The Seven Seals: Dragon Crusade
Chapter 23: A Divine Protector

They had traveled for several days and things seemed fairly normal for them, though, Travis was still trying to overcome his seasickness. The skies were fairly clear, aside from the cumulous clouds here and there. Though the weather was calm, and the waves were soft, there was still the eerie feeling emitting from the crew. It wasn’t their grubby and chiseled appearance, but more of the way they looked at the Seals. Their subtle glances were dark, malicious, and malevolent. Something about that shade in their eyes signaled ill intentions and it made the group all the more want to stay as far away from these men as possible.

Kate stood next to the railing of the ship on the main deck, gazing off at the sea when she was really keeping a trained eye every now and then at the crew who were all huddled together and chatting. The seas were calm and required no work whatsoever, so the Seals could had some time out of the carp smelling quarters below deck. All of them, except for Rahz, who had a slight problem with staying out in the sun due to his albinism, were out standing at the far corner of the main deck, diagonal to the rambling crew.

Kate drew a breath and exhaled it rather unnervingly. What are they talking about? Are they talking about us? she pondered. Kate could see their slight glances towards them and their manly cackles. Were they just like that, seemingly not trust worthy to the eye? Taking a step closer to her own group, she said, “We really should’ve reconsidered coming on this boat. Just look at them…”

“I know,” Kirith said. “They act as if they have a knife behind their back.”

“Creator, protect us…” Laela prayed.

Rossiel stepped forward with her fists clenched. “If they aren’t as stupid as they look, then they won’t take another step. And if they are…I’ll be sure to have them all blind.”

Travis pulled Laela close and patted her shoulder lightly. “Hopefully they won’t turn on us… But do you think all Rahzes friends are like this too?”

Kate raised her brow. “What? Shady, creepy, and skeptical? Yeah, I’m sure Rahz has plenty of those. He is a thief after all.”

“Shady or not, they better bring us to our destination,” Kirith said darkly. “We need to get to Vasnidale before Orin reaches Atara.”

“And hopefully not get all our possessions stripped from us in the process…” Travis mumbled.

“Wait,” Rossiel said and paused. “The winds, they’re shifting.” Everyone stared at her before Kirith’s face lit up.

“It’s not the winds that are shifting—” He quickly turned on his heel and walked back to the Quarterdeck.

Kate furrowed her brow. “Kirith!” What was he doing?

Some of the crewmembers laughed and shook their heads. Kate didn’t buy into their stupidity. Catching up with Kirith up the steps, she followed at his side towards a brawny looking man who had his hands on the ship wheel. “Kirith—”

Before she could ask, Kirith spoke to the man, “The winds are changing.”

The man glared to them and raised an eyebrow. “Yeah? The winds change all the time at sea.”

Kirith clenched his fists. “You know what I mean!”

“Didn’t the Captain tell ya’ to stay out of our way?”

“He means the ship is changing directions,” Rossiel said coolly as she walked up behind them.

The man glowered at them but didn’t say a word. A sneer slowly spread across his lips. “Ah, it’s a new shortcut we use ta’ get to Vasnidale through the Gildeac Isles. A…special shortcut.”

“We already passed the Gildeac Isles!” Kirith spat. “What are you hiding from us?”

The man turned up his nose and looked away defiantly. “If ya’ have any concerns, bring ’em to the captain.”

Just before Kirith could lunge at the man, Kate grabbed him by the arm and pulled him away. She ushered them both back down the stairs and back to where Laela and Travis stood. They stared at them puzzled and worried, beginning to open their mouths to ask before Kirith answered quietly between clenched teeth, “They’re taking us away from Vasnidale.”

“What? Why?” Laela asked.

“I don’t know! But its obvious they have something planned.” Kirith looked back at the crew.

“You think they might know who we are?” Kate asked.

Below them there came undistinguishable squeal. The hatch to the quarters beneath opened and out came one of the crewmembers dragging Rahz by the collar of the shirt. The fox frantically tried to swipe at the man with his claws but to no avail. The other crewmembers began to laugh hysterically at Rahzes struggle. The shipmate holding Rahz walked to the Seals but stopped several feet away before shoving Rahz down onto the floor.

Rahz smacked into the floor and groaned. He slowly pushed himself up but was met by the boot of the shipmate pressing his head down.

Kate’s eyes widened in shock. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. What were they doing to him?

Kirith clenched his teeth angrily. “What is the meaning of this?!”

Rahz managed to turn hid face left-side-up. “P-please! This one has done nothing wrong!”

“Save it, little kitty!” the crewmember said and grinded his foot even more.

The ship crew approached them, coming around from all sides, popping, cracking, and snapping their knuckles, shoulders, and necks as if they were getting ready for a fight. Their eyes sparked with malice and exerted unwanted vibes.

