A rush of chants and stamping of feet surged into ears...the absurdity becoming only more profound by the moment. Each member of the crew took to alarm, seizing their choice tool for defense, this time as the chants evolved into guttural cries...and then beings materializing.
Elreal's majors were as well alarmed: Jerther with each hand baring a pistol, and Zar' fingers locked to the goose feather end of his projectile, while having another hand locked firmly to his bow.
But the current Elreal took this current development differently. Here he was only moments ago battling with a resolve on Ander' rebellion, and like a dream the fool had come to him. With gladness he embraced this moment.
Blades pointed brilliantly to the jugular of each hostage, Ander's men were sure to use their leverage to its fullest without making an error.
As they drew nearer, Elreal assessed them briskly. They were looking much different from the last time he had set eye on them. From his brutal evaluation, they should have been in starvation for no less than five good days. He could smartly put reason to why they had finally showed up. They were hungry and tired of the mindless crusade.
But even in defeat, they still dared act strong
For this, Elreal gave his applaud.
"Elreal!" Ander barked, showing his true nature -- a dog!
"Elreal! Elreal! Elreal!" He cried coldly, whilst Elreal and his majors made their way through the violently glaring ship men to the front.
"Ander!" Elreal called once before the lunatic.
"We have come with the hostages so you can believe they are still alive. Now hand us what we need and death shall come to no one."
"Ander, even a blind man can see this fight is over. You dare threaten to take fellow shipmates life before us all. How then do you hope on gaining the hearts of this one's." Elreal spoke while making gesture to the disdainful gazing men.
Their countenance held fire and bitterness for Ander, and their glower was profoundly evident.
"Let us end this; you and me." Ander suddenly called out.
Though Elreal seemed at first, a bit muddled by what Ander was implying, he yet knew this decision wasn't pure Anders thinking.
"What are you proposing Ander? " Elreal asked.
"I challenge you Elreal, for the seat of Captain of this vessel, haven laid few rules down." He spoke.
"One! No one interrupts the fight. Two! We must make an oath under the heavens, that whoever wins has the rule of the Ghost, and everyone here would bare witness." Ander finished.
"Why are you doing this?" Elreal's lowered tone shoved out in sincerity.
"What? Too scared now to take me on a simple fight? Consider your audience before you make a decision." The mad man spat.
Anders platter were yet inciting. But if Elreal was fighting the man, it wasn't because it was the last option to end this madness. But a refusal to direct confrontation as this spoke poorly of a leader as himself. It showed nothing more but weakness and incompetence - all of which Elreal was none.
"If I fight you Ander and yet win, how am I certain you would keep to your word and allow these hostages walk free."
"By the heavens I swear it." Ander told swiftly, palming his open fist to his chest."
"Then I accept to fight you Ander." Elreal declared, actuating instantly the thunder of chants from the sea men.
In the moment the mariners of either party cheered like wild dogs and cleared ground, Ander had drawn out two blades from his scabbard. Elreal responded to his action by pulling out his own device; the same weapon Lord Paltiel had handed him.....a pure Moongthon steel.
"First blood or to the death?" Elreal voiced suddenly, twirling with swagger his blade.
Absurdly broke out Ander' guttural cry......that singular action was enough to answer Elreal - it was indeed to the death.
Ander leaped forward suddenly like an arrow with a fiercely bolt speed. He began an extremely fierce attack with power as the tide, as he stabbed furiously like lightening at his contender.
Elreal was yet in right position to wane down this strike, even though he had been pushed back by the cruel force of his assailant.
Ander's blades; true and standing firm, his eyes glint in malicious intent.....yet satisfied with how the fight had began.
Elreal rose with a predatory glint in his eyes dashing for Ander. In a moment, the violent confrontation ensued utterly. Clangs and groans followed from each party which defined much their struggle.
Elreal's blade swept fine at Ander, yet a simple duck and the dog had escaped the violent blow.....in same moment his shot out foot had pursued his drive unto Elreal's groins, pushing him rashly to the floor.
