Private Tales The Mountains Ahead

[Kasim Areth]

"Vel Anir." The words fell from his mouth like bile.

It might have seemed odd to someone like Aviana that Vel Anir would use Black Sails, but it had been a mark of the Navy for as long as anyone could remember. The Orange slash down the center of the sail itself denoted the port at which the ship had been built.

Vel Luin.

It was a port that Vel Anir had controlled for as long as anyone could remember, and it was also a city that was mostly controlled and operated by House Virak. The House which Kasim stood as heir.

He could feel his stomach churn, fingers tightening on the railing, his eyes staring towards the ship in the distance that he could barely make out. "How the hell..."

The words were almost a whisper.

Kasim didn't understand what an Anirian ship was doing this far east, how it had even gotten this far. It seemed all but impossible.

"IT'S CLOSING FAST!"​

His stomach dropped as the words echoed out over the crows nest. It had to be a Black Ship. Had to be. Goosebumps ran through his flesh, and as he stared at the ship on the horizon he could feel the call in the back of his mind slowly growing louder.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana sucked in a breath and then she looked to Kasim, placing a hand on his shoulder. There was a reassuring smile on her lips. "You should get below decks and out of sight, yes?"

It was clear how shaken Kasim was. She didn't need him to voice his concerns, she could see the fear and confusion plain as day on his features. Whatever the approaching ship wanted, they could only assume that it was nothing good. Fighting would need to be a last resort. If they played their cards right, the men on board that ship would find nothing except a lost noble returning to her home.

No dragon.

No Vel Anir heir.

She still needed to hide the dragon. He would not be as easy to secret away as the jester. "Go, find somewhere before they get too close to spot you on deck. I need to deal with Kiovec and find the Captain. We'll be okay, Kasim. Just breathe." She whispered tenderly, kissing his cheek before she stepped back from him.

Her eyes turned to the dragon who lingered nearby, watching her intently.

The duchess of Minaris stepped up to the creature and gently cupped his large head in her palms; he was nearly as tall as she was now at his haunches. "Go swim, but stay out of sight." She said quietly.

The dragon huffed in response and turned away, Instead of flying over the railing and diving into the water, he crawled down along the bulkhead and slithered into the depths like a serpent. It seemed the dragon had come to understand the need for him to stay mostly out of sight.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim watched in silence after Aviana left to deal with Kiovec, trying to settle his stomach as he watched the ship approach.

Her words still rang in his mind, but a part of him feared that she did not understand what was coming their way. Who was coming their way. His gaze settled on the vessel as it grew larger and larger, his stomach churning and his lips thinning as he sucked in a breath. He could see the black hill matching the sails, could see the reflection of the Abyss upon the water.

It was a Vel'Anir Blackfort.

He knew the type of ship by sight, most Anirian would. They were famous, a piece of the Anirian Navy that was hailed as one of the most dreaded things that had ever sailed the seas. The vessels were built of a wood resistant to magic, and at their core they served as mobile fortresses for the most dangerous thing in Vel Anir’s arsenal; The Dreadlords.

Only twelve of the vessels had ever built, and of those twelve only eight survived. To see one all the way out here could only mean one thing.

Fingers clenched, and slowly he turned around towards where Aviana was searching for the Captain. "Someone on that ship will know me, a Dreadlord likely…they'll know my history, my family, everything."

Kasim paused a moment.

"Be careful." The words were terse, filled with fear.

He pressed his lips against her forehead, and then quickly headed towards the portculus that would take him below deck. As he did so the Blackfort rushed further and further closer, it's sails buffeted by unnatural winds dragging it towards its prey.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

"I'll be fine, my love." She whispered to him, squeezing his hand before he disappeared below deck. Though the words were said mainly to put Kasim's worries at ease somewhat so that he would actually go hide. Seeing the jester was rattled frightened Aviana, there had been none of his usual sly confidence about him.

Just fear.

Aviana took a deep breath and closed her eyes, focusing on the connection she could feel with Kiovec. The dragon was swimming beneath the hull of the ship. For a brief moment, she could feel the warm waters gliding over her skin as if she was there with him. The dragon was not afraid, but he could sense Aviana's distress.

She took comfort in the dragon's steely nerves, drawing on his strength to ready herself for what was to come.

