The Daring and the Damned

I should have waited. I should have waited.
 
I should have waited.
 
The night began with that blasted pirate moving us to his ship, the Maycomb. How I wish my abilities as an envoy were better-developed; the indignity of being led by gunpoint is absurd. But not all was lost! En route, we were waylaid by another gang of thugs, the Red Devils. Aptly, if not on their part, lazily--named. It would appear they are fond of brothels and of haranguing the Maycomb crew, because they claimed the vermin had stolen a trophy or treasure of theirs. Ordinarily, I would not have paid mind to their petty squabbles, but the advice of my sister, may I see her soon, echoed in my head:
 
"When the cats fight over yarn, the mouse goes where it will."
 
Orlando desired us to go as a contented family to the scum's brothel, but I had another mind, and sought to set the pirates against each other. Perhaps my notion bore some of the cunning of heroes of old, or perhaps it was simply that the notes I struck only resonated later in the song, but I believe seeds were planted then which later bore fruit. Perhaps, though, it was only coincidence that we would see the Red Devils again. For now, they left without a fight. My disappointment was only stifled when I saw the fury in Nar'shen's eyes, and perhaps--just perhaps--a bit of fear.
 
They left two vermin to guard us belowdecks aboard the Maycomb. When Orlando attempted to perturb them, they dealt him a dishonorable blow that left him swooning. When the wolf-man, Nobler, attempted to escape, they took him abovedecks to lash him.
 
When I made my move, they never saw it coming.
 
Curse my damned impatience. It is not a trait my father gave me. It is not an obstacle which plagues Hikari as it plagues me. It is not an affect I received from Amiri. No, perhaps it is from my mother: an unwillingness to stand by. Hours had passed, hours were yet to pass, and I drew farther and farther away from Mai-Lin.
 
I cut my bonds and killed my guard. I did not have the time to lie patiently in wait, but I slew him with a Whistling Fang before his friend came down and I killed him, too. I am thankful Baltos regards me with something resembling trust, now--his distractions were invaluable. Not to mention I do pity the scaleless, forever short one shaft.
 
In a fit of goodwill--although I'd hoped they'd serve more as a distraction for the pirates--I freed the other two circus freaks who traveled with us, along with my two companions. One was grateful, seemingly, and she fled without another word.
 
The other mourned her dead kin and attempted to shoot me.
 
I am continuously caught off guard by Orlando's strength--his airy voice and his apparent nimbleness belie might which exceeds the ordinary. He wrested the gun from the hand of the goblin before she could shoot me, but vengeance burned in her limbs and she took up a sword. I showed her the path to her brothers with a Moonshadow cut which might've made my people proud; I had to adjust the height of the cut on the spot to account for the goblin's short stature. I killed the next hapless pirate as well, but two more of his friends took his place, leveling their guns at Orlando and I. We were running out of options, one of our party unconscious, and yet... and yet Nar'Shen had said we were too valuable to him alive. So it was escape, bloodied and battered, or surrender to pirates who would indulge in their cruelties.
 
I am no cur's prisoner. My roar washed over them, and their pistols raged back, striking down Orlando. Striking down my opportunity to escape.
 
I studied the waters of Del'Orta for my first assignment some time ago, but some voice in my head--not Baltos--cautioned me that the high seas would be measures more treacherous without Orlando's familiarity.
 
So again, I let my blade rest. I had killed many pirates, and I needed to tend to Orlando. Again. AGAIN I had tainted my name with failure, AGAIN I was at the mercy of these fools. And yet... the blood upon my blade tempered my shame. They had paid in blood to hold me--and they would again.
 
Before Nar'Shen could indulge any evil which clouded his thoughts, another matter called to his attention. He brought us up to watch, me hastily binding my companions' wounds, as the Maycomb closed upon a merchant ship. The merchants were quick to surrender as the pirates overtook them, the captain even greeting the drow himself. As if he expected honor and mercy from these mongrels.
 
It was not to be granted; as soon as the Maycomb crew found what they were looking for, an ornate chest the merchants hadn't even anticipated the pirates would find, they executed their prisoners. The way the two sailors spoke of the chest, it made it seem as if it was indeed an artifact much sought-after, and very jealously guarded. I can't help but wonder if it holds any relation to my mission.
 
There was no time for the pirates to celebrate their score, however--the Red Devils of the night before just as quickly closed upon us and opened fire, tearing the Maycomb and its crew apart. I have witnessed ship-to-ship combat before, but not to this gruesome savagery. I saw a man's chest blown through with a cannonball in the same instant I saw another two men shred to pieces by shrapnel. There was no honor, no assassin's finesse, just slaughter. A crude, horrible way to kill and an equally gristly way to die. But it meant our escape.
 
I was spared harm in the hail of gunfire, the Great Spirits guiding me through the clangor, but my retreat did not carry the same grace, and I was pinned beneath the water by the ruins of the mangled galley. The water was cold and heavy and dark. The smell of brine choked my nostrils as I struggled against the weight of the wreckage. I could not help but wonder if the sea sought to claim me.
 
It was not to be. Again, Orlando's strength saved me, narrowly, as he pulled me to the surface and we swam to shore. Nobler searched for his lady-love as we went. She was nowhere to be found. The Red Devils were still upon us, however, as they directed their barrage towards the beach. No time to spare. The Maycombers have fled into the trees, the beach is being torn up by the Red Devils, and we are faced with what seems to be a single path: escape into the trees, and hope that we don't run into any more of these pirates...
 
May the Great Spirits watch me through the gleam of my sword, guard me in the plates of my armor, guide me in the words of the strangers I've yet to make familiar, and bless me in the light of sun and moon. I am but a transient pilgrim walking the tracks of this past and future world, my blood the blood of my lord and my father and my people.