Ascendant

CHAPTER TWO: MOIRA

"It's definitely pirates," Sea Dog said as he looked through his eyeglass.

[GEM]

"Do they look like they're wandering or are they trying to fight?" Greenhood asked.

"How big is their ship?" Buckle added from the bow as he readied a ballista on the ship's portside.

"Bigger than ours," Pirate commented as he sharpened his sword. "Turn us around, lads."

"Wait, they see something and they're turning around in fear," Sea Dog told them.

"See what?" Pirate demanded.

But their eyes were all on the dragon in the sky as it carried someone on its back.

Apostle rode bareback on Ikatere, as fast as they could, fleeing the volcanic island as they shot towards their ship. The dragon was young so it wasn't a smooth flight but Apostle was too busy trying to catch his breath after what just happened, fear making his bones into ice as he felt his blood running down his neck.

Jun 11, 2023, 4:51 PM

[MELODY]

Ikatere was clearly totally distressed about what just happened. He had wanted to step in and help apostle but that presence..it just had made him freeze in pure fear like he had been paralysed. Only until apostle came to him he reacted again. He now flew rather uncomfortable and clumpsily towards the ship as he had never had someone ride him. He tried to land carefully when they reached the ship but it went rather hard. He just smashed into the deck as he stopped himself too late.

Jun 11, 2023, 5:10 PM

[GEM]

Apostle caught his body on his hands and knees as he breathed hard, gripping the wooden deck as he shut his eyes.

The others were rushing over to them immediately, Pirate pointing to Sea Dog as he ordered him to get a cloth for Apostle's face.

"Easy, lad," Buckle said with his hand on his shoulder.

"What happened?" Greenhood asked with his eyes wide.

"Get us away from here..." is all he managed to say.

"Tell us what happened—" Pirate began.

"Get us out of here now!" Apostle shouted angrily at him, demanding for their retreat.

They were taken aback by this because Apostle was always positive and soft spoken but he looked shaken to death, like he'd just seen a phantom. Regardless, they scattered about as they weighed anchor and dropped the sails.

Sea Dog handed him a rag for his face and he took it to wipe the blood off and stop further bleeding.

[MELODY]

Ikatere was breathing rapidly almost hyper ventilating from the spot he landed in having his claws digged into the wood of the deck. He clearly hadn't experienced anything like this before.

[GEM]

"What's going on? Where are Captain and the others?" Sea Dog asked as he looked around frantically, wondering why they were sailing off without them.

"Dead," Apostle said without looking at him, still on the ground as he didn't feel stable enough to stand.

"What do you mean dead?" the man asked as if that was an impossible notion.