Before she went to search for the captain, she ensured that her scarf was covering her horns, wrapped snuggly over the top of her head with the loose tails of fabric trailing down her back.

Her hand came to rest against the hilt of the sword strapped to her hip, finding herself wishing that she had a proper spear to carry with her.

"Captain." She called as she found the tall man on deck, moving towards him as quickly as she could. "It would seem that we have visitors who may wish to pay us a visit."

She then lowered her voice once she was standing directly in front of the man. Kasim had befriended this man during their journeys, but Aviana was reluctant to trust the crew with something so precious as Kasim's life. She took a breath to calm her nerves, pulling her shoulders back slightly. "If they board us, they must not find Kasim. Can I trust you and your men?"

In reality, she knew that she didn't have a choice.

 

[Kasim Areth]

For a brief moment the Captain did not say anything at all. He was a handsome enough man, if a bit portly, but he had the face of an Allirian. A shaggy beard clung to his jew, and there was a kindness to his green eyes. ”You can trust me, Ma’am.”

His voice was gruff, but earnest.

”Most of my men aren’t too keen on Anirians neither.” It was a truth that most sailors held to. Vel Anir had long since claimed the seas, even though in truth they were not the greatest power of it.

Still, they had a habit of boarding ships, inspecting cargo, and running far afield wherever they wanted. It was an issue that even Alliria often had to tangle with, much to the ire of the great Merchant city.

”But…” The Captain frowned, glancing at the Blackfort which crept ever closer. ”Fear does things to even those who hate.”

The words were cryptic, but Aviana would hardly have time to question.

The Massive Black Ship, was only a few dozen meters behind them. It’s huge sails seemed to block out the rising sun. On it’s deck, high above the ship Aviana stood on, one could make out dozens of Anirian Corsairs, most of them holding bows.

Before anything could be said or called, hooks shot out from the Blackfort and caught the side of the other ship.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana was not happy with the captain's vague answers. Trying to get an answer from the man was like trying to grasp water -- it simply slipped between your fingers, leaving very little behind. A frustrated sigh escaped her lips, just as the hooks grabbed hold of the ship. The sudden shift in momentum caused a good portion of the crew to stumble slightly, Aviana included.

Dread twisted in her stomach as she looked up at the massive ship and its black sails.

She didn't know what to expect, or what would come of this.

Minaris was so far east that she'd never seen a ship like this at port, and it certainly would never have been tolerated in their waters as it was boarding a civilian ship unwarranted. She realized that perhaps this was one of the reasons why a faction of the Minrasin nobility did not wish to open the boarders to outsiders. They did not want to invite conflict with the Mainlanders.

She took a nervous breath, drawing on the strength of the dragon that she could sense swimming deep below her feet.

"Courage cannot flourish without first the existence of fear." She mumbled softly under her breath, a phrase her mother taught her long ago.

 

[Kasim Areth]

For a few moments nothing happened, and then the Black Fort dragged the other ship towards itself.

There was a crack of wood and a loud crash as the two vessels clashed together, the hooks embedded in the railings securing the vessel in place. Another pause, and then a steel plank dropped from the Blackfort and crashed against the deck.

The sound it made was loud enough to cause ears to ring, two sailors jumping out of the way just in time not to be crushed by weight of the ramp.

Almost as soon as it touched the deck of the ship half a dozen corsairs streamed down it. Each of them was dressed in heavy leathers, all of them bearing swords on their hips and one of them carrying a long hook like scythe. They wore the garb of Anirian Sailors, marked by small patches upon their shoulders.

They did not speak to anyone aboard as the crew stared, but instead lined up on either side of the ramp with weapons ready to be drawn.

Silence reigned as they stared, not even the wind sounding out.

Above the two ships clouds began to form, seemingly drawn from nothing they covered the sky and eclipsed the sun within only a few seconds. Then, finally, someone else appeared at the top of the ramp.

Aviana would recognize him, or rather, would recognize his face.

An almost mirror image of Kasim stood at the top of the ramp. The lines of his face, the cut of his jaw, the odd tinge of gold eyes, all of it was the same save for the addition of time. The man at the top of the ramp was older by seemingly forty years, though an oddity clung to him beyond even that.

