Closing in

The crew works in almost silence as your ship approaches the other. You watch closely as the distance closes, taking a measure of your opponents. At a glance, it seems you outnumber them, though they likely have better fighters. You also see no evidence of ranged weapons, which is a relief. The strangest thing is that most of them seem to be wearing armor, which is usually a bad idea on a ship.

Your eyes catch on a figure standing apart from the rest, and immediately you understand that this is the leader. Tall and thin, he is wearing ornate blue armor, with a longsword belted at his hip. He wears no helmet, and his dark eyes, long black hair, and thin lips give him a villainous look. Beside him stand two people shrouded in heavy robes, and his eyes roam over your crew much like yours did over his. As the ships grow closer, his eyes lock onto yours, and after a moment, a cruel smile spreads across his face. He turns and says something to one of the figures beside him, and they nod.

As for yourself, you turn to the girls, who are watching you and the approaching ship with varied expressions. You nod to them. “It’s time to get ready. Head inside, Melora.”

She nods solemnly, and kisses your cheek. “Be careful, please, Nicholas.”

Your smile. “I’ll do my best.”

As Melora walks away, you look at Cassie. “You be careful too. No crazy stuff.”

Cassie giggles. “Don’t worry, I’ll be good!”

Satisfied with that answer, you turn to Ferra and Alex. “Our target is that leader. It looks like there’s only a couple mages with him, but let’s be cautious anyway.”

Alex grins. “Don’t you worry, Nicholas, we got this!”

You chuckle. “Just be ready for surprises. What I’m seeing doesn’t live up to the reputation, so I’d expect some magic.”

Ferra nods. “We will carve you a path, my love. This is what I do best.”

You smile, but don’t respond as the two ships come smoothly alongside each other, and your crew grabs hooks and rope, waiting for your order to board. As you watch, gauging the distance, you see that the other crew isn’t making the same preparations. Odd, but you don’t have time to second guess yourself now. You draw your blade, seeing your opponent do the same, and prepare to give the order.