deck, Haggenstien looking like that might not be a bad idea. Inside the small officers cabins were the remains of the rest of the crew, their bodies torn about at the limbs, their intestines thrown apart like some childs confetti. But the most horrifying sight was on the walls. The crewmens heads, all with looks of utter horror and fear, were pinned up like trophies through their mouths. But Haggenstien couldn't figure out how until he leaned in closer.
Spoons. That monster had pinned them through the skull using spoons!
"We...we're all thats left..." gasped Eddy past another fit of a terrified gut.
Mort nodded grimly, and stared at the Captain. "We best call for help. Even in this storm, theres bound to be another vessel about."
Haggenstien agree, grabbed Eddy, and they all ran towards the door to the lower decks and his personal cabin. Once they reached the door, Mort stayed outside with his rifle, and two pistols he had gatherd from the massacre in the officers cabin, as well as his sabre. Eddy closed the door behind him, and Haggenstien rumbled through his desk, to bring out a glowing blue orb with the symbols of ships and waves etched onto its brass base. It was a specialized hearthstone used by ship captains. Mages in service to the sea-barons had long ago established a form of communication in an emergency, or in a way of tipping off pirates to the possiblity of good loot.
Haggenstien clutched it tight, and began to shout into the stone.
"This is Captain Alan Haggenstien of Lasting Voyage. We are over fifty nautical miles off the coast of Menethil Harbor on our way to Theramore Isle. We are under attack by some...thing!" Haggenstien really wasn't sure what else to say. With only three men left, even if the monster left them alone, they would be hard pressed to be able to sail out of this squal. Suddenly, he was reminded of that fact as a high wave knocked him and Eddy off their feet, and he could hear a thud outside followed by a grunt from Mort.
"Eddy! Get up and help Mort at the helm, slow our pace but get use out of this blased squal!" He barked orders at an already frightend boy, who ran out of the room, grabbed Mort, and they both ran out into the rain slicked deck.
A few seconds later Haggenstien could feel their pace slowing, and their course changing, hopefully, out of the storm.
"Again, this is Captain Haggenstien, we are under attack by some creature, its killed my crew! Requesting assistance from any military vessel in the area." he shouted once again at the stone, looking at its mystic waves churning inside the sphere. If the waves kept churning, it ment the message was not recieved, if a vessel appeared inside it, it meant someone had got the message, but was too far out to reply.
While staring at the trinket for a response, he was again launched off his feet by a massive wave, tumbling over his bed, nearly knocking his skull against his desk.
"Dammit Mort! Mind the helm!" He shouted as he ran out his door, and onto the deck. The rain was coming down hard now, and he had to cover his hands as he went up the stairs to the wheel. But no one was there, the wheel was spinning out of control like some childs twirling top. Mort and Eddy were no where in sight.
He looked around frantically, orb still in his hands. No trail of blood, even the bodies at the mast had washed over the side in the last wave. No looming figure of doom.
A sudden flash of light quickly followed by a loud crash of thunder heraled the center of this squal. Haggenstien tucked the orb into his over coat, and grabbed hold of the helm and tried to steady the pace of the ship. The storm was strong, fighting to take the ship overboard. He was straining to just keep the vessel upright.
Something wet, other than the streaming rain, splattered onto Haggenstiens head, dripping down his face. He wiped his face, and looked at his hand.
Blood.
With a sudden loud thud, a body dropped from the crows nest, smashing into the deck, flailing its limbs with the impact. Knowing that even by himself, steering the vessel was useless, he reluctanly let go of the wheel, and ran down the deck.
He turned the body over, and gasped. Eddys face was beated nearly to a pulp, but his eyes, their sockets were empty.
A second loud thud came from behind him, and he turned suddenly. Braced against the rails was Mort, well, minus his head. Haggenstien look up in a panic, drawing his pistol and reloading it frantically. The swaying lines, the sails pulling the vessel forth, all looked menacing as places this monster could hide.
A third loud thud came mere feet behind him, and the hairs on Haggenstiens neck stood on ends. He slowly turned about, and saw the menacing figure in full, and began crawling backwards in fright. It was nearly seven feet tall, its hair was long, draping down his back. It was lean and thin, but this did not give Haggenstien any hope, as every muscle was well built, and taunt. In one hand, it gripped Morts head by his ear, the other held something small.
Haggenstien vomited on himself as he realized what it was. They were Eddys eyes.
Just at this realization, the monster slowly popped on into his mouth, and chewed it like a candy, making a bone chilling giggle, like some possesed school yard bully. With the other it made an offer to Haggenstien, who vomited yet again at the sight. The monster shrugged, then swallowed the eye in a gulp, and tossed the head overboard.
Shuffling backwards frantically, Haggenstien drew his pistol, and shot frantically. The first shot when wide and missed the monster, but the second hit it in the left side of his chest, but it didn't sway the monster on bit. It still advanced towards him slowly. Haggenstien tossed the pistol away, then drew his longblade, getting up then charging the thing. Before he could even get a swing in, it grabbed him by the wrist, took away the blade, kicked him in the stomach and tossed him down.
As Haggenstien fell, the seafarers orb was tossed from his coat. He stared at it, blood from the new wound on his forehead and rain mixing in his eyes, but he could plainly see an elven warship riding the waves of the orb. He almost cried out in glee, and never thought he'd feel relief at being rescued by the elves.
He turned back to the monster above him, who just stared at him with those red eyes. Haggenstien slowly brought himself up to his feet, and made the motions of dusting off his coat, even though he was soaking wet. The monster just continued to look at him, his glowing longblade clenched in its hand.
"Just get it done with." was all that Haggenstien felt was right to say, and the monster seemed to nod at him.
With a slow movement, it raised its arm up, the blade flashing in the lightning. As it brought the blade back down, Haggenstien closed his eyes, and clenched the prayer book in his coat. The blade sliced into the deck, having cut the captain, quite literally, right in two.
The monster leaned down, at began to poke at the Captains guts, skewering bits of them on the blade, giggling as it did so. It leaned foward, picked a bit of brain, and began to chew on it happily.
The orb began to flash, startling the monster, and it growled at the trinket. It bent down a picked it up, the image of the elven warship still on the waves, but with the image of the Lasting Voyage close by. The ship was near, and was transmitting a message.
"Captain Haggenstien, this is Captain Haridine of the Mithril Quiver, we are nearing your vessel, turn due west and prepare to be boarded." said the orb, and the monster tossed it away.
It didn't seem to care that a warship full of over fifty armed elven warriors were ready to board the ship, looking for it. The monster just got to his feet, and began to walk towards the helm, grapsing the wheel, and began to turn the ship due west, right towards the elven ship. Lights from the vessel could be seen in the distance, its long shape and high sails coming into view.
It didnt seem to matter, just more bodies to join the rest, it thought. The monster riased the enchanted longblade into the air, its blue blade flashing into the darkness, and it screamed out a menacing laugh towards the oncoming vessel.
And with a quick breath, Jeedup let loose his battle cry:
"FOR THE HORDE!"