“I didn’t quite think you would replace out,” came the captain’s as he stepped through his ranks and in front of them, followed by the man who had been steering the ship. He nodded to the man holding Rahz. “Lay off, Sarel.”

Sarel pulled back with a yellow-toothed grin and stood next to Zakai. Rahz quickly scrambled up and behind the group, glaring at Sarel.

“Guess yur’ not some dimwitted kids the Iceskins are after! WHATA’ SURPRISE!” The crew laughed, but they were anxious with excitement. “You have some interesting friends ’ere, Rahz.”

Rahz stepped out from behind Travis. “They promise good potential!”

“Good potential? Five children with a bounty of thirty thousand silver coins over each of their heads.” Zakai stroked his beard. “They musta’ done something beyond what any man or beast would do to really make the Iceskins mad, don’ ya think? You’re always getting yourself into the wrong crowd! HAH!”

Travis clenched his teeth. “And I wouldn’t be surprised if you AND your crew happened to have a high bounty over your heads!”

Zakai proudly put his hands on his hips. “The most wanted pirates of the Gildeac Isles. We are happy to make your acquaintances!”

Kate whipped her head to the fox. “Rahz!”

Rahz simply shrugged sheepishly and cringed. “They were the only ones I could think of who would give us a ride overseas!”

Kirith was furious. He quickly changed the subject matter. “Where are you taking us?!”

Zakai rubbed his hands together and looked around at his hungry crew. “Where the Felorians are of course. We can’t let a golden opportunity go to waste!”

Sarel cackled and looked to Kate and Rossiel. “We could always keep the girl and the elf for…special purposes.”

“And the youngest one, too!” said a darker skinned crewmember. Some of the other pirates agreed with what the two had said.

Laela, oh the poor child, clutched onto Travis and whimpered, “No…”

Rossiel whipped out her bow and an arrow within a second and pointed it at Sarel. “You will die before you lay a hand on us!”

Sarel chuckled and stepped forward. “Will we, missy?”

Rossiel was about to release. One of the pirates lunged at her to stop her but it was already too late.

An arrow stuck right through Sarel’s head. Blood began to drip from around the arrow as everyone watched in shock. Sarel let out a broken gasp as he slowly fell back with a thud. All eyes moved to Rossiel.

Zakai’s brow knitted into a deep scowl and he growled like no other. “You blasted Tree-hugger!” he roared, nostrils flaring.

The pirate who had jumped at Rossiel grabbed a hold of her by the arm. Rossiel was about to strike him with her free hand but another burly pirate grabbed her other arm.

Travis growled and stepped forward. “Let her go!”

Zakai ignored Travis and looked around at them. “We might as well make her walk the plank! The rest of you will be taken back to ye’ Iceskins for good coin!”

“You will have to get through us, then!” Kirith snapped, whipping out his sword. “How foolish you all are to threaten the Six Seals!” Lightning raced across the blade and danced to the end.

Kate’s heart raced as she put her hand to the hilt of her sword. Six against what— twelve? Twenty? And these were the most fearsome pirates of the Gildeac Isles. Six inexperienced children couldn’t possibly win against them. They could kill them if they wished…after all, the wanted poster did say “dead or alive.”

But something caught the corner of Kate’s eye off beyond the sea: a line of massive dark clouds that billowed up into the shape of an anvil. From within it, lightning flashed. As it approached, the wind began to grow stronger and the waves grew unsteady. The clouds were approaching so fast! It was like they were coming right for them.

“The Six Seals?” Zakai laughed. “You expect me to believe that?! Just because you have a little magic? You don’t scare me, boy!”

“You are foolish to presume that we are powerless! If you are so great of a pirate, you would know of the dangers of mystics— instead you let your pride speak for yourself!”

Laela touched Kate’s arm and looked to the story fearfully as the ship began to rock lightly. “You can see it too?”

Kate nodded. “Yeah…” Didn’t anyone else see it?

The waves were becoming even more violent. The sunlight slowly disappeared as the sickly dark clouds engulfed the sky. The winds whipped through the sails and caused them to flap violently. Some of the pirates were noticing it themselves and growing nervous.

“Pride? HAH! Tis’ not my pride, lad. Nor is it the power of dangerous mystics and relics but merely the fact that everyone fears me, Captain Zakai!”

Kirith pulled back his blade as lightning grew along it and caused it to glow. “Then how shall it be that you die by the blade of someone who doesn’t fear you!”

Kate grabbed Kirith’s arm. “Kirith, no!”

From their side of the ship, a massive wave hit and doused the deck in seawater. Everything became a haze as pirates and Seals stumbled to regain their balance. Kate slowly began to regain her bearings as chaos grew from all around. The Seals were just getting up and gaining their composure, even with Rossiel escaping the grasps of the pirates.