His skin was starkly pale, his nails slightly longer, and there was an almost predatory look appearance about him. His gaze fell down the ramp onto those aboard, and as his eyes passed over Aviana she would see a tinge of crimson just around his iris'.

Slowly he stepped down the ramp, his boots utterly silent.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

It took all of Aviana's strength to maintain her composure when she saw the striking resemblance of the man. The man startlingly similar to her Kasim, but as twisted by some foul magic. In the back of her mind, she realized that was likely exactly the case.

If ever there was a time Aviana was thankful that she'd learned to don the mask during her time at court, it was now. She needed to be able to look this man in the eye and lie to him.

Her mind was racing, trying to piece together a tale to weave. Kasim was better when it came to making up believable stories on the cuff, but she would have to manage without him. A chill ran down her spine. Every other time the two of them had been separated during her time on the mainland, it ended in disaster.

She clasped her hands together behind the small of her back and raised her chin, pulling her shoulders straight.

She was the regent-heir to the throne of Minaris.

It was finally time for her to act as such.

 

[Kasim Areth]

The man seemed to stalk forward like a predator.

There was something demonstrably inhuman about the way he moved, his feet sweeping forward and his entire body slithering behind them like a snake. It was odd, more lithe than any man should have been.

An aura clung to him, invisible and screaming of death. His gaze swept around the members of the Crew, lips thinning for a brief moment until they broke out into a wide smile. "I must speak with your Captain."

His voice even sounded close to Kasim's, but tinged with a rasp.

"I am searching for someone." He continued, glancing around until his eyes met Aviana's. They lingered for a brief moment, then landed upon the Captain who stepped forward. "Ah."

"Vel Anir has no authority in these waters, you can't ju-"​

"Captain." The man held up a hand and interrupted, his voice firm but carrying no harsh edge. "I can assure you, my authority is greater than anyone else's in this sea."

He glanced back at the Blackfort, offering a smile before he continued. "Now. Where is my nephew?"

 

[Aviana Sabel]

With the Captain's silence, Aviana stepped forward. The wind from the swirling clouds over head caused the tails of her silken scarf to flutter against her back. Given their current location, she knew they were far closer to Minrasin waters than those over which Vel Anir had control. If anyone held dominion over the sea, it was her people -- especially here.

"There are no children on this vessel." She countered, staring hard up at the man who looked so much like Kasim. This familiar stranger frightened her more than he had any right to. The very air about him seemed to recoil from his form, but she held her mask firmly in place.

"What is the name of your nephew? Perhaps we can expedite this search and let you be on your way."

 

[Kasim Areth]

The man let his gaze linger on the Captain for a moment, the red rim around his Iris' seeming to grow for just a moment before he turned them towards Aviana.

"Oh he's no child." A chuckle rasped from his throat. "Though I suppose his father still sees him that way."

A 'tsk' rang from his tongue. "His name is Erich Sarkus Virak, though I doubt that he goes by that name anymore. The boy is much too clever for that."

With that same odd lithe movement the man took a step closer to Aviana, his gaze practically staring into her soul as he watched her. His lips thinned for a brief moment, his nostrils flared, and then a smirk slowly set on his face.

Lips parted, flashing two elongated canines for just a brief moment.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She'd read stories about such creatures that stalked the mainlands, wearing the shape of a man or woman. They were all monsters beneath that visage, she remembered. That is what this man reminded her of, the stories of old that were told to scare children.

The way he stared at her was terrifying.

She felt Kiovec's presence beneath her grow restless as her own anxiety compounded.

"Pity for you. That must make finding him very difficult." She said sweetly, forcing a smile to her lips.

 

[Kasim Areth]

The toothy smile grew larger. "You'd think so."

There was knowledge behind his grin, a veiled something that lay only within his mind. He glanced back for a moment towards his soldiers, his finger crooking ever so slightly.

It was apparently the only motion that the soldiers needed.

Four of the six drew blades, curved scythe like swords that appeared in a flash. Behind them on the Blackfort a dozen men appeared, each of them holding a bow. Atop the tower at the back of Blackfort itself appeared two men, each garbed in strange robes.

Kasim's uncle stepped forward, encroaching into Aviana's space and running his index along her cheek.