The sudden action and show of dexterity had jolted a chant amongst Anders men. Their gang head was indeed maintaining control of the fight. But Elreal' party held bitter spectation - their frustrating gazes were clutched up.
Elreal was groomed up as a war instrument; more so, life' trials had toughened him to a pinnacle of agility.
Then why was it still seeming he was the one struggling to hang on?
His majors were bitterly considering reasons for his flaws and chances of his stand in the duel. Was it because Ander was indeed that formidable a contender to have dared him...or was he for any reason holding back?
Whatever the case be, the anxious lieutenants knew yet he needed to take charge of this fight....for their life's sake.
Delved deeply into thoughts, Anders sudden dash banished his thousand fantasies. The furious swing of his assailant spoke well of his brutality.
Elreal tapped the ground with both legs hitting strong, and as an arrow leaving the bow, his entire body shot up at his enemy. The current Elreal struck with wild bare hands, haven lost his blade to the fall.
Clenched fist hard as a hidden turtle shell, Elreal's fist pounded into his once assailant. A grimace had revealed the bitter stab of pain.
With expertise as a crafts man who knew fondly his trade, Elreal pursued his motion with more harmonizing strikes that now surged onto his contender in its muddling style.
In the end, the contender had yet managed to defend merely few blows....the rest taking due cause upon his flesh.
With lost blades, Anders effort had been doubled as he tried fierce blows. It was yet his righteous flaw to have lost his sole aid - his blade.
In a straight up old fashioned fist fight, even a blind fellow could tell who the better person for a wager would be.
The dance of fist and legs followed a while, but Elreals methods conditioned due proceedings, to a rather maneuvering style - a new technique Ander would yet hold to no understanding.
Both fist took purchase from upon the rival, before Elreal's foot sealed it all up whilst jamming hardly his opponents jaw. With a savage thud and a bitter cry, Ander's defeat was sealed.
"Finish it! Finish it at once." He cried, while gazing upon broken spirit.
Elreal made no statement, merely striding now for fallen blade.
"Ah. Alas, I get defeated by your hand." Ander sighed in the same moment Elreal was pushing for him.
"But a deal is a deal. Spare my men yet I pray, and let my incompetence and unworthiness be the sacrifice to wipe the mess off this ship. Let no other blood follow I pray."
The current Elreal was yet silent, allowing the soon dying man void his last words.
The absurdity of it all was, little did the man know a thing about the Wolf Captain, who had carved their fate - all the men, even before the winner was yet defined.
"Behold now, Ander has fallen by and to my hands. A defeat that has broken his madness of rebellion. Taking his head a price, soaking this vessel with his blood, denting the azure waters with he and his supporters entrails and yet serving the rest of their flesh to the ravenous wild birds - a banquet they would be thankful for. Wouldn't it now be just?" Elreal spoke with open hands - in his gesture compelling the ship men upon simple reasoning and an answer.
But a wider number of the men had engraved answers even before question told. They all knew truly the answer: the guilty ones cast down their heads, while the others chanted the truth of their Captains words.
"A just man would render justice to the cheated brothers of this ship, who had been wrongly detained whilst doing their duty. Beaten, tortured and deprived food and life. But....." Elreal paused, strolling his eyes through the anxious men.
"But.....a better man would strive to do more. In so doing he would beg his men to consider a soul as the most precious jewel nature and the heavens would ever forge. It comes once and goes once. Least any be too quick to judge, let us think of the good of allowing these men stay live." Elreal pronounced. His words were ambiguous in its way, yet few grasped the message....in the end he had actuated the murmur and side talks.
"Still, men with killing instincts as these once, who were ready to take their fellow shipmates life for their mindless cause, can not be allowed to roam this ship like they earned the right. For this, I would give Ander and his men one last chance to save themselves." Elreal broke in again. His authoritative voice putting a halt to the mumbling.
"Those that toss their pride and mindless cause for an allegiance and swear their loyalty to this vessel and its new Captain, should step forward. If not, you are ready to die for your cause, and thus, a honorable death would be delivered - quick and sure." Elreal told again. His words were clear: join me or die!