Pressing her back to the wall, Kate felt a shiver run down her body as the cold water that drenched her and the wind mixed. From her left came a high-pitched screech that echoed across the seas like an impending doom. She whipped her head to the side to see a towering serpentine beast rising up from the water. Its scales were black and bore no casted light. Red glowing orbs served as eyes for this ethereal creature. Something about this sea serpent made her think of… The Torus Demon! Could it be…

The demon serpent reared its head back and bared its long oozing black fangs. With one strike, the serpent crashed into the ship. The ship split in half like a toothpick. Another wave hit and sent Kate flying straight into the sea. All Kate could feel were the cold waters surrounding her before everything went to black.

The waves crept up softly and tickled Kirith’s skin. He felt the salt-filled water retract and leave the hardened sand under his legs. Another wave washed up and pulled back, leaving the residue of sand on his trousers and boots. Kirith was between consciousness and unconsciousness, he couldn’t decide in his weary mind which was more important. The stiffness in his body made his thoughts divert from reality and back into slumber.

Another wave came up, and this time it was large. The ocean itself wasn’t tolerating his peacefulness and sent full force of a wave that reached passed his head. When the wave died down, Kirith gasped for air and his eyes shot open. He tried to sit up but was met with an unbearable aching pain throughout his body. Sand and salt coated the inside of his mouth, causing his insides to feel raw. Kirith moaned and sat up anyways, clutching his cold and soaked body. Where am I?!? What’s going on?! he thought. Kirith gave a good look around, trying to evaluate the situation as best as he could.

As far as the eye could see, there was the ocean blue. Behind him was a steep hill to which led up into forested area. Further down the coast the hill carved into that of a cliff in the form of a headland with a large arch carved out in the stone below. In between that and the ocean was the endless shore that stretched on either side. Morning fog sat above the coast and some of the hill like a rug. Pieces of wood, even a whole part of a ship were strewn across the shore.

Kirith massaged his forehead, trying to ponder the situation. He couldn’t remember a thing of what happened! Why? Kirith, just take a step back, what do you remember before all this? He and the Seals had gotten a ride with some friend of Rahzes and they had been on the ship for a couple of days until… It was all coming back! Theses friends were really pirates who were just hungry for the bounty over their heads. But then there was the sea serpent and everything went black from there. The only solution was that their ship was destroyed and miraculously carried to the nearest shore. If he was still alive, where were the others? No, they can’t be, Kirith thought. They’re lying around here somewhere!

Standing up, he let out a low moan from his aching muscles. Kirith started down the shore where all the driftwood and ship parts lay scattered. He nearly tripped with every step he took. Kirith tried to keep his mind off the idea that his friends were possibly dead and thought of the sea serpent in particular. It was completely black with flaming red eyes, much like a demon that the Obligators would’ve summoned up. That still meant those cloak wearing, Abyssal worshiping cultists were still after them. But how could the sea serpent not have finished them all off? They were easy kill once they hit the water.

Kirith called out each and every one of the Seal’s names, but there was no response. His legs were growing worse by the second with all this wading in the sand. He wanted to lie down and give up, but no, his friends were out there and needed his help.

Something caught his eye further up the beach. A form with fiery red hair lay unconscious in the sand. Travis! Kirith used what strength he had to run to the giant teen, nearly tripping over his feet. How thankful he was to see another familiar face. Please don’t be dead. Please don’t be dead.

Kirith fell to his knees at Travis’ side. “Travis!” he said and gave him a rough shake. “Travis, wake up!”

Travis began to cough and convulse before he finally settled back down and squinted at the sunrays. “Huh…” He reached up to shade his eyes. “What’s…going on? Kirith…is that you?”

Kirith let out a dilapidated sigh of relief. “Good… Yes it’s me. I’m surprised we lived through that attack from the serpent,” he looked over to Travis’ axe, which lay not too far from him, “and the fact that your weapon is still with you.”

Travis sat up slowly, grimacing in pain as he did. “Serpent? Survived? What about the others?!”

Kirith stood up on his beaten legs. “That’s what I’m wondering. We have to search for them, come on!”

Travis did the same and grabbed his axe. As he straightened back up, his eyes glistened with discovery as they fell upon something towards the ocean. “Rossiel!”

Kirith looked in the same direction to see half a small rowboat precariously floating in the shallow waters. Rossiel’s upper half was lying on the split rowboat, delicately at most, whereas her lower half was left in the water.

Travis dashed in her direction, quickly wading through the waters to get to her aid. Kirith watched as he did so. I’ll go look for the others. He’ll be able to take care of her. Turning on his heel, he continued down the coastline, searching as his heart thumped in his chest. What if one of them was dead? What if they wouldn’t be able to replace all of them? They couldn’t just leave without them, and they couldn’t possibly be dead. The realm depended on them.