"But that thing in your belly begs to differ." His voice was low, loud only enough for the two of them to hear it.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She felt her blood run cold as the man stepped closer to her, running his finger along her cheek. His long nail rasped softly across her flesh. Her eyes widened ever so slightly at the words he spoke, taking the faintest of steps back from him.

All she knew in that moment was that she needed to protect Kasim from this man, no matter what the cost.

Below the ship, she sensed Kiovec stir.

No. Stay hidden. There are Archers.

She swallowed once looking into the man's face, shaking her head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Ah well it's early days yet." He mused to himself, glancing down towards the woman's stomach for a brief moment before he turned to the Captain.

The man paled, his mouth opening as though he were about to say something but no words fell from his mouth.

"Search the ship." He ordered the corsairs. "Top to bottom."

He took a step away from Aviana, then motioned towards another of his corsairs. "Take her onto the Red Ashes."

The man stepped forward in an instant, moving with the intent of grabbing Aviana and dragging her aboard the Blackfort if he had to.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Panic gripped her throat, keeping her from crying out as the Corsair grabbed her arm in a fiercely powerful grasp. If he wanted to, the soldier could have easily snapped her arm. She grimaced, taking a step forward as he pulled her along, though she dug her heels into the deck of the ship. Why did they want her? What was he talking about?

"What are you... No, wait!" She shouted at one of the sailors as he took an instinctive step towards her . Her free hand extended to the sailor and she shook her head to him. "It's okay, don't do anything to provoke them."

Her eyes glanced to the Captain and then to the frightening visage of the Uncle. "There's no need for anyone to get hurt, there's nothing for them to find. It's okay."

Take Kasim and go. She urged through her connection to the dragon, willing him to understand.

The corsairs descended upon the ship like scavengers on a fresh carcass.

 

[Kasim Areth]

The Corsair lashed forward and grappled Aviana, taking hold of her wrist and pulling her towards the steel ramp that had crashed onto the deck.

"Yes." Kasim's Uncle said simply. "If there's nothing to find, then searching the ship should be no problem at all, should it?"

He rolled his eyes somewhat.

It was clear he did not believe Aviana, clear that he still held some sort of knowledge that she did not. The Corsair grabbed her harder, tugging at her to try and get her going.

In that moment the First Mate stepped forward. His face was red with anger, his muscles taught, and with a single step he launched himself forward towards Aviana and the Corsair that was grabbing her. His lungs opened with a powerful yell.

"FOR MINARIS!"​

A knife flashed into his hand, the blade sinking into the Corsairs side before the man could even react.

The first mate pushed Aviana gently behind himself, putting himself between her and the Anirians. Kasim's Uncle blinked in surprise, glancing around for a brief moment when he suddenly burst into a flash of activity.

In a heartbeat his hand was wrapped around the man's throat, fingers digging into his skin as he quite literally ripped his head from his body.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

During her travels across the continent with Kasim, Aviana had experienced several traumatic encounters. But she'd never seen something as visceral as a man trying to protect her having his head torn from his body. Blood and gore splashed across her face and arms as she screamed in horror.

The first mate's body slumped to the deck of the ship with a solid thud, landing first on its knees and then slumped forward, spilling more blood across the wooden panels.

The sickly, coppery scent of blood was pungent and nearly made her gag. She'd never seen so much blood before.

"NO!" Her cry was a guttural scream that clawed its way from her chest, as one of her hands pressed against the hollow of her throat.

 

[Kasim Areth]

A loud sigh escaped him, Kasim's Uncle licking his lips to get rid of some of the blood that had splattered there.

The rest of the crew seemed to have frozen in fear, the two Corsairs who had been sent to search the ship doing their business quickly as though none of the gore was even a bother to them. "Now."

Kasim's Uncle said as he turned to Aviana.

"Please get on the ship." The words were oddly polite, perhaps made less so by the blood still dripping from his fingertips.

Down beneath the deck in the very bottom of the ship Kasim hid quietly. He did not know his Uncle was there, nor did he know anything of the blood being spilled. No, he simply sat quietly, waiting, until a scratching echoed against the outside of the hull.

A frown touched his lips, and he knocked silently against the wood.

He was met with another scuffed scratch, then another, then in the rhythm of his knock. "Kiovec."