Without so much struggle as to convincing them, all Ander's men took the step.....pure fear was evident.
Elreal and his majors smirked with satisfaction, yet a man was left from the number.....Ander!
"Ander!" Elreal called. "I give you a chance for a life. My course may remain strange to you, but I promise my quest is no mindless effort. Join me!" Elreal persuaded yet with convincing tone as to sooth.
But what true option had Ander; whichever way, dead or alive, Elreal had won. He had his men intact and even his contenders followers had joined him.
With life, Ander knew he had a chance to survival and making the Ghost better by aiding Elreal.
What truly was his ego against the desires of life!
With a deep exhale suddenly, Ander proclaimed
"I accept to join you Captain Elreal."
His decree more sweetening than red wine, Elreal pushed excitedly to him.
"Swear it, and bind your words with blood." The Captain spoke, sweeping the sharpened edge of his blade through his palm so the blood was compelled to flow, then passing the same blade to Ander.
"I swear it. The heavens be my witness." Ander spoke confidently, while tearing his palm with the sharp Moongthon steel. Stretching out his hand, he met Elreals palm in the shake.
"By blood we are now bonded as brothers. The day you break this bond and turn on your words, be ready for the heavens cruel visit. The breeze, sun, waters and heavens are our witness." Elreal told and with a plain nod, Ander accepted - pure resolve with no deceit was evident.
"Their is just one thing left." Elreal suddenly declared as he whistled. The whistle rightly a command....his men came upon Ander and his weakened followers.
"What is this?" Ander breathed hardly.
"You would agree with me that three days in the dark cell be a small chastisement for your deeds." The Captain smirked sinisterly.
"Use the moments as nothing but a means to ruminate over your sins, and when you are out, you would be completely purged." He smiled, then gestured his men to take them the cell.
Their was yet poor struggle from Ander and his men, as they allowed themselves be dragged to the dark, cold cell. It was pure hint, they approved their reproof.
"Now that is how you win a fight." A voice rang suddenly from behind Elreal....Simon.
"A victory without a fight is indeed a competent style." Elreal agreed with a smile at his presence.
"You ended that rebellion. Thank you." Elreal spoke in peace for the first time in days.
"We all had our parts to play. I played mine, and so did you beautifully." Simein smiled.
"Now what struggle else do we face?" Elreal sighed depressingly.
"Worry less about it friend...we would always travail." Simon assured with a warm smile.
Elreal couldn't understand this mans calmness in the face of trouble, but it had its style of encouragement.
With a tap on the mans shoulders, Simon allowed Elreal to his thoughts as he walked away.
In this moment, Elreal's gaze pursued through the whole vessel: calmness prevailed as the uncertainty and terror was defeated. Now he could breath confidently the fresh air with assurance that trouble was yet at bay.
With this space of peace, he could at least return back to planning strategically his quest.
Ander had blindly delved to an oath of blood, too scared to loose his life. But Elreal yet knew deeply the implication of the man's oath.....death alone could separate the man's loyalty. With expertise and agility of a man as Ander, his sails and adventure was given better chance.
Some prisoners are bound by chain or lock in cells. Ander' prison was built by his own ambition and rage, and he'd just handed Elreal the keys.
Meanwhile, somewhere across the same waters, the past was proven a cruel jailer.
Taners watched the waters anxiously as the vessel swam atop. Smoothing the mild surface for which once held his hand soothingly, he yet embraced the breeze of purpose.
They had pushed day and night, sun and rain......he was yet motivated that they were coming for the little scoundrel.
"We continue to set sail due South." The order of the gallantly standing Taners sent a wave of fear through the inquirer's being.
"Yes Commander." This one who was meant to be amongst Taners closest comrades answered in terror.
He had been a faithful follower of Taner's ever since they were in the military till they became contract agents...and now this. In those years yet, Kalmos had never found Taners as desperate as he currently was.
Life was indeed proven a bitter jailer, and Taners was yet too anxious to break free the cruel cell.