Kirith stepped over what was left of the main mast and pushed the tattered tarp aside. Where were all the pirates’ bodies? So far it was only the Seals they were replaceing. Wouldn’t have one of those gruesome pirates washed up by then?

Kirith spotted a small form lying face down in the sand with a tangled auburn braid and blond highlights. Cursing to himself, he ran over to her aid.

“Laela!” Kirith went to her side and quickly turned her over. Patches of sand caked various parts of her body. Laela’s white wood staff fell from her grasp and rolled into the sand.

Kirith furrowed his brow, staring at the staff for a moment. First Travis had his axe with him, and now Laela conveniently had her staff? Wouldn’t their weapons have been lost in the storm? Kirith shook his head and grasped Laela’s shoulders. “Laela, wake up! Say something!”

There was no reply. It didn’t even look like she was breathing at all. Kirith leaned forward and pressed his index finger to her neck. There was still a beat, very light though. Hang in there, Laela, Kirith thought. He pressed his hands to her chest and repeatedly pushed down. If she was still alive but unable to breath, then seawater must have gotten into her system.

After almost a minute, Laela convulsed and tossed her head to the side. Water escaped her lips and splattered into the sand. Groaning lightly, Laela’s eyes began to flutter open. “O-ow…” she whimpered, “my head…”

“Take it easy. Are you all right?”

“I guess…” she said as he helped her up into a sitting position. Laela looked around. “Where are we? W-where is everyone?”

“Travis is helping out Rossiel right now, though we’re still looking for the others.” Kirith let out a deep sigh and explained the rest of what had happened with the pirates turning against them and the demonic sea serpent splitting their ship in half.

Laela nodded softly and dusted the sand off of her. “The Obligators are still following us, no doubt. No wonder I felt so queasy when we went to Arshama.”

“Yeah…” Kirith stood up, fists clenched at his sides. “I’m going to go look for the others. Travis will come by with Rossiel.”

“I FOUND RAHZ!”

Laela and Kirith looked over near the shoreline where Travis was, helping Rossiel walk. Rahz was striding next to Travis completely soaking wet, arms tightly crossed with his fox-like ears folded back. He looked quite despicable and guilty, almost like a wet cat.

Some nerve that Lamari had. Kirith was just holding back all the anger he could be letting out on Rahz, and he knew there were more important things at hand. Kate!

“I have to replace Kate!” Without another word of hesitation, Kirith quickly darted off, phasing between a jog and running. He jogged past the rubble of the ship, his eyes shifting here and there, looking for something. With no sign of her near the waters, he climbed up closer to the tree line. Kirith thought he spotted something that might have been her, but it was only a waded up cloth.

He stopped dead center between the tree line and the shoreline, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. Kate is somewhere out there, she has to be! And if she was, what if she was slowly dying? What if she was already dead? Kirith pushed the thought away. No, if everyone else was still living and breathing, she had to be too.

Kirith picked up his pace and ran nearer to the arch where a whole half of the ship sat against the cliff side. He spotted something lying in front of the arch. From the looks of golden hair and a green tunic, Kirith could easily tell it was her. “KATE!” he yelled and dashed for her. Kirith felt an overwhelming feeling of relief come over him.

She was beginning to wake up as he approached. Yes! Kate lifted her head and looked at him with bleary eyes. Kirith fell to his knees at her side. “Kate!”

“Kirith…” she replied in a hoarse voice. Blood tracks that were dried from the air trickled down her forehead, as if she had been hit by something. “Everything is so…blurry.”

“Shh, j-just try to relax!” Kirith said. But in his peripheral vision, something caught his head. Kirith glanced up slightly to see feet. Not just any feet, but they were carved out of the stone arch and stretched up to his waist. Kirith blinked several times as he led his gaze upward to something he didn’t at all expect to see here.

“What…is it?” Kate asked, looking at him perplexedly.

Kirith stood up and took several steps back. “Come have a look.” Standing before them was a tall statue of an elegant woman, or what looked to be a woman. Angelic wings were folded behind her back. She wore a long gown with a hood pulled over her head. A soft yet humble expression was upon the statue’s face as she held up her right hand in a cautioning yet yearning way that was of defense and peace. The statue’s other hand was held out with a dove sitting on her finger. Her whole outlook was pleasing to the eye and gave off a feeling of safety and protection. The entire statue made up the arch to which held up the land.

The other Seals gathered around, looking up at the statue in awe. “She’s beautiful,” Laela gawked. “Who is she?”

“Lady Frieda,” Kirith said. Yes, he could recall this tale his uncle had told him. “I read about her once… She’s supposedly a Chòr who aided Vasnidale in defending the land from Felorian attacks at sea. They say that those who cross her path with peace will reach their destination…”

Kate stared up at her quietly. “Then maybe she is the one who saved us.”

Kirith nodded in agreement. “It looks that way, yes.”