The Rune Mage said to himself as he pulled out his dagger and began to carve a rune.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana was trembling as another Corsair took her arm in his grasp, dragging her up the ramp to the ship. She stumbled as she walked, still in shock from what had just happened right in front of her. Before she even realized where she was being taken, she was already onboard the Blackfort. She was taken below decks and tossed into a room, hands bound behind her back. The door slammed shut and she heard a heavy lock clunk into place.

That was when the fear and despair truly set in.


Kiovec swam just beneath the ship, pressing his snout against the wood of the hull. His Bond told him to take Kasim, and that was what he intended to do. Though he loathed to leave Aviana behind. It went against his every instinct.

A door swung open in an adjacent room, and Kasim would be able to hear the dull footsteps of the soldiers thudding on the deck above his head. They were searching for him, diligently.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim scribbled the rune as fast as he could.

In truth he did not even really think about what he was inscribing. All he knew was that the sounds of the door opening were close, and on the other side of the wood was a Dragon waiting to whisk him away.

What else mattered?

Rune Magic was often finicky. It was a language that held little to no artistry, and the definition of certain runes was as important as those of others. So when Kasim intended to make a door, something he could slip through, he neglected to think of the fact that doors were two ways.

As soon as he finished inscribing the Rune there was a bright glow, and then a sudden burst of water as the newly shaped door was thrown open by the pressure of the sea.

Within seconds Kasim found himself pulled out into the ocean, dragged by tidal forces as the ship began to flood.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

The expulsion of Kasim into the dark depths of the ocean was violent. It tossed him head over heels, trapping him beneath the hull of the ship when he tried to surface for air.

Something moved in the shadows, bumping against Kasim's leg. It was a large creature and warm compared to the waters around him -- Kiovec.

The dragon swam much as a crocodile would, using his massive tail to propel himself through the water. His wings were folded and tucked tightly against his form, which was naturally aerodynamic. Water slid over his form as easily as air would.

Within moments, Kasim would feel the young dragon grab the back of his collar and then an enormous pull as Kiovec unfurled his wings, stroking them downwards to drive them both towards the surface.

When they did finally surface, they were nearly a hundred yards off the starboard side of the now flooding ship.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim clung to the back of the Dragon as they burst from the water, his fingers practically digging into Kiovec's scales to hang on.

His heart thundered in his chest, his body tensing as he tried desperately to hold on as water exploded out and away from them. A wave splashed out from them, erupting along the sea as they burst into the air and swept through the skies.

There was a heartbeat that passed, the only moment as Kasim looked down and saw the two ships.

Upon them he spotted a figure, one that he had not seen for near a decade. His heart caught in his throat, his stomach lurched. "Uncle."

No.

No. No. No.

"Down!" He screamed at Kiovec. "Down! We have to go down!"

Kasim had to get on that ship, had to get Aviana, otherwise she was already dead.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

A frustrated, rumbling growl formed in the dragon's chest as Kiovec screamed at him to go back. As badly as he wanted to turn back, Aviana had been clear in what she wanted from him. He could feel the terror she was struggling to control, the sickening panic rising in her chest, but he could do nothing for her.

He wasn't large or strong enough to carry them both.

Still, the dragon hovered over the ships, turning his head from side to side to look for his Bond... but she was nowhere to be seen. His jaw snapped and a second growl emanated from his throat.


Locked away inside the room on the Blackfort, Aviana could sense Kiovec had surfaced with Kasim on his back. He was struggling just to carry the Jester.

Go. I'll be fine.

Unable to do anything else, the dragon turned and carried the jester away.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"NO NO NO YOU STUPID DRAGON!" Calling the thing carrying you away from the scene of a battle stupid was probably not the best idea in the world, but in that moment Kasim didn't particularly care.

He wanted to save Aviana.

The Jester knew now what was on that Blackfort, knew who was there. It was what made all the difference. If it had been a Dreadlord, even an Archon, he would have been confident in Aviana's survival, in her ability to resist.

His Uncle?

His Uncle was something entirely inhuman.

Kasim couldn't help but feel his gut wrench as he tried to steer Kiovec back towards the ship, finding any and all attempts to do so completely useless. He looked back at the fading vessels as the Dragon beat his wings, carrying him away from his love.