Heroic sacrifice...
Elisis, along with Sir Adon and Lonios, was outraged by the captain and officers of the Peregrino for cowardly executing the surrendered pirates. They avoided contact with the captain as much as possible, and the days passed.
Elisis was very happy to be able to date Valeros, but they did so in secret. No one knew about their secret meetings, but when she wasn't with him, she felt lonely. Nimbus had distanced himself from her definitively after his failed attempt to confess his feelings.
It had been a very sad day for Elisis, but she knew it would happen since she deliberately used the boy to make Valeros jealous. However, she didn't anticipate that this day would be so traumatizing even for her. It was true that she was developing a certain attraction to the boy, and if Valeros hadn't succumbed to her charms, Nimbus would be a possibility today. But that was now in the past, and, according to her mother, you can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs.
Time passed, and the attraction between her and Valeros grew, almost reaching the point of them having a sexual relationship. Elisis was almost giving in to Valeros' advances in her room when she remembered her mother's words: a good Amazon at her age should remain a virgin while her age allowed. This would be a significant asset and a trump card for missions where she needed to pose as a maiden. If she lost that, a vast range of missions would be lost forever, and she would be severely reprimanded by her mother and mentor, something she couldn't let happen. Her mother was the person she feared most in the world, and she knew how to be cruel in her lessons.
The bells rang again. Nimbus knew that two tolls meant pirates ahead, and he also knew he wouldn't participate. Nevertheless, he went to his quarters, put on his leather armor, and now he was on the command bridge accompanied by Sir Adon, Elisis, Valeros, and Lonios. They were all looking at a pirate ship sailing ahead of them.
— Another one to chase — the Captain spoke, recalling his last pursuit, where he executed that maneuver that was already considered legendary by the crew.
— I'm not sure, Captain, this ship doesn't seem to be fleeing — Sir Adon warned the captain.
— You're getting too old, Sir Adon, could it be that you're losing your mind? Damn it, they only gave me the worst for this ship. It's a miracle I can still sail with a bunch like this.
Sir Adon, as usual, ignored the captain's comment; apparently, he preferred to avoid conflicts. After all, it was his last voyage, and the captain seemed to have noticed it, often humiliating him and the other knights by extension.
— I think Sir Adon is right; the pirates are maneuvering. They're turning towards us — Valeros spoke with a smile on his face, showing that his master was correct.
— That's concerning. Pirates don't usually face ships in numerical disadvantage — Lonios said. Nimbus knew this expression of concern well from his master. — Nimbus, I think it's best for you to go down to my cabin when the fight begins.
Nimbus nodded, avoiding speaking in tense situations like this. He imagined that if he did, he would only be a hindrance.
— It must be a group of elite pirates — Sir Adon spoke, equally worried as Lonios.
— Should I alert the guards? — Valeros noticed this and adopted a more serious posture.
— Yes, put them on maximum alert — Adon replied, and Nimbus realized that the situation was more desperate than it seemed.
Tense minutes passed. As the pirate ship was faster, it maneuvered and began to sail in circles around the Brand and Peregrino. Imitating the enemy, the captain ordered the same, and Peregrino apparently adopted the same posture. Now the three ships were circling each other.
— It's our chance; let's maneuver and turn in the opposite direction. We'll collide head-on with the enemy. When we start the fight, Peregrino will take advantage and hit them from behind, a perfect maneuver. — The captain envisioned this alone, and without consulting his officers, he ordered the maneuver to be executed.
— Captain, we need to figure out why the pirates aren't fleeing first — Adon seemed concerned.
— Nonsense, you're getting scared with age!
— What's this music? — Nimbus noticed that music was playing; he just didn't know where it was coming from.
— I've been hearing it for a few minutes too — Lonios replied.
The captain maneuvered the Brand, and now they were heading towards the pirate ship, and the pirates towards the Brand. Soon, they would be within range of Brand's cannons; the pirates had probably slowed down because Peregrino was coming right behind them and was about to catch up.
— Master, everyone is ready — Valeros came up from below, accompanied by Boagrius. Nimbus looked down and saw all the men anxious, about to climb the stairs.
As they approached the pirates, the music became louder. In the distance, Nimbus looked through the telescope borrowed from Jim and saw a man on the pirate deck playing a flute. He had a huge tube tied to his back and apparently read the paper that came out of this tube while playing. Seeing this, he pointed and showed it to Lonios, signaling the strange fact.
— NO! Everyone, get ready — Lonios shouted. — I've heard a song like this before and seen a man with a scroll like that; he's a summoner.
— It can't be. I knew them well in the war — Adon replied. — They summoned beasts to the battlefield, but there are no giant beasts to be summoned here, except...
Before Sir Adon could finish his sentence, a colossal ether monster of almost a kilometer in diameter emerged from the ether below Peregrino and grabbed it. Immediately, the ship began to force its turbines upwards, trying to prevent the creature from pulling them down.
Everyone on the command bridge was speechless; the silence lasted a few seconds until Lonios broke it, saying almost inaudibly:
— I've seen summoners summon the most terrifying monsters to the battlefield, but I was always told that ether monsters were impossible to summon. It seems they were wrong, or this summoner is extraordinary.
— WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, YOU IDIOTS? WE HAVE TO SAVE PEREGRINO — the captain shouted, desperate.
— That explains why they didn't flee — Sir Adon exclaimed, ignoring the captain's screams. — What are we going to do? It's impossible to defeat a ether monster of this size, even with two ships attacking it — Adon looked at Lonios hopefully for him to say something, and that's what happened.
— It's for ether monsters of this size that Sir Ahbran called me for this journey. We need to get close to Peregrino; if we get close enough, I can save them.
— You can? Sir Adon asked, surprised. It seemed that only he and Lonios were on the bridge; only they spoke, and the captain looked horrified at the two.
— What can a mere wandering knight do against an ether monster of this size? Don't be foolish — the captain incredulously looked at Adon and ordered again. — DO SOMETHING, YOU GOOD-FOR-NOTHING! — Now it seemed like the captain found the knight useful, and this made Nimbus show a small smile at the irony of the situation, despite the desperation.
— Put me close to it, and I'll do it — Lonios replied to Adon, looking deeply into his eyes and ignoring the captain.
— DON'T BE FOOLISH; I WON'T DO THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU WANT ME TO — the captain spoke.
Immediately, Sir Adon grabbed his Diamond Steel shield and violently hit the captain's face. With the force of the blow, the old man fell unconscious to the floor; everyone inside the room was looking at the chubby body lying there, and Adon spoke:
— From now on, I take command of the bridge. Any objections?
At that moment, everyone inside the command bridge stopped looking at the unconscious captain on the ship's floor and turned to their tasks. A sense of satisfaction was palpable in the air; probably, everyone there couldn't bear the captain's eccentricities and insults anymore.
— Very well, ignore the pirates and head towards Peregrino, and lock the captain in his quarters.
Nimbus in his Armor