Salt and Blood [A Pirate LitRPG]

A rising tide carries all ships with it, but it only takes a single act of divine providence to send them tumbling back to the depths

-Quoted from The Dour Lord Vane

Jason, Daniel, and Every stood on the deck staring at Rose as she dripped seawater onto the deck from her soaked clothes. She'd leapt from the ocean like a flying fish on steroids, before slamming down in front of them with a beaming grin.

When she'd leapt off the ship, her body had been marked with a dozen wounds and her face with a sour expression. There was no trace of either remaining.

Her casual remark, "Did you miss me?" was accompanied with a trademark jovial grin and a wave. Arcane energy suddenly flared outwards, drying her clothes in an instant as they became a little crinkled and flaked with salt.

Not knowing what to say in the awkward silence that followed, Jason managed to stutter a brief question. "That's new! Can you teach me how to do it? I hate having wet clothes."

Rose chortled before tapping him on the shoulder. "Even though it looks simple it requires quite fine control over your energy," she said before explaining the ins and outs of the technique to him.

She was about to walk over to the others when Jason's core suddenly flickered to life and a gentle pulse burst outwards. It suddenly stopped and dissipated before leaving his skin, but it was a close attempt at replicating it.

"Not bad. You really are a monster, Jason," Rose said with an appreciative whistle.

"Right, gather all the soldiers on the deck, I have something to say," she said to Everyn and Axel. "Did the second prince make it out alive? I didn't see him at all"

"You know, I'm really not sure. I was more focused on saving my own skin and trying to defeat the officers than keeping that pampered brat safe," Everyn replied.

His expression was difficult to read. There was a trace of guilt at his admittance that he truly didn't care for the life of his brother, but it was mostly indifferent and annoyed.

"One of my men dragged the runt back onto the ship. He had a nasty wound in his gut and he's probably got the worst week of his life ahead of him, but he'll live," Commander Axel said.

Rose was relieved to hear it. Not because she particularly cared about the man's fate, but rather because the king would be a little annoyed with her if she let him die on the mission.

At the very least she'd accomplished her task of helping him become more of a real man. A life and death battle had a way of bringing out the best or worst in anyone.

The cliffs of Eastfel Bay were fading into the distance as the ship beat a hasty retreat. Their attack had taken the entire night despite their intentions to be lightning fast.

Encountering that powerful and crazy rear admiral had been an unexpected spanner in the works, but Rose had somehow overcome another absurd challenge. This time she used her own strength in its entirety, yet that dependence had led to another breakthrough on the way out.

Accepting her innate abilities as the child of Sylack was a freeing feeling. She'd rejected it before, clinging to her beliefs that perhaps it was a trick her father played on her.

However, he'd never lied to her before and he had no reason to start now. It had just taken her some time to truly come to terms with it. And she was far better off for it.

During her brief dip in the ocean, her core had produced a few sparks of divine energy on its own. They now coursed through her circuits along with her arcane energy.

Each cycle tempered her body further, the divine energy's power so great that it was but a side effect of its passing. However, since she left the ocean's embrace her core had stopped producing more divine energy.

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Despite their injuries the soldiers gathered into a huddle in the centre of the deck within a few minutes. Many sported bandages around various parts of their bodies or slings holding up broken arms.

Not everyone had a powerful core that would work to heal them and the powerful medicines that had been on board the ship when they stole it would only last so long. They gazed expectantly at Rose and their commander, waiting to see what the pair had to say.

"All of you followed me onto this big lump of metal knowing that it might be the last time you ever saw your families, your homes, and the nation of your birth!" she began, letting her voice ring out, not caring if the echoes reached all the way to Eastfel Bay.

Many of them nodded grimly, thinking about the comrades' corpses they'd left behind in the burning city. Even though they'd taken the city guard by surprise, they were bound to rally a defence.

The trap in the fortress had been unexpected too. While Rose and the other powerful fighters were distracted, the regular guards had surged out into the city in force, attempting to quell the flames of invasion.

It had worked wonders for the Minenblum soldiers. The only reason so many of Rose's crew had survived the attack was due to their low numbers. Over half of the city was destroyed and burning when the counter attack began, so they'd chosen to simply retreat and hide rather than pointlessly throw away their lives.

"I am grateful for each and every one of you who made the decision to follow me. Those who fell will live on forever in our hearts and the hearts and minds of the people of the Emerlan Isle! Their sacrifice allowed us to strike fear into the soul of the giant," she roared, receiving an enthusiastic cheer from the soldiers with every sentence.

"Wow, she's pretty charismatic for a girl that young," Axel said while nodding approvingly at her speech. "She'd make a great drill sergeant."

"Even my father couldn't rope her into joining the army," Everyn snorted. "She's bound for the seas the moment the threat is over."

Rose continued her impassioned speech, unaware of the commentary going on behind her. "However, the war is far from over! After tonight, the enemy is sure to strike back with even greater fury than before. We must be ready for a brutal battle. However, it is my hope that our actions here inspire others to do the same. To stop cowering in fear of the shadow of Minenblum. To overthrow the chains that bind them! Are you with me?"

The roaring of the soldiers that followed made the oceans tremble and the metal hull of the ship thrum with noise. They were likely heard by everyone on a coastline within a hundred miles.

They spent the night drinking and singing, laughing and telling tales of those who had fallen. It was the first time in a while that they had been truly able to let loose and enjoy their time without worrying about when the next attack might come.

Once most of them had fallen asleep, sprawled across the deck in heaps or slumped across beds that they'd barely reached, Rose wandered up to the prow and sat on the edge, looking out over the dark, comforting expanse.

For a few moments she breathed gently, basking in the salty air. Every inhale cleared away the dark thoughts, every exhale letting her sink into relaxation.

"A small step was so hard to take," she whispered, her words lost in the wind. "You were both so strong, yet died all the same. If I want to avenge you—heck, if I want to truly make my name ring out across the seas—I have a long, long journey ahead of me."

She wasn't tired, just fatigued. Sleep eluded her and she wanted a way to release her pent up feelings, so Rose took out her sketchbook and a pencil. Using the light of the moon, she started to draw.

***

In the headquarters of the Minenblum Royal Navy, a grey statue with a long beard and close cropped hair, sitting on a throne of twisted wood and metal, hand resting on a thick staff, moved for the first time in four years. Admiral Valynor rarely got involved in the affairs of the navy as most were beneath his interest, but it was equally rare that the king himself visited his oldest ally in person.

Dust fell from his shoulders as the gigantic man shifted in his seat, standing up to greet King Malthax. The king barely reached up to the admiral's chest, but he was unfazed by the difference in height.

"Your Majesty, to what do I owe the displeasure of your visit?" the ancient looking man rumbled, dust spraying out as a mouth that hadn't moved in three years remembered how to speak.

"Was I truly such a terrible friend that you'd call my visit a displeasure?" Malthax replied, raising an eyebrow.

"The only time you call for me in person, you need me to do something absurdly bothersome. I imagine this time is no different and I do hate leaving the house. My old bones can't take it anymore," Valynor replied, groaning as he sat back into his chair.

"Well, this time all you need to do is lead a fleet and wipe out a small island nation. Nothing much," the king replied.

"Ha! You old fart. Leading a damn fleet at one hundred and thirty five years of age. Who do you take me for? Send that brat Saff."

"Which one? Both of Elmer's sons are dead. That is why you need to lead this fleet. Although you won't even have to fight this time. I've already sent the nightsail after the impudent scum who dared defile our coasts. The old man has cooked up a truly terrifying weapon. In fact, all you need to do is press a button and make sure it works as promised," the king said, a devilish glint in his